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1017 – 1137 CE · Śrīperumbudūr · Śrīraṅgam · Melkote

Śrī Rāmānujācārya

Born in Śrīperumbudūr and initiated by Periya Nambi, Rāmānuja studied briefly under the Advaita teacher Yādava Prakāśa but eventually accepted the discipleship of Yāmunācārya, who died before Rāmānuja could meet him. Rāmānuja is said to have vowed at the deceased ācārya's bedside to fulfill three of his unfulfilled wishes: to write a commentary on the Brahma Sūtras (Śrī Bhāṣya), to honour the Āzhvārs by preserving the Divya Prabandham, and to compose a commentary on the Divya Prabandham. He climbed the tower of a temple to publicly reveal a secret Vaiṣṇava mantra, saying he would rather go to hell for disobedience than let millions be deprived of grace. He established Pāñcarātra worship at Śrīraṅgam, organized the temple administration, and instituted the practice of the Ashṭākṣara mantra for all castes.