Sri Ramanuja (His Life, Religion and Philosophy)

‘Bhakti Schools of Vedanta’, of which this volume is a part, is a work intended to bring to the notice of the general reader that it is not correct to equate Vedanta exclusively with Advaita Vedanta, associated with Sri Sankaracarya. There are several other Acaryas who have expounded the Vedanta in quite a different way and whose status as teachers of Vedanta requires recognition.

The personages treated in the above book are Sri Ramanuja, Sri Nimbarka, Sri Vallabha, Sri Madhva and Sri Caitanya . Besides their theo-Philosophies, detailed accounts of their lives are given. For it is the support of their lives that gives more authority of their teachings than the philosophical writings of mere armchair philosophers. The frame work of their lives is mainly historical, but most of the miraculous and extraordinary incidents mentioned in them may largely be projections of the pious imaginations of their followers. These too are to be respectfully received and not pooh-poohed as mere cock and bull stories. It is the way of the Indian mind to convey the idea that these Acaryas are endowed with extraordinary powers. But for this, their teachings could not have survived through so many centuries influencing the lives of innumerable generations of men.

For the benefit of those who can not go in for the full volume at a time, the section dealing with each Acarya is brought out as a separate book under the caption of their respective names. Sri Ramanuja is the theme of this book.