Samarth Ramdas (c. 1608 - c. 1681), also known as Sant Ramdas or Ramdas Swami, was 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 ...
saint, philosopher, poet, writer and spiritual master. He was a devotee of the
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 ...
deities
Rama
Rama (; ), Ram, Raman or Ramar, also known as Ramachandra (; , ), is a major deity in Hinduism. He is the seventh and one of the most popular '' avatars'' of Vishnu. In Rama-centric traditions of Hinduism, he is considered the Supreme Bein ...
and
Hanuman
Hanuman (; sa, हनुमान, ), also called Anjaneya (), is a Hindu god and a divine '' vanara'' companion of the god Rama. Hanuman is one of the central characters of the Hindu epic ''Ramayana''. He is an ardent devotee of Rama and on ...
.
Early life
Ramdas or previously Narayan was born at Jamb, a village in present-day
Jalna district
Jalna district (Marathi pronunciation: ͡ʒaːlnaː is an administrative district in the state of Maharashtra in western India. Jalna town is the district headquarters. The district is part of Aurangabad division.
Officer
Members of Par ...
,
Maharashtra
Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a states and union territories of India, state in the western India, western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the List of states and union te ...
on the occasion of
Rama Navami
Rama Navami () is a Hindu festival that celebrates the birthday of Rama, the seventh avatar of the deity Vishnu. people from different parts of Jharkhand attended the world famous international Hazaribagh procession organized in the city every ...
, probably in 1608. He was born into a
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
*
* ...
Deshastha Rigvedi Brahmin family to Suryajipanta and Ranubai Thosar. His father was a devotee of
Surya
Surya (; sa, सूर्य, ) is the sun as well as the solar deity in Hinduism. He is traditionally one of the major five deities in the Smarta tradition, all of whom are considered as equivalent deities in the Panchayatana puja and a m ...
, the Vedic solar deity. Ramdas had an elder brother named Gangadhar. His father died when Narayan was around seven years of age. Narayan turned into an introvert after the demise of his father and was often noticed to be engrossed in thoughts about the divine.
According to legend, Narayan fled his wedding ceremony upon hearing a pundit chant the word 'Saavdhan' (Beware!) during a customary Hindu wedding ritual. Then at the age of twelve, he is believed to have walked to
Panchavati
Nashik (, Marathi: aːʃik, also called as Nasik ) is a city in the northern region of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Situated on the banks of river Godavari, Nashik is the third largest city in Maharashtra, after Mumbai and Pune. Nashik ...
, a Hindu pilgrimage town near
Nashik
Nashik (, Marathi: aːʃik, also called as Nasik ) is a city in the northern region of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Situated on the banks of river Godavari, Nashik is the third largest city in Maharashtra, after Mumbai and Pune. Nashik ...
. He later moved to Taakli near Nashik. At Taakli, he spent the next twelve years as an ascetic in complete devotion to Rama. During this period, he adhered to a rigorous daily routine and devoted most of his time to meditation, worship and exercise. He is thought to have attained enlightenment at the age of 24. He adopted the name Ramdas around this period. He later had an idol of Hanuman installed at Taakli.
Pilgrimage and spiritual movement
After departing Taakli, Ramdas embarked on a pilgrimage across the Indian subcontinent. He traveled for twelve years making observations on contemporary social life. He had these observations recorded in two of his literary works ''Asmani Sultania'' and ''Parachakraniroopan.'' These works provide a rare insight into the then prevalent social conditions in the Indian subcontinent. He also traveled to the Himalayas during this period. Around this time, he met the sixth Sikh Guru
Hargobind at
Srinagar
Srinagar (English: , ) is the largest city and the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It lies in the Kashmir Valley on the banks of the Jhelum River, a tributary of the Indus, and Dal and Anchar lakes. The city is known for its natu ...
.
