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{{Short description|Ancient Indian religious movement around Narayana-Vishnu (Vaishnavism)}}
{{italic title}}
{{Vaishnavism}}
{{Hinduism}}
'''''Pancharatra''''' ([[IAST]]: ''Pāñcarātra'') was a religious movement in [[Hinduism]] that originated in late 3rd-century BCE around the ideas of [[Narayana]] and the various avatars of [[Vishnu]] as their central deities.<ref name="JonesRyan2006p321"/><ref name=britpancharatra>[https://www.britannica.com/topic/Pancharatra Pancharatra: religious movement], Encyclopaedia Britannica</ref> The movement later merged with the ancient Bhagavata tradition and contributed to the development of [[Vaishnavism]].<ref name=britpancharatra/><ref name="Gonda1977p39"/> The Pancharatra movement created numerous literary treatises in Sanskrit called the ''Pancharatra Samhitas'', and these have been influential [[Āgama (Hinduism)|Agamic]] texts within the theistic [[Vaishnava]] movements.<ref name="Gonda1977p39">{{cite book|author=Jan Gonda|title=Medieval Religious Literature in Sanskrit|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XEkqAAAAYAAJ|year=1977|publisher=Harrassowitz|isbn=978-3-447-01743-5|pages=39–41}}</ref><ref name="GOS">Oriental Institute, Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda (1940). Gaekwad Oriental Series, Issue 86, p.7.</ref>

Literally meaning ''five nights'' (''pañca'': five, ''rātra'': nights),<ref name="encyclopedia">Jones, Constance and Ryan, James D. (2007). Encyclopedia of Hinduism, p.321-322. Infobase Publishing. {{ISBN|0816075646}}</ref> the term ''Pancharatra'' has been variously interpreted.<ref name="encyclopedia1"/><ref name=buitenen291>{{cite journal | last=van Buitenen | first=J. A. B. | title=The Name "Pañcarātra" | journal=History of Religions | publisher=University of Chicago Press | volume=1 | issue=2 | year=1962 | doi=10.1086/462449 | pages=291–299| s2cid=224807810 }}</ref> The term has been attributed to a sage Narayana who performed a sacrifice for five nights and became a transcendent being and one with all beings.<ref name=britpancharatra/><ref name="encyclopedia"/><ref name="sharma">Sharma, C. D. (1991). Critical Survey Of Indian Philosophy, p.336. Motilal Banarsidass Publications. {{ISBN|8120803655}}</ref> The Pancharatra Agamas constitute some of the most important texts of many [[Vaishnavism|Vaishnava]] philosophies including the [[Madhva Sampradaya]] or [[Brahma Sampradaya]] of [[Madhvacharya]] and the [[Sri Vaishnava Sampradaya]] of [[Ramanuja]].<ref name="sharma"/> The Pancharatra Agamas are composed of more than 200 texts;<ref name="encyclopedia1">Datta, Amaresh (1987). Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: A-Devo, p.95. Sahitya Akademi. {{ISBN|8126018038}}</ref> likely composed between 600 AD to 850 AD.<ref name="encyclopedia1"/>

The ''Shandilya Sutras'' (~100 CE)<ref>{{cite book|author1=Constance Jones|author2=James D. Ryan|title=Encyclopedia of Hinduism|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OgMmceadQ3gC |year=2006|publisher=Infobase Publishing|isbn=978-0-8160-7564-5|page=xxviii}}</ref> is the earliest known text that systematized the devotional [[Bhakti]] pancharatra doctrine and 2nd-century CE inscriptions in South India suggest Pancharatra doctrines were known there by then.<ref name=britpancharatra/> The 8th-century [[Adi Shankara]] criticized elements of the Pancharatra doctrine along with other theistic approaches stating Pancaratra doctrine was against monistic spiritual pursuits and non-Vedic.<ref name=britpancharatra/><ref name="Chatterjee2008p107">{{cite book|author=Suthren Hirst|editor1= Nile Green|editor2 =Mary Searle-Chatterjee|title= Religion, Language, and Power|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=h7WSAgAAQBAJ|year= 2008|publisher= Routledge|isbn= 978-1-135-89287-6|pages=107–108}}</ref> The 11th-century [[Ramanuja]], the influential Vaishnavism scholar, developed a qualified monism doctrine which bridged ideas of Pancharatra movement and those of monistic ideas in the Vedas.<ref name="Glucklich2008p178">{{cite book|author=Ariel Glucklich|title=The Strides of Vishnu: Hindu Culture in Historical Perspective|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=KtLScrjrWiAC&pg=PA178|year= 2008|publisher= Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-971825-2|pages=178–180, 66–70}}</ref> The Pancharatra theology is a source of the primary and secondary [[avatar]]-related doctrines in traditions of [[Hinduism]].<ref name="Lochtefeld2002p493"/>

