Hiltebeitel situates the origins of the Smarta tradition in the ongoing interaction between the Vedic-Brahmanic tradition and non-Vedic traditions. According to him, a period of consolidation in the development of Hinduism took place between the time of the late Vedic Upanishad (c. 500 BCE) and the period of the rise of the Guptas (c. 320–467), which he calls the "Hindus synthesis", "Brahmanic synthesis", or "orthodox synthesis". It develops in interaction with other religions and peoples:
According to Hiltebeitel, "the consolidation of Hinduism takes place under the sign of bhakti." It is the Bhagavadgita that seals this achievement. The result is a universal achievement that may be called smarta. It views Shiva and Vishnu as "complementary in their functions but ontologically identical".
After the end of the Gupta Empire and the collapse of the Harsha Empire, power became decentralised in India. Several larger kingdoms emerged, with "countless vasal states". The kingdoms were ruled via a feudal system. Smaller kingdoms were dependent on the protection of the larger kingdoms. With the breakdown of the Gupta empire, gifts of virgin waste-land were heaped on brahmanas, to ensure profitable agrarian exploitation of land owned by the kings, but also to provide status to the new ruling classes. Brahmanas spread further over India, interacting with local clans with different religions and ideologies.
The early medieval Puranas were composed to disseminate religious mainstream ideology among the pre-literate tribal societies undergoing acculturation. The Brahmanas used the Puranas to incorporate those clans into the agrarian society and its accompanying religion and ideology. Local chiefs and peasants were absorbed into the caste system, which was used to keep "control over the new kshatriyas and shudras".
Many local religions and traditions were assimilated into puranic Hinduism. Vishnu and Shiva emerged as the main deities, together with Sakti/Deva, subsuming local cults, popular totem symbols and creation myths. Rama and Krsna became the focus of a strong bhakti tradition, which found expression particularly in the Bhagavata Purana. The Krsna tradition subsumed numerous Naga, yaksa, and hill and tree based cults. Siva absorbed local cults by the suffixing of Isa or Isvara to the name of the local deity, for example Bhutesvara, Hatakesvara, and Chandesvara.
Traditionally, Adi Shankara is regarded as the greatest teacher and reformer of the Smarta tradition. According to Hiltebeitel, Adi Shankara established the nondualist interpretation of the Upanishads as the touchstone of a revived smarta tradition:
Medieval era scholars such as Vedanta Desika and Vallabhacharya recognized Smarta as competing with Vaishnavism and other traditions. According to Jeffrey Timm, for example, in verse 10 of the Tattvarthadipanibandha, Vallabhacharya states that, "Mutually contradictory conclusions are non-contradictory when they are considered from their respective contexts, like Vaishnava, Smarta, etc."
According to Murray Milner Jr., a professor of Sociology, the Smarta tradition refers to "Hindus who tend toward Brahmanical orthodoxy in both thought and behavior". Smartas are usually committed to a "relatively unified Hinduism" and they reject extreme forms of sectarian isolationism, reminiscent of the European discourse about the church and Christian sects. The tradition, states Milner, has roots that emerged sometime between 3rd century BCE and 3rd century CE, likely in response to the growth of Jainism and Buddhism. It reflected a Hindu synthesis of four philosophical strands: Mimamsa, Advaita, Yoga and theism.
Smarta tradition emerged initially as a synthesis movement to unify Hinduism into a nonsectarian form based on the Vedic heritage. It accepted varnasrama-dharma, states Bruce Sullivan, which reflected an acceptance of Varna (caste/class) and ashrama (four stages of human life) as a form of social and religious duty. In the later second half of the 1st millennium, Adi Shankara reformed and brought ideas to the movement in the form of the Advaita Vedanta philosophy. According to Upinder Singh, the Smarta tradition's religious practice emerged as a transformation of Brahmanism and can be described as Hinduism. Smarta as a tradition emphasized all gods as equal and different ways of perceiving the all-pervasive metaphysical impersonal Brahman.
