Q. With reference to the saint Ramananda, consider the following statements:
1.He is regarded as the founder of the Ram cult in North India and was the first to preach the principle of Bhakti to people from all social ranks and castes.
2.His philosophical school, the Ramanandi Sampradaya, is a direct continuation of Ramanuja’s Vishishtadvaita philosophy without any synthesis from other schools like the Nathpanthis.
3.The Ramarchana Paddhati is a key Sanskrit treatise attributed to him, providing the liturgical framework for the worship of Lord Rama.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Answer: B
Notes:
Explanation:
- Statement 1: Correct. Ramananda substituted the worship of the traditional Vishnu deity with Rama and is widely regarded as the founder of the Ram cult in North India. His most significant contribution was opening the doors of the Bhakti movement to all, regardless of birth, caste, creed, or gender.
- Statement 2: Incorrect. While Ramananda was indeed inspired by Ramanuja, his teachings were an attempt towards a synthesis between Vaishnava Bhakti and other philosophies, including influence from Nathpanthi Furthermore, some scholars suggest his tradition accepted both Saguna (with attributes) and Nirguna (without attributes) Brahman, leading to the two parallel currents in his disciples.
- Statement 3: Correct. Ramarchana Paddhati (and Vaishnava Matabja Bhaskara) are notable Sanskrit works attributed to Ramananda that outline the devotional practices and liturgy for Rama worship.
