Courtesy: Smt.Saroja Ramanujam
– Samartha Ramadas
Samartha Ramadas is well known as the guru of Samrat Shivaji. He was born as the second son of Suryaji pundit and Raanu bai. He was named Narayna and he was supposed to be the amsa of Anjaneya. His actions proved this. He used to climb the trees like a monkey and pluck mangoes and coconuts and was a great nuisance to the residents of the village. When he became a young man his mother chided him for not helping the family to get their daily food by doing some work. He went out affected by the words of his mother and saw some paddy bags in a field ready to be dispatched for sale. He simply picked them, to carry even one of which is difficult for a man, and carried them home. His mother was surprised but before sha said anything the owner of the field came to complain. Narayana told him that he could take them if they belonged to him. But when the man took one with the help of his men, another appeared in its place. Then they realized that Narayana was a divine incarnation and went away praising him.
Narayana read the scriptural texts while young and took to meditation and chanting. His mother arranged for his marriage. He came to the pandal not conscious of what was happening as he was immersed in dhyana but when he heard the manthras and became aware of what was happening he ran away saying that the marriage will be an impediment to his spiritual progress. The people realized that he was not born for the worldly life and he was known as Ramadas since then.
Ramadas went to a forest and chanted the name of Rama who was his ishtadevata and prayed that he should have the darsan of Rama. Anjaneya appeared before him and told him to go to Pandaripur to have the darsan of Rama. He went to Pandaripur and saw Panduranga and not Rama.
He said,
Yedhem ubhaakaam sreerama
Manamohana meghaSyaama
He Rama, who has the hue of the clouds and attractive, why are you standing here?
Chaapa bane kaayakele
Kar kataavaree devile
Why did you leave your bow and arrow and keep your hands on your hips?
Kaayakelee ayodhyaapuree
yedhem rasavili pandari
why did you leave Ayodhya and come to pandaripur?
Kaayakelee sarayoo gangaa
Yedhem vaahem chandhrabhaagaa
Why did you leave sarayu and come to chandrabhaga?
Kaayakelee seethe baayee
Yedehm raahee rakumaabhaayee
Why did leave Seeetha dn took Rukmini as your consort?
Kayakelaahanunathaa
ye dhem pandaleeka bhakthaa
why did you give up Hanuman and accepet Pundaleeka as your devotee?
Kaayakelaa vaanaradhala
Yedhem vasaviLe gopaaLa
Why did leave the vanara army and mingled with the cow herds?
Then Panduraga appeared to him as Rama and Ramadas sang
raamadhaasee jaisaa bhaava
thaisaa jaalaa pandareerava
Panduranga has come in the form which Ramadasa wished to see.
Ramadas saw Rama in his throne with Seetha, Lakshman, Bharath and Sathrugna with Hanuman at his feet.
Ramadas was overjoyed and described the scene
rathnajhatitha simhaasana
vareeSobhe raghunanandhana
vaama bhaagee seethaabhaayee
jagajjananee maajee aayee
paSchaath bhagee lakshoomaNa
putem anjaninandhana
bharathaSathrughnadhoyee bhaayee
chelaanya daaLithi dhoheem baaheem
naLa neela jaambhavantha
angadha si ugt reeva vibheeshaNa abhaktha
dhehabuddhi neNom keehee
dhaas aankitha raamaabhaayeem
Rama is seated in the throne imbedded with gems. On his left is seethe and on the right Lakshmana. Hanuman is in front, Bharatha and Sathrughna wielding the chamara. Surrounded by the devotees Nala, Neela, Jambavan, Angada and Vibheeshana, I see Rama on his throne and I have lost my body consciousness and have become the servant to His feet.
Ramadas went to a forest and was doing penance there and even the wild beasts approached him and were standing around peacefully. It was at this state Chathrapati Shivaji saw him. He did not approach him fearing that the wild beasts may harm him if he does so and returned to his capital. He returned again after few days and found him in the same state. This happened for few days. Ramadas used to write abhangs on Rama and used to put it in the river. Shivaji's men collected them and took them to the king. He read them and lost his heart to the words therein and later came to know that Ramadas was the author and decided to have him as his guru.
