influenced directly or indirectly the later Vais.n.ava traditions. Each was accom-
panied and more or less supported by a specific network of religious institutions,
particular ritual systems and modes of transmission. Vis ́is.t.a ̄dvaita and Dvaita
developed and received a religious basis first and mostly in South India. There is
no testimony of the influence of Nimba ̄rka, the Dvaita ̄dvaita founder, and of
Vis.n.usva ̄min in south India, though hagiography places their birth in this part
of the subcontinent.
The school of Vis ́is.t.a ̄ dvaita
While Vis ́is.t.a ̄dvaita (“nondualism of what is qualified”) refers to a certain doc-
trine, the term S ́rı ̄vais.n.avism (to be differentiated from the more general word
Va i s.n.avism) could be said to refer to the socioreligious manifestation of this doc-
trine as it was integrated and promoted by Vis ́is.t.a ̄dvaita in south India. Modern
scholarship does not seem to have yet brought out a clear historical definition of
this term. In fifteenth-century epigraphy the term s ́rı ̄vais.n.avais used to qualify
a Vais.n.ava group known as Sa ̄tta ̄da. It is today often taken as referring solely to
a group of Brahmins called Aiyan.ka ̄rs, but it is admitted that the use of the word
may have not been so exclusive in the past (Jagadeesan 1977: 323; Lester 1994:
44, 47, 48; Hardy 1998: 101). The word s ́rı ̄in the expression S ́rı ̄-vais.n.ava is
sometimes explained as stressing the role of S ́rı ̄, the spouse of Vis.n.u, in this tra-
dition (Renou 1985a: 652; 1985b: 22). Developed in south India, Vis ́is.t.a ̄dvaita
came to be known later as S ́rı ̄samprada ̄ya in north India.
Vis ́is.t.a ̄dvaita is also called Ubhayaveda ̄nta since it refers to both (ubhaya)
Veda ̄nta doctrine written in Sanskrit and the mystical experience recorded in the
A ̄l
̄
va ̄rs songs in Tamil as its sources. Vis ́is.t.a ̄dvaita usually considers Na ̄thamuni
(probably born at the beginning of the tenth century) as its first teacher.
According to hagiography, Na ̄thamuni was born in a Brahmin family in
Vı ̄rana ̄ra ̄yan.apuram (near Cidambaram) where he officiated in the temple of
Ra ̄jagopa ̄la. His role in the rediscovery and early propagation of the Divyapra-
bandham has already been mentioned. His instauration of the practice of
singing the Divyaprabandham in the Shrirangam temple gave these hymns the
status of Vedas. Scholars have argued for or against his being a follower of
Pa ̄ñcara ̄tra ritual (Mesquita 1979; Neevel 1977). Renowned for his yogic capac-
ities, he is attributed with several doctrinal works in Sanskrit which are known
only through quotations in later texts. His Nya ̄yatattva, quoted by Ya ̄muna and
Veda ̄nta Des ́ika, is considered as the first treatise which systematized
Vis ́is.t.a ̄dvaita doctrine. His main disciple was Pun.d.arı ̄ka ̄ks.a (Uyyakon.t.a ̄r), himself
succeeded by Ra ̄ma Mis ́ra (Man.akka ̄l Nampi). The works of these authors are
known only through quotations.
Ya ̄muna (A ̄l.avanta ̄r, eleventh century) is the first a ̄ca ̄ryawhose several com-
plete works are preserved. He was the grandson of Na ̄thamuni and like him a
native of Vı ̄rana ̄ra ̄yan.apuram. He is said to have become an ascetic after several
years of marriage. Hagiographical accounts relate that under the guidance of
history of vais.n.ava traditions 247