Vaishnavism Vaishnavism ( sa, वैष्णवसम्प्रदायः, Vaiṣṇavasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu denominations along with Shaivism, Shaktism, and Smartism. It is also called Vishnuism since it considers Vishnu as the ...

Hinduism Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...

Lakshmi Lakshmi (; , sometimes spelled Laxmi, ), also known as Shri (, ), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism. She is the goddess of wealth, fortune, power, beauty, fertility and prosperity, and associated with ''Maya'' ("Illusion"). Alo ...

Vishnu Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism. Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" withi ...

Vedas upright=1.2, The Vedas are ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism. Above: A page from the '' Atharvaveda''. The Vedas (, , ) are a large body of religious texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the ...

Pancharatra ''Pancharatra'' ( IAST: ''Pāñcarātra'') was a religious movement in Hinduism that originated in late 3rd-century BCE around the ideas of Narayana and the various avatars of Vishnu as their central deities.Alvars and their canon, the

Naalayira Divya Prabandham The Naalayira Divya Prabandham ( ta, நாலாயிரத் திவ்வியப் பிரபந்தம், lit=Four Thousand Divine Hymns, translit=Nālāyira Divya Prabandham) is a collection of 4,000 Tamil verses composed by ...

. The founding of Sri Vaishnavism is traditionally attributed to

Nathamuni Nathamuni, also known as Sri Ranganathamuni, (823 CE – 951 CE), was a Sri Vaishnava, Vaishnava theologian who collected and compiled the Divya Prabandha, Naalayira Divya Prabandham. Srinivasa Chari, S. M. (1994). Vaiṣṇavism, p.22-24. Mot ...

of the 10th century CE; its central philosopher has been

Ramanuja Ramanuja ( Middle Tamil: Rāmāṉujam; Classical Sanskrit: Rāmanuja; 1017 CE – 1137 CE; ; ), also known as Ramanujacharya, was an Indian Hindu philosopher, guru and a social reformer. He is noted to be one of the most important exponents ...

of the 11th century, who developed the ''

Vishishtadvaita Vishishtadvaita ( IAST '; sa, विशिष्टाद्वैत) is one of the most popular schools of the Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy. Vedanta literally means the in depth meaning ''of the Vedas.'' ''Vishisht Advaita'' (literal ...

'' ("qualified non-dualism")

Vedanta ''Vedanta'' (; sa, वेदान्त, ), also ''Uttara Mīmāṃsā'', is one of the six (''āstika'') schools of Hindu philosophy. Literally meaning "end of the Vedas", Vedanta reflects ideas that emerged from, or were aligned with, t ...

sub-school of

Hindu philosophy Hindu philosophy encompasses the philosophies, world views and teachings of Hinduism that emerged in Ancient India which include six systems ('' shad-darśana'') – Samkhya, Yoga, Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Mimamsa and Vedanta.Andrew Nicholson ( ...

. The tradition split into two denominations around the 16th century. The

Vadakalai Sri Vaishnavism, or the Sri Vaishnava Sampradaya, is a denomination within the Vaishnavism tradition of Hinduism. The name refers to goddess Lakshmi (also known as Sri), as well as a prefix that means "sacred, revered", and the god Vishnu, wh ...

sect vested the

Vedas upright=1.2, The Vedas are ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism. Above: A page from the '' Atharvaveda''. The Vedas (, , ) are a large body of religious texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the ...

with the greatest authority and follow the doctrine of Sri

Vedanta Desika Vedanta Desikan (1268–1369), also rendered Vedanta Desikar, Swami Vedanta Desikan, and Thoopul Nigamaantha Desikan, was an Indian polymath who wrote philosophical as well as religious and poetical works in several languages, including Sans ...

, whereas the

Tenkalai Sri Vaishnavism, or the Sri Vaishnava Sampradaya, is a denomination within the Vaishnavism tradition of Hinduism. The name refers to goddess Lakshmi (also known as Sri), as well as a prefix that means "sacred, revered", and the god Vishnu, who ...

sect vested the

Naalayira Divya Prabandham The Naalayira Divya Prabandham ( ta, நாலாயிரத் திவ்வியப் பிரபந்தம், lit=Four Thousand Divine Hymns, translit=Nālāyira Divya Prabandham) is a collection of 4,000 Tamil verses composed by ...

with the greatest authority and follow the principles of Sri Manavala Mamunigal. The

Telugu Brahmin Telugu Brahmins are Brahmin communities native to the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. History Origin theories According to the ''Aitareya Brahmana'' of the Rigveda, the Andhras left north India from the banks of the River Yamuna ...

s of the Sri Vaishnava tradition form a single distinct sect called the Andhra Vaishnavas, and are not divided into the Vadakalai and Tenkalai denominations, unlike the Tamil

Iyengar Iyengar (also spelt Ayyangar or Aiyengar, pronounced ) refers to the name of an ethnoreligious community of Tamil-speaking Hindu Brahmins, whose members follow Sri Vaishnavism and the Visishtadvaita philosophy propounded by Ramanuja. Found mos ...

s. The most striking difference between Sri Vaishnavas and other Vaishnava groups lies in their interpretation of the Vedas. While other Vaishnava groups interpret

Vedic deities Rigvedic deities are deities mentioned in the sacred texts of Rigveda, the principal text of the historical Vedic religion of the Vedic period (1500–500 BCE). There are 1,028 hymns (sūkta) in the Rigveda. Most of these hymns are dedicated to s ...

like Indra,

Savitar Savitar may refer to: *Savitr, or Savitar, a Vedic solar deity associated with the Aditya class of divinities *Savitar (comics), a supervillain published by DC Comics *Savitar, a character from Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark-Hunter series *''Savitar'', th ...

,

Bhaga ''Bhaga'' is the Vedic god of wealth, as well as a term for "lord, patron" and "wealth, prosperity". He is an Āditya, a group of societal deities who are the sons of Aditi. Bhaga's responsibility was to make sure that people received a share o ...

,

Rudra Rudra (; sa, रुद्र) is a Rigvedic deity associated with Shiva, the wind or storms, Vayu, medicine, and the hunt. One translation of the name is 'the roarer'. In the Rigveda, Rudra is praised as the 'mightiest of the mighty'. Rud ...

, etc., to be the same as their

Puranic Purana (; sa, , '; literally meaning "ancient, old"Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature (1995 Edition), Article on Puranas, , page 915) is a vast genre of Indian literature about a wide range of topics, particularly about legends an ...

counterparts, Sri Vaishnavas consider these to be different names/roles/forms of

Narayana Narayana (Sanskrit: नारायण, IAST: ''Nārāyaṇa'') is one of the forms and names of Vishnu, who is in yogic slumber under the celestial waters, referring to the masculine principle. He is also known as Purushottama, and is co ...

, thus claiming that the entirety of the Vedas is dedicated to

Vishnu Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism. Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" withi ...

reverence alone. Sri Vaishnavas have remodelled the

Pancharatra ''Pancharatra'' ( IAST: ''Pāñcarātra'') was a religious movement in Hinduism that originated in late 3rd-century BCE around the ideas of Narayana and the various avatars of Vishnu as their central deities.homas In the Vedic Hinduism, a homa (Sanskrit: होम) also known as havan, is a fire ritual performed on special occasions by a Hindu priest usually for a homeowner (" grihastha": one possessing a home). The grihasth keeps different kinds of fire ...

'' (rituals) to include Vedic ''suktas'' (hymns) in them, thus integrating them with a Vedic perspective.

Etymology

The name Sri Vaishnavism ( IAST: Śrīvaiṣṇavism) is derived from two words, ''Sri'' and ''Vaishnavism''. In

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...

, the word

Sri Shri (; , ) is a Sanskrit term denoting resplendence, wealth and prosperity, primarily used as an honorific. The word is widely used in South and Southeast Asian languages such as Marathi, Malay (including Indonesian and Malaysian), Javanes ...

refers to goddess Lakshmi as well as a prefix that means "sacred, revered", and god

Vishnu Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism. Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" withi ...

who are together revered in this tradition. The word Vaishnavism refers to a tradition that reveres god Vishnu as the supreme god. The followers of Sri Vaishnavism are known as the Sri Vaishnava(s). (IAST: Śrīvaiṣṇava, श्रीवैष्णव).

History

Theological origins

The tradition traces its roots to the primordial start of the world through Vishnu, and to the texts of Vedic era with both Sri and Vishnu found in ancient texts of the 1st millennium BCE particularly to the Puranas,

Upanishads The Upanishads (; sa, उपनिषद् ) are late Vedic Sanskrit texts that supplied the basis of later Hindu philosophy.Wendy Doniger (1990), ''Textual Sources for the Study of Hinduism'', 1st Edition, University of Chicago Press, , ...

, and the

Bhagavad Gita The Bhagavad Gita (; sa, श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता, lit=The Song by God, translit=śrīmadbhagavadgītā;), often referred to as the Gita (), is a 700- verse Hindu scripture that is part of the epic ''Mahabharata'' (c ...

.

Historical origins

The historical basis of Sri Vaishnavism is in the syncretism of two developments. The first is Sanskrit traditions found in ancient texts such as the Vedas and the Agama (Pancaratra), and the second is the Tamil traditions found in early medieval texts ('' Tamil Prabandham'') and practices such as the emotional songs and music of Alvars that expressed spiritual ideas, ethics and loving devotion to god Vishnu. The Sanskrit traditions likely represent the ideas shared in ancient times, from Ganga river plains of the northern Indian subcontinent, while the Tamil traditions likely have roots in the Kaveri river plains of southern India, particularly what in modern times are the coastal

Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to the ...

