वैष्णव mfn. mf(ई)n. relating or belonging or devoted or consecrated to
विष्णु (
q.v. ), worshipping
V° ,
[TS.] &c. &c.
वैष्णव m. m.patr. fr. विष्णुg. बिदा-दिभक्ति ‘a worshipper of
V° ’
N. of one of the three great divisions of modern
Hindūism (the other two being the
शैवs and
शाक्तs; the
वैष्णवs identify
विष्णु - rather than
ब्रह्मा and
शिव - with the supreme Being, and are exclusively devoted to his worship; they have become separated into four principal and some minor sects, as follow: 1. the
रामानुजs, founded by
रामानुज, who is said to have lived for 120 years [from 1017 till 1137 A.D.]
; his chief doctrines are described at
p. 878, col. 1, and in
[RTL. p.119&c.] ; one peculiarity of his sect is the scrupulous preparation and privacy of three meals; 2. the
माध्वs, founded by a
KanareseBrāhman named
मध्व, whose chief doctrines are described at
p. 782, col. 3, and in
[RTL. p.130&c.] 3. the
वल्लभs, founded by
वल्लभाचार्य, whose chief doctrines are described at
p. 928, col. 3, and in
[RTL. p.134&c.] ; 4. a sect in Bengal founded by
चैतन्य [
q.v. ] who was regarded by his followers as an incarnation of
कृष्ण; his chief doctrine was the duty of , or love for that god which was to be so strong that no caste-feelings could exist with it [see,
[RTL. p.140&c.] ] Of the minor
वैष्णव sects those founded by
निम्बार्क or
निम्बादित्य [
[RTL. 146] ] and by
रामानन्द [
[RTL. 147] ] and by
स्वामि-नारायण [
[RTL. 148] ] are perhaps the most important, to which also may be added the reformed theistic sect founded by
Kabīr [
[RTL. 158] ] and the Sikh theistic sect founded by
Nānak [
[RTL. 161] ])
N. of
सोम (lord of the
अप्सरसs),
[ĀśvŚr.] श्री (-) of a poet,
[Cat.] अरत्नि the 13th cubit () from the bottom or the 5th from the top of the sacrificial post,
[L.] a kind of mineral,
[L.] यज्ञ (
scil. ) a
partic. sacrificial ceremony,
ib.वैष्णव n. n. a
partic. महा-रस (
q.v. ),
[Cat.] परं दिवम् a
partic. prodigy or omen (belonging to or occurring in the or upper sky),
[MW.] the ashes of a burnt-offering,
ib.N. of the
नक्षत्रश्रवण (presided over by
विष्णु),
[VarBṛS.] of two
सामन्s,
[ĀrṣBr.] of various works.,
esp. of the
विष्णु-पुराण