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Saint Ramananda and His Works

An Imperative Note on Saint Ramanand, A Saint, Scholar, Preacher, Social Reformer and Religious Writer, Spiritual Guidance, And Other Scriptures on Lord Rama

Ramananda (1299-1410) was a Vaishnava saint who had also been known as Saint Ramanand and Swami Ramanand. He is credited for bringing the Ramanandi sect back to life. Ramananda spent most of his time in Varanasi, where he was one of the Bhakti tradition founders and a social activist in Northern India. He became noted for speaking in Hindi colloquial and embracing students from all castes. Anantananda, Bhavananda, Dhanna Maharaja, Kabir, Nabha, Naraharyanda, Pipa, Ravidas (also referred to as Guru Ravidas), Bhagat Sain, Sukhanada, Ranka, and Tulsidas are among his 12 followers (the author of the Ramcharitmanas).

Northern India’s Ramananda was an influential social reformer. In addition, Ramananda was instrumental in resurrecting a religious cult that offered spiritual guidance.

Against Casteism Revolution

Lord Rama hasn’t ever barred individuals of any race from approaching Him. Hence Ramananda realized that everyone might worship God. However, the Ramayan is replete with anecdotes of lower castes like Shabri, Kevat, and others, whom Rama treated with the same regard as Brahmins. Therefore, saint Ramananda thought that the caste structure of India was obsolete when it came to spiritual pursuits.

To properly commit oneself to Lord Rama, he felt that one must lose one’s caste identification and social rank. Let no one inquire a man’s race with who he feasts- Ramananda is reported as saying. If a man devotes himself to Hari, he gets Hari’s slave. Saint Ramananda has followers from all walks of life. Even though he was a brilliant and compelling speaker who drew large crowds wherever he went, Ramananda’s poetry and expressiveness have been lost nearly entirely.

Through the participation of the poor, including individuals of low castes, he developed a highly radical philosophy of education and preaching. After Ramananda’s death, the Ramanandi sect spearheaded a socialist revolution in the Gangetic plain by enlisting the help of women and people of lower castes. Furthermore, Saint Ramananda has been the main factor behind the rising popularity of Lord Rama’s adoration.

The Saint Ramananda tradition of religious teaching would be Northern India’s most significant Vaishnava monastery order in the current generation. It’s also possible that it’s the most prominent fundamentalist monastery organization in the Indian Subcontinent. Many states, including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi, Bengal, Bihar, Rajasthan, Odisha, Gujarat, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Gurgaon, Punjab, Karnataka (Shri Hathiramji Temple at Mathura and Visakhapatnam), the Nepal River, as well as the Nepalese Tarai, have Ramanandi temples. The Ramanandi sect is thought to contend also with the Dasnami group for the title of most significant Hindu monastic cult.

Contribution to the Hindi language

Since Saint Ramananda talked and composed in Hindi, the Ramanandi cult significantly impacted the quality of Hindi literature and philosophy. The recitation of holy narratives and songs written by persons who the Vaisnavite troubadours say were spiritual successors of Ramananda usually begins the study of contemporary Indian literature since it is studied in Indian institutions today. Tulsi Das, Meera Bai, and Kabir are among these famous saints.

Teachings

The ‘guru parampara,’ which ties every Ramanandi within an uninterrupted line of gurus to Ramanand himself and, finally, Ramchandra, has long mirrored Ramananda’s organizational prominence.

Ramananda’s commitment and self-surrender to the Spiritual Realm, ‘Paramatma,’ characterized his studies. Lord Rama would have been the Ultimate Spirit, as per Saint Ramananda, and the entire race was merely one giant family, ‘Vasudaiva Kutumbakam.’ Even though he was a gifted and charismatic preacher who drew enormous audiences wherever he went, almost all of Ramananda’s poetry and expressions have been lost. Consequently, there are few writings available for current researchers and researchers to employ in researching Ramananda’s existence.

Ramananda was a well-educated individual. Several allegedly written works, including Sri Vaishnava, Matanbuj Bhaskar, and Sri Ramarachan Padhti, are mostly accessible. He would also be supposed to have written the AnandabhAShya interpretation.

Concentrate on Rama

Ramananda encouraged his disciples to devote special attention to Rama and Sita, Rama’s wife. Due to significant political concerns, Rama might have been a natural object of adoration since his status as the flawless prince. According to the classic Sanskrit epic, the Ramayana, Rama was a victorious warrior competent in slaying the terrifying ten-headed demon-king of the Rakshasas, Ravana, while a manifestation of the goddess, ‘Vishnu.’

Conclusion

He was known for speaking in a vernacular Hindi dialect and accepting pupils from all castes. Because there is so little knowledge of Saint Ramananda’s life, there is a lot of debate over where and when he died. Many researchers assume Ramananda died between 1470 and 1480 AD; however, there is no consensus on the exact date. During a theological argument between Sikandar Lodi and his religious tutor, Sheikh Taki, Ramananda’s name was read from the list of ancestors. Based on the information, Ramananda’s death date could be estimated in the 15th century.a

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Who Was Ramananda?

Ans. Swami Ramananda lived in the Gangetic region of the Indian Subcontinent in the 14th century and was a Vaishnava devotional poet-saint.

What are Ramananda's teachings?

Ans. Reforms in the social sphere Ramananda was an outstanding social activist in Northern India. He advocated for the search for knowledge and dir...Read full

Who are Ramananda's followers?

Ans. He is regarded as a founder of such a Bhakti movement. His followers numbered twelve, with Kabir being the most...Read full

Who is the prominent student of Ramananda?

Ans. Saint Ramananda became a saint in the Bhakti movement, who popularized the devotion of Ram and Sita. Kabir is one of his twelve most well-know...Read full

When did Nilkanth Varni and Ramanand Swami first meet?

Ans. Nilkanth’s journeys as a yogi ended in Loj, a village in Gujarat’s Junagadh region, in 1799, follow...Read full