==History==
Pancharatra has likely roots in 3rd-century BCE, as a religious movement around the ideas of a sage Narayana who is an avatar of [[Vishnu]].<ref name=britpancharatra/><ref name="JonesRyan2006p321">{{cite book|author1=Constance Jones|author2=James D. Ryan|title=Encyclopedia of Hinduism|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OgMmceadQ3gC|year=2006|publisher=Infobase Publishing|isbn=978-0-8160-7564-5|pages=321–322}}</ref>

The earliest use of the word Pancharatra is found in section 7.1.10 of the ''Taittiriya Samhita'', a Vedic text.<ref name="Dalal2010p293"/> The section describes a person going through a Pancharatra ritual to become a master of rhetorics.<ref name="Dalal2010p293">{{cite book|author=Roshen Dalal|title=Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DH0vmD8ghdMC |year=2010|publisher=Penguin Books|isbn=978-0-14-341421-6|page=293}}</ref> The section 13.6 of the ''[[Shatapatha Brahmana|Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa]]'' mentions Nārāyaṇa as the primordial divinity who performs this offering.<ref name="JonesRyan2006p321"/> The Narayaniya section of the [[Mahabharata]] (XII, 335–351) refers to seven rishis who say the Pancharatra ritual was made consistent with the Vedas.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Studies in the Purāṇic records on Hindu rites and customs|last=1905-1982.|first=Hazra, R. C. (Rajendra Chandra)|date=1987|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|isbn=9788120804227|edition= 2nd|location=Delhi|oclc=29942414}}</ref> Though the five day ritual is mentioned along with many other sacrifices in the Vedic text, the origins of Pancaratra devotees of Vishnu and their tradition is unclear.<ref name="Lochtefeld2002p493">{{cite book|author=James G. Lochtefeld|title= The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism: N-Z|url= https://archive.org/details/illustratedencyc0000loch |url-access=registration|year=2002|publisher =The Rosen Publishing Group|isbn=978-0-8239-3180-4|page=[https://archive.org/details/illustratedencyc0000loch/page/493 493]}}</ref> The movement merged with the ancient Bhagavata tradition also around Krishna-Vasudeva, and contributed to the development of [[Vaishnavism]].<ref name=britpancharatra/><ref name="Gonda1977p39"/>

According to [[J. A. B. van Buitenen]], the word "Pancharatra" is explained in ''Naradiya Samhita'' as referring to a tradition of "five knowledges".<ref name=buitenen291/> Similarly, [[Jan Gonda]] states that the term "nights" in "five nights" in the Pancharatra tradition may be a metaphor for inner darkness, and "came to mean – how, we do not know", though indeed there have been many interpretations such as "five systems", "five studies" and "five rituals".<ref>{{cite book|author=Jan Gonda|title= Medieval Religious Literature in Sanskrit |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XEkqAAAAYAAJ |year= 1977|publisher= Harrassowitz|isbn= 978-3-447-01743-5|pages= 46–50 with footnotes}}</ref>

The 1st-century works by Shandilya are the earliest known systematization of the Pancharatra doctrine.<ref name="JonesRyan2006p321"/><ref name=britpancharatra/> This doctrine was known and influential around then, as is attested by the 2nd-century CE inscriptions in South India.<ref name=britpancharatra/> Evidence suggests that they co-existed with the Bhagavata tradition in ancient times.<ref name="Lochtefeld2002p493"/>

