INTRODUCTION:
Ramanuja (1017 AD–1137 AD) was one of the most important influential spiritual master of the Vaishnavism tradition. According to traditional belief, he has been regarded as an AMSA of Lord Adhishesha. He founded the Bhakti movement on Lord Vishnu. He is also known as Sri Ramanujacharya, Udaiyavar, Yatiraja, Bhashyakarar, Godagrajar, Thiruppavai Jeeyar, Emberumanar and Lakshmana Muni.
LIFE
Ramanuja's guru was Yadava Prakasa. Ramanuja is famous as the chief supporter of Vishishtadvaita. Ramanuja wrote several spiritual texts in sanskrit, such as bhasya on the Brahma Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita.
According to Sri Ramanuja, devotion to a personal God acts as a means to spiritual liberation.
Ramanuja was born to Tamil parents in the village of Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu.
Ramanuja was married and then moved to Kanchipuram, studied under Yadava Prakasa. Due to certain disagreement, Ramanuja and Yadava Prakasa were separated, and thereafter Ramanuja continued his studies on his own.
Ramanuja became a priest at the Varadharaja Perumal temple at Kanchipuram, his teaching were based on the principle that moksha can be achieved only with the help of God Vishnu. Ramanuja has occupied a highest authority in the Sri Vaishnava tradition.
Devotional writings
Several devotional Sanskrit texts were written by Sri Ramanuja:-
1.Vedarthasangraha
2.Sri Bhashya
3.Bhagavad Gita Bhashya
4.Vedantadipa
5.Vedantasara,
6.Gadya Trayam
7.Nitya Grantham
Importance
He is regarded as the single most influential thinker of devotional Hinduism, and his efforts made bhakti as the major force within different traditions of Hinduism. He was also against caste discrimination and treated all castes of people as alike.
Ramanuja reformed the Srirangam Ranganathaswamy temple complex.
In Sriperumbudur, there is a Vishnu temple and is an active Vishishtadvaita school.
The Ranganatha temple in Srirangam, Tamil Nadu, and the Venkateswara Temple, Tirumala in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh are the most famous Vaishnavite temples in india.
Disciples of Sri Ramanuja
1.Kidambi Aachan
2.ThirukurugaiPiran Pillan
3.Nadadhur Azhwan
4.Mudaliyandan
5.Koorathazhwan
6.Anantazhwar
CONCLUSION
A great Vaishnavite saint, and a great devotee of Lord Vishnu, who has changed the minds of several people during his period. His temple prasadam has changed the bad thoughts of the people, and they have become good, and also become worshippers of Lord Vishnu. He stopped the people in doing bad karma, and invoked them in doing good karma by uttering the various names of Lord Vishnu. Mainly he wants all of the people to get liberated(Attaining MOKSHA) by chanting god’s name.Let us chant the name of the great and holy saint Sri Ramanuja and be blessed.
“OM SREE RAMANUJAYA NAMAHA”
“OM NAMO BAGAVATE VASUDEVAYA”
R.HARISHANKAR