In recent times bhakti cults have increasingly become popular with the smartas.
Vaitheespara notes the adherence of the Smarta Brahmans to "the pan-Indian Sanskrit-brahmanical tradition":
Panchayatana puja is a practice that became popular in medieval India, and has been attributed to Adi Shankara. However, archaeological evidence suggests that this practice long predates the birth of Adi Shankara. Many Panchayatana mandalas and temples have been uncovered that are from the Gupta Empire period, and one Panchayatana set from the village of Nand (about 24 kilometers from Ajmer) has been dated to belong to the Kushan Empire era (pre-300 CE). The Kushan period set includes Shiva, Vishnu, Surya, Brahma and one deity whose identity is unclear. According to James Harle, major Hindu temples from 1st millennium CE embed the pancayatana architecture very commonly, from Odisha to Karnataka to Kashmir; and the temples containing fusion deities such as Harihara (half Shiva, half Vishnu) are set in Panchayatana worship style.
According to Smartism, supreme reality, Brahman, transcends all of the various forms of personal deity. The Smartas follow an orthodox Hindu philosophy, which means they accept the Vedas, and the ontological concepts of Atman and Brahman therein.
The Smarta Tradition includes temples and monasteries. More Smarta temples are found in West and South India, than in North India.
Adi Shankara is one of the leading scholars of the Smarta Tradition, and he founded some of the most famous monasteries in Hinduism. These have hosted the Daśanāmi Sampradāya under four Maṭhas, at Dwarka in the West, Jagannatha Puri in the East, Sringeri in the South and Badrinath in the North.> He himself Ascended the Savagna peetam in Kanchi, known as Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam. Each math was headed by one of his disciples, called Shankaracharya, who each independently continued the Advaita Vedanta Sampradaya. The ten Shankara-linked Advaita monastic orders are distributed as follows: Indra Saraswati at Kanchi, Bharati, Puri and Saraswati at Sringeri, Aranya and Vana at Puri, Tirtha and Ashrama at Dwarka, and Giri, Parvata and Sagara at Badrinath.
The mathas which Shankara built exist until today, and continue the teachings and influence of Shankara.
The table below gives an overview of the four largest Advaita Mathas founded by Adi Shankara, and their details. However, evidence suggests that Shankara established more mathas locally for Vedanta studies and its propagation, states Hartmut Scharfe, such as the "four mathas in the city of Trichur alone, that were headed by Trotaka, Sureshvara, Hastamalaka and Padmapada".
Smarta Brahmins specialize in the Smriti corpus of texts, are differentiated from Srauta Brahmins who specialize in the Sruti corpus of texts such as the Brahmanas layer embedded inside the Vedas. Smarta Brahmins are also differentiated from Brahmins who specialize in the Agamic (Tantra) literature such as the Adi Shaiva Brahmins, Sri Vaishnava Brahmins and Shaiva Kashmiri Pandits. However, these identities are not clearly defined, and active groups such as "Agamic Smarta Saiva Brahmins" have thrived.
In a more general sense, all Brahmins who do not come from small communities of orthodox Vedic sects are considered Smarta Brahmins. Many orthodox Vedic sects have also turned to temple worship and management, which is considered a Smarta and Agamic tradition. Sri Vaishnava Brahmins sought to combine the Smarta tradition, Alvar Bhakti, and the Pancharatra traditions. Kashmiri Pandits combine Smarta and Agamic tradition.
According to Brouwer, examples of Smarta Visvakarmas include Niligundapanta (traditionally blacksmiths and carpenters), Konnurpanta (all five artisan trades) and Madipattar (goldsmiths). The Smarta & Vaishnava Visvakarmas claim to be Brahmins but were never considered to be Brahmins by the mainstream smarta Brahmins of Karnataka and other castes.