After concluding his pilgrimage, he returned to
Mahabaleshwar
Mahabaleshwar () is a small town and a municipal council in Satara district, Maharashtra, India. It is a place of pilgrimage for Hindus because Krishna river has its origin here. The British colonial rulers developed the town as a hill station ...
, a hill-town near
Satara. Later while at Masur, he arranged for Rama Navami celebrations that were reportedly attended by thousands. He is also claimed to have discovered a few idols of Rama in the
Krishna river around this time.
As part of his mission to redeem spirituality among the masses and unite the Hindu populations, Ramdas initiated the Samarth sect. He established several ''matha'' (monasteries) across the Indian subcontinent. He is claimed to have established somewhere between 700 and 1100 ''matha'' during his travels, although Narahar Phatak in his biography of Ramdas claimed that the actual number of ''matha'' established by him may have been lesser. Around 1648, he had an idol of Rama installed at a newly built temple in Chaphal, a village near Satara. He initially had eleven Hanuman temples constructed in various regions of southern Maharashtra. These are now together referred to as the 11-Maruti (see list below). He also had Hanuman temples built in other parts of Maharashtra and across the Indian subcontinent. Temples established by him have been found across India in regions including
Jaipur
Jaipur (; Hindi Language, Hindi: ''Jayapura''), formerly Jeypore, is the List of state and union territory capitals in India, capital and largest city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Rajasthan. , the city had a pop ...
,
Varanasi
Varanasi (; ; also Banaras or Benares (; ), and Kashi.) is a city on the Ganges river in northern India that has a central place in the traditions of pilgrimage, death, and mourning in the Hindu world.
*
*
*
* The city has a syncretic t ...
(also Kashi),
Thanjavur
Thanjavur (), also Tanjore, Pletcher 2010, p. 195 is a city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Thanjavur is the 11th biggest city in Tamil Nadu. Thanjavur is an important center of South Indian religion, art, and architecture. Most of the Gr ...
and
Ujjain
Ujjain (, Hindustani language, Hindustani pronunciation: Help:IPA/Hindi and Urdu, d͡ːʒɛːn is a city in Ujjain district of the States and territories of India, Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is the fifth-largest city in Madhya Prad ...
. He also had a temple dedicated to the Hindu female deity
Durga
Durga ( sa, दुर्गा, ) is a major Hindu goddess, worshipped as a principal aspect of the mother goddess Mahadevi. She is associated with protection, strength, motherhood, destruction, and wars.
Durga's legend centres around co ...
constructed at
Pratapgad
Pratapgad is a mountain fort located in Satara district, in the Western Indian state of Maharashtra.The fort is situated 24 kilometres from the Mahabaleshwar hill station. The fort is now a popular tourist destination.
The fort's historical ...
, a fort near Satara.
Literary contribution and philosophy
![Lord Ram at Chaphal -Samarth Ramdas Swami](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ae/Lord_Ram_at_Chaphal_-Samarth_Ramdas_Swami.jpg)
Literary works
Ramdas had extensive literature written during his lifetime. His literary works include ''
Dasbodh
''Dāsbodh'', loosely meaning "advice to the disciple" in Marathi, is a 17th-century bhakti (devotion) and jnana (insight) spiritual text. It was orally narrated by the saint Samarth Ramdas to his disciple, Kalyan Swami. The ''Dāsbodh'' prov ...
'', ''Karunashtakas'', ''Sunderkand, Yuddhakand,'' ''Poorvarambh, Antarbhav, Aatmaaram, Chaturthman, Panchman, Manpanchak, Janaswabhawgosavi, Panchsamasi, Saptsamasi, Sagundhyan, Nirgundhyan, Junatpurush, Shadripunirupan, Panchikaranyog, Manache Shlok'' ''and'' ''Shreemad'' ''Dasbodh.'' Unlike saints subscribing to the
Warkari
Warkari (Marathi: वारकरी; Pronunciation: aːɾkəɾiː Meaning: 'The one who performs the ''Wari) is a sampradaya (religious movement) within the bhakti spiritual tradition of Hinduism, geographically associated with the Indi ...
tradition, Ramdas is not considered to embrace pacifism and his writings include strong expressions encouraging militant means to counter the aggressive
Islamic
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God (or '' Allah'') as it was revealed to Muhammad, the mai ...
invaders.