,

Karnataka Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...

and

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a States and union territories of India, state in southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of India ...

region. The tradition was founded by

Nathamuni Nathamuni, also known as Sri Ranganathamuni, (823 CE – 951 CE), was a Sri Vaishnava, Vaishnava theologian who collected and compiled the Divya Prabandha, Naalayira Divya Prabandham. Srinivasa Chari, S. M. (1994). Vaiṣṇavism, p.22-24. Mot ...

(10th century), who combined the two traditions, by drawing on Sanskrit philosophical tradition and combining it with the aesthetic and emotional appeal of the Bhakti movement pioneers called the Alvars. Sri Vaishnavism developed in Tamil Nadu in the 10th century, after Nathamuni returned from a pilgrimage to

Vrindavan Vrindavan (; ), also spelt Vrindaban and Brindaban, is a historical city in the Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is located in the Braj Bhoomi region and holds religious importance in Hinduism as Krishna spent most of his childho ...

in north India (modern

Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh (; , 'Northern Province') is a state in northern India. With over 200 million inhabitants, it is the most populated state in India as well as the most populous country subdivision in the world. It was established in 1950 ...

). Nathamuni's ideas were continued by

Yamunacharya Yamunacharya (IAST: Yamunāchārya), also known as Alavandar and Yamunaithuraivan, was a Vishistadvaita philosopher based in Srirangam, Tamil Nadu, India. He is best-known for being a preceptor of Ramanuja, one of the leaders of the Sri Vai ...

, who maintained that the Vedas and Pancaratras are equal, devotional rituals and bhakti are important practices. The legacy of Yamunacharya was continued by

Ramanuja Ramanuja ( Middle Tamil: Rāmāṉujam; Classical Sanskrit: Rāmanuja; 1017 CE – 1137 CE; ; ), also known as Ramanujacharya, was an Indian Hindu philosopher, guru and a social reformer. He is noted to be one of the most important exponents ...

(1017-1137), but they never met. Ramanuja, a scholar who studied in an

Advaita Vedanta ''Advaita Vedanta'' (; sa, अद्वैत वेदान्त, ) is a Hindu sādhanā, a path of spiritual discipline and experience, and the oldest extant tradition of the orthodox Hindu school Vedānta. The term ''Advaita'' ( ...

monastery and disagreed with some of the ideas of Advaita, became the most influential leader of Sri Vaishnavism.J.A.B. van Buitenen (2008)
Ramanuja - Hindu theologian and Philosopher
Encyclopædia Britannica He developed the

Visistadvaita Vishishtadvaita (IAST '; sa, विशिष्टाद्वैत) is one of the most popular schools of the Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy. Vedanta literally means the in depth meaning ''of the Vedas.'' ''Vishisht Advaita'' (literall ...

("qualified non-dualism") philosophy. Around 14th century,

Ramanandi Sampradaya The Ramanandi (IAST ), also known as Ramavats (IAST ), are a branch of the Vaishnava Sri Sampradaya of Hinduism. Ramananda sect is the largest sect of Vaishnavas, out of 52 gates of Vaishnavism, 36 are held by Ramanandi's. They mainly emphasi ...

split from it. Around the 18th century, the Sri Vaishnava tradition split into the ''

Vadakalai Sri Vaishnavism, or the Sri Vaishnava Sampradaya, is a denomination within the Vaishnavism tradition of Hinduism. The name refers to goddess Lakshmi (also known as Sri), as well as a prefix that means "sacred, revered", and the god Vishnu, wh ...

'' ("northern culture", Vedic) and ''

Tenkalai Sri Vaishnavism, or the Sri Vaishnava Sampradaya, is a denomination within the Vaishnavism tradition of Hinduism. The name refers to goddess Lakshmi (also known as Sri), as well as a prefix that means "sacred, revered", and the god Vishnu, who ...

'' ("southern culture", Bhakti). The ''Vadakalai'' placed more emphasis on the Sanskrit traditions, while the ''Tenkalai'' relied more on the Tamil traditions. This theological dispute between the Vedic and Bhakti traditions traces it roots to the debate between

Srirangam Srirangam, is a neighbourhood in the city of Tiruchirappalli in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. A river island, Srirangam is bounded by the Kaveri River on one side and its distributary Kollidam on the other side. Considered as the first among ...

and Kanchipuram monasteries between the 13th and 15th century. The debate then was on the nature of salvation and the role of grace. The Bhakti-favouring Tenkalai tradition asserted, states Patricia Mumme, that Vishnu saves the soul like "a mother cat carries her kitten", where the kitten just accepts the mother while she picks her up and carries. In contrast the Vedic-favouring Vadakalai tradition asserted that Vishnu saves the soul like "a mother monkey carries her baby", where the baby has to make an effort and hold on while the mother carries. This metaphorical description of the disagreement between the two sub-traditions, first appears in the 18th-century Tamil texts, but historically refers to the foundational ideas behind the ''karma''-marga versus ''bhakti''-marga traditions of Hinduism.

Reverence for Vishnu and Lakshmi

Along with Vishnu, and like

Shaivism Shaivism (; sa, शैवसम्प्रदायः, Śaivasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu traditions, which worships Shiva as the Supreme Being. One of the largest Hindu denominations, it incorporates many sub-traditions rangi ...

, the ultimate reality and truth is considered in Sri Vaishnavism to be the divine sharing of the feminine and the masculine, the goddess and the god. Sri (

Lakshmi Lakshmi (; , sometimes spelled Laxmi, ), also known as Shri (, ), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism. She is the goddess of wealth, fortune, power, beauty, fertility and prosperity, and associated with ''Maya'' ("Illusion"). Alo ...

) is regarded as the preceptor of the Sri Vaishnava sampradaya. Goddess Sri has been considered inseparable from god

Vishnu Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism. Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" withi ...

, and essential to each other, and to the act of mutual loving devotion. Sri and Vishnu act and cooperate in the creation of everything that exists, and redemption. According to some medieval scholars of Sri Vaishnava theology, states John Carman, Sri and Vishnu do so using "divine knowledge that is unsurpassed" and through "love that is an erotic union". But Sri Vaishnavism differs from Shaivism, in that Vishnu is ultimately the sole creator, preserver and destroyer of the universe while Sri Lakshmi is the medium for salvation, the kind mother who recommends to Vishnu and thereby helps living beings in their desire for redemption and salvation. In contrast, in Shaivism, the goddess (Shakti) is the energy and power of Shiva and she is the equal with different roles, supreme in the role of creator and destroyer. The prefix ''

Sri Shri (; , ) is a Sanskrit term denoting resplendence, wealth and prosperity, primarily used as an honorific. The word is widely used in South and Southeast Asian languages such as Marathi, Malay (including Indonesian and Malaysian), Javanes ...

'' is used for this sect because they give special importance to the worship of the Goddess

Lakshmi Lakshmi (; , sometimes spelled Laxmi, ), also known as Shri (, ), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism. She is the goddess of wealth, fortune, power, beauty, fertility and prosperity, and associated with ''Maya'' ("Illusion"). Alo ...

, the consort of

Vishnu Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism. Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" withi ...

, who they believe to act as a mediator between God Vishnu and man.

Philosophy

Vishishtadvaita

Sri Vaishnavism's philosophical foundation was established by Ramanuja, who started his Vedic studies with

Yadava Prakaasa Yadava Prakaasa was a Bhedabheda Vedanta scholar and a contemporary of Vaishnava Acharya Ramanuja. He was one of the teachers of Ramanuja during the latter's early years in Kanchi. It is said that Ramanuja joined Yadava Prakaasa's school while he ...

in an Advaita Vedanta monastery. He brought Upanishadic ideas to this tradition, and wrote texts on qualified

monism Monism attributes oneness or singleness (Greek: μόνος) to a concept e.g., existence. Various kinds of monism can be distinguished: * Priority monism states that all existing things go back to a source that is distinct from them; e.g., i ...

, called ''Vishishtadvaita'' in the Hindu tradition. His ideas are one of three subschools in

Vedanta ''Vedanta'' (; sa, वेदान्त, ), also ''Uttara Mīmāṃsā'', is one of the six (''āstika'') schools of Hindu philosophy. Literally meaning "end of the Vedas", Vedanta reflects ideas that emerged from, or were aligned with, t ...

, the other two are known as

Adi Shankara Adi Shankara ("first Shankara," to distinguish him from other Shankaras)(8th cent. CE), also called Adi Shankaracharya ( sa, आदि शङ्कर, आदि शङ्कराचार्य, Ādi Śaṅkarācāryaḥ, lit=First Shanka ...

's Advaita (absolute monism) and

Madhvacharya Madhvacharya (; ; CE 1199-1278 or CE 1238–1317), sometimes anglicised as Madhva Acharya, and also known as Purna Prajna () and Ānanda Tīrtha, was an Indian philosopher, theologian and the chief proponent of the '' Dvaita'' (dualism) sch ...

's Dvaita (dualism). Ramanuja's Vishishtadvaita asserts that

Atman Atman or Ātman may refer to: Film * ''Ātman'' (1975 film), a Japanese experimental short film directed by Toshio Matsumoto * ''Atman'' (1997 film), a documentary film directed by Pirjo Honkasalo People * Pavel Atman (born 1987), Russian hand ...

