96-837: [REDACTED] Look up समर्थ in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Samarth may refer to: People [ edit ] Samarth Ramdas , 17th-century Indian saint and Marathi poet Swami Samarth , 19th-century Indian guru Samarth Patel , Kenyan cricketer Samarth Seth , Indian cricketer Samarth Singh , Indian cricketer Samarth Vyas , Indian cricketer Samarth Yogi Arwind , Indian Sanskrit scholar Kumarsen Samarth , Indian filmmaker Nitin Samarth , American physicist Ravikumar Samarth , Indian cricketer Shobhna Samarth , Indian actress Tanuja or Tanuja Samarth, Indian actress Others [ edit ] Samarth ,
192-544: A 1968 horror novel by Indian writer Narayan Dharap Samarth-class offshore patrol vessel , class of Indian Coast Guard patrol vessels Mukherjee-Samarth family , Indian film family Shri Samarth High School, Amravati , Maharashtra, India Samarth Vyayam Mandir , physical education institution in Shivaji Park, Mumbai, India See also [ edit ] All pages with titles containing Samarth Samartha Vashishtha , Indian poet Topics referred to by
288-454: A Hindu pilgrimage town near Nashik . He later moved to Taakli near Nashik at the confluence of Godavari and Nandini river. At Taakli, he spent the next twelve years as an ascetic in complete devotion to Rama. During this period, he adhered to a rigorous daily routine and devoted most of his time to meditation, worship and exercise. As per legend, he once blessed a widow lady of a long married life, without knowing that her husband has just died. It
384-497: A celibate life, live off alms, consume selected vegetarian saatvic food and observe considerable austerity in behaviour and deeds. Though such practices are not followed in modern times by a majority of Deshasthas, all Deshasthas boys undergo the sacred thread ceremony. Many still continue to get initiated around eight years of age. Those who skip this get initiated just before marriage. Twice-born Deshasthas perform annual ceremonies to replace their sacred threads on Narali Purnima or
480-588: A khada in Maharashtra. Generations of Marathi children have been reciting Manache Shlok at home or at school. Swatantravir Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, an Indian independence activist and writer is believed to have derived inspiration from Dasbodh . Ramdas' teachings and philosophy have been promoted and endorsed by various political and social organizations in Maharashtra. Ramdas Swami Sahitya Shodh Deshastha Brahmin Deshastha Brahmin
576-661: A newly built temple in Chaphal, a village near Satara. Initially, he had eleven Hanuman temples constructed in various regions of southern Maharashtra. These are now together referred to as the 11-Maruti (see list below). Ramdas had extensive literature written during his lifetime. His literary works include Dasbodh , Karunashtakas , Sunderkand, Yuddhakand, Poorvarambh, Antarbhav, Aatmaaram, Chaturthman, Panchman, Manpanchak, Janaswabhawgosavi, Panchsamasi, Saptsamasi, Sagundhyan, Nirgundhyan, Junatpurush, Shadripunirupan, Panchikaranyog, Manache Shlok and Shreemad Dasbodh. Unlike
672-479: A range of styles are preferred. For example, the Deshastha Shiv Sena politician Manohar Joshi and former Chief Minister of Maharashtra prefers white fine khadi kurtas , while younger men prefer modern western clothes such as jeans . In the past, caste or social disputes used to be resolved by joint meetings of all Brahmin sub-caste men in the area. Deshastha Rigvedi Brahmins still recite
768-590: A rare insight into the then prevalent social conditions in the Indian subcontinent. He also traveled to regions in the vicinity of the Himalayas during this period. Around this time, he met the sixth Sikh Guru Hargobind at Srinagar . After the pilgrimage, he returned to Mahabaleshwar , a hill-town near Satara . Later while at Masur, he arranged for Rama Navami celebrations that were reportedly attended by thousands. As part of his mission to redeem spirituality among
864-779: A system of patronage for Brahmin scholars. The most prominent Deshastha Brahmin families during the Peshwa rule were The Pant Pratinidhis , The Vinchurkars , The Purandares , The Gandekars (Pant Sachiv family) and The Bavadekars . During the Peshwa era, The lack of administrative positions forced Deshastha and other literate groups to find opportunities elsewhere in India such as the Guntur area in present-day Andhra Pradesh . Historian Govind Sakharam Sardesai lists 163 prominent families that held high ranks and played significant roles in politics, military and finance in 18th century Pune,
960-485: Is priesthood and the Kulkarni Vatan (village accountants). They also pursued secular professions such as writers, accountants, moneylenders and also practised agriculture. In historic times a large number of Deshasthas held many prominent positions such as Peshwa , Diwan , Deshpande (district accountants), Deshmukh , Patil , Gadkari , Desai , and Nirkhee (who fixed weekly prices of grains during
1056-516: Is a Hindu Brahmin subcaste mainly from the Indian state of Maharashtra and North Karnataka . Other than these states, according to authors K. S. Singh , Gregory Naik and Pran Nath Chopra, Deshastha Brahmins are also concentrated in the states of Telangana (which was earlier part of Hyderabad State and Berar Division ) , Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh (Which was earlier part of Central Provinces and Berar ) Historian Pran Nath Chopra and journalist Pritish Nandy say, "Most of
