Jagadguru Ramanandacharya Swami Rambhadracharya (born Pandit Giridhar on 14 January 1950) is an Indian

Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

spiritual leader, educator, Sanskrit scholar, polyglot, poet, author, textual commentator, philosopher, composer, singer, playwright and '' Katha'' artist based in Chitrakoot, India. He is one of four incumbent ''Jagadguru Ramanandacharya'',Leaders of the Ramananda monastic order. and has held this title since 1988.Agarwal 2010, pp. 1108–1110.Dinkar 2008, p. 32. Rambhadracharya is the founder and head of Tulsi Peeth, a religious and social service institution in Chitrakoot named after Saint

Tulsidas Tulsidas (; born Rambola Dubey; also known as Goswami Tulsidas; c.1511pp. 23–34.–1623) was a Ramanandi Vaishnava Hindu saint and poet, renowned for his devotion to the deity Rama. He wrote several popular works in Sanskrit and Awadhi, but ...

. He is the founder and lifelong chancellor of the

Jagadguru Rambhadracharya Handicapped University Jagadguru Rambhadracharya Divyanga University (JRDU), formerly Jagadguru Rambhadracharya Handicapped University, is a private university in Chitrakoot, Uttar Pradesh, Bharat. It was established in 2001 by Jagadguru Rambhadracharya for disable ...

in Chitrakoot, which offers graduate and postgraduate courses exclusively to four types of disabled students.Aneja 2005, p. 68. Rambhadracharya has been blind since the age of two months, had no formal education until the age of seventeen years, and has never used Braille or any other aid to learn or compose.Aneja 2005, p. 67. Rambhadracharya can speak 22 languages and is a spontaneous poet''Ashukavi''. and writer in Sanskrit, Hindi, Awadhi, Maithili, and several other languages.Dinkar 2008, p. 39. He has authored more than 100 books and 50 papers, including four epic poems,Two each in Sanskrit and Hindi. Hindi commentaries on Tulsidas'

Ramcharitmanas ''Ramcharitmanas'' ( deva, श्रीरामचरितमानस, Rāmacaritamānasa), is an epic poem in the Awadhi language, based on the ''Ramayana'', and composed by the 16th-century Indian bhakti poet Tulsidas (c. 1532–1623). This ...

and Hanuman Chalisa, a Sanskrit commentary in verse on the Ashtadhyayi, and Sanskrit commentaries on the Prasthanatrayi scriptures.Prasad 1999, p. 849: श्रीहनुमानचालीसा की सर्वश्रेष्ठ व्याख्या के लिए देखें महावीरी व्याख्या, जिसके लेखक हैं प्रज्ञाचक्षु आचार्य श्रीरामभद्रदासजी। श्रीहनुमानचालीसा के प्रस्तुत भाष्य का आधार श्रीरामभद्रदासजी की ही वैदुष्यमंडित टीका है। इसके लिए मैं आचार्यप्रवर का ऋणी हूँ। [For the best explanation of Hanuman Chalisa, refer the ''Mahāvīrī'' commentary, whose author is the visually-disabled Acharya Rambhadradas. The base for the commentary being presented is the commentary by Rambhadradas, which is adorned with erudition. For this, I am grateful to the eminent Acharya.]Dinkar 2008, pp. 40–43. He is acknowledged for his knowledge in diverse fields including Vyākaraṇa, Sanskrit grammar,

Nyaya (Sanskrit: न्याय, ''nyā-yá''), literally meaning "justice", "rules", "method" or "judgment",Vedanta. He is regarded as one of the greatest authorities on Tulsidas in India, and is the editor of a critical edition of the Ramcharitmanas. He is a ''Katha'' artist for the Ramayana and the

Bhagavata The Bhagavata tradition, also called Bhagavatism, refers to an ancient religious sect that traced its origin to the region of Mathura. After its syncretism with the Brahmanical tradition of Vishnu, Bhagavatism became a pan-Indian tradition ...

. His ''Katha'' programmes are held regularly in different cities in India and other countries, and are telecast on television channels like Shubh TV,

Sanskar TV Sanskar is an Indian television channel dedicated to broadcasting programs on the "''Indian philosophy, religion, spiritual solidarity, and culture''" and focuses more on devotion than spiritualism. The channel started broadcasting in June 20 ...

and Sanatan TV. He is also a leader of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP).

Birth and early life

Jagadguru Rambhadracharya was born to Pandit shri Rajdev Mishra and shrimati Shachidevi Mishra in a

Saryupareen Brahmin Saryupareen Brahmins, also known as Sarvarya Brahmins, Sarjupar Brahmins or Saryupariya Brahmins, are North Indian Brahmins residing on the eastern plain of the Sarayu. Saryupareen families, were involved solely in the research and analysis of ...

family of the Vasishtha ''

Gotra In Hindu culture, the term gotra (Sanskrit: गोत्र) is considered to be equivalent to lineage. It broadly refers to people who are descendants in an unbroken male line from a common male ancestor or patriline. Generally, the gotra fo ...

'' (lineage of the sage Vasishtha) in Shandikhurd village in the Jaunpur district, Uttar Pradesh, India. He was born on Makara Sankranti day, 14 January 1950.Nagar 2002, pp. 37–53.Aneja 2005, p. 66. Born to mother Shachidevi and father Pandit Rajdev Mishra, he was named ''Giridhar'' by his great aunt, a paternal cousin of his paternal grandfather, Pandit Suryabali Mishra. The great aunt was a devotee of Mirabai, a female saint of the

Bhakti era The Bhakti movement was a significant religious movement in medieval Hinduism that sought to bring religious reforms to all strata of society by adopting the method of devotion to achieve salvation. Originating in Tamilakam during 6th centur ...

in medieval India, who used the name ''Giridhar'' to address the god Krishna in her compositions.Dinkar 2008, pp. 22–24.

Loss of eyesight

Giridhar lost his eyesight at the age of two months. On 24 March 1950, his eyes were infected by trachoma. There were no advanced facilities for treatment in the village, so he was taken to an elderly woman in a nearby village who was known to cure trachoma boils to provide relief. The woman applied a paste of

myrobalan The common name myrobalan can refer to several unrelated fruit-bearing plant species: * Myrobalan plum (''Prunus cerasifera''), also called cherry plum and myrobalan plum * Emblic myrobalan (''Phyllanthus emblica''), also called Amla and Amalaki In ...

to Giridhar's eyes to burst the lumps, but his eyes started bleeding, resulting in the loss of his eyesight. His family took him to the King George Hospital in Lucknow, where his eyes were treated for 21 days, but his sight could not be restored. Various

Ayurvedic Ayurveda () is an alternative medicine system with historical roots in the Indian subcontinent. The theory and practice of Ayurveda is pseudoscientific. Ayurveda is heavily practiced in India and Nepal, where around 80% of the population rep ...

, Homeopathic, Allopathic, and other practitioners were approached in Sitapur, Lucknow, and Bombay, but to no avail. Rambhadracharya has been blind ever since. He cannot read or write, as he does not use Braille; he learns by listening and composes by dictating to scribes.

Childhood accident

In June 1953, at a juggler's monkey dance show in the village, the children—including Giridhar—suddenly ran away when the monkey began to touch them. Giridhar fell into a small dry well and was trapped for some time, until a teenage girl rescued him. His grandfather told him that his life was saved because he had learned the following line of a verse in the

(1.192.4), from the episode of the manifestation of the god Rama: यह चरित जे गावहिं हरिपद पावहिं ते न परहिं भवकूपा ॥ yaha carita je gāvahı̐ haripada pāvahı̐ te na parahı̐ bhavakūpā ॥ Giridhar's grandfather asked him to recite the verse always, and from then on, Giridhar has followed the practice of reciting it every time he takes water or food.

