Spiritual teachers passing down unfiltered knowledge

The Parampara, or disciplic succession of spiritual masters in the universe.

The Parampara is a succession of spiritual teachers passing down unfiltered knowledge. In order for a teacher to be authentic, his line of authority must come from Lord Krishna.

There are four Vaishnava sampradayas, or authentic lines of knowledge. The first is the Brahma-sampradaya, which comes directly from Lord Brahma, the creator of the universe; the second, Rudra-sampradaya, is from Lord Shiva, the destroyer; the third is from Lakshmi, the Goddess of Fortune and wife of Lord Vishnu, who maintains the universe; and the fourth is from the four Kumara sages, who embody pure devotional knowledge. Knowledge received from any of these lines is unchanged and constitutes a reliable path to self-realization. Caution is advised, however, when considering knowledge from other sources, as self-made gurus may present fabricated ideas for personal gain.

Krishna.com presents Gaudiya Vaishnavism, which comes from the Brahma-sampradaya. The following is a comprehensive list of successive spiritual teachers from Lord Brahma down to the present day: