SaturdayFeatured, history
Legacy of Guru Ravidas
Post a Comment January 30, 2010 – 10:30 am
on Gurpurb (Birthday), 30th January, 2010
Chaudan saai tetees ki magh sudi pandras
Dukhion ke kalyan hit pargte Guru Ravidas.
As per this couplet Guru Ravidas was born on 15th of Magh Saudi,
full-moon day of 1433 at Seer Govardhan-pur (Kanshi-Banaras).
His father's name was Santokh Das and mother's name was Kalsa Devi.
Mata Loona was the wife of Guru Ravidas, humble and extended her full
support to her husband in his mission. At the time of Guru Ravidas,
'varna vivstha'/caste system, unsociability, untouchability was
prevalent, and Dalits/untouchables were suffering the most. Over the
course of time it had become strinent and cruel and the
socio-religious system of India also crippled. In such an environment,
Guru Ravidas emerged as a formidable adversary of socio-religious
infirmities and stood for truthfulness. He openly denounced all
Brahmanic-scriptures including their Vedas, Puranas, Smritis, and
Upanishads etc.
Guru Ravidas said:
Charon ved kiya khandoti, jan Ravidas kare dandoti.
(I Ravidas proclaim all vedas are worthless,)
This was the direct attack on the hegemony of Brahmins who didn't even
allow other upper caste Hindus to read their scriptures. Guru Ravidas
defined worship afresh (free from any ritual); he was a
socio-religious reformer, a humanist, protagonist of equality, a poet
and champion of anti-violence. Guru Ravidas invented 'Gurumukhi'
script/language against Sanskrit, which was taboo for non-Brahmins.
Entire Sikh bani (teachings) are written in Gurumukhi and Guru Ravidas
emerged as a prominent leader of Bhakti movement.
Dr B R Ambedkar's 1st commandment exhorts us to "Educate", Guru
Ravidas had said:
Avidya ahit keen; taatay vivek deep bhava maleen.
(Ignorance, no education has done much damage to Dalits; it has
eclipsed their rationale)
Guru's Guru:
"If you want to destroy a society, destroy its history and the society
will get destroyed automatically." - Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
Hindu fundamentalists have always taken a keen interest in destroying
Dalit-Bahujans' history so as to make cripple them mentally.
Historians as usual played with the truth and misled the people for
centuries. As Buddha is projected as the 10th avatar of Vishnu,
Brahminical forces tried their best to project Guru Ravidas as one
among their 33 crores fake gods. Many scholars tried to show Swami
Ramanand as Guru Ravidas's Guru. We need to think logically, how
could it have been possible for Swami Ramanand to accept Guru Ravidas
as one of his student? Shudra rishi Shambuk was murdered by king Rama
just for doing 'meditation'/worshiping god. Dronacharya forced
Eklavaya to chop off his right thumb as 'Guru Dakshina'. It was a
period when caste discrimination was in its heights, when Dalits were
murdered, their ears were cut down if they tried to hear hymns in
praise of god, or they tried to worship, when their touch or even
their shadow could pollute the so called upper caste people. How could
it have been possible for Swami Ramanand (who was a follower of king
Rama's ideas) to accept Guru Ravidas?
Some others tried to show Guru Ravidas as a Brahmin or Brahmin in his
previous life, because they were not able to digest the humiliation of
being thrashed by Guru Ravidas's open challenge to caste system. They
could have tolerated this shame if any Brahmin would have been talking
against the caste system or challenging their supremacy as they had
tolerated Char-wak. Many pseudo scholars have given false claims that
Guru Ravidas was a Brahmin in previous life and he ate meat so
couldn't reach the god (attain truth) and he was born in the lower
caste in next life.
In Rigveda its clearly mentioned that cows, horses, goats were killed
and eaten not only by non-brahmins but Brahmins too.
"…the food according to Valmiki consisted of all kinds of delicious
viands. They included flesh and fruits and liquor. Rama was not a
teetotaller. He drank liquor copiously and Valmiki records that Rama
saw to it that Sita joined with him in his drinking bouts…" (Uttara
Kanda Sarga – 42 Sloka - (Reference: "Riddles in Hinduism" by Dr B R
Ambedkar)
We need to question how many of these Hindu gods were born in lower
caste after eating meat, or after not reaching god (attaining truth).
In no religious book of Hindus there is any such incident where after
eating meat a person would be, been born in lower caste. Why then Guru
Ravidas? (Let me make clear that Guru Ravidas never ate meat. To the
contrary, he opposed the killing of goats, cows on Bakrid, and other
Hindu religious ceremonies).
Everytime Manuwadi failed miserably as Guru Ravidas claimed himself as
"Chamar" (Kutbandhla – a sub-caste in Uttar Pradesh) in many of his
saloks and in his bani.
