Ramanuja

Ramanuja, also known as Ramanujacharya, was a prominent Indian theologian and philosopher in the Vaishnavism tradition. He is regarded as the leading exponent of Vishishtadvaita, or qualified non-dualism, a school of Vedanta that emphasizes devotion to Vishnu as the supreme reality who contains the individual souls and matter within his unity. Traditional accounts place him in the 11th to early 12th century, roughly 1017–1137 CE, with most sources situating him in Tamil Nadu, where he is associated with Sriperumbudur and later Srirangam.

Philosophically, Ramanuja argued that Brahman is Vishnu or Narayana and that the world, while real, is a meaningful multiplicity within the divine body. Souls and matter are real expressions of divine energy, and liberation comes through bhakti (devotion) and prapatti (self-surrender) to Vishnu’s grace. He rejected both radical non-dualism and mere ritualism, advocating a path that combined heartfelt devotion with adherence to the Vedas and the authority of guru instruction. His interpretations also supported temple worship and the devotional Tamil liturgy known as the Divya Prabandham, shaping Sri Vaishnava practice.

Key works attributed to Ramanuja include the Sri Bhashya, a comprehensive commentary on the Brahma Sutras, and the Vedarthasangraha, a concise Vedanta primer. He is also traditionally credited with a Gita commentary. Ramanuja’s reforms solidified the Sri Vaishnava tradition, influencing later philosophers like Vedanta Deshika and Pillai Lokacharya and shaping devotional theology, temple rites, and monastic lineages for centuries. He died at Srirangam in Tamil Nadu, where his legacy remains influential.