(souls) and

Brahman In Hinduism, ''Brahman'' ( sa, ब्रह्मन्) connotes the highest universal principle, the ultimate reality in the universe.P. T. Raju (2006), ''Idealistic Thought of India'', Routledge, , page 426 and Conclusion chapter part X ...

are different, a difference that is never transcended.Stafford Betty (2010), Dvaita, Advaita, and Viśiṣṭādvaita: Contrasting Views of Mokṣa, Asian Philosophy: An International Journal of the Philosophical Traditions of the East, Volume 20, Issue 2, pages 215-224 God Vishnu alone is independent, all other gods and beings are dependent on Him. However, in contrast to Dvaita Vedanta philosophy of Madhvacharya, 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. While the 13th- to 14th-century Madhvacharya asserted both "qualitative and quantitative pluralism of souls", Ramanuja asserted "qualitative monism and quantitative pluralism of souls", states Sharma. The other philosophical difference between Madhvacharya's Vaishnavism Sampradaya and Ramanuja's Vaishnavism Sampradaya, has been on the idea of eternal damnation; Madhvacharya believed that some souls are eternally doomed and damned, while Ramanuja disagreed and accepted the Advaita Vedanta view that everyone can, with effort, achieve inner liberation and spiritual freedom (

moksha ''Moksha'' (; sa, मोक्ष, '), also called ''vimoksha'', ''vimukti'' and ''mukti'', is a term in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism for various forms of emancipation, enlightenment, liberation, and release. In its soteriology, ...

). According to Sri Vaishnavism theology, ''moksha'' can be reached by devotion and service to the Lord and detachment from the world. When ''moksha'' is reached, the cycle of reincarnation is broken and the soul is united with Vishnu, though maintaining their distinctions, in ''Vaikuntha'', Vishnu's heaven. Moksha can also be reached by total surrender (''

saranagati Sharanagati (Sanskrit: शरणागति; IAST: ''Śaraṇāgati'' ) or Prapatti (Sanskrit: प्रपत्ति; IAST: ''Prapatti''), is the process of total surrender to God (Narayana-Krishna) in the tradition of Vaishnavism. The process ...

''), an act of grace by the Lord. God, according to Ramanuja's Sri Vaishnavism philosophy, has both soul and body; all of life and the world of matter is the glory of God's body. The path to Brahman (Vishnu), asserted Ramanuja, is devotion to godliness and constant remembrance of the beauty and love of personal god (''saguna'' Brahman, Vishnu). Ramanuja's theory posits both Brahman and the world of matter are two different absolutes, both metaphysically real, neither one false or illusive, and ''saguna'' Brahman with attributes is also real.

Comparisons with Advaita Vedanta

Ramanuja accepted that the

Vedas upright=1.2, The Vedas are ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism. Above: A page from the '' Atharvaveda''. The Vedas (, , ) are a large body of religious texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the ...

are a reliable source of knowledge, then critiqued other schools of Hindu philosophy, including

Advaita Vedanta ''Advaita Vedanta'' (; sa, अद्वैत वेदान्त, ) is a Hindu sādhanā, a path of spiritual discipline and experience, and the oldest extant tradition of the orthodox Hindu school Vedānta. The term ''Advaita'' ( ...

, as having failed in interpreting all of the Vedic texts. He asserted, in his ''Sri Bhasya'', that ''purvapaksin'' (previous schools) selectively interpret those

Upanishadic The Upanishads (; sa, उपनिषद् ) are late Vedic Sanskrit texts that supplied the basis of later Hindu philosophy.Wendy Doniger (1990), ''Textual Sources for the Study of Hinduism'', 1st Edition, University of Chicago Press, , ...

passages that support their monistic interpretation, and ignore those passages that support the pluralism interpretation. There is no reason, stated Ramanuja, to prefer one part of a scripture and not other, the whole of the scripture must be considered on par. One cannot, according to Ramanuja, attempt to give interpretations of isolated portions of any scripture. Rather, the scripture must be considered one integrated corpus, expressing a consistent doctrine.Shyam Ranganathan (2011)
Rāmānuja (c. 1017 - c. 1137)
IEP, York University The Vedic literature, asserted Ramanuja, mention both plurality and oneness, therefore 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 for proper understanding all texts must be examined in their entirety and then their intent established by six characteristics, which includes studying what is stated by the author to be his goal, what he repeats in his explanation, then what he states as 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 Principal Upanishads, also known as Mukhya Upanishads, are the most ancient and widely studied Upanishads of Hinduism. Composed between 800 BCE to the start of common era, these texts are connected to the Vedic tradition. Content The Principal U ...

primarily teach monism with teachings such as ''Tat tvam asi'', while helping Ramanuja conclude that qualified monism is at the foundation of Hindu spirituality.

Comparisons with Protestant Christianity and Buddhism

John Carman, a professor at the

Harvard Divinity School Harvard Divinity School (HDS) is one of the constituent schools of Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The school's mission is to educate its students either in the academic study of religion or for leadership roles in religion, gov ...

, states that some of the similarities in

salvation Salvation (from Latin: ''salvatio'', from ''salva'', 'safe, saved') is the state of being saved or protected from harm or a dire situation. In religion and theology, ''salvation'' generally refers to the deliverance of the soul from sin and its c ...

ideas in Sri Vaishnavism and Protestant Christian doctrines of divine grace are striking. Both accept God as a personal concept, accept devotee's ability to relate to this God without human intermediaries, and accept the idea of ''sola gratia'' – salvation through faith by the grace of God alone, such as those found in

Martin Luther Martin Luther (; ; 10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546) was a German priest, theologian, author, hymnwriter, and professor, and Order of Saint Augustine, Augustinian friar. He is the seminal figure of the Reformation, Protestant Refo ...

's teachings. While both Sri Vaishnavism and

Protestant Christianity Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century against what its followers perceived to ...

accept a supreme God and shares ideas on the nature of salvation, they differ in their specifics about

incarnation Incarnation literally means ''embodied in flesh'' or ''taking on flesh''. It refers to the conception and the embodiment of a deity or spirit in some earthly form or the appearance of a god as a human. If capitalized, it is the union of divinit ...

such as

Jesus Christ Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...

being the only incarnation in Christianity, while Sri Vaishnavism accepts many incarnations (

avatar Avatar (, ; ), is a concept within Hinduism that in Sanskrit literally means "descent". It signifies the material appearance or incarnation of a powerful deity, goddess or spirit on Earth. The relative verb to "alight, to make one's appeara ...

) of Vishnu. Christian missionaries in 19th century colonial British India, noted the many similarities and attempted to express the theology of Christianity as a ''bhakti marga'' to Hindus, along the lines of Sri Vaishnavism, in their mission to convert them from Hinduism to Christianity. Similar teachings on the nature of salvation through grace and compassion, adds Carman, are found in the Japanese scholar Shinran's text on Jodo Shinshu sect of Buddhism, even though non-theistic

Buddhism Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and gra ...

and theistic Sri Vaishnavism do differ in their views on God.

Texts and scholarship

Sri Vaishnavism philosophy is primarily based on interpreting

Vedanta ''Vedanta'' (; sa, वेदान्त, ), also ''Uttara Mīmāṃsā'', is one of the six (''āstika'') schools of Hindu philosophy. Literally meaning "end of the Vedas", Vedanta reflects ideas that emerged from, or were aligned with, t ...

, particularly the

Upanishads The Upanishads (; sa, उपनिषद् ) are late Vedic Sanskrit texts that supplied the basis of later Hindu philosophy.Wendy Doniger (1990), ''Textual Sources for the Study of Hinduism'', 1st Edition, University of Chicago Press, , ...

, the

Bhagavad Gita The Bhagavad Gita (; sa, श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता, lit=The Song by God, translit=śrīmadbhagavadgītā;), often referred to as the Gita (), is a 700- verse Hindu scripture that is part of the epic ''Mahabharata'' (c ...

, the

Brahma Sutras The ''Brahma Sūtras'' ( sa, ब्रह्मसूत्राणि) is a Sanskrit text, attributed to the sage bādarāyaṇa or sage Vyāsa, estimated to have been completed in its surviving form in approx. 400–450 CE,, Quote: "...we c ...

and the Narayaniya section of the

Mahabharata The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; sa, महाभारतम्, ', ) is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India in Hinduism, the other being the ''Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the struggle between two groups of cousins in the Kuruk ...

. The Vaishnava Agama texts, also called the Pancaratra, has been an important part of Sri Vaishnava tradition. Another theological textual foundation of the tradition are the Tamil

bhakti ''Bhakti'' ( sa, भक्ति) literally means "attachment, participation, fondness for, homage, faith, love, devotion, worship, purity".See Monier-Williams, ''Sanskrit Dictionary'', 1899. It was originally used in Hinduism, referring to d ...

songs of the Alvars (7th to 10th century). The syncretic fusion of the two textual traditions is sometimes referred to as the ''Ubhaya Vedanta'', or dual Vedanta. The relative emphasis between the two has been a historic debate within the Sri Vaishnavism tradition, which ultimately led to the schism into the Vatakalai and Tenkalai sub-traditions around the 18th century.

Nathamuni

Nathamuni collected the poems of

Nammalvar Nammalvar (Tamil: நம்மாழ்வார், lit. 'Our Alvar') was one of the twelve Alvar saints of Tamil Nadu, India, who are known for their affiliation to the Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism. The verses of the Alvars are compiled ...

