Devarshi Ramanath Shastri
Pundit Devarshi Ramanath Shastri (1878 – 1943) was a Sanskrit poet, scholar and commentator on
Education and early life
Devarshi Ramanath Shastri received his early Sanskrit education in the famous Maharaja Sanskrit College of Jaipur. He had started composing poems in Sanskrit from his childhood. One of his earliest poems titled ‘Dukhinibala’ was published in a reputed Sanskrit magazine ‘Sanskrit Ratnakar’ of that era.
At Mumbai, he became a regular visitor to a book shop owned by one Narayan Moolji, where litterateurs, scholars and those interested in spiritual discussions assembled every evening. At one of the scholarly discussions, a renowned denizen of Mumbai, Seth Chattamorarji, was present who got highly impressed by the level of Devarshi Ramanath Shastry's scholarly arguments and oratory skills to conclude a debate on an issue. On Seth Chattamorarji's insistence, Pandit (Pt.) Ramanath Shastry started living in Anantwadi locality where he would give learned discourses on such scriptures as
Pt. Ramanath Shastry was later offered the position of chief religious speaker (the ‘Vyas’ chair) at Shri Gokuladheesh Temple of Pushtimarg sect by Goswami Govardhanlalji Maharaj, who also recommended him to be the Principal of the then Vasanji Manji Sanskrit School, functioning in the Hanuman street.
Contribution to Pushtimarg Sect
During his stay in Mumbai, Devarshi Ramanath Shastri came in contact with Goswami Shri Gokulnathji Maharaj of Mota Mandir, also called Bada Mandir, the famous pushtimargiya vaishnav temple of deity Bal Krishna Lal. The two became friendly after a few meetings and their association brought about a religious revolution of sorts in the Pushtimargiya Vaishnav Sect, infusing renewed vigour and interest in the
Pt. Ramanath Shastri soon established himself as a learned commentator of
Interaction with Eminent Citizens and Leaders
While in Mumbai, Pt. Ramanath Shastri was offered the position of Honorary Secretary of the erstwhile prestigious societies like ‘Vidwat Parishad’, ‘Brahmavad Parishad’, and ‘Sanatan Dharma Sabha’ to which he contributed for a long time. He founded an organization called 'Svadharma Vivardhini Sabha', where a series of lectures was organized on the Eleventh day of every month of Indian calendar. His lectures and discourses became so popular that another organization called ‘Arya Svadharmodaya Sabha’ located in Madhav Bagh of Mumbai invited him to deliver his discourses and lectures on
Honours
Owing to his mesmerising oratory skills and vast knowledge of
A Versatile Personality
Devarshi Ramanath Shastri possessed a charming personality and was a versatile person having varied interests in which he excelled. He learnt painting from J.J. School of Art, Mumbai and created many remarkable paintings in oil and water colour. Some of his famous oil paintings, like ‘Sheron ka Swarajya’ (the kingdom of the lions), ‘Shardool Vikram’, and ‘Radha Madhav’ were much talked about and were displayed at various exhibitions with a sign board saying ‘Not for Competition’. Many of his paintings have found a place of honour in the drawing rooms of art connoisseurs and in art galleries. He was also an accomplished photographer, cricketer and chess player, who would compete with the European members of the prestigious erstwhile Hindu Jimkhana Club, of which he was a member.[7]
Important works
Pt. Ramanath Shastri wrote many books, commentaries and treatises,[8] some of which are mentioned below:
- Shuddhadvait Darshan (vol.2), Pub. Mota Mandir, Bhoiwada, Mumbai, 1917[9]
- Brahmasambandh athva Pushtimargiya Diksha, Pub. Sanatan Bhakrimargiya Sahitya Sewa Sadan, Mathura, 1932[10]
- Raslila Virodh Parihar, Pub. Vidya Vibhag, Nathdwara, Rajasthan, 1932
- Bhakti aur Prapatti ka Swaroopagat Bhed, Pub. Shuddhadvait Siddhant Karyalaya, Nathdwara, 1935[11]
- Shri Krishnavatar kim va Parabrahmn ka Avirbhav, Pub. Shuddhadvait Pushtimargiya Siddhant Karyalaya, Nathdwara, 1935
- Shrikrishnashraya, Pub. Pushti Siddhant Bhawan, Parikrama, Nathdwara, 1938
- Ishwar Darshan, Pub. Vidya Vibhag, Bathdwara, 1939
- Pushtimargiya Swaroop Sewa, Pub. Vidya Vibhag, Nathdwara, 1943
- Shrikrishna Leelaon par Shastriya Prakash (Vol.1), Pub. Vidya Vibhag, Nathdwara, 1944.