The [[Advaita Vedanta]] scholars, such as [[Adi Shankara]], criticized elements of the Pancharatra doctrine along with other theistic approaches stating it was against monastic spiritual pursuits and non-Vedic.<ref name=britpancharatra/><ref name="Chatterjee2008p107"/><ref>{{cite book|author=S. Krishnaswami Aiyangar|title=Some Contributions of South India to Indian Culture|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vRcql-QBhRwC|year=1995|publisher=Asian Educational Services|isbn=978-81-206-0999-0|pages=284–285}}</ref> According to Suthren Hirst, Shankara supported the use of icons and temple worship if it focussed as a means to comprehend [[Brahman]] as the sole metaphysical reality. However, he opposed devotional theism as an end in itself and the goal of spiritual pursuits.<ref name="Chatterjee2008p107"/> The Pancharatra tradition has historically disagreed with claims of it being non-Vedic, states Gonda, and Pancharatra texts explicitly state that, "Pancharatra is Vedic, it originates in the [[Sruti]]" and that the "Pancharatra precepts and practices should be observed by anyone who has allegiance to the Vedas".<ref>{{cite book|author=Jan Gonda|title=Medieval Religious Literature in Sanskrit|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XEkqAAAAYAAJ| year=1977| publisher =Harrassowitz| isbn=978-3-447-01743-5|pages=49–50 with footnotes}}</ref>

The 11th-century [[Ramanuja]], the influential [[Sri Vaishnavism]] scholar, was born in Pancharatra tradition, disagreed with Shankara, and developed a qualified monism doctrine which integrated ideas of Pancharatra movement and those of monistic ideas in the Vedas.<ref name="Glucklich2008p178"/><ref>{{cite book|author=S. Krishnaswami Aiyangar|title=Some Contributions of South India to Indian Culture|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vRcql-QBhRwC|year=1995|publisher=Asian Educational Services|isbn=978-81-206-0999-0|page=285}}, Quote: "The establishment of the teaching of the Pancharatra as Vedic in character and as one form of Vaishnavism was one of the achievements of Ramanuja".</ref> Ramanuja stated that the Vishnu of Pancharatra is identical to Vedanta's [[Brahman]], where Purusha reflects the eternal soul that is Vishnu, and Prakriti the impermanent ever changing body of Vishnu.<ref name="Glucklich2008p178"/>

[[Vishnu]] worshipers of today, represented in a wide spectrum of traditions, generally follow the system of Pancharatra worship. The concept of Naḍa and Naḍa-Brahman appear already in Sāttvata [[Samhita]] or Sāttvata Tantra and in Jayākhya Samhita, two texts considered most canonical of Pancharatra texts.{{citation needed|date=July 2017}}

[[Madhvacarya|Ānanda Tīrtha]] the founder of Madhva line has written in his commentary on [[Mundaka Upanishad]]:
<ref>dvapariyair janair viṣṇuḥ pancarātrais ca kevalam
kalau tu nāma-mātreṇa pujyate bhagavan hariḥ</ref>
"In [[Dvapara Yuga]], [[Vishnu]] is exclusively worshiped according to the principles of the Pancharatra Scripture, but in this age of [[Kali Yuga]], the Supreme Lord Hari is worshiped only by the chanting of his Holy Name."{{citation needed|date=July 2017}}

[[Jiva Gosvami]] had stated in his ''Paramātma Sandārbha'', forming part of six principal Sandārbhas, or philosophical treatises of [[Gaudiya Vaishnavism]], that, "Seeing that the imperfect scriptures in the modes of passion and ignorance bring only a host of troubles, and also seeing that the original [[Veda]]s are very difficult to follow properly, and thus being very dissatisfied with both of these, the all-knowing scripture authors affirm the superiority of the Pancharatras, which describe the pure absolute truth, [[Narayana]], and the worship of the Lord, which is very easy to perform."

