Bhagavata

“Bhagavata: Member of the earliest recorded Hindu sect, representing the beginnings of theistic, devotional worship and modern Vaishnavism. The Bhagavata sect originated in the Mathura region c.3^rd—2^nd century BC and spread through western, northern, and southern India. The faith centers on devotion to a personal god, variously called Vishnu, Krishna, Hari, or Narayana. The Bhagavadgita (1^st—2^nd century AD) is the earliest exposition of the Bhagavata system, but it central scripture is the Bhagavata Purana. The sect was prominent within Vaishnavism until the 11^th century, when bhakti (devotional worship) was revitalized by Ramanuja.”

Excerpted from: Stevens, Mark A., Ed. Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Encyclopedia. Springfield, Massachusetts: Merriam-Webster, 2000.