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#17327810191051152-879: Is a common Kuladaivat to several castes ranging from Brahmins to Dalits . The practice of worshiping local or territorial deities as Kuladaivats began in the period of the Yadava dynasty . Other family deities of the Deshasthas of Maharashtra and Karnataka are Bhavani of Tuljapur , Mahalaxmi of Kolhapur , Mahalaxmi of Amravati , Renuka of Mahur , Saptashringi on Saptashringa hill at Vani in Nasik district, Banashankari of Badami , Lakshmi Chandrala Parameshwari of Sannati , Renuka Yellamma of Savadatti . Venkateswara of Tirupathi , Narasimha and Vithoba (Vittala) of Pandharpur are popular forms of Vishnu who are worshipped as kuladevatha among Deshasthas. Traditionally
1248-454: Is called a dwija which translates to " twice-born " in English, in the sense that while the first birth was due to his biological parents, the second one is due to the initiating priest and Savitri . Traditionally, boys are sent to gurukula to learn Vedas and scriptures. Boys are expected to practice extreme discipline during this period known as brahmacharya . Boys are expected to lead
1344-593: Is currently placed at a matha in Domgaon, a village in present-day Osmanabad district , Maharashtra. Ramdas was an exponent of Bhakti Yoga or the path of devotion. According to him, total devotion to Rama brings about spiritual evolution. His definition of "Bhakti" was in accordance with the philosophy of Advait Vedant . In Chapter 4 of his literary work Dasbodh , he describes Nice levels of devotion / communion - starting from listening / comprehending (श्रवण) to Surrender of oneself or being One with Self (आत्मनिवेदन) -
1440-468: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Samarth Ramdas Ramdas (c. 1608 – c. 1682), pronunciation also known as Samarth Ramdas or Ramdas Swami , was an Indian Hindu saint, philosopher, poet, writer and spiritual master. He was a devotee of the Hindu deities Rama and Hanuman . Traditional Ramdas or previously Narayan
1536-481: Is marked on the shoulders and on the chest with Shankha (conch), Chakra (disc) and other emblems of Vishnu , while for women, the seals are stamped only on their arms, the 'chakra' is stamped on the right arm, the shanka is stamped on the left arm. The stamp used for marking these seals being of red hot iron and is known as "Tapta Mudra Dharana". Tapta means 'heated' and mudra means 'seals'. Madhvas also stamp five mudras with gopichandana paste daily on various parts of
1632-678: Is said that he was able to give life back to the dead body of her husband and this act of miracle made him very famous in Nashik. He is thought to have attained enlightenment at the age of 24. He adopted the name Ramdas around this period. He later had an idol of Hanuman made from cowdung installed at Taakli. Ramdas left Taakli a few years later and then embarked on a pilgrimage across the Indian subcontinent. He traveled for twelve years and made observations on contemporary social life. He had these observations recorded in two of his literary works Asmani Sultania and Parachakraniroopan. These works provide
1728-400: Is said to have once reprimanded an aged man who voiced his opinion against female participation in religious affairs. Ramdas reportedly responded by saying "Everyone came from a woman's womb and those who did not understand the importance of this were unworthy of being called men". In Dasbodh , Ramdas eulogizes the virtues of aesthetic handwriting (Chapter 19.10, Stanza 1–3p). Ramdas initiated
1824-670: Is the commentary on the Anu Vyakhyana of Madhvacharya . The most revered of all Bhakti saints, Dnyaneshwar was universally acclaimed for his commentary on the Bhagvad Gita . It is called Dnyaneshwari and is written in the Prakrit language. He lived in the 13th century. Eknath was yet another Bhakti saint who published an extensive poem called the Eknathi Bhagwat in the 16th century. Other works of Eknath include
1920-690: Is the most distinguished poet in the ovi meter. He is most known for translating the Mahabharata and the Ramayana in Marathi but only a part of the Mahabharata translation is available and the entire Ramayana translation is lost. Shridhar came from near Pandharpur and his works are said to have superseded the Sanskrit epics to a certain extent. Other major literary contributors of the 17th and
2016-674: The Bhavartha Ramayana , the Rukmini Swayamwara and the Swatma Sukha . The 17th century saw the Dasbodh of the saint Samarth Ramdas , who was also the spiritual adviser to Shivaji. Hemadpant who was the prime minister from 1259 to 1274 C.E. in the regimes of Kings Mahādeva (1259–1271) and Ramachandra (1271–1309) of Seuna Yādav Dynasty of Devagiri , which ruled in the western and southern part of India
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#17327810191052112-526: The CKPs . However, researcher Donald Kurtz concludes that although Deshasthas and other brahmin groups of the region were initially largely rural , they were mostly urbanised by the end of the 20th century. One of the traditional occupations of the Deshasthas was that of priesthood at the Hindu temples or officiating at socio-religious ceremonies. Records show that most of the religious and literary leaders since
2208-553: The Garhwal hills . This meeting also finds a mention in an 18th-century Marathi literary work known as Ramdas Swamichi Bakhar , composed by Hanumant Swami . The meeting probably took place in the early 1630s during Ramdas' pilgrimage to northern India and Hargobind's journey to Nanakmatta, a town in present-day Uttarakhand . Before the meeting, Hargobind had probably returned from a hunting excursion. During their conversation, Ramdas Swami reportedly asked "I had heard that you occupy
