Why in news 

A 15th-century antique lamp, featuring rare Shaiva and Vaishnavaite sculptural carvings, has been discovered at the Anantapadmanabha temple in Perduru, located in the Udupi district of Karnataka. 

Vaishnavism 

• Origin and Growth 
  • Originated from the Vasudeva-Bhagavata cult during the Gupta period. 
  • Gradually incorporated other Vedic and Brahmanic deities such as Vishnu and Narayana. 
• Historical Background 
  • Bhagavatism emerged around the same time as Buddhism and Jainism. 
  • Its roots trace back to Upanishadic philosophy. 
• Peak Popularity: Achieved widespread acceptance and became the dominant sect during the Gupta age.
  
• Philosophy of Avatars: From the later Gupta period, the sect came to be known as Vaishnavism, focusing on the doctrine of incarnations (avatars) of Vishnu.
  
• Worship of Sakar Form: Emphasized devotion to a personal (Sakar) form of God, mainly Rama and Krishna.
  
• Role of Alvars 
  • Alvar saints promoted Ekatmika Bhakti (single-minded devotion) to Vishnu. 
  • Their devotional songs were compiled as Prabandhas. 

Shaivism 

• Core Belief 
  • Shaivism regards Lord Shiva as the Supreme Being. 
  • Shiva is seen as the creator, preserver, destroyer, revealer, and concealer of everything. 
• Early Reference: Panini mentioned a group of Shiva devotees as Shiva-bhagavatas. 
• Rise in the South: The Shaiva movement gained momentum in South India through the efforts of 63 saints known as the Nayanars. Nayanars came from various castes, reflecting a socially inclusive movement. 
• Literary Contribution: Their devotional Tamil hymns are known as Tevaram Stotras, also referred to as the Dravida Veda. 
• Devotional Practices: Devotees apply sacred ash (called bhasma or vibhuti) on the forehead and other body parts as a mark of devotion.
  
• Philosophical Diversity: Shaivism includes a rich body of texts from various schools of thought,
  
  • Non-dualism (abheda) 
  • Dualism (bheda) 
  • Mixed view (bhedābheda) – both dual and non-dual aspects