First composition

Giridhar's initial education came from his paternal grandfather, as his father worked in Bombay. In the afternoons, his grandfather would narrate to him various episodes of the Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata, and devotional works like ''Vishramsagar'', ''Sukhsagar'', ''Premsagar'' and ''Brajvilas''. At the age of three, Giridhar composed his first piece of poetry—in Awadhi (a dialect of Hindi)—and recited it to his grandfather. In this verse, Krishna's foster mother

Yashoda Yashoda ( sa, यशोदा, translit=Yaśodā) is the foster-mother of Krishna and the wife of Nanda Baba, Nanda. She is described in the Puranic texts of Hinduism as the wife of Nanda Baba, Nanda, the chieftain of Gokul, Gokulam, and the siste ...

is fighting with a

Gopi Gopi ( sa, गोपी, ) or Gopika in Hinduism are worshipped as the consorts and devotees of Krishna within the Vaishnavism and Krishnaism traditions for their unconditional love and devotion ('' Bhakti'') to god Krishna as described in the ...

(milkmaid) for hurting Krishna.

Mastering Gita and Ramcharitmanas

At the age of five, Giridhar memorised the entire

Bhagavad Gita The Bhagavad Gita (; sa, श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता, lit=The Song by God, translit=śrīmadbhagavadgītā;), often referred to as the Gita (), is a 700- verse Hindu scripture that is part of the epic ''Mahabharata'' (c ...

, consisting of around 700 verses with chapter and verse numbers, in 15 days, with the help of his neighbour, Pandit Murlidhar Mishra. On Janmashtami day in 1955, he recited the entire Bhagavad Gita. He released the first Braille version of the scripture, with the original Sanskrit text and a Hindi commentary, at New Delhi on 30 November 2007, 52 years after memorising the Gita. When Giridhar was seven, he memorised the entire Ramcharitmanas of Tulsidas, consisting of around 10,900 verses with chapter and verse numbers, in 60 days, assisted by his grandfather. On Rama Navami day in 1957, he recited the entire epic while fasting. Later, Giridhar went on to memorise the Vedas, the Upanishads, works of Sanskrit grammar, the

Bhagavata Purana The ''Bhagavata Purana'' ( sa, भागवतपुराण; ), also known as the ''Srimad Bhagavatam'', ''Srimad Bhagavata Mahapurana'' or simply ''Bhagavata'', is one of Hinduism's eighteen great Puranas (''Mahapuranas''). Composed in Sa ...

, all the works of Tulsidas, and many other works in Sanskrit and Indian literature.

Upanayana and Katha discourses

Giridhar's '' Upanayana'' (sacred thread ceremony) was performed on Nirjala Ekadashi (the Ekadashi falling in the bright half of the lunar month of Jyeshtha) of 24 June 1961. On this day, besides being given the Gayatri Mantra, he was initiated (given ''

Diksha Diksha (Sanskrit: दीक्षा) also spelled diksa, deeksha or deeksa in common usage, translated as a "preparation or consecration for a religious ceremony", is giving of a mantra or an initiation by the guru (in Guru–shishya tradition) ...

'') into the mantra of Rama by Pandit Ishvardas Maharaj of Ayodhya. Having mastered the Bhagavad Gita and Ramcharitmanas at a very young age, Giridhar started visiting the '' Katha'' programmes held near his village once every three years in the

intercalary Intercalation may refer to: *Intercalation (chemistry), insertion of a molecule (or ion) into layered solids such as graphite *Intercalation (timekeeping), insertion of a leap day, week or month into some calendar years to make the calendar follo ...

month of '' Purushottama''. The third time he attended, he presented a ''Katha'' on Ramcharitmanas, which was acclaimed by several famous exponents of the ''Katha'' art.

Discrimination by family

When Giridhar was eleven, he was stopped from joining his family in a wedding procession. His family thought that his presence would be a bad omen for the marriage. This incident left a strong impression on Giridhar; he says at the beginning of his autobiography:

Formal education

Schooling

Although Giridhar did not have any formal schooling until the age of seventeen years, he had learned many literary works as a child by listening to them. His family wished him to become a ''Kathavachak'' (a ''Katha'' artist) but Giridhar wanted to pursue his studies. His father explored possibilities for his education in Varanasi and thought of sending him to a special school for blind students. Giridhar's mother refused to send him there, saying that blind children were not treated well at the school. On 7 July 1967 Giridhar joined the Adarsh Gaurishankar Sanskrit College in the nearby Sujanganj village of Jaunpur to study Sanskrit '' Vyakarana'' (grammar), Hindi, English, Maths, History, and Geography.Dinkar 2008, pp. 25–27. In his autobiography he recalls this day as the day when the "Golden Journey" of his life began. With an ability to memorise material by listening to it just once, Giridhar has not used Braille or other aids to study. In three months, he had memorised and mastered the entire ''Laghusiddhāntakaumudī'' of Varadaraja. He was top of his class for four years, and passed the ''Uttara Madhyama'' (higher secondary) examination in Sanskrit with first class and distinction. ;First Sanskrit composition At the Adarsh Gaurishankar Sanskrit College, Giridhar learnt the eight ''

Ganas Ganas is an intentional community founded in 1979 in Tompkinsville, Staten Island. Ganas has non-egalitarian, tiered membership groups, and is thus a partial member at the Federation of Egalitarian Communities. The community uses a group proble ...

'' of Sanskrit prosody while studying ''Chandaprabhā'', a work on Sanskrit prosody. The next day, he composed his first Sanskrit verse, in the ''Bhujaṅgaprayāta'' metre.

Graduation and masters

In 1971 Giridhar enrolled at the Sampurnanand Sanskrit University in Varanasi for higher studies in ''Vyakarana''. He topped the final examination for the ''Shastri'' (Bachelor of Arts)Gupta and Kumar 2006, p. 745. degree in 1974, and then enrolled for the ''Acharya'' (Master of Arts) degree at the same institute. While pursuing his master's degree, he visited New Delhi to participate in various national competitions at the All-India Sanskrit Conference, where he won five out of the eight gold medals—in ''Vyakarana'', ''

Samkhya ''Samkhya'' or ''Sankya'' (; Sanskrit सांख्य), IAST: ') is a Dualism (Indian philosophy), dualistic Āstika and nāstika, school of Indian philosophy. It views reality as composed of two independent principles, ''purusha, puruṣa' ...

'', ''

Nyaya (Sanskrit: न्याय, ''nyā-yá''), literally meaning "justice", "rules", "method" or "judgment",Vedanta'', and Sanskrit ''

Antakshari Antakshari, also known as Antyakshari (अंताक्षरी ) is a spoken parlor game played in India. Each contestant sings the first verse of a song (often Classical Hindustani or Bollywood songs) that begins with the consonant of Hin ...

''.

Indira Gandhi Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi (; Given name, ''née'' Nehru; 19 November 1917 – 31 October 1984) was an Indian politician and a central figure of the Indian National Congress. She was elected as third prime minister of India in 1966 ...

