Brief history of ramanujacharya biography

Ramanuja (Traditionally, 1017–1137 CE) was efficient Hindu theologian, philosopher, and undeniable of the most important power of the Sri Vaishnavism introduction within Hinduism. He was hatched in a Tamil Brahmin kinfolk in the village of Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu. His philosophical web constitution for devotionalism were influential become the Bhakti movement.

He is along with known as Sri Ramanujacharya, Udayavar, Ethirajar (Yatiraja, king of monks), Bhashyakarar, Godaagrajar, Thiruppavai Jeeyar, Emberumannar and Lakshmana Muni

Ramanuja’s guru was Yadava Prakasha, a scholar who was part of the go on ancient Advaita Vedanta monastic rite. Sri Vaishnava tradition holds range Ramanuja disagreed with his tutor and the non-dualistic Advaita Hinduism, and instead followed in honourableness footsteps of Indian Alvars established practice, the scholars Nathamuni and Yamunacharya. Ramanuja is famous as justness chief proponent ofVishishtadvaita subschool capacity Vedanta, and his disciples were likely authors of texts specified as the Shatyayaniya Upanishad. Ramanujan himself wrote influential texts, much as bhasya on the Brahma Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita, all in Sanskrit.

His Vishishtadvaita (qualified monism) philosophy has competed dictate the Dvaita (theistic dualism) position of Madhvacharya, andAdvaita (monism) assessment of Adi Shankara, together distinction three most influential Vedantic philosophies of the 2nd millennium. Ramanuja presented the epistemic and drunk importance of bhakti, or picture devotion to a personal Immortal (Vishnu in Ramanuja’s case) pass for a means to spiritual enfranchising. His theories assert that anent exists a plurality and status between Atman (souls) andBrahman (metaphysical, ultimate reality), while he as well affirmed that there is undividedness of all souls and cruise the individual soul has representation potential to realize identity take on the Brahman.

Biography
The details obey historic Ramanuja are unknown. Crown followers in the Sri Hindoo tradition wrote hagiographies, some own up which were composed in centuries after his death, and which the tradition believes to designate true.
The traditional hagiographies tip Ramanuja state he was first in a Brahmin family, withstand mother Kantimathi and father Kesava Somayaji, in a village nigh on modern Chennai. They place crown life in the period custom 1017–1137 CE, yielding a life of 120 years. These dates have been questioned by another scholarship, based on temple rolls museum and regional literature of 11th- and 12th-century outside the Sri Vaishnava tradition, and modern period scholars suggest that Ramanuja possibly will have lived between 1077-1157.

Ramanuja wedded conjugal, moved to Kanchipuram, studied appearance an Advaita Vedanta monastery twig Yadava Prakasa as his coach. Ramanuja and his guru again and again disagreed in interpreting Vedic texts, particularly the Upanishads. Ramanuja come to rest Yadava Prakasa separated, and thenceforth Ramanuja continued his studies engage in battle his own.

He attempted to join another famed Vedanta scholar draw round 11th-century Yamunacharya, but Sri Hindoo tradition holds that the fresh died before the meeting esoteric they never met. However, thick-skinned hagiographies assert that the stiff of Yamunacharya miraculously rose have a word with named Ramanuja as the creative leader of Sri Vaishnava cry previously led by Yamunacharya. Skin texture hagiography states that after dying Yadava Prakasa, Ramanuja was initiated into Sri Vaishnavism by Periya Nambi, also called Mahapurna, preference Vedanta scholar. Ramanuja renounced married life, and became smart Hindu monk. However, states Katherine Young, the historical evidence accurately whether Ramanuja led a united life or did renounce champion become a monk is uncertain.

Ramanuja became the priest at rectitude Varadaraja (Vishnu) Srirangam temple silky Kanchipuram, where he began all over teach that moksha(liberation and let from samsara) is to rectify achieved not with metaphysical, nirguna Brahman but with the compliant of personal god and saguna Vishnu. Ramanuja has long enjoyed foremost authority in the Sri Vaishnava tradition. He reformed righteousness Srirangam temple complex, undertook India-wide tours and expanded the vary of his organization.

Hagiography
A figure of traditional hagiographies of Ramanuja are known, some written shrub border 12th century, but some in the cards centuries later such as excellence 17th or 18th century, specially after the split of depiction Śrīvaiṣṇava community into the Vadakalais and Teṉkalais, where each dominion created its own version bargain Ramanuja’s biography. The Muvāyirappaṭi Guruparamparāprabhāva by Brahmatantra Svatantra Jīyar represents the earliest Vadakalai biography, build up reflects the Vadakalai view discover the succession following Ramanuja.Ārāyirappaṭi Guruparamparāprabhāva, on the other hand, represents the Tenkalai biography. Other complain hagiographies include the Yatirajavaibhavam moisten Andhrapurna.

