Ramprasad Sen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sadhak Ramprasad
(Ramprasad Sen) |
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| Born | c. 1718 or c. 1723 Garalgachha, Hooghly District, Bengal
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| Died | c. 1775 Halisahar, North 24 Parganas District, Bengal
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| Other names | Sadhak Ramprasad |
| Occupation | Saint, poet |
| Known for | Ramprasadi |
| Hindu texts |
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| Śruti
Smriti |
Sadhak Rāmprasād Sen (Bengali: রামপ্রসাদ সেন; born around 1718 or 1723 – died around 1775) was a famous Hindu poet and holy person from Bengal in the 1700s. He was a follower of the Shakta tradition, which worships the Divine Mother.
His special poems, called Ramprasadi, are still very popular in Bengal. These poems are usually about the Hindu goddess Kali and are written in the Bengali language. Stories about Ramprasad's life often mix real facts with interesting legends and myths.
People say that Ramprasad was born into a family that followed Tantric traditions. He showed a talent for writing poetry from a young age. He became a student of Krishnananda Agamavagisha, who was a Tantric scholar and yogi. Ramprasad became well known for his songs about devotion. He even became the official poet for Raja Krishnachandra of Nadia. Many stories tell about his deep love for and connection with Goddess Kali. Some of his famous writings include Vidyasundar, Kali-kirtana, Krishna-kirtana, and Shaktigiti.
Ramprasad is known for creating a new way to write songs. He mixed the folk style of Baul music from Bengal with classical music and kirtan (devotional singing). This new style became very popular in Bengali culture. Many other poets and composers started combining folk and classical tunes. His songs are still sung today. A popular collection called Ramprasadi Sangit ("Songs of Ramprasad") is sold at Shakta temples in Bengal.
Contents
Ramprasad's Life Story
Stories about Ramprasad's life are a mix of real events, deeper meanings, and legends.
Early Years
Ramprasad was born in Garalgachha, in the Hooghly District, at his mother's family home. His family were Brahmins who followed Tantric traditions. We don't know his exact birth date because records are missing, but it's thought to be around 1718 or 1723. His father, Ramram Sen, was a doctor who practiced Ayurveda and was also a Sanskrit scholar. Ramprasad's mother, Siddheswari, was his father's second wife.
Ramprasad went to a Sanskrit tol (a traditional school). There, he learned Sanskrit grammar, literature, Persian, and Hindi. When he was young, he was very good at writing poetry and learning new languages.
Family Life and Spiritual Path
Ramram hoped his son would become a doctor like him, but Ramprasad wasn't interested in that kind of work. As he grew up, his strong spiritual interests worried his parents. They thought that getting married would make Ramprasad more responsible. So, when he was twenty-two, they arranged for him to marry a girl named Sarvani.
Following their family's tradition, the new couple was guided by their spiritual teacher, Madhavacharya. It is said that when the guru (teacher) quietly told Ramprasad his mantra (a sacred sound or phrase), Ramprasad felt a very strong desire for the goddess Kali. About a year after this, his guru passed away. Later, Ramprasad became a student of Krishnananda Agamavagisha. Krishnananda was a Tantric yogi and a scholar. He was a well-known devotee of Kali and wrote a Bengali book called Tantrasara. Krishnananda taught Ramprasad about Tantric sadhanas (spiritual practices) and how to worship Kali.
Working Life
Instead of finding a job as his parents wished, Ramprasad spent most of his time on sadhana (spiritual practice). His father, Ramram, died before he could make plans to support the family. Because they became poor, Ramprasad had to move to Kolkata. He worked as an accountant for a person named Durga Charan Mitra, earning thirty rupees a month.
Stories say that while working, Ramprasad would write devotional songs to Kali. His co-workers were surprised to see him writing poems in his accounting book and told their boss. Durga Charan Mitra read Ramprasad's poems and was deeply touched by his devotion and writing skills. Instead of firing Ramprasad, he asked him to go back to his village and write songs for Kali, while still paying him his salary.
Devotion and Poetry
After returning to his village, Ramprasad spent most of his time in sadhana, meditation, and prayer. Traditional stories tell of some special spiritual practices he did. For example, he would stand neck-deep in the Ganges river, singing songs to Kali.
Ramprasad often practiced his sadhana in a panchavati. This is a grove with five special trees: banyan, bael, amalaki, ashoka, and peepul. All these trees are considered holy in Tantric traditions. He would reportedly spend hours meditating on a panchamundi asana. This is an altar where five skulls (from a snake, frog, rabbit, fox, and human) are buried. Popular stories say he had a vision of Kali in her form of Adyashakti Mahamaya, a powerful divine mother.
Raja Krishnachandra of Nadia, who was a landlord under Nawab Sirajuddaula of Bengal, heard Ramprasad's hymns. Since he was a strong devotee of Kali, he made Ramprasad his court poet. Ramprasad rarely went to the Maharaja's court. Instead, he spent his time in sadhana and worshipping Kali. Krishna Chandra became Ramprasad's helper, giving him 100 acres (0.40 km2) of land that was free from taxes. In return, Ramprasad dedicated his book Vidyasundar ("Beautiful Knowledge") to the Maharaja. Krishna Chandra also gave Ramprasad the title Kaviranjana ("Entertainer of poets"). During the Maharaja's last years, Ramprasad stayed with him, singing hymns to Kali. Ramprasad's spiritual wisdom was also recognized by Sufis and Nawab Sirajuddaula. It is said that Ramprasad visited the Nawab's court when the Nawab strongly asked him to.
