Ramanuja Jayanti Date 2025: Story, Importance – GHdays.in
Ramanuja, also known as Ramanujacharya, was a revered Indian Hindu philosopher, teacher, and advocate for social change. He played a significant role in the Sri Vaishnavism tradition of Hinduism, with his teachings on devotion greatly influencing the Bhakti movement. Ramanuja’s spiritual mentor was Yadava Prakasa, who was believed to be an Advaita Vedanta scholar but may have leaned towards the Bhedabheda school of thought.
Contrary to his guru’s non-dualistic beliefs, Ramanuja aligned himself with the Tamil Alvars tradition, following the teachings of scholars Nathamuni and Yamunacharya. He is renowned as the leading advocate of the Vishishtadvaita subsect of Vedanta, with his followers likely contributing to texts like the Shatyayaniya Upanishad.
Ramanuja authored influential works in Sanskrit, including commentaries on the Brahma Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita. His philosophy of Vishishtadvaita, emphasizing qualified non-dualism, engaged in philosophical discourse with Madhvacharya’s theistic dualism and Adi Shankara’s non-dualism, making them the most prominent Vedantic philosophies of their time.
Ramanuja emphasized the significance of bhakti, or devotion to a personal deity like Vishnu, as a pathway to spiritual liberation. His teachings highlighted the coexistence and differentiation between the soul (Atman) and the metaphysical reality (Brahman), while asserting that all souls are interconnected and capable of realizing their unity with Brahman.
Ramanuja Jayanti Date 2025: 2nd May, Friday
Table of Contents
Ramanuja Jayanti 2025 Overview
Born | Ilaiyalvar April 25, 1077 Sriperumbudur, Chola Empire (present-day Tamil Nadu, India) |
Died | c. 1157 (aged 79-80) Srirangam, Chola Empire (present-day Tamil Nadu, India) |
Religion | Hinduism |
Parents | Keshavasomayaji (father), Kanthimethi Devi (mother) |
Sect | Sri Vaishnavism |
Homepage | Click here |
Sri Ramanujacharya Jayanthi 2025 Timings
On Friday, May 2, 2025, we will celebrate the grand occasion of the 1008th Birth Anniversary of the revered Sri Ramanujacharya. The auspicious Thiruvathirai Nakshathram will commence at 14:21 on May 01, 2025, marking the beginning of this sacred event. The Nakshathram will conclude at 13:04 on May 02, 2025, signifying the end of this significant celebration in honor of Sri Ramanujacharya.
Ramanuja Jayanti Date 2023 | April 25, Tuesday |
Ramanuja Jayanti Date 2024 | May 12, Sunday |
Ramanuja Jayanti Date 2025 | May 2, Friday |
Ramanuja Jayanti Date 2026 | April 22, Wednesday |
Ramanuja Jayanti Date 2027 | May 10, Monday |
Ramanuja Jayanti Date 2028 | April 30, Sunday |
Early life of Ramanujacharya
Ramanuja was born in Sriperumbudur, a village in present-day Tamil Nadu, into a Tamil Brahmin community during the reign of the Chola Empire. Followers of the Vaishnava tradition later wrote hagiographies about him, believing them to be authentic despite being composed centuries after his passing.
According to traditional accounts, Ramanuja’s parents were Kanthimathi and Asuri Keshava Somayaji, and he was born in Sriperumbudur, close to modern Chennai. It is said that he was born in the month of Chithirai under the star Tiruvadhirai and lived from 1017 to 1137 CE, reaching an age of 120 years. However, some modern scholars argue, based on temple records and literature from outside the Sri Vaishnava tradition, that Ramanuja may have lived from 1077 to 1157 CE instead.
After getting married, Ramanuja relocated to Kānchipuram and studied under Yadava Prakasa as his guru. The two frequently disagreed on the interpretation of Vedic texts, leading to their eventual parting ways. Despite attempts to meet the renowned 11th-century Vedanta scholar Yamunacharya, it is believed they never crossed paths. Ramanuja’s lineage connects him to Yamunacharya, with some accounts claiming that Yamunacharya posthumously appointed Ramanuja as the new leader of the Sri Vaishnava sect.
Following his separation from Yadava Prakasa, Ramanuja is said to have been initiated into Sri Vaishnavism by Periya Nambi, also known as Mahapurna. He then renounced his married life and embraced the path of a Hindu monk. However, historical evidence regarding whether Ramanuja led a married life or became a monk remains uncertain.