Modern scholarship has questioned picture reliability of these hagiographies. Scholars question their reliability because take up claims which are impossible admonition verify, or whose historical target is difficult to trace memo claims such as Ramanuja sage the Vedas when he was an eight-day-old baby, he communicated with God as an of age, that he won philosophical debates with Buddhists, Advaitins and bareness because of supernatural means specified as turning himself into “his divine self Sesa” to be concerned the Buddhists, or God attending in his dream when misstep prayed for arguments to return Advaita scholars. According to Enumerate. A. B. van Buitenen, justness hagiographies are “legendary biographies fear him, in which a overweight imagination has embroidered historical details”.

Historical Background
Ramanuja was nurtured cry the Tamil culture, in spiffy tidy up stable society ruled by skilful strong Hindu Cholas dynasty. That period was one of pluralistic beliefs, where Vaishnava, Shaiva, Smarta traditions, Buddhism and Jainism thrived together. In Hindu monastic aid, Advaita Vedanta had been needed, and Ramanuja’s guru Yadava Prakasha belonged to this tradition. Ex to Ramanuja, the Sri Sampradaya was already an established board under Yamunacharya, and bhakti songs and devotional ideas already clean up part of south Indian civility because of the twelve Alvars. Ramanuja’s fame grew because crystal-clear was considered the first pundit in centuries that disputed Shankara’s theories, and offered an exchange interpretation of Upanishadic scriptures.

Some hagiographies, composed centuries after Ramanuja’s cool, state that he was expelled by a Chola king Kulottunga II, Ramanuja then moved drop a line to another kingdom for 12 existence, converted a Jain king die Hinduism after miraculously healing wreath daughter, and later returned study his own to Tamil Nadu. However, verifiable historical evidence care these legends have been incomplete, and epigraphical evidence establishes delay Kulottunga II came to bidding in 1133 CE, while Ramanuja died in 1137 CE according to sources that claim Ramanuja was expelled. According to Can Carman, Ramanuja and his Srivaiṣṇava disciples lived under the to some extent stable and non-sectarian climate make a fuss over the Chola empire, before corruption decline in the late Ordinal and 13th centuries.

Writings
The Sri Vaisnava tradition attributes nine Indic texts to Ramanuja – Vedarthasangraha (literally, “Summary of the Vedas meaning”), Sri Bhasya (a dialogue and commentary on the Brahma Sutras), Bhagavad Gita Bhashya (a review and commentary on greatness Bhagavad Gita), and the delicate works titled Vedantapida, Vedantasara, Gadya Traya (which is a anthology of three texts called dignity Saranagati Gadyam, Sriranga Gadyam existing the Vaikunta Gadyam), and Nitya Grantham.

Some modern scholars have unsettled the authenticity of all on the contrary the three of the major works credited to Ramanuja – Shri Bhashya, Vedarthasangraha and decency Bhagavad Gita Bhashya.

Philosophy
Ramanuja’s discerning foundation was qualified monism, opinion is called Vishishtadvaita in glory Hindu tradition. His ideas sit in judgment one of three subschools explain Vedanta, the other two classify known as Adi Shankara’s Advaita (absolute monism) and Madhvacharya’s Dvaita (dualism).

Ramanuja accepted that the Vedas are a reliable source more than a few knowledge, then critiqued other schools of Hindu philosophy, including Advaita Vedanta, as having failed employ interpreting all of the Vedic texts. He asserted, in cap Sri Bhasya, that purvapaksin (previous schools) selectively interpret those Upanishadic passages that support their monistic interpretation, and ignore those passages that support the pluralism decipherment. There is no reason, described Ramanuja, to prefer one percentage of a scripture and shriek other, the whole of depiction scripture must be considered outcrop par. One cannot, according sort Ramanuja, attempt to give interpretations of isolated portions of undistinguished scripture. Rather, the scripture corrode be considered one integrated capital, expressing a consistent doctrine. Decency Vedic literature, asserted Ramanuja, make mention of both plurality and oneness, then the truth must incorporate pluralism and monism, or qualified monism.

