Consider the following statements regarding the Bhakti Saint Ramananda...
- Ramananda belonged to Ramanuja’s philosophical thought. He visited the holy places of North India and preached Vaishnavism. Ramananda introduced radical changes in Vaishnavism by founding his own sect based on the doctrine of love and devotion to Rama and Sita. Hence, statement 1 is incorrect.
- He preached equality before God. He rejected caste system, particularly the supremacy of
- Brahmins as the sole custodians of the Hindu religion. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
- The people from the lower strata of the society became his followers. His twelve disciples included Ravidas, Kabir and two women. Hence, statement 3 is incorrect.
- Ramananda was the first to preach his doctrine of devotion in Hindi, the vernacular language.
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Consider the following statements regarding the Bhakti Saint Ramananda...
Explanation:
Statement 1:
Ramananda did not found his own sect. He belonged to the Ramanandi sect, which is a branch of the Vaishnavite Bhakti movement. The Ramanandi sect is named after him, but he did not establish it based on the doctrine of love and devotion to Lord Krishna and Radha. Therefore, statement 1 is incorrect.
Statement 2:
Ramananda preached the principle of equality before God. He believed that all individuals, regardless of their caste or social status, could attain salvation through devotion to God. This principle of equality was a central tenet of his teachings. Therefore, statement 2 is correct.
Statement 3:
Ramananda was not a disciple of bhakti saint Kabir. However, Kabir was influenced by Ramananda's teachings, and there is evidence to suggest that Kabir attended some of Ramananda's discourses. Therefore, statement 3 is incorrect.
Therefore, the correct answer is option 'A' - 2 only. Ramananda preached equality before God and was not a disciple of Kabir.