The Tradition

Vaishnavism is a major monotheistic school of Hinduism in which devotees worship Vishnu or Krishna as the supreme reality. It may not be the most well known form of Hinduism but it is India's richest and most significant tradition.

The heart of Vaishnavism is bhakti-yoga, or the path of devotion in which the highest goal is to develop pure unselfish love for God.

." In view of the great popularity of Hatha-Yoga in the West, other fine forms or branches of Yoga have become eclipsed. Among them is Bhakti-Yoga, which has a far longer history than the Yoga of "force" (hatha). In fact, the path of devotion (bhakti) has its roots in the mystical ritualism of the ancient Vedas. These archaic Sanskrit scriptures are now thought to be well over four thousand years old."

-George Feuerstein,
Ph.D. Founder-director of the Yoga Research and Education Center (YREC)

Who is Krishna?

Krishna, in Sanskrit, literally means "the all-attractive One". It is a name for God. This name implies that all living beings have an eternal relationship with God and are always drawn to Him. Krishna is perhaps best known as the speaker of the sacred text Bhagavad-Gita, recognized throughout the world as one of mankind's greatest book of wisdom. In the Gita, Krishna repeatedly reveals Himself as the Supreme Lord, God Himself, the source of everything.

My Lord
I've never seen anyone
who could be compared
to you

For your beauty
and your regal elegance
You can be compared
only
to yourself

The Vedas describe Krishna in this way: He appears as a handsome youth with a glowing complexion the color of rain clouds. He plays a flute, attracting the hearts of all. His smile is enchanting, and He wears a peacock feather in His curly black hair and a flower garland around His neck. His eternal kingdom is known as Goloka, where it is said that every word is a song, every step a dance, and every moment new, fresh, and filled with spiritual bliss.