Shivaji went to the forest and prayed to Ramadas to accept him as a disciple. Ramadas accepted him and instructed him the tharakanama. Shivaji was staying in the forest for some days and his ministers were worried because Aurangazeb the Mogul emperor was giving trouble to the kingdom as Shivaji did not accept his sovereignty. Ramadas told Shivaji to go back and rule his kingdom. He did so and to show respect to his guru he hoisted a flag of saffron as his signalia and ruled the kingdom, which he considered as the property of his guru, placing the sandals of his guru on the throne , and himself as his servant like Bharatha did. Shivaji used to visit his guru often and offered him rich clothes food etc. and Ramadas refused that and moved to another forest where Shivaji could not find him. When Shivaji felt distressed Ramdas appeared to him and told him to go back and do his duty reassuring Shivaji that he will appear to him whenever he wished.
Ramadas travelled extensively spreading bhakthi and spirituality and people started calling him Samartha Ramadas. He built 11 temples for Hanuman and the temple built in Chaphal near Satara became famous since Shivaji used to come and meet him there.
The literary works of Ramdas such as Dasabodh, Manache Shlok (verse addressed to the mind), Karunashtakas (hymns to God) and Ramayana (describing only the conquest of Lanka by Sri Rama and the vanquishing of Ravana) were very popular.
Ramadas spent his whole life in Ramadhyana and his abhangs were full of his ramabhakthi. He says,
raama ghavaa raamadhyaavaa
raamajeevaacaa vaisaavaa
kalyaaNaachem je kalyaaNa
raghu raayaache guNa gaana
'Let us sing about Rama, think about Rama who has infinite auspicious qualities.'
At his last days which he informed his disciples in advance he left this world with instructions to the disciples and to the world on bhakthi and transcient nature of the worldly life and told them that he will live in the hearts of his disciples.
Thus the bhakthi prapancha other wise known as the LAND OF ABHANGS is completed. The devotees of the Lord are a legion and it is impossible to mention about all and I have written about the chief bhakthas well known to all. May the Lord shower His blessings on those who enjoy reading this series.
Samartha Ramadas is well known as the guru of Samrat Shivaji. He was born as the second son of Suryaji pundit and Raanu bai. He was named Narayna and he was supposed to be the amsa of Anjaneya. His actions proved this. He used to climb the trees like a monkey and pluck mangoes and coconuts and was a great nuisance to the residents of the village. When he became a young man his mother chided him for not helping the family to get their daily food by doing some work. He went out affected by the words of his mother and saw some paddy bags in a field ready to be dispatched for sale. He simply picked them, to carry even one of which is difficult for a man, and carried them home. His mother was surprised but before sha said anything the owner of the field came to complain. Narayana told him that he could take them if they belonged to him. But when the man took one with the help of his men, another appeared in its place. Then they realized that Narayana was a divine incarnation and went away praising him.
Narayana read the scriptural texts while young and took to meditation and chanting. His mother arranged for his marriage. He came to the pandal not conscious of what was happening as he was immersed in dhyana but when he heard the manthras and became aware of what was happening he ran away saying that the marriage will be an impediment to his spiritual progress. The people realized that he was not born for the worldly life and he was known as Ramadas since then.
Ramadas went to a forest and chanted the name of Rama who was his ishtadevata and prayed that he should have the darsan of Rama. Anjaneya appeared before him and told him to go to Pandaripur to have the darsan of Rama. He went to Pandaripur and saw Panduranga and not Rama.
He said,
Yedhem ubhaakaam sreerama
Manamohana meghaSyaama
He Rama, who has the hue of the clouds and attractive, why are you standing here?
Chaapa bane kaayakele
Kar kataavaree devile
Why did you leave your bow and arrow and keep your hands on your hips?
Kaayakelee ayodhyaapuree
yedhem rasavili pandari
why did you leave Ayodhya and come to pandaripur?
Kaayakelee sarayoo gangaa
Yedhem vaahem chandhrabhaagaa
Why did you leave sarayu and come to chandrabhaga?
Kaayakelee seethe baayee
Yedehm raahee rakumaabhaayee
Why did leave Seeetha dn took Rukmini as your consort?
