Ramanandi Sampradaya

The Ramanandi Sampradaya (IAST Rāmānandī), also known as the Ramayats or the Ramavats (IAST Rāmāvat)^[1], is a branch of the Vaishnava Sri Sampradaya of Hinduism.^[2]

Denomination

The Ramanandi Sampradaya is one of the largest and most egalitarian Hindu sects India, around the Ganges Plain, and Nepal today.^[3] It mainly emphasizes the worship of Rama^[1], as well as Vishnu directly and other incarnations.^[2] While considered Vaiṣṇava, the Ramanandi are the largest ascetic group that celebrates the Śivarātri festival, which is dedicated to Shiva.^[4] Ramanandi ascetics rely upon meditation and strict ascetic practices, but also believe that the grace of god is required for them to achieve liberation. For that reason, the Tyāga section of the Ramanandi ascetics, unlike some Śaiva ascetics, do not cut the sacred thread. Their reasoning for this is that only Viṣṇu or Rāma can grant liberation.^[5]

Most Ramanandis consider themselves to be the followers of Ramananda, a Vaishnava saint in medieval India.^[6] Philosophically, they are in the Vishishtadvaita (IAST Viśiṣṭādvaita}) tradition.^[1]

Its ascetic wing constitutes the largest Vaishnava monastic order and may possibly be the largest monastic order in all of India.^{[citation needed]}

Agravat, Nimavat, Kubavat, Tilavat, Devmurari, Ramavat, Nenuji, Sukhanandi and Yoganandi are the most prominent last names in Ramanandi caste.^{[citation needed]}

History

Bhaktamal, a gigantic hagiographic work on Hindu saints and devotees written by Raghavadas in 1660, was a core text for all Vaishnavs including Ramanadis. This text lists Ramanuja, expounder of Vishishtadvaita school of Vedanta, and Ramananda as saints of the Ramanuja Sampradaya. Many localized commentaries of Bhaktakamal were taught to young Vaishnavs across India. In 19th century, proliferation of the printing press in the Gangetic plains of North India allowed various commentaries of the text to be widely distributed. Of these, Bhagavan Prasad's Shri Bhaktamal: Tika, Tilak, aur Namvali Sahit was considered to be the most authoritative. In this text Bhagvan Prasad lists 108 prominent Vaishnavs starting with Ramanuja and ending with Ramananda. Ramananda's guru Raghavananda is described as an egalitarian guru who taught students of all castes. Ramananda himself is described as an avatar of Ram, a humble student with great yogic talents who was asked to form his own sampraday as a punishment by his guru. The text located his birth in Prayag in 1300 CE.

J.N. Farquhar, a noted missionary and indologist, published his own work on Ramanandi Sampradaya based on his interaction with various Ramanadis at Kumbh Mela of 1918.

Geography

Ramanandi live chiefly in the northern part of India.^[2] Ramanandi monasteries are found throughout western and central India, the Ganges basin, the Nepalese Terai, and the Himalayan foothills.^[3] The sect has played an important role in shaping the social and spiritual climate of the populous Ganges valley.^{[citation needed]} Ramanandi are spread across India, mainly in Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

Saints

The poet-saint Tulsidas, who composed the Ramcharitmanas, was a member of this sect.^[1]^[2]

Some sources say Jayadeva, who composed the Gita Govinda, was a member of this sect.^[2] Other sources classify Jayadeva simply as a Bengal Vaishnava.^[1]

Some sources say that Kabir was a disciple of Ramananda.^[2] Other sources say that say that Ramananda was a student of Kabir.^[1] Kabir founded a separate sect that is now known as the Kabirpanthi.^[2]

Caste

At the beginning of the 20th century, this sect declared the Kurmi caste to be the descendants of Ram's sons, Kush and Lav.^[7]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Michaels 2004, p. 254.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Tattwananda 1984, p. 10.
^ ^a ^b Burghart 1983, p. 362.
^ Michaels 2004, p. 255.
^ Michaels 2004, p. 256.
^ Raj 2007, p. 165.
^ Jaffrelot 2003.

Sources

Burghart, Richard (May, 1983). "Wandering Ascetics of the Rāmānandī Sect". History of Religions. 22 (4). The University of Chicago Press: 361-80}. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
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. Retrieved 16 August 2011.
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.
Raj, Selva J.; Harman, William P. (2007), Dealing With Deities: The Ritual Vow in South Asia, SUNY Press, ISBN 978-0-7914-6708-4
Tattwananda, Swami (1984). Vaisnava Sects, Saiva Sects, Mother Worship (1st revised edition ed.). Calcutta: Firma KLM Private Ltd. p. 10. {{cite book}}: |edition= has extra text (help)