Guest guest Posted August 26, 2005 Report Share Posted August 26, 2005 Adiyen would like to know more about this great SriVaishnava. Can any member of this esteemed group help me in this. Dasan,Kannan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 27, 2005 Report Share Posted August 27, 2005 The Ramanandis RENUKA NARAYANAN This is not about upholding agendas but about our right to know. Thus, when Swami Nritya Gopal, who succeeded Swami Paramahans as head of the Ramanandi sect in Ayodhya, says, "Hindus and Muslims will build the temple together", it may not necessarily be a "Hindu extremist" remark. Over five centuries of composite Bhakti culture back it. The mahant heads one of the largest sampradayas, the Ramanandis. Their history has ramifications that leave you breathless. Ramananda (1360?-1470) of Prayag, was a devotee of the 12th century Srivaishnava philosopher Ramanuja of Sriperumbudur, conceiver of `vishishtadvaita' philosophy. (Among his followers in South India are the Iyengars. Sri Ramanuja was the first to coin the term `Harijan' later picked up by Bapu). After his studies in South India, Ramananda settled in Kashi. Kabir lay on the steps of the ghat that Ramananda descended daily to the Ganga. Unseeingly, he trod on Kabir and said "Ram Ram", which Kabir took as his initiation before he undertook reconciling Islam and `Hinduism'. Ramananda eventually founded the `Srisampradaya' and his 12 disciples founded sub-sects called `dvara'. The umbrella sect of Ramanandis thumbed its nose at orthodoxy by accepting women and members of all castes and religions. Their core principle was love for "Sitaram", reflecting Srivaishnavism, where Sri stands for Mahalakshmi. Ramananda's disciples led the reformist Bhakti phase in North India: Kabir the weaver, Meerabai the princess, Tulsidas the priest (whose Ramcharitmanas changed the face of Hinduism forever in the Ganga basin), Malukdas the basket-maker and Nabhaji the merchant's son, all of whose bhajans are still recorded on CD and taught in graduate programs of music at universities. Now look at the outreach. Kabir, who founded the `Santmat' or tradition of teachers who reconcile sagun (avatar) and nirgun (formless God) bhakti and uphold the salvatory concepts of Satnam and Sadguru, is known to have inspired Guru Nanak. Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh guru, who died in Nanded in 1708, initiated a runaway Peshwa. He thus re-linked an older Bhakti chain that began with Oriya poet Jayadev, author of the Gita Govinda (whose writ runs from Meghalaya to Kerala in 16 languages). This chain, I'm told, included both Sant Sadna, an early 14th century butcher of Sindh and Sant Namdeo, the calico printer who is one of the five great saints of Maharashtra. In a wild loop, the late `Aftab-e-Mausiqi' (Sun of Music) Ustad Faiyyaz Khan of the Agra gharana was of descent from Malukdas, while the powerful Radhasoami sect is in spiritual lineage from both Guru Nanak and Tulsidas. Given that only a religious solution might work for Ayodhya, why can't our "intellectuals" tell us these important nuances? source http://www.indianexpress.com/archive_full_story.php? content_id=30220 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 1, 2005 Report Share Posted September 1, 2005 Sri Kannan, I am certain that there are a number of web sites that can provide you with more details. But, having had some interest in Rama Bhakti and his movement during my college days, I would be happy to share what I know: According to what one Western author could piece together, the elusive Swamy Ramananda was born and raised in what is now the State of Karnataka, presumably in one of the villages surrounding Mysore. He had his formal training under one Sri Raghavachariar Swamy, and served the deity of the mutham of his guru (which is not known), Sri Rama Pariwaram. Under the directions of his guru, Ramanand went on a pilgrimage to bring the teachings of Bhagavad Sri Ramanuja to the North, particularly in the areas that were troubled by the onslaught of the Mughal Empire. It was here that on one or more occassions, situations forced the ardent bhagavatha to partake food offered by Muslims and Harijans. When confessing to this to his teachers upon his return to the South, Ramanand was asked by his guru to leave the mutham, return North and establishment a practice of his own, based on the teachings of Bhagavad Sri Ramanuja. He did so, but out of respect for the rahasyatrayam, focused his teachings not directly upon Sriman Narayana, but rather the worship of Sri Rama as the Supreme and initiated his followers into Rama Nama. Note, however, that Rama in Sri Ramanand's teachings was not superior to Sri Hari, but rather the Form the Lord Himself Chose so that He could relate to His devotees on a human level. If Ramanand wrote any works of his own, they are now lost. There is mention of a work in Hindi that parallels Sri Vachana Bhushanam, however, but I am not sure whether a print version of this is available anywhere. As you rightly mentioned, since Ramanand's path was only inspired by Sri Ramanuja, it was free and open spiritual philosophy that was available to people of all backgrounds. Indeed, the first well-known sishya among his many disciples was Kabir, a Muslim weaver. Since the path was so open, however, it left lots of room for personal interpretation, allowing for advaitic - as can be seen in Tulsidas's Ramacharitmanas - and even iconoclastic elements (Kabir and Ravidas) to work their way in now and then. I do recall reading something about how 12 of Ramanand's disciples were compared to the 12 Alwars; but the only two that I am sure about at this time is Meerabai, who is referred to as the Andal of the North, and