There are four transcendental schools ( Sampradayas ) that teach pure Devotion to the Supreme
1. Brahma Sampradaya beginning from Brahma after His
initiation from the Personality of Godhead
2. Rudra Sampradaya beginning from Sankara or Mahadeva
3. Sri Sampradaya beginning from Srimati Laxmi Devi the
Eternal Consort of Sri Narayana
4. Kumar Sampradaya beginning
from the Kumars namely Sanak, Sanat, Sanatan and Kumars.
All these four Acharyas are bona fide preachers of
the pure transcendental philosophy dealing with the problems of the world,
living entities and the Supreme Personality of Godhead who is the cause
of the creation as well as the living entities, who falsely try to
dominate over the creation and the controlling energy known as the material
Nature.