HOME



picture info

Tenkalai
Sri Vaishnavism () is a denomination within the Vaishnavism tradition of Hinduism, predominantly practiced in South India. The name refers to goddess Lakshmi (also known as Sri), as well as a prefix that means "sacred, revered", and the god Vishnu, who are together revered in this tradition. The tradition traces its roots to the ancient Vedas and Pancharatra texts, popularised by the Alvars and their canon, the Naalayira Divya Prabandham. The founding of Sri Vaishnavism is traditionally attributed to Nathamuni of the 10th century CE; its central philosopher has been Ramanuja of the 11th century, who developed the '' Vishishtadvaita'' ("qualified non-dualism") Vedanta sub-school of Hindu philosophy. The tradition split into two denominations around the 16th century. The Vadakalai sect vested the Vedas with the greatest authority and follow the doctrine of Vedanta Desika, whereas the Tenkalai sect vested the Naalayira Divya Prabandham with the greatest authority and fol ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


picture info

Vadakalai
Sri Vaishnavism () is a denomination within the Vaishnavism tradition of Hinduism, predominantly practiced in South India. The name refers to goddess Lakshmi (also known as Sri), as well as a prefix that means "sacred, revered", and the god Vishnu, who are together revered in this tradition. The tradition traces its roots to the ancient Vedas and Pancharatra texts, popularised by the Alvars and their canon, the Naalayira Divya Prabandham. The founding of Sri Vaishnavism is traditionally attributed to Nathamuni of the 10th century CE; its central philosopher has been Ramanuja of the 11th century, who developed the ''Vishishtadvaita'' ("qualified non-dualism") Vedanta sub-school of Hindu philosophy. The tradition split into two denominations around the 16th century. The Vadakalai sect vested the Vedas with the greatest authority and follow the doctrine of Vedanta Desika, whereas the Tenkalai sect vested the Naalayira Divya Prabandham with the greatest authority and follow the ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


picture info

Iyengar
Iyengars (also spelt Ayyangar or Aiyengar, pronounced ) are an ethnoreligious community of Tamil-speaking Hindu Brahmins, whose members follow Sri Vaishnavism and the Visishtadvaita philosophy propounded by Ramanuja. Iyengars are divided into two denominations, the Vadakalai and the Tenkalai and live mostly in the Southern Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh. The community belongs to the Pancha Dravida Brahmana classification of Brahmins in India. Etymology There are several opinions regarding the etymology of the term ''Iyengar'', which is the anglicized form of the Dravidian word ''Aiyaṅgār'' (, ). One is that it derives from the Proto-Dravidian word ''ayya-gāru'' ( 𑀅𑀬𑀕𑀭𑀼), which became ''Ayyangāru'' (), and later ''Ayengar''. The term ''ayya'' is the Tamil equivalent of the Sanskrit word ''ārya,'' ( 𑀆𑀭𑁆𑀬/ आर्य) which in Sanskrit means ''noble''. ''Gāru'' refers to a form of the Pali term ''gārava'' ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  




Vishishtadvaita
Vishishtadvaita (IAST '; ) is a school of Hindu philosophy belonging to the Vedanta tradition. Vedanta refers to the profound interpretation of the Vedas based on Prasthanatrayi. Vishishta Advaita, meaning "non-duality with distinctions", is a non-dualistic philosophy that recognizes Brahman (ब्रह्म) as the supreme reality while also acknowledging its multiplicity. This philosophy can be characterized as a form of qualified monism, attributive monism, or qualified non-dualism. It upholds the belief that all diversity ultimately stems from a fundamental underlying unity. Ramanuja, the 11–12th century philosopher and the main proponent of Vishishtadvaita philosophy, contends that the Prasthanatrayi ("The three sources"), namely the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, and the Brahma Sutras are to be interpreted in a way that shows this unity in diversity, for any other way would violate their consistency. Vedanta Desika, another major scholar who significantly helped ex ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


