Gaudiya

Gaudiya refers to Gauda, the Bengal region, and to Gaudiya Vaishnavism, a tradition within Hindu Vaishnavism that originated there. It centers on devotion to Krishna as the supreme form of God and emphasizes bhakti (devotional love) as the path to liberation. The movement began in the 16th century with Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, who popularized sankirtana, the congregational chanting of Krishna’s names, and taught that love for God could be awakened through devotion rather than speculation. Chaitanya’s teachings were transmitted through his early followers and given a formal structure by the Goswamis of Vrindavan, who systematized temple worship, philosophy, and sacred literature within the tradition.

Core scriptures include the Bhagavata Purana and Gaudiya-authored treatises such as Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu and other works by the six Goswamis (Rupa, Sanatana, Jiva, Raghunath, and their successors). The movement also reveres Shikshashtakam and Chaitanya Charitamrita as important narrations of Chaitanya’s life and teachings. Practically, Gaudiya Vaishnavism emphasizes nama-sankirtana, bhakti, guru-parampara, temple worship, and devotion to Krishna in his form as Krishna or Radha-Krishna. In the modern era, Gaudiya Vaishnavism spread worldwide through organizations such as Gaudiya Math and the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), founded respectively by Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati and A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Today there are temples, communities, and publications across many countries, sustaining a global network of adherents and a continued tradition of devotional practice and scholarship.