There are four lines of disciplic succession: one from Lord Brahmā, one from Lord Śiva, one from Lakṣmī, the goddess of fortune, and one from the Kumāras. The disciplic succession from Lord Brahmā is called the Brahma-sampradāya, the succession from Lord Śiva (Śambhu) is called the Rudra-sampradāya, the one from the goddess of fortune, Lakṣmījī, is called the Śrī-sampradāya, and the one from the Kumāras is called the Kumāra-sampradāya. One must take shelter of one of these four sampradāyas in order to understand the most confidential religious system.(Srimad Bhagavatam------6:3:20-21-------purport).
In the Rāmānuja and Madhva sects of Vaiṣṇavism there are extensive descriptions of the śrī, bhū and nīlā energies. In Bengal the nīlā energy is sometimes called the līlā energy. These three energies are employed in the service of four-handed Nārāyaṇa in Vaikuṇṭha. Relating how three of the Ālvārs, namely Bhūta-yogī, Sara-yogī and Bhrānta-yogī, saw Nārāyaṇa in person when they took shelter at the house of a brāhmaṇa in the village of Gehalī, the Prapannāmṛta of the Śrī-sampradāya describes Nārāyaṇa as follows:
- tārkṣyādhirūḍhaṁ taḍid-ambudābhaṁ
- lakṣmī-dharaṁ vakṣasi paṅkajākṣam
- hasta-dvaye śobhita-śaṅkha-cakraṁ
- viṣṇuṁ dadṛśur bhagavantam ādyam
- ā-jānu-bāhuṁ kamanīya-gātraṁ
- pārśva-dvaye śobhita-bhūmi-nīlam
- pītāmbaraṁ bhūṣaṇa-bhūṣitāṅgaṁ
- catur-bhujaṁ candana-ruṣitāṅgam
"They saw the lotus-eyed Lord Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, mounted on Garuḍa and holding Lakṣmī, the goddess of fortune, to His chest. He resembled a bluish rain cloud with flashing lightning, and in two of His four hands He held a conchshell and disc. His arms stretched down to His knees, and all His beautiful limbs were smeared with sandalwood and decorated with glittering ornaments. He wore yellow clothes, and by either side stood His energies Bhūmi and Nīlā."
(Sri Caitanya Caritamrta------1:5:27-28------purport).
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