Andhra Vaishnavas
Andhra Vaishnavas is a Brahmin community in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana who follow Ramanuja Vishishtadvaita Vedanta Darshana and profess Sri Vaishnavism. History Andhra Vaishnavas were formerly Smarta brahmins who converted under the influence of Ramanujacharya and later Sri Vaishnava '' acharyas''. Sri Vaishnavas generally speak Tamil, however, Andhra Vaishnavas are Telugu-speaking. Orthodox Sri Vaishnavas are exclusive and hold that they co-existed as a separate caste of Brahmins with the Smarthas. They seceded from Smarthas only after Ramanuja's teachings. Their ranks were swollen by frequent additions from others. Andhra Vaishnavas form a single distinct sect and are not divided into the Vadakalai and Tenkalai denominations, unlike the Tamil Iyengars coreligionists. Their practices are similar to Tenkalai denomination as they follow Tenkalai Sri Vaishnava ''mutts'' of Tirukoilur Emperumanar Jiyar ''mutt'', Yathiraja Jiyar ''mutt'' and Tirupati Ram ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


picture info

Vaishnavism
Vaishnavism () ), also called Vishnuism, is one of the major Hindu denominations, Hindu traditions, that considers Vishnu as the sole Para Brahman, supreme being leading all other Hindu deities, that is, ''Mahavishnu''. It is one of the major Hindu denominations along with Shaivism, Shaktism, and Smartism. Its followers are called Vaishnavites or ''Vaishnava''s (), and it includes sub-sects like Krishnaism and Ramanandi Sampradaya, Ramaism, which consider Krishna and Rama as the supreme beings respectively. According to a 2020 estimate by The World Religion Database (WRD), hosted at Boston University’s Institute on Culture, Religion and World Affairs (CURA), Vaishnavism is the largest Hindu sect, constituting about 399 million Hindus. The ancient emergence of Vaishnavism is unclear, and broadly hypothesized as a History of Hinduism, fusion of various regional non-Vedic religions with worship of Vishnu. It is considered a merger of several popular non-Vedic theistic traditio ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


picture info

Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam
The Ranganathaswamy Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Ranganatha (a form of Vishnu) and his consort Ranganayaki (a form of Lakshmi). The temple is located in Srirangam, Tamil Nadu, India. Constructed in the Tamil Architectural style, the temple is glorified by the Tamil poet-saints called the Alvars in their canon, the Naalayira Divya Prabhandam, and has the unique distinction of being the foremost among the 108 Divya Desams dedicated to the god Vishnu. The  Andal Rangamannar swamy Temple temple stands shanti nagar constituency  in active worship with a continuous historical presence as a Hin/du temple. Some of these structures have been renovated, expanded and rebuilt over the centuries as a living temple. The temple is an thriving Hindu house of worship and follows the Tenkalai tradition of Sri Vaishnavism, based on the Pancharatra agama. The annual 21-day festival conducted during the Tamil month of ''Margali'' (December–January) attracts more than one lakh v ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


Naalayira Divya Prabandham
The Naalayira Divya Prabandham () is a collection of 4,000 Tamil verses composed by the 12 Alvars. It was compiled in its present form by Nāthamuni during the 9th–10th centuries. The work, an important liturgical compilation of the Tamil Alvars who lived between 5th and 8th Century CE, marks the beginning of the canonisation of 12 ''Vaishnava'' poet saints, and these hymns are still sung extensively today. Description The ''Divya Prabandham'' sings the praises of Narayana (Vishnu) and his many forms. The Alvars sang these songs at various sacred shrines known as the Divya Desams. The Tamil '' Vaishnavites'', also known as ''Ubhaya Vedanti'' follow both the Sanskrit Vedas as well as the Tamil-language '' Tiruvaymoli,'' a work which devotees of Sri Vaishnavism regard as the Tamil Veda. In many temples — Srirangam, for example — the chanting of the Divya Prabandham forms a major part of the daily service. It is also recited in some North Indian Vaishnavite temples, s ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


