Samartha Ramadas

# Know your Heroes

Devotees of Rama- Samartha Ramdas (1608 -1682)

Samartha Ramdas is well known as the religious Guru of Shivaji Maharaj. Ramadas was previously known as Narayan. He was born in present day Maharashtra in a village called Jamb in Jalna district.  His father Suryajipant and mother Ranubhai Thosar were Rigvedi brahmins and his father was a devotee of Lord Surya. Losing his father at a young age made him an introverted child. He also developed a serious disposition and liked to meditate alone. Narayan was a staunch devotee of Sri Rama and Lord Hanuman. It is believed that when the family planned to get him married, he fled the marriage venue and went to Nashik. There the transformation from Narayan to Ramdas happened due to his immense bhakti and sadhana.

At Nashik, he spent many years on the banks of the Godavari chanting the Gayathri mantra for many hours, breaking only to beg for alms for his sustenance for the day. While at Nashik, he is believed to have done the Purascharana (repetitive chanting) of his Taraka mantra Sri Ram Jaya Ram Jaya Jaya Ram for thirteen lakh times and was believed to have got the darshan of his favourite deity Sri Rama.

Ramdas was an Dvaiti (A follower of the theory advocated by Sri Madhvacharya. Dvaitis believe the jivatma (humans) and the paramatma ( God) are independent and cannot merge into one) but was accepting of all other sects. He was also a strong proponent of women empowerment. A significant number of his devotees where women who were put in charge of the many mutts (religious places) that he set up across the country.

Although he respected all sects, Ramdas was a devout Rama and Hanuman bhakt. He built many temples for his favourite deity Rama and Hanuman across Maharashtra. There are eleven principal temples that were set up by Ramdas for Hanuman which are referred as the 11 Maruti. The Ramanavami celebrations held at the temple established by Ramdas in Champavati is very popular in the region.

Ramdas also promoted a tradition of practices to be physically strong. Surya Namaskar as an exercise was made popular by him. Due to his teaching, practically every village in Maharashtra has a Hanuman temple which also serves as a gym. In the olden days, it was common practice to offer an agarbatti to Hanuman at dawn & then do the exercise till it burns completely. Ramdas himself used to carry a T-shaped support stick (Kubdi) which had a long dagger hidden in it. That is the origin of the Hindi proverb मुंह में राम, बगल में छुरी (Rama in your lip, a knife in your hip).

It is believed, his favourite deity was the one who directed him to go and help Shivaji Maharaj. Shivaji Maharaj placed the padukas (sandals) of his Guru Ramdas on the throne and was ruling his kingdom as his Regent.

Ramdas sent his disciples across the country to set up mutts that directly and indirectly helped Shivaji Maharaj in establishing his empire while countering the Mughals. The mutt in Thanjavur in present day Tamil Nadu helped Shivaji’s son to wage an eleven-year war (1689-1700) against Aurangazeb.

Ramdas was responsible for strengthening and rehabilitating the cause of Hindu religion by multiple steps taken at religious, social and political levels. He got the adage Samartha (all powerful) Ramdas as an appreciation for this humungous effort which was supported by an ardent devotee and able king like Shivaji Maharaj.

Ramdas is also known for his literary prowess. Some of his best known works are Dashabodh, Karunashtakas (Hymns and bhajans), Manache Shlok (Verse addressed to the mind) and Ramayana (where the conquest of Lanka was covered). Some of his famous bhajans include the one on Ganapati Sukhakarta Dukhaharta and the mantra on which the bhajan Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram is based.

Daasboadh touches practically ALL aspects of life, from spirituality to 9 ways of Bhakti to individual improvement to politics. 

Daasboadh is arranged in 20 sections of 10 chapters each. Each of these 200 chapters is devoted to one topic. The interesting ones in the second section are the chapters devoted to "characteristics of a fool" & "characteristics of a learned fool" 😄

Sant Samartha Ramdas attained Siddhi in Sajjangad Fort which was given to him by Shivaji Maharaj in 1682.