DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.636#0160
148 Vaishnavisnt. Svami-Narayana Sect,
became an enthusiastic worshipper of Rama and Sita. His
Hindi poem, the Rlmayana, or history of Rama, is no mere
translation of Valmlki's great work. It has all the freshness
of an independent and original composition. He died about
1624.
But Ramananda is chiefly noted for his twelve immediate
disciples, the most celebrated of whom were Kablr, Pipa, and
Ravi-das. Of these again by far the most remarkable was
Kabir. He was an enthusiastic reformer, who founded a
distinct theistic sect; to be presently noticed. Let us first,
however, conclude our description of strictly Vaishnava secta-
rianism by giving some account of the comparatively modern
Vaishnava sect founded by Svami-Narayana. This sect is
worthy of a full notice, both because it affords a good ex-
ample of the best aspect of modern Vaishnavism, and because
the efforts of its founder to deliver the system of Vallabh-
acarya from the corrupting influences of the profligate Maha-
rajas (see pp. 136, 137) is worthy of all praise.
Sect founded by Svami-Narayana.
Svami-Narayana, whose proper name was Sahajananda,
was a high-caste Brahman. He was born at Chapa!, a village
one hundred and twenty miles to the north-west of Lucknow,
about the year 1780. He was a Vaishnava, but disgusted
with the manner of life of the so-called followers of Vallabh-
aearya, whose precepts and practice were utterly at variance,
and especially with the licentious habits of the Bombay Ma-
harajas (see p. 137), he determined to denounce their irregu-
larities and expose their vices. He himself was a celibate,
virtuous, self-controlled, austere, ascetical, yet withal large-
hearted and philanthropic, and with a great aptitude for
learning. He left his home about the year 1800, and took
up his abode at a village within the jurisdiction of the
Junagarh Nawab. There he placed himself under the pro-
became an enthusiastic worshipper of Rama and Sita. His
Hindi poem, the Rlmayana, or history of Rama, is no mere
translation of Valmlki's great work. It has all the freshness
of an independent and original composition. He died about
1624.
But Ramananda is chiefly noted for his twelve immediate
disciples, the most celebrated of whom were Kablr, Pipa, and
Ravi-das. Of these again by far the most remarkable was
Kabir. He was an enthusiastic reformer, who founded a
distinct theistic sect; to be presently noticed. Let us first,
however, conclude our description of strictly Vaishnava secta-
rianism by giving some account of the comparatively modern
Vaishnava sect founded by Svami-Narayana. This sect is
worthy of a full notice, both because it affords a good ex-
ample of the best aspect of modern Vaishnavism, and because
the efforts of its founder to deliver the system of Vallabh-
acarya from the corrupting influences of the profligate Maha-
rajas (see pp. 136, 137) is worthy of all praise.
Sect founded by Svami-Narayana.
Svami-Narayana, whose proper name was Sahajananda,
was a high-caste Brahman. He was born at Chapa!, a village
one hundred and twenty miles to the north-west of Lucknow,
about the year 1780. He was a Vaishnava, but disgusted
with the manner of life of the so-called followers of Vallabh-
aearya, whose precepts and practice were utterly at variance,
and especially with the licentious habits of the Bombay Ma-
harajas (see p. 137), he determined to denounce their irregu-
larities and expose their vices. He himself was a celibate,
virtuous, self-controlled, austere, ascetical, yet withal large-
hearted and philanthropic, and with a great aptitude for
learning. He left his home about the year 1800, and took
up his abode at a village within the jurisdiction of the
Junagarh Nawab. There he placed himself under the pro-