Vaitheespara notes the adherence of the Smarta Brahmans to "the pan-Indian Sanskrit-brahmanical tradition" and their influence on pan-Indian nationalism:
Sects
Examples of sects that follow the Smarta tradition and Advaita Vedanta, with Shankara as the primary reformer:
Flood 1996, p. 113. - Flood, Gavin (1996), An Introduction to Hinduism, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 9780521438780 https://books.google.com/books?id=KpIWhKnYmF0C
Milner, M. (1994). Status and Sacredness: A General Theory of Status Relations and an Analysis of Indian Culture. Oxford University Press. pp. 194–195. ISBN 978-0-19-535912-1. Retrieved 18 June 2018. 978-0-19-535912-1
Milner, M. (1994). Status and Sacredness: A General Theory of Status Relations and an Analysis of Indian Culture. Oxford University Press. pp. 194–195. ISBN 978-0-19-535912-1. Retrieved 18 June 2018. 978-0-19-535912-1
"Smarta sect | Hinduism". Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Smarta-sect
Flood 1996, p. 113. - Flood, Gavin (1996), An Introduction to Hinduism, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 9780521438780 https://books.google.com/books?id=KpIWhKnYmF0C
Knipe 2015, pp. 36–37. - Knipe, David M. (2015), Vedic Voices: Intimate Narratives of a Living Andhra Tradition, Oxford: Oxford University Press
Flood 1996, pp. 113, 134, 155–161, 167–168. - Flood, Gavin (1996), An Introduction to Hinduism, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 9780521438780 https://books.google.com/books?id=KpIWhKnYmF0C
Sanderson, Alexis. "The Saiva Age: The Rise And Dominance Of Saivism During The Early Medieval Period". In Genesis And Development of Tantrism, Edited By Shingo Einoo. Tokyo: Institute Of Oriental Culture, University Of Tokyo, 2009. Institute Of Oriental Culture Special Series, 23, pp. 276–277.
John Shephard (2009), Ninian Smart On World Religions, Ashgate, ISBN 978-0754666387, p. 186. /wiki/ISBN_(identifier)
Hiltebeitel 2013. - Hiltebeitel, Alf (2013), Hinduism. In: Joseph Kitagawa, "The Religious Traditions of Asia: Religion, History, and Culture", Routledge, ISBN 9781136875977 https://books.google.com/books?id=kfyzAAAAQBAJ
Flood 1996. - Flood, Gavin (1996), An Introduction to Hinduism, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 9780521438780 https://books.google.com/books?id=KpIWhKnYmF0C
U Murthy (1979), Samskara, Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0195610796, p. 150. /wiki/ISBN_(identifier)
L. Williamson (2010), Transcendent in America: Hindu-inspired Meditation Movements as New Religion, New York University Press, ISBN 978-0814794500, p. 89. /wiki/ISBN_(identifier)
L. Williamson (2010), Transcendent in America: Hindu-inspired Meditation Movements as New Religion, New York University Press, ISBN 978-0814794500, p. 89. /wiki/ISBN_(identifier)
William Jackson (1994), Tyāgarāja and the Renewal of Tradition, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-8120811461, p. 218. /wiki/ISBN_(identifier)
Knipe 2015, p. 36. - Knipe, David M. (2015), Vedic Voices: Intimate Narratives of a Living Andhra Tradition, Oxford: Oxford University Press
Buhnemann, Gudrun, Puja: A Study In Smarta Ritual, Publications Of The De Nobili Research Library, Gerold & Co., Vienna, 1988. pp. 32–33.
Buhnemann, Gudrun, Mandalas And Yantras In The Hindu Traditions, Leiden, Brill, 2003. p. 57. "Initially A Brief Explanation Of The Word Smarta May Be In Order. Smarta Is A Rather Loosely Used Term Which Refers To A Brahmin Who Is An 'Adherent Of The Smrti' And Of The Tradition Which Is 'Based On The Smrti'."
