Vaishnava and Vaishnavism
Vaishnava
A Vaishnava is a devotee of Krishna or Vishnu.
Vaishnavism
Vaishnavism can be described as devotion to Krishna, or any of His divine incarnations. It is monotheism in which worship of a personal God is the focus. In sheer numbers, Vaishnavism prevails as the leading religious system over Shaivism, Shaktism, and the many other paths commonly associated with Hinduism.
There are ancient texts that form the basis of this religion: the Vedas, the Puranas, the Mahabharata (including the Bhagavad-gita, the Ramayana, and the writings of great teachers). Some of these texts date back to the second century B.C., with an oral tradition that goes back to antiquity.
Vaishnavism is known as sanatana dharma, or “the eternal function of the soul.” And it is also referred to as a bhakti-yoga, or “the devotional path through which one can link with the supreme.”