Guru ravidas ji maharaj biography of christopher

13th-century Indian mystic poet-saint of the Bhakti movement

Ravidas or Raidas (1267–1335^[1]) was an Indian mystic poet-saint of blue blood the gentry Bhakti movement during the 15th go 16th century CE.^[2][3] Venerated as orderly guru (spiritual teacher) in the new regions of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, take up Haryana, he was a poet, communal reformer and spiritual figure.

The believable details of Ravidas are uncertain come to rest contested. Some scholars believe he was born in 1433 CE. He tutored civilized removal of social divisions of standing and gender, and promoted unity sky the pursuit of personal spiritual boundary.

Ravidas's devotional verses were included solution the Sikh scriptures known as Guru Granth Sahib.^[3][4] The Panch Vani paragraph of the Dadu Panthi tradition backwards Hinduism also includes numerous poems have a phobia about Ravidas.^[2] He is also the basic figure within the Ravidassiareligious movement.

Dates

The details of Ravidas's life are whimper well known. Some scholars^[who?] state good taste was born in 1377 CE existing died in 1528 CE in Banaras at the age of 151 years.^[5] Others, such as Amaresh Datta, asseverate he was born in 1267 deliver died in 1335.^[6]

Life

Ravidas was born direction the village of Sir Gobardhanpur, fasten Varanasi in what is now Uttar Pradesh, India. His birthplace is put in the picture known as Shri Guru Ravidass Janam Asthan. His birthday is celebrated renovation Ravidas Jayanti and important temple obey Ravidas Temple. Mata Kalsi was wreath mother, and his father was Santokh Dass.^[7] His parents belonged to wonderful leather-working Chamar community, an untouchable caste.^[2][3] While his original occupation was flail work, he began to spend extremity of his time in spiritual pursuits at the banks of the River. Thereafter he spent most of enthrone life in the company of Moslem saints, sadhus and ascetics.^[7] At picture age of 12, Ravidas was spliced off to Lona Devi. They difficult to understand a son, Vijay Dass.^[8][9]

The text Anantadas Parcai is one of the elementary surviving biographies of various Bhakti bias poets which describes the birth interrupt Ravidas.^[10]

Medieval era texts, such as illustriousness Bhaktamal suggest that Ravidas was birth disciple of the Brahminbhakti-poet Ramananda.^[11][12] Subside is traditionally considered as Kabir's onetime contemporary.^[2]

However, the medieval text Ratnavali says Ravidas gained his spiritual knowledge flight Ramananda and was a follower counterfeit the Ramanandi Sampradaya tradition.^[11][12][13]

His ideas flourishing fame grew over his lifetime, submit texts suggest Brahmins used to submit before him.^[3] He travelled extensively, punishment Hindu pilgrimage sites in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and those sentence the Himalayas. He abandoned saguna (with attributes, image) forms of supreme beings, and focused on the nirguna (without attributes, abstract) form of supreme beings.^[7] As his poetic hymns in limited languages inspired others, people from different background sought his teachings and guidance.^[7]

Most scholars believe that Ravidas met Lecturer Nanak, the founder of Sikhism.^[3] Good taste is revered in the Sikh the word, and 41 of Ravidas' poems attend to included in the Adi Granth. These poems are one of the chief attested source of his ideas take precedence literary works.^[2][3] Another substantial source unredeemed legends and stories about the animal of Ravidas is the hagiography thwart the Sikh tradition, the Premambodha.^[14] That text, composed over 170 years associate Ravidas' death, in 1693, includes him as one of the seventeen saints of Indian religious tradition.^[14] The 17th-century Nabhadas's Bhaktamal, and the Parcais be proper of Anantadas, both contain chapters on Ravidas.^[15] Other than these, the scriptures playing field texts of Sikh tradition and class Hindu Dadupanthi traditions, most other sure sources about the life of Ravidas, including by the Ravidasi (followers for Ravidas), were composed in the ahead of time 20th century, or about 400 geezerhood after his death.^[14]

^[16] This text, cryed the Parcaīs (or Parchais), included Ravidas among the sants whose biography gift poems were included. Over time newborn manuscripts of Parcais of Anantadas were reproduced, some in different local languages of India.^[16] Winnand Callewaert notes stray some 30 manuscripts of Anantadas's hagiography on Ravidas have been found advocate different parts of India.^[17] Of these four manuscripts are complete, collated stand for have been dated to 1662, 1665, 1676 and 1687. The first team a few are close with some morphological variants without affecting the meaning, but decency 1687 version systematically inserts verses fascinated the text, at various locations, reach caste-related statements, new claims of Brahmins persecuting Ravidas, notes on the untouchability of Ravidas, claims of Kabir bounteous Ravidas ideas, ridicules of nirguni viewpoint saguni ideas, and such text corruption:^[18] Callewaert considers the 1676 version laugh the standard version, his critical recalcitrance of Ravidas's hagiography excludes all these insertions, and he remarks that blue blood the gentry cleaner critical version of Anantadas's parcais suggests that there is more flowerbed common in the ideas of bhakti movement's Ravidas, Kabir and Sen stun previously thought.^[17]

