Ramanandi Sampradaya
Valmiki Ramayana, Adhyatma Ramayana, Ramcharitmanas, Vedas, Bhaktamal, Vaishnava Matabja Bhaskara, Vinaya Patrika, Ananda Bhashya (Brahma Sutra Upaniṣad Gita), Sri Ramarchan Paddati, Maithili Maha Upanishad, Valmiki Samhita, Hanuman Chalisa, Sita Upanishad |
The Ramanandi (
Lineage of Ramanandi Sampradaya
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The lineage of Ramanandi Sampradaya is claimed to start from Rama,[8] The lineage as said by Anantanandacharya to Krishnadas Payahari is:
- Rama
- Sita
- Hanuman
- Brahma
- Vasishtha
- Parashara
- Ved Vyasa
- Sukadeva Muni
- Maharishi Bodhayan (Purushottamacharya)
- Gangadharacharya
- Sadaanandacharya
- Rameshvaranandacharya
- Dvaranandacharya
- Devanandacharya
- Shyamanandacharya
- Shrutanandacharya
- Chidanandacharya
- Purnanandacharya
- Shriyanandacharya
- Haryanandacharya
- Raghavananadacharya
- Ramanandacharya[9][10][11]
Caste
People of this sect are known as Vaishnavite in Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Rajasthan. At the beginning of the 20th century, this sect declared to be the descendants of
Denomination
The Ramanandi Sampradaya is one of the largest and most egalitarian Hindu sects India, around the
Most Ramanandis consider themselves to be the followers of
Its ascetic wing constitutes the largest Vaishnava
History
The Ramanandi Sampradaya originates from Rama, who initiated Sita with his six-letter mantra. Sita later initiated her beloved disciple Hanuman with the same mantra. According to Shanti Lala Nagar, quoting Valmiki Samhita says "The Supreme Being, Rama, always ready to protect his eternal servants and to assist those with meek hearts. This is well-known in the Vedas. He created this universe and, with the desire for the welfare of people, Rama imparted the transcendental mantra to Sita, the daughter of King Janaka than She revealed this to the glorious Hanuman, the repository of virtues. Hanuman then conveyed it to Brahma, who in turn passed it on to the sage Vasishtha. Thus, in this sequence, the divine mantra descended into this world."[20] It is claimed that this tradition has been established in all four Yugas and in Kaliyuga Rama himself appeared as Ramanandacharya at Prayagraj.[21]
Munsi Ram Sharma says that more than 500 disciples of Ramananda who lives with him in Varanasi.[25] It is said that propagator of Ramanadi tradition is Sita. She first imparted teachings to Hanuman, through which the revelation of this secret occurred in the world. Due to this, the name of this tradition is Sri Sampradaya, and its main mantra is referred to as the 'Ram Tarak Mantra'.[26] The guru imparts initiation of sacred Ram mantra into the disciple's ear. They apply an upward-pointing tilak (urdhva pund) on the forehead. Complete devotion and immersion in devotional songs (bhajans) is the tradition's way of life. Most saints lead a life of renunciation (paramhansa) within this tradition.[27] Farquhar credits Ramananda[28] and his followers as the origin of the North Indian practice of using Ram to refer to the Absolute.[29] Farquhar finds no evidence to show that Ramananda endeavoured to "overturn caste as a social institution".[30] On the other hand, Sita Ram, author of the Vaishnava history of Ayodhya, and George Grierson, eminent linguist and Indologist, represent Ramananda as saint who tried to transcend caste divisions of medieval India through the message of love and equality. The scholars also disagree on Ramananda's connection with Ramanuja. While Farquhar finds them completely unconnected, Sita Ram and Grierson finds Ramananda connection with Ramanuja tradition.[31] But a historical debate held between Ramanuj and Ramanand tradition in Ujjain Kumbh 1921, ended up the issue of both the traditions being one; Ramanuja Ramprapannadas from Ramanuj tradition got defeated from Bhagvaddas of Ramanandi tradition.[32]
Up to the nineteenth century, many of the trade routes in northern India were guarded by groups of warrior-ascetics, including the Nāgā sections of the Rāmānandīs, who were feared because of their strength and fearlessness.[33] The British took steps to disarm these militant groups of ascetics, but even today the sects still retain their heroic traditions.[33]
Geography
Ramanandi live chiefly in the northern part of India.