, then Prime Minister of India, presented the five gold medals, along with the ''Chalvaijayanti'' trophy for Uttar Pradesh, to Giridhar. Impressed by his abilities, Gandhi offered to send him at her own expense to the United States for treatment for his eyes, but Giridhar turned down this offer, replying with an extemporaneous Sanskrit verse. In 1976 Giridhar topped the final ''Acharya'' examinations in ''Vyakarana'', winning seven gold medals and the Chancellor's gold medal. In a rare achievement, although he had only enrolled for a master's degree in ''Vyakarana'', he was declared ''Acharya'' of all subjects taught at the university on 30 April 1976.

Doctorate and post-doctorate

After completing his master's degree, Giridhar enrolled for the doctoral ''Vidyavaridhi'' (PhD)Bhuyan 2002, p. 245. degree at the same institute, under Pandit Ramprasad Tripathi. He received a research fellowship from the University Grants Commission (UGC), but even so, he faced financial hardship during the next five years. He completed his ''Vidyavaridhi'' degree in Sanskrit grammar on 14 October 1981. His dissertation was titled ''Adhyātmarāmāyaṇe'pāṇinīyaprayogānāṃ Vimarśaḥ'', or ''Deliberation on the non- Paninian usages in the Adhyatma Ramayana''. The thesis was authored in only thirteen days in 1981. On completion of his doctorate, the UGC offered him the position of head of the ''Vyakarana'' department of the Sampurnanand Sanskrit University. However, Giridhar did not accept; he decided to devote his life to the service of religion, society, and those with disabilities. On 9 May 1997, Giridhar (now known as Rambhadracharya) was awarded the post-doctorate ''Vachaspati'' (DLitt) degree by Sampurnanand Sanskrit University for his 2000-page Sanskrit dissertation ''Pāṇinīyāṣṭādhyāyyāḥ Pratisūtraṃ Śābdabodhasamīkṣā'', or ''Investigation into verbal knowledge of every Sūtra of the Ashtadhyayi of Panini''. The degree was presented to him by

K. R. Narayanan Kocheril Raman Narayanan (27 October 1921 – 9 November 2005) was an Indian statesman, diplomat, academic, and politician who served as the 9th vice president of India, Vice President of India from 1992 to 1997 and 10th President of India fr ...

, then President of India. In this work, Rambhadracharya explained each aphorism of the grammar of Panini in Sanskrit verses.

Later life

1979–1988

;Virakta Diksha In 1976 Giridhar narrated a ''Katha'' on Ramcharitmanas to

Swami Karpatri Dharm samrat swami Hariharanand Saraswati (1907–1980) popularly known as Swami Karpatri (so called because he would eat only what would come in his palm 'kara', as the bowl 'pātra'), was born as Hari Narayan Ojha into a Saryupareen Brahmin fa ...

, who advised him not to marry, to stay a lifelong '' Brahmachari'' (celibate bachelor) and to take initiation in a '' Vaishnava Sampradaya'' (a sect worshipping Vishnu, Krishna, or Rama as the supreme God).Dinkar 2008, pp. 28–31. Giridhar took '' vairagi'' (renouncer) initiation or ''Virakta Diksha'' in the Ramananda Sampradaya on the '' Kartika'' full-moon day of 19 November 1983 from Shri Ramcharandas Maharaj Phalahari. He now came to be known as ''Rambhadradas''. JagadguruRamabhadracharya010

;Six-month fasts Following the fifth verse of the ''Dohavali'' composed by Tulsidas, Rambhadradas observed a six-month ''

Payovrata According to ''Bhāgavata Purāṇa'', Payovrata is the ''vrata'' ("penance") observed by goddess Aditi (अदिति) to propitiate Lord Vishnu. Ritual It is usually observed for 12 days, and during that time the devotee subsists on a diet o ...

'', a diet of only milk and fruits, at Chitrakoot in 1979. In 1983 he observed his second ''Payovrata'' beside the Sphatik Shila in Chitrakoot. The ''Payovrata'' has become a regular part of Rambhadradas' life. In 2002, in his sixth ''Payovrata'', he composed the Sanskrit epic ''Śrībhārgavarāghavīyam''. He continues to observe ''Payovrata''s, the latest (2010–2011) being his ninth. ;Tulsi Peeth In 1987 Rambhadradas established a religious and social service institution called Tulsi Peeth (The seat of Tulsi) in Chitrakoot, where, according to the Ramayana, Rama had spent twelve out of his fourteen years of exile. As the founder of the seat, the title of ''Śrīcitrakūṭatulasīpīṭhādhīśvara'' (literally, ''the Lord of the Tulsi Peeth at Chitrakoot'') was bestowed upon him by Sadhus and intellectuals. In the Tulsi Peeth, he arranged for a temple devoted to Rama and his "Patni" Sita to be constructed, which is known as ''Kanch Mandir'' ("glass temple").

Post of Jagadguru Ramanandacharya

Rambhadradas was chosen as the ''Jagadguru Ramanandacharya'' seated at the Tulsi Peeth by the Kashi Vidwat Parishad in Varanasi on 24 June 1988. On 3 February 1989, at the ''

Kumbh Mela Kumbh Mela or Kumbha Mela () is a major pilgrimage and festival in Hinduism. It is celebrated in a cycle of approximately 12 years, to celebrate every revolution Brihaspati (Jupiter) completes, at four river-bank pilgrimage sites: Allahabad ( ...

'' in Allahabad, the appointment was unanimously supported by the ''

Mahant Mahant () is a religious superior, in particular the chief of a temple or the head of a monastery in Indian religions. James Mallinson, one of the few westerners to be named as a mahant, describes the position of a mahant as a combination of an ...

s'' of the three '' Akharas'', the four sub-'' Sampradayas'', the '' Khalsas'' and saints of the Ramananda Sampradaya. On 1 August 1995 he was ritually anointed as the ''Jagadguru Ramanandacharya'' in Ayodhya by the Digambar Akhara. Thereafter he was known as ''Jagadguru Ramanandacharya Swami Rambhadracharya''.Nagar 2002, p. 125.

Deposition in the Ayodhya case

In July 2003 Rambhadracharya deposed as an expert witness for religious matters (OPW 16) in Other Original Suit Number 5 of the Ram Janmabhoomi Babri Masjid dispute case in the

Allahabad High Court Allahabad High Court, also known as High Court of Judicature at Allahabad is the high court based in Prayagraj that has jurisdiction over the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It was established on 17 March 1866, making it one of the oldest high ...

. Some portions of his affidavit and cross examination are quoted in the final judgement by the High Court.Agarwal 2010, pp. 304, 309, 780–788, 1103–1110, 2004–2005, 4447, 4458–4459, 4537, 4891–4894, 4996. In his affidavit, he cited the ancient Hindu scriptures including the Ramayana, ''Rāmatāpanīya Upaniṣad'', Skanda Purana, Yajurveda,

Atharvaveda The Atharva Veda (, ' from ' and ''veda'', meaning "knowledge") is the "knowledge storehouse of ''atharvāṇas'', the procedures for everyday life".Laurie Patton (2004), Veda and Upanishad, in ''The Hindu World'' (Editors: Sushil Mittal and G ...

, and others describing Ayodhya as a city holy to Hindus and the birthplace of Rama. He cited verses from two works composed by Tulsidas which, in his opinion, are relevant to the dispute. The first citation consisted of eight verses from a work called ''Dohā Śataka'', which describe the destruction of a temple and construction of a mosque at the disputed site in 1528 CE by

Mughal Mughal or Moghul may refer to: Related to the Mughal Empire * Mughal Empire of South Asia between the 16th and 19th centuries * Mughal dynasty * Mughal emperors * Mughal people, a social group of Central and South Asia * Mughal architecture * Mug ...

ruler

Babur Babur ( fa, , lit= tiger, translit= Bābur; ; 14 February 148326 December 1530), born Mīrzā Zahīr ud-Dīn Muhammad, was the founder of the Mughal Empire in the Indian subcontinent. He was a descendant of Timur and Genghis Khan through his ...

