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| Bhagat Ravidas Occupation: Cobbler Like Kabir, Ravidas was also a resident of Kanshi and came from a cobbler's family. According to general belief, he was a follower of Swami Ramanand but there is no historical proof about it. Inspite of his low caste, Ravidas rose to a positionof great honour through a life of simplicity and piety. He never felt ashamed of his pedigree and faced fearlessly the pandits, who were proud of their high caste. He told them the spiritual greatness is achieved through a loving devotion to the Lord. He boldly proclaims,
He was such a faithful bhagat that once he gave a farthing (Damri) to some sadhus, who were going to Hardwar, requesting them to offer it to Ganga Mai on his behalf. They say that when the sadhu presented the damri sent by Ravidas, Ganga stretched out her hands to receive it. He was greatly respected during his life time to the extent that even veteran pandits of Kanshi bowed before him. Tradition has it that Queen Jhalan of Mewar became a follower of Ravidas. But despite close contacts with an affluent section of the society, he chose to live austerely. They say that someone once offered him a paras (the philosopher's stone that turns cheaper metal into Gold) and assured him he could get anyamount of wealth by making use of it. Ravidas asked him to place it in a corner. When he came to Ravidas again after some months, he found the saint still lurking in poverty. He asked the bhagat why he had not utilized the paras. Ravidas remarked that for him, "God's Name alone was the paras, that was the "kamdhen" and "chintamani". Extracted from Gurbani De Racheta by Abnashi Singh & Gurvinder Singh | Home Singh Sabha |