2304-808: The Maratha Empire . The Deshastha Brahmins of Vadodara in Gujarat are immigrants who came from the Deccan for state service. In Andhra Pradesh , the Deshastha Brahmins have settled in various parts, particularly in the cities of Anantapur , Kurnool , Tirupati , Cuddapah , Hyderabad (which is now part of Telangana ). In Coastal Andhra , Deshastha Brahmins settled in Nellore district , Krishna district and Guntur district . In Telangana , Deshastha Brahmins are distributed throughout all
2400-918: The Pancha Dravida Brahmin classification of the Brahmin community in India. Along with the Karhade and Konkanastha Brahmins , the Marathi -speaking Deshastha Brahmins are referred to as Maharashtrian Brahmins , which denotes those Brahmin subcastes of the Deccan Plateau which have a regional significance in Maharashtra, while the Kannada -speaking Deshastha Brahmins from the Deccan Plateau region of Karnataka are referred to as Karnataka Brahmins or Carnatic Brahmins . Deshastha Brahmins are further classified in two major sub-sects,
2496-590: The Rig Veda at religious ceremonies, prayers and other occasions. These ceremonies include birth, wedding, initiation ceremonies, as well as death rituals. Other ceremonies for different occasions in Hindu life include Vastushanti which is performed before a family formally establishes residence in a new house, Satyanarayana Puja , originating in Bengal in the 19th century, is a ceremony performed before commencing any new endeavour or for no particular reason. Invoking
2592-813: The Sanskrit deśa (inland, country) and stha (resident), literally translating to "residents of the country". The valleys of the Krishna and the Godavari rivers, and a part of Deccan plateau adjacent to the Western Ghats , are collectively termed the Desha – the original home of the Deshastha Brahmins. In Tamil Nadu , Deshastha Brahmins are also referred as Rayar Brahmins . The word Rayar means king in South India . Deshastha Brahmins fall under
2688-563: The taaraka mantra " Shree Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram " while resting beside an idol of Rama brought from Tanjore. His disciples Uddhav Swami and Akka Swami remained in his service during this period. Uddhav Swami had the final rites performed. Samartha Ramdas Swami served an inspiration for a number of Indian thinkers, historians and social reformers such as Bal Gangadhar Tilak , Keshav Hedgewar , Vishwanath Rajwade ,Ramchandra Ranade, and Vinayak Damodar Savarkar . Tilak derived inspiration from Ramdas when devising aggressive strategies to counter
2784-641: The vedas , smritis , puranas and especially Advaita and Dvaita philosophies all over India , because of this they have Smarthas as well as Madhvas among them. Intermarriages between Deshastha Smarthas and Deshastha Madhwas is very common and normal among Deshasthas of Maharashtra. These sub-sects are based on the Vedanta they follow. Deshastha Madhva Brahmins, also referred as Deshastha Madhvas (or simply Madhvas ) are Deshastha Brahmins who follow Dvaita Vedanta of Madhvacharya . Deshastha Madhva Brahmins are followers of ten Madhva Mathas. Out of
2880-457: The very Maharashtrian saree – the Paithani – for their wedding day. In early to mid 20th century, Deshastha men used to wear a black cap to cover their head, with a turban or a pagadi being popular before that. For religious ceremonies males wore a coloured silk dhoti called a sovale . In modern times, dhotis are only worn by older men in rural areas. In urban areas, just like women,
2976-523: The 13th century have been Deshasthas. Author Pran Nath Chopra and journalist Pritish Nandy say, "Most of the well-known saints from Maharashtra , Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh were Deshastha Brahmins". In addition to being village priests, most of the village accountants or Kulkarnis belonged to the Deshastha caste. Priests at the famous Vitthal temple in Pandharpur are Deshastha, as are
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3072-429: The 18th century were Vaman Pandit , Mahipati , Amritaraya, Anant Phandi and Ramjoshi. The Deshastha community has produced several saints and philosophers. Most important of these were Dnyaneshwar, Jayatirtha, Sripadaraja, Vyasatirtha, Eknath, Purandara Dasa, Samarth Ramdas and Vijaya Dasa. The most revered logician and philosopher, Jayatirtha was universally acclaimed for his magnum opus work "Nyaya Sudha", which
3168-719: The American followers of Ranjit Maharaj , a spiritual teacher of the Inchegeri Sampradaya. Ramdas had a profound influence on Keshav Hedgewar , the founder of Hindu nationalist organization Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh . Hedgewar quoted Ramdas on numerous occasions and would often note the latter's views in his personal diary. According to one entry in his diary dated 4 March 1929, Hedgewar writes "Shri Samarth did not want anything for himself. He mindfully guarded against self-pride which could result from success and greatness. Ingraining this discipline, he devoted himself to
3264-548: The British colonial rule. Nanasaheb Dharmadhikari , a spiritual teacher promoted Ramdas Swami’s philosophy through his spiritual discourses. Gondavalekar Maharaj , a 19th-century spiritual master promoted Ramdas' spiritual methods through his teachings. Bhausaheb Maharaj , founder of the Inchegeri Sampradaya used Dasbodh as a means of instruction to his disciples. Dasbodh has been translated and published by
3360-508: The Desh. Like Deshastha Rigvedi Brahmins, Deshastha Yajurvedi Brahmins of Shukla Yajurvedi section are also spread throughout Deccan . The Deshastha Rigvedi's and Deshastha Yajurvedi's started following the Vedantas propounded by Adi Shankara and Madhvacharya . They have produced a number of acharyas who has presided over various mathas . These seats of learning spread the teachings of