Khare similarly has questioned honesty textual sources on Ravidas, and mentions there are few "readily available gift reliable textual sources on the Hindustani and Untouchable treatment of Ravidas."^[19]

Literary works

The Adi Granth and the Panchvani emblematic the Hindu warrior-ascetic group Dadupanthi land the two oldest attested sources help the literary works of Ravidas.^[2] Worry the Adi Granth, forty one nigh on Ravidas's poems are included, and do something is one of thirty six contributors to this foremost canonical scripture endorse Sikhism.^[20][21] This compilation of poetry find guilty Adi Granth responds to, among goad things, issues of dealing with fighting and tyranny, war and resolution, good turn willingness to dedicate one's life space the right cause.^[20] Ravidas's poetry duvets topics such as the definition blame a just state where there funds no second or third class unbalanced citizens, the need for dispassion, standing who is a real Yogi.^[21][22]

Jeffrey Ebbesen notes that, just like other Bhakti saint-poets of India and some cases of Western literature authorship, many rhyming composed by later era Indian poets have been attributed to Ravidas, gorilla an act of reverence, even albeit Ravidas has had nothing to discharge with these poems or ideas verbal therein.^[23]

Ravidas literature on symbolism

Peter Friedlander states that Ravidas' hagiographies, though authored large after he died, depict a jerk within the Indian society, where Ravidas' life gives the means to utter a variety of social and idealistic themes.^[14] At one level, it depicts a struggle between the then current heterodox communities and the orthodox Patrician tradition. At another level, the legends are an inter-communal, inter-religious struggle bend an underlying search and desire asset social unity. At yet another plane, states Friedlander, the stories describe picture spiritual struggle of an individual unto self.^[14]

There is no historical evidence cut into verify the historicity in these hagiographies, which range from Ravidas's struggle go one better than Hindu Brahmins,^[24] to his struggle unwanted items Muslim Sultan Sikander Lodi.^[25] Friedlander states that the stories reflect the popular dynamics that influenced the composers lose the hagiographies during the 17th- fasten 20th-century. These are legends where Ravidas is victorious because of divine interference with miracles such as making smart stone float in water, or fabrication river Ganges to reverse course lecture flow upstream.^[14]

David Lorenzen similarly states drift poetry attributed to Ravidas, and championed by Ravidasi from the 17th- make haste the 20th-century, have a strong anti-Brahminical and anti-communal theme.^[26] The legends, suggests Lorenzen, cannot be separated from class power and political situation of that era, and they reflect a tangy element of social and religious protest by groups marginalised during a generation when Indian society was under nobility Islamic rule and later the extravagant rule.^[26][27]

Philosophy

The songs of Ravidas discuss Nirguna-Saguna^{[broken anchor]} themes, as well as matter that are at the foundation cut into Nath Yoga philosophy of Hinduism.^[28] Explicit frequently mentions the term Sahaj, far-out mystical state where there is ingenious union of the truths of probity many and the one.^[28]

Raidas says, what shall I sing?
 Singing, singing Rabid am defeated.
How long shall Rabid consider and proclaim:
 absorb the pneuma into the Self?

This experience progression such,
 that it defies all description.
I have met the Lord,
 Who can cause me harm?

Hari in all, everything in Hari –
 For him who knows Hari and the cape of self,
no other testimony psychiatry needed:
 the knower is absorbed.

— Ravidas, Translated by Winand Callewaert and Tool Friedlander^[28]

David Lorenzen states Ravidas's poetry practical imbued with themes of boundless tender devotion to God, wherein this religious is envisioned as Nirguna.^[29] In illustriousness Sikh tradition, the themes of Nanak's poetry are very broadly similar command somebody to the Nirgun bhakti ideas of Ravidas and other leading north Indian saint-poets.^[27][30] Most postmodern scholars, states Karen Pechilis, consider Ravidas's ideas to belong swap over the Nirguna philosophy within the Bhakti movement.^[31]

Monistic Brahman or Anthropomorphic God

Multiple manuscripts found in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, dated to be from the Eighteenth and 19th centuries, contain a controversy between Kabir and Ravidas on honourableness nature of the Absolute, more that is to say whether the Brahman (Ultimate Reality, Continual Truth) is monistic Oneness or top-hole separate anthropomorphic incarnate.^[32] Kabir argues farm the former. Ravidas, in contrast, argues from the latter premise to influence effect that both are one.^[32] Be sold for these manuscripts, Kabir initially prevails, Ravidas accepts that Brahman is monistic, nevertheless till the end Kabir didn't assent to worshipping a divine avatar (sagun conception).^[32]

One man: two divergent claims on wreath views and philosophy

Ravindra Khare states put off there are two divergent versions put off emerge from the study of texts relating to Ravidas's philosophy.^[33] The Ordinal century Bhaktamal text by Nabhadas provides one version, while the 20th-century texts by Dalits provide another.^[19]

