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Ramanuja was a philosopher and theologian of medieval South India who developed Vishishtadvaita Vedanta, which holds that the soul and the world are real parts of a personal God. He was a leading figure of the Sri Vaishnava tradition.
Biography
Life
Ramanuja was born in Sriperumbudur, according to tradition in 1017, and studied Vedanta in Kanchipuram. He became a monk and later head of the Sri Vaishnava community at the temple town of Srirangam.
Qualified non-dualism
Disagreeing with Adi Shankara’s view that the world is an illusion, Ramanuja argued that God (Brahman) is real, personal and full of good qualities, and that souls and matter are real but dependent on God, like a body on its soul. His philosophy is called Vishishtadvaita, qualified non-dualism.
Works
His major works include the Sri Bhashya, a commentary on the Brahma Sutras, and a commentary on the Bhagavad Gita. He stressed devotion (bhakti) and surrender to God as the path to liberation.
Legacy
Tradition says he opened temple worship to people of all castes. His influence spread across India through the Bhakti movement. The 216-foot Statue of Equality in his honour was unveiled near Hyderabad in 2022.
Timeline
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1017
Born (traditional date)
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1137
Death (traditional date)
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2022
Statue of Equality unveiled near Hyderabad
Notable works
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Sri Bhashya Book
Commentary on the Brahma Sutras.
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Gita Bhashya Book
Did you know?
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1
Tradition says he lived to 120.
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2
A 216-foot statue honours him near Hyderabad.
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3
He disagreed with Adi Shankara about the reality of the world.
Connections
Frequently asked
Who is Ramanuja?
Ramanuja was a philosopher and theologian of medieval South India who developed Vishishtadvaita Vedanta, which holds that the soul and the world are real parts of a personal God. He was a leading figure of the Sri Vaishnava tradition.
Where is Ramanuja from?
Ramanuja was born in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu (traditional).
What is Ramanuja known for?
Ramanuja is best known for Vishishtadvaita (qualified non-dualism); the Sri Bhashya; Sri Vaishnava tradition.
References
- Ramanuja — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
- Ramanuja — Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
- Ramanuja — Hindi Wikipedia. Wikipedia (Hindi). Retrieved 2 November 2026.
- Ramanuja (Q1741798) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
Includes material from the Wikipedia article “Ramanuja”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. That text is available under the same licence. Learn more
External links
About this profile
- Researched by the TrackFame editorial team; reviewed by Sanjay Sokal under our editorial policy
- First published 2 November 2026
- Last updated
Cite this page
“Ramanuja.” TrackFame, last updated 3 November 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/ramanuja
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