Flood, Gavin (1996), An Introduction To Hinduism, Cambridge University Press. p. 17. "There Is Also An Important Tradition Of Brahmans Called Smartas, Those Who Follow The Smrti Or Secondary Revelation ..." p. 56. "The Brahmans Who Followed The Teachings Of These Texts Were Known As Smartas, Those Who Followed The Smrtis ..." p. 113. "The Brahmans Who Followed The Puranic Religion Became Known As Smarta, Those Whose Worship Was Based On The Smrtis, Or Pauranika, Those Based On The Puranas."
Gavin Flood (2006). The Tantric Body: The Secret Tradition of Hindu Religion. I. B. Tauris. pp. 6–7. ISBN 978-1-84511-011-6. 978-1-84511-011-6
Spoken Sanskrit Dictionary, smArta http://spokensanskrit.de/index.php?script=HK&beginning=0+&tinput=+smArta&trans=Translate&direction=AU
Wendy Doniger O'Flaherty (1988), Textual Sources For The Study Of Hinduism, Manchester University Press, ISBN 0-7190-1867-6, Pages 2–3 /wiki/ISBN_(identifier)
Doniger 1999, p. 1017. - Doniger, Wendy (1999), Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions, Merriam-Webster, ISBN 9780877790440 https://books.google.com/books?id=ZP_f9icf2roC&q=%22smarta+sect%22&pg=PA1017
Spoken Sanskrit Dictionary, smArta http://spokensanskrit.de/index.php?script=HK&beginning=0+&tinput=+smArta&trans=Translate&direction=AU
Monier Monier-Williams (1923). A Sanskrit–English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. p. 1154. https://books.google.com/books?id=_3NWAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA1154
Dermot Killingley (2007), Encyclopedia Of Hinduism (Editors: Denise Cush Et Al), Routledge, ISBN 978-0700712670, Page 456 /wiki/ISBN_(identifier)
Monier Monier-Williams (1923). A Sanskrit–English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. p. 1154. https://books.google.com/books?id=_3NWAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA1154
Hiltebeitel 2013, pp. 18–22, 29–30. - Hiltebeitel, Alf (2013), Hinduism. In: Joseph Kitagawa, "The Religious Traditions of Asia: Religion, History, and Culture", Routledge, ISBN 9781136875977 https://books.google.com/books?id=kfyzAAAAQBAJ
Hiltebeitel 2013. - Hiltebeitel, Alf (2013), Hinduism. In: Joseph Kitagawa, "The Religious Traditions of Asia: Religion, History, and Culture", Routledge, ISBN 9781136875977 https://books.google.com/books?id=kfyzAAAAQBAJ
Flood 1996. - Flood, Gavin (1996), An Introduction to Hinduism, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 9780521438780 https://books.google.com/books?id=KpIWhKnYmF0C
Hiltebeitel 2013, p. 12. - Hiltebeitel, Alf (2013), Hinduism. In: Joseph Kitagawa, "The Religious Traditions of Asia: Religion, History, and Culture", Routledge, ISBN 9781136875977 https://books.google.com/books?id=kfyzAAAAQBAJ
Hiltebeitel 2013, p. 13. - Hiltebeitel, Alf (2013), Hinduism. In: Joseph Kitagawa, "The Religious Traditions of Asia: Religion, History, and Culture", Routledge, ISBN 9781136875977 https://books.google.com/books?id=kfyzAAAAQBAJ
The Vedanga texts, states Alf Hiltebeitel, are Smriti texts that were composed in the second half of the Vedic period that ended around 500 BCE.(Hiltebeitel 2013, p. 13) The Vedanga texts include the Kalpa (Vedanga) texts consisting of the Srautasutras, Grihyasutras and Dharmasutras, many of which were revised well past the Vedic period.(Hiltebeitel 2013, pp. 13–14) The Grihyasutras and Dharmasutras, states Hiltebeitel, were composed between 600 BCE and 400 CE, and these are sometimes called the Smartasutras, the roots of the Smriti tradition.(Hiltebeitel 2013, pp. 13–14) /wiki/Vedanga