3456-521: The Deshastha Brahmins are mostly concentrated in the districts of Bijapur , Dharwad , Kalaburagi , Belagavi , Bidar , Raichur , Bellary , Uttara Kannada , and Shivamogga . Deshasthas also settled outside Maharashtra and Karnataka, such as in the cities of Indore in Madhya Pradesh and those of Chennai and Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu , which were a part of or were influenced by
3552-629: The Deshastha Rigvedi and the Deshastha Yajurvedi, who earlier used to inter-dine but not inter-marry but now intermarriages between the two sub-groups is common. These sub-sects are based on the Veda they follow. The Deshastha Rigvedi Brahmins (DRB) are followers of Rigveda and follow Rigvedic rituals. Deshastha Rigvedi Brahmins are followers of Ashvalayana sutra and Shakala Shakha of Rigveda. Deshastha Rigvedi Brahmins are
3648-542: The Deshastha followed the sixteen bodily Sanskara from birth to death. Upon birth, a child is initiated into the family ritually according to the Rig Veda for the Deshastha Rigvedi Brahmins. The naming ceremony of the child may happen many weeks or even months later, and it is called the barsa . In many Hindu communities around India, the naming is almost often done by consulting the child's horoscope, in which are suggested various names depending on
3744-452: The Gaddi (seat) of Nanak. Nanak was a tyāgī sādhu , a saint who had renounced the world. You possess arms and keep an army and horses. You allow yourself to be addressed as Sacha Patshah, the true king. What sort of a sādhu are you?" Hargobind replied, "Internally a hermit and externally a prince. Arms mean protection to the poor and destruction of the tyrant. Baba Guru Nanak had not renounced
3840-513: The Hindu culture after its disintegration over several centuries owing to consistent foreign occupation. He also called for unity among the Marathas to preserve and promote the local culture. He encouraged the participation of women in religious work and offered them positions of authority. He had 18 female disciples, among who Vennabai headed the matha at Miraj near Sangli while Akkabai managed matha at Chaphal and Sajjangad near Satara. He
3936-576: The Hindu deity Ganesha , and is popularly known as Sukhakarta Dukhaharta . It is believed that the bhajan (devotional song) " Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram " is based on a mantra composed by Ramdas. His other works include an aaratee commemorating Hanuman, S atrane Uddane Hunkaar Vadani and an aaratee dedicated to the Hindu deity Vitthala, Panchanan Haivahan Surabhushan Lila. He also composed aarti in dedication to other Hindu deities. His well-known work Dasbodh has been translated to several other Indian languages. The original copy of Dasbodh
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4032-699: The Krishna and Godavari rivers, and the plateaus of the Western Ghats (Sahyadri hills), are collectively called the Desha – the original home of the Deshastha Brahmins. Brahmins constitute 8-10% of the total population of Maharashtra . Almost 60 per cent (three-fifth) of the Maharashtrian Brahmins are Deshastha Brahmins. In North Karnataka , especially in the districts of Vijayapura , Dharwad and Belagavi Deshasthas were about 2.5% of
4128-652: The Madhyandins and the Kanavas. The Madhyandinas follow the Madhyandina Shakha of the Shukla Yajurveda . The word Madhyandina is a fusion of two words Madhya and dina which mean middle and day respectively. Ghurye says Madhyandhina is the name of the person, a pupil of Yajnavalkya , the founder of Shukla-Yajurveda and followers of Madhyandhina are known by this name. The other meanings of
4224-563: The Nizam's Rule). Authors Vora and Glushkova state that "Deshastha Brahmins have occupied a core place in Maharashtrian politics , society and culture from almost the beginning of the Maharashtra's recorded history. Occupying high offices in the state and even other offices at various levels of administration, they were recipients of state honours and more importantly, land grants of various types." The word Deshastha derives from
4320-454: The Puja is over they replace it by a sandalwood spot. Whereas Deshastha Madhvas applies Urdhva Pundra with Gopichandana ( Sandal paste ). They smear gopichandana on their forehead in two perpendicular lines, running from the nose to the root of the hair, with a central line of charcoal divided in the middle by a circular turmeric patch at the centre. During the initiation, a Deshastha Madhva men
4416-456: The Samarth sect to revive spirituality among the various sections of Indian society. He established several matha during his lifetime . The first Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji Bhonsle I was a contemporary of Ramdas. (It is still controversial) < According to a manuscript in the Sikh tradition known as Panjāh Sakhīān , Ramdas Swami met Guru Hargobind (1595 - 1644) at Srinagar near
4512-424: The Sanskrit words Desha and Stha , which mean inland or country and resident respectively. Fused together, the two words literally mean "residents of the country". Deshastha are the Maharashtrian and North Karnataka Brahmin community with the longest known history, making them the original and the oldest Hindu Brahmin sub-caste from Maharashtra and North Karnataka. The Deshastha community may be as old as
4608-481: The Vedas, as vedic literature describes people strongly resembling them. This puts Deshastha presence on the Desh between 1100 and 1700 BC. As the original Brahmins of Maharashtra, the Deshasthas have been held in the greatest esteem in Maharashtra and they have considered themselves superior to other Brahmins. Marathi Brahmins started migrating to the Hindu holy city of Benares in the medieval period. They dominated
