Er H R Phonsa
“So purifying is Guru Ravi Dass, that the dust of his holy feet is worshiped by all.” Said Guru Nabha Dass.
Since in majority cases not much was written down about the lives of the saints, by saints themselves or their educated devotees. Saints never wanted anything in their glorification and there was wide spread illiteracy among their devotees. Many things about their life events are carried orally through ages. So confusions and contradictions mixed up later about their parenthoods, places of birth, family details, religion or castes, dates associated with their life facts including births and deaths. Later writers collected different clues from different sources forming their own views, at times varying with one another. In case of Dalit saints this version had more relevance. After long discussions and comparison of different research works by different scholars, some facts were churned out to be most acceptable. The largely accepted facts about the life of revered Guru Ravi Das are given here. Whereas differences in different writers still persists.
Guru Ravi Dass was born on Magh Purnima (Sunday)in Samvat 1471 ( 1414 AD ) to Shri Raghu and Shrimati Mata Karma Devi of Chamar caste at Mandiva Thein ,now called Goverdhan Pura near Banaras Some scholars give the names of his parents as Sh. Santosh Dass and Shrimati Mata Kalsi Devi.
Guru Ravi Dass lived an exalted `life span of 126 years and left his mortal frame in 1540 AD to join back into the supreme ocean of Bliss or the Creator of Universe. However, some scholars quote his life span of 151 years. But for want of authentic information such things are bound to happen.
Guru Ravi Dass was born at a time when the orthodox and superstitious Hindu and Muslim priests had adopted rituals, exterior body decorations, visiting different places, bathing in different rivers, recitations of their Holy religious books etc. as sole methods of salvation from the circle of births and deaths. The Hindus had closed all their places of worships (temples), schools, entry into Government services or honorable services in private sectors for Shudras. Keeping richness of Guru Ravi Dass’s verses in view, 40 of them were incorporated into Sri Guru Granth Sahib by Guru Arjun Dev ji,
Guru Ravi Dass denounced caste system which is based on un-natural laws & upheld Virtue by saying ;
“If a Brahmin is virtue less, Offer him no worship ‘O ‘Ravi Dass,
Worship instead the feet of a Chandal, If he is Found full of virtue.”
Guru Rravidas further said “If thou are born to Brahmin (Superior by birth ) mother , why you have not born through a different route .”
Guru Ravi Dass advised the rulers to provide equal & decent means of livelihood to all their subjects and he said,
“I want kingdoms where every one is well-fed,
And all should live in harmony, Ravi Dass is happy only then”.
Guru Ravidass set in motion great revolutionary democratic thinking so advised the rulers to provide equal and decent means of livelihood to all their subjects and he said,
I want kingdoms where every one is well-fed,
And all should live in harmony, Ravidass is happy only then.
Guru Ravi Dass preached the rule of Almighty:- Almighty has created everybody equal and there cannot be any difference between persons of different castes. He said:
If the world has arisen,From the same Spirit (Flame)
“How can any body bring about any distinction? Between high & low, Brahman or cobbler (Chamar).?
He further elaborated by saying,
Ask not caste “o” Ravi Dass, What is there in clan or caste?
Brahman, Kshatriya, Vaish, or Shudra, all belong to the same caste.
He also said “If thou are born to Brahmin (Manu proclaimed Superior by birth) mother, why you have not born through a different route .”
The true saints like Ravi Dass come to this world to preach true message of God realization, love and devotion to Lord, they don’t denounce other religions but dogmas and rituals. Guru Ravi Dass said,
Those who are not dyed internally in love, But merely make an outer display,
They will go to the world of death, Truly doth Ravi Dass state.
Guru Ravi Vani:- Keeping in view spiritual richness of Guru Ravi Dass’s hymns, 40 of them were incorporated into the Holy Granth Sahib by Shri Guru Arjun Dev ji, the 5th Sikh Guru the compilerof it. These Hymns fall under the following Ragas – Siri (1), Gauri (5), Asa(6), Gujari(1), Sorath(7), Dhanasari(3), Jaitsari(1), Suhi(3), Bilaval(2), Gaund(2), Ramkali(1), Maru(2), Kedara(1), Bhairau(1), Basant(1), and Malhar (3) in the holy Granth Sahib
Amritbani Guru Ravidass Ji” :-
It was formed by the Sant Samaj of Ravidassia qaum after thorough research of Guru Ravidass Bani by universities and announced by the Sant Samaj (Dera Sach Khand Ballan near Jalander City Punjab) to the followers of Guru Ravidass Ji Maharaj on the 633rd anniversary of the birth of Guru Ravidass Ji at Shri Guru Ravidass Janam Asthan Mandir, Seer Govardhanpur, Varanasi on 30 January 2011.
Amritvani Guru Ravidass Ji contains 140 Hymns, 40 pade, painti akhri, bani haftawar,bani pandran tithi, baran maas updesh, dohra, saand bani,anmol vachan (milni de samen), laawaan,suhag ustat,manglachar, besides 231 saloks along with 40 Hymns contained in Guru Granth Sahib.
Sri Guru Ravidas, preached that God realization can only be through devotion to a true Naam dyed or realized saint and , not through Persons who preach dogmas, animal scarifying, roaming in jungles ,observing austerities, etc. He said those who are not dyed internally in love, but merely make an outer display shall not find peace after death. God becomes accessible only when He takes human form and come to the level of human in this world, as idols are lifeless.
Guru Ravi Dass spread the message of love for all, devotion to Lord, universal brotherhood, honest earning for livelihood and to discard all that does not help in God realization.
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