, in the form of ''Divya Prabandham'', likely in the 9th century CE, or the 10th century. One of his lasting contributions was to apply the Vedic theory of music on all the Alvar songs using

Sanskrit prosody Sanskrit prosody or Chandas refers to one of the six Vedangas, or limbs of Vedic studies.James Lochtefeld (2002), "Chandas" in The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Vol. 1: A-M, Rosen Publishing, , page 140 It is the study of poetic met ...

, calling the resulting choreography as divine music, and teaching his nephews the art of resonant bhakti singing of the Alvar songs. This precedence set the ''

guru Guru ( sa, गुरु, IAST: ''guru;'' Pali'': garu'') is a Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. In pan-Indian traditions, a guru is more than a teacher: traditionally, the guru is a reverentia ...

-sisya-parampara'' (teacher-student-tradition) in Sri Vaishnavism. This style of education from one generation to the next, is a tradition called ''Araiyars'', states Guy Beck, which preserved "the art of singing and dancing the verses of the Divya Prabandham" set in the sacred melodies and rhythms described in the Vedic texts. Nathamuni's efforts to syncretically combine the Vedic knowledge and Alvar compositions, also set the precedence of reverence for both the Vedas and the Alvar bhakti ideas. Nathamuni's scholarship that set Alvar songs in Vedic meter set a historic momentum, and the liturgical and meditational songs continue to be sung in the modern era temples of Sri Vaishnavism, which is part of the service called ''cevai'' (Sanskrit: ''Seva''). Nathamuni is also attributed with three texts, all in Sanskrit. These are ''Nyaya Tattva'', ''Purusha Nirnaya'' and ''Yogarahasya''. The ''Yogarahasya'' text, states Govindacharya, is a meditational text, includes the eight limb

yoga Yoga (; sa, योग, lit=yoke' or 'union ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India and aim to control (yoke) and still the mind, recognizing a detached witness-consci ...

similar to that of Patanjali, but emphasizes yoga as "the art of communion with God". The ''Nyaya Tattva'' text survives only in quotes and references cited in other texts, and these suggest that it presented epistemic foundations ( Nyaya) including the philosophical basis for the Hindu belief on the existence of "soul" (

Atman Atman or Ātman may refer to: Film * ''Ātman'' (1975 film), a Japanese experimental short film directed by Toshio Matsumoto * ''Atman'' (1997 film), a documentary film directed by Pirjo Honkasalo People * Pavel Atman (born 1987), Russian hand ...

), in contrast to Indian philosophies such as Buddhism that denied the existence of soul. Nathamuni, for example asserts,

If "I" did not refer to the true self, there would be no interiority belonging to the soul. The interior is distinguished from the exterior by the concept "I". The aspiration, "May I, having abandoned all suffering, participate freely in infinite bliss", actuates a person whose goal is liberation to study scriptures etc. Were it thought that liberation involved the destruction of the individual, he would run away as soon as the subject of liberation was suggested... The "I", the knowing subject, is the inner self.
— ''Nyayatattva'', Nathamuni, ~9th-10th century, Translator: Christopher Bartley

Yamunacharya

Yamunacharya was the grandson of

Nathamuni Nathamuni, also known as Sri Ranganathamuni, (823 CE – 951 CE), was a Sri Vaishnava, Vaishnava theologian who collected and compiled the Divya Prabandha, Naalayira Divya Prabandham. Srinivasa Chari, S. M. (1994). Vaiṣṇavism, p.22-24. Mot ...

, also known in Sri Vaishnava tradition as Alavandar, whose scholarship is remembered for correlating Alvar bhakti theology and Pancaratra Agama texts to Vedic ideas. He was the Acharya (chief teacher) of Sri Vaishnavism monastery at Srirangam, and was followed by

Ramanuja Ramanuja ( Middle Tamil: Rāmāṉujam; Classical Sanskrit: Rāmanuja; 1017 CE – 1137 CE; ; ), also known as Ramanujacharya, was an Indian Hindu philosopher, guru and a social reformer. He is noted to be one of the most important exponents ...

, even though they never met. Yamunacharya composed a number of works important in Sri Vaishnavism, particularly ''Siddhitrayam'' (about the nature of Atman, God, universe), ''Gitarthasangraha'' (analysis of the

Bhagavad Gita The Bhagavad Gita (; sa, श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता, lit=The Song by God, translit=śrīmadbhagavadgītā;), often referred to as the Gita (), is a 700- verse Hindu scripture that is part of the epic ''Mahabharata'' (c ...

), Agamapramanya (epistemological basis of Agamas, mapping them to the Vedas), ''Maha Purushanirnayam'' (extension of Nathamuni's treatise), ''Stotraratnam'' and ''Chathusloki'' (bhakti strota texts). Yamunacharya is also credited with ''Nitya Grantha'' and ''Mayavada Khandana''. The ''Nitya Grantha'' is a ritual text and suggests methods of daily worship of

Narayana Narayana (Sanskrit: नारायण, IAST: ''Nārāyaṇa'') is one of the forms and names of Vishnu, who is in yogic slumber under the celestial waters, referring to the masculine principle. He is also known as Purushottama, and is co ...

(Vishnu). The 10th century ''Mayavada Khandana'' text, together with ''Siddhitrayam'' of Yamunacharya predominantly critiques the philosophy of the traditionally dominant school of

Advaita Vedanta ''Advaita Vedanta'' (; sa, अद्वैत वेदान्त, ) is a Hindu sādhanā, a path of spiritual discipline and experience, and the oldest extant tradition of the orthodox Hindu school Vedānta. The term ''Advaita'' ( ...

in

Hindu philosophy Hindu philosophy encompasses the philosophies, world views and teachings of Hinduism that emerged in Ancient India which include six systems ('' shad-darśana'') – Samkhya, Yoga, Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Mimamsa and Vedanta.Andrew Nicholson ( ...

, but also critiques non-Vedic traditions.

Ramanuja

The Sri Vaishnava tradition attributes nine Sanskrit texts to Ramanuja – ''Vedarthasangraha'' (literally, "Summary of the Vedas meaning") ''Sri Bhasya'' (a review and commentary on the ''Brahma Sutras''), ''Bhagavad Gita Bhashya'' (a review and commentary on the ''Bhagavad Gita''), and the minor works titled ''Vedantadeepa'', ''Vedantasara'', ''Gadya Traya'' (which is a compilation of three texts called the '' Saranagati Gadyam'', '' Sriranga Gadyam'' and the '' Vaikunta Gadyam''), and ''Nitya Grantham''. Some modern scholars have questioned the authenticity of all but the three of the largest works credited to Ramanuja; the following texts are considered as authentically traceable to Ramanuja – ''Shri

Bhashya Bhashya () is a "commentary" or "exposition" of any primary or secondary text in ancient or medieval Indian literature. Common in Sanskrit literature, ''Bhashya'' is also found in other Indian languages. Bhashya are found in various fields, ranging ...

'', ''Vedarthasangraha'' and the ''Bhagavad Gita Bhashya''. Ramanuja's scholarship is predominantly founded on Vedanta, Upanishads in particular. He never claims that his ideas were original, but his method of synthesis that combined the Vedic ideas with popular spirituality, states Anne Overzee, is original. Ramanuja, wrote his biographer Ramakrishnananda, was "the culmination of the movement started from the Vedas, nourished by the Alvars, Nathamuni and Yamuncharya". Ramunaja himself credits the theories he presents, in ''Vedarthasangraha'', to the ideas of ancient Hindu scholars such as "Bodhyana, Tanka (Brahmanandin), Dramida (Dravidacarya), Guhadeva, Kapardin and Bharuci". The 11th-century scholarship of Ramanuja emphasized the concept of ''Sarira-Saririn'', that is the world of matter and the empirical reality of living beings is the "body of

Brahman In Hinduism, ''Brahman'' ( sa, ब्रह्मन्) connotes the highest universal principle, the ultimate reality in the universe.P. T. Raju (2006), ''Idealistic Thought of India'', Routledge, , page 426 and Conclusion chapter part X ...

", everything observed is God, one lives in this body of God, and the purpose of this body and all of creation is to empower soul in its journey to liberating salvation.

Post Ramanuja period authors

After

Ramanuja Ramanuja ( Middle Tamil: Rāmāṉujam; Classical Sanskrit: Rāmanuja; 1017 CE – 1137 CE; ; ), also known as Ramanujacharya, was an Indian Hindu philosopher, guru and a social reformer. He is noted to be one of the most important exponents ...

several authors composed important theological and exegetical works on Sri Vaishnavism. Such authors include

Parsara Bhattar Parasara Bhattar (also transliterated as Parashara Bhattarya) was a follower of Ramanuja, a 12th-century Vaishnava teacher 062-1174 A.D He was the son of Koorathazhwan. His works include ''Srirangarajastavam''. He wrote a commentary in Sanskrit o ...

, Nadadoor Ammal, Sudarshan Suri,

Pillai Lokacharya Vāraṇādrīśa, more commonly referred to as Pillai Lokacharya () (1205–1311 CE), was a prominent Sri Vaishnava leader and philosopher who authored several works important to Vishishtadvaita philosophy. Early life Lokacharya is describe ...

,

Vedanta Desika Vedanta Desikan (1268–1369), also rendered Vedanta Desikar, Swami Vedanta Desikan, and Thoopul Nigamaantha Desikan, was an Indian polymath who wrote philosophical as well as religious and poetical works in several languages, including Sans ...

, Manavala Mamunigal, Periyavachan Pillai and Rangaramanuja Muni.