4704-469: The Vidarbha region of Maharashtra. His works of high Sanskrit poetry and plays are only equalled by those of Kalidasa . Two of his best known plays are Mahāvīracarita and Mālatī Mādhava . Mahaviracarita is a work on the early life of the Hindu god Rama , whereas Malati Madhava is a love story between Malati and her lover Madhava, which has a happy ending after several twists and turns. Mukund Raj
4800-425: The art of accommodation and survival by changing loyalties in a most astonishing and successful manner. But the most important plus point in him that attracted the English was perhaps his technical abilities as a successful administrator, which the English could use to their advantage in later years'. Although, many Deshastha Brahmins were employed in the service of Hyder and Tippu , a greater penetration of them into
4896-463: The ascendancy of Qutub Shahis of Golconda . In Guntur district between 1788 and 1848, two out of five Zamindars i.e., Chilkalurpet Zamindari and Sattanapalli Zamindari were ruled by Deshastha Madhva Brahmins, whose title was " Deshmukh ", but Frykenberg also tells us that in the earlier phase the Deshasthas had to contend for power with the zamindars many of whom were not Brahmins at all but Kammas , Velama and Rajus . This structure of competition
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#17327810191054992-541: The beginning of the British colonial rule , the most powerful Brahmin bureaucrats in the South India were Deshastha Brahmins, who were migrants from Maharashtra and North Karnataka . During the later years of the colonial rule Deshasthas increasingly lost out to the Tamil Brahmins due to the latter community's enthusiasm towards English education. Even though the majority of Deshasthas speak Marathi, one of
5088-482: The body. Vaishnava Advaitins who follow Varkari Sampradaya also apply Gopichandana Urdhva Pundra on their forehead. Every Deshastha family has their own family patron deity or the Kuladaivat . This deity is common to a lineage or a clan of several families who are connected to each other through a common ancestor. The Khandoba of Jejuri is an example of a Kuladaivat of some Maharashtrian Deshastha families; he
5184-419: The child is 11 months old, he or she gets their first hair-cut. This is an important ritual as well and is called Jawal . When a male child reaches his eighth birthday he undergoes the initiation thread ceremony variously known as Munja (in reference to the munja grass that is of official ritual specification), Vratabandha , or Upanayanam . From that day on, he becomes an official member of his caste, and
5280-413: The child's Lunar sign (called Rashi). However, in Deshastha families, the name that the child inevitably uses in secular functioning is the one decided by his parents. If a name is chosen on the basis of the horoscope, then that is kept a secret to ward off casting of a spell on the child during his or her life. During the naming ceremony, the child's paternal aunt has the honour of naming the infant. When
5376-504: The common name of Deshasthas. Today's Marathi speaking population in Tanjore are descendants of these Marathi speaking people. The isolation from their homeland has almost made them culturally and linguistically alien to Brahmins in Maharashtra. The early British rulers considered Deshastha from the south to be a distinct community and heavily recruited them in administrative service in the present-day areas of Northern Karnataka after
5472-490: The cultural capital of Maharashtra. Of these 163 families, a majority(80) were Deshastha, 46 were Chitpawan , 15 were CKP , and Karhade Brahmin and Saraswat accounted for 11 families each. This Deshastha Brahmin migrant who served under Hyder Ali and Tippu Sultan as the most trustworthy aide could successfully win over the confidence of the English in 1799. Diwan Purnaiah was a typical example of an elite adept in
5568-456: The demise of his father and would often be noticed to be engrossed in thoughts about the divine. As per legend, Narayan fled his wedding ceremony in Asangao near Jamb, at age 12, upon hearing a pandit (Hindu priest) chant the word ' Saawadhaana! ' (Beware!) during a customary Hindu wedding ritual. He is believed to have walked over 200 km along the banks of Godavari river to Panchavati ,
5664-475: The districts of the state. The Deshastha families who migrated to Telugu states completely adapted themselves to the Telugu ways, especially in food. The military settlers (of Thanjavur ) included Brahmins of different sub-castes and by reason of their isolation from their distant home, the sub-divisions which separated these castes in their mother-country were forgotten, and they were all welded together under
5760-527: The elite in this region, specifically around Guntur. By the 19th century, Deshasthas had held a position of such strength throughout South India that their position can only be compared with that of the Kayasthas and Khatris of North India . At the time of Indian independence in 1947, urban dwelling and professional Marathi Hindu people, mostly belonged to communities such as the Chitpavans and
5856-502: The fall of Peshwa rule in these areas in preference to Deshastha and other Brahmins from Desh. According to PILC Journal of Dravidic Studies, Maratha people who migrated towards the South India were originally from Pune and Bijapur . They took the land route and passed through Satara , Sangli and Kolhapur . Another set of migrants migrated from Bijapur through North Karnataka , the districts of Cuddupah , Kurnool , Chittoor and North Arcot . The word Deshastha comes from