, who had ordered General Mir Baqui to destroy the Rama temple, considered a symbol of worship by sanatana dharmi. The second citation was a verse from a work called ''Kavitāvalī'', which mentions a mosque. In his cross examination, he described in some detail the history of the Ramananda sect, its '' Mathas'', rules regarding ''Mahants'', formation and working of ''Akharas'', and Tulsidas' works. Refuting the possibility of the original temple being to the north of the disputed area, as pleaded by the pro-mosque parties, he described the boundaries of the ''Janmabhoomi'' as mentioned in the ''Ayodhya Mahatmya'' section of Skanda Purana, which tallied with the present location of the disputed area, as noted by Justice Sudhir Agarwal. However, he stated that he had no knowledge of whether there was a ''Ram Chabootra'' ("Platform of Rama") outside the area that was locked from 1950 to 1985 and where the ''Chati Poojan Sthal'' was, nor whether the idols of Rama, his brother Lakshmana, and Sita were installed at ''Ram Chabootra'' outside the ''Janmabhoomi'' temple.

Multilingualism

Rambhadracharya is a scholar of 14 languages and can speak 22 languages in total, including Sanskrit, Hindi, English, French,

Bhojpuri Bhojpuri (;Bhojpuri entry, Oxford Dictionaries
, Oxford U ...

, Maithili, Oriya,

Gujarati Gujarati may refer to: * something of, from, or related to Gujarat, a state of India * Gujarati people, the major ethnic group of Gujarat * Gujarati language, the Indo-Aryan language spoken by them * Gujarati languages, the Western Indo-Aryan sub- ...

Punjabi Punjabi, or Panjabi, most often refers to: * Something of, from, or related to Punjab, a region in India and Pakistan * Punjabi language * Punjabi people * Punjabi dialects and languages Punjabi may also refer to: * Punjabi (horse), a British Th ...

Marathi Marathi may refer to: *Marathi people, an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group of Maharashtra, India *Marathi language, the Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people *Palaiosouda, also known as Marathi, a small island in Greece See also * * ...

Magadhi The Magahi language (), also known as Magadhi (), is a language spoken in Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal states of eastern India, and in the Terai of Nepal. Magadhi Prakrit was the ancestor of Magahi, from which the latter's name derives. ...

, Awadhi, and Braj. He has composed poems and literary works in many Indian languages, including Sanskrit, Hindi, and Awadhi. He has translated many of his works of poetry and prose into other languages. He delivers ''Katha'' programmes in various languages, including Hindi, Bhojpuri, and Gujarati.

Institutes for the disabled

On 23 August 1996 Rambhadracharya established the Tulsi School for the Blind in Chitrakoot, Uttar Pradesh. He founded the Jagadguru Rambhadracharya Handicapped University, an institution of higher learning solely for disabled students, on 27 September 2001 in Chitrakoot. This is the first university in the world exclusively for those with disabilities. The university was created by an ordinance of the Uttar Pradesh Government, which was later passed as Uttar Pradesh State Act 32 (2001) by the Uttar Pradesh legislature.Gupta and Kumar 2006, p. 395. The act appointed Swami Rambhadracharya as the lifelong chancellor of the university. The university offers graduate, post-graduate, and doctorate degrees in various subjects, including Sanskrit, Hindi, English, Sociology, Psychology, Music, Drawing and Painting, Fine Arts, Special Education, Education, History, Culture and Archeology, Computer and Information Sciences, Vocational Education, Law, Economics, and Prosthetics and Orthotics. The university plans to start offering courses in Ayurveda and

Medical Sciences Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care practice ...

from 2013. Admissions are restricted to the four types of disabled students—visually impaired, hearing impaired, mobility impaired, and mentally impaired—as defined by the Disability Act (1995) of the Government of India. According to the Government of Uttar Pradesh, the university is among the chief educational institutes for Information Technology and Electronics in the state. Rambhadracharya also founded an organisation called Jagadguru Rambhadracharya Viklang Seva Sangh, headquartered in Satna, Madhya Pradesh. Its goal is to create community awareness and initiate child development programmes in rural India. Its primary objective is to supplement the education programmes of Jagadguru Rambhadracharya Handicapped University by helping disabled children get a good education. Aid is generally given in the form of facilities which enable easier access to education. Rambhadracharya also runs a hundred-bed hospital in Gujarat.

Critical edition of Ramcharitmanas

The Ramcharitmanas was composed by Tulsidas in the late sixteenth century. It has been extremely popular in northern India over the last four hundred years, and is often referred to as the "Bible of northern India" by Western Indologists. Rambhadracharya produced a critical edition of the Ramcharitmanas, which was published as the Tulsi Peeth edition. Apart from the original text, for which Rambhadracharya has relied extensively on older manuscripts, there were differences in spelling, grammar, and prosodic conventions between the Tulsi Peeth edition and contemporary editions of the Ramcharitmanas.Rambhadracharya (ed) 2006, pp. 1–27. In November 2009, Rambhadracharya was accused of tampering with the epic, but the dispute died down after Rambhadracharya expressed his regret for any annoyance or pain caused by the publication. A writ petition was also filed against him but it was dismissed. This edition was published in 2005 by Shri Tulsi Peeth Seva Nyas.

Assassination threats

In November 2007 someone claiming to be an

al-Qaeda Al-Qaeda (; , ) is an Islamic extremism, Islamic extremist organization composed of Salafist jihadists. Its members are mostly composed of Arab, Arabs, but also include other peoples. Al-Qaeda has mounted attacks on civilian and military ta ...

member sent Rambhadracharya a letter telling him and his disciples either to accept

Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...

or to be prepared to die. Police superintendent Kamal Singh Rathore said that this letter had been sent from Haridwar, that Rambhadracharya's security arrangements had been increased and that an intensive investigation of the letter had been carried out. Gita Devi, secretary of JRHU, said that Rambhadracharya had been threatened by al-Qaeda, as

Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas (translation: ''Ram Birthplace Trust'') is an organisation which was formed as a trust to promote and oversee the construction of a temple in Ayodhya, India at the Ram Janmabhoomi, the reputed site of the birth of Rama, the s ...

president Nrityagopal had been in the past. In November 2014, Rambhadracharya received another assassination threat with a demand of "terror tax" over JRHU operations.