A major part of his Marathi literature is in the form of verses.
Listed below are some of his notable literary works.
*''Manache Shlok'' (co-written by Kalyan Swami)
*''
Dasbodh
''Dāsbodh'', loosely meaning "advice to the disciple" in Marathi, is a 17th-century bhakti (devotion) and jnana (insight) spiritual text. It was orally narrated by the saint Samarth Ramdas to his disciple, Kalyan Swami. The ''Dāsbodh'' prov ...
''
*''Shree Maruti Stotra''
*''Aatmaaram''
*''11-Laghu Kavita''
*''Shadripu Nirupan''
*''Maan Panchak''
*''Chaturthmaan''
*''Raamayan (Marathi-Teeka)''
His compositions also include numerous ''
aarti
''Arti'' (Sanskrit: Ārātrika, Hindi: Ārtī) is a Hindu ritual employed in worship, often part of '' puja'', in which light (usually from a flame) is offered to one or more deities. ''Arti(s)'' also refers to the songs sung in praise of the d ...
'' (worship rituals). One of his most popular ''aarti'' commemorates the Hindu deity
Ganesha
Ganesha ( sa, गणेश, ), also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most worshipped deities in the Hindu pantheon and is the Supreme God in Ganapatya sect. His image is found throughout India. Hindu d ...
, and is popularly known as ''
Sukhakarta Dukhaharta
''Sukhakarta Dukhaharta'' (literally "harbinger of happiness and dispeller of distress", mr, सुखकर्ता दु:खहर्ता, ), also spelled as ''Sukhkarta Dukhharta'', is a popular Marathi arati song or bhajan (devotional s ...
''. Many believe that the ''bhajan'' "''
Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram
"Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram" (also called Ram Dhun) is a bhajan (devotional song) widely popularised by Mahatma Gandhi and set to tune by Vishnu Digambar Paluskar in Raga ''Mishra Gara''.
History
The precise origins of the song are not enti ...
''" is based on a ''mantra'' by Ramdas.
His other works include an ''aarti'' commemorating Hanuman, S''atrane Uddane Hunkaar Vadani'' and an ''aarti'' dedicated to the Hindu deity
Vitthala
Vithoba, also known as Vi(t)thal(a) and Panduranga, is a Hindu deity predominantly worshipped in the Indian state of Maharashtra and Karnataka. He is generally considered as a manifestation of the god Vishnu, or his avatar Krishna. Vithoba is o ...
, ''Panchanan haivahan surabhushan lila.'' He also composed ''aarti'' in dedication to other Hindu deities. His well-known work ''Dasbodh''
has been translated to several other Indian languages. The original copy of ''Dasbodh'' is currently placed at a ''matha'' in Domgaon, a village in present-day
Osmanabad district, Maharashtra.
Philosophy
According to Vinayak Bokil and Balacharya Khuperkar Shastri, Ramdas was a proponent of
Dvaita
Dvaita Vedanta (); (originally known as Tattvavada; IAST:Tattvavāda), is a sub-school in the Vedanta tradition of Hindu philosophy. The term Tattvavada literally means "arguments from a realist viewpoint". The Tattvavada (Dvaita) Vedanta su ...
, a philosophy first proposed by
Madhvacharya
Madhvacharya (; ; CE 1199-1278 or CE 1238–1317), sometimes Anglicisation, anglicised as Madhva Acharya, and also known as Purna Prajna () and Ānanda Tīrtha, was an Indian philosopher, theologian and the chief proponent of the ''Dvaita'' ...
.
