Brahma Madhva Gaudiya Sampradaya

Guru Parampara

The original source of all Vedic knowledge is Supreme Lord Sri Krishna. From Him the Vedic knowledge has been passed on through the generations of pure devotees, who carefully carried this message without diluting or adulterating its essence. The authorized chain of spiritual master and disciple who transfer this transcendental knowledge while meticulously maintaining its purity and import is known as 'Guru Parampara'.

The Four Sampradayas

There are four authorized Vaishnava sampradayas, or schools of spirituality, as enjoined in the Vedic scriptures. These four sampradayas originate from the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna. Lord Krishna imparted the divine knowledge to His four significant devotees, Lord Brahma, Lord Siva, Goddess Lakshmi and the four Kumaras, from whom the sampradayas emerged. They further disseminated the received knowledge to their disciples, and in this way the paramparas came to being.

Heading Devotee	Lord Brahma	Lord Shiva	Goddess Lakshmi	Four Kumaras
Sampradaya Name	Brahma-sampradaya	Rudra-sampradaya	Sri-sampradaya	Kumara-sampradaya
Also Known As	Madhva-sampradaya	Vallabha-sampradaya Vishnuswami-sampradaya	Ramanuja-sampradaya	Nimbarka-sampradaya
Prominent Acharya	Madhvacharya	Vishnuswami	Ramanujacharya	Nimbarkacharya

Hare Krishna Movement, established by HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, traces its roots in the Brahma Madhva Gaudiya Sampradaya, headed by Lord Brahma. Lord Brahma is the foremost disciple of Lord Krishna. In the Brahma Sampradaya, Sri Madhvacharya, founder of the Dvaita Vedanta tradition, significantly contributed by writing a commentary on the Brahma-sutras. After this the sampradaya came to be known as the Brahma-Madhva-sampradaya. The Brahma-Madhva-sampradaya further spread to the present day West Bengal, which was known as Gauda-desha, so the sampradaya got its name, Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya-sampradaya.

The Disciplic Succession

Srila Prabhupada is the 32nd acharya of the glorious Brahma Madhva Gaudiya Sampradaya, which has great acharyas like Lord Brahma, Narada Muni, Veda Vyasa, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, etc. The disciplic succession is as follows:

The Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya guru-parampara, from Lord Krishna to Srila Prabhupada

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Brahma Madhva Gaudiya Sampradaya?

The Brahma Madhva Gaudiya Sampradaya is the disciplic line headed by Lord Brahma that the Hare Krishna Movement, established by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, traces its roots to. It takes its name from Sri Madhvacharya, who wrote a commentary on the Brahma-sutras, and from Gauda-desha (present-day West Bengal), where the sampradaya later spread.

What are the four authorized Vaishnava sampradayas?

The four authorized Vaishnava sampradayas are the Brahma-sampradaya (also known as Madhva-sampradaya, headed by Lord Brahma), the Rudra-sampradaya (also known as Vallabha-sampradaya or Vishnuswami-sampradaya, headed by Lord Shiva), the Sri-sampradaya (also known as Ramanuja-sampradaya, headed by Goddess Lakshmi), and the Kumara-sampradaya (also known as Nimbarka-sampradaya, headed by the four Kumaras).

What is Guru Parampara?

Guru Parampara is the authorized chain of spiritual master and disciple through which transcendental knowledge, originally spoken by Lord Krishna, has been passed down through the generations of pure devotees while carefully maintaining its purity and import.

Which acharya number is Srila Prabhupada in the disciplic succession?

Srila Prabhupada is the 32nd acharya of the Brahma Madhva Gaudiya Sampradaya, in a line that includes great acharyas such as Lord Brahma, Narada Muni, Veda Vyasa, and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Who was Srila Prabhupada's spiritual master?

In the guru-parampara listed on this page, Srila Prabhupada's spiritual master was Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, the acharya immediately before him in the disciplic succession.

How did the Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya Sampradaya get its name?

The sampradaya was originally the Brahma-sampradaya, headed by Lord Brahma. After Sri Madhvacharya, founder of the Dvaita Vedanta tradition, wrote a commentary on the Brahma-sutras, it became known as the Brahma-Madhva-sampradaya. When it spread to present-day West Bengal, then known as Gauda-desha, it took its full name, Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya-sampradaya.