(1017-1137 AD)
- He was born at Sriperumbudur.
- He was the disciple of Yamuna Muni and Vedprakash.
- He founded the philosophy called Vishishta Advaita and preached Vaishnavism.
- Kulottanga Chola who was a Shaivite banished Ramanujacharya for preaching Vaishnavism
- He wrote Sri Bashya and was the head of Srirangam Vaishnava Math.
- Ramanujacharya preached Shudras and outcastes could also attain salvation by completely surrendering to the will of the guru.
- He was also referred to as Ilaya Perumalwhich means the radiant one.
What is Vishishta Advaita?
- This school grew out of worship of Lord Vishnu
- It is a non-dualistic school of Vedanta philosophy. It is non-dualism of the qualified whole, in which Brahman alone exists, but is characterized by multiplicity.
- Unlike some Hindu philosophies, Visishtadvaita doesn’t see the world as simply illusion, which would make it separate from Brahman. The material world is a part of Brahman’s nature.
- Moksha, or spiritual liberation, is seen as the joy of contemplating Brahman (rather than release from the life-death-rebirth cycle), and that joy is the result of devotion, praise, worship and contemplating the divine perfection.