Ramdas was an exponent of
Bhakti Yoga
Bhakti yoga ( sa, भक्ति योग), also called Bhakti marga (, literally the path of ''Bhakti''), is a spiritual path or spiritual practice within Hinduism focused on loving devotion towards any personal deity.Karen Pechelis (2014), ...
or the path of devotion. According to him, total devotion to Rama brings about spiritual evolution. He emphasized upon the importance of physical strength and knowledge towards individual development. He expressed his admiration for warriors and highlighted their role in safeguarding the society. He was of the opinion that saints must not withdraw from society but instead actively engage towards social and moral transformation. He aimed to resuscitate the Hindu culture after its disintegration over several centuries owing to consistent foreign occupation. He also called for unity among the Marathas to preserve and promote the local culture.
Ramdas frequently expressed his abhorrence for distinctions based on caste and creed. He advocated for the abolition of social classes. He encouraged the participation of women in religious work and offered them positions of authority. He had 18 female disciples, among who Vennabai headed the ''matha'' at Miraj near
Sangli
Sangli () is a city and the district headquarters of Sangli District in the state of Maharashtra, in western India. It is known as the Turmeric City of Maharashtra due to its production and trade of the spice. Sangli is situated on the banks ...
while Akkabai managed ''matha'' at Chaphal and
Sajjangad
Sajjangad ( Marathi: सज्जनगड), meaning "Fort of Good People", is located near the city of Satara, India. It is the final resting place of Sant Ramdas in 18th century India (born 1608). His teachings and works written in books suc ...
near Satara. He is said to have once reprimanded an aged man who voiced his opinion against female participation in religious affairs. Ramdas reportedly responded by saying "Everyone came from a woman's womb and those who did not understand the importance of this were unworthy of being called men". According to him, an equal social status between men and women is a prerequisite for social development. In ''Dasbodh'', Ramdas eulogizes the virtues of aesthetic handwriting (Chapter 19.10, Stanza 1-3).
Samarth sect
Ramdas initiated the Samarth sect to revive spirituality in the society. He established several ''matha during his lifetime''.
Links with contemporaries
Shivaji and Sambhaji
![Sajjangad](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/Sajjangad.jpg)
The first Maratha ruler
Shivaji
Shivaji Bhonsale I (; 19 February 1630 – 3 April 1680), also referred to as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, was an Indian ruler and a member of the Bhonsle Maratha clan. Shivaji carved out his own independent kingdom from the declining Adils ...
Bhonsle I was a contemporary of Ramdas.
Historian
Stewart Gordon concludes about their relationship:
Guru Hargobind
According to a manuscript in the Sikh tradition known as ''Panjāh Sakhīān'', Ramdas met
Guru Hargobind
Gurū Hargobind (Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰੂ ਹਰਿਗੋਬਿੰਦ, pronunciation: l 19 June 1595 – 28 February 1644), revered as the ''sixth Nānak'', was the sixth of ten Gurus of the Sikh religion. He had become Guru at the young age of e ...
(1595 - 1644) at
Srinagar
Srinagar (English: , ) is the largest city and the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It lies in the Kashmir Valley on the banks of the Jhelum River, a tributary of the Indus, and Dal and Anchar lakes. The city is known for its natu ...
near the
Garhwal hills. This meeting also finds a mention in an 18th-century Marathi literary work known as ''Ramdas Swamichi Bakhar'' composed by Hanumant Swami''.'' The meeting probably took place in the early 1630s during Ramdas' pilgrimage to northern India and Guru Hargobind's journey to Nanakmatta, a town in present-day
Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand ( , or ; , ), also known as Uttaranchal ( ; the official name until 2007), is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the "Devbhumi" (literally 'Land of the Gods') due to its religious significance and ...
. When they met, Guru Hargobind had probably just returned from a hunting excursion.
