Note 304 — Chapter II · (continued 3)

Rámánanda, the founder of this sect, lived about the end of the 13th century, according to some accounts; Professor Wilson is disposed to place him not farther back than the end of the 14th, or beginning of the 15th century. His residence was at Benares, in a math, or “monastery.” The especial object of the worship of the Rámánandis is Vichnu, in his incarnation of Rámachandra, on which account they are called Rámawats. The mendicant members of this sect, numerous even in our days, are usually known as Váîragis or Viraktas, and consider all form of adoration superfluous beyond the incessant invocation of Krichna and Rama. The school of Rámánand admits disciples of every caste; it abrogates, in fact, the distinction of caste amongst the religious orders: this seems the proper import of the term Avad’huta, which Rámánanda affixed to his followers. It does not appear that any work exists attributed to Rámánand himself; those of his followers are written in the provincial dialects. The ascetic and mendicant followers of Ramánand are by far the most numerous class of sectaries in Gangetic India; some of them acquired a great celebrity; among these are reckoned Kabir, of whom hereafter, and Jayadiva, the author of the beautiful poem Gîta govinda, well known by the translations made of it into English, by Sir W. Jones; into Latin, by Professor Lassen (who places however Jayadéva in the year 1150); and into German, in the metre of the original, by Mr. Ruckert.—(See, on the Rámánandis, the work quoted, pp. 36-52).