Bhaktha Ramdas of Bhadrachalam : Part 1

[Guest guest]

Sri Rajiv Madabhusi : I will consider it a

pleasure to respond to your query on

Bhadrachala Rama Das (BRD).

 

He was born in 1620 AD at Nelakondapalli in

Andhra Desam and lived for 68 years on this earth.

In the last verse of his Dasarathi Satakam , he describes

himself this way: "Allana Linga Mantri Suthudu(son),

Atreya Gothrudu, Adi Sakha , Kancherla Kulothbhavudu,

Gopakavindrudu ". His give name was Gopanna . His

father was Linganna Mantri(Minister) , a surname he

kept as a result of one of his forebearers being a

minister at the court of a king . People called Gopanna

by the name familiar to us as Bhadrachala Ramadas,

because of his devotion to the Vaikunta Rama enshrined at

Bhadrachalam , a small village in the middle of the jungle

on the northern banks of the holy river Godhavary.

 

The temple of Rama here is on a small hillock. Some 22

miles to the north of Bhadrachalam on the bank of

Godhavary is said to be the place of Parnasaala of

Rama and Sita. This is by legend said to be the site

where Ramana abducted Sita( Nasik -Panchavati is

another site mentioned regarding the location of Parnasaala).

At the spot, where Sita lived with her dear Rama, there are

two kinds of stone , one Yellow and another red in color.

Natives call them Pasupu Rallu and Kumkuma Rallu since

they give powders on rubbing , which look like Turmeric

and Kumkumam (red Saffron) . These stones are said to

be used by Sita Devi for her bathing and decoration. There is a

tree nearby, which is said to be Surpanaka. Pilgrims consider

it their religious duty to throw a stone at this tree ! The base

of the tree is covered with a huge assembly of stones.

 

The temple at Bhadrachalam has the Archa Murthys of Rama,

Sita and Lakshmana and are considered to be Svayambhu Murthys

(self-manifested ones). The presence of these deities in the

middle of the Jungle was revealed to one pious woman by the

name Dhammakka in a dream.She was considered to

belong to the kulam of Sabari .Dhammakka hastened to the site,

cleared jungle and offered puja to the deities.

 

This temple and its deities played a central role in the life of

Ramadas . He was at the time the Tasildhaar of Bhadrachalam and

began to collect funds from people to build a proper temple

for Sri Ramachandra at Bhadragiri . When there was not enough

funds to complete the temple , Praakaram construction and the

Celebration of Utsavams for Sri Rama and Sita , he took the

money from the tax revenue of his king ( Taani Shah of Golconda)

and vowed to return it back to the state treasury.Tani Shah was

angry at the Tasildhaar for channeling the state money and had

Ramadas arrested and locked him up in a prison close to his

palace. His incarceration gave Ramadas the name of Bandekhana

Ramadas. From the prison, he cried out for Rama and reminded him

about his services in his moving song Ishvaku Kula Tilaka . Here he

has some rough words for Rama for not taking care of him inspite of

his devoted and caring services to Sri Rama and His family. Sri Rama

responded and came with His brother to the court of Tanisha in the

form of two youngsters and paid back the debt of Ramadas and got

his release papers. The golden coins paid by Sri Rama are known as

Ram Tanka coins .They can be seen even today.

These coins have the Pattabhishekam scene on one side and

the picture of another Rama Bhaktha, Anjaneya on the other side. Tanisha

was moved and recognized the greatness of Rama Das and released

him immediately and gave him land around Bhadrachalam to continue his

dedicated service to Bhadrachala Ramamurthy .Here Ramadas spent

the rest of his life and composed moving poems that inspired Saint

Thyagaraja later. Latte rhas paid his tribute to the illustrious Rama

Bhakthi of Ramadas in many of his Krithis (Kshira sagara sayana in

Devagandhari, Brindavanalola in Thodi, Kaligiyunde Gada in Kirvani ,

Emi Dova Balkuma In Saranga and in Prahlada Bhakti Vijayam).

 

Two examples of Saint Thyagaraja"s tribute to the Rama Bhakthi

of Ramadfas are as follows :

 

In the Devagandhari krithi he asks Rama: "Dhirudau Ramadasuni

Bandhamu dirchinadi Vinnanura Rama? ( O Rama! I have heard

how You obtained the release of the BOLD Ramadas from his prison life).

 

In his Padya in Prahlada Vijayam ., we find another tribute:

 

KALIYUGAMUNA VARA BHADRA CHALAMUNA NELAKONNA

RAMACHANDRUNI PADA BHAKTULA KELLA VARUDANANDAGI

VELASINA SRI RAMADASU VINUTINTU MADIN

 

( I praise Sri Ramadas,who shines in this world as the supreme

devotee of Sri ramachandra , who shines forth from his seat at

Bhadracahlam in this kali Yuga).

 

Saint Thyagaraja adopted Sri Ramadas as his role model and

admired latter for his Ananya Bhakti, gaining Rama Sakshaatkara

and spreading Rama Nama Siddhaantha . Saint Thyagarahja

referred to himself as the Dasa Of Ramadas and equated the

Bhadrachala Ramadas to other sterling devotees of Rama

such as Narada, Parasara , Valmiki et al.

 

(To be continued)