Ramanuja ('; Middle Tamil: Rāmāṉujam; Classical Sanskrit: Rāmānuja;<!--Please do not change the birth and death dates. On Wikipedia we go by modern scholarship over primary sources. Please see WP:PRIMARY--> 1077 – 1157, trad. date 1017-1137), also known as Ramanujacharya, was an Indian Hindu philosopher, guru and social reformer. He is one of the most important exponents of the Sri Vaishnavism tradition in Hinduism.

Ramanuja's guru was Yādava Prakāśa, a scholar who, traditionally, is said to have belonged to the Advaita Vedānta tradition, but probably was a Bhedabheda scholar. Sri Vaishnava tradition holds that Ramanuja disagreed with his guru and the non-dualistic Advaita Vedānta, and instead followed in the footsteps of Tamil Alvārs tradition, the scholars Nāthamuni and Yamunāchārya. Ramanuja is famous as the chief proponent of Vishishtadvaita school of Vedānta, and his disciples were likely authors of texts such as the Shatyayaniya Upanishad. Ramanuja presented the epistemic and soteriological importance of bhakti, or the devotion to a personal God (Vishnu in Ramanuja's case) as a means to spiritual liberation. His theories assert that there exists a plurality and distinction between Ātman (soul) and Brahman (metaphysical, ultimate reality), while he also affirmed that there is unity of all souls and that the individual soul has the potential to realize identity with the Brahman.

Early life

Ramanuja was born into a Tamil Brahmin community, in a village called Sriperumbudur (present-day Tamil Nadu) under the Chola Empire. His followers in the Vaishnava tradition wrote hagiographies, some of which were composed centuries after his death, and which the tradition believes "at face value."

The traditional hagiographies of Ramanuja state he was born to mother Kānthimathi and father Asuri Keshava Somayāji, Paul syndor notes that "reconstructing his 'historical life' is nearly impossible," and such efforts as Carman's datings (1077-1157), although "well-reasoned," are speculative and "ultimately unverifiable." Ramanuja and his guru frequently disagreed in interpreting Vedic texts, particularly the Upanishads. Ramanuja and Yādava Prakāśa separated, and thereafter Ramanuja continued his studies on his own. However, some hagiographies assert that the corpse of Yamunāchārya miraculously rose and named Ramanuja as the new leader of Sri Vaishnava sect previously led by Yamunāchārya. The ' by Brahmatantra Svatantra Jīyar represents the earliest biography, and reflects the view of the succession following Ramanuja. ', on the other hand, represents the Tenkalai biography. Other biographies include the Yatirajavaibhavam by Andhrapurna, who was the direct disciple of Ramanuja. Ramanuja's fame grew because he was considered the first thinker in centuries that disputed Shankara's theories, and offered an alternative interpretation of Upanishadic scriptures.

Early life

When Ramanuja and his guru Yadava Prakaasa parted ways due to their differences in interpreting the Vedic literature, Ramanuja became a devotee of the Varadaraja Perumal temple in Kanchi. During this period, Ramanuja's discourses and fame reached far and wide. Yamunacharya, the Vaishnavite acharya and the religious head of the Ranganathasamy temple at Srirangam had been closely following Ramanuja from a very young age. When it was time to pass on the legacy, the acharya sent Mahapurna, a disciple assisting him in temple affairs, to Kanchi to invite Ramanuja to Srirangam.

