Ram Charan (guru): Difference between revisions

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{{short description|Indian Hindu saint}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}

{{Use Indian English|date=January 2025}}

{{Infobox religious biography

| background = #FFA07A

| name = Ram Charan

| image = SwamiRamCharan.jpg

| caption =

| sanskritreligion = {{lang|hi|राम चरण}}= [[Hinduism]]

| religionschool = [[Hinduism]]

| schoollineage =

| lineagetemple =

| templeother_name = =

| other_namenationality = [[Indian people|Indian]]

| nationalitybirth_name = [[Indian'''Ram Krishna people|Indian]]Vijayvargiya'''

| birth_namebirth_date = '''Ram24 KrishnaFebruary Vijayvargiya'''1720

| birth_place = Soda Village, [[Tonk District]], [[Mewar]], [[India]]

| birth_date = [[Magha (month)|Māgh]] [[Paksha|Shukla]] 14, 1776 Bikram Samwat ( February 24, 1720 AD)

| death_date = 1799

| birth_place = Soda Village, [[Tonk District]], [[Mewar]], [[India]]

| resting_placedeath_place = [[Shahpura, Bhilwara]], [[Rajasthan]], India

| death_date = Vaisakha Krishna 5,1855 Bikram Samwat ( 1799 AD)

| death_placeresting_place = [[Shahpura, Bhilwara]], [[Rajasthan]], India

| resting_place = [[Shahpura, Bhilwara]], [[Rajasthan]]

| resting_place_coordinates = 25.620253 N,74.92153 E

| ___location =

| title = Founder-[[acharya]] of the [[Ramdwara]], H.Q. [[Shahpura, Bhilwara|Shahpura]]

| period =

| consecration =

| predecessor = [[Kripa Ram]]

| reason =

| rank =

| teacher =

| reincarnation_of =

| students =

| works =

| ordination =

| initiation =

| previous_post =

| present_post =

| post = [[Guru]], [[Sannyasi]], [[Acharya]]

| website = [http://www.ramsnehinursing.com/aboutus/about-trust.html]

| honorific prefix = [[guru]]

}}

'''Ram Charan''' ({{lang-langx|hi|राम चरणचारण}}) ( February 24, 1720 - 1799 [[AD]]1720–1799) or ( [[Maagha|Māgh]] Shukla 14, 1776 - [[Vaisakha]] Krishna 5,1855 [[Bikram Samwat]]<ref name = "qqa">Page{{Cite 24,book Spiritual|last=Śukla heritage|first=Dineśa of Rajasthan, Dinesh Chandra Shukla, Books Treasure, 1992Candra |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FhscAAAAIAAJ&q=Ramdwara+Shahpura&dq |title=Ramdwara+Shahpura&hlSpiritual Heritage of Rajasthan |date=en&sa1992 |publisher=X&eiBooks Treasure |language=DOUQUsGMH8TqrQfZmYCACQ&ved=0CEsQ6AEwBQen}}</ref><ref name="a">Preface,{{Cite Lakshyaweb Ram Ji Maharaj, "Ram Rahasya Darshan"|title=LakshyaRamjiMaharaj_Preface.pdf |url=https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B3bUXrI1MZN1ZjI0WHhnX2s4T3M/edit?usp=sharing&usp=embed_facebook |access-date=2023-09-04 |website=Google Docs}}</ref>) is the founder[[Rajasthani people|Rajasthani]] Hindu guru, inspirator of a unique religious tradition incalled [[IndiaRamsnehi Sampradaya]] calledor ''Ram Snehi Sampradaya''Ramdwara. He initiated,illustrated and preferred theillustrated [[Nirguna]] (Absoluteabsolute) Bhakti, although he was not against [[Saguna brahman|Saguna]] Bhakti. He initiated and tried to eliminate "show", blind faith, hypocrisy and misled existing in the [[Hindu]] Religionreligion and preferred to worship the 'Namename of godGod', that is "RAMA"''Rama'', over godGod, to not get involved in false "show" activities.