Kayakelaahanunathaa
ye dhem pandaleeka bhakthaa
why did you give up Hanuman and accepet Pundaleeka as your devotee?
Kaayakelaa vaanaradhala
Yedhem vasaviLe gopaaLa
Why did leave the vanara army and mingled with the cow herds?
Then Panduraga appeared to him as Rama and Ramadas sang
raamadhaasee jaisaa bhaava
thaisaa jaalaa pandareerava
Panduranga has come in the form which Ramadasa wished to see.
Ramadas saw Rama in his throne with Seetha, Lakshman, Bharath and Sathrugna with Hanuman at his feet.
Ramadas was overjoyed and described the scene
rathnajhatitha simhaasana
vareeSobhe raghunanandhana
vaama bhaagee seethaabhaayee
jagajjananee maajee aayee
paSchaath bhagee lakshoomaNa
putem anjaninandhana
bharathaSathrughnadhoyee bhaayee
chelaanya daaLithi dhoheem baaheem
naLa neela jaambhavantha
angadha si ugt reeva vibheeshaNa abhaktha
dhehabuddhi neNom keehee
dhaas aankitha raamaabhaayeem
Rama is seated in the throne imbedded with gems. On his left is seethe and on the right Lakshmana. Hanuman is in front, Bharatha and Sathrughna wielding the chamara. Surrounded by the devotees Nala, Neela, Jambavan, Angada and Vibheeshana, I see Rama on his throne and I have lost my body consciousness and have become the servant to His feet.
Ramadas went to a forest and was doing penance there and even the wild beasts approached him and were standing around peacefully. It was at this state Chathrapati Shivaji saw him. He did not approach him fearing that the wild beasts may harm him if he does so and returned to his capital. He returned again after few days and found him in the same state. This happened for few days. Ramadas used to write abhangs on Rama and used to put it in the river. Shivaji's men collected them and took them to the king. He read them and lost his heart to the words therein and later came to know that Ramadas was the author and decided to have him as his guru.
Shivaji went to the forest and prayed to Ramadas to accept him as a disciple. Ramadas accepted him and instructed him the tharakanama. Shivaji was staying in the forest for some days and his ministers were worried because Aurangazeb the Mogul emperor was giving trouble to the kingdom as Shivaji did not accept his sovereignty. Ramadas told Shivaji to go back and rule his kingdom. He did so and to show respect to his guru he hoisted a flag of saffron as his signalia and ruled the kingdom, which he considered as the property of his guru, placing the sandals of his guru on the throne , and himself as his servant like Bharatha did. Shivaji used to visit his guru often and offered him rich clothes food etc. and Ramadas refused that and moved to another forest where Shivaji could not find him. When Shivaji felt distressed Ramdas appeared to him and told him to go back and do his duty reassuring Shivaji that he will appear to him whenever he wished.
Ramadas travelled extensively spreading bhakthi and spirituality and people started calling him Samartha Ramadas. He built 11 temples for Hanuman and the temple built in Chaphal near Satara became famous since Shivaji used to come and meet him there.
The literary works of Ramdas such as Dasabodh, Manache Shlok (verse addressed to the mind), Karunashtakas (hymns to God) and Ramayana (describing only the conquest of Lanka by Sri Rama and the vanquishing of Ravana) were very popular.
Ramadas spent his whole life in Ramadhyana and his abhangs were full of his ramabhakthi. He says,
raama ghavaa raamadhyaavaa
raamajeevaacaa vaisaavaa
kalyaaNaachem je kalyaaNa
raghu raayaache guNa gaana
'Let us sing about Rama, think about Rama who has infinite auspicious qualities.'
At his last days which he informed his disciples in advance he left this world with instructions to the disciples and to the world on bhakthi and transcient nature of the worldly life and told them that he will live in the hearts of his disciples.
Thus the bhakthi prapancha other wise known as the LAND OF ABHANGS is completed. The devotees of the Lord are a legion and it is impossible to mention about all and I have written about the chief bhakthas well known to all. May the Lord shower His blessings on those who enjoy reading this series.
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