“I, Ravidas, proclaim all Vedas are worthless”

The Legacy of Guru Ravidas on his birthday (Gurpurb), 30th January

by Pardeep Singh Attri

Chaudan saai tetees ki magh sudi pandras,

Dukhion ke kalyan hit pargte Guru Ravidas

As per this couplet Guru Ravidas was born on 15th of Magh Saudi, full-moon day of 1433 at Seer Govardhanpur at Kashi (Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh). His father’s name was Santokh Das and mother’s Kalsa Devi. Guru Ravidas married to Mata Loona, a very humble woman who supported him throughout his life.

During the times of Guru, the large section of society was tottering heavily under brutal enforcement of caste system and untouchability practices, the then Untouchables bearing the most. Socially ostracized and put under strict caste-based restrictions they were living a life worse than animals.

In such environment, Guru Ravidas, a cobbler and an untouchable himself, emerged as a formidable challenge to Brahminical hegemony and spoke for the rights of downtrodden. He openly denounced all he brahminical scriptures like Vedas, Puranas, Smritis, Upanishads etc as these promoted the hegemony of Brahmins and justified the social inequality and exploitation of masses. As he says -

Charon ved kiya khandoti, Jan Ravidas kare dandoti

(I, Ravidas, proclaim all Vedas are worthless)

His was the direct attack on the spiritual hegemony of Brahmins that sprang from their claims of Vedas and other brahminical scriptures being infallible and repositories of Truth and Knowledge. While exposing the fallacies of the brahminical propaganda, Guru Ravidas made enormous efforts to provide a simple socio-religious alternative to the labouring masses that would seek equality for all human beings and require no religious rituals.

Guru Ravidas is one of the country’s foremost socio-religious revolutionary who not only attacked the socio-religious inequalities but also preached for liberty, equality and fraternity for all. He was a great poet whose couplets still reverberate among the toiling masses of this country.

He is also known as the one who invented ‘Gurumukhi’ language against Sanskrit that was monopolized by Brahmins and declared as taboo even for other caste-Hindus. The impact of Guru Ravidas on the Indian society can be well understood by the fact that the entire Sikh Bani (Sikh teachings) are written in Gurumukhi.

We all are well aware of how Babasaheb Ambedkar exhorted us to ‘Educate’ likewise, many centuries before, Guru Ravidas was saying -

Avidya ahit keen, taatay vivek deep bhava maleen

(Ignorance, no education has done much damage; it has eclipsed our rationale)

Guru’s Guru:

“If you want to destroy a society, destroy its history and the society will get destroyed automatically.” - Dr. B.R. Ambedkar

Hindu fundamentalists have always taken a keen interest in destroying Dalit-Bahujans history so as to make them disable mentally. Historians as usual here also played with the truth and misled the people for centuries. As Buddha is projected as 10^th avatar of Vishnu, same way Brahminical forces tried their best to project Guru Ravidas as one of their 33 crores fake gods. Many scholars tried to show Swami Ramanand as Guru Ravidas’s Guru. We all need to think logically, how could it have been possible for Swami Ramanand to accept Guru Ravidas as one of his student? Shudra rishi Shambuk was murdered by king Rama just on doing ‘meditation’/worshiping god. Daronacharya had forced Eklavaya to cut thumb of his right hand as ‘Guru Dakshina’. Time when Casteism, discrimination was on peak, when Dalits were murdered, their ears were cut down if they tried to hear praise of god, or they tried to worship, when the touch or even a shadow could impure so called upper caste people, how could it have been possible for Swami Ramanand (who was follower of king Rama’s ideas) to accept Guru Ravidas?

Some others tried to show Guru Ravidas as a Brahmin or Brahmin in his previous life, because they were not able to digest the humiliation of being thrashed by Guru Ravidas’s open challenge to caste system. They could have tolerated this shame if any Brahmin would have been talking against the caste system or challenging their supremacy as they had tolerated Char-wak. Many so called scholars have given false claims that Guru Ravidas was Brahmin in previous life and he ate meat so couldn’t reach the god (attain truth) and he was born in lower caste in next life.

In Rigveda it’s clearly mentioned that cows, horses, goats were killed and were eaten by not only non-brahmins but Brahmins also.

“…the food according to Valmiki consisted of all kinds of delicious viands. They included flesh and fruits and liquor. Rama was not a teetotaller. He drank liquor copiously and Valmiki records that Rama saw to it that Sita joined with him in his drinking bouts…” ( Uttara Kanda Sarga – 42 Sloka - 8   (Reference: ”Riddles in Hinduism” by Dr B R Ambedkar)

We need to question how many of these Hindu gods were born in lower caste after eating meat, or after not getting god (attaining truth). In no religious book of Hindus there is any such incident where after eating meat person would have been born in lower caste, then why Guru Ravidas? (Let me clear Guru Ravidas never ate meat, rather than he opposed the killing of goats, cows on Bakrid and other Hindu religious ceremonies)

All the times Manuwadi failed miserably as Guru Ravidas claimed himself as “Chamar” (Kutbandhla – a sub-caste in Uttar Pradesh) in many of his saloks and in his bani.