== Divine Manifestation==
{{Quote box
| quote = '''The nature of [[Atman (Hinduism)|Atman]] (soul)'''
<poem>
In the Pancharatra system, the soul is one with the Supreme,
but is also an individual.
Even in a state of salvation it retains the individuality,
to realize the bliss of union with the Supreme.
</poem>
| source = Nanditha Krishna<ref name=nandithak135>{{cite book|author=Nanditha Krishna|title=The Book of Vishnu |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=f9cSlaLMlgEC |year=2009|publisher=Penguin |isbn=978-0-14-306762-7|page=135}}</ref>
| bgcolor = #f0faff
| align = right
}}
The Pancharatra theology developed over time. It presents a dualistic theory on how creation manifested from a godhead, as the Purusha-Prakriti and as the masculine-feminine manifestations of the divine.<ref name="JonesRyan2006p321"/><ref name="Lochtefeld2002p493"/><ref name="Jacobsen2008p130">{{cite book|author=Knut A. Jacobsen|title= Theory and Practice of Yoga : 'Essays in Honour of Gerald James Larson |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jPK2spNnwm4C |year=2008|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=978-81-208-3232-9|pages=130–134}}, Quote: "The dualism of Samkhya-Yoga is fundamental to the Pancaratra tradition."</ref> It states that the creation emerged through ''vyuhas'' (arrangements).<ref name="JonesRyan2006p321"/> In the beginning, states Pancharatra doctrine, there was only [[Vāsudeva]]-[[Krishna]] ([[Vishnu]]-Narayana, Vāsudeva literally means "indwelling deity")<ref name=doriss39>Doris Srinivasan (1979), "[https://www.jstor.org/stable/20111096 Early Vaiṣṇava imagery: Caturvyūha and variant forms]", ''Archives of Asian art'', Volume 32, pp. 39-40, 43-54</ref> as the highest changeless god. It arranged into [[Saṅkarṣaṇa]] ([[Balarama]])<ref name="Dalal2010p293"/> as the lord over all life, then [[Pradyumna]] creating mind, and [[Aniruddha]] as ego (''ahamkara''). Thereafter, Brahma emerged from Aniruddha who created the empirical universe. Thus, the divinity was and is everywhere in Pancaratra, but in different aspects, one form or phase emerging from the previous.<ref name="JonesRyan2006p321"/><ref name="Lochtefeld2002p493"/>

During the 11th century AD [[Ramanuja]], a founder of [[Sri Vaishnava]] traditions of Vaisnavism had established the Pancharatra system of Vaisnavism for his followers. His philosophy of worship of [[Narayana]] was based on the pancaratric teachings.

Ramanuja taught that the deity absolute, [[Parabrahman]], manifests in five possible aspects: Para, [[Vyuha]], Vibhava, [[Antaryamin]], and Archa. Living beings can interact with the divine through one or another of these five:<ref>Siddheshwar R Bhatt (1968), ''The Philosophy of the Pancharatra: Advaitic Approach'', Ganesh, page 38-41</ref><ref name=nandithak135/><ref>{{cite book|author=Roshen Dalal|title=Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DH0vmD8ghdMC |year=2010|publisher=Penguin |isbn=978-0-14-341421-6|pages=458–459 }}</ref>

*Para: the invisible,  eternal supreme ;
*Vyuha: the invisible, impermanent supreme in form;
*Vibhava: also called the ''Avatharam'', are the incarnations of the supreme in various ''yuga'' (eras in Hindu cosmology) such as the [[Dashavatara]];
*Antaryamin: not directly perceptible but can be inferred, the aspect of supreme whose presence can be felt by the devotee;
*Archa: visible icon form, filled with symbolism, consecrated in temples or revered images inside home (Shalagrama, conch shell, festive decorations), a means to remember and meditate on the supreme.
To worship Lord in temples- The ancient civilization systematically developed cities, towns and villages according to the scriptures written with Vedic knowledge and build temples to consecrate the Idol of lord and prescribed the rules to worship, offering, to do festivals by bring people together from all walks of life with all civic sense. Interestingly, while doing festivals the scriptures insist clean environment and maintaining of medical, stay and food facilities for pilgrimage visit the festival

===Influence===
The Vyuha-related Pancharatra theology is a source of the primary and secondary [[avatar]]-related doctrines in traditions of [[Hinduism]], particularly [[Sri Vaishnavism]].<ref name="Lochtefeld2002p493"/> According to Barbara Holdrege, a professor and comparative historian of religions, the Pancharatra doctrines influenced both Sri Vaishnavism and [[Gaudiya Vaishnavism]], albeit a bit different.<ref name="Holdrege2015p73"/> In Sri Vaishnavism, Vishnu-Narayana is supreme, while Vasudeva, Samkarsana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha are the four Vyuhas. In Gaudiya Vaishnavism, the Vyuha theory is more complex, Krishna is "Svayam Bhagavan" (the ultimate, Brahman) who manifests as Vyuhas, and he along with Samkarsana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha are the Vyuhas and the Purusha-avataras of the material realm.<ref name="Holdrege2015p73">{{cite book|author=Barbara A. Holdrege|title=Bhakti and Embodiment: Fashioning Divine Bodies and Devotional Bodies in Krsna Bhakti |year=2015|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=R9FgCgAAQBAJ | publisher=Routledge|isbn= 978-1-317-66910-4|pages=73–75}}</ref>