Participation in 84-kosi yatra

On 25 August 2013, Rambhadracharya arrived at the

Chaudhary Charan Singh Airport Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport is an international airport serving Lucknow, the capital of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is located in the Amausi area of the city 14 km far from the city centre, and was earlier also ...

in Lucknow along with VHP leader Ashok Singhal. He was going to Ayodhya to take part in the ''84-kosi yatra'', a 12-day religious '' yatra'' which was banned by the state government citing law and order reasons. It is alleged that the ban was due to opposition from Muslim organisations or vote-bank politics. Rambhadracharya's participation in the yatra was kept secret. Rambhadracharya was put under

house arrest In justice and law, house arrest (also called home confinement, home detention, or, in modern times, electronic monitoring) is a measure by which a person is confined by the authorities to their residence. Travel is usually restricted, if all ...

at the home of R C Mishra, his disciple and friend. On 26 August 2013, a local lawyer Ranjana Agnihotri filed a habeas corpus petition in the Allahabad High Court's Lucknow bench, on which judges Imtiyaz Murtaza and D K Upadhayaya passed the release order for Rambhadracharya, along with Singhal and Praveen Togadia. The petitioner's advocate H S Jain said that even though Rambhadracharya and other leaders were arrested under the section 151 of the 1973 Criminal Procedure Code, which permits an arrest to prevent commission of cognisable offences, the custody period cannot exceed 24 hours unless any other section of the code or any other law is applicable. After his release, Rambhadracharya said that the government had creating misconceptions about the ''yatra''. Two days after the incident, Rambhadracharya was given Y-category security cover by the Uttar Pradesh government since he had reported security threats. '' Hindustan Times'' reported that this grant could be a possible attempt to "build bridges with the sadhus after the Sunday showdown." Government officials said that a high-powered committee will decide on the continuation of the security cover. JRHU vice-chancellor B Pandey said that Rambhadracharya met Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav in Lucknow and invited him to be the chief guest in a University function, and Yadav accepted the invitation. However, Yadav did not attend the function due to difficult circumstances, but sent the Energy Minister of State

Vijay Mishra Vijay Chandra Mishra (born 4 May 1945) is an academic, author and cultural theorist from Fiji. He is currently a professor at Murdoch University, Australia. Academic and professional career Born in Suva, Fiji on 4 May 1945 to Hari Mishra ...

and Secondary Education Minister of State Vijay Bahadur Pal. Rambhadracharya was disappointed that Yadav could not "come for even 15 minutes for disabled children," and said that he will have atone for this.

Works

Rambhadracharya has authored more than 100 books and 50 papers, including published books and unpublished manuscripts. Various audio and video recordings have also been released. His major literary and musical compositions are listed below.Nagar 2002, pp. 89–90.

Poetry and plays

* (1980) ''Kākā Vidura'' (काका विदुर) – Hindi minor poem. * (1982) ''Mā̐ Śabarī'' (मा̐ शबरी) – Hindi minor poem. * (1991) ''Rāghavagītaguñjana'' (राघवगीतगुञ्जन) – Hindi lyrical poem. * (1993) ''Bhaktigītasudhā'' (भक्तिगीतसुधा) – Hindi lyrical poem. * (1994) '' Arundhatī'' (अरुन्धती) – Hindi epic poem. * (1996) ''Ājādacandraśekharacaritam'' (आजादचन्द्रशेखरचरितम्) – Sanskrit minor poem.Tripathi, Shukla, Tripathi et al (ed) 2012. * (1996) ''Āryāśatakam'' (आर्याशतकम्) – Sanskrit hymn of praise. * (1996) ''Gaṇapatiśatakam'' (गणपतिशतकम्) – Sanskrit hymn of praise. * (1996) ''Caṇḍīśatakam'' (चण्डीशतकम्) – Sanskrit hymn of praise. * (1996) ''Jānakīkṛpākaṭākṣam'' (जानकीकृपाकटाक्षम्) – Sanskrit hymn of praise. * (1996) ''Mukundasmaraṇam'' (मुकुन्दस्मरणम्) – Sanskrit hymn of praise. * (1996) ''Śrīrāghavābhyudayam'' (श्रीराघवाभ्युदयम्) – Single-act Sanskrit play-poem. * (1996) ''Śrīrāghavendraśatakam'' (श्रीराघवेन्द्रशतकम्) – Sanskrit hymn of praise. * (1997) ''Aṣṭādhyāyyāḥ Pratisūtraṃ Śābdabodhasamīkṣaṇam'' (अष्टाध्याय्याः प्रतिसूत्रं शाब्दबोधसमीक्षणम्) – Sanskrit commentary in verse on the Sutras of the Ashtadhyayi. * (1997) ''Śrīrāmabhaktisarvasvam'' (श्रीरामभक्तिसर्वस्वम्) – Sanskrit poem of one hundred verses. * (1998) ''Śrīgaṅgāmahimnastotram'' (श्रीगङ्गामहिम्नस्तोत्रम्) – Sanskrit hymn of praise. * (2001) ''Sarayūlaharī'' (सरयूलहरी) – Sanskrit minor poem. * (2001) ''Laghuraghuvaram'' (लघुरघुवरम्) – Sanskrit minor poem. * (2001) ''Namo Rāghavāya'' (नमो राघवाय) – Sanskrit hymn of praise. * (2001) ''Śrīnarmadāṣṭakam'' (श्रीनर्मदाष्टकम्) – Sanskrit hymn of praise on the river Narmada. * (2001) ''Bhaktisārasarvasvam'' (भक्तिसारसर्वस्वम्) – Sanskrit hymn of praise. * (2001) ''Ślokamauktikam'' (श्लोकमौक्तिकम्) – Sanskrit hymn of praise. * (2001) ''Śrīrāghavacaraṇacihnaśatakam'' (श्रीराघवचरणचिह्नशतकम्) – Sanskrit hymn of praise. * (2001) ''Śrījānakīcaraṇacihnaśatakam'' (श्रीजानकीचरणचिह्नशतकम्) – Sanskrit hymn of praise. * (2001) ''Śrīrāmavallabhāstotram'' (श्रीरामवल्लभास्तोत्रम्) – Sanskrit hymn of praise. * (2010) ''Sarvarogaharāṣṭakam'' (सर्वरोगहराष्टकम्) – Sanskrit hymn of praise. * (2001) ''Śrīcitrakūṭavihāryaṣṭakam'' (श्रीचित्रकूटविहार्यष्टकम्) – Sanskrit hymn of praise. * (2001) ''Śrījānakīkṛpākaṭākṣastotram'' (श्रीजानकीकृपाकटाक्षस्तोत्रम्) – Sanskrit hymn of praise. * (2002) ''

Śrībhārgavarāghavīyam ''Śrībhārgavarāghavīyam'' ( sa, श्रीभार्गवराघवीयम्) (2002), literally ''Of Paraśurāma and Rāma'', is a Sanskrit epic poem (Mahākāvya) composed by Jagadguru Rambhadracharya (1950–). It consists ...

'' (श्रीभार्गवराघवीयम्) – Sanskrit epic poem. The poet was awarded the 2004

Sahitya Akademi Award for Sanskrit The Sahitya Akademi Award is an annual award, given by the Sahitya Akademi (India's National Academy of Letters), to writers in 24 Indian languages. The award was instituted and first awarded in 1955. , the award carries a monetary reward of , ...

for the epic. * (2002) ''Śrīrāghavabhāvadarśanam'' (श्रीराघवभावदर्शनम्) – Sanskrit minor poem. * (2003) ''Kubjāpatram'' (कुब्जापत्रम्) – Sanskrit letter poem. * (2004) ''

Bhṛṅgadūtam ''Bhṛṅgadūtam'' ( sa, भृङ्गदूतम्) (2004), literally ''The bumblebee messenger'', is a Sanskrit minor poem (Khaṇḍakāvya) of the Dūtakāvya (messenger-poem) genre composed by Jagadguru Rambhadracharya (1950–). T ...

