Shri Ramavat Samprdaya (Śrī-Rāmāvat-Sampradāya , श्री रामावत सम्प्रदाय ) believes Śrī Rāma is the original cause of all cause, the original cause of all the causes, the original eternal Mahā-Vishnu and Swayam Bhagvān (the source of all Vishnu-Tattva-s). The original name of Śrī-Rāmāvat-Sampradāya is Śrī-Sampradāya (Shri Sampradaya, श्री-सम्प्रदाय ) as the first acharya (Guru, Preceptor) of this Sampradāya is Bhagvati Sita (Known as Śrī-Devī). Śrī-Ramavat-Samprdāya is also known as Śrī-Rāmānanda-Sampradāya , श्री रामानन्द सम्प्रदाय ) as it was more popularised by Jagadguru Shri Ramanandacharya (Jagadguru Śrī Rāmānandacharya, जगद्गुरु श्री रामानन्दाचार्य ) in northern region of Bhāratvarsha (India) among people without any discrimination on basis of their caste, creed and religion etc.
As Shri Ramavat Smpradaya is widely popular in northern, eastern and western part of India except Southern part, some people who are not acquainted with Shri Rāmāvat Samprdāya, think that Śrī-Samprdāya of Jagadguru Ramanandacharya is branch of Śrī-Samprdāya of Jagadguru Ramanujacharya ( जगद्गुरु श्री रामानुजाचार्य ). But it is not perfectly justified to say which one is branch and which one is the original stem. In reality Śrī-Vaishnava Samprdāya of Jagadguru Rāmānujacharya is branch of Śrī-Samprdāya of Jagadguru Ramanandacharya. Both, Jagadguru Shri Ramanujacharya (who was incarnation of Śesa or Lakshman Ji) and Jagadguru Rāmānandacharya (who was incarnation of Lord Rāma) propagated same Vishishtadvaita Vedanta (Viśiṣṭādvaita Vedānta; विशिष्टाद्वैत ) as their Vedantic-Philosophy, but this Vishishtadvaita Vedantic philosophy existed for a long time. Since both Jagadguru-s propounded and propagated the same philosophy so there must be some common link in their Paramapara (lineage) and that common link is sage Bodhayana who belonged to Śrī-Rāmāvat-Samprdāya, the Śrī-Sampradāya of Jagadguru Ramanandacharya. We can't deny other possible links too, but this link is clearly visible.
Now a days, It seems Jagadguru Ramanujacharya's sect has been more popularly adorned with the name of Śrī-Sampradāya. Yet with proper consideration of Veda-s and Vedavtaara Shri-Mad Valmiki Ramayana, one can truly realise that Śrī-Sampradāya should be the name of Ramanandi-Sampradaya or Shri Ramavat Sampradaya alone.
Jagadguru Ramanujacharya's sect also known as Śrī-Samprdāya, but their name should be Lakshmi Sampradaya or Lakshmi-Narayana Sampraday as they are especially devoted to Maa Lakshmi (the consort of Lord Vishnu), instead of being especially devoted to Śrī-Devi (Maa Sita or say Mahalakshmi) who is the original cause of innumerable Lakshmi-s. So Sect of Ramanujacharya is not originated from Śrī-Devi. While Ramanandi sect is originated from Śrī-Devi i.e Bhagvati Maa Sita. Lakshmi Devi, Bhu-Devi. Neela-Devi, these all are expansions of Śrī-Devi (Maa Sita).
Q. Is there any difference between Śrī-Devi and Lakshmi-devi?
A. Yes there are some differences between Śrī-Devi and Lakshmi-devi. Śrī-Devi (Maa Sita) is original ParaShakti and eternal consort of Paratpar Purusa Śrī Rāma in Saket Loka while Lakshmi-devi is expansion of that Śrī-Devi (Maa Sita). Lakshmi-Devi, Bhu-devi, Neela-devi are manifestations of Śrī-devi, so they are not separate entity from Śrī-devi. Hence these expansions are also wives of Paratpar Purusa Śrī Rāma in original form of ParaShakti Bhagvati Sita.
Proof:-
श्रीश्च ते लक्ष्मीश्च पत्नयावहोरात्रे (शुक्ल यजुर्वेद, ३१।२२)
Purusa Sukta of Shukla-Yajurveda says:
O' Paratpar Purusa (Rama), You have two wives 1) Śrī-Devi and other 2) Lakshmi-Devi. (Thus here shruti distinguishes between Shri-Devi and Lakshmi Devi who both are wives of Bhagvan.)
