D.R.Bhagat
The medieval period from 1200-1700 A.D. was the period of Bhakti movement in India. Many saints appeared during this period in India who showered their blessings on the people and took them out of the darkness of ignorance. Sri Guru Ravi Das Ji Maharaj was one among the leading saints of Bhakti movement. He was born in a small village Seer Goverdhan Pura near Varanasi in 1377 A.D on the Magh Purnima Day. His father was Baba Santokh Das and the name of his mother was Mata Kalsa Devi. From his childhood he was inclined towards spiritualism. He used to listen the discourses of saints along with his mother. Always preferring to remain in the company of saints his parents became anxious. To divert his attention they put him in their own profession of shoe making. He kept busy himself in this profession but his mind always remained towards God. He always respected saints and spent his earnings to serve them. His father became angry over his actions and hence they decided to marry him with a girl named Mata Lona at a very tender age but this also failed to create his interest in the worldly matters. As per Ravidas Puran he had also a son named Vijay Das.
His spiritual Guru was Ramanand who was also the Guru of Saint Kabir. But some people believe that he had no guru and he was himself in the form of God. He had also no formal schooling but had knowledge of common languages like Hindi, Urdu, Persian and some local languages. The basis of his knowledge was the company of saints and his own spiritual thoughts. He has written many verses and Slokas. Being born in a low caste he has to face the wrath of orthodox Brahmins who treated themselves as sole authority for preaching God. But many a time they had to bow before him after watching his miracles on account of his divine power. Jealous over the increasing popularity of Ravi Das Ji as a saint, the Brahmins lodged a complaint with the king of Benaras Raja Nagar Mal that despite being born in a low caste Ravi Das is preaching God which is not allowed in Hinduism. The king called Ravi Das in his court and asked him to explain his case regarding the complaint. Guru Ravi Das explained that caste and sects are the creation of the man to divide the people and they have nothing to do with God. To decide about the righteousness of the faith of either side the king called for a deity and got placed it in between Ravi Das and the complaining Brahmins. He said that with your faith and devotional power you will have to bring this deity towards your side one by one. Firstly, with the help of Puja and chanting of mantras the Brahmins tried to attract the deity towards their side but could not succeed. Then Ravi Das simply remembered God in his own way and everybody was surprised to see the deity in his lap. The king bowed before him and also arranged a procession to honour him.
Ravi Das had no lust for materialism. One day a sadhu came to his hut. Ravi Das served him as usual. The sadhu was pleased and offered him a Paras(Philosopher’s stone) and told him that all the tools used by him for shoe making shall become gold when touched with it. But he refused to accept it. The sage then kept it in the roof of his hut thinking that Ravi Das will lift it and use it later on. The same sadhu came to him after some time thinking that he might have used the Paras and might have become rich. But observing him in the same condition, he asked him about the Paras. Ravi Das replied that you can have it from where you had kept it. The sadhu asked him why he has not used the same and reply of Ravi Das was as under.
Paras Mani mohe ratu na bhaye jag janjar na thora
Keh Ravi Das taj sabh trishna ek ram charan chit jora.
He said that the name of God is real Paras which transforms sinners into saints. Once king Peepa after listening much about the divinity of Ravi Das decided to meet him and take his blessings. One day he went to him secretly and asked to bless him. Ravi Das gave him water from the leather wetting kund and asked him to drink this nectar. The egoist king was reluctant to drink this water and hence observing that Ravi Das was busy in his work he cleverly threw the water inside his shirt pretending that he has drunk that water and left from there. The shirt was given to the washer man for washing next day. While washing the shirt the washer man’s daughter in order to clean the spot developed with the water thrown by the king sucked the spot with her mouth. Immediately after this she started talking like a saint. This became the talk of the town. The king knowing about all this repented his action. He again went to Ravi Das Ji and became his disciple after taking his blessings and also preached his teachings.
Some of his disciples were from the princely families. Meera Bai was a well known saint of Bhakti movement who was married to prince Bhoj Raj of Mewar. She became the disciple of Guru Ravi Das leaving all the princely comforts. Peepa was a king and another queen Rani Jhalan of Mewar who was also his disciple but Guru Ji never accepted any offerings or gifts from them. He was strictly against the rituals and caste system prevailing in the society. His message was that one is distinguished not by his caste but by his karma(actions) and that every person has the right to worship God and read holy texts. As per a legend once Rani Jhalan who was his disciple invited Guru Ji to Chittor where he was given a warm welcome with Bhakti fervour. A bhandara was also organised in his honour but the Brahmins of Chittor refused to eat by sitting with the Guru as he belonged to a low caste and hence they were allowed to sit separate from him. But when they started taking the meal they were surprised to see Guru Ravi Das sitting between every two Brahmins. They felt ashamed for their action. The king was impressed with his divine thoughts and he also became his disciple. His discourses and verses had a deep effect on the people. A total of 41 verses of Guru Ravi Das Ji have been incorporated in the holy Guru Granth Sahib.
His discourses and verses had a deep impression on the people and he started gaining recognition as a saint even from the so called high caste people. Guru Arjun Dev Ji has incorporated 41 of his verses in the holy Guru Granth Sahib. He silently left this world in 1527 leaving his footprints which are preserved in a temple at Chittor and a message of universal brotherhood, love and tolerance for the suffering humanity.
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