Sri Ramanujacharya

Sri Ramanujacharya[edit | edit source]

Sri Ramanuja also known as Ramanujacharya, was one of India's greatest devotional saints, philosophers, teachers, and reformers. His original name was Ilaya Perumal. He founded the Visishtadvaita Vedanta school of philosophy, which means ‘qualified non-dualism.’ His teachings combined reason and devotion, giving people a path to God that was both spiritual and practical.^[1]

Ramanuja’s life was dedicated to bringing religion closer to the people. He taught that God is a personal, loving being who can be reached through bhakti (devotion) and prapatti (surrender). He also stood for equality, teaching that all souls, regardless of caste or background have the right to worship God. ^[2]

Early Life and Education[edit | edit source]

Ramanuja was born in Sriperumbudur, a small town near modern-day Chennai, in Tamil Nadu. His parents were Kesava Somayaji and Kantimati, pious Brahmins devoted to Lord Vishnu . From an early age, Ramanuja showed remarkable intelligence and a deep interest in the Vedas and religious thought. ^[3]

As a teenager, he married Rakshakambal (also known as Thanjammal) and later moved to Kanchipuram, which was then a famous centre of Hindu learning. There he studied under the scholar Yadava Prakasha, who followed the Advaita Vedanta philosophy of Shankaracharya. ^[4]

Advaita teaches that the world and the soul are ultimately illusions (maya) and that only Brahman, the formless absolute, is real. Ramanuja, however, disagreed. He believed that the world and the individual soul are real and that both depend on God. For him, God was not an abstract force but a living, loving reality.

Tension grew between Ramanuja and his teacher due to these differences. According to tradition, Yadava Prakasha even plotted to harm him, but Ramanuja escaped safely and returned to Kanchipuram, determined to pursue his own spiritual understanding. ^[5]

Spiritual Journey[edit | edit source]

After parting from his teacher, Ramanuja began to study the works of the earlier Vaishnava saints, especially Nammalvar and Yamunacharya. Although he never met Yamunacharya in person, Ramanuja was deeply influenced by his writings and spiritual ideas.

Later, Ramanuja visited Srirangam, arriving shortly after Yamunacharya's death. Seeing the saint’s body, he noticed that three fingers on Yamunacharya’s right hand were folded. His followers explained that these symbolised the three unfulfilled wishes of the teacher:

To write a commentary on the Brahma Sutras based on the Visishtadvaita philosophy.
To spread the fame of the sage Parasara.
To encourage devotion to God through service.

Ramanuja promised to fulfil all three wishes, which became the guiding mission of his life. ^[1]

Teachings and Works[edit | edit source]

Ramanuja’s greatest work was his commentary on the Brahma Sutras, called the Sri Bhashya. In this monumental text, he explained his doctrine of Visishtadvaita Vedanta, the idea that God is one, but this oneness includes within it real diversity.

According to Ramanuja’s teachings: ^[2]

God (Brahman) is both the cause and the soul of the universe.
The individual souls (jivas) are real and eternal, but they depend completely on God.
The world (prakriti) is also real and forms part of God’s body.
Liberation (moksha) means living eternally in loving service to God, not merging into Him.

Ramanuja also penned the Vedartha Sangraha, a summary of the Vedic teachings, and the Gita Bhashya, a commentary on the Bhagavad Gita, emphasising the interdependence of devotion and knowledge.

He also composed Gadyatrayam, an anthology of three devotional prose hymns, which are Saranagati Gadyam, Vaikunta Gadyam, and Sriranga Gadyam, expressing his complete surrender to Lord Vishnu.

Through his writings, Ramanuja gave Hinduism a devotional philosophy rooted in both logic and love. His ideas later inspired many teachers and poets of the Bhakti movement across India. ^[6]

Temple Reforms and Social Ideas[edit | edit source]

Ramanuja was not only a philosopher; he was also a practical reformer who wanted to make religion accessible to everyone. At that time, temple worship and learning were often restricted by caste. Ramanuja taught that devotion (bhakti) was open to all, including those from lower castes and even those outside the traditional Hindu order.

Ramanuja reorganised temple rituals at Srirangam, making worship more systematic and inclusive. He introduced daily rituals, community meals (anna dana), and collective prayers. He also established systems for temple administration, ensuring the sharing of food and services among devotees.^[6]

One well-known story tells how his teacher gave him a sacred mantra (the Ashtakshara, or eight-syllable mantra of Vishnu), with strict instructions to keep it secret. But Ramanuja, moved by compassion, climbed a temple tower and loudly shared the mantra so that everyone could benefit from it. When his teacher scolded him, Ramanuja replied that he was willing to go to hell if others could attain heaven. This act showed his deep belief that God’s grace should be shared freely and that salvation is everyone’s birthright.^[1]

The Bhakti Movement and Social Impact[edit | edit source]

Ramanuja’s devotional path and teachings became a major influence on the Bhakti movement in South India. Ramanuja inspired generations of saint-poets known as Alvars, whose Tamil hymns fused emotional intensity and spiritual longing. He elevated vernacular language and songs, making religious experience accessible to all, regardless of caste or learning.

Ramanuja was revolutionary in his social vision. He advocated for spiritual egalitarianism, challenging caste barriers and inviting all people to participate in temple rituals and devotional practices.
In Melkote and Srirangam, Ramanuja established temple communities based on devotional worship, social service, and inclusive participation. His legacy lives in these institutions and the spiritual lineages (sampradayas) that continue to flourish today.

Ramanuja’s devotion was intensely practical. He promoted seva (service) to fellow beings as a form of worship, embodied humility and compassion, and treated all people as part of God’s family, reflecting the profound implications of his philosophical vision in everyday life.

Struggles and Exile[edit | edit source]

Ramanuja’s open and reformist ideas angered some conservative Brahmins and even certain rulers. According to some sources, during the rule of a Chola king who was intolerant of Vaishnavism, Ramanuja’s life came under threat. To protect himself and his followers, he fled from Tamil Nadu to Melkote (in present-day Karnataka). ^[3]

In Melkote, Ramanuja continued his mission. He rebuilt and revived the temple of Cheluvanarayana Swamy, which had fallen into neglect. Legends say that he even retrieved the lost idol of the deity from a distant land and restored it to the temple. ^[5]

Ramanuja's years in exile helped him spread his teachings beyond Tamil Nadu. He won many new followers in Karnataka and strengthened the unity of the Vaishnava community. ^[5]

Final Years and Legacy[edit | edit source]

After many years, Ramanuja returned to Srirangam, where he spent the rest of his life teaching, writing, and guiding his disciples. Before his death, he appointed seventy-four disciples to preserve and spread his teachings throughout India. ^[2]

Ramanuja is believed to have lived for about 120 years. His body is said to be preserved in the Srirangam Temple, where devotees can still see his image in a seated posture, covered in saffron and camphor. ^[3]

Ramanuja's influence continued to grow even after his death. The Sri Vaishnava tradition he founded remains one of the major branches of Vaishnavism today, flourishing in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and beyond. His philosophy of Visishtadvaita stands as one of the three principal schools of Vedanta, alongside Advaita (Shankara) and Dvaita (Madhva).

Modern scholars and devotees alike revere Ramanuja as both a philosopher and a reformer. His teachings of devotion, equality, and service to God have inspired millions over the centuries and continue to shape Hindu religious life today.^[6]

References

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