Ramprasad