- Brahmvaad, Pub. Pushtimargiya Karyalaya, Nathdwara, 1945[12]
- Pushtimargiya Nityasewa Smaran, Pub. Shrivallabhacharya Jan Kalyan Pranyas, Mathura, 1989[13]
- Anugrah Marg (According to Subodhiniji), Pub. Shrivallabhacharya Jan Kalyan Pranyas, Mathura, 1994
- Shuddhadvait Darshan (in three volumes, new edition), Pub. Vidya Vibhag, Nathdwara, 2000
In addition to the above books, he also authored several other works in Hindi, Gujarati and Sanskrit and translated some scriptures, some of which are unpublished or are available as manuscripts[14] -
- ‘Siddhanta Rahasya Vivritti’
- ‘Shuddhadvait Siddhantasaar’ (Hindi and Gujarati)
- ‘Trisootri’ (Comparison of Shankar and Vallabh doctrines on Gita Theory)
- ‘Shodashgranth Teeka’
- ‘Stuti Parijaatam’ (in Sanskrit)
- ‘Darshanadarshah’ (in Sanskrit)
- ‘Gita Taatparya’
- ‘Shrimadvallabhacharya’
- ‘Bhagwan Akshar Brahmn’
- ‘Shrimadbhagwatgita’ (Hindi translation) Bhagavad Gita
- ‘Radhakrishna Tattva’
- ‘Subodhiniji ka Vishad Anuvaad’,
- ‘Chhandogyopanishad Bhashyam’ (in Sanskrit) etc.
He started composing a treatise titled ‘Gita ki Samalochana’ in 1942, which got completed only a week before his death in 1943.
His Later life
Devarshi Ramanath Shastri stayed in Mumbai until 1930. On invitation of the then
Devarshi Ramanath Shastri died at the age of 65 years in 1943 at Nathdwara.
References
- ^ Brajnath Shastri, ‘Detailed Introduction of Devarshi Pt. Ramanath Shastri’, in ‘Shrikrishna Leelaon par Shastriya Prakash’, Vidya Vibhag, Nathdwara, 1944.
- ISBN 978-81-86111-32-1
- ^ Dr. Sushma Sharma, ‘Devarshi Pt. Ramanath Shastri’, Diamond Jubilee Volume of Sahitya Mandal, Nathdwara (1937-1997), Chief Editor Bhagwati Prasad Devpura, Sahitya Mandal, Nathdwara, 1997
- ^ ‘Brahmasambandh athva Pushtimargiya Diksha’, Sanatan Bhaktimargiya Sahitya Sewa Sadan, Mathura, 1932.
- ^ Brajnath Shastri, ‘Detailed Introduction of Devarshi Pt. Ramanath Shastri’, in ‘Shrikrishna Leelaon par Shastriya Prakash’, Vidya Vibhag, Nathdwara, 1944.
- ISBN 81-293-0003-6
- ^ Dr. Sushma Sharma, ‘Devarshi Pt. Ramanath Shastri’, Diamond Jubilee Volume of Sahitya Mandal, Nathdwara (1937-1997), Chief Editor Bhagwati Prasad Devpura, Sahitya Mandal, Nathdwara, 1997
- ISBN 978-81-86111-32-1
- ^ "Shuddhadvaita Darshan (Vol.2)", Published by Mota Mandir, Bhoiwada, Mumbai, 1917
- ^ ‘Brahmasambandh athva Pushtimargiya Diksha’, Sanatan Bhaktimargiya Sahitya Sewa Sadan, Mathura, 1932.
- ^ ‘Bhakti aur Prapatti ka Swaroopagat Bhed’, Pub. Shuddhadvait Siddhant Karyalaya, Nathdwara, 1935
- ^ ‘Brahmvaad’, Pushtimargiya Karyalaya, Nathdwara, 1945.
- ^ ‘Pushtimargiya Nityasewa Smaran’, Pub. Shrivallabhacharya Jan Kalyan Pranyas, Mathura, 1989
- ^ Brajnath Shastri, ‘Detailed Introduction of Devarshi Pt. Ramanath Shastri’, in ‘Shrikrishna Leelaon par Shastriya Prakash’, Vidya Vibhag, Nathdwara, 1944.