Kahi Ravidas khalaas chamaaa,
(Says Ravidas, the emancipated shoe maker)
In another hymn Guru Ravidas writes:
Meri jaat(i) Kutbandhla dhor dhowanta nith(i) baanaarsi aas paasaa,
(My caste is Kutbandhla; I deal with leather and live near Banaras)
In one another hymn Guru Ravidas says:
Meri Sangat poch soch din (u) raati
Mera karamu kutilta janam kubanti,
(It keeps him in anxiety that his associates are low; my actions are
considered evil and birth is lowly)
All this is just another game-plan/conspiracy of Brahmins to keep
Dalit-Bahujans away from Guru Ravidas's philosophy. Guru Ravidas's
teachings can lead Dalit-Bahujans break the caste barrier and
emancipate them because Guru Ravidas was among the first people who
talked about equality, 'raaj' (own rule) and Begumpura – City without
sorrow. (It seems like Dr B R Ambedkar wrote the constitution of India
keeping Begumpura in his mind.)
Guru Ravidas also said:
Aisa chahu raaj main, jahan mile saban ko ann
Chhot baade sam basse, Ravidas rahe prasan.
As far as the question of who's disciple was Guru Ravidas is
concerned, Guru Ravidas never worshiped any of the 33 crore fake gods,
but he meditated/worshiped on the one and only one almighty God.
Guru Ravidas said:
Tohi, mohi, mohi tohi, antar kaisa: kanak katik jal tarang jaisa.
(There is no difference between you (god) and me as there is no
difference between the gold and its ornaments, between water and its
waves.)
Bhagat or Guru Ravidas:
Last year on the gurpurb of Guru Ravidas, Rozana Spokesman newspaper
published an article that (Bhagat – as stated by newspaper) Guru
Ravidas was not familiar with Sikh Gurus' teachings & teaching/sakhis
(birth tales) of Guru Ravidas were misquoted by the author in a
ridiculing manner. The article erroneously stated that no historical
facts are present about the life of Guru Ravidas. Its
madness/ridiculous to give such statements as Bani (shaloks,
teachings) of Guru Ravidas are in Guru Granth Sahib (the holy book of
Sikhs) itself and 10th Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh had asked
to follow Guru Granth Saheb as 'Guru' after him. If so, the bani of
all the 'Gurus' (including Guru Ravidas) which is included in the Guru
Granth Saheb should be treated equal. Why then give someone names like
'Bhagats' and others 'Gurus'? This time mischief is played by some
Sikhs scholars under the effect of Brahminical forces, by those who
have forgotten that Sikhism is a separate religion which came into the
social arena fighting for equality, to counter the evils of casteism
in Hinduism.
Who is 'Bhagat' and who is 'Guru'? As long as a person is
worshipping/meditating/trying to achieve the state of perfect-ness, is
in search of the truth of life, as long as the person hasn't attained
'gyan', up-to that time you can say a person as 'Bhagat'. But when
that person have achieved truth, attained 'gyan' and starts giving
sermons, starts preaching, he becomes 'Guru' and he don't remain as
Bhagat then. Numerous kings and queens became Guru Ravidas's disciples
and they accepted him as a Guru, not only Guru but Raj-Guru also.
Prominent among them were Raja Pipa, Raja Nagar Mal, Rewa Naresh, Rani
Jhalan Bai, and Meera Bai (it's wrongly projected by people that she
was a fan of king Krishna, but in reality she was a follower of Guru
Ravidas).
Meera ne gobind milya ji
Gur milya Radas.
(Meera Padawali - 4)
Kings had built many temples dedicated to Guru Ravidas and they were
later either demolished or converted to Hindu worship places.
As recorded by Dr. Lekh Raj Parwana in page 116-117, in his book "Shri
Guru Ravidas- Life and Writing", Guru Ravidas visited northern India
twice. Firstly, he was accompanied by Kabir Ji, Tarlochan Ji, Sain Ji
and Dhanna Ji and met Guru Nanak Dev at 'Chuharkana', now known as
'Nankana Sahib' where Guru Nanak Dev served them food with Rs.20/-
which had been given to him by his revered father Mehta Kalu for some
profitable business. At his second visit to Punjab, Guru Ravidas met
Guru Nanak Dev at Sant Ghat of Kali Bein in 'Sultanpur Lodhi'. Third
time he met Guru Nanak at 'Guru Ka Bagh', Banaras and exchanged their
views on several topics pertaining to religion, social system and
liberty of human beings. Guru Ravidas gave gift of his bani of 40
hymns and one couplet to Guru Nanak Dev as desired by him.