==Practices==
[[File:Prince of Wales Museum Bombay si0079.jpg|thumb|11th-century [[Vaikuntha Chaturmurti]]. It is one of the iconic representation of the Pancharatra Vyuhas theory found in some medieval Hindu temples.<ref>[http://www.art-and-archaeology.com/india/museums/pw3.html Vaikuntha Chaturmurti], Gujarat, 11th century, Prince of Wales Museum, Art and Archeology Magazine</ref><ref>{{cite journal | last=Gail | first=Adalbert J. | title=On the Symbolism of Three- and Four-Faced Visnu Images: A Reconsideration of Evidence | journal=Artibus Asiae | volume=44 | issue=4 | year=1983 | doi=10.2307/3249614 | pages=297–307| jstor=3249614 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=Jitendra Nath Banerjea|title=Religion in Art and Archæology: Vaishṇavism and Saivism|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=EIXXAAAAMAAJ|year= 1968|publisher= University of Lucknow|pages=32–34}}</ref>]]
The Pancharatra tradition taught the ''Panchakala'' or five observances practiced every day:<ref name="Dalal2010p293"/><ref>{{cite book|author=Upinder Singh|title=A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India: From the Stone Age to the 12th Century|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Pq2iCwAAQBAJ |year=2008|publisher=Pearson|isbn=978-81-317-1677-9|pages=512–513}}</ref><ref name="Hudson2008p491">{{cite book|author=D Dennis Hudson|title=The Body of God: An Emperor's Palace for Krishna in Eighth-Century Kanchipuram|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IMCxbOezDi4C |year=2008|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-970902-1|pages=491–492}}</ref>
# ''Abhigamna'' or ablutions and morning prayers to god.
# ''Upadana'' or collecting worship materials.
# ''Ijya'' or worship with offerings.
# ''[[Svādhyāya|Svadhyaya]]'' or daily study.
# ''[[Yoga]]'' and [[Dhyāna in Hinduism|meditation]].

The significance of divine manifestation theology in Pancaratra tradition is it believes that an understanding of the process by which Vishnu-Narayana emerged into empirical reality and human beings, can lead one to reverse the process. Through practicing the reversal and moving from the empirical to ever more abstract, according to Pancaratra, human beings can access immanent Vasudeva-Krishna and thereby achieve salvific liberation ([[moksha]]).<ref name="Lochtefeld2002p493"/><ref>Mitsunori MATSUBARA (1994), The Concept of Vasudeva as the Hindu Bhagavat, Journal of Esoteric Buddhism, Vol. 184, pp. L158-L157, context: L164-L157, {{doi|10.11168/jeb1947.1994.L164}}</ref>

===Temples===
The Vaishnava temples and arts since the [[Gupta Empire]], states Doris Srinivasan, attempted to present the Pancaratra ideas. In this system, states Srinivasan, "[[Vāsudeva]], literally, "the indwelling deity," is the first emanation and the fountainhead of the successive emanations, which may be represented either anthropomorphically or theriomorphically in Hindu art". As one circumambulates the ancient and medieval Vaishnava cave temples, the devotee walks past from the icon representing Vāsudeva (most abstract) and then the successive ''[[Vyuha]]s'' (literally, "orderly arrangement").<ref name=doriss39/>

== Pancharatra Texts ==
The Bhaktisūtras of Shandilya were one of the earliest systematic treatises on the Pancaratra doctrine.<ref name="JonesRyan2006p321"/><ref name=britpancharatra/> The Pancaratra literature constitutes the [[Agama (Hinduism)|Āgama]] texts of Vaishnavism.<ref name="JonesRyan2006p321"/> Like the Shaivism counterpart, it not only presents the theology, but describes the details, symbolism and procedures of Vaishnava temples building and rituals. According to the Pancharatra tradition, there are 108 ''[[samhita]]s'', but its texts list over 200 ''samhitas''.<ref name="Dalal2010p293"/> Many Pancaratra texts have been lost. Some surviving Pancaratra texts, with their general focus, are:<ref name="JonesRyan2006p321"/><ref name="Dalal2010p293"/>
*''Sasvata Samhita'': treatise on divine manifestations (''vyuhas''), fourthy six incarnations of Vishnu, and worship methodology<ref>{{cite book|author=Roshen Dalal|title=Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DH0vmD8ghdMC |year=2010|publisher=Penguin |isbn=978-0-14-341421-6|pages=13, 459}}</ref>
*''Ahirbudhnya Samhita'': discusses philosophy, vyuha theory, alphabet and rituals<ref>{{cite book|author=Roshen Dalal|title=Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DH0vmD8ghdMC |year=2010|publisher=Penguin |isbn=978-0-14-341421-6|page=13}}</ref>
*''Hayashirsha Samhita'': rituals and deities<ref name="Dalal2010p293"/>
*''Padma Samhita'': Panchakala practices for the devotee, festivals and mantras<ref name="Hudson2008p491"/><ref name="Dalal2010p293"/>
*''Paushkara Samhita'': iconography and worship, believed to be a gem along with ''Satvata Samhita''<ref name="Dalal2010p293"/><ref>{{cite book|author=D Dennis Hudson|title=The Body of God: An Emperor's Palace for Krishna in Eighth-Century Kanchipuram|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IMCxbOezDi4C |year=2008|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-970902-1|pages=450–451}}</ref>
*''Maha Sanatkumara Samhita'': a large text on religious practice<ref name="Dalal2010p293"/>
*''Isvara Samhita'': meditation, worship and rituals.<ref name="Dalal2010p293"/>

