If Vaishnavism is so popular and wide spread in India, the credit must go to Sri Ramanuja, who took advantage of the ecstatic outpouring of the south Indian mystics, the Alvars, and produced a highly logical philosophy of knowledge soaked in devotion as the easiest means of God-realization.
Look upon every man, woman, and everyone as God. You cannot help anyone, you can only serve: serve the children of the Lord, serve the Lord Himself, if you have the privilege.
-Swami Vivekananda