'' (भृङ्गदूतम्) – Sanskrit minor poem of the ''Dūtakāvya'' (messenger-poem) category. * (2007) ''Manmathāriśatakam'' (मन्मथारिशतकम्) – Sanskrit hymn of praise. * (2008) ''Caraṇapīḍāharāṣṭakam'' (चरणपीडाहराष्टकम्) – Sanskrit hymn of praise. * (2008) '' Śrīsītārāmakelikaumudī'' (श्रीसीतारामकेलिकौमुदी) – Hindi Rītikāvya (procedural-era Hindi poem). * (2009) '' Śrīsītārāmasuprabhātam'' (श्रीसीतारामसुप्रभातम्) – A Sanskrit

suprabhatam Suprabhatam ( sa, सुप्रभातम्, lit=auspicious dawn, translit=Suprabhātam) is a Sanskrit prayer of the ''Suprabhātakāvya'' genre. It is a collection of hymns or verses recited early morning to awaken the deity in Hinduism. T ...

. * (2010) ''

Aṣṭāvakra Ashtavakra ( sa, अष्टावक्रः, ) or Ushtaavukruhu is a revered Vedic sage in Hinduism. His name literally means "eight deformities", reflecting the eight physical deformities he was born with. His maternal grandfather was the ...

'' (अष्टावक्र) – Hindi epic poem. * (2011) '' Gītarāmāyaṇam'' (गीतरामायणम्) – Sanskrit lyrical epic poem.Sushil & Mishra 2011, p. 14 * (2011) ''Avadha Kai Ajoriyā'' (अवध कै अजोरिया) – Awadhi lyrical poem. * (2011) ''Śrīsītāsudhānidhiḥ'' (श्रीसीतासुधानिधिः) – Sanskrit minor poem of the ''Stotraprabandhakāvya'' category.

Prose

Sanskrit commentaries on Prasthanatrayi

Rambhadracharya composed Sanskrit commentaries titled ''Śrīrāghavakṛpābhāṣyam'' on the Prasthanatrayi scriptures – the Brahma Sutra, the Bhagavad Gita, and eleven Upanishads. These commentaries were released on 10 April 1998 by

Atal Bihari Vajpayee Atal Bihari Vajpayee (; 25 December 1924 – 16 August 2018) was an Indian politician who served three terms as the 10th prime minister of India, first for a term of 13 days in 1996, then for a period of 13 months fr ...

, then Prime Minister of India. Rambhadracharya composed ''Śrīrāghavakṛpābhāṣyam'' on

Narada Bhakti Sutra The ''Narada Bhakti Sutra'' ( IAST: ) is a well known sutra venerated within the traditions of Hinduism, reportedly spoken by the famous sage, Narada. The text details the process of devotion ( Bhakti), or Bhakti yoga and is thus of particular ...

in 1991. He thus revived the tradition of writing Sanskrit commentaries on the Prasthanatrayi. He also gave the Ramananda Sampradaya its second commentary on Prasthanatrayi in Sanskrit, the first being the ''Ānandabhāṣyam'', composed by Ramananda himself.Dwivedi 2007, pp. 315–317. Rambhadracharya's commentary in Sanskrit on the Prasthanatrayi was the first written in almost 500 years.

Other prose works

* (1980) ''Bharata Mahimā'' (भरत महिमा) – Hindi discourse. * (1981) ''Adhyātmarāmāyaṇe Apāṇinīyaprayogānāṃ Vimarśaḥ'' (अध्यात्मरामायणे अपाणिनीयप्रयोगानां विमर्शः) – Sanskrit dissertation (PhD thesis). * (1982) ''Mānasa Me̐ Tāpasa Prasaṅga'' (मानस में तापस प्रसंग) – Hindi deliberation. * (1983) ''Mahavīrī'' (महावीरी) – Hindi commentary on Hanuman Chalisa. * (1985) ''Sugrīva Kā Agha Aura Vibhīṣaṇa Kī Karatūti'' (सुग्रीव का अघ और विभीषण की करतूति) – Hindi discourse. * (1985) ''Śrīgītātātparya'' (श्रीगीतातात्पर्य) – Hindi commentary on the Bhagavad Gita. * (1988) ''Sanātanadharma Kī Vigrahasvarūpa Gomātā'' (सनातनधर्म की विग्रहस्वरूप गोमाता) – Hindi deliberation. * (1988) ''Śrītulasīsāhitya me̐ Kṛṣṇa Kathā'' (श्रीतुलसीसाहित्य में कृष्णकथा) – Hindi investigative research. * (1989) ''Mānasa me̐ Sumitrā'' (मानस में सुमित्रा) – Hindi discourse. * (1990) ''Sīta Nirvāsana Nahī̐'' (सीता निर्वासन नहीं) – Hindi critique. * (1991) ''Śrīnāradabhaktisūtreṣu Śrīrāghavakṛpābhāṣyam'' (श्रीनारदभक्तिसूत्रेषु श्रीराघवकृपाभाष्यम्) – Sanskrit commentary on the

. * (1992) ''Prabhu Kari Kṛpā Pā̐varī Dīnhī'' (प्रभु करि कृपा पाँवरी दीन्ही) – Hindi discourse. * (1993) ''Parama Baḍabhāgī Jaṭāyu'' (परम बड़भागी जटायु) – Hindi discourse. * (2001) ''Śrīrāmastavarājastotre Śrīrāghavakṛpābhāṣyam'' (श्रीरामस्तवराजस्तोत्रे श्रीराघवकृपाभाष्यम्) – Sanskrit commentary on the ''Rāmastavarājastotra''. * (2001) ''Śrī Sītārāma Vivāha Darśana'' (श्री सीताराम विवाह दर्शन) – Hindi discourse. * (2004) ''Tuma Pāvaka Ma̐ha Karahu Nivāsā'' (तुम पावक मँह करहु निवासा) – Hindi discourse. * (2005) ''Bhāvārthabodhinī'' (भावार्थबोधिनी) – Hindi commentary on the Ramcharitmanas. * (2007) ''Śrīrāsapañcādhyāyīvimarśaḥ'' (श्रीरासपञ्चाध्यायीविमर्शः) – Hindi deliberation on ''Rāsapañcādhyāyī''. * (2006) ''Ahalyoddhāra'' (अहल्योद्धार) – Hindi discourse. * (2008) ''Hara Te Bhe Hanumāna'' (हर ते भे हनुमान) – Hindi discourse. * (2009) ''Satya Rāmapremī Śrīdaśaratha'' (सत्य रामप्रेमी श्रीदशरथ) – Hindi discourse on the character of Dasharatha. * (2011) ''Veṇugīta'' (वेणुगीत) – Hindi discourse on chapter 21 from Book 10 of Śrīmadbhāgavatam.

Audio and video

* (2001) ''Bhajana Sarayū'' (भजन सरयू) – Audio CD with eight

bhajan Bhajan refers to any devotional song with a religious theme or spiritual ideas, specifically among Indian religions, in any language. The term bhajanam (Sanskrit: भजनम्) means ''reverence'' and originates from the root word ''bhaj'' ...

s (devotional hymns) in Hindi devoted to Rama. Composed, set to music, and sung by Rambhadracharya. Released by Yuki Cassettes, Delhi. * (2001) ''Bhajana Yamunā'' (भजन यमुना) – Audio CD with seven bhajans in Hindi devoted to Krishna. Composed, set to music, and sung by Rambhadracharya. Released by Yuki Cassettes, Delhi. * (2009) ''Śrī Hanumat Bhakti'' (श्री हनुमत् भक्ति) – Audio CD with six bhajans in Hindi devoted to Hanuman, and composed by Tulsidas. Set to music and sung by Rambhadracharya. Released by Kuber Music, New Delhi. * (2009) ''Śrīsītārāmasuprabhātam'' (श्रीसीतारामसुप्रभातम्) – Audio CD of ''Śrīsītārāmasuprabhātam'', a Sanskrit Suprabhata poem. Composed, set to music, and sung in the ''Vairagi''

Raga A ''raga'' or ''raag'' (; also ''raaga'' or ''ragam''; ) is a melodic framework for improvisation in Indian classical music akin to a musical mode, melodic mode. The ''rāga'' is a unique and central feature of the classical Indian music tradit ...

by Rambhadracharya. Released by Yuki Cassettes, Delhi. * (2009) ''Sundara Kāṇḍa'' (सुन्दर काण्ड) – DVD with a musical rendition of and commentary on the Sundar Kand of Ramcharitmanas. Spoken, set to music, and sung by Rambhadracharya. Released by Yuki Cassettes, Delhi.