===List of agamas===
The Pancharatra texts are samhitas and tantras which both classify as Agama due to subject matter. The Agamas are predominantly divided into Saiva, Sakta and Vaishnava Agamas. The Vaishnava Agamas are Pancharatra Agama and Vaikhanasa Agama and they conclude Brahman as [[Narayana]] or [[Vishnu]]. The [[Mahabharata]] subscribes to the Pancharatra philosophy in its Narayaniya section. Author Vishnulok Bihari Srivastava says, "Pancharatra has been discussed in the Narayanopakhyana section of [[Mahabharata]]. It has been mentioned that Narada had imbibed the essence of this tantra from the Saint [[Nara-Narayana|Narayana]]. It has been accepted as part of Veda named Ekayana. As many as 215 Pancharatra Samhitas have been mentioned in Kapinjala Samhita".<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eaCbv1NcbHwC&pg=PT215|title=Dictionary of Indology|page=215|author=Vishnulok Bihari Srivastava|publisher=Pustak Mahal|year=2009|isbn=9788122310849}}</ref> Some of the Samhita's are, a list mainly based on the list of the Sanskrit texts from the H. Daniel Smith Agama Collection, Cleveland, Ohio:<ref>{{cite book|title=A Descriptive Bibliography of the Printed Texts of the Pancaratragama: Vol. II an Annotated Index of Selected Topics|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dThNwgEACAAJ|author=H. Daniel Smith|publisher=Oriental Institute|year=1980}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Mastering Agama Sastras through palm leaf manuscripts|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Vijayawada/mastering-agama-sastras-through-palm-leaf-manuscripts/article24076304.ece|work=The Hindu|date=4 June 2018}}</ref>
{{div col|rules=yes|gap=2em|small=yes|colwidth=20em}}
* [[Agastya-Samhita]]
* [[Aniruddha-Samhita]]
* [[Ahirbudhnya Samhita]]
* [[Brahma Samhita]]
* [[Brihat-Brahma-Samhita]]
* [[Isvara-Samhita]]
* [[Kapinjala-Samhita]]
* [[Garga (sage)|Garga Samhita]]
* [[Gautama-Samhita]]
* [[Citrasikhandi-Samhita]]
* [[Jayakhya-Samhita]]
* [[Jayottara-Samhita]]
* [[Nalakubara-Samhita]]
* [[Naradiya-Samhita]]
* [[Pancaprasna-Samhita]]
* [[Parama-Samhita]]
* [[Paramapurusa-Samhita]]
* [[Parasara-Samhita]]
* [[Padma-Samhita]]
* [[Paramesvara-Samhita]]
* [[Prakasa-Samhita]]
* [[Purusottama-Samhita]]
* [[Pauskara-Samhita]]
* [[Bharadvaja-Samhita]]
* [[Bhargava-Tantra]]
* [[Mayavaibhava-Samhita]]
* [[Markandeya-Samhita]]
* [[Laksmi Tantra]]
* [[Varaha-Samhita]]
* [[Vasistha-Samhita]]
* [[Visva-Samhita]]
* [[Visvamitra-Samhita]]
* [[Visnutattva-Samhita]]
* [[Visnu Tantra]]
* [[Visnu-Samhita]]
* [[Visvaksena-Samhita]]
* [[Vihagendra-Samhita]]
* [[Vrddha-Padma-Samhita]]
* [[Sriprasna-Samhita]]
* [[Sanatkumara-Samhita]]
* [[SattvatSamhita]]
* [[Shesha-Samhita]]<ref>{{cite book|title=Shesha Samhita of Pancharatra Agama|author=Gomatham Ramanuja Josyer|publisher=Coronation|year=1981|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qjyrAQAACAAJ}}</ref>
* [[Hayasirsa-Samhita]]

{{div col end}}

Of these Samhitas in [[Srirangam]] Sri Ranganatha Swamy temple '''"Sri Paramesvara Samhita"''', a variant of paushkara samhita is followed and in practice.