Organisation

The Sri Vaishnavism tradition has nurtured an institutional organization of ''

matha A ''matha'' (; sa, मठ, ), also written as ''math'', ''muth'', ''mutth'', ''mutt'', or ''mut'', is a Sanskrit word that means 'institute or college', and it also refers to a monastery in Hinduism.

s'' (monasteries) since its earliest days, particularly from the time of Ramanuja. After the death of Yamunacharya, Ramanuja was nominated as the leader of the Srirangam matha, though Yamunacharya and Ramanuja never met. Amongst other things, Ramanuja is remembered in the Sri Vaishnavism tradition for his organizational skills and the lasting institutional reforms he introduced at Srirangam, a system paralleling those at Advaita monasteries of his time and where he studied before joining Srirangam matha. Ramanuja travelled and founded many Sri Vaishnavism ''mathas'' across India, such as the one in

Melukote Melukote in Pandavapura taluk of Mandya district, Karnataka, in southern India, is one of the sacred places in Karnataka.It is built on rocky hills, known as Yadugiri, Yaadavagiri and Yadushailadeepa, overlooking the Cauvery valley. Melukote ...

. The Sri Vaishnavism tradition believes that Ramanuja started 700 mathas, but historical evidence suggests several of these were started later. The ''matha'', or a monastery, hosted numerous students, many teachers and an institutionalized structure to help sustain and maintain its daily operations. A ''matha'' in Vaishnvaism and other Hindu traditions, like a college, designates teaching, administrative and community interaction functions, with prefix or suffix to names, with titles such as ''Guru'', ''Acharya'', ''Swami,'' and ''Jiyar''. A ''Guru'' is someone who is a "teacher, guide or master" of certain knowledge. Traditionally a reverential figure to the student in Hinduism, the ''guru'' serves as a "counselor, who helps mold values, shares experiential knowledge as much as literal knowledge, an exemplar in life, an inspirational source and who helps in the spiritual evolution of a student."Joel Mlecko (1982)
The Guru in Hindu Tradition
Numen, Volume 29, Fasc. 1, pages 33-61 An ''Acharya'' refers to either a Guru of high rank, or more often to the leader of a regional monastery. This position typically involves a ceremonial initiation called ''diksha'' by the monastery, where the earlier leader anoints the successor as ''Acharya''. A ''Swami'' is usually those who interact with community on the behalf of the ''matha''. The chief and most revered of all Vaishnava monasteries, are titled as ''Jeer'', ''Jiyar'', ''Jeeyar'', or ''Ciyar''. The Sri Vaishnavism mathas, over time, divided into two, those with Tenkalai (southern) tradition and Vadakalai (northern) tradition of Sri Vaishnavism. The Tenkalai-associated mathas are headquartered at Srirangam, while Vadakalai mathas are associated with Kanchipuram. Both these traditions have from 10th-century onwards considered the function of ''mathas'' to include feeding the poor and devotees who visit, hosting marriages and community festivals, farming temple lands and flower gardens as a source for food and worship ingredients, being open to pilgrims as rest houses, and this philanthropic role of these Hindu monasteries continues. In the 15th-century, these monasteries expanded by establishing ''Ramanuja-kuta'' in major South Indian Sri Vaishnavism locations. The organizationally important Sri Vaishnavism ''matha'' are: * Tenkalai tradition ** Sriranganarayana Jiyar Matha at Srirangam, Tamil Nadu ** Vanamamalai Jiyar Matha at Nanguneri, Tamil Nadu ** Perarulala Yatiraja Ramanuja Jiyar Matha at Thirukkurungudi, Tamil Nadu ** Yatiraja Matha at Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu ** Udaiyavar Koil Jiyar Matha at Alvar Tirunagari, Tamil Nadu ** Emperumanar Jiyar Matha at Tirukkovalur, Tamil Nadu ** Andal Jeeyar Mutt at Srivilliputtur, Tamil Nadu **

Yadugiri Yathiraja Mutt Yadugiri Yathiraja Mutt at Melkote is a Tenkalai Sri Vaishnava Mutt founded by Ramanujacharya for the management of Cheluvanarayana Swamy Temple and the propagation of Ramanuja Vishishtadvaita darshana. Yathiraja is also another name for Ra ...

at Melkote, Karnataka ** Periya and Cinna Jiyar Matha at Tirupati and Tirumala, Andhra Pradesh * Vadakalai tradition ** Brahmatantra Parakala Matha at Mysore, Karnataka ** Ahobila Jiyar Matha at Ahobila, Andhra Pradesh ** Andavan Ashramam at Srirangam, Tamil Nadu

Vadakalai and Tenkalai denominations

The Sri Vaishnava tradition is classified into two major denominations called the ''Vadakalai'' ("northern art") and ''Tenkalai'' ("southern art"). The northern and southern denominations of Sri Vaishnavism refer respectively to Kanchipuram (the northern part of Tamil country) and

Srirangam Srirangam, is a neighbourhood in the city of Tiruchirappalli in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. A river island, Srirangam is bounded by the Kaveri River on one side and its distributary Kollidam on the other side. Considered as the first among ...

(the southern part of Tamil country and Kaveri river delta area where Ramanuja wrote his Vedanta treatises from). These denominations arose as a result of philosophical and traditional divergences in the post-Ramanuja period. The ''Vadakalai'' placed emphasis on Sanskrit scriptures such as the

Vedas upright=1.2, The Vedas are ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism. Above: A page from the '' Atharvaveda''. The Vedas (, , ) are a large body of religious texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the ...

and

Pancharatra ''Pancharatra'' ( IAST: ''Pāñcarātra'') was a religious movement in Hinduism that originated in late 3rd-century BCE around the ideas of Narayana and the various avatars of Vishnu as their central deities.Naalayira Divya Prabandham The Naalayira Divya Prabandham ( ta, நாலாயிரத் திவ்வியப் பிரபந்தம், lit=Four Thousand Divine Hymns, translit=Nālāyira Divya Prabandham) is a collection of 4,000 Tamil verses composed by ...

of the Alvars. The philosophies of Pillai Lokacharya and Vedanta Desika, which evolved consequently, were stabilized by Manavala Mamunigal and Brahmatantra Svatantra Jiyar respectively. When the schism weakened, Vadakalai tradition split into Munitreyam, Ahobila Matha, and

Parakala matha Parakala Matha, officially Bramhatantra Swatantra Parakala Matha, is a Vaishnava monastery established during the Hoysala Empire in 1268 at Mysore, Karnataka, primarily worshipping Lord Hayagreeva along with his consort Goddess Lakshmi. It is th ...

. Similarly, Tenkalai tradition split into Kandadais, Telugu Sri Vaishnavas, Soliyar, and Sikkiliyar. From the ancient period, the Sri Vaishnavism movement flourished in

Tamilakam Tamiḻakam (Tamil: தமிழகம்; Malayalam: തമിഴകം), refers to the geographical region inhabited by the ancient Tamil people, covering the southernmost region of the Indian subcontinent. Tamilakam covered today's Tamil Nad ...

owing to its social inclusiveness, where devotion to the supreme deity (Vishnu) was open without limitation to gender or caste, a tradition led by Alvars in the 7th and the 8th centuries. Ramanuja philosophy negated caste, states Ramaswamy. Ramanuja, who led from the Srirangam temple, welcomed outcastes into temples and gave them important roles in temple duties. Medieval temple records and inscriptions suggest that the payments and offerings collected by the temple were shared regardless of caste distinctions. Scholars offer differing views on the relative approach of the two denominations on caste and gender. Raman states that Tenkalai did not recognise caste barriers and were more liberal in assimilating people from all castes, possibly because this had been the tradition at Srirangam from the earliest days of Sri Vaishnavism. In contrast, Sadarangani states that it was Vadakalai who were more liberal and who did not recognise caste barriers, possibly because they were competing with the egalitarian Virashaiva Hindus (Lingayatism) of Karnataka. Both sects believe in initiation through Pancha Samskara. This ceremony or rite of passage is necessary for one to become a Sri Vaishnava . It is performed by both Brahmins and non-Brahmins in order to become Vaishnavas. Some non-Brahmin Sri Vaishnavas include Telugu

Naidu Naidu (Nayudu/Nayadu/Naidoo/Nayakudu) is a title used by some South Indian Telugu communities, Telugu people such as the Balija, Golla, Kamma, Kapu, Telaga, Turupu Kapu,Ekila Kapu(Pala Ekari), Velama, Boyaand Yadava Naidu. Notable people Peopl ...

, Tamil

Vanniyar The Vanniyar, also spelled Vanniya, formerly known as the Palli, are a Dravidian community or '' jāti'' found in the northern part of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. From the 19th century, peasant castes typically classified under Shudra ca ...

and Namadhari. The Tenkalai tradition brought into their fold artisanal castes (Shudras) into community-based devotional movements. Raman states, "it can almost be said that the Tenkalai represented the anti-caste tendencies while the Vadakalai school championed the cause of purity of the Vedic tenets." The Tenkalai held, adds Raman, that anyone can be a spiritual teacher regardless of caste. The Vadakalai tradition states Sadarangani in contrast to Raman's views, were the liberal cousin of Tenkalai and therefore more successful in gaining devotees, while in southern Tamil lands Shaivism prospered possibly because of "Tenkalai school of Vaishnavism being narrow and orthodox in approach". The Vadakalai school not only succeeded in northern Tamil lands, she adds, but spread widely as it inspired the egalitarian Bhakti movement in north, west and east India, bringing in Bhakti poet saints from "entire cross-section of class, caste and society".