गुण्येन लोकरक्षणार्थं रूपं धारयति | (सीता-उपनिषद्)
Maa Sita (Here Shri mean Shri of shri) manifested herself in three forms Lakshmi devi..Bhu devi and Neela devi by her sankalpa.
Note:- Maa Sita is a Vedic-deity in Rig-Veda, Atharva-Veda, not like some Pauranic character. ParaShakti in her ultimate form is Bhagvati Sita who is the consort of Paratpar Purusa Śrī Rāma, the cause of all cause. From that ParaShakti, Innumerable Lakshmi-s are manifested.
सीता साक्षात् महालक्ष्मी: सर्वकारण कारणं || (पद्मपुराण, पाताल-खंड २२/५७)
Sita is herself Bhagvati Mahalakshmi ..the cause of all cause.
सच॑न्त॒ यदु॒षस॒ सूर्ये॑ण चि॒त्राम॑स्य के॒तवो॒ राम॑विन्दन् ।
आ यन्नक्ष॑त्रं॒ ददृ॑शे दि॒वो न पुन॑र्य॒तो नकि॑र॒द्धा नु वे॑द॥ [Rig Veda १०.१११.०७]
Rig-Veda instruct us to do alone Rama-Vindan (chanting to Rama alone).
सर्वेषां वेदशास्त्राणां रहस्यंतेप्रकाशितम् ।
एको देवो रामचंद्रो व्रतं एको तदर्चनम् ।
मंत्रोऽप्येकश्च तन्नाम शास्त्रं तद् ध्येवतत्स्तुतिः ।।
( श्रीपद्मपुराण, पातालखण्ड ३५।५१ )
In all Vedic-scriptures, only one truth is revealed that we should worship one god - Shr Rama alone, we should have only one Vratam - worship of Lord Śrī Rāma alone. For worship we should have only one hymn (Mantra) - Shri Rama's name (Rama Naam) and we should have only one shastra - where his exploits are eulogized i.e. Shri Ramayanam.
Purusa sukta is for lord Ram alone as only he has been eulogized as Purusa (hero) all where in Vedic scripture. Even in Gita Bhagvan Krishna says Uttam Purusa is someone else..indicative of Paratpar Purusa Lord Ram.
And that Purusa has two main wives Śrī and Lakshmi in his divine Vaikuntha-Loka. Though Lakshmi is manifested from Śrī and became wife of manifested Vishnu.
It is now very much clear that Shri Ramanujacharya-sect is devoted to Bhagvati Lakshmi so how can they claim as original Śrī-Samprdāya?
It is Ramanandi sect which is originally started from Śrī -devi (Bhagvati Maha-Lakshmi or say Sita)..Innumerable number of Lakshmi-s are expansions of Maa Sita who lives in her Sita-loka (Saket Loka) with her consort Sarveshvar Bhagvan Śrī Rāma where no one can enter without her permission.
About Sri-Ramavat Sampradaya:-
Sri-Ramavat Sampradaya (worship of Lord Ram as Para-Brahman) description is found in Rig-Veda 10.111.7, Atharva Veda, Upanishada-s, Shri Mad-Valmiki Ramayana, Ram-poorva Tapniya & Uttar Tapniya Upnishada, Muktiko-Upanishad and in various Purana-s.
Philosophy:- Sri-Vaishnava Sampradaya of RAmavat sect believes in Vishistadwaita sidhhanta which is described in Vedas, Upanishads, smriti-s, purana-s. It says that jivatma, Para Brahma Lord Rama and Prakriti are different from each other.