Kahi Ravidas khalaas chamaaa,

(Says Ravidas, the emancipated shoe maker)

In another hymn Guru Ravidas writes:

Meri jaat(i) Kutbandhla dhor dhowanta nith(i) baanaarsi aas paasaa,

(My caste is Kutbandhla; I deal with leather and live near Banaras)

In one another hymn Guru Ravidas says:

Meri Sangat poch soch din (u) raati,

Mera karamu kutilta janam kubanti,

(It keeps him in anxiety that his associates are low; my actions are considered evil and birth is lowly)

This all is just another game-plan/conspiracy of Brahmins to keep Dalit-Bahujans away from Guru Ravidas’s philosophy. Guru Ravidas’s teachings can lead Dalit-Bahujans break caste barrier and emancipate them because Guru Ravidas was among first people who talked about equality, ‘raaj’ (own rule) and Begumpura – City without sorrow. (It seems like Dr B R Ambedkar wrote constitution of India keeping Begumpura in his mind.) Guru Ravidas also said:

Aisa chahu raaj main, jahan mile saban ko ann,

Chhot baade sam basse, Ravidas rahe prasan.

As far as question of who was Guru of Guru Ravidas, Guru Ravidas never worshiped any of the 33 crore fake god, but he meditated/worshiped on one and only one almighty God. Guru Ravidas said:

Tohi, mohi, mohi tohi, antar kaisa: kanak katik jal tarang jaisa.

(There is no difference between you (god) and me as there is no difference between the gold and its ornaments, between water and its waves.)

Bhagat or Guru Ravidas:

Last year on the gurpurb of Guru Ravidas Rozana Spokesman newspapers published article that (Bhagat – as stated by newspaper) Guru Ravidas was not familiar with Sikh Gurus’ teachings & teaching/sakhis (birth tales) of Guru Ravidas were misquoted by author in ridiculing manner. The article erroneously stated that no historical facts are present about the life of Guru Ravidas. It’s madness/ridiculous to give such statements as Bani (shaloks, teachings) of Guru Ravidas is there in Guru Granth Sahib (the holy book of Sikhs) itself and 10^th Guru of Sikhs Guru Gobind Singh had asked to follow Guru Granth Saheb as ‘Guru’ after him, so the bani of all the ‘Gurus’ (including Guru Ravidas) which is included in the Guru Granth Saheb should be treated equal, why to give someone names like ‘Bhagats’ and others ‘Gurus’? This time mischiefs are played by Sikhs scholars under the affect of Brahminical forces, those have forgotten that Sikhism is separate religion which came into picture for equality, to counter the evils of Casteism in Hinduism.

Who is ‘Bhagat’ and who is ‘Guru’? Till the time a person is worshipping/meditating/trying to achieve the state of perfect-ness, is in search of truth of life, till the time person hasn’t got ‘gyan’, up-to that time you can say a person as ‘Bhagat’, but when that person have achieved truth of life, got ‘gyan’ and starts giving sermons, starts preaching, he becomes ‘Guru’ and he don’t remain as Bhagat then. A large number of kings and queens became Guru Ravidas’s disciples and they accepted him as a Guru, not only Guru but Raj-Guru also. Prominent among them were Raja Pipa, Raja Nagar Mal, Rewa Naresh, Rani Jhalan Bai, and Meera Bai (it’s wrongly projected by people that she was fan of king Krishna, but in reality she was follower of Guru Ravidas).

Meera ne gobind milya ji,

Gur milya Radas.

(Meera Padawali - 4)

Kings had built many temples dedicated to Guru Ravidas and there were later either demolished or converted to Hindu worship places.

As recorded by Dr. Lekh Raj Parwana at Page 116-117 in his book “Shri Guru Ravidas- Life and Writing”, Guru Ravidas visited northern India twice. Firstly, he was accompanied by Kabir Ji, Tarlochan Ji, Sain Ji and Dhanna Ji and met Guru Nanak Dev at ‘Chuharkana’, now known as ‘Nankana Sahib’ where Guru Nanak Dev served them food with Rs.20/- which had been given to him by his revered father Mehta Kalu for some profitable business. At his second visit to Punjab, Guru Ravidas met Guru Nanak Dev at Sant Ghat of Kali Bein in ‘Sultanpur Lodhi’. At third time he met at Guru Nanak at ‘Guru Ka Bagh’, Banaras and exchanged their views on several topics pertaining to religion, social system and liberty of human beings. Guru Ravidas gave gift of his bani of 40 hymns and one couplet to Guru Nanak Dev as desired by him.