[
During their conversation, Ramdas reportedly asked "I had heard that you occupy the Gaddi (seat) of Guru Nanak. Guru Nanak was a ''tyāgī sādhu'', a saint who had renounced the world. You possess arms and keep an army and horses. You allow yourself to be addressed as Sacha Patshah, the true king. What sort of a ''sādhu'' are you?" Hargobind replied, "Internally a hermit and externally a prince. Arms mean protection to the poor and destruction of the tyrant. Baba Guru Nanak had not renounced the world but had renounced '' māyā'' - the self and ego." Ramdas is reported to have said, "''Yeh hamare man bhavti hai''" (This appeals to my mind).]
Residences
Ramdas moved all across the Indian subcontinent and usually resided in caves (''ghal'' in Marathi). Some of these located in present-day Maharashtra are listed below.
* Ramghal, Sajjangad
Sajjangad ( Marathi: सज्जनगड), meaning "Fort of Good People", is located near the city of Satara, India. It is the final resting place of Sant Ramdas in 18th century India (born 1608). His teachings and works written in books suc ...
* Morghal, at Morbag near Sajjangad
Sajjangad ( Marathi: सज्जनगड), meaning "Fort of Good People", is located near the city of Satara, India. It is the final resting place of Sant Ramdas in 18th century India (born 1608). His teachings and works written in books suc ...
* Tondoshighal, north of Chaphal
* Taakli, near Nashik
Nashik (, Marathi: aːʃik, also called as Nasik ) is a city in the northern region of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Situated on the banks of river Godavari, Nashik is the third largest city in Maharashtra, after Mumbai and Pune. Nashik ...
* Chandragiri, opposite Vasantgad, near Karad
Karad is a city in Satara district of Indian state of Maharashtra and it is 320 km (180.19 miles) from Mumbai and 159 km from Pune. It lies at the confluence of Koyna River and the Krishna River known as the "Priti sangam". The ...
* Helwak, near Helwak village
* Shiganwadi, near Chandragiri
* Shivtharghal, near Mahad
Mahad ( əɦaːɖ is a city in Raigad district (formerly Kulaba district) situated in the North Konkan region of Maharashtra state, India. It is located from District's headquarter Alibag, and from Mumbai, the state capital of Maharashtr ...
Death
Ramdas died at Sajjangad in 1681. For five days prior, he had ceased consuming food and water. This practice of fasting unto death is known as ''Prayopaveshana''. He continuously recalled the ''taraka mantra'' "Shriram hanuman Ram Jai Jai Ram" while resting besides an idol of Rama brought from Tanjore. His disciples, Uddhav Swami and Akka Swami remained in his service during this period. Uddhav Swami had the final rites performed.
Legacy
Ramdas served an inspiration for many 19th and 20th-century thinkers, historians and social reformers such as Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Bal Gangadhar Tilak (; born Keshav Gangadhar Tilak (pronunciation: eʃəʋ ɡəŋɡaːd̪ʱəɾ ʈiɭək; 23 July 1856 – 1 August 1920), endeared as Lokmanya (IAST: ''Lokmānya''), was an Indian nationalist, teacher, and an independence a ...
, Keshav Hedgewar, Vishwanath Rajwade and Ramchandra Ranade. Tilak in particular, derived inspiration from Ramdas when devising aggressive strategies to counter the British colonial rule. Nana Dharmadhikari, a spiritual teacher promoted views of Ramdas' views through his spiritual discourses. Gondavalekar Maharaj, a 19th-century spiritual master promoted Ramdas' spiritual methods through his teachings. Bhausaheb Maharaj, founder of the Inchegeri Sampradaya used ''Dasbodh'' as a means of instruction to his disciples. ''Dasbodh'' has been translated and published by the American followers of Ranjit Maharaj
''Sri Ranjit Maharaj'' (4 January 1913 – 15 November 2000) was an Indian spiritual teacher in the Navnath Inchegeri Sampradaya tradition, and disciple of Siddharameshwar Maharaj.
Biography
Ranjit Maharaj was born on 4 January, 1913. His fath ...
, a spiritual teacher of the Inchegeri Sampradaya.
