● Hindu · Person

Ramanuja

रामानुज

The philosopher who said God is real, the world is real, and we are real — but we are inside God

Ramanuja (1017–1137 CE) was the philosopher who challenged Shankaracharya's Advaita with Vishishtadvaita — qualified non-dualism. Where Shankara said 'individual souls and Brahman are completely identical,' Ramanuja said: 'Individual souls and the world are real, but they are the body of Brahman — distinct within the whole.' He is the philosophical father of the Sri Vaishnava tradition and the devotional movement. He emphasised that bhakti (devotion) to Vishnu/Narayana is both valid and sufficient for liberation.

RamanujacharyaSri RamanujaBhashyakara

See it as a constellationTap connections to travel, one hop at a time

Scriptures

Upanishadsinterpreted by Bhagavad Gitacommented on

Explore further

Adi Shankaracharyaphilosophy countered by Vishnudevoted to Bhakti Yogachampion of

A 60-second practice

Ramanuja's key insight: love requires two. Devotion requires a lover and a beloved. For 60 seconds, feel the reality of a relationship in your life that is real precisely because there are two — not one.

Best at dusk in devotional prayer.

Keep this offering free

MyBrahman is free and ad-free for everyone. If it has given you something, dāna keeps the lamp lit.

Offer dāna

Educational purposes only. Compiled from general reference sources and not reviewed by any religious authority. No disrespect is intended to any deity, tradition, scripture or community. For authoritative guidance, consult qualified scholars and primary texts.

About this project · Support it