When Mahapurna met Ramanuja and informed him of his guru's desire, Ramanuja was overjoyed and they both immediately left for Srirangam. But bad news awaited them at Srirangam and they both learned that Yamunacharya had died. Heart-broken, Ramanuja then left for Kanchi and refused to worship Sri Ranganatha for he held him responsible for taking away Yamunacharya from this world. As for Mahapurna, he began to assist Tiruvaranga Araiyar, the son of Yamunacharya in managing the temple affairs. But as time passed by, Tiruvaranga Araiyar and other senior members of the Vaishnavite order felt that there was a vacuum after Yamunacharya's demise and that they lacked a person who could interpret the Vedas and Sastras like Yamunacharya. So it was finally decided that Sri Mahapurna should once again go and invite Ramanuja to Srirangam. Kanchipurna then left for Tirupati to worship Venkateswara and returned after six months. Upon his return, he conveyed that Lord Varadaraja (a form of Vishnu) wished Ramanuja to go to Srirangam and find solace in Mahapurna. Historian Nilakanta Sastri identifies Krimikanta Chola with Adhirajendra Chola or Virarajendra Chola. Knowing the evil intentions of the king, Ramanuja's disciple, Koorathazhwan persuaded Ramanuja to leave the Chola kingdom. Ramanuja then moved to Hoysala kingdom, where he spent 14 years. During this period, he converted a Jain king, Bitti Deva, to Hinduism after miraculously healing his daughter. Bitti Deva changed his name to Vishnuvardhana. King Vishnuvardhana assisted Ramanuja in building a temple of Lord Thirunarayanaswamy at Melukote, which is now a temple town in Mandya district of Karnataka. Ramanuja later returned on his own to Tamil Nādu after the death of Krimikanta Chola. According to Sastri, Krimikanta or Adhirajendra Chola was killed in a local uprising of the Vaishnavas.

According to "Koil Olugu" (temple records) of the Srirangam temple, Kulottunga III was the son of Krimikanta Chola or Karikala Chola. The former, unlike his father, is said to have been a repentant son who supported Vaishnavism. Ramanuja is said to have made Kulottunga III as a disciple of his nephew, Dasarathi. The king then granted the management of the Ranganathaswamy temple to Dasarathi and his descendants as per the wish of Ramanuja. Some historians hold that Krimikanta, who persecuted Ramanuja, had a personal animosity towards Ramanuja and did not persecute Vaishnavites.

Reformation

The Sri Vaishnavite order prior to Ramanuja was not averse to people from other castes as both Kanchipurna and Mahapurna were non-Brahmins.

Ramanuja's liberal views also led to the reorganization of rituals in Srirangam and the involvement of non-Brahmin people in the Vaishnava worship. This policy change contributed to the enhancement of social status for artisanal and other non-Brahmin caste groups, especially the weavers (Sengunthar Kaikola Mudaliyar), who were one of the chief beneficiaries. After Ramanuja's period, the Sri Vaishnava community split on this issue and formed the Vadakalai (northern and Sanskritic) and Thenkalai (southern and Tamil) sects. Both sects believe in initiation into Sri Vaishnavism through Pancha Samskara. This ceremony or rite of passage is necessary for one to become a Sri Vaishnava. It is performed by Brahmins and non-Brahmins in order to become Vaishnavas.

Attempts on Ramanuja's life

There were multiple attempts on Ramanuja's life. When he was a student under Yadava Prakasa, the latter grew jealous of Ramanuja's rise to fame. So Yadava Prakasa tried to get rid of Ramanuja during a tour to the Ganges in northern India. Govinda, Ramanuja's cousin (son of his mother's sister),

Later another attempt was made on Ramanuja's life while he was about to take charge of the temple affairs in Srirangam. The head priest of the Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam did not like Ramanuja and decided to kill him. Accordingly, he invited Ramanuja to his house for having food and planned to kill him by poisoning his food. However, when Ramanuja arrived, the priest's wife saw the divine glow of Ramanuja and immediately confessed her husband's plan. This did not deter the priest who then made another attempt when Ramanuja visited the temple. He poisoned the temple Theertham (holy water) and served it to Ramanuja. To the priest's great surprise Ramanuja, instead of dying, began to dance with joy. The priest realised his mistake and fell at the feet of Ramanuja.

Writings

The Sri Vaisnava tradition attributes nine Sanskrit texts to Ramanuja – Vedarthasamgraha (literally, "Summary of the Vedas's meaning"), Sri Bhashya (a review and commentary on the Brahma Sutras), Bhagavad Gita Bhashya (a review and commentary on the Bhagavad Gita), and the minor works titled Vedantadipa, Vedantasara, Gadya Trayam (which is a compilation of three texts called the Sharanagati Gadyam, Sriranga Gadyam, and the Vaikuntha Gadyam), and the Nitya Grantham.

