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Vedic Wisdom

Vishistadvaita-II

Vedanta is a principal branch of Hindu philosophy. The word Vedanta is a tatpurusha compound of veda "knowledge" and anta "end, conclusion", translating to "the culmination of the Vedas". In this article we shall look at the Vishistadvaita school of vedanta.

Acharyas

Natha Muni

Natha-muni of the ninth century AD, the foremost Acharya of the Vaishnavas, collected the Tamil prabandhams, classified them, made the redaction, set the hymns to music and spread them everywhere. He is said to have received the divine hymns straight from Nammalvar, the foremost of the twelve Alwars, by yogic insight in the temple at Alwar Thirunagari, which is located near Tirunelveli.

Yamunacharya

Yamunacharya, who renounced a kingship and spent his last days in the service of the Lord at Srirangam and in laying the fundamentals of the Vishishtadvaita philosophy by writing four basic works on the subject.

Ramanuja

Ramanuja was the first propagator of Vishishtadvaita philosophy on a national scale. He undertook three major tasks of his Master upon himself. The first was his masterly commentary called the Shri-Bhashya, on the Brahma Sutras where he claimed to have proven that the interpretations of the Upanishads according to the Advaita school were not tenable. His second vow was to perpetuate the name of Parashara, the author of Vishnu purana. This he did by calling Bhatta, the son of one of his disciples by that name and making him write a commentary on Vishnu Sahasranama. The third vow was to perpetuate the name of Nammalwar, which he did by causing a commentary to be written on Nammalwar's Tamil Veda, Tiruvai-mozhi, which represents the cream of Vishishtadvaita philosophy. The message that Ramanuja left for posterity and the world went home not only in his homeland, but in the entire country up to distant Kashmir. Sri Ramanuja spent about 14 years of the most productive part of his life in Melukote near Mysore, Karnataka, where he could continue his work on Vishishtadvaita in peace under the patronage of the maharajahs of Mysore.

Vedanta Desika

Vedanta Desika, one of the foremost learned scholars of medieval India, wrote more than a hundred works in Sanskrit and Tamil. All are characterised by their versatility, deep spiritual insight, ethical fervour and excellent expressions of devotional emotion in delightful style. His Paduka-sahasram is a classic example. He was a great teacher, expositor, debater, poet, philosopher, thinker and defender of the faith of Vaishnavism.

Pillai Lokacharya

Pillai Lokacharya, who is considered as the real founder of the tenkalai (Southern Learning) sect of Vaishnavism.

Reference: Wikipedia.org

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