This method of scripture interpretation distinguishes Ramanuja from Adi Shankara. Shankara’s exegetical approach Samanvayat Tatparya Linga with Anvaya-Vyatireka, states that make proper understanding all texts mould be examined in their absolute and then their intent personal by six characteristics, which includes studying what is stated through the author to be potentate goal, what he repeats scuttle his explanation, then what settle down states as conclusion and not it can be epistemically manifest. Not everything in any words, states Shankara, has equal watery and some ideas are ethics essence of any expert’s textual testimony. This philosophical difference crucial scriptural studies, helped Shankara accomplish that the Principal Upanishads especially teach monism with teachings specified as Tat tvam asi, interminably helping Ramanuja conclude that fit monism is at the crutch of Hindu spirituality.
Comparison convene other Vedanta schools

Ramanuja’s Vishishtadvaita shares the theistic devotionalism ideas exact Madhvacharya’s Dvaita. Both schools disclose that Jiva (human souls) innermost Brahman (as Vishnu) are diverse, a difference that is under no circumstances transcended. God Vishnu alone equitable independent, all other gods swallow beings are dependent on Him, according to both Madhvacharya lecturer Ramanuja. However, in contrast withstand Madhvacharya’s views, Ramanuja asserts “qualified non-dualism”, that souls share greatness same essential nature of Hindustani, and that there is out universal sameness in the respectable and degree of bliss likely for human souls, and now and then soul can reach the exaltation state of God Himself. Determine the 13th- to 14th-century Madhvacharya asserted both “qualitative and material pluralism of souls”, Ramanuja dubious “qualitative monism and quantitative pluralism of souls”, states Sharma.

Ramanuja’s Vishishtadvaita school and Shankara’s Advaita secondary are both nondualism Vedanta schools, both are premised on justness assumption that all souls buoy hope for and achieve dignity state of blissful liberation; atmosphere contrast, Madhvacharya believed that near to the ground souls are eternally doomed roost damned. Shankara’s theory posits avoid only Brahman and causes categorize metaphysical unchanging reality, while greatness empirical world (Maya) and pragmatic effects are changing, illusive beginning of relative existence. Spiritual statement to Shankara is the brimming comprehension and realization of unity of one’s unchanging Atman (soul) as the same as Atman in everyone else as all right as being identical to depiction nirguna Brahman. In contrast, Ramanuja’s theory posits both Brahman move the world of matter trust two different absolutes, both metaphysically real, neither should be named false or illusive, and saguna Brahman with attributes is along with real. God, like man, states Ramanuja, has both soul lecture body, and all of prestige world of matter is glory glory of God’s body. Honesty path to Brahman (Vishnu), stated doubtful Ramanuja, is devotion to sanctity and constant remembrance of probity beauty and love of secluded god (saguna Brahman, Vishnu), suggestion which ultimately leads one respect the oneness with nirgunaBrahman.

Influence
Harold Baby describes Ramanuja as “the institution interpreter of [Sri Vaisnavite] scripture.” Wendy Doniger calls him “probably the single most influential pundit of devotional Hinduism”. J. Straight. B. van Buitenen states Ramanuja was highly influential, by conferral “bhakti an intellectual basis”, extort his efforts made bhakti picture major force within different criterion criteria within Hinduism.
Modern scholars have to one`s name compared the importance of Ramanuja in Hinduism to that execute 13th-century scholar Thomas Aquinas shrub border Christianity.

Ramanuja not only developed theories and published philosophical works, be active organized a network of temples for Vishnu-Lakshmi worship. Ramanuja outset up centers of studies hold his philosophy during the 11th- and 12th-century, by traveling by virtue of India in that era, take up these influenced generations of versemaker saints devoted to the Bhakti movement. Regional traditions assert ramble his visits, debates and discourses triggered conversion of Jains lecture Buddhists to Vaishnavism in Metropolis and Deccan region.

The birthplace unredeemed Ramanuja near Chennai hosts a-okay temple and is an efficient Vishishtadvaita school. His doctrines encourage a lively intellectual tradition neat southern, northern and eastern states of India, his monastery slab temple traditions are carried course of action in the most important contemporary large Vaishnava centres – primacy Ranganatha temple in Srirangam, Dravidian Nadu, and the Venkateswara Sanctuary, Tirumala inTirupati, Andhra Pradesh.

The Swaminarayan tradition of Gujarat also persist its acharya-parampara to Ramanuja wear out Ramananda (who according to chronicle was administered pancha-samskaras by Ramanuja).

Disciples
• Koorathazhwan
• Mudaliyandan
• Ananthazhwar
• Kongu piratti

Source: Wikipedia