Literary style

Rewa Prasad Dwivedi Rewa Prasad Dwivedi (22 August 1935 - 21 May 2021) was a Sanskrit scholar, poet, writer, teacher, and critic. His original works include poetry as epics and lyrics, plays, and prose. He wrote new literature under the pseudonym "sanatana", mea ...

writes in his Sanskrit poem dedicated to Rambhadracharya that he is an encyclopaedia of learning whose literature is like numerous Narmadā rivers flowing out simultaneously, and in whose literary works Shiva and Parvati delight while performing Tandava and

Lasya The term Lāsya , in the context of Hindu mythology, describes the dance performed by the goddess Parvati as it expresses happiness and is filled with grace and beauty. She is believed to have danced the Lāsya in response to the male energy of the ...

.Dwivedi, Rewa Prasad. "विलसन्ति रामभद्राः he revered Rambhadracharya is resplendent (in Sanskrit). In Sharma, Sushil and Shrivastav (2011), pp. 643–648. "येशामास्यमहाभ्रकूटशिखरादाविर्भवन्त्येक्दैवानेकाः खलु नर्मदास्त्रिजगतीं सम्प्लावयन्त्यो गिरः। तेषां वस्तु किमस्तु दुर्लभमिह श्रीरामभक्तः शिवो यद्वाचां प्रसरेषु नृत्यति मुदा देव्या भवान्या समम्॥", "तं सारस्वतकोशमद्भुतमिमं श्रीरामभद्राभिधं किं सम्भावयितुं क्रमेत न सुधीप्रज्ञावतां मण्डलम्॥". Devarshi Kala Nath Shastry writes in his review of Rambhadracharya's works that Rambhadracharya is an accomplished and eloquent poet who is the foremost among scholars and is also well-versed in all scriptures, and who even talks in extemporaneously composed poetry with Sanskrit scholars, usually in ''Upajāti'' metre. Rambhadracharya uses with great effect the ''Daṇḍaka'' style with Sanskrit adjectives in his speeches. Shastry recounts a use of a long sentence in the ''Daṇḍaka'' style at a speech in Jaipur in July 2003 by Rambhadracharya, in which one sentence with multiple adjectives lasted around seven minutes and was "replete with poetic beauty". Shastry writes that among Sanskrit poets, only Śrīharṣa (poet of ''Naiṣadhīyacaritam'') has been described as having such wonderful command over Sanskrit as Rambhadracharya has.Shastry, Devarshi Kala Nath. "अलौकिक प्रतिभा को श्रद्धार्घ्य reverential offering to a superhuman talent (in Hindi). In Sharma, Sushil and Shrivastav (2011), pp. 643–648. Shastry critiqued the work ''

'' in the January 2003 issue of the Sanskrit monthly ''Bhāratī''. Shastry writes that the work has poetic excellence, variety of meters and dexterity of language which has not been seen hitherto in Sanskrit epics. Shastry finds the twentieth canto of the epic to be an excellent illustration of Sanskrit poetry in Prakrit verses, a style which was pioneered by Shastry's father. Dr. Brajesh Dikshit, Sanskrit scholar from Jabalpur, says that ''Śrībhārgavarāghavīyam'' combines the styles of three previous Sanskrit epics – it has two leading characters like in Bhāravi's ''Kirātārjunīyam'', the poetic excellence and variety of prosodic metres is like in Śrīharṣa's ''Naiṣadhīyacaritam'', while the length and extent of the work is like the ''Śiśupālavadham'' of Māgha.Dikshit, Dr. Brajendra. "अतुला गीर्जगद्गुरोः he speech of Jagadguru is incomparable (in Sanskrit, Hindi). In Sharma, Sushil and Shrivastav (2011), pp. 719–721. Shastry also critiqued the work ''

'', about which he says that it has many new usages (''Prayoga''s) not seen earlier in Sanskrit poetry. As per Shastry, new dimensions in Sanskrit literature are seen in the play ''Śrīrāghavābhyudayam'' where there are songs in the ''Gīti'' style, and Gītarāmāyaṇam which is an epic poem in the ''Gīti'' style of Gītagovindam by

Jayadeva Jayadeva (; born ), also spelt Jaideva, was a Sanskrit poet during the 12th century. He is most known for his epic poem ''Gita Govinda'' which concentrates on Krishna's love with the '' gopi'', Radha, in a rite of spring. This poem, which presen ...

. Dikshit writes that ''Kubjāpatram'' is a revival of the letter-poem (''Patrakāvya'') genre in Sanskrit after 2000 years, and is the first work in Sanskrit literature whose lead character is disabled. Shastry says that rhyme (''Antyānuprāsa'') is a distinguishing feature of Rambhadracharya's Sanskrit poetry. Shastry notes that another feature of Rambhadracharya's works is the devotion to motherland and patriotism, which is most evident in the poetic work ''Ājādacandraśekharacaritam'' on the life of Chandrashekhar Azad. Shastry says that this strong feeling of love towards motherland is reminiscent of old Sanskrit literature including Prithvi Sukta of Atharva Veda, various Puranas including Bhagavata Purana, and also in the Sanskrit works of Swami Bhagavadacharya, a former Jagadguru Ramanandacharya. Dikshit says that the nationalistic play ''Śrīrāghavābhyudayam'' establishes Rambhadracharya as a successful playwright at a young age. Dikshit praises the aesthetics of the work '' Śrīsītārāmakelikaumudī'' saying that it represents all the six ''Sampradāya''s of Indian literature (''Rīti'', ''Rasa'', ''Alaṅkāra'', ''Dhvani'', ''Vakrokti'' and ''Aucitya''), and that it is a unique work of Rambhadracharya when it comes to figures of speech. Dikshit says that this work places Rambhadracharya in the league of ''Ritikavya'' poets like Raskhan, Keshavdas, Ghananand and Padmakar; but observes the distinction that while the works of all these poets are primarily in the Śṛngāra Rasa, ''Śrīsītārāmakelikaumudī'' is a work which has Vātsalya Rasa as the primary emotion, which is augmented by Śṛngāra Rasa. Dinkar notes that in the poems of Rambhadracharya, the three poetical styles of ''Pāñcālī'' (secondary figurative sense with short and sweet-sounding compounds), ''Vaidarbhī'' (with compounds and soft contexts and without many figures of speech) and ''Lāṭī'' (with precise contexts and without many figures of speech) are dominant.

Recognition, awards and honours

Recognition

;Recognition in India JagadguruRamabhadracharya007

Rambhadracharya is widely popular in Chitrakoot.

considered Rambhadracharya to be an "immensely learned person well versed in Vedic and Puranic literature besides the grammar", and commended his intelligence and memory.Nagar 2002, p. 13. Dr.

