Ayyavazhi centers its vision on a single, ultimate reality called Ekam, from which all existence arises, and on Ayya Vaikundar as the supreme manifestation of that reality in the present age. Vaikundar is understood as an incarnation of Narayana (Vishnu), appearing during Kali Yuga to restore dharma and re‑order the cosmos. While the broader Hindu pantheon and concepts such as the Trimurthi are acknowledged, they are placed within a framework in which Vaikundar functions as the supreme organizing principle. The primary scriptural sources for this understanding are Akilattirattu Ammanai and Arul Nool, which are regarded as authoritative for this age.

The tradition reads cosmic history through successive yugas, culminating in the troubled Kali Yuga marked by injustice and moral decline. Within this narrative, the advent of Vaikundar signals the beginning of a transition from Kali Yuga toward Dharma Yukam, a future age characterized by righteousness, peace, and equality. This eschatological hope is not merely speculative; it shapes a lived expectation that divine intervention will bring about a transformed world. The faithful see their own conduct as participating in and hastening this transformation.

At the heart of Ayyavazhi lies a rigorous commitment to dharma as both ethical discipline and cosmic order. Truthfulness, non‑violence, compassion, and social justice are treated as indispensable virtues. This ethical vision leads to a categorical rejection of caste distinctions and social hierarchies, affirming the fundamental equality of all people regardless of birth or status. Service to humanity is revered as a direct form of divine worship, and practices such as animal sacrifice are rejected in favor of a more compassionate ethos, often expressed through vegetarian discipline.

This spiritual ethic unfolds in a communal setting that seeks to embody unity and equality in concrete forms of worship and fellowship. Devotees gather in Nizhal Thangals and other centers for collective worship, scriptural recitation, and shared religious practices that minimize priestly dominance and ritual complexity. Symbols such as the flame (Jyothi) and the Thirunamam mark the presence of the divine and the identity of the community, while activities like Vinchai (religious discussions) and Panividai (offerings and prayers) cultivate a shared spiritual life. In this way, Ayyavazhi presents a path in which devotion to Vaikundar, commitment to dharma, and the pursuit of an egalitarian social order are woven tightly together.