Vaishnava

American  

[vahysh-nuh-vuh] / ˈvaɪʃ nə və /

noun

Hinduism.

1. a Bhakti sect devoted to Vishnu.

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Vaishnava British  

/ ˈvɪʃnəvə /

noun

1. Hinduism a member of a sect devoted to the cult of Vishnu, strongly anti-Brahminic and antipriestly in outlook and stressing devotion through image worship and simple ritual

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Other Word Forms

• Vaishnavism noun

Etymology

Origin of Vaishnava

from Sanskrit vaisnava of _Vishnu

Example Sentences

In the Hindu tradition of Vaishnava, the deity Lakshminarayan is a composite form of Vishnu and his female consort, Lakshmi.

From Seattle Times

“Muslims have imams, Christians have pastors, Hindus have gurus, so he’s essentially like a Vaishnava Hindu pastor,” Ms. Gabbard said.

From New York Times

Vaishnava said the allegations of disproportionate use of force by the army were “baseless, bereft of evidence and likely to have been made by terrorized people under duress from the perpetrators.”

From Reuters

Vaishnava monks believe the way to salvation is through dance, drama and music.

From Washington Times

For almost 40 years, the society has offered patrons daily prayer sessions based in Vaishnava Hinduism, which emphasizes bhakti devotion, an active involvement of devotees in worship through practices such as yoga and chanting.

From Washington Post