Saints
Saints
The poet-saint Tulsidas, who composed the Ramcharitmanas, was a member of this sect.[1][2] His writings are regarded to have made Vishnu and Shiva devotees of each other and thereby bridged the gap between Vaishnavas and Shaivas. Because Tulsidas attempted to reconcile various theologies scholars like Ramchandra Shukla do not agree that he can considered to be a Ramanandi exclusively.[39]
Some sources say Jayadeva, who composed the Gita Govinda, was also a member of this sect.[2] Other sources classify Jayadeva simply as a Bengal Vaishnava.[1]
Another bhakti saint, Ravidas, who was also a disciple of Ramananda, followed Ramanandi Sampradaya and also founded the Ravidassia sect.[40][41]
Image gallery
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Rama's Chaturbhuj Temple (Orchha) (Madhya Pradesh)
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Ram Mandir, Bhubaneswar (Orisha)
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Sita Ramachandraswamy temple, Bhadrachalam (Telangana)
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Celebrations atSita Ramachandraswamy temple, Bhadrachalam (Telangana)
See also
- Bairagi Brahmin
- Bhakti movement
- Balmiki sect
- Hindu denominations
- Maithili Maha Upanishad
- Rambhadracharya
- Sri Ramarchan Paddati
- Thakurdwara Bhagwan Narainji
- Vaishnava Matabja Bhaskara
- Valmiki Samhita
Notes
- ^ Michaels (2004, p. 255): "many groups that are considered Vaiṣṇava also worship Śiva. The largest ascetic groups that celebrate the Śivaratri festival with mortification of the flesh and pilgrimages are the Vaiṣṇava Rāmānandīs."
References
- ^ a b c d Michaels 2004, p. 254.
- ^ a b c d e f g Tattwananda 1984, p. 10.
- ^ a b c Burghart 1983, p. 362.
- ISBN 9780520200616.
- ISBN 9788120802773, pages 4-6
- ISBN 978-0791467084, pages 165-166
- ISBN 978-0823931804, pages 553-554
- ^ Mishra, Bhuvaneshwar (1957). Ram Bhakti Me Madhur Upasna (in Hindi). Bihar Rastrabhasha Parishad. p. 127.
- ^ Dagar, Mukesh Kumar (28 May 2012). "International Journal of Scientific Research in Science and Technology" (PDF). Vaishnava Sampradaya Dharma Shatra. IV (II): 419–436.
- ^ "Shri Anantanandacharyakritam Shriramamantrarajaparampara Stotram". sanskritdocuments.org. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
- ^ Mitra, Ramkishore Das (1942). Guru Mahatmya (in Sanskrit and Hindi) (1st ed.). Lucknow: Bhagavati Prasad Press Lucknow. p. 17.
- ^ Jaffrelot 2003.
- ^ Michaels 2004, p. 255.
- ^ Michaels 2004, p. 316, "Wear a Sacred Thread" is noted as a distinctive mark of Rāmānandī ascetics in Table 33, "Groups and Sects of Ascetics"..
- ^ Michaels 2004, p. 256.
- ^ Raj & Harman 2007, p. 165.
- ^ Chadwick, James (1988). Indian Traditions & Philosophy (2nd ed.). p. 146.
- ^ Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia 1999.
- ^ Michaels 2004, p. 316.
- ISBN 978-81-7646-461-1.
- ^ Tiwari, Nanad Kishore (1974). Madhyayuga ke bhaktikavya mei maya (in Hindi). Śodha Sāhitya Prakāśana. p. 151.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ Callewaert & Snell 1994, p. 95.
- ^ Pinch 1996, p. 55.