Naalayira Divya Prabhandham
The Naalayira Divya Prabandham () is a collection of 4,000 Tamil verses composed by the 12 Alvars. It was compiled in its present form by Nāthamuni during the 9th–10th centuries. The work, an important liturgical compilation of the Tamil Alvars who lived between 5th and 8th Century CE, marks the beginning of the canonisation of 12 '' Vaishnava'' poet saints, and these hymns are still sung extensively today. Description The ''Divya Prabandham'' sings the praises of Narayana (Vishnu) and his many forms. The Alvars sang these songs at various sacred shrines known as the Divya Desams. The Tamil '' Vaishnavites'', also known as ''Ubhaya Vedanti'' follow both the Sanskrit Vedas as well as the Tamil-language '' Tiruvaymoli,'' a work which devotees of Sri Vaishnavism regard as the Tamil Veda. In many temples — Srirangam, for example — the chanting of the Divya Prabandham forms a major part of the daily service. It is also recited in some North Indian Vaishnavite templ ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


picture info

Ramanuja
Ramanuja ('; Middle Tamil: Rāmāṉujam; Classical Sanskrit: Rāmānuja; 1077 – 1157), also known as Ramanujacharya, was an Indian Hindu philosopher, guru and social reformer. He is one of the most important exponents of the Sri Vaishnavism tradition in Hinduism. His philosophical foundations for devotional practice were influential in the Bhakti movement. Ramanuja's guru was Yādava Prakāśa, a scholar who, traditionally, is said to have belonged to the Advaita Vedānta tradition, but probably was a Bhedabheda scholar. Sri Vaishnava tradition holds that Ramanuja disagreed with his guru and the non-dualistic Advaita Vedānta, and instead followed in the footsteps of Tamil Alvārs tradition, the scholars Nāthamuni and Yamunāchārya. Ramanuja is famous as the chief proponent of Vishishtadvaita school of Vedānta, and his disciples were likely authors of texts such as the Shatyayaniya Upanishad. Ramanuja himself wrote influential texts, such as Sanskrit bhāsyas on ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  




Telugu Brahmin
Telugu Brahmins are ethnic-Telugu people, Telugus who belong to Brahmin communities native to the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. They fall under the Pancha-Dravida, Pancha Dravida Brahmin classification of the Brahmin community in India. Telugu Brahmins are further divided into sections like Vaidiki, Niyogi Brahmin, Niyogi, Deshastha Brahmin, Deshastha, Dravida Brahmin, Dravida, Golconda Vyapari Brahmin, Golkonda Vyapari among others. History The Apastamba Dharmasutra is posited to have been composed in the region of modern-day Andhra Pradesh between the Godavari River, Godavari and Krishna River, Krishna rivers, but this is not certain. It is dated to approximately 600-300 BCE, and more narrowly to between 450 and 350 BCE. Related communities Brahmin is a Varna (Hinduism), varna (caste) within Hinduism, Hindu society. Brahmins have traditionally been Hindu priests, either in Hindu temple, temples or to particular families and have traditionally been better edu ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


picture info

Manavala Mamunigal
Alagiya Manavalan, best known by his epithet Manavala Mamunigal (1370–1450), was a Hindu theologian. He was a major proponent of the Sri Vaishnavism tradition in the 15th century in Tamilakam, disseminating it with the help of his eight disciples. The disciples of Manavalan established places of learning to teach the Vishishtadvaita philosophy in Tamilakam. ''Yathindra Pravana Prabhavam'' by Pillai Lokam Jeeyar is the earliest work on which scholars and historians rely for information for the biography of Manavala Mamunigal. Life Manavala Mamunigal was born in 1370 at Alwarthirunagari in Tamil Nadu. His parents were Tigalakidanthan Tirunaveerudaiya Piran Tadar Annar and Sriranga Nachiyar. His father was the son-in-law and also a disciple of Kollikavala Dasar, a junior disciple of Pillai Lokacharya. His parents named him ''Alagiya Manavalan'' (beautiful groom) after the deity Ranganathaswamy of Srirangam. Manavalan was schooled by father and maternal grandfather, who ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]