Sant Ravidas
Sant Shiromani Ravidas Ji Maharaj occupies a revered place in Bharat’s spiritual and Bhakti traditions. A saint, poet and social reformer, he conveyed profound spiritual truths through a life rooted in devotion, hard work, simplicity and compassion. At a time when social divisions and religious challenges confronted society, his teachings upheld the primacy of Dharma and emphasised that a person’s greatness rests upon character, conduct and devotion rather than birth.
The year 2026 marks the 650th birth anniversary year of Sant Ravidas Ji. Remembering him in his Vijayadashami address in Nagpur on October 20, RSS Sarsanghchalak Dr Mohan Bhagwat paid tribute to the Ravidas ji’s life of hard work, penance and sacrifice, highlighting his contribution to devotion, adherence to Dharma and social harmony.
Guru Ravidas was a poet-saint of the Bhakti movement. He was a sultry socio-religious reformer, a thinker, a theosophist, a humanist, a poet, a traveller, a pacifist, and, most importantly, a towering spiritual figure. He was also a theosophist and a humanist. He emphasized equality in a society where all citizens are entitled to their social, political, cultural, and spiritual human rights.
The Guru Granth Sahib contains his devotional verses. He was one of the most prominent Bhakti saints. He advocated for equality, human rights, universal brotherhood, liberty, and fraternity. Guru Ravidas was born on Magh Purnima in Seer Gobardhangaon, close to Varanasi. Kalsa Devi was his mother, and Santokh Dass was his father. The place where he was born is now known as “Shri Guru Ravidas Janam Asthan”.
Guru Ravidas was born into a Raja Nagar state sarpanch family. Ravidas Ji’s father used to make sandals and shoes. Ravidas had a lot of courage and loved God a lot since he was a child. Ravidas used his pen to change society and used his creations to teach people about life. Promoting the idea that everyone should treat their neighbours equally and without discrimination.
Ravidas attended the school of his Guru Pandit Sharda Nand. Pandit Sharda Nand was aware of Ravidas’ talent, he then began instructing Ravidas in his Pathshala. Pandit Sharda Nand used to believe that Ravidas would become a great social reformer and spiritual teacher because of his behavior and talent.
Ravidas’s devotion to Bhagwan Ram grew as he got older. Ram, Raghunath, Rajaram Chandra, Krishna, Hari, Govind, and other names were always used by him. which demonstrated his religious beliefs. Meera Bai had Ravidas Ji as her religious guru. Meera Bai was the daughter of Chittor’s queen and the king of Rajasthan.
She was greatly influenced by Guru Ravidas’ education, and she became a great follower of Guruji. Meera Bai also wrote a few words of praise for her mentor, like “Guru Milaya Ravidas Ji….” Meera Bai was the only child of her parents, and her grandfather “Duda Ji” raised her after her mother passed away. Duda Ji was a great Ravidas follower, and Meera Bai and her grandfather frequently met Ravidas. where his education greatly impressed her. With her family’s approval, Meera Bai made Ravidas Ji her guru after her marriage. In her writings, Meera Bai claims that her Guru Ravidas Ji rescued her from death multiple times.
Ravidas Ji bravely confronted all forms of discrimination and informed the populace of the true meanings of caste and faith. He used to tell people that man is known by his actions rather than by faith in caste, religion, or God. Ravidas Ji exerted a great deal of effort to eradicate untouchability from society.
“God has created man, not a man has created God,” Ravidas Ji used to say to people. This indicates that every human being is created by God and enjoys equal rights on Earth. Sant Guru Ravidas Ji used to teach people about universal brotherhood and tolerance in a variety of ways. Guru Ravidas was against any and all activities which promoted inequality. That is the reason RSS Sarsanghachalak invoked his name while addressing Swayamsevaks in his Vijayadashami Address from Nagpur.
The Guru Granth Sahib contains a number of religious songs and other compositions by Ravidas Ji. They were included in the granth by Arjan Dev, the fifth Guru.