Hiltebeitel 2013, p. 14. - Hiltebeitel, Alf (2013), Hinduism. In: Joseph Kitagawa, "The Religious Traditions of Asia: Religion, History, and Culture", Routledge, ISBN 9781136875977 https://books.google.com/books?id=kfyzAAAAQBAJ
Hiltebeitel 2013, p. 18. - Hiltebeitel, Alf (2013), Hinduism. In: Joseph Kitagawa, "The Religious Traditions of Asia: Religion, History, and Culture", Routledge, ISBN 9781136875977 https://books.google.com/books?id=kfyzAAAAQBAJ
Hiltebeitel 2013, pp. 18–19. - Hiltebeitel, Alf (2013), Hinduism. In: Joseph Kitagawa, "The Religious Traditions of Asia: Religion, History, and Culture", Routledge, ISBN 9781136875977 https://books.google.com/books?id=kfyzAAAAQBAJ
Mircea Eliade; Charles J. Adams (1987). The encyclopedia of religion. Vol. 6. Macmillan. pp. 345–347. ISBN 978-0-02-909750-2. 978-0-02-909750-2
Hiltebeitel 2013, pp. 18–19. - Hiltebeitel, Alf (2013), Hinduism. In: Joseph Kitagawa, "The Religious Traditions of Asia: Religion, History, and Culture", Routledge, ISBN 9781136875977 https://books.google.com/books?id=kfyzAAAAQBAJ
Hiltebeitel 2013, pp. 18–22. - Hiltebeitel, Alf (2013), Hinduism. In: Joseph Kitagawa, "The Religious Traditions of Asia: Religion, History, and Culture", Routledge, ISBN 9781136875977 https://books.google.com/books?id=kfyzAAAAQBAJ
Hiltebeitel 2013, pp. 29–30. - Hiltebeitel, Alf (2013), Hinduism. In: Joseph Kitagawa, "The Religious Traditions of Asia: Religion, History, and Culture", Routledge, ISBN 9781136875977 https://books.google.com/books?id=kfyzAAAAQBAJ
Hiltebeitel 2013, pp. 29–30. - Hiltebeitel, Alf (2013), Hinduism. In: Joseph Kitagawa, "The Religious Traditions of Asia: Religion, History, and Culture", Routledge, ISBN 9781136875977 https://books.google.com/books?id=kfyzAAAAQBAJ
Smarta sect, Encyclopædia Britannica (2012): "Smarta Sect, Orthodox Hindu Sect Composed Of Members Of The 'Twice-Born', Or Initiated Upper Classes (Brahmin, Kshatriya, And Vaishya), Whose Primarily Brahmin Followers ..." http://www.britannica.com/topic/Smarta-sect
William Joseph Jackson (1994). Tyagaraja And The Renewal Of Tradition: Translations And Reflections. Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 212–220. ISBN 978-81-208-1146-1. 978-81-208-1146-1
William Joseph Jackson (1994). Tyagaraja And The Renewal Of Tradition: Translations And Reflections. Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 212–220. ISBN 978-81-208-1146-1. 978-81-208-1146-1
William Joseph Jackson (1994). Tyagaraja And The Renewal Of Tradition: Translations And Reflections. Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 212–220. ISBN 978-81-208-1146-1. 978-81-208-1146-1
Hiltebeitel 2013, p. 20. - Hiltebeitel, Alf (2013), Hinduism. In: Joseph Kitagawa, "The Religious Traditions of Asia: Religion, History, and Culture", Routledge, ISBN 9781136875977 https://books.google.com/books?id=kfyzAAAAQBAJ
Hiltebeitel 2013, p. 20. - Hiltebeitel, Alf (2013), Hinduism. In: Joseph Kitagawa, "The Religious Traditions of Asia: Religion, History, and Culture", Routledge, ISBN 9781136875977 https://books.google.com/books?id=kfyzAAAAQBAJ
Flood 1996, p. 113. - Flood, Gavin (1996), An Introduction to Hinduism, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 9780521438780 https://books.google.com/books?id=KpIWhKnYmF0C