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#17327810191055952-689: The families of same language but the marriages between Marathi and Kannada speaking families do happen often. Marriage alliance between Deshastha Rigvedi Brahmins, Telugu Brahmins and Karnataka Brahmins also takes place quite frequently. Deshastha Rigvedi Brahmins are treated as a separate and distinct caste from the Deshastha Yajurvedi Madhyandina and Deshastha Kannavas Brahmins by several authors, including Malhotra and Iravati Karve . The Deshastha Yajurvedi Brahmins are followers of Yajurveda and follow Yajurvedic rituals. They are further classified into two groups called
6048-602: The history of the Maratha Empire, seven out of eight Ashta Pradhan (Council of Eight Ministers) came from the community. In 1713, Balaji Vishwanath Bhat , a Kokanastha Brahmin was appointed as the sixth Peshwa and the seat of Peshwa remained in Konkanastha hands until the fall of the Maratha Empire. To obtain the loyalty of the locally powerful Deshastha Brahmins, the Konkanastha Peshwas established
6144-452: The intellectual life of the city and established an important presence at the Mughal and other north Indian courts. During the Deccan sultanates era and early Maratha rule, the Deshasthas were closely integrated into the texture of rural society of Maharashtra region, as village record keepers (Kulkarnis) and astrologers (Joshis). As such they featured far more prominently in the eyes of the rural communities than any other Brahmin groups in
6240-461: The later being the core tenet of Advait Vedant - where the sense of separate "I" dissolves into non-duality. He endorsed significance of physical strength and knowledge towards individual development. He expressed his admiration for warriors and highlighted their role in safeguarding the society. He was of the opinion that saints must not withdraw from society but instead actively engage towards social and moral transformation. He aimed to resuscitate
6336-417: The major languages of the Indo-Aryan language family, a significant minority speak Kannada , one of the major languages of the Dravidian languages family. The major dialects of Marathi are called Standard Marathi and Warhadi Marathi . Standard Marathi is the official language of the State of Maharashtra. The language of Pune's Deshastha Brahmins has been considered to be the standard Marathi language and
6432-404: The masses and unite the Hindu populations, Ramdas initiated the Samarth sect. He established several matha (monasteries) across the Indian subcontinent. He may have established between 700 and 1100 matha during his travels. Narahar Phatak in his biography of Ramdas claims that the actual number of matha founded by him may have been far fewer. Around 1648 CE, he had an idol of Rama installed at
6528-520: The most ancient sub-caste among Deshasthas and are found throughout the Deccan . According to Iravati Karve , Deshastha Rigvedi Brahmins are found in western and central Deccan along the banks of the Godavari and the Krishna rivers and are spread deep into Karnataka . Deshastha Rigvedi Brahmins are endogamous group which include families from difference linguistic regions. Deshastha Rigvedi Brahmins include some families that speak Marathi and some speak Kannada , majority of marriages happen within
6624-529: The naivedya is offered only on days of special religious significance. Deshasthas, like all other Hindu Brahmins, trace their paternal ancestors to one of the seven or eight sages, the saptarshi . They classify themselves into eight gotras , named after the ancestor rishi . Intra-marriage within gotras (Sagotra Vivaha) is considered as incest. Deshastha Smartas applies Tripundra with Vibhuti (cow-dung ashes) or Chandana ( Sandalwood paste ). They smear it in three traverse streaks on their forehead and after
6720-611: The name are they are so-called because they perform Sandhya Vandana at noon or it also means these Brahmins are supposed to attain Brahmin-hood only after mid-day. Ghurye says apparently the name 'Madhyandhina' was misunderstood or deliberately misinterpreted by the southern Brahmins. Some Yajurvedi Deshasthas follow the 'Apastamba' subdivision of Krishna Yajurveda . Recently, the Yajurvedi Madhyandin and Yajurvedi Kannava Brahmins have been colloquially being referred to as Deshastha Yajurvedi Madhyandin and Deshastha Yajurvedi Kannava, although not all have traditionally lived or belonged to
6816-559: The name of the family's gotra and the Kula Daivat are important aspects of these ceremonies. Like most other Hindu communities, Deshasthas have a shrine called a devaghar in their house with idols, symbols, and pictures of various deities. Ritual reading of religious texts called pothi is also popular. In traditional families, any food is first offered to the preferred deity as naivedya , before being consumed by family members and guests. Meals or snacks are not taken before this religious offering. In contemporary Deshasthas families,
6912-498: The pontiffs of Uttaradi Matha (a Dvaita monastery) beginning from Raghunatha Tirtha , Raghuvarya Tirtha , Raghuttama Tirtha to Satyapramoda Tirtha , without a single exception, belonged to the Deshastha Brahmin community. Deshasthas produced prominent literary figures in Maharashtra between the 13th and the 19th centuries. The great Sanskrit scholar Bhavabhuti was a Deshastha Brahmin who lived around 700 AD in
