Note 15 — C

The Siunârâyani or Srinârâyani sect. 18. But the most remarkable form of worship is that of the deistic, revivalist sect of the Srinârâyani or Siunârâyani. The founder of this sect was Râêdâs or Ravidâs, who was a disciple of Râmanand. Curiously enough in the Dakkhin quite a different legend has been invented and the so-called Rohidas is said to have been born at Chambhargonda now Ahmadnagar, and is described as a contemporary of Kabîr in the twelfth or thirteenth century.15 The Northern India legend, as recorded in the commentary of Priya Dâs on the Bhaktmâla, tells how a Brâhman disciple of Râmanand used daily to receive the necessary alms from the houses of five Brâhmans. This was cooked by his preceptor, and offered to the Creator before being eaten. One day as it was raining and the houses of the Brâhmans were at a distance, the Brahmachâri accepted the supplies from a Banya. When Râmanand cooked it, the Divine Light refused to accept it, as it was unclean. The preceptor made enquiries and discovered that the Banya had money dealings with Chamârs and that the food was hence defiled. Râmanand, in his displeasure caused his disciple to be reborn in the womb of a Chamârin; and so it happened. When the infant was born, remembering its past life, it refused to suck from the breast of its mother because she was not initiated. Then a voice from Heaven spoke to Râmanand and warned him that the punishment he had inflicted on his disciple was disproportionate to his offence. He was directed to go to the hut of the Chamâr and initiate the whole family. He was compelled to obey this order. The child was named by his parents Râêdâs. When he reached the age of eighteen he began to worship a clay image of Râma and Jânaki. This was displeasing to his father, who turned him out of doors. Râêdâs then set up business as a shoemaker and continued his mode of worship. He used to present all wandering ascetics with new shoes. One day a saint appeared before him and gave him the Philosopher’s stone. Râêdâs took no notice of it; but the Saint touched his shoemaker’s knife with it and turned it into gold. This had no effect on Râêdâs, and the saint finally left the stone in the thatch of his hut. Returning some time after he found Râêdâs in poor circumstances, and learned to his surprise that he had not used the stone. The saint then promised that before morning five gold coins would appear in front of the divine image which Râêdâs worshipped. These he also refused to accept. But he was warned in a dream not to continue to despise wealth; so he converted his shed into a magnificent temple and established regular worship. This enraged the Brâhmans, who appealed to the Râja in a Sanskrit verse which means—“Where unholy things are worshipped and holy things are defiled, three things follow—Famine, Death, and Fear.”