Tenkalai ("southern art") - Manavala Mamunigal

The

Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Ranganatha (a form of Vishnu), located in Srirangam, Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu, India. Constructed in the Hindu architectural style, the temple is glorified by Alvars in their Naal ...

belongs to the Tenkalai/Thennacharya tradition and is considered as one of the important sites of Sri Vaishnava tradition. All the functionaries and priests are the descendants of the 74 disciples appointed by Ramanuja and belong to the Tenkalai line without any exceptions. Thenkalai Sri Vaishnava urdhva pundram

Characteristics

The Tenkalai place higher importance to

Tamil Tamil may refer to: * Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils **Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia * Tamil language, nativ ...

slokas than Sanskrit, and lay more emphasis on the worship of Vishnu. The Tenkalai accept prapatti as the only means to attain salvation. They consider Prapatti as an unconditional surrender. The Thenkalais follow the Tamil Prabandham, and assert primacy to rituals in

Tamil language Tamil (; ' , ) is a Dravidian language natively spoken by the Tamil people of South Asia. Tamil is an official language of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, the sovereign nations of Sri Lanka and Singapore, and the Indian territory of Pudu ...

. They regard

kaivalya Kaivalya ( sa, कैवल्य), is the ultimate goal of aṣṭāṅga yoga and means "solitude", "detachment" or "isolation", a '' vrddhi''-derivation from ''kevala'' "alone, isolated". It is the isolation of purusha from prakṛti, and libe ...

(detachment, isolation) as an eternal position within the realm of

Vaikuntha Vaikuntha ( sa, वैकुण्ठ, lit=without anxiety, translit=Vaikuṇṭha), also called Vishnuloka (), and Tirunatu (Tirunāṭu) in Tamil, is the abode of Vishnu, the supreme deity in the Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism,Gavin Flood, A ...

(Vishnu's 'eternal abode' or heaven), though it only exists at the outer most regions of Vaikuntha. They further say that God's seemingly contradictory nature as both minuscule and immense are examples of God's special powers that enable Him to accomplish the impossible. According to the Tenkalai, exalted persons need not perform duties such as

Sandhyavandanam Sandhyavandanam (Sanskrit: , ', lit. 'salutation to (Goddess) Twilight' or 'salutation during the twilight') is a mandatory religious ritual centring around the recitation of the Gayatri mantra, traditionally supposed to be performed three times ...

; they do so only to set a good example. They don't allow the ringing of bells during worship. The Tenkalai forbid widows to shave (tonsure) their head, quoting the Parashara Smriti. while Vadakalais support the tonsure quoting the Manusmriti,

Demographics

Sri Kanchi Prativadibhayankar Jagadguru Anantacharya Gaddi Swamiji

The Tenkalai trace their lineage to

Mudaliyandan Swami Mudaliyandan was a Hindu Vaishnava religious figure who lived in the 11th century CE. He was a nephew of Sri Ramanuja, the codifier of the philosophy of Srivaishnavism. Swami Mudaliyaandaan was born in 1027 CE at Pachhai Vaarana Perumal ...

, nephew of Ramanuja The Tenkalai are followers of the philosophy of

Pillai Lokacharya Vāraṇādrīśa, more commonly referred to as Pillai Lokacharya () (1205–1311 CE), was a prominent Sri Vaishnava leader and philosopher who authored several works important to Vishishtadvaita philosophy. Early life Lokacharya is describe ...

and

Manavala Mamuni Alagiya Manavalan, best known by his epithet Manavala Mamunigal (1370–1450), was a Hindu theologian. He was a major proponent of the Sri Vaishnavism tradition in the 15th century in Tamilakam, disseminating it with the help of his eight d ...

, who is considered to be the reincarnation of

Ramanuja Ramanuja ( Middle Tamil: Rāmāṉujam; Classical Sanskrit: Rāmanuja; 1017 CE – 1137 CE; ; ), also known as Ramanujacharya, was an Indian Hindu philosopher, guru and a social reformer. He is noted to be one of the most important exponents ...

by the Tenkalai. Many of the main preceptors of Sri Vaishnavism and their descendants, before and after Ramanuja, belong to the Tenkalai denomination.

Notable Tenkalai people

* Srinivasa Ramanujan (1887–1920), Indian mathematician. *

K.S. Krishnan Sir Kariamanikkam Srinivasa Krishnan, FRS, (4 December 1898 – 14 June 1961) was an Indian physicist. He was a co-discoverer of Raman scattering, for which his mentor C. V. Raman was awarded the 1930 Nobel Prize in Physics. Early life K ...

(1898–1961), Indian physicist. * B.K.S Iyengar (1918–2014), Founder of the "Iyengar Yoga" style of Yoga. *

Alasinga Perumal Alasinga Perumal (1865 – 11 May 1909) was a propagator of Vedanta and an ardent follower of Swami Vivekananda. Born in an orthodox Vaishnavite family at Chikkamagalur of Mysore, he took his education in Madras. After obtaining a B.A. degree ...

(1865–1909), Disciple of Swami Vivekananda and one of the founders of Brahmavadin which later became Vedanta Kesari. * Sujatha (1935–2008), Writer, editor and engineer; key person behind development of the Electronic Voting Machine, for which he was awarded the VASVIK Industrial Research Award. *

Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar (19 May 1890 – 23 January 1967), popularly known as ''Ariyakudi'', was a Carnatic music vocalist, born in Ariyakudi, a town in the present-day Sivaganga district of Tamil Nadu. Ariyakudi developed a unique style of ...

(1890–1967), Renowned musician and architect of modern

Carnatic music Carnatic music, known as or in the Dravidian languages, South Indian languages, is a system of music commonly associated with South India, including the modern Indian states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, an ...

. * J. Jayalalithaa (1948-2016), Renowned actress and six times chief minister of Tamil Nadu.

Vadakalai ("northern art") - Vedanta Desika

Vedanta Desikan with Brahmatantra Swatantra Jeeyar

Characteristics

The Vadakalai are followers of

Ramanuja Ramanuja ( Middle Tamil: Rāmāṉujam; Classical Sanskrit: Rāmanuja; 1017 CE – 1137 CE; ; ), also known as Ramanujacharya, was an Indian Hindu philosopher, guru and a social reformer. He is noted to be one of the most important exponents ...

and

Vedanta Desika Vedanta Desikan (1268–1369), also rendered Vedanta Desikar, Swami Vedanta Desikan, and Thoopul Nigamaantha Desikan, was an Indian polymath who wrote philosophical as well as religious and poetical works in several languages, including Sans ...

, who founded the Vadakalai sampradaya based on the Sanskritic tradition. They lay more emphasis on the role of

Lakshmi Lakshmi (; , sometimes spelled Laxmi, ), also known as Shri (, ), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism. She is the goddess of wealth, fortune, power, beauty, fertility and prosperity, and associated with ''Maya'' ("Illusion"). Alo ...

i.e. Sri, and uphold Sanskrit

Vedas upright=1.2, The Vedas are ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism. Above: A page from the '' Atharvaveda''. The Vedas (, , ) are a large body of religious texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the ...

as the ultimate "Pramanam" or authority, although Ubhaya Vedanta is used to infer from and establish the doctrine of

Vishishtadvaita Vishishtadvaita ( IAST '; sa, विशिष्टाद्वैत) is one of the most popular schools of the Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy. Vedanta literally means the in depth meaning ''of the Vedas.'' ''Vishisht Advaita'' (literal ...

. The Vadakalai infer that all of the Alvars compositions are derived from the

Vedas upright=1.2, The Vedas are ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism. Above: A page from the '' Atharvaveda''. The Vedas (, , ) are a large body of religious texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the ...

, and believe that the latter is the ultimate source to reference and defend the doctrine. The Vadakalai lay emphasis on Vedic norms as established by Brahmanical tradition. The Vadakalai ardently follow the

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...

Vedas upright=1.2, The Vedas are ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism. Above: A page from the '' Atharvaveda''. The Vedas (, , ) are a large body of religious texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the ...

, and the set of rules prescribed by the

Manusmriti The ''Manusmṛiti'' ( sa, मनुस्मृति), also known as the ''Mānava-Dharmaśāstra'' or Laws of Manu, is one of the many legal texts and constitution among the many ' of Hinduism. In ancient India, the sages often wrote thei ...

and Dharma Shastras. The sect is based on the Sankritic tradition, and the set of rules prescribed by the ''

Manusmriti The ''Manusmṛiti'' ( sa, मनुस्मृति), also known as the ''Mānava-Dharmaśāstra'' or Laws of Manu, is one of the many legal texts and constitution among the many ' of Hinduism. In ancient India, the sages often wrote thei ...

'' and other Dharma Shastras. In Sanskrit the Vadakalai are referred to as Uttara Kalārya. Traditionally, the Vadakalai believe in practising

Karma yoga Karma yoga ( sa, कर्म योग), also called Karma marga, is one of the four classical spiritual paths in Hinduism, one based on the "yoga of action", the others being Jnana yoga (path of knowledge), Rāja yoga (path of meditati ...

, Jnana yoga and

Bhakti yoga Bhakti yoga ( sa, भक्ति योग), also called Bhakti marga (, literally the path of '' Bhakti''), is a spiritual path or spiritual practice within Hinduism focused on loving devotion towards any personal deity.Karen Pechelis (2014) ...