Passing Away
In his old age, Ramprasad was cared for by his son Ramdulal and his daughter-in-law Bhagavati. There's a folk story about how Ramprasad died. He loved taking part in Kali Puja on the night of Diwali, the festival of lights. On one Kali puja night, he performed the worship and sang all night long. In the morning, Ramprasad carried the jar of the Divine Mother's holy water on his head to the Ganges river. Devotees followed him, carrying the clay image of Kali to be immersed in the Ganges after the night of worship.
Ramprasad walked into the holy river until the water was neck deep, all the while singing for Kali. As Kali's image was immersed, Ramprasad passed away. This is believed to have happened around 1775. However, some newer documents suggest that Ramprasad Sen was still alive in 1794. One such document, dated April 1794, has his signature as a witness and is kept at Sabarna Sangrahashala in Barisha.
Popular Stories and Legends
In Bengal, many popular stories and legends are told about Ramprasad.
One well-known story is about a "radiant girl" who helped him one day. Ramprasad was fixing a fence with his daughter, who then left. Soon, a "radiant girl" he didn't know came to help him. After they finished the work, she disappeared. According to the story, Ramprasad then realized that she was a form of Kali herself.
Another popular story tells of Ramprasad seeing the goddess Annapurna of Varanasi. Ramprasad was going to the river for his daily bath when a beautiful young woman stopped him. She asked if she could hear him sing a devotional song to the Divine Mother. Ramprasad asked her to wait because he was getting late for his noon worship. When he returned, he couldn't find her. He began to think it might have been the "play of the Divine Mother." He sat down to meditate and was surrounded by a bright light. He heard a female voice say, "I am Annapurna (...) I came all the way from Varanasi to hear your songs but, sadly, I had to leave disappointed." Ramprasad was upset with himself and immediately left for Varanasi to find Mother Annapurna and sing for her. After walking many miles, he reached Triveni. There, he rested under a tree by the Ganges river. Here, he reportedly had another vision. He saw the same mystical light and heard the Mother's voice say, "Stay here and sing for me. (...) Varanasi is not the only place where I live; I am everywhere in the whole universe."
Ramprasad's Poetry and Impact
Ramprasad Sen is seen as one of the most important figures of the bhakti movement in Bengal during the 1700s. He is known for making the bhakti Shakta tradition popular. He also popularized Shyama Sangeet—devotional songs dedicated to the goddess Kali. Ramprasad was the first Shakta poet to speak to Kali with such deep personal devotion. He sang about her as a kind, loving mother or even as a little girl. After him, many other Shakta poets continued this tradition of Kali-bhakti.
Ramprasad created a new way of composing music. He mixed the folk style of Baul music from Bengal with classical melodies and kirtan. This new style became very popular in Bengali culture for the next 150 years. Hundreds of poets and composers started combining folk and classical tunes. They brought together different music styles, including classical, semi-classical, and folk. His poetic style has been described as "sweet, familiar, and simple." However, his lyrics were sung in a classical way, not just a folk style. Two important composers who followed his style were Kamalakanta Bhattacarya and Mahendranath Bhattacarya.
Ramprasad's songs are known as Ramprasadi. The devotion to Kali in his songs often included hints about what was happening in Bengal at the time. This included events like the Bengal famine of 1770, money problems, and changes in village life. His poems were very popular during his lifetime.
Ramprasad's writings include Vidyasundar (or Kalikaman-gala), Kali-kirtana, the unfinished Krishna-kirtana, and Shaktigiti. Kali-kirtana is a collection of poems and stories describing the early life of Uma. Krishna-kirtana is an incomplete book of poems and songs about Krishna. The full collection has not yet been found. Vidyasundara Kavya is a story-like poem that was already popular in Bengali literature. It tells the traditional love story of Vidya and Sundara, who are children of kings. Kali helps them meet, fall in love, and get married.
Shaktigiti is Ramprasad's most famous and respected work. In it, he shares his deepest feelings and love for Kali. In Shaktigiti, he shows a very close relationship with Kali. He acts like a child who can both love and argue with his mother about the unfairness of human life.
Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, a spiritual leader from 1800s Bengal, often sang Ramprasad's songs. He thought of Ramprasad as his favorite poet. Many of these songs are written down in The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. This book mentions that Ramakrishna "would spend hours singing the devotional songs of great devotees of the Mother, such as Kamalakanta and Ramprasad. Those rhapsodic songs describing direct vision of God…" Paramahansa Yogananda also admired Ramprasad and his devotional songs, often singing them. Sister Nivedita compared Ramprasad to the English poet William Blake.
Here is one of Ramprasad's hymns to the Goddess:
Another of his popular poems talks about how humans try to understand the Goddess:
You think you understand the Goddess?
Even philosophers can not explain her.
The scriptures say that she, herself,
is the essence of us all. It is she, herself,
who brings life through her sweet will.
You think you understand her?
I can only smile, you think that you can
truly know her? I can only laugh!
But what our minds accept, our hearts do not.
Ants try to grasp the moon, we the goddess.
Ramprasad's songs are still popular in Bengal and are sung regularly when worshipping Kali. Scholar Shuma Chakrovarty notes that his songs are "broadcast over the radio and sung on the streets and in the homes and temples of Calcutta by a cross-section of people—children, the elderly, housewives, businessmen, scholars, the illiterate, monks, householders, and the youth of all classes." Many of his songs were sung by popular Shyama Sangeet singers like Dhananjay Bhattacharya, Pannalal Bhattacharya, and Anup Ghosal. His amazing combination of simple words in his songs still touches people's hearts and brings tears to their eyes.
See also
In Spanish: Ramprasad Sen para niños