Many a times, Mardana (he used to live with Guru Nanak Dev) used to
sing hymns of Guru Ravidas in-front of Guru Nanak Dev, as asked by
Guru Nanak Dev. It was Guru Ravidas who gave the right direction to
the life and teachings of Guru Nanak Dev. So, today's Sikh scholars
don't have any right to raise any question over who was the real Guru
or whom they want to call Guru or Bhagat.
Until 1920, Dalits/Untouchable's 'Prasad'/'religious offering' wasn't
accepted at the Darbar Saheb/Golden Temple and no 'ardas' was done on
the name of Dalits/untouchables. (Reference: "The Heritage of
Amritsar" by S S Johar). This all shows how much these Sikh scholars
were/are following Sikhism's teachings. The religion was considered by
Dr Ambedkar for conversion, but the Sikh leaders were full of
hatred/hostility towards Dalits.
Jathedars (Sikh leaders/scholars) are becoming puppets in the hands of
Manuwadi people will lead to the end of Sikhism and if such things
continue, the day won't be far away when idols of Hindu deities will
be seen in the "Darbar Saheb" (Golden Temple). Rashtriya Swayamsevak
Sangh (RSS) created its offshoots like PRERNA, Rashtriya Sikh Sangat,
and Guru Granth Sahib Vichar Sanstha, as it was difficult for them to
meet Sikh leaders & misguide them, carrying the banner of RSS. And now
everyone can see Sikh scholars visiting their activities and
supporting them full heartedly.
Jathedars & many others are forgetting that
1. Sikh Gurus believed in one and only one god, whereas Hindus worship
quite a number of gods, goddesses, and deities.
2. The Hindu Trinity - Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva - is altogether
rejected by Sikh Gurus.
3. The worship of any carved statues, images or idols is completely
forbidden in Sikhism although it is allowed in Hinduism.
4. Cow is not considered as a sacred animal by Sikhs; hence it is not
worshiped at all.
5. The supremacy of the Vedas, Gita and other Hindu scriptures is not
recognized or accepted in Sikhism. Sikhs have their own holy book -
the Guru Granth Sahib - compiled by the fifth Guru himself and
completed by the tenth Guru.
6. Sikh Gurus, Guru Ravidas had rejected the caste system and all
men/women are reckoned equal irrespective of their caste, colour or
creed. Does Hinduism do all this?
7. Sikh traditions, customs, and ceremonies of death and marriage are
completely different from that of the Hindus.
Many Sikh scholars claim that in Guru Granth Saheb it is written
"Bhagata di bani". But then you need to take note of the fact that,
from Guru Nanak Dev to Guru Gobind Singh, there is nothing written as
'Guru' word for them, but 'Mahala – I, 'Mahala –II' etc is written,
not "bani of Guru Nanak Dev" or "bani of Guru Gobind Singh". ('Mahala'
means 'Aam Admi'/'common person'.) Will those Sikh scholars accept
Guru Nanak Dev as common person? At many instances in the 'Janam
Sakhis'/'Birth tales' of Guru Nanak Dev, Guru Nanak Dev is recorded as
'Baba', 'Tapa', and 'Pir' etc. Guru Nanak Dev himself claimed at many
places as Mahala/'common person', 'Shayar', 'Nieech'. Are Sikh
scholars ready to accept Guru Nanak Dev as 'Shayar', 'Nieech' and
'Baba'?
People those don't want to accept Guru Ravidas as 'Guru' and don't
want to write 'Guru' in-front of Guru Ravidas's name are only those
who don't want to take any lessons from the teachings of Guru Ravidas.
Those people are full of hatred, are not supporters of equality and
practice discrimination.
Murder of Guru Ravidas:
Torture of Dalit-Bahujans is not new. Manuwadi people have always
tried to suppress, torture, tried to kill, murder, and loot
Dalit-Bahujans. Who so ever had/have tried to raise his voice against
the cruelty and evils of Hinduism were either murdered or burnt alive.
Guru Namdev was tortured and was forced to leave Maharashtra, Guru
(Sant) Tukaram, Sant Chokha Mal were murdered, Sant Naat Naar was
burnt alive, same way Guru Ravidas was murdered at Chittorgarh by
people who were opposing Guru Ravidas forever.
Guru Ravidas lived for about 151 years (Reference: "Guru Ravidas Ki
Hatya Ke Parmanik Dastawez" by Satnam Singh). In his entire life, Guru
Ravidas kept fighting for equality, against social, political,
economical bullying and composed many hymns and Shaloks, which were
burnt down, destroyed by the so called upper caste people of that
time. 40 hymns and one couplet composed by Guru Ravidas are inscribed
in Guru Granth Saheb. Guru Ravidas was the among first who used
"Ek-Onkar" – god is one. His teachings are relevant even today as it
were in 15th century and may everyone take inspiration from Guru
Ravidas's teachings, and come out of darkness.
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