Kabir, who is likened to Nammalwar. I hope this helps as a start. adiyen Mohan Kannan wrote: > Srimate Ramanujaya Namaha > Azwar Thiruvadigale Sharanam > > Dear Sri Vaishnavas, > > While reading a book on Emperumanar written by Swami Tapasyananda > (RamKrishna Math), Adiyen came across a reference to a SriVaishnava by > the name Ramananda (1300 - 1411). The book mentions Swami Ramananda as > having being initiated into SriVaishnavism and then going on to settle > in Benares, where he propagated our religion and was the spiritual > simulator of twelve great leaders of Vaishnavism in the north (which > included great Bhaktas like Sant Kabirdas, Swami Ravidas and others). > > Adiyen would like to know more about this great SriVaishnava. Can any > member of this esteemed group help me in this. > > Dasan, > Kannan > > > azhwAr emberumAnAr jeeyAr thiruvadigalE saranam > > > > ------ > > > * Visit your group "ramanuja > <ramanuja>" on the web. > > * > ramanuja > <ramanuja?subject=Un> > > * Terms of > Service <>. > > > ------ > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 1, 2005 Report Share Posted September 1, 2005 Dear All I heard like Ramanand was a disciple of 1st Pontiff of Vanamamalai Madam , swamy PonadikAl Jeeyar, also there is one mutt in Chennai (Mambalam) for them , As every one knows , Swamy PonnadikAL Jeeyar did Yathrai towards North India to full fill the wishes of Swamy ManavAla mAmunigal and he ahs established so many Thothari mutts in North India, so for Ramanand to be his sishya , there are lot of possibilies, but so far I have not seen any proof for this . Adiyen Guna On Thu, 01 Sep 2005 Madhuri and Mohan wrote : >Sri Kannan, > >I am certain that there are a number of web sites that can provide you >with more details. But, having had some interest in Rama Bhakti and his >movement during my college days, I would be happy to share what I know: > >According to what one Western author could piece together, the elusive >Swamy Ramananda was born and raised in what is now the State of >Karnataka, presumably in one of the villages surrounding Mysore. He had >his formal training under one Sri Raghavachariar Swamy, and served the >deity of the mutham of his guru (which is not known), Sri Rama Pariwaram. > >Under the directions of his guru, Ramanand went on a pilgrimage to bring >the teachings of Bhagavad Sri Ramanuja to the North, particularly in the >areas that were troubled by the onslaught of the Mughal Empire. It was >here that on one or more occassions, situations forced the ardent >bhagavatha to partake food offered by Muslims and Harijans. When >confessing to this to his teachers upon his return to the South, >Ramanand was asked by his guru to leave the mutham, return North and >establishment a practice of his own, based on the teachings of Bhagavad >Sri Ramanuja. He did so, but out of respect for the rahasyatrayam, >focused his teachings not directly upon Sriman Narayana, but rather the >worship of Sri Rama as the Supreme and initiated his followers into Rama >Nama. Note, however, that Rama in Sri Ramanand's teachings was not >superior to Sri Hari, but rather the Form the Lord Himself Chose so that >He could relate to His devotees on a human level. > >If Ramanand wrote any works of his own, they are now lost. There is >mention of a work in Hindi that parallels Sri Vachana Bhushanam, >however, but I am not sure whether a print version of this is available >anywhere. > >As you rightly mentioned, since Ramanand's path was only inspired by Sri >Ramanuja, it was free and open spiritual philosophy that was available >to people of all backgrounds. Indeed, the first well-known sishya among >his many disciples was Kabir, a Muslim weaver. Since the path was so >open, however, it left lots of room for personal interpretation, >allowing for advaitic - as can be seen in Tulsidas's Ramacharitmanas - >and even iconoclastic elements (Kabir and Ravidas) to work their way in >now and then. > >I do recall reading something about how 12 of Ramanand's disciples were >compared to the 12 Alwars; but the only two that I am sure about at this >time is Meerabai, who is referred to as the Andal of the North, and >Kabir, who is likened to Nammalwar. > >I hope this helps as a start. > >adiyen >Mohan > > >Kannan wrote: > > > Srimate Ramanujaya Namaha > > Azwar Thiruvadigale Sharanam > > > > Dear Sri Vaishnavas, > > > > While reading a book on Emperumanar written by Swami Tapasyananda > > (RamKrishna Math), Adiyen came across a reference to a SriVaishnava by > > the name Ramananda (1300 - 1411). The book mentions Swami Ramananda as > > having being initiated into SriVaishnavism and then going on to settle > > in Benares, where he propagated our religion and was the spiritual > > simulator of twelve great leaders of Vaishnavism in the north (which > > included great Bhaktas like Sant Kabirdas, Swami Ravidas and others). > > > > Adiyen would like to know more about this great SriVaishnava. Can any > > member of this esteemed group help me in this. > > > > Dasan, > > Kannan > > > > > > azhwAr emberumAnAr jeeyAr thiruvadigalE saranam > > > > > > > > ------ > > > > > > * Visit your group "ramanuja > > <ramanuja>" on the web. > > > > * > > ramanuja > > <ramanuja?subject=Un> > > > > * Terms of > > Service <>. > > > > > > ------ > > > > > > > > > >------------------------ Sponsor --------------------~--> >Get fast access to your favorite . Make your home page >http://us.click./dpRU5A/wUILAA/yQLSAA/.itolB/TM >--~-> > >azhwAr emberumAnAr jeeyAr thiruvadigalE saranam > > Links > ><*> > ramanuja/ > ><*> > ramanuja > ><*> Your > > > > Adiyen Ramanuja Dasan Gunaseelan Venkatachary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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