Search:
Bhakti List Archives

Persecution of Ramanuja

From the Bhakti List Archives

a.prathivadi-bhayankaram-a • April 3, 1996 


Dear Bhagavathas,

I read in the latest issue of Indian Economic and Social History Review 
an article by A.Srvathsan about the persecution of Ramanuja by Kulottunga 
Chola. On the basis of wider sociological connotations, he points out :

(a) that Ramanuja tried to introduce reforms in srirangam temple 
specially a change from Vaikhansa to pancharatra and also to appoint 
srivaishnava brahmins to some of the posts in temple administration which 
were earlier held by others; Ramanuja also introduced involvement of 
non-brahmins in temple administration which caused anger to local elites;
(b) the Kulottunga Chola was weakened due to external threats and hence 
he was in need of keeping local elites and chieftains happy;
(c) in these circumstances, the only place that Ramanuja could go safely 
was Hoysala kingdom; it is said the Bitti Hoysala king who later seems to 
have been converted to vaishnavism by Ramanuja (from Jainism perhaps) and 
hence his name was later changed;
(d) and later when Kulottunga and his son become stabilised they could 
rescind their earlier order of persecuting Ramanuja and so he returns to 
srirangam.

I would be grateful to hear from our learned Bhagavathas like Dileepan, 
Sadagopan, Ramaswamy etc., some details about these incidents and their 
views.

Adiyen, Anand