Ramdas had a profound influence on Keshav Hedgewar, the founder of Hindu nationalist organization Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh ( ; , , ) is an Indian right-wing, Hindu nationalist, paramilitary volunteer organisation. The RSS is the progenitor and leader of a large body of organisations called the Sangh Parivar (Hindi for "Sangh family" ...
. Hedgewar quoted Ramdas on numerous occasions and would often note the latter's views in his personal diary. According to one entry in his diary dated March 4, 1929, Hedgewar writes "Shri Samarth did not want anything for himself. He mindfully guarded against self-pride which could result from success and greatness. Ingraining this discipline, he devoted himself to the welfare of his people and a higher self-realisation."
Cultural legacy
Ramdas is a revered figure in Maharashtra, and relevant to contemporary culture of Maharashtra through his literary contributions. His aarti to Ganesh is recited first in many Hindu rituals.His Maruti Stotra Maruti Stotra (Bheema Roopi) or Hanuman Stotra is a 17th-century stotra, hymn of praise, composed in Marathi language by saint-poet of Maharashtra, Samarth Ramdas. It is a compilation of praiseful verses that describe the many aspects and virtues o ...
, a hymn in praise of Maruti is recited by school children and athletes at traditional gyms, or Akhada
Akhara or Akhada (Sanskrit and Hindi: अखाड़ा, shortened to ''khara'' Hindi: खाड़ा) is an Indian word for a place of practice with facilities for boarding, lodging and training, both in the context of Indian martial artists o ...
in Maharashtra. Generations of Marathi children recited his manache shlok at home, or at school Savarkar, the proponent of Hindutva took inspiration from Dasbodh regarding protection for the dharma and the country. Ramdas' Maruti worship has been appropriated by Hindu Nationalist groups such as Shivsena in Maharashtra.[Brackett, J.M., 2004. Practically Hindu: Contemporary Conceptions of Hanumān-Mārutī in Maharashtra. University of Pittsburg]
References
Bibliography
*
*
Sources
* "Shakti Saushthava शक्ती सौष्ठव" by D. G. Godse
* "Vinoba Saraswat" by Vinoba Bhave
Vinayak Narahari, also known as Vinoba Bhave (; 11 September 1895 – 15 November 1982), was an Indian advocate of nonviolence and human rights. Often called ''Acharya'' (Sanskrit teacher), he is best known for the Bhoodan Movement. He is cons ...
(edited by Ram Shewalkar)
* "Rajwade Lekhsangrah" by Vishwanath Kashinath Rajwade
Vishwanath Kashinath Rajwade (12 July 1863 – 31 December 1926), popularly known as ''Itihasacharya'' Rajwade, was a historian, scholar, writer, commentator and orator from Maharashtra, India. He is considered to be the first in real sense to unde ...
(edited by Tarkatirth Laxmanshastri Joshi
"Tarkateertha" Lakshman Shastri Joshi (27 January 1901 – 27 May 1994) was an Indian scholar, of Sanskrit, Hindu Dharma, and a Marathi literary critic, and supporter of Indian independence. Mahatma Gandhi chose him to be his principal ad ...
)
* "Tryambak Shankar Shejwalkar Nivadak Lekhsangrah" by T S Shejwalkar
Tryambak Shankar Shejwalkar (T S Shejwalkar; Devanagari: त्र्यंबक शंकर शेजवलकर, त्र्यं. शं. शेजवलकर) (25 May 1895 – 28 November 1963) was an award-winning historian and essayis ...
(collection- H V Mote, Introduction- G D Khanolkar)
External links
Ramdas Swami Sahitya Shodh
Dasbodh.com
Article on Root of Harikatha
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ramdas
1608 births
1681 deaths
17th-century Hindu religious leaders
17th-century Indian poets
Hindu philosophers and theologians
Inchegeri Sampradaya
Marathi-language poets
Marathi-language writers
People from Jalna district
People from Marathwada
Vaishnava saints
Scholars from Maharashtra
Marathi Hindu saints
Harikatha exponents