Flood 1996, p. 359. - Flood, Gavin (1996), An Introduction to Hinduism, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 9780521438780 https://books.google.com/books?id=KpIWhKnYmF0C
Wendy Doniger, based on her study of indologists, assigns approximate dates to the various Puranas:[37]
Markandeya Purana to c. 250 CE (with one portion dated to c. 550 CE)
Matsya Purana to c. 250–500
Vayu Purana to c. 350
Harivamsa and Vishnu Purana to c. 450
Brahmanda Purana to c. 350–950
Vamana Purana to c. 450–900, Kurma Purana to c. 550–850
Linga Purana to c. 600–1000
/wiki/Wendy_Doniger
Michaels 2004, p. 41. - Michaels, Axel (2004), Hinduism. Past and present, Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press
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Nath 2001. - Nath, Vijay (March–April 2001). "From 'Brahmanism' to 'Hinduism': Negotiating the Myth of the Great Tradition". Social Scientist. 29 (3/4): 19–50. doi:10.2307/3518337. JSTOR 3518337. https://doi.org/10.2307%2F3518337
Nath 2001, p. 19. - Nath, Vijay (March–April 2001). "From 'Brahmanism' to 'Hinduism': Negotiating the Myth of the Great Tradition". Social Scientist. 29 (3/4): 19–50. doi:10.2307/3518337. JSTOR 3518337. https://doi.org/10.2307%2F3518337
Nath 2001. - Nath, Vijay (March–April 2001). "From 'Brahmanism' to 'Hinduism': Negotiating the Myth of the Great Tradition". Social Scientist. 29 (3/4): 19–50. doi:10.2307/3518337. JSTOR 3518337. https://doi.org/10.2307%2F3518337
Thapar 2004, p. 487. - Thapar, Romila (2004). From the Origins to AD 1300. University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-24225-8. https://books.google.com/books?id=-5irrXX0apQC
Nath 2001, p. 19. - Nath, Vijay (March–April 2001). "From 'Brahmanism' to 'Hinduism': Negotiating the Myth of the Great Tradition". Social Scientist. 29 (3/4): 19–50. doi:10.2307/3518337. JSTOR 3518337. https://doi.org/10.2307%2F3518337
Nath 2001, p. 20. - Nath, Vijay (March–April 2001). "From 'Brahmanism' to 'Hinduism': Negotiating the Myth of the Great Tradition". Social Scientist. 29 (3/4): 19–50. doi:10.2307/3518337. JSTOR 3518337. https://doi.org/10.2307%2F3518337
Nath 2001, pp. 31–32. - Nath, Vijay (March–April 2001). "From 'Brahmanism' to 'Hinduism': Negotiating the Myth of the Great Tradition". Social Scientist. 29 (3/4): 19–50. doi:10.2307/3518337. JSTOR 3518337. https://doi.org/10.2307%2F3518337
Doniger 1999, p. 1017. - Doniger, Wendy (1999), Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions, Merriam-Webster, ISBN 9780877790440 https://books.google.com/books?id=ZP_f9icf2roC&q=%22smarta+sect%22&pg=PA1017
Popular Prakashan 2000, p. 52. - Popular Prakashan (2000), Students' Britannica India, Volumes 1-5, Popular Prakashan, ISBN 9780852297605 https://books.google.com/books?id=DPP7O3nb3g0C&q=smarta+shankara
Shankara himself, and his influential predecessor Gaudapada, used Buddhist terminology and mention Buddhist doctrines in their work,[46][47] suggesting that they were influenced by Buddhism.[48][49] Gaudapada, states Raju took over the Buddhist doctrines that ultimate reality is pure consciousness (vijñapti-mātra)[50] and "that the nature of the world is the four-cornered negation", then "wove [both doctrines] into a philosophy of the Mandukaya Upanisad, which was further developed by Shankara".[48] In Gaudapada's text, similarly, the Buddhist concept of "ajāta" from Nagarjuna's Madhyamaka philosophy is found.