Who Is a Śrīvaiṣṇava?
The term Śrīvaiṣṇava designates a follower of the Sri Vaishnava sampradāya (tradition) — the tradition whose foundational acharya is Rāmānuja and whose theology is Viśiṣṭādvaita. Key markers:
- Pañcasaṃskāra — has received the five-fold initiation (tāpa, puṇḍra, nāma, mantra, yāga) from a qualified ācārya
- Tilaka — wears the Ūrdhvapuṇḍra (thirumaN — vertical white clay marks with a central red line)
- Maṇṭram — has received and contemplates the three rahasyams (Aṣṭākṣara, Dvaya, Charama-śloka)
- Dual Vedānta — accepts both the Sanskrit Vedas and the Tamil Divya Prabandham as valid scripture
- Śrī-Nārāyaṇa worship — worships the Lord always accompanied by Śrī — never Nārāyaṇa alone
Two Schools
The Sri Vaishnava community is historically divided into two schools:
- Vaṭakalai (northern school, associated with Vedānta Deśika) — emphasizes Sanskrit Vedic orthodoxy and the role of individual effort in prapatti
- Teṅkalai (southern school, associated with Pillai Lokācārya and Maṇavāḷa Māmunigaḷ) — emphasizes Tamil Prabandham and the Lord's grace as entirely independent of individual effort
Both schools are authentically Sri Vaishnava and trace their lineage to Rāmānuja.
Identity, Not Just Label
The ācāryas stress that being a Śrīvaiṣṇava is not a caste or birth identity but a relationship — one who recognizes their śeṣatva to Bhagavān, has the Lord as their upāya, and lives in kainkarya to the divine.