VAISHNAVA (Vaiṣṇava), Skt.; an adherent of Vaishnavism, one of the three chief forms of deity worship in modern Hinduism. The chief scriptures of the Vaishnavas are the Vaishnava-Purānas.
Within Vaishnavism there are various subgroups, according to the aspect of Vishnu that is worshiped: the Rāmānujas, who venerate Īshvara as the supreme being; the Nimbārkas and the Vallabhāchāryas, worshipers of Krishna and Rādhā; the Mādhavas, who worship Vishnu as the supreme being; the Rāmānandins, who worship Rāma and Sītā. Their greatest poets were Kabīr and Tulsīdās; the latter composed the Hindi version of the Rāmāyana.
VAISHNAVISM (Vaíṣṇavism), or Vishnuism; one of the three great forms of deity worship in modern Hinduism. The other two are Shaivism and Shaktism. Vaishnavas view Vishnu as the supreme being and worship him in his various incarnations (avatāra), above all as Rāma and Sītā.
Source: The Encyclopedia of Eastern Philosophy and Religion: Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, Zen. Shambhala Publications, Inc.
Documents on the Vaishnavism
Books on the Vaishnavism
External links: Vaishnavism / Puranas / Mahapuranas / Upanishads Vaisnavas