[49][46] Gaudapada also took over the Buddhist concept of "ajāta" from Nagarjuna's Madhyamaka philosophy.[49][46] Adi Shankara Acharya succeeded in reading Gaudapada's mayavada[51][note 3] into Badarayana's Brahma Sutras, "and give it a locus classicus", against the realistic strain of the Brahma Sutras.[51] Yet, while there is borrowed terminology, Gaudapada's doctrines are unlike Buddhism. Gaudapada's influential text consists of four chapters; Chapter One, Two and Three of which are entirely Vedantin and founded on the Upanishads, with little Buddhist flavor.[56] Chapter Four uses Buddhist terminology and incorporates Buddhist doctrines, state both Murti and Richard King, but Vedanta scholars who followed Gaudapada through the 17th century never referenced nor used Chapter Four, they only quote from the first three.[56][57] The Gaudapada tradition is Vedantin with its foundation of Atman and Brahman, and his doctrines fundamentally different from Buddhism which deny these foundational concepts of Hinduism.[56][58] /wiki/Gaudapada
Hiltebeitel 2013. - Hiltebeitel, Alf (2013), Hinduism. In: Joseph Kitagawa, "The Religious Traditions of Asia: Religion, History, and Culture", Routledge, ISBN 9781136875977 https://books.google.com/books?id=kfyzAAAAQBAJ
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Jeffrey R. Timm (1992). Texts In Context: Traditional Hermeneutics In South Asia. State University Of New York Press. p. 138. ISBN 978-0-7914-0796-7. 978-0-7914-0796-7
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Milner, M. (1994). Status and Sacredness: A General Theory of Status Relations and an Analysis of Indian Culture. Oxford University Press. pp. 194–195. ISBN 978-0-19-535912-1. Retrieved 18 June 2018. 978-0-19-535912-1
Sullivan, B. M. (1997). Historical Dictionary Of Hinduism. Historical Dictionaries Of Religions, Philosophies, And Movements. Scarecrow Press. pp. 213–214. ISBN 978-0-8108-3327-2. 978-0-8108-3327-2
Singh, U. (2008). A History Of Ancient And Early Medieval India: From The Stone Age To The 12th Century. Pearson Education. pp. 509–514. ISBN 978-81-317-1120-0. 978-81-317-1120-0
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By contrast, the dualistic Vaishnava traditions consider Vishnu or Krishna to be the supreme God who grants salvation. Similarly, the dualistic subtradition of Shaiva Siddhanta holds the same beliefs about Shiva. Other traditions of Shaivism, Vaishnavism, Shaktism hold a spectrum of beliefs between dualism and nondualism.[72][73] /wiki/Vaishnavism
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Flood, Gavin (1996), An Introduction To Hinduism, Cambridge University Press. p. 17. "There Is Also An Important Tradition Of Brahmans Called Smartas, Those Who Follow The Smrti Or Secondary Revelation ..." p. 56. "The Brahmans Who Followed The Teachings Of These Texts Were Known As Smartas, Those Who Followed The Smrtis ..." p. 113. "The Brahmans Who Followed The Puranic Religion Became Known As Smarta, Those Whose Worship Was Based On The Smrtis, Or Pauranika, Those Based On The Puranas."
Buhnemann, Gudrun, Mandalas And Yantras In The Hindu Traditions, Leiden, Brill, 2003. p. 57. "Initially A Brief Explanation Of The Word Smarta May Be In Order. Smarta Is A Rather Loosely Used Term Which Refers To A Brahmin Who Is An 'Adherent Of The Smrti' And Of The Tradition Which Is 'Based On The Smrti'."
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