Becoming a Sri Vaishnava, in the lineage shaped by Ramanuja, is not simply a matter of birth or casual affiliation, but a conscious entrance into a sampradaya through faith, surrender, and formal initiation. At the heart of this path lies the acceptance of Vishnu–Narayana, together with Sri (Lakshmi), as the supreme personal reality, and the recognition of the soul’s eternal relationship of service to Him. This acceptance is grounded in Ramanuja’s understanding of the three fundamental realities—Īśvara (the Lord), cit (sentient beings), and acit (insentient matter)—and in the authority of the Sanskrit scriptures and the Tamil Divya Prabandham as interpreted in the Sri Vaishnava tradition. Such assent is not merely intellectual; it is meant to ripen into a deep disposition of śaraṇāgati or prapatti, a total surrender in which one entrusts one’s spiritual destiny to Narayana through the grace of Sri and the guidance of an ācārya.

This inner surrender is ritually sealed through the formal initiation known as pañca-saṃskāra, conferred by a qualified Sri Vaishnava ācārya. In this rite, the body is marked with the sacred symbols of the conch and discus (tāpa or taptacakra-dhāraṇa), and the devotee is taught to wear the distinctive ūrdhva-puṇḍra tilaka, signifying belonging to Vishnu and Sri. A new spiritual name is given, expressing the identity of the soul as a servant (dāsa) of the Lord, and the central mantras of the tradition are imparted—most notably “oṃ namo nārāyaṇāya,” along with the dvaya and the carama-śloka—together with their meanings and the discipline of their recitation. The initiate also receives instruction in worship (yāga or ijyā): how to honor Vishnu and Sri in daily pūjā at home and how to participate reverently in temple worship.

From that point, one is regarded as a Sri Vaishnava and is expected to live in a way that reflects this new identity. This includes regular chanting and remembrance of the Lord, daily worship, and a life shaped by dharmic conduct—truthfulness, compassion, non-injury, self-control, and purity—while honoring the Āḻvārs, Ramanuja, and the line of ācāryas through study and reverence for their teachings. Many also embrace practices such as vegetarianism, frequent temple attendance, and ongoing study of Sri Vaishnava texts as natural expressions of their devotion. Underlying all of this is the cultivation of śeṣatva-buddhi, the steady awareness of oneself as the Lord’s servant, expressed in loving devotion (bhakti) and service (kainkarya) to God, to the teacher, and to fellow devotees. In this way, initiation, belief, and daily practice converge into a single, continuous movement of surrender and service at the feet of Sriman Narayana.