x
as the Supreme Brahman, is the material and efficient cause of the universe; and the universe, which is made up of matter and soul, is the effect produced by Him. Matter and soul form the body of God, and this body is capable of existing in a subtle, as well as in a gross condition. God with his subtle body constitutes the universe in His casual condition; and with His gross body, He forms the created universe itself. The individual souls enter into matter and thereby make it live. Similarly God enters into matter and soul and give them their powers and their specific characters. The universe without God is exactly analogous to matter without soul and in the world, as we know it, all things are what they are, because God has penetrated into them and rules and guides them all from within, so much so that all things are representatives of Him and all words denote Him in the main.
Sri Ramanuja has based his commentaries on the following works: (1) Divyaprabandha of Sri Sathakopa; (2) Siddhitraya (3) Agamapramanya and (4) Stotraratna of Sri Yamuna; and (5) Nyayatattva and (6) Yogarahasya of Sri Nathamuni. Of these the Divyaprabandha is written in Tamil and the rest are all written in Sanskrit. Further Sri Nathamuni's works are not available now.
Certain special features can be noted in Sri Ramanuja's works. Of all the Sanskrit commentators of the Brahmasutra, Ramanuja is unique in one respect and that is this, namely, he proved the relation between the Brahman on one side and the souls and matter on the other, in the form of soul and body (Sarira-Sarirabhava) so that all the scriptural texts on the Bheda and Abheda between them, could be sensibly interpreted. In support of this view he mentions Bodhayana, Dramida, Guha, and Tanka and others, who had lived before