Some scholars have questioned the authenticity of all other writings except the three of the largest works credited to Ramanuja — Sri Bhashya, Vedarthasamgraha, and the Bhagavad Gita Bhashya — and the Gadya Trayam he composed in Srirangam.

Philosophy

200px|thumb|right|The figure of Ramanuja in Upadesa Mudra inside the [[Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam. It is believed to be his preserved mortal remains.]]

Ramanuja's philosophical foundation was qualified monism, and is called Vishishtadvaita in the Hindu tradition. The first two sources of knowledge are perception and inference, and they are trustworthy notwithstanding general human subjection to "beginningless ignorance." Knowledge is always of the real, even in dreams, and error is a disordered perception or faulty inference concerning what is really there. The third source of knowledge is the testimony of scripture, or more strictly, śabda ("eternal sound"), which helps to establish much that is uncertain on the basis of sense perception and inference, notably the existence and nature of the ultimate reality (brahman). Though unlike some proponents of naïve empiricism, Rāmānuja does not think that it suffices to intermittently have an acquaintance with objects of knowledge. Knowledge (jñāna) only occurs when there is direct perception of an object. Unlike proper empiricists, Rāmānuja does not restrict knowledge to that which can be gathered from the senses.

Ramanuja’s Ontology

Being a realist, Rāmānuja firmly opposed the notion of māyā (illusion). In his understanding, three distinct realities exist: a vast expanse of material objects, countless conscious souls within material bodies, and the transcendent Brahman. Each of these categories possesses a different degree of awareness, from the non-aware material world to the fully-aware Brahman, but they are all equally real. In Rāmānuja's interpretation of advaita (non-dualism), it is not a form of advaita as proposed by Shankara. Rāmānuja's conception of bhakti maintains that there must always be a separation between the lover (the soul) and the beloved (Vishnu), for true love cannot exist without distinct identities. His stance suggests a qualified non-dualism, where both the souls and the material world, though deeply interconnected with Brahman, eternally remain different from Brahman. According to Ramanuja, Brahman encompasses everything but is not uniform in nature. It includes elements of plurality, allowing it to manifest in a diverse world. Ramanuja views Brahman as a personal god who rules over a real world filled with his spirit. He believes Brahman to have the attributes of “omnipotence, omniscience and infinite love”. He writes:<blockquote>"Entities other than Brahman can be objects of such cognitions of the nature of joy only to a finite extent and for limited duration. But Brahman is such that cognizing of him is an infinite and abiding joy. It is for this reason that the śruti [scripture] says, `Brahman is bliss’ (Taittirīya Upaniṣad II.6.) Since the form of cognition as joy is determined by its object, Brahman itself is joy."</blockquote>Rāmānuja clarifies that mere theoretical knowledge of Brahman‘s nature is insufficient for attaining moksha.

Criticism of Sankara

Ramanuja argued that Shankara's interpretation of the Upanishads had serious errors. He had four major objections:

  1. Brahman was differentiated consciousness and not undifferentiated consciousness.
  2. Shankara's concept of Nirguna Brahman was wrong and untenable.
  3. Beginningless karma, and not superimposition, was the cause of avidya.
  4. Sankara's doctrine of Avidya (Ignorance) and Maya (Illusion) has seven major flaws and inconsistencies.

Hermeneutic Criticism

Vedas as Doctrinally Unified Corpus

Ramanuja accepted that the Vedas are a reliable source of knowledge, then critiqued other schools of Hindu philosophy, including Advaita Vedānta, as having failed in interpreting all of the Vedic texts.

This method of scripture interpretation distinguishes Ramanuja from Ādi Shankara. Shankara's exegetical approach Samanvayat Tatparya Linga with Anvaya-Vyatireka, states that for proper understanding, all texts must be examined in their entirety, and then their intent established by six characteristics. These include studying what the author states as his goal, what he repeats in his explanation, what he states as his conclusion, and whether it can be epistemically verified. Not everything in any text, states Shankara, has equal weight and some ideas are the essence of any expert's textual testimony. This philosophical difference in scriptural studies helped Shankara conclude that the Principal Upanishads primarily teach monism with teachings such as Tat tvam asi, while helping Ramanuja conclude that qualified monism is at the foundation of Hindu spirituality.