==Early life==

<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:birthplaceoframcharan.jpg|thumb|upright|right|Birth Place of Ram Charan Maharaj in ''Sodha'']] -->

Ram Charan was born in Sodha, a village in the Tonk district of Rajasthan on February 24, February 1720 [[AD]]([[Maagha|Māgh]] Shukla 14, 1776in [[Bikram Samwat]] 1776). His father's name was Bakhat Ram Vijayvergia and his mother's name was Devhuti Devi. His parents were livinglived in Banwara village near [[Malpura]], Rajasthan. HisCharan's childhood name was "''Ram Kishan''".<ref name="a"/>

<br/>[[Image:birthplaceoframcharan.jpg|thumb|120px|right|Birth Place of Ram Charan Maharaj in ''Sodha''.]] He got married to Gulab Kanwar. He became [[Patwari]] after marriage. After some time the king of Jaipur ([[Amber, India]]) [[Jai Singh II of Amber]] offered him the post of [[Divan]] of Jaipur of [[Malpura]] branch

<br/>[[Image:birthplaceoframcharan.jpg|thumb|120px|right|Birth Place of Ram Charan Maharaj in ''Sodha''.]] He got married to Gulab Kanwar. Heand became [[Patwari]] after marriage. After some time the king of Jaipur ([[Amber, India]]) [[Jai Singh II of Amber]] offered him the post of [[Divan]] of Jaipur of [[Malpura]] branch.{{citation needed|date=July 2018}}

==Spiritual life==

Ram Charan startedbegan to lose interest in [[materialism]] after his father's death in 1743 AD. andOne gotday tohe knowfound out about the forecast of ''[[Bhringi]]'' [[Saint]] about his destiny. HeOn also had a dream on thethat same night, in which he sawdreamt that onea saint saved him from drowning in a river.<ref name="x">Page{{Cite 324,book |last= |first= |url=http://archive.org/details/gazetteerbombay18enthgoog |title=Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency, Ahmedabad... Government|date=1879 |publisher=Govt. Central Press 1879|others=unknown https://archive.org/stream/gazetteerbombay18enthgoog#page/n346/mode/2uplibrary |language=English}}</ref> NextThe next day, he got permission from his family indirectly to leave Homehome forever and startedbegan his journey towards the wayquest to know godGod and to find a perfect spiritual [[Guru]] in 1808 [[Bikram Samwat]]. Some believed that he left his house leaving his wife and a daughter behind.

[[File:Vaaniold.png|thumb|Picture of oldest version of "Anubhav Vaani", the collection of works composed by Ram Charan Maharaj. It originally belonged to Saroopabai, the daughter of NavalRamji. It is handwritten and illustrated. About 200 years old, now kept at Shahpura Ramdwara.]]

He started his journeytravelling southwards by, asking the people about the saint he saw in his dream by, explaining what hethe saint would be lookinglook like. At lastFinally, he found the saint "Kripa Ram" in Dantra village near Shahpura in Bhilwara district of Rajasthan. He became a [[Apprenticeship|disciple]] of Kripa Ram Maharaj and started to followfollowed him. HeFor did 9nine years of [[tapasya]] byhe livinglived inunder the command of saint Kripa Ram.

Kripa Ram was a disciple of Sant Das. During those 9nine years, Ram Charan didperformed many miracles which are still commonlywell known among the local people and "Ram Snehi Samprday". He also became very popular for his unique [[nirguna]] Bhakti. He used to visitvisited many places, and used to explainexplaining his experience and advisedadvising people to eliminate "show", blind faith, hypocrisy and misledmisleading existingteachings in the Hindu Religionreligion. He came to [[Bhilwara]] in 1817 ([[Bikram Samwat]])and selected one lonely place named Miya Chand's bawri ( Step Well) for [[tapasya]]. By this time, he had reached the extreme level of Tapasya and reaching on the way to [[Nirvana]].

== Philosophy ==

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[[File:Ramdwara ed f.ogg|thumb|Ram dhun- Evening chanting of Ram Ram at Ramdwara Shahpura, the main centre of Ramsnehi Sampradaya.]]

