Saint Ramanuja

Ramanuja was born in a Vaishnavite family in Kanchipuram. He was put by his family under a great guru to learn the philosophy of Advaitha. But somehow he did not agree with these principles. And he left Kanchipuram and joined a Guru called Thirugoshtiyur Nambi. One day his Guru told Ramanuja, “I will teach you a great mantra, repetition of which will make you great. If you tell this mantra to somebody else, it will work for them but would not work for you.” Ramanuja agreed and that evening climbed to the top of the tower of Sri Rangam Temple. He shouted people to assemble and taught them the mantra taught by his Guru. He told them that now it will not be effective for him, but he was glad that he was able to help so many people. Ramanuja later found a religious interpretation called Visishtadhvaidha and lived to a very ripe old age.