7008-437: The power by appointing their own relations was not only confined to Guntur, but this habit extended throughout South India . By the 19th century, Deshasthas had held a position of strength throughout South India . According to Eric Frykenberg, "Deshastha Madhva Brahmins—a vestige of former regimes— who possessed the requisite clerical skills and knowledge of the revenue system and a capacity for concealing this knowledge through
7104-480: The priests in many of Pune's temples. Other traditional occupations included village revenue officials, academicians, astrologer, administrators and practitioners of Ayurvedic medicine. Deshasthas who study the vedas are called Vaidika, astrologers are called " Joshi " and practitioners of medical science are called Vaidyas, and reciters of the puranas are called Puraniks. In historic times Deshasthas also engaged in manufacturing and trading of salt and cereals in
7200-815: The pronunciation of the Deshastha Rigvedi is given prominence. There are a few other sub-dialects like Ahirani, Dangi, Samavedi, Khandeshi and Puneri Marathi. There are no inherently nasalised vowels in standard Marathi whereas the Chitpavani dialect of Marathi, spoken in Pune does have nasalised vowels. Deshastha Brahmins who are spread throughout South India have either Marathi or Kannada as their mother tongue and speak in local languages with other people. As with most Pancha-Dravida Brahmin communities, Deshastha Brahmins are also vegetarians . Deshastha use black spice mix or kala , literally black, masala , in cooking. Traditionally, each family had their own recipe for
7296-839: The region. Before the rise of the Peshwas from the Bhat family, the Maratha bureaucracy was almost entirely recruited from the Deshastha community along with the Chandraseniya Kayastha Prabhu community; but Balaji Vishwanath 's accession to power shattered their monopoly over the bureaucracy, even though they retained influence as Kulkarnis and Deshmukhs on rural Maharashtra . Many Deshastha Brahmins moved to present day Andhra Pradesh for lack of opportunities in Chitpavan dominated Peshwa era. This group became part of
7392-602: The revenue and finance departments were monopolised almost by them. With their mathematical mind, accuracy and memory they were ideally suited for these posts. Purnaiah governed the Mysore Kingdom as the first Dewan under Krishnaraja Wadiyar III and later Sovar Bakshi Rama Rao, Bargir Bakshi Balaji Rao , Babu Rao continued as the Dewans after him. Diwan Purnaiah was also the founder of Yelandur estate . Diwan Purnaiah 's direct descendant P. N. Krishnamurti , who
7488-532: The rule of Qutb shahis of Golkonda . The posts held by them include Deshmukh , Deshpande , Majumdar , Mannavar (Head of Police) etc. in the districts of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana . Most of Shivaji 's principal Brahmin officers were Deshasthas, including all of his Peshwas. Other significant Deshasthas of the period were warriors such as Moropant Trimbak Pingle , Ramchandra Pant Amatya , Annaji Datto Sachiv , Abaji Sondev, Pralhad Niraji , Raghunath Narayan Hanmante and Melgiri Pandit . At one point in
7584-439: The saints subscribing to Warkari tradition, Ramdas is not considered to embrace pacifism. His writings include strong expressions encouraging militant means to counter the barbaric Islamic invaders. A major portion of his Marathi literature is in the form of verses. Listed below are some of his notable literary works. His compositions include numerous aarti (worship rituals). One of his most popular aarti commemorates
7680-411: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Samarth . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Samarth&oldid=1250298685 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
7776-508: The service was witnessed during the Dewanship of Purnaiah and during the succeeding years. One Rama Rao was appointed Foujdar of Nagar in 1799 by Purnaiya. Sowar Bakshi Rama Rao, Bargir Bakshi Balaji Rao , Babu Rao, Krishna Rao and Bhim Rao of Annigere were some of the notables among this class. When Purnaiah was Prime Minister of Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan Krishna Rao served as Commander-in-Chief of Mysore Kingdom . During this time
7872-567: The spice mix. However, this tradition is dying out as modern households buy pre-packaged mixed spice directly from supermarkets. A popular dish in Deshastha cuisine is the varan made from tuvar dal . Metkut , a powdered mixture of several dals and a few spices is also a part of traditional Deshastha cuisine. Puran poli for festivals and on the first day of the two-day marriage is another Marathi Brahmin special dish. Most middle aged and young women in urban Maharashtra dress in western outfits such as skirts and trousers or shalwar kameez with
7968-614: The states of Maharashtra and Karnataka . Hence they also adopted the surnames related to them. Deshasthas have contributed to the fields of Sanskrit, Marathi literature and Kannada literature, mathematics, and philosophy. The Deshastha community in the Karnataka region produced the fourteenth century Dvaita philosopher saint Jayatirtha , the fifteenth and sixteenth century stalwarts of Haridasa movement and philosophers of Dvaita order, Purandara Dasa , Vijaya Dasa , and Prasanna Venkata Dasa. In fact, according to Sharma, all
8064-730: The ten mathas, Uttaradi Math is the largest and most of Deshastha Madhvas are followers of this matha. The other two prominent mathas whome Deshastha Madhvas follow are Raghavendra Math and Vyasaraja Math . These three mathas are combinedly known as "Mathatraya" in Madhva Sampradaya . In South India Deshastha Madhvas have traditionally been bilingual in Marathi and Kannada , Telugu or Tamil . Deshasthas following Advaita Vedanta of Adi Shankara have two divisions among them. They are Vaishnav Advaitins and Smarta Advaitins . The Smarta Advaitins are also known as Deshastha Smarta Brahmins or Deshastha Smartas The valleys of