In Sri Kanchipuram [[Varadharaja Perumal Temple, Kanchipuram|Varadaraja]] Swamy temple '''"Sri Jayakhya Samhita"''' is followed and in practice. In Sri [[Melukote]] Cheluva Narayana Swamy temple '''"Sri Ishwara samhita"''' is followed and in practice. In Tiruvellarai Sri Pundarikaksha Swamy Temple '''"Sri Paadma Samhita"''' is followed and in practice. In Tirukkudantai (kumbakONam) Aravamudhan Sarngapani is worshipped with '''"Sriprasna samhita"'''. Rest of the places use Padma samhita or its variants. [[Gaudiya Vaishnavism|Gaudiya Vaishnava]]s follow [[Brahma Samhita]] and '''"Naradiya Samhita"'''.

{{Pancaratra}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
*S. N. Dasgupta, A History of Indian Philosophy, vol. 3 (Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1975); Sanjukta Gupta, trans., Laksmi Tantra: A Pancaratra Text.
*Orientalia Rheno-Trajectina, Vol. 15 (Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1972); S. Rangachar, Philosophy of Pancaratras (Mandya: Sridevi Prakashana, 1991).
* Aiyangar, Pandit M. Duraiswami, and Venugopalacharya, Pandit T. Sri Pancaratraraksa of Sri Vedanta Desika. The Adyar Library and Research Centre, Madras, India, 1996.
* Apte, Dr. P. P. (edited). Pauskara Samhita. Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha, Tirupati Series No.54, Tirupati, India, 1991.
* Gupta, Sanjukta. [https://books.google.com/books?id=pENlKmZ4r94C Laksmi Tantra, A Pancaratra Text]. E.J.Brill, Leiden Netherlands 1972, reprint Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, Delhi, 2003.
* Krishnamacharya, Pandit V. (edited). Ahirbudhnya-Samhita of the Päncaräträgama (vol I and II). The Adyar Library and Research Centre, Madras, India, 1986.
* Matsubara, Mitsunori, ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=LEMqAAAAYAAJ Pancaratra Samhitas and Early Vaisnava Theology]'', Motilal Banarsidass, New Delhi, 1994, {{ISBN|978-81-208-1221-5}}
* Matsubara, Mitsunori, ''Monotheistic Theory of the early Vaisnavas, Vyuha Theory in the Early Pancaratra'', 1990.
* Matsubara, Mitsunori, ''The Formation of the Pancaratra's Theory of the Four Vyuhas'', 1991.
* Otto Schrader, F., ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=OlgLAQAAIAAJ Introduction to the Pancaratra and the Ahirbudhnya Samhita]'', Adyar Library, Madras 1916. Second edition 1973.
* Rangachar, S., ''Philosophy of Pancaratras'', Sri Devi Prakashana, Mandya (Karnatak) 1991.
* Rao, S.K. Ramachandra. The Ägama Encyclopedia: Päncharäträgama. Volume IV, Sri Satguru Publications, Delhi, India, 2005.
* Sarma, Pandit K. Ramachandra (edited). Pauñkarägama. The Adyar Library and Research Centre. Madras, India, 1995.
* Siddhantashastree, Rabindra Kumar. Vaisñavism Through the Ages. Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, 1985.
* Sutton, Nicholas, ''Religious Doctrines in the Mahabharata'', Motilal Banarsidass, New Delhi 2000.

==External links==
* [https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/a-history-of-indian-philosophy-volume-3/d/doc209939.html The ''{{IAST|Pañcarātra}}'' Literature], Surendranath Dasgupta, 1940
* [https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/parama-samhita The Parama Samhita (English translation)]: A Pancaratra Manual, translation by Krishnaswami Aiyangar, 1940
* [https://archive.org/details/pancaratra-agamas Pancharatra Agamas] on [[Internet Archive]]

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[[Category:Vaishnavism]]

Pancharatra - Revision history

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