, along with Prapatti, as means to attain salvation. Also, they consider Prapatti as an act of winning grace. The tilak (Urdhva Pundra) mark of the Vadakalai men is a symbolic representation of Vishnu's right foot. Since Vishnu's right foot is believed to be the origin of the river Ganga, the Vadakalai contend that his right foot should be held in special veneration, and its sign impressed on the forehead. They also apply a central mark (sricharanam) to symbolise the goddess

Lakshmi Lakshmi (; , sometimes spelled Laxmi, ), also known as Shri (, ), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism. She is the goddess of wealth, fortune, power, beauty, fertility and prosperity, and associated with ''Maya'' ("Illusion"). Alo ...

(Vishnu's wife), along with the thiruman (urdhva pundra). The Urdhva Pundra that is vertical and faces upwards denotes that it helps one in reaching

Vaikuntha Vaikuntha ( sa, वैकुण्ठ, lit=without anxiety, translit=Vaikuṇṭha), also called Vishnuloka (), and Tirunatu (Tirunāṭu) in Tamil, is the abode of Vishnu, the supreme deity in the Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism,Gavin Flood, A ...

(the spiritual abode of Vishnu), and is also considered to be a warder of evil. Vadakalai women apply a red central mark along with namam only, symbolising Lakshmi seated on a lotus on their foreheads.

Guru Parampara

The

Vadakalai Sri Vaishnavism, or the Sri Vaishnava Sampradaya, is a denomination within the Vaishnavism tradition of Hinduism. The name refers to goddess Lakshmi (also known as Sri), as well as a prefix that means "sacred, revered", and the god Vishnu, wh ...

sect traces its lineage back to Thirukurahi Piran Pillan, Kidambi Acchan and other direct disciples of Ramanuja, and considers

Vedanta Desika Vedanta Desikan (1268–1369), also rendered Vedanta Desikar, Swami Vedanta Desikan, and Thoopul Nigamaantha Desikan, was an Indian polymath who wrote philosophical as well as religious and poetical works in several languages, including Sans ...

to be the greatest Acharya of the post

Ramanuja Ramanuja ( Middle Tamil: Rāmāṉujam; Classical Sanskrit: Rāmanuja; 1017 CE – 1137 CE; ; ), also known as Ramanujacharya, was an Indian Hindu philosopher, guru and a social reformer. He is noted to be one of the most important exponents ...

era. The Vadakalai community consists of the following groups, based on the sampradaya followed: *

Pancharatra ''Pancharatra'' ( IAST: ''Pāñcarātra'') was a religious movement in Hinduism that originated in late 3rd-century BCE around the ideas of Narayana and the various avatars of Vishnu as their central deities. The majority of Vadakalais belongs to this group. His disciples established Mutts at different places in North India, including

Varanasi Varanasi (; ; also Banaras or Benares (; ), and Kashi.) is a city on the Ganges river in northern India that has a central place in the traditions of pilgrimage, death, and mourning in the Hindu world. * * * * The city has a syncretic t ...

, Chitrakoot and

Pushkar Pushkar is a city and headquarters of Pushkar tehsil in the Ajmer district in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is situated about northwest of Ajmer and about southwest of Jaipur.Munitraya – Followers of Srimad Andavan of Andavan Ashramams, and Swayamacharyas. The Srirangam Srimad Andavan Ashramam, Poundarikapuram Andavan Ashramam, and most of the present-day Vadagalai 'svayam-acharya purusha' families are directly connected to this acharya parampara, and follow the worship and ritual patterns outlined by Sri Gopalarya Mahadesikan. :* Periya Andavan Sri Srinivasa Mahadesikan; * Parakala – They are mostly followers Brahmatantra Swatantra Jeeyar of Parakala Mutt,

Mysore Mysore (), officially Mysuru (), is a city in the southern part of the state of Karnataka, India. Mysore city is geographically located between 12° 18′ 26″ north latitude and 76° 38′ 59″ east longitude. It is located at an altitude of ...

. Founded in 1399 by Brahmatantra Parakala Jeeyar, the peetadhipathis of this mutt are the preceptors of the royal family of

Mysore Kingdom The Kingdom of Mysore was a realm in southern India, traditionally believed to have been founded in 1399 in the vicinity of the modern city of Mysore. From 1799 until 1950, it was a princely state, until 1947 in a subsidiary alliance with Brit ...

, Wadiyars. This has stayed as a royal mutt of the kings since then, and is a mutt for all Iyengars under this category.

Demographics

Traditionally, places of high importance with significant Vadakalai populations included Kanchipuram, Kumbakonam,

Tiruvallur Tiruvallur is a Grade I municipality and a fast developing city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on the banks of Coovum river about from downtown Chennai (Madras) and just 5 km from megacity border, in the western p ...

,

Mysore Mysore (), officially Mysuru (), is a city in the southern part of the state of Karnataka, India. Mysore city is geographically located between 12° 18′ 26″ north latitude and 76° 38′ 59″ east longitude. It is located at an altitude of ...

and Kurnool district. However, today much of the people have moved to the big cities. In

Vrindavan Vrindavan (; ), also spelt Vrindaban and Brindaban, is a historical city in the Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is located in the Braj Bhoomi region and holds religious importance in Hinduism as Krishna spent most of his childho ...

, the Jankivallabh Mandir of Keshighat is a prominent Vadakalai Sri Vaishnava monastic institution and is associated with the spiritual lineage of the Ahobila Mutt. The present Azhagiya Singar has visited this well known institution in the past as well as recently. It is presently headed by Swami Sri Aniruddhacharyaji Maharaj. In

Rajasthan Rajasthan (; lit. 'Land of Kings') is a state in northern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population. It is on India's northwestern si ...

the Jhalariya Mutt is one of the most prominent Mutts and its branches have spread over to the neighbouring regions of

Gujarat Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...

and

Maharashtra Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a states and union territories of India, state in the western India, western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the List of states and union te ...

. Sri Swami Balmukundacharyaji was a distinguished scholar and renowned Acharya of this Mutt.

Notable Vadakalai people

*

Gopala Bhatta Goswami Gopala Bhatta Goswami (1503–1578) is one of the foremost disciples of the Vaishnava saint, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and a leading historical figure in the Gaudiya Vaishnava school of Hinduism. He was part of a group of Vaishnava devotees known ...

(1503–1578), born a Vadakalai Iyengar, one of the

Six Goswamis of Vrindavan The Six Goswamis of Vrindavan were a group of devotional teachers (gurus) from the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism who lived in India during the 15th and 16th centuries. They are closely associated with the land of Vrindavan where they spe ...

in

Chaitanya Vaishnavism Gaudiya Vaishnavism (), also known as Chaitanya Vaishnavism, is a Vaishnava Hindu religious movement inspired by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486–1534) in India. "Gaudiya" refers to the Gaura or Gauḍa region of Bengal, with Vaishnavism meanin ...

, and a highly revered Guru in

ISKCON The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), known colloquially as the Hare Krishna movement or Hare Krishnas, is a Gaudiya Vaishnava Hindu religious organization. ISKCON was founded in 1966 in New York City by A. C. Bhaktiv ...

. *

Chakravarti Rajagopalachari Chakravarti Rajagopalachari (10 December 1878 – 25 December 1972), popularly known as Rajaji or C.R., also known as Mootharignar Rajaji (Rajaji'', the Scholar Emeritus''), was an Indian statesman, writer, lawyer, and Indian Independence M ...

(1878–1972), Indian politician and activist of the

Indian independence movement The Indian independence movement was a series of historic events with the ultimate aim of ending British Raj, British rule in India. It lasted from 1857 to 1947. The first nationalistic revolutionary movement for Indian independence emerged ...

. Premier of Madras (1937–1939), Governor of Bengal (1946–1948),

Governor-General of India The Governor-General of India (1773–1950, from 1858 to 1947 the Viceroy and Governor-General of India, commonly shortened to Viceroy of India) was the representative of the monarch of the United Kingdom and after Indian independence in 1 ...

(1948–1950),

Union Home Minister The Minister of Home Affairs (or simply, the Home Minister, short-form HM) is the head of the Ministry of Home Affairs of the Government of India. One of the senior-most officers in the Union Cabinet, the chief responsibility of the Home Minist ...

(1950–1952) and Chief Minister of Madras state (1952–1954). Founder of

Swatantra party The Swatantra Party was an Indian classical liberal political party, that existed from 1959 to 1974. It was founded by C. Rajagopalachari in reaction to what he felt was the Jawaharlal Nehru-dominated Indian National Congress's increasingly soci ...

. *

C. V. Rungacharlu Sir Chettipunyam Veeravalli Rungacharlu (c. August 1831 - d. 20 January 1883), also spelt Rangacharlu, was an Indian civil servant and administrator who served as the 14th Diwan of Mysore from 1881 to 1883. Early life Rungacharlu was born in ...

(1831–1883), Diwan of Mysore kingdom from 1881 to 1883. *

T. S. S. Rajan Tiruvengimalai Sesha Sundara Rajan (1880–1953) was an Indian medical doctor, politician and freedom-fighter who served the Minister of Public Health and Religious Endowments in the Madras Presidency from 1937 to 1939. Rajan was born in Srirang ...

(1880–1953), Indian politician and freedom-fighter. Member of the

Imperial Legislative Council The Imperial Legislative Council (ILC) was the legislature of the British Raj from 1861 to 1947. It was established under the Charter Act of 1853 by providing for the addition of 6 additional members to the Governor General Council for legislativ ...

