Ramananda
(1299-1410), also referred to as Saint Ramanand or Swami Ramanand, was a
Vaishnava sant. He is considered to be the reviver of the Ramanandi
sect. Ramananda for the most part of his life lived in the holy city of
Varanasi, and was a pioneer of the Bhakti movement, as well as a social
reformer in Northern India. He was known for communicating in vernacular
Hindi, and accepting disciples of all castes. His 12 disciples are very
famous-Anantananda, Bhavananda, Dhanna Bhagat, Kabir, Nabha,
Naraharyanda, Pipa, Ravidas (also known as Guru Ravidas), Bhagat Sain,
Sukhanada, Ranka and Tulsidas (the author of the Ramcharitmanas).Saint Ramananda is generally considered to have been born around AD 1400; some say that he was born in 1366 CE.[citation needed] Although there is disagreement on the exact date and place of birth, due to the few texts regarding his early life. The birthplace has been suggested to be Triveni Sangam Allahabad, Prayaga. He was born to an upper-caste Brahmin family, and his parents were probably named Sushila and Punyasadan Sharma. He was spiritually inclined right from his childhood. Acharya Raghavanand who is also known as Dakshinayat Rishi (as he lived in Jagannath Puri which is always considered a southern city in Hindu scriptures) included him in the Ramavat sect. Ramananda spent most of his life in Kashi (Banaras / Varanasi), where, as a mark of respect, people built a memorial that stands there to this day.
When Ramananda was a child, he studied the Hindu scriptures and showed great interest in spiritual thoughts. He received his early education in Kasi. A renowned philosopher and the prophet of the new Vaishnava religion, known for his downplaying the role of caste, Ramananda was particularly known for worshipping Lord Rama and his wife Goddess Sita. Ramanuja and Ramananda both believed that the human soul is distinct from the Supreme Spirit and retains its identity and separate consciousness.