Ram Charan advocated saying ''Raam Raam'' ({{lang-langx|hi|राम राम}}) as the way of reaching the ultimate.<ref>{{cite book|title=Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide|url=https://books.google.co.incom/books?id=zrk0AwAAQBAJ&pg=PT1028|page=1028|author=Roshen Dalal|publisher=Penguin UK|accessdate=18 April 2014|quote=The section believes that Rama is the same as Brahman and worships the divine name.In their main temple Shri Ram Nivas Dham in Shapur, Bhilwara, no dietydeity is enshrined and the worshippers here meditate the Shabda Brahman or Revealed word ''RAMA'' which alone can lead to moksha|isbn = 9788184752779|date = 18 April 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite namebook|url="a"/><ref>[https://archive.org/stream/journalasiatics21benggoog#page/n99/mode/2up |title=Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal|year=1832 |publisher=Asiatic Society (Calcutta, India ), Asiatic Society of Bengal|pages=66–67}}</ref> He preached selfless devotion as a means to realise God. He promoted [[Bhakti]] in general, trying to eliminate conflicts between [[Saguna brahman|Saguna]] and [[Nirguna]] types. Vaani Ji, the collection of works composed by him, focuses on knowledge, devotion and detachment. The spiritual master, [[Guru]] has been given the highest status by Swamiji in his own life, as is said in his shlokas. Often, the Guru is equated with 'Raam'.

The student or seeker is told to avoid reading up huge texts and instead focus on chanting Raam Raam as the simplest means to self-realization. The supreme being is present everywhere, in every living being.

by Asiatic Society (Calcutta, India ), Asiatic Society of Bengal]</ref> He preached selfless devotion as a means to realise God. He promoted [[Bhakti]] in general, trying to eliminate conflicts between [[Saguna]] and [[Nirguna]] types. Vaani Ji, the collection of works composed by him, focuses on knowledge, devotion and detachment. The spiritual master, [[Guru]] has been given the highest status by Swamiji in his own life, as is said in his shlokas. Often, the Guru is equated with 'Raam'.

The student or seeker is told to avoid reading up huge texts and instead focus on chanting Raam Raam as the simplest means to self-realization. The supreme being is present everywhere, in every living being.

Swamiji followed the [[Vishishtadvaita]] school of thoughts. Non violence to any living being, including insects is a central tenet. The [[Bhagvatam]] is referred to most frequently, compared to other ancient Indian texts.

== Social Reform ==

Ram Charan was against blind idolatry, which was in prevalenceprevalent during his time. His philosophy was that we must love God, and not merely create a show. He taught people to treat people equally, a king as well as a poor person. Also, he said that we must not discriminate on the basis caste/creed ofor peoplecreed.<ref name="x"/>

[[ImageFile:KripaRamJi.jpg|thumb|150px|right|Guru "''Kripa Ram Ji''" Sitting on floor and Guru of Kripa Ram ji "''Santdas Ji''" (Sitting on chair)]]

RamCharan Ji Maharaj also emphasised that instead of going to various places and searching for God, one must look inside oneself. Following Maharaj Ji, it is only necessary to engage in spiritual practisespractices, at one's own place, with proper and essential guidance of one's [[Guru]].

== Death ==

|Ram death_dateCharan died in 1799 = (Vaisakha Krishna 5,1855 in Bikram Samwat ( 1799 AD1855).

== Works ==

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== Formation of Ramsnehi Sampradaya ==

In the same year (1817 [[Bikram Samwat]]), [[Apprenticeship|disciple]] Ram Jan Ji of Ram Charan Maharaj formed "[[Ramsnehi Sampradaya|Ram Snehi Sampradaya]]" ( Ram Snehi Spiritual Tradition).

[[ImageFile:VaaniRoom.jpg|thumb|180px|right|This is the room where original Speech (Anubhav Vaani) is placed.]]

The place of worship of believers of Swamiji is called a [[Ramdwara]].

Since Swamiji's times, the organisation has headquarters at Shahpura in Bhilwara district of Rajasthan.

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[[Category:1720 births]]

[[Category:1799 deaths]]

[[Category:18th-century Hindu philosophers and theologians]]

[[Category:18th-centuryAdvaitin Hindu religious leadersphilosophers]]

[[Category:Indian Hindu spiritual teachers]]

[[Category:Hindu revivalists]]

[[Category:Hindu saints]]

[[Category:People from Bhilwara district]]

[[Category:Scholars from Rajasthan]]