Hidden Glory of India

Steven J. Rosen

Krishna may have expansions and avatars (incarnations), but He is seen as the one Supreme Lord, the Father of all that lives and the Creator of the cosmos.

In other words, while Vaishnavism may not be the most well-known form of Hinduism, it is India's riches and most significant religious tradition. Unlike many books that explore India or Eastern spirituality, this work will focus squarely on the Vaishnava tradition including its most contemporary and far-reaching manifestation–the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), founded in 1966 by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

Readers of this work may be familiar with the images of Krishna, Shiva, Ganesh, Brahma, and so on, but now these images will take on a new significance; they will be described in terms of their Vaishnava origin.

Vaishnavism is understood by its practitioners as a universal, non-sectarian theistic tradition. Originally the Vaishnava tradition is called Sanatam Dharma, "the eternal religion," or "the eternal function of the soul." Vaisnavas see it as universal truth, applicable to East and West alike.

From the Introduction