Ramanuja (1017–1137) was a philosophical giant in Indian history who was nurtured in the kind of Vaisnavism prevalent in Present days.. The contribution of his thinking on Vedanta philosophy changed the spiritual landscape of India. He is the chief proponent of Vishishtadvaita (qualified non-dualism), a philosophy that he constructed as a bridge whereby the most profound spiritual concepts were laid bare to any seeker, irrespective of caste, gender, or social station.

Early Life and Education

Born in Tamil Nadu at Sriperumbudur, Ramanuja possessed great early life intellectual ability. Among his many teachers were Advaita philosopher Yadavaprakasha. The split came about from the variance in their philosophies, though, as Ramanuja's rejection of the absolute non-dualism of Advaita—which denied personality to the Divine—couldn't be accepted.

The Philosophy of Vishishtadvaita

Systematizing Vishishtadvaita Vedanta was Ramanuja's most important contribution. Therefore, although Advaita Vedanta declares that the individual soul (atman) and the supreme reality (Brahman) are absolutely same, Vishishtadvaita argues that the final reality is one but is changed by pluralism and differences.

 The Sri Bhashya (his commentary on Brahma Sutras) reveals Ramanuja articulating: ""The Supreme Brahman is essentially free from all imperfections and possesses innumerable auspicious qualities." "(Sri Bhashya 1.1.1)

Ramanuja identified three basic realities (tattvas): 

Ishvara (God/Narayana) - the Supreme Reality 

Chit (conscious beings) - individual souls 

Achit (unconscious entities) - matter

 All three are considered real, but the last two entirely depend on Ishvara, who contains and controls them.

Social Reformer and Inclusive Spirituality

 Perhaps Ramanuja's greatest revolutionary act was to have democratized Hindu spirituality. His time was such that high spiritual knowledge was frequently restricted to the upper castes. Ramanuja publicly broke this tradition by reading the holy Tirumantram (Ashtakshara mantra) loudly from the temple tower for the benefit of all who were there. 

In the Gadya Trayam (Three Prose Hymns) he declares: "The path to liberation is open to all regardless of birth, learning, or status. Surrendering to the Divine (prapatti) is the great equalizer."

Theological Innovations

Ramanuja laid emphasis on bhakti (devotion) as the foremost means to liberation. Within his Vedartha Sangraha, he interprets passages from the Upanishads to affirm the reality of a personal God with attributes in opposition to interpretations that vindicated an impersonal Absolute. 

He writes in Vedartha Sangraha (paragraph 37): "The Supreme Brahman is not merely consciousness but is the possessor of consciousness as an attribute."

Temple Reforms and Administrative Genius

Ramanuja reorganized the temple administration of the Srirangam Temple with systems carried down to the present day; that is, he instituted care of deity worship and democratized temple worship, allowing those previously not allowed to partake in temple offerings. 

Literary Contributions 

Among Ramanuja's nine major works:

 Sri Bhashya - Commentary on Brahma Sutras 

Vedartha Sangraha - Summary of Vedic meaning 

Vedanta Sara - Essence of Vedanta 

Vedanta Dipa - Lamp of Vedanta 

Gita Bhashya - Commentary on Bhagavad Gita 

Sharanagati Gadyam - Prose on surrender 

Sriranga Gadyam - Prose on the Srirangam deity 

Vaikuntha Gadyam - Prose on the divine abode 

Nitya Grantham - Daily observances  

The modern seeker in Hinduism will gain a wealth of insight from Ramanuja:

Balanced Outlook: Ramanuja provides a middle path between pure monism and dualism, giving a philosophical matrix to recognize both unity and plurality within nature and humanity. 

Inclusivity: His emphasis on devotion rather than birth qualifications makes Hinduism an open door to all sincere seekers. 

Rationality of Bhakti: In Gita Bhashya (9.34), Ramanuja explains that devotion is not mere blind faith but instead loving knowledge. 

Divine-Human Relationship: Ramanuja's identification of the soul's relationship with God as one of "Sheshatva" (complete dependence) establishes a pattern for devotional practice. 

The legacy of Ramanuja's philosophical system continues among millions through the Sri Vaishnava tradition, and in this sense, his method of balancing oppositions-unity vs. diversity, knowledge vs. devotion, philosophy vs. ritual-is pertinent for the present spiritual seeker who wants to carry forward the great wisdom of Hinduism while remaining connected with the personal Divine. 

As the traditional verse goes: "I bow to Ramanuja, who illuminated the path of devotion, who established that consciousness and matter both exist in dependence on the Supreme Lord."