The Cobbler Saint

Guru Ravidas regards bhakti as a natural craving of the human soul for the Supreme Soul, writes SATISH KAPOOR Mero man lago guru se, ab narahungiatki Guru milia Ravidas jimahana, dinigyangutki — “My mind is linked to the guru; and I shall not remain enmeshed any more (in maya). I have found Ravidas as my religious preceptor, who has given me supreme knowledge. ”So said Mirabai about Guru Ravidas, also called Rohidas and Raidas (CE1450-CE1520), the first prominent cobbler saint in the religious history of mankind. He was a kutabandhala, a subcaste of chamars that removed cattle carcasses from the holy city of Banaras. Believed to be a disciple of Ramananda of the Vaishnava Hindu tradition, he led a life of high moral integrity and detached action, earning his livelihood by making or mending shoes, and fulfilling family responsibilities. Ravidas had no formal education, but his honesty, humility and spiritual knowledge earned him respect among his contemporaries. Kabir said of him: Santan mein Ravidas sant hai, meaning that Ravidas is a saint par excellence. Ravidas regards bhakti as a natural craving of the human soul for the Supreme Soul, a divine loveconsciousness, a sahaj or easy way to spiritual ascension. He holds that bhakti flowers when mind, heart and soul vibrate with the name of God. He shows by example that bhakti can be cultivated by self-discipline, self-surrender, holy company, inner purity, and God’s grace. Bhakti leads to jnana, knowledge, and jnana to virtue. Ravidas distinguishes between sthula bhakti, gross devotion marked by rituals, and sukshma bhakti, subtle devotion that culminates in the direct experience of God. He prefers the latter as it is not kama-ja, the byproduct of desire or bhaya-ja, the result of some fear, but saatvic or pure in nature. Ravidas rejects asceticism, penances, pilgrimages, and forced celibacy as ways to the Divine. He holds that the only offering worth making to God is one’s own self. Ravidas is convinced that egotism separates man from God. “Jab ham hote tab tu nahi, ab tu hai main nahi”— “When there is the sense of I, God is not; now you alone are, I am not. ”He regards God as a puppeteer and human beings as puppets who look all around, speak, hear and run about. To escape from this sordid state, one needs the guidance of param paras, a true guru, who can ignite spirituality within. To Ravidas, the basic purpose of life is the realisation of God. He regards Rama-namaas the all-powerful name of God that can check the vagaries of the mind, free one from the five human vices, namely, lust, anger, greed, attachment and vanity, and raise soul-consciousness, thereby taking one to a state where one is unaffected by misery. Ravidas disapproves of the killing of animals, either for religious sacrifice, satisfaction of the palate, or for body-nourishment, as Divinity dwells in all. He regards it as an unpardonable sin that cannot be washed off by charity, prayers or other noble acts. The killer would meet the same fate as that of the killed, according to the inexorable law of karma. Ravidas preaches nishkama karma, desireless action. To him, work is the most sacred duty that one should never skip. But he is against amassing wealth or goods by fleecing others. “Shrink not from true conduct even if you become a loser, ”he advises. In times of sectarian conflicts, he gives the following message of religious harmony: “Whether a Brahmin, a mullah or a sheikh, O Ravidas, Of all of them, the same One is the creator. Know them all to be the same. ” The Sikh scripture Guru Granth Sahibcontains 40 life-transforming compositions of Ravidas that are sung reverentially in prescribed ragas, melodic modes. ■ Guru Ravidas Jayanti is on January 31