Murli Manohar Joshi Murli Manohar Joshi (born 5 January 1934) is an Indian politician. He is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of which he was the President between 1991 and 1993, and the former Member of Parliament for Kanpur parliamentary constitue ...

said of Rambhadracharya that the "intense knowledge of the most revered is indeed adorable".Nagar 2002, p. 15. Nanaji Deshmukh called Rambhadracharya "an astonishing gem of the country".Nagar 2002, p. 16.

Swami Kalyandev Kalyandev ji Maharaj (21 June 1876 (claimed) – 14 July 2004), known as Swami Kalyandev, was an Indian-born ascetic who was awarded the Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian award in India, for his social work in the villages of India. Biog ...

considered Rambhadracharya to be "an unprecedented intellectual and speaker, and an Acharya with great devotion".Nagar 2002, p. 10.

Somnath Chatterjee Somnath Chatterjee (25 July 1929 – 13 August 2018) was an Indian politician who was associated with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) for most of his life, though he had been a non affiliated independent during his last decade. He was t ...

called him a "celebrated Sanskrit scholar and educationist of great merit and achievement". He is considered one of the greatest scholars on Tulsidas and Ramcharitmanas in India, and is cited as such.

Ram Prakash Gupta Ram Prakash Gupta (26 October 1923 – 1 May 2004) was Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, and Governor of Madhya Pradesh. He was a leader of Bharatiya Janata Party, as well as its predecessor party, the Bharatiya Jana Sangh. A post-gra ...

and

Keshari Nath Tripathi Keshari Nath Tripathi (born 10 November 1934) is an Indian politician, who served as Governor of West Bengal from July 2014 to July 2019. He also had additional charge for short stints as governor of Bihar, Meghalaya and Mizoram. He was a membe ...

have stated that Rambhadracharya has enriched society with his contributions and will continue to do so.

Swami Ramdev Ramdev (born Ram Kisan Yadav in 1965), also referred to by his followers with the honorifics Baba or Swami, is an Indian yoga guru, businessman and brand ambassador for Patanjali Ayurved. Ramdev is primarily known for being a proponent of yog ...

considers Rambhadracharya to be the most learned person in the world at present. Rambhadracharya was a member of a delegation of saints and ''Dharmacharyas'' which met the then president

A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam (; 15 October 193127 July 2015) was an Indian aerospace scientist and statesman who served as the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007. He was born and raised in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu and studied phy ...

and the then union Home Minister Shivraj Patil in July 2005 to hand over a memorandum urging to strengthen the security arrangements for important religious places in the country.

Abhiraj Rajendra Mishra Abhiraj Rajendra Mishra (born 1943) is a Sanskrit author, poet, lyricist, playwright and a former Vice-Chancellor of the Sampurnanand Sanskrit University, Varanasi. He is the recipient of India's highly prestigious award Padma Shri 2020 for his ...

said that Rambhadracharya is of a high-mind, has a stupendous grip on the Indian literature, and "his soul feels the true pleasure in serving oppressed disabled people". Mata Prasad Pandey, the Speaker of Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly, said that Rambhadracharya has opened a door of development for those with disabilities in India, and that he has achieved what eminent industrialists and the government cannot do. Energy Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Uttar Pradesh

termed Rambhadracharya as "most revered", whereas Uttar Pradesh's Secondary Education Minister of State Vijay Bahadur Pal called him the "chancellor of the utterly unique handicapped university." Rambhadracharya is also a member of the 51-members ''Akhil Bharatiya Sant Ucchadhikar Samiti'' (Empowered Committee of the All India Saints). In November 2014, Rambhadracharya was one of the nine people nominated by the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Clean India Campaign. In September 2014, Rambhadracharya adopted five villages of Chitrakoot, with an aim to construct toilets in all the households. Rambhadracharya was one of the guests in the inaugural

International Yoga Day The International Day of Yoga has been celebrated across the world annually on June 21 since 2015, following its inception in the United Nations General Assembly in 2014. Yoga is a physical, mental and spiritual practice which originated in ...

event in New Delhi. ;International recognition In 1992 Rambhadracharya led the Indian delegation at the Ninth World Conference on Ramayana, held in Indonesia. He has travelled to several countries, including England, Mauritius, Singapore, and the United States to deliver discourses on Hindu religion and peace. He has been profiled in the ''International Who's Who of Intellectuals''. He was also one of the key figures of the '' Dharma Prachar Yatra'' at Detroit. ;Address at Millennium World Peace Summit Rambhadracharya was one of the spiritual and religious Gurus from India at the Millennium World Peace Summit, organised by the United Nations in New York City from 28 to 31 August 2000. While addressing the gathering, he gave Sanskrit definitions for the words '' Bharata'' (the ancient name of India) and ''Hindu'', and touched upon the Nirguna and Saguna aspects of God. In his speech on Peace, he called for developed and developing nations to come together to strive for the eradication of poverty, the fight against terrorism, and nuclear disarmament. At the end of his speech, he recited the

Shanti Mantra The Shanti Mantras or "Peaces" or Pancha Shanti are Hindu prayers for Peace ( Shanti) found in Upanishads. Generally they are recited at the beginning and end of religious rituals and discourses. Shanti Mantras are invoked in the beginning of so ...

Awards and honours

In 2015, Rambhadracharya was awarded Padma Vibhushan, India's second highest civilian honour. Rambhadracharya has been honoured by several leaders and politicians, including

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam (; 15 October 193127 July 2015) was an Indian aerospace scientist and statesman who served as the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007. He was born and raised in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu and studied phy ...

, Somnath Chatterjee,

Shilendra Kumar Singh Shilendra Kumar Singh or S.K. Singh (24 January 1932 – 1 December 2009) was an Indian diplomat. He was Governor of Arunachal Pradesh from December 2004 to September 2007 and Governor of Rajasthan from September 2007 until he died in office in ...

, and Indira Gandhi. Several state governments, including that of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Himachal Pradesh have conferred honours on him. In 2021, he was also awarded with Kendra Sahitya Academy Fellowship.

Notes

, ; hi, जगद्गुरु रामानन्दाचार्य स्वामी रामभद्राचार्य, ;

IAST The International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration (IAST) is a transliteration scheme that allows the lossless romanisation of Indic scripts as employed by Sanskrit and related Indic languages. It is based on a scheme that emerged during ...

: Jagadguru Rāmānandācārya Svāmī Rāmabhadrācārya. sa, गिरिधरमिश्रः, ; hi, गिरिधर मिश्र, ; IAST: Giridhara Miśra.

References

Works cited

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

External links

Official Website of Jagadguru Rambhadracharya

Jagadguru Rambhadracharya Handicapped University

Youtube channel with information and discourses of Jagadguru Rambhadracharya
* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Rambhadracharya, Swami Living people 1950 births 20th-century Hindu philosophers and theologians 21st-century Hindu philosophers and theologians 20th-century Hindu religious leaders 21st-century Hindu religious leaders 20th-century Indian philosophers 21st-century Indian philosophers 20th-century Indian poets 21st-century Indian composers 20th-century Indian educational theorists Acharyas Blind academics Blind musicians Hindi-language poets Indian Sanskrit scholars Indian theologians Indian Hindu religious leaders Indian Vaishnavites People from Jaunpur district Recipients of the Padma Vibhushan in other fields Recipients of the Sahitya Akademi Award in Sanskrit Sanskrit grammarians Sanskrit poets Vaishnavite religious leaders