Philosophy of RAMANUJA

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1. The world, The individual soul and Isvara, all the three are real.

2. The world and the individual soul, in other words thw world

consisting of the insentient(jada) and sentient(chethana) stands in

relation of sarira to its sariri(body and soul) with Isvara.

3. Isvara, that is Narayana is transcendent(all pervading) and

imminent(antharyaami) and hence everything is in Him and He is in

everything.

4.Brahman of visishtadvaita is Narayana who is not nirguna(wiyhout

attributes ) but possesses infinite auspicious qualities.

5. Satyam,truth, jnanam,knowledge and anantham,eternality are His

attributes which are inseparable from Him, being His inherent

nature,svabhaava.

6.Being the Antharyaami He is the inner self of everything.

7.So He is the Controller,Niyantha, Master, Seshi and support,

Adhaara.

8. Bhakthi is the sole means of Liberation.

9. Nithya, Naimiththika Karma, the obligatory and occasional actions

namely the actions according to varnasrama and rituals for special

occasions like sraadhdha etc. are tobe done and cannoyt be

renounced , but should be done as offering to Narayana, without

attachment and desire.

10.'Thathvamasi' and other scriptural texts that claim unity with

Brahman do not imply identity.The merging with Brahman is like when

the gross body and subtle body are given up and the individual is

identified with the soul.

11. There are ample texts substantiating this.

12.Avidya/Maya is not beginningless and independent but the power of

Narayana.

This is visishtadvaita in a nutshell.How advaita differs from this

and about Dvaita will be followed up in the susequent posts.

I am Dr. SAROJA RAMANUJAM, M.A.,Ph.D., SIROMANI IN SANSKRIT.

My subject for my thesis was avirodhaadhikarana from Sribhashya of

Ramanuja. Ihave started web pages on Bhagavatgita, Vishnusahasranama,

yadhavaabhyudhaya of Desika ,Desika stothrasetc. I am 69 tears of

age, doing my doctorate after retirement I also take freeclasses at

home on these topics. I have ventured on these projects as a

Bhagavatkainkarya and I seek the blessings of the leader of this

group and other devotees My groups are

Narayan_darsana

http:// srjrmnjm

Appliedgita.