In this article we will describe briefly the main events in the life of the great Rāmānujācārya, the practical founder of the Viśiṣṭādvaita system, referring to the names and characteristics of the most important of his immediate followers, and shall conclude with a short summary of his philosophy as disclosed in his works. The present article is a shorter and condensed version of a more detailed version published earlier and may be convenient for people in hurry or for those who would like to make sure they have not lost some important details.

A learned Vaiṣṇavite scholar named Raṅganāthāchārya, more usually called Nāthamuni, or the sage Nātha lived in the town of Śrīraṅgam, near Trichinopoly, during the latter half of the 9th century A.D. and the beginning of the 10th. He was probably a descendant of early Vaishnava immigrants, from the banks of the Jumna and other parts of the north, who carried the Bhāgavata or the Pāñcharātra cult to the south and laid the foundation for the spread of Vaishnavism during the second to the seventh centuries of modern era which were the best days of the Pallava rule.

The next writer of note in this school of Vaishnavas was the well-known Maṇavāḷa Mamunigal, whose name has been appropriated for the heading of this article. He was born near Āḻvār-Tirunāgari about 1370 A. D., and is said to have lived for 73 years, up to 1443 A. D. Of well-built proportions and extremely fair, almost white, in appearance, he soon attracted attention by his intelligence and ability and came to be recognised as an eminent scholar. He was a pupil of one Śrī Sailesa or Tiruvāymoḷi Pillai, a teacher of the Tamil hymns, as the name implies.