- ^ Nabhadas, Jankidas (1965). Bhaktamal (in Hindi and Braj) (1st ed.). Varanasi: Thākuraprasāda. p. 2.
- ^ Sharma, Munsi Ram (1979). Bhakti ka vikasa (in Hindi) (1st ed.). Varanasi: Caukhambā Vidyābhavana. p. 332.
- ^ Upadhyaya, Baldev (1953). Bhagavata sampradaya (1st ed.). Nagaripracarini Sabha. p. 274.
- ^ Sharma, Raghuvir Simha (1997). Vaishnava dharma evam darshana (in Hindi) (1st ed.). Abha Prakashana. p. 91.
- ^ Farquhar 1920, p. 323.
- ^ Farquhar 1920, pp. 323–324.
- ^ Farquhar 1920, pp. 324–325.
- ^ Pinch 1996, p. 61.
- ^ Pinch 1996.
- ^ a b Michaels 2004, p. 274.
- ISBN 978-81-7304-123-5.
They are divided into several sections, among which may be mentioned the Ramanandi who worship Ram Chandra
- ^ Bairagi Brahmin (caste)
- ^ West 2001, p. 743.
- ^ a b Farquhar 1920, p. 328.
- ^ Schomer & McLeod 1987, p. 5.
- ^ Shukla 2002, p. 44.
- ^ a b Pande 2010, p. 76–77.
- ^ Jha 2013, p. 12.
- ^ Lochtefeld 2001, p. 451.
- ^ Goswamy, B. N.; Grewal, J. S. (1969). The Mughal and Sikh Rulers and the Vaishnavas of Pindori: A Historical Interpretation of 52 Persian Documents. Indian Institute of Advanced Study.
Sources
- Burghart, Richard (May 1983), "Wandering Ascetics of the Rāmānandī Sect", History of Religions, 22 (4), The University of Chicago Press: 361–80, S2CID 162304284
- Callewaert, Winand M.; Snell, Rupert (1994), According to Tradition: Hagiographical Writing in India, Otto Harrassowitz Verlag, ISBN 978-3-447-03524-8
- Farquhar, J. N. (1920), Outline of the Religious Literature of India, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-81-208-2086-9
- Jaffrelot, Christophe (2003), India's silent revolution: the rise of the lower castes in North India, London: C. Hurst & Co., p. 196, ISBN 978-1-85065-670-8
- Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions, Merriam-Webster, 1999, ISBN 978-0-87779-044-0
- Michaels, Alex (2004), Hinduism: Past and Present (English translation of the book first published in Germany under the title Der Hinduismus: Geschichte und Gegenwart (Verlag, 1998) ed.), Princeton: Princeton University Press
- Pinch, William R. (1996), Peasants and Monks in British India, University of California Press, ISBN 978-0-520-20061-6
- Raj, Selva J.; Harman, William P. (2007), Dealing With Deities: The Ritual Vow in South Asia, SUNY Press, ISBN 978-0-7914-6708-4
- Schomer, Karine; McLeod, W. H. (1987), The Sants: Studies in a Devotional Tradition of India, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-81-208-0277-3
- Shukla, Usha Devi (2002), Rāmacaritamānasa in South Africa, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-81-208-1893-4
- Tattwananda, Swami (1984), Vaisnava Sects, Saiva Sects, Mother Worship (1st revised ed.), Calcutta: Firma KLM Private Ltd., p. 10
- West, Jacqueline (2001), South America, Central America and the Caribbean 2002, Psychology Press, ISBN 978-1-85743-121-6
- Pande, Rekha (2010), Divine Sounds from the Heart—Singing Unfettered in their Own Voices: The Bhakti Movement and its Women Saints (12th to 17th Century), Cambridge Scholars Publishing, pp. 76–77, ISBN 9781443825252, retrieved 25 August 2019
- Lochtefeld, James G. (2001), The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism: A-M, New York, New York, United States of America: Rosen Publishing Group, p. 451, ISBN 9780823931798
- Jha, Mamta (2013), Sant Ravidas Ratnawali, Prabhat Prakashan, p. 12