The world’s second tallest statue in the sitting pose of Ramanuja was inaugurated by the Prime Minister of India at Hyderabad recently. Which one of the following statements correctly represents the teachings of Ramanuja
- The best means of salvation was devotion.
- Vedas are eternal, self-existent and wholly authoritative.
- Logical arguments were essential means for the highest bliss.
- Salvation was to be obtained through meditation.
Explanation
Option (a) is correct
- Ramanuja spoke of universal salvation through devotion to God, compassion, humility, equality, and mutual respect, which is known as the Sri Vaishnavam Sampradaya. The philosophy propounded by Ramanuja was Vishishtadwaita or qualified monism. Vishishtadvaita signifies non-dualism of a qualified whole but is characterised by multiplicity. In other words, it believes in “all diversity subsuming to an underlying unity” (qualified monoism). Ramanuja emphasized devotion to a personal God, identified with Vishnu, who is both immanent (present within the world) and transcendent (beyond it). He held that liberation (moksha) is attained through loving devotion (bhakti) combined with divine grace.
- Srirangam Ranganatha temple in Tamil Nadu is associated with his tradition. His greatest contribution is the propagation of the concept of “vasudhaiva kutumbakam”, which translates as “all the universe is one family”