Dhyeya:- Sri-Vaishnava Ramavata Sapmrdaay believes in worship of Lord Shri Sita-Ram as Para-Brahman. This is very much clear from following quotations taken from Veda-s, Upanishada-s, Valmiki Ramayanam, MahaRamayana,
सचन्त यदुषसः सूर्येण चित्रामस्य केतवो रामविन्दन् ।
आ यन्नक्षत्रं ददृशे दिवो न पुनर्यतो नकिरद्धा नु वेद ॥ [ऋग्वेद १०.१११.७]
अष्टचक्रा नवद्वारा देवानां पूरयोध्या तस्यां हिरण्मय: कोश: स्वर्गो लोको ज्योतिषावृत: |
यो वैतां ब्रह्मणो वेद अमृतेनावृतां पुरीं तस्मै ब्रह्म च ब्रह्मा च आयु: कीर्तिं प्रजां ददु: || [इति तैत्तिरीयशाखान्तर्गतारणमध्ये ]
राम एव परं ब्रह्म तत्त्वं श्रीरामो ब्रह्म तारकम् ||5|| [रामरहस्योपनिषत् 1/4-5]
तेषाम् अपि महातेजा रामः सत्य पराक्रमः || [वाल्मीकि रामायण १-१८-२६]
इष्टः सर्वस्य लोकस्य शशांक इव निर्मलः |
अक्षरं ब्रह्म सत्यं च मध्ये चान्ते च राघव || [वाल्मीकि रामायण 6.117.14]
त्वं यज्ञ्स्त्वं वषट्कारस्त्वमोंकारः परात्परः || [वाल्मीकि रामायण 6.117.20]
सीता लक्ष्मीर्भवान् विष्णुर्देवः कृष्णः प्रजापतिः || [वाल्मीकि रामायण 6.117.28]
पोषणं भरणाधारं शरण्यं सर्वव्यापकम्।
कारुण्यं षड़् भिः पूर्णो रामस्तु भगवान स्वयम् ॥ [महारामायण ]
रामपादनखज्योत्स्ना परब्रह्मेति गीयते । [ अगस्त्यसंहिता ]
Gyeya: Gyeya means the true knowledge to be sought. In Ramavat-Sampradaya true knowledge can be acquired by Shri-Mad Valmiki Ramayana which gives Dharma, Artha, Kama, Moksha and Bhakti of the supreme Purusa, Lord Ram. Shri-Mad Valmiki Ramayana is manifestation of all 4 Veda-s in single form. So it should be daily recited by followers of Sri-Ramavat Sampradaya.
वेदवेद्ये परेपुंसि जाते दशरथात्मजे ।
वेदः प्राचेतसादासीत् साक्षाद् रामायणात्मना ।।
तस्माद्रामायणं देवि! वेद एव न संशयः ।।" [अगस्त्य संहिता]
Dhaam: As per Atharva-Veda, Ayodhya or Saket Loka is the Supreme Abode of Purusa of Veda-s i.e. Sarveshvar Bhagvan Shri RAma.
अष्टचक्रा नवद्वारा देवानां पूरयोध्या |
तस्यां हिरण्मय: कोश: स्वर्गो ज्योतिषावृत:" [अथर्ववेद १०.२. ३१]
Ayodhya is the city of gods, therein resides the golden sheath i.e. RAma", state the supremacy of His dwelling-place (AyodhyA) also.
Ayodhya or Saket Loka is in the center of Vaikuntha-loka where the most superior personality Sarveshvar Bhagvaan Shri Ram in his personal form of Shri-Ram-Rupa resides along with his eternal consort Bhagvati Sita and Nitya-Parshada-s. While Goloka, Mathura are located left side of Saket-Ayodhya in spiritual planet of Vaikuntha.
त्रिपाद्विभूतेर्लोकास्तु असंख्याताः प्रकीर्तिताः। शुद्धसत्वमयाः सर्वे ब्रह्मानंदसुखाह्वयाः॥
तद्विष्णोः परमंधाम यांति ब्रह्मसुखप्रदम्। नानाजनपदाकीर्णं वैकुण्ठं तद्धरेः पदम्॥
प्राकारैश्चविमानैश्चसौधैरत्नमयैर्वृतम्। तन्मध्ये नगरी दिव्या साऽयोध्येति प्रकीर्तिता॥
मणिकाञ्चनचित्राढ्यप्राकारैस्तोरणैर्वृता प्रियः॥ [Padma-puraNa uttar-228.1, 10-12]
There are innumerous divine abodes (Like Goloka, Mathura) in tripaad-vibhuuti (across divine virajaa river) and all of those are made up of Shuddha-sattva and all filled with supreme bliss of Brahm (Brahmaananda)!
Great devotees and servants of Lord’s lotus-feet reside in that VaikuNTha loka, that Supreme abode of Lord VishhNu, the very embodiment and bestower of the bliss of Brahm.