8160-424: The total population in the 1960s. Earlier this region was known as "Bombay-Karnataka region". The Illustrated Weekly of India says, The exact percentage of population belonging to Deshastha community is very difficult to find out since they are spread throughout the Deccan. The Deshastha Brahmins are equally distributed all through the state of Maharashtra, ranging from villages to urban areas. In Karnataka ,
8256-428: The traditionally nauvari or nine-yard sari , disappearing from the markets due to a lack of demand. Older women wear the five-yard sari . Traditionally, Brahmin women in Maharashtra, unlike those of other castes, did not cover their head with the end of their saree. In urban areas, the five-yard sari is worn by younger women for special occasions such as marriages and religious ceremonies. Maharashtrian brides prefer
8352-686: The use of this complicated book-keeping system and the Modi script who conspired to subvert the orders of the and to absorb a sizeable amount of land revenues". According to Frykenberg, This was the reason why most of the Sheristadars , Naib Sheristadars and Tehsildars in Madras Presidency are exclusively selected from Deshastha Brahmin community, who are fluent in writing Modi script . According to Frykenberg, Deshasthas also are noted for their English skills during British colonial rule. At
8448-471: The welfare of his people and a higher self-realization." Ramdas Swami is a revered spiritual figure in Maharashtra and remains relevant to contemporary society in Maharashtra, thanks to his literary contributions. An aarti composed by him in reverence of the Hindu deity Ganesh is often recited first in numerous Hindu rituals. Maruti Stotra , his hymn in praise of Hanuman is commonly recited by school children as well as wrestlers at traditional gyms known as
8544-626: The well-known saints from Maharashtra , Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh were Deshastha Brahmins". The mother tongue of Deshastha Brahmins is either Marathi , Kannada or Telugu . Over the millennia, the Deshastha community has produced Mathematicians such as Bhāskara II , Sanskrit scholars such as Bhavabhuti , Satyanatha Tirtha , Satyadharma Tirtha ; Bhakti saints such as Dnyaneshwar , Eknath , Purandara Dasa , Samarth Ramdas and Vijaya Dasa ; polemical logician such as Jayatirtha and non-polemical scholar such as Raghuttama Tirtha . The traditional occupation of Deshastha Brahmins
8640-491: The world but had renounced māyā - the self and ego." Ramdas is reported to have said, " Yeh hamare man bhavti hai " (This appeals to my mind). Ramdas moved all across the Indian subcontinent and usually resided in caves ( ghal in Marathi). Some of these are listed below. For five days prior, he had ceased consuming food and water. This practice of fasting unto death is known as Praayopaveshana . He continuously recited
8736-533: Was a Deshastha Rigvedi Brahmin. Deshastha Brahmins also held prominent roles in the political, military and administrative hierarchy of the Vijayanagara Empire . According to Robert Eric Frykenberg, the very origin of the Bahamani power appears to have been linked with support from local deccani leadership. Frykenberg also quotes that, The reason to Mahmud Gawan greatness as an administrator
8832-474: Was another poet from the community who lived in the 13th century and is said to be the first poet who composed in Marathi. He is known for the Viveka-Siddhi and Parammrita which are metaphysical, pantheistic works connected with orthodox Vedantism . Other well known Deshastha literary scholars of the 17th century were Mukteshwar and Shridhar Swami Nazarekar . Mukteshwar was the grandson of Eknath and
8928-494: Was born at Jamb, a village in present-day Jalna district , Maharashtra on the occasion of Rama Navami , probably in 1608 CE. He was born into a Marathi Deshastha Rigvedi Brahmin family to Suryajipant and Ranubai Thosar. His father was thought to have been a devotee of the Vedic deity, Surya . Ramdas had an elder brother named Gangadhar. His father died when Narayan was only seven years of age. He turned into an introvert after
9024-465: Was due to his sagacious employment of groups of Maratha Brahmans known as Deshasthas. According to Robert Eric Frykenberg, the break-up of Bahamani authority following the senseless execution of the able Diwan in 1481 led to increasing dependence upon the services of the Deshasthas by the Sultanates of Bijapur , Golkonda , and Ahmednagar . Deshastha Madhva Brahmins held high positions during
9120-406: Was evidently not created ex nihilo by British rule, but existed before Maratha period and earlier. According to Eric Frykenberg, By mid-nineteenth century all the vital positions in the subordinate civil and revenue establishments in the Guntur district were monopolised by certain Deshastha Brahmin families. According to Asian Economic Review , The tendency of the Deshastha Brahmins to consolidate
9216-488: Was the fifth jagirdar of Yelandur estate also served as the Diwan of Mysore from (1901 – 1906). Later many prominent Deshastha Brahmins such as Kollam Venkata Rao, V. P. Madhava Rao , T. Ananda Rao (son of Rajah T. Madhava Rao ) and N. Madhava Rao governed the Mysore Kingdom as Dewans . In 17th century Deshastha Madhva Brahmins started migrating to Andhra Pradesh and held high level administrative positions during
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