Comparison with other Vedānta schools

Ramanuja's Vishishtadvaita shares the theistic devotionalism ideas with Madhvāchārya's Dvaita. Both schools assert that Jīva (souls) and Brahman (as Vishnu) are different, a difference that is never transcended. God Vishnu alone is independent, all other gods and beings are dependent on Him, according to both Madhvāchārya and Ramanuja. However, in contrast to Madhvāchārya's views, Ramanuja asserts "qualified non-dualism", that souls share the same essential nature of Brahman, and that there is a universal sameness in the quality and degree of bliss possible for human souls, and every soul can reach the bliss state of God Himself. In contrast, Ramanuja's theory posits both Brahman and the world of matter are two different absolutes, both metaphysically real, neither should be called false or illusive, and saguna Brahman with attributes is also real. Wendy Doniger calls him "probably the single most influential thinker of devotional Hinduism". J. A. B. van Buitenen states that Ramanuja was highly influential, by giving "bhakti an intellectual basis", and his efforts made bhakti the major force within different traditions of Hinduism.

thumb|Sri Ramanuja Shrine at The Ranganathasamy Temple in Srirangam

Ramanuja reformed the Srirangam Ranganathaswamy temple complex, undertook tours across India, and expanded the reach of his organization. The temple organization became the stronghold of his ideas and his disciples. It was here that he wrote his influential Vishishtadvaita philosophy text, Sri Bhashyam.

Ramanuja not only developed theories and published philosophical works, but also organized a network of temples for Vishnu-Lakshmi worship.

The birthplace of Ramanuja near Chennai hosts a temple and is an active Vishishtadvaita school. His doctrines inspire a lively intellectual tradition, and his religious practices continue in major Vaishnava centres like the Ranganātha temple in Srirangam and the Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati. It was inaugurated by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 5 February 2022.

Names

Ramanuja is also known as ', Udaiyavar, Ethirājar (Yatirāja, king of monks), Bhashyakara (Bhashyakarulu in Telugu), Godāgrajar, Thiruppavai Jeeyar, Emberumānār and Lakshmana Muni

  • 'Ilayazhwar' by Periya Thirumalai Nambi
  • 'Boodha Puriser' by Sriperumbudur Adikesava Perumal
  • 'Am Mudalvan Evan' by Yamunāchārya
  • 'Ethirajar' and 'Ramanuja Muni' by Kanchi Perarulala Perumal
  • 'Udayavar' by Srirangam Periya Perumal
  • 'Emperumanar' by Tirukozhtiyur Nambi
  • 'Tiruppavai Jeeyar' by Periya Nambi
  • 'Lakshmana Muni' by Tiruvaranga Perumal Arayar
  • 'Sadagopan Ponnadi' by Tirumalaiyandan
  • 'Sri Bashyakarar' by Kalaimagal
  • 'Desi Kendiran' by Tirupathi Thiruvenkatamudayan
  • 'Koil Annan' by Srivilliputhur Kothai Nachiyar

See also

  • Adi Shankara
  • Hindu philosophy
  • Subala Upanishad – a minor Upanishad repeatedly cited by Ramanuja, and influential to his ideas
  • Yoga (philosophy)
  • Vishnuvardhana

Notes

References

Sources

Further reading

Biographies

  • Biography and works, The Internet encyclopaedia of Philosophy
  • Biography of Ramanuja, Sanskrit.org

Works

  • Rāmānuja Biography, Surendranath Dasgupta, 1940
  • Rāmānuja Literature, Surendranath Dasgupta, 1940
  • Bibliography of Ramanuja's works, Item 637 , Karl Potter, University of Washington
  • Sri Bhashya: 's commentary on Vedanta Sutras, translated By George Thibaut (1904)

Others

  • Ramanuja.org