Right in the very center of that (supreme abode VaikuNTha) is situated the divine city renowned by the name of AyodhyA (In Padma-puran this Ayodhya is called by another name Shri Rama-Puri i.e. Puri of Lord Rama), which is adorned and filled all around by amazing multi-storied buildings and picturesque Vimaans.
The incarnations of Lord Shri Mad-Ramachandra , they are Vaikuntha Vishnu (Bharat Ji), KsheerShaayi Vishnu / Narayana ( Lakshmana Ji), Shatrugna (Shwetdvipa Vishnu), Kurma, Narsimha, Varaha, Matsya, Krishna along with their eternal consorts live in different part of the Supreme abode of Vaikuntha, the spiritual sky.
(People worshiping and devoted to Lord Sita-Ram go to Supreme abode of Saket-loka, situated in very center of Vaikuntha-Loka. People worshiping different forms of Lord Ram i.e. Narayana, Trivikrma, Varaha, Matsya, Krishna go to their loka-s situated at different places in the very vast spiritual sky of Vaikuntha.)
Parampara (Śrī-Samprdāya unbroken Lineage)
The immortal lineage of Sri-Vaishnava Sampradayaa of RAmavat sect is as below:-
1) Sarveshvar Bhagvaan Śrī Rāma (अखिल ब्रह्माण्ड नायक सीतापति श्री राम)
2) Bhagvati Sita (Shri devi from whom all Lakshmi-s, Bhu and Neela are manifested)
3) Shri Hanumat Laal ji
4) Shri Brahma Ji
5) Narad Ji, Sanat-Sankadik Muni-s, Sage Marichi, Sage Agastya, Sage Vasistha ( all Mānas Putra-s have taken Deeksha of Rāma-Mantra )
6) Sage Vasistha
8) Sage Ved-VyAs
9) Sage Jagadguru Shuka-deva [1]*
10) Sage Bodhāyana [2]*
11) Saaran
12) Shri-Vatsa Mishra
13) Purushottam Acharya
14) Gangadhar acharya
15) Sadacharya
16) Rameshwar acharya
17) Dwaranand
18) Devananda
19) Shriyanand
20) Haryanand
21) Raghvanand
22) Jagadguru Shri-Ramanandacharya (who was himself Lord Rama)
23) Jagadguru Anantanand
24) Jagadguru Narharyanand Ji (Incarnation of Sanat Kumar)
25) Goswami Tulsidas Ji (Incarnation of Sage Valmiki..
....and so on..passed to other Jagadguru of Ramanandi Sect)
Current Jagadguru of Sri-Vaishnava sect is Jagadguru Rambhadracharya ji.
[1]* Sage Shuka-deva was son of Sage Ved-VyAs. Shuka-deva narrated Shri-Mad Bhagvata to Parikshit Maharaj and in his Bhagvata, he hinted about the form of his Ishta-Deva (iṣṭa-deva) by taking refuge of Lord Rama alone. In Vaishanvism, Sharanagati (taking refuge) in the lotus feet of iṣṭa-deva is the most important and final component of devotion. Shuka-Goswami didn't take refuge in any other incarnation of Lord Rama in Bhagvata apart from the refuge in the lotus feet of the consort of Sita. *
[2]* Sage Bodhyana has been the common link between the disciplinic line of successions of So Jagadguru Ramanujacharya and Jagadguru Ramanandacharya. Jagadguru Ramanujacharya extensively studied the Bodhyana-Vritti, the work of Sage Bodhyana propounding Vishishtadvaita Vedanta philosophy and then he propagated the same knowledge of Sage Bodhayan, Vishishtadvaita Vedanata. Thus Jagadguru Ramanujacharya took knowledge of Sage Bodhayana and Shrivatsa mishra of Ramanandi Sampradaya and spread it. There may be another common links too as disciplinc tree of Sri-Vaishnava-Parampara has been very large, but this common link of sage Bodhayana has been clearly identified and recognised in Shri Ramavat Samprdaya between disciplinic line of successions of Jagadguru Ramanandacharya and Jagadguru Ramanujacharya. There are some minor differences among these two disciplinic line of successions regarding the supremacy of Ishta-Deva. Śrī-Sampradāya of Jagadguru Ramanujacharya hails Vishnu (Narayana) as the supreme deity and Rama, Krishna as the incarnations of Vishnu (Narayana). While, Śrī-Sampradāya of Jagadguru Ramanandacharya believes Shri Rama is the original personality of godhead and Vishnu, Krishna and other Vishnu-Tattva-s are as his manifestations.*
Popularity of Ramanandi sect is from Jagadguru Ramanandacharya so much that even deviated Pantha-s (sects) from Sanatan Dharma like Sikhishm, Kabir-Panthi-s etc also quote the name of Jagadguru Ramanandacharya.