Many a times, Mardana (he used to live with Guru Nanak Dev) used to sing hymns of Guru Ravidas in-front of Guru Nanak Dev, as asked by Guru Nanak Dev. It was the Guru Ravidas who gave the right direction to the life and teachings of Guru Nanak Dev. So, today’s Sikh scholars don’t have any right to raise any question over who was the real Guru or whom they want to call Guru or Bhagat.

Till 1920, Dalits/Untouchable’s ‘Prasad’/’religious offering’ wasn’t accepted at the Darbar Saheb/Golden Temple and no ‘ardas’ was done on the name of Dalits/untouchables. (Reference: “The Heritage of Amritsar” by S S Johar). This all shows how much these Sikh scholars were/are following Sikhism’s teachings. The religions which were considered by Dr Ambedkar for conversion, but the Sikh leaders were full of hatred/hostility towards Dalits.

Jathedars (Sikh leaders/scholars) those are becoming puppets in the hands of Manuwadi people will lead to the end of Sikhism & if such things continued the day won’t be far away when idols of Hindu deities will be seen in the “Darbar Saheb” (Golden Temple). Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) created his offshoots like PRERNA, Rashtriya Sikh Sangat, and Guru Granth Sahib Vichar Sanstha as under the name of RSS it was difficult for them to meet Sikh leaders & to misguide them. And now everyone can see Sikh scholars visiting their activities and supporting them full heartedly.

Jathedars & many others are forgetting that;

1. Sikh Gurus believed in one and only one god, whereas Hindus worship quite a number of gods, goddesses, and deities.

2. The Hindu Trinity - Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva - is altogether rejected by Sikh Gurus.

3. The worship of any carved statues, images or idols is completely forbidden in Sikhism although it is allowed in Hinduism.

4. Cow is not considered as a sacred animal by Sikhs; hence it is not worshiped at all.

5. The supremacy of the Vedas, Gita and other Hindu scriptures is not recognized or accepted in Sikhism. Sikhs have their own holy book - the Guru Granth Sahib - compiled by the fifth Guru himself and completed by 10^th Guru.

6. Sikh Gurus, Guru Ravidas had rejected the caste system and all men/women are reckoned equal irrespective of their caste, colour or creed, does Hinduism do all this?

7. Sikh traditions, customs, and ceremonies of death and marriage are completely different from the Hindus.

Many Sikh scholars claim that in Guru Granth Saheb its written “Bhagata di bani”, but then you need to concentrate that for Guru Nanak Dev to Guru Gobind Singh, there is nothing written as ‘Guru’ word for them, but ‘Mahala – I, ‘Mahala –II’ etc is written not “bani of Guru Nanak Dev” or “bani of Guru Gobind Singh”. (‘Mahala’ means ‘Aam Admi’/‘common person’.) Will Sikh scholars accept Guru Nanak Dev as common person? At many places in the ‘Janam Sakhis’/’Birth tales’ of Guru Nanak Dev; Guru Nanak Dev is recorded as ‘Baba’, ‘Tapa’, and ‘Pir’ etc. Guru Nanak Dev himself claimed at many places as Mahala/‘common person’, ‘Shayar’, ‘Nieech’. Are Sikh scholars ready to accept Guru Nanak Dev as ‘Shayar’, ‘Nieech’ and ‘Baba’?

People those don’t want to accept Guru Ravidas as ‘Guru’ and don’t want to write ‘Guru’ in-front of Guru Ravidas’s name are only those people who don’t want to take any lesson from the teachings of Guru Ravidas. Those people are full of hatred, are not supporter of equality and practice discrimination.

Murder of Guru Ravidas:

Torture of Dalit-Bahujans is not new, Manuwadi people have always tried to suppress, depress, torture, tried to kill, murder, and loot Dalit-Bahujans. Who so ever had/have tried to raise his voice against the cruelty; evils of Hinduism was either murdered or burnt alive. Guru Namdev was tortured and was forced to leave Maharashtra, Guru (Sant) Tukaram, Sant Chokha Mal was murdered, Sant Naat Naar was burnt alive, same way Guru Ravidas was murdered at Chittorgarh by people who were opposing Guru Ravidas all the times. Guru Ravidas lived for about 151 years. (Reference: “Guru Ravidas Ki Hatya Ke Parmanik Dastawez” by Satnam Singh)

In his entire life, Guru Ravidas kept fighting for equality, against social, political, economical bullying and composed many hymns and Shaloks, which were burnt down, destroyed by so called upper caste people of that time. 40 hymns and one couplet composed by Guru Ravidas are inscribed in Guru Granth Saheb. Guru Ravidas was among first people who used “Ek-Onkar” – god is one. His teachings are relevant even today as were in 15^th century and may everyone take inspiration from Guru Ravidas’s teachings and come out of darkness.