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It is also called Vishnuism since it considers Vishnu as the Supreme Being, i.e. Mahavishnu. The Vaishnavite tradition is known for the loving devotion to an avatar of Vishnu (often Krishna), and as such has been key to the spread of the Bhakti movement in South Asia in the 2nd millennium CE.
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.
What is the meaning of Vaishnavism?
Vaishnavism is the worship and acceptance of Vishnu (Sanskrit: “The Pervader” or “The… The various sects of worshippers of Vishnu pray to him in different ways. For some, the goal of religious devotion (bhakti) to Vishnu is liberation (moksha) from the cycle of birth and death (samsara).
Srivaishnavism in its present form was structured by Ramanuja Acharya (1017 – 1137). The system of theology/philosophy known as Visishtadvaita(Qualified non-dualism) which has come to be associated with his name was not originated by him.
Most of the Northern schools of Vaishnavism are affiliated to the Sri Sampradaya through Ramananda. The Swami Narayana sect of Gujerat is also affiliated to the Sri Sampradaya through its founder who claims to have been initiated in a dream by Ramanuja himself.
Why is SriVaishnavism called dual Vedanta?
Because of the recognition of the authority of both the vernacular Tamil revelation and the Sanskrit revelation Srivaishnavism is often known as Ubhaya Vedanta- the Dual Vedanta. There are other Scriptures which are also accepted as canonical such as the Vishnu Purana, Padma Purana, Srimad Bhagavatam etc.
There are two categories of people who mediate knowledge and wisdom in Srivaishnavism; the Saintsand the preceptors. The 12 Saints are known as the Alvars— a Tamil term meaning those who are “drowning in the bliss of God-realisation”.