Vaishnavism means the worship of Vishnu (Krishna).  Gaudiya Vaishnavism is a branch of the Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya sampradaya (lineage) founded by Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (image - upper left) about 500 years ago in Bengal (Gauda), India.  Gaudiya Vaishnavism places emphasis on devotional service to God - Krishna - through His pure devotee.  In 1965, such a pure devotee of God, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, (image - upper right) came to the western world to spread the principles of Gaudiya Vaishnavism.

"Hindu"

There is no such religion as "Hinduism". The word "Hindu" is a misnomer. When the Muslims first arrived in the area around the Sindu River, they, the Muslims, couldn't pronounce the "S" in "Sindu", and so they pronounced it "Hindu" and the people living around the river became known as "Hindus".

Many Gods?

For all the misunderstanding of religions from India, the biggest misconception by the west is that all the inhabitants of India worship many gods. Gaudiya-Vaishnavism teaches monotheism. It teaches there is only one Supreme Being and He is known by many names, but He has an eternal original form - Krishna.

Idolatry?

Another gross misunderstanding is on the subject of idolatry. Idolatry is when one puts emphasis on any material thing before Godly things. An over-emphasis on money can be a form of idolatry. An over-emphasis on one's body is idolatry. Television is an idol for many people with the coffee table as their alter. Bowing down before a cross can be idolatrous if it's performed dogmatically. But showing adoration to things and entities of a spiritual nature isn't idolatrous and never will be - if sanctioned by scripture and performed with love and devotion.

Scriptures

The scriptures from India are called the Vedic scriptures. "Veda" means "knowledge". Where the New Testament of Christianity is comprised of approximately 8,000 verses, the Vedas contain millions. God isn't so petty that He would only give the truth to a select few. Spiritual truths have been revealed to people of many cultures throughout history, but according to time and circumstance.

Timeline

Vaishnavas are called "Hare Krishnas" in the west and they've been in western countries for a little over 40 years, but the public chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra existed in India for over 500 years and was inaugurated by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. The actual worship of Krishna as God predates that of Christianity and has been proven, archeologically, to go back to the second century before Christ with the discovery of the Heliodorus Column which has an inscription on it describing the worship of Vasudeva - another name for Krishna. From ancient times to present, worshipers of Krishna have been known as "Krishns" (sound familiar?).

Main Premises

1. There is one God and His name is Krishna. "Krishna" means "all-attractive".
2. Krishna is eternal, is the Supreme person, and is knowable.
3. We are not the body; we are the spirit soul inside the body.
4. Our real identity - the spirit soul - has existed forever and will continue to exist forever.
5. The body is only temporary.
6. The soul migrates from one body to another - from one lifetime to another (see graphic).
7. It is the duty of each person to come to the realization of who he or she really is.
8. In this age, the best way to do that is to chant the names of God.
9. Whatever name of God works for you - chant that.

Below are a few videos, some in music form, explaining Gaudiya Vaishnavism.