Bhavartha Ramayana is the oldest available version of the Ramanyana in Marathi language. Bhavartha Ramayana, also known as Eknathi Ramayana, is a classic work in Marathi composed by Sant Eknath. Eknathi Ramayana is a voluminous narrative of the story of the Ramayana, running into 40,000 couplets. Here, Eknath uses the story allegorically to urge the society into action against the Ravanas of his age. Eknath is equally conscious of the poetic values and the message he has to spread through this work.
It is generally believed that Uttara Khanda of the work was
composed by a disciple of the saint. According to legends, Eknath had composed
only 44 chapters of Yuddha Khanda and the work was completed by a certain
Gavab. However, modern researchers aver that Ekanth composed the entire Yuddha
Khanda excluding the story of Ahimahiravana and the later portions which were
composed by Jyarajasuta.
Sant Eknath based his Ramayana story on three texts – Valmiki
Ramayana, Adhyatma Ramayana and Ananda Ramayana. While the story is generally
taken from Valmiki Ramayana, the devotional spirit pervading the work may be
attributed to Adhyatma Ramayana and Ananda Ramayana.
The author’s familiarity with Gaudiya and North-Western recensions
of the Ramayana is attested by the fact that he incorporated several items
found therein and not found in the Southern recession in his story. These include
references to Shanta, the daughter of Dasharatha, the curse of Tara, Ravana beating
up Visbhishana, the dialogue between Narada and Kumbhakarna and the story of
Kalanemi. He has also included several aspects peculiar only to north-western
recension like the dialogue between Vibhishana and Nikasha, the pulling of the
hair of Mandodari etc.
Bhavartha Ramayana incorporates several elements from Adhyatma
Ramayana. These include Rama’s display of the form of Bhagavan Vishnu at the
time of his birth, the destruction of umbrella of Ravana and the final
ascension of Bhagavan Sri Rama to heaven. Again, Eknath incorporates several episodes
from Ananda Ramayana which are not seen either in Ananda Ramayana or Adhyatma
Ramayana into his story. These include the marriage of Dasharatha and Kaushalya,
the pilgrimage of young Rama, the presence of Ravana at the time of marriage
ceremony of Sita, the beating up of Manthara by Bharata, Lakshmana killing the
daughter of Surpanakha and the story of the marriage between Ravana and Mandodari.
Eknath himself has also made some deviations from the story. He follows Valmiki
Ramayana more closely in Uttara Khanda.
Sant Eknath (1523 – 99 CE) was a saint, social reformer, and
an outstanding poet who influenced generations. He revived the Bhagavata
spiritual tradition and attracted people of the lower castes to its fold and
added new dimension to Marathi poetry. He wrote several philosophical works, commentaries
on Sanskrit texts, and narratives on the lives of saints and other literary compositions.