Popularity of Ramayana, Hanuman ji, Tulsidas ji and his Ramcharitmanas are world known without any Sampradayaik-propaganda like other sects. It is just natural acceptance of Śrī-Sampradāya.
Thus it is very much clear Ramanandi sect alone is the original Shri-Sampradaya. Even Lakshmi-Narayana and all other deities belong to Shri-Sampradaya as they have taken mantra (hymn) of Lord Rama in Shri-Parampara. (**Bodhayan Muni belonged to Ramanandi sect, whose philosophy in Bodhayan-Vritti was explained by Ramanuja as VisistaDvaita Siddhanta. Thus Vaishnava Shri-sect of Ramanujacharya is celebrated as the branch of Shri Ramavat Sampraday.)
रमन्ते रसिका यस्मिन् दिव्यानेकगुणाश्रये स्वयं यद्रमते तेषु रामस्तेन प्रयुज्यते ।”
“Rasik devotees delight in Śrī Rāma, the only abode of divine virtues and Śrī Rāma also delights in those devotees. That is why He is known as Rāma.”
रामो रमयतां श्रेष्ठः । [श्री वाल्मीकि रामायण 2-53-1]
Śrī Rāma is the foremost among those who delight the minds of all people.
RasikoPasna in Sri-Vaishnava of Ramavat Sect may give a notion of something out of track to devotees who are not familiar to it, but it is very much there in Rasika-devotees who worship the Madhurya form of Lord Ram and Maa Sita as a hero and heroine, the parabrahman in his original & ultimate form (swarupa) as a 16 year old charming prince of Ayodhya and Parashakti in her original & ultimate form (swarupa) as the princess of Janka. Lord Ram and Maa Sita along with their Nitya-Parshada-s do their Nitya Leela in spiritual sky of Saket-Puri.
There are many scriptures which describe the Madhurya Leela of Lord Ramchandra and Maa Sita. Scriptures describe that Lord Ram performed 100 Mahā-Rāsas with maa Sita, out of those 100 Mahā-Rasa, one was incomplete due to intervention of crow, celestial Jayanta who was the son of Indra. That incomplete MahaRasa (1/2 MahaRasa) was completed by Lord Ram in his whole KrishnaAvtaara.
Not only Sri-Vaishnava-s of Ramavat sect (of Jagadguru Ramanandacharya) but even AzhvArs Muni-s of Sri-Vaishnava of Jagadguru Ramanujacharya sect too, have relished the Madhurya Parak Bhakti of Lord Ram.
One of the prominent AzhvArs of SrI VaiSNavism penned a hymn that addresses Shri RAma through the viewpoint of a "heroine's" plaintive cry:
The words of the girl pining for Shri RAma:
My heart, even you are not on my side!
The long night stretches out like an aeon
without break of dawn.
If my KAkutstha with his shining, angry bow
does not come, I shall kill myself,
-- I don't know how.
I've been born as a woman, sinner that I am.
Even the sun does not rise; He hides his face,
refusing to see such grief.
- NammAzhvAr (TiruvAymoLi 5.4.3-4)
न रामरूपादीनां केवलं स्त्रीपुरुषाणामेव दृष्टिचित्तापहारकत्वमुपपद्यते
किंतु स्थावरजंगमात्मकस्य सर्वं जगतोऽपि ।।
श्रीकृष्णस्तु वेणुरणनैः स्त्रियादिमोहनः । अयं तु स्वसौन्दर्येण स्त्रिपुं साधारण सर्वजन्तुमोहकः ।।
- [Sundar-maNi-Sandarbh by SriVaishNavAchArya SwAmi MadhurAcharya]
“Sri Krsna is an enchanter of only women, and that too with the help of His flute; but this RAma, with just His natural beauty, enchants women, men, and even casual animals also!!!”
These are the words of Rasika devotees of Sri-Vaishnava sect of Jagadguru Ramanujacharya.
Links:
Is there any difference between Śrī-Devi and Lakshmi-devi?Śrī-Ramavat Sampradaya
Parampara (Śrī-Samprdāya unbroken Lineage)
Rasikopasna