Within this vast tradition, four major streams of devotion and thought are commonly recognized, each sharing the foundational ideas of dharma, karma, rebirth, and liberation, yet differing in how the Divine is approached and understood. Vaishnavism centers on Vishnu and his avatars, especially Krishna and Rama, as the supreme personal deity, loving and accessible. Here, devotion (bhakti) and surrender to Vishnu’s grace are regarded as the primary means to spiritual freedom, supported by texts such as the Bhagavad Gita, the Bhagavata Purana, and the Ramayana. The relationship between soul and God is typically seen as real and enduring, with a strong emphasis on cultivating a personal bond with the Lord through worship, chanting, and festival observances.

Shaivism, by contrast, takes Shiva as the supreme reality, at once transcendent and immanent, creator, preserver, and destroyer. Its scriptural base includes the Shiva Purana, Agamas, and other Shaiva texts, and its practices often highlight meditation, yoga, mantra, and ascetic disciplines. Many Shaiva traditions encourage recognition of one’s inner Shiva-nature, seeing the world as a manifestation of Shiva’s consciousness. Within this stream, there are both dualistic theistic approaches and non-dual perspectives that regard everything as consciousness, yet all retain a deep reverence for Shiva as the ultimate ground of being.

Shaktism turns the gaze toward Shakti or Devi, the Divine Mother, revered as the supreme power and active, creative principle of the universe. The Goddess is worshiped in many forms—Durga, Kali, Lakshmi, Saraswati, among others—and is celebrated in texts such as the Devi Mahatmya and various Tantras. Ritual life in this tradition often involves mantra, yantra, and elaborate puja, with festivals like Navaratri and Durga Puja playing a central role. Many Shakta teachings portray the Goddess as both transcendent and identical with the material universe, and some lineages incorporate tantric disciplines aimed at realizing unity with this all-pervading Shakti.

Smartism offers a more explicitly non-sectarian and philosophical orientation, grounded in Advaita Vedanta. It teaches that the ultimate reality is impersonal, attributeless Brahman, with all deities—Vishnu, Shiva, Shakti, Surya, Ganesha—understood as manifestations of this single truth. The characteristic practice, known as panchayatana puja, honors these deities together, allowing for personal preference while affirming their underlying unity. Emphasis falls on knowledge (jnana), scriptural study, and meditation, with devotion serving as a support to the realization that the individual self is not different from Brahman. Across these four currents, one finds a shared spiritual landscape in which differing forms of worship and philosophy converge on the quest for moksha.