(1934–1936), Minister of Public Health and Religious Endowments (Madras Presidency) (1937–1939), Minister of Food and Public Health (Madras Presidency) (1946–1951). *

Tirumalai Krishnamacharya Tirumalai Krishnamacharya (18 November 1888 – 28 February 1989) was an Indian yoga teacher, ayurvedic healer and scholar. He is seen as one of the most important gurus of modern yoga, and is often called "the father of modern yoga" for ...

(1888–1989), an influential

Yoga Yoga (; sa, योग, lit=yoke' or 'union ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India and aim to control (yoke) and still the mind, recognizing a detached witness-consci ...

teacher, healer and scholar. *

Agnihotram Ramanuja Tatachariar Agnihotram Ramanuja Tatachariar (1907–2008) was a renowned Vedic scholar of Vaishnava sect of Hinduism. He was a descendant of Nathamuni hailing from Kumbakonam. He was recipient of two national awards for his contribution to Vedic studies ...

(1907–2008), renowned vedic scholar, and recipient of two national awards for his contribution to Vedic studies and Sanskrit literature. *

Krishnamachari Srikkanth Krishnamachari Srikkanth (born 21 December 1959), also known as Cheeka, is a former captain of the Indian cricket team and former chairman of the selection committee. He played a crucial part in India's team batting line up as opener espec ...

(b. 1959), Indian Cricket Player *

R. Madhavan Ranganathan Madhavan (born 1 June 1970) is an Indian actor, screenwriter, director, and producer who predominantly appears in Tamil and Hindi films. Madhavan has won four Filmfare Awards South and three Tamil Nadu State Film Awards. Madhava ...

(b. 1970), Indian film actor.

Notes

References

Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

External links

Introduction to Sri Vaishnava Philosophy

www.anudinam.org
Sri Vaishnava News and learning portal
www.antaryami.net
Sri Vaishnava News Network
http://guruparamparai.wordpress.com
- Exhaustive/complete details srIvaishNava guru paramparai
http://ponnadi.blogspot.com
- Exhaustive articles/archives for the esoteric principles of srIvaishNavam * Nathamuni-Alavandar.org Dedicated to Shriman Nathamungal and Shri Alavandar

* http://andaljeeyar.org

Site for Sri Vaishnava Prayers
* http://www.ramanujamission.org/ , , * http://www.chinnajeeyar.org/main/content/ , * http://www.andaljeeyar.org , * http://www.madhuramangalamjeeyar.org/index.html * http://www.shridharacharyaji.com/aboutswamiji.php * http://www.sansthanam.com/ , * http://www.shrishridhardham.com/ , * http://www.ahobilamutt.org/ , * http://www.parakalamatham.org/ , * http://andavan.org/ , * http://acharyamandir.com/ ,
Shreevatsa Peeth
* https://hebbariyengar.net/ * http://www.hebbarsabha.org/ * http://mandayamsabha.in/ * http://vanamamalai.us/ * http://www.yathirajamutt.org/ * http://www.acharya.org/d.html * https://sites.google.com/site/munithrayam/ * http://www.munitrayam.org/ * http://www.prapatti.com/index.html
Jhalariya Math

Nagoriya Math

Shri Sidhdata Ashram

Sri Tridandi Dev Temple Jeeyar Swami Mutt

SRD Bhakti - Nepal
* *

Philosophy of Sri Sampraday Philosophy (from , ) is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved. Some ...

Shree Vaishnav committee of Bhutan

Temples following Srivaishnava Sampradaya

*

Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Ranganatha (a form of Vishnu), located in Srirangam, Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu, India. Constructed in the Hindu architectural style, the temple is glorified by Alvars in their Naal ...

*

Venkateswara Temple, Tirumala Sri Venkateswara Swami Vaari Temple is a Hindu temple situated in the hill town of Tirumala at Tirupati in Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh, India. The Temple is dedicated to Venkateswara, a form of Vishnu, who is believed to have appeared ...

* Andal Temple,Srivilliputtur * Srivilliputhur Andal temple *

Sita Ramachandraswamy temple, Bhadrachalam The Sri Sita Ramachandraswamy temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Rama, a prominent avatar of the god Vishnu. It is located on the banks of the Godavari River in the town of Bhadrachalam in east Telangana, India. Often simply referred to as B ...

*

Cheluvanarayana Swamy Temple Cheluvanarayana Swamy Temple, also known as Thirunarayanapura, is a temple in Melkote in the Mandya District of Karnataka, India. The temple is built on rocky hills which overlook the Kaveri valley. It is about from Mysore and from Bangalore ...

* Chakrapani Temple, Kumbakonam * Sarangapani temple, Kumbakonam *

Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangapatna The Ranganathaswamy temple, also rendered the Sri Ranganathaswamy temple, in Srirangapatna, in the Mandya district of Karnataka state, India, is dedicated to the Hindu god Ranganatha (a manifestation of the god Vishnu). It is one of the ...

*

Ulagalantha Perumal Temple, Kanchipuram Ulagalandha Perumal Temple is a temple dedicated to Vishnu located in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, India. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is glorified in the '' Naalayira Divya Prabandham'', the early medieval Tam ...

*

Parthasarathy Temple, Triplicane The Parthasarathy Temple is a 6th-century Hindu Vaishnavite temple dedicated to Vishnu in Chennai, India. Located in the neighbourhood of Thiruvallikeni, the temple is glorified in the ''Naalayira Divya Prabandham'', the early medieval Tamil ...

*

Bhu Varaha Swamy temple Bhu Varaha Swamy temple is a Hindu temple, located at Srimushnam, in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Constructed in the South Indian architecture, the temple is dedicated to Varaha (Bhu Varaha Swamy), the boar-avatar of the god Vishnu and ...

*

Varadharaja Perumal Temple, Kanchipuram Varadharaja Perumal Temple, also called Hastagiri and Attiyuran, is a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu located in the city of Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the Divya Desams, the 108 temples of Vishnu believed to have been visited ...

*

Ashtabujakaram The Ashtabujakaram or Ashtabuja Perumal Temple located in Kanchipuram in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is glorified in the ''Nalayira D ...

*

Adikesava Perumal Temple, Kanyakumari The Adikesava Perumal Temple is a Hindu temple located in Thiruvattar, Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu, India and is one of the 108 Divya desams, the holy sites of Hindu Vaishnavism according to existing Tamil hymns from the seventh and eighth ...

*

Pandava Thoothar Perumal Temple Pandavathoothar Perumal Temple or Thirupadagam located in Kanchipuram in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is dedicated to the Hindu god Krishna, an avatar of the god Vishnu. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the templ ...

*

Rajagopalaswamy Temple, Mannargudi Sri Vidhya Rajagopalaswamy temple is a Vaishnava shrine located in the town of Mannargudi, Tamil Nadu, India. The presiding deity is Rajagopalaswamy, a form of Krishna. The temple is spread over an area of and is an important ''Vaishnava'' ...

*

Ulagalantha Perumal Temple, Tirukoyilur Ulagalantha Perumal Temple or Trivikrama Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu located in Tirukkoyilur, Tamil Nadu, India. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is glorified in the ''Naalayira Divya Prabandham'', ...

*

Mudikondan Kothandaramar Temple Mudikondan Kothandaramar Temple is a Hindu temple located in the Tiruvarur district of Tamil Nadu, India, dedicated to Lord Rama, the seventh avatar of Lord Vishnu. The town of Mudikondan is located at a distance of 20 kilometres from Mayilad ...

*

Thirupullabhoothangudi Temple Thirupullabhoothangudi Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu located in Pullabhoothangudi near Kumbakonam in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Constructed in Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is glorified in the ''Divya Prab ...

* Kola Valvill Ramar Temple, Tiruvelliyangudi * https://nedungunamramar.com *

Vijayaraghava Perumal temple Vijayaraghava Perumal temple is a Vishnu temple in Thiruputkuli, a village in Kanchipuram district in Tamil Nadu, India. It is situated about 7 miles west of Kanchipuram and half a kilometre from Baluchetti Chattiram, which lies on the Chenn ...

*

Ramaswamy Temple, Kumbakonam Ramaswamy Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Rama, an incarnation of Vishnu located in Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the prominent temples in the town and also one of the most prominent temples dedicated to Rama in India. This t ...

Shree LaxmiNarayan Devsthan Ahmednagar

Sri Laxman Bagh Jhalaria Math Temple

Shri Rang Nath Ji Temple, Vrindavan

Shree Balaji Mandir, Fanaswadi
{{VaisnavaSampradayas

Vishistadvaita Vishishtadvaita (IAST '; sa, विशिष्टाद्वैत) is one of the most popular schools of the Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy. Vedanta literally means the in depth meaning ''of the Vedas.'' ''Vishisht Advaita'' (literall ...

Vaishnava sects Tamils and religion Bhakti movement Vishishtadvaita Vedanta

Etymology

History

Theological origins

Historical origins

Reverence for Vishnu and Lakshmi

Philosophy

Vishishtadvaita

Comparisons with Advaita Vedanta

Comparisons with Protestant Christianity and Buddhism

Texts and scholarship

Nathamuni

Yamunacharya

Ramanuja

Post Ramanuja period authors

Organisation

Vadakalai and Tenkalai denominations

Tenkalai ("southern art") - Manavala Mamunigal

Characteristics

Demographics

Notable Tenkalai people

Vadakalai ("northern art") - Vedanta Desika

Characteristics

Guru Parampara

Demographics

Notable Vadakalai people

See also

Notes

References

Bibliography

Further reading

External links

Temples following Srivaishnava Sampradaya