Ramanuja or Ramanujacharya (1017-1137 CE) was a Hindu theologian and philosopher whose explorations and doctrines greatly influenced the Bhakti Movement in the Indian subcontinent. His core philosophies revolve around devotional Hinduism, particularly towards Lord Vishnu and his consort Goddess Lakshmi. Primarily, his work signifies the importance of Bhakti towards a divine entity (Vishnu in his case) as a tool to attain spiritual liberation (Moksha). He is principally remembered for his commentaries – the Sri Bhashya (commentary on the Brahma Sutras), Vedartha Samgraha (on the Vedas), and Bhagavad Gita Bhashya (on the Bhagavad Gita).
Born in modern-day Tamil Nadu, Ramanuja was sent to Kanchipuram to complete his education under the guidance of Yadav Prakasha, who was an ardent follower of the Advaita Vedanta school of philosophy set forth by Shankaracharya. Since Ramanuja had a strong inclination towards devotion or Bhakti, he soon found himself at odds with Yadav Prakasha’s teachings. Later on, he devoted himself completely to the Sri Vaishnava tradition (devotion towards Lord Vishnu and Lakshmi) by following the footsteps of Tamil scholars – Yamunacharya and Nathamuni.