RAS question
The Bhakti saint who propounded Vishishtadvaita (Qualified Monism) philosophy was:
Correct answer: (C) Ramanuja.
Ramanuja was the South Indian Bhakti saint who propounded Vishishtadvaita, or Qualified Monism.
Explanation
Ramanuja (1017-1137) was a South Indian Bhakti saint and the proponent of Vishishtadvaita, or Qualified Monism. This doctrine regards God, the soul and matter as real, but holds that the soul and matter depend on God. According to NCERT, Ramanuja was born in eleventh-century Tamil Nadu, was deeply influenced by the Alvars, and taught that intense devotion to Vishnu was the best means of salvation. Vishnu's grace enables the devotee to attain union with Him, yet the soul retains its distinct existence even in that union. Thus, Ramanuja's doctrine is described as qualified rather than absolute monism. He wrote the Sri Bhashya on the Brahma Sutras, and his tradition influenced later Bhakti currents.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Shankaracharya is associated with Advaita, which holds the individual soul and the Supreme God to be one in ultimate reality; therefore, he did not propound Vishishtadvaita.
- (B) Vallabhacharya propounded Shuddhadvaita, or Pure Monism, which differs from Ramanuja's Vishishtadvaita, or Qualified Monism.
- (D) Madhvacharya is associated with Dvaita, or Dualism, which emphasizes the distinction between God and the soul; therefore, he did not propound Vishishtadvaita.
Concept
The medieval Bhakti movement includes major philosophical schools and their founders. RAS often asks students to match saints with philosophical schools in order to test the links among religious reform, Vedantic thought and regional Bhakti traditions.