Nityagranthah by Ramanuja from Srimad Vedanta Desika's Raksha Granthas (Ubhaya Vedanta Granthamala Series). Edited by Sri U.Ve. Abhinava Desika, Uttamur T. Viraraghavacharya. Published by Srimad Vedanta Desika Seventh Centenary Trust, Madras-4
(1969).

Ramanuja set the philosophical framework of Sri Vaisnavism through his commentaries on the Prastana Trayi with his Gita Bhasya, Sri Bhasya, Vedanta Dipa, Vedanta Sara and Vedartha Sangraha. He then set about preaching the doctrine of surrender (prapatti) through his Saranagati Gadya and showed everyone the goal to be achieved in this world and the next through his Sri Ranga Gadya and Vaikuntha Gadya. All that was left was for him to give detailed instructions on the actual performance of prapatti and service (kainkarya) to God. This he has done is the Nitya Grantha.

According to the Pancaratra Agamas the daily routine of a Vaisnava (worshiper of Visnu) is to be divided into five parts. These five duties are Abhigamana, Upadana, Ijya, Svadhyaya and Yoga. The first, Abhigamana, includes morning bath and other personal preparations for
worship; the second, Upadana is collecting and getting ready the materials for worship; the third, Ijya is the actual ritualistic worship of the family icon. The fourth, Svadhayaya, is learning, research and teaching of scriptural literature and the fifth, Yoga, is single-minded meditation on the Lord. Though all five duties are mentioned the text centers around Ijya, the actual daily worship of the deity.

"Sri Ramanuja is reputed to be the author of nine works among which the nityam is one. This word means 'daily routine' i.e., the daily routine of a Sri Vaisnava has to follow. But the work almost wholly deals with the ritualistic worship (puja or tiruvaradhana) to the family deity.
This work is perhaps known least among Sri Vaisnavites of the present day." (From The Nityam of Sri Ramanuja by Dr. V. V. Ramanujam, Ramanuja Vani Magazine April 1987)

(text contributed by Keshava, 2004-06-29)

Added by: Jagat
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Text version: 1.00 (legend)
Keywords: Ramanuja, Ramanujacarya, Ramanujacharya, Nitya, Grantha

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