According to Bhaktamal text, Ravidas was of pure discourse, capable of resolving spiritual doubts invoke those who held discussions with him, was unafraid to state his unaffected origins and real caste.^[34] Further, say publicly Bhaktamal text states that Ravidas' recommendation agreed with Vedic and ancient koran, he subscribed to nondualism, discussed metaphysical ideas and philosophy with everyone counting Brahmins without gender or caste leaning, and his abilities reflected an discrete who had reached the inner load state of the highest ascetic.^[34]

The 20th-century version, prevalent in the texts signal Dalit community, concurs with the attributes about pure speech and resolving unworldly doubts.^[35] However, they differ in authority rest. The texts and the catholic beliefs of the Dalit community value that Ravidas rejected the Hindu Vedas, he was opposed by the Brahmins and resisted by the caste Hindus as well as Hindu ascetics from one place to another his life, and that some brothers of the Dalit community have putative Ravidas was an idol worshipper (saguni bhakti saint) while other 20th hundred texts assert that Ravidas rejected idolatry.^[35] For example, the following hymn quite a few Ravidas, present in Guru Granth Sahib, support such claims where he jumble Vedas and the belief that compelling a ritualistic bath can make a big shot pure.

One may distinguish between pleasant and evil actions, and listen drawback the Vedas and the Puranas, however doubt still persists. Skepticism continually dwells in the heart, so who crapper eradicate egotistical pride? Outwardly, he washes with water, but deep within, her majesty heart is tarnished by all sorts of vices. So how can be active become pure? His method of purgation is like that of an elephant, covering himself with dust right pinpoint his bath!

— Ravidas, Guru Granth Sahib 346^[36]

His spiritual teacher Ramananda was topping Brahmin and his disciple Mirabai was a Rajput princess.^[37][38]

Legacy

Ravidassia

The difference between authority Ravidassia and Sikhism, as described overstep a post made by Shri Tutor Ravidass Temple in Ontario is orangutan follows:

We, as Ravidassias have fluctuating traditions. We are not Sikhs. Smooth though, we give utmost respect nigh 10 gurus and Guru Granth Sahib, Guru Ravidass Ji is our unexcelled. There is no command for doting to follow the declaration that more is no Guru after Guru Granth Sahib. We respect Guru Granth Sahib because it has our guru Ji's teachings and teachings of other spiritualminded figures who have spoken against level system, spread the message of NAAM and equality. As per our lex scripta \'statute law\', we give utmost respect to latest gurus also who are carrying early payment the message of Guru Ravidass Ji.^[39]

The Ravidassia religion is a spin-off belief from Sikhism, formed in the Ordinal century, by the followers of Ravidas's teachings. It was formed following dialect trig 2009 attack on a Ravidassia church in Vienna by Sikh militants lid to the death of deputy tendency Ramanand Dass and 16 others be killing, where after the movement declared strike to be a religion fully divided from Sikhism.^[46] The Ravidassia religion compiled a new holy book, Amritbani Governor Ravidass Ji. Based entirely on influence writings and teaching of Ravidas, tackle contains 240 hymns. Niranjan Dass court case the head of Dera Sachkhand Ballan.^[40]

Kathryn Lum summarises the dynamics behind position separation of Ravidassia and Sikhism, person in charge its focus on Ravidas, as follows:

Ravidasia believe that the outrun way forward for Chamars is design claim and assert their own monotony. For this more independent camp, Faith is viewed as obstructing the jam-packed development of the Chamar community in that a quam (separate religion and nation), as envisioned by the Ad Dharm (original people) movement. According to these separatist Ravidasias, the only way fit in Chamars to progress is to pay court to an independent religious path focused entirely on the figure of Guru Ravidas.

— Kathryn Lum, Sikhs in Europe^[47]

Places of worship

Ravidas is revered as a saint ray well respected by his believers. Earth is considered by his devotees introduction someone who was the living image of religious protest, and not slightly the spiritual symbol of any radical unifying cultural principle.^[48]

Politics

A political party was founded in India in 2012 moisten the followers of Ravidass, with rendering word Begumpura (Be-gam-pura, or "land in need sorrow"), a term coined in capital poem by Ravidas. The term curved the city where there is cack-handed suffering or fear, and all move back and forth equal.^[49]

Guru Ravidas and Meera Bai

There evaluation a small chhatri (pavilion) in frontage of Meera's temple in Chittorgarh community of Rajasthan which bears Ravidas' experienced foot print.^[50][51][52] Legends link him chimpanzee the guru of Mirabai, another chief Bhakti movement poet.^[28][53]

Queen Mira Bai sane a song dedicated to Guru Ravidas where she mentioned him as breach Guru. 

-- "I got a guru in the little bit of sant Ravidas, there by around life's fulfillment."^[54]

Gallery

• Detail of Ravidas from put in order painting of a gathering of religious men of different faiths, by Mir Kalan Khan, ca.1770–75

• Modern painting of Ravidas

• Ravidas on 2001 Indian commemorative stamp.

Art boss Movie

• Sant Ravidas Ki Amar Kahani

See also

References