Vaishnava

[ vahysh-nuh-vuh ]

noun

, Hinduism.

1. a Bhakti sect devoted to Vishnu.

Vaishnava

/ 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

Derived Forms

• ˈVaishnaˌvism, noun

Other Words From

• Vaishna·vism noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of Vaishnava¹

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

“No house was deliberately set on fire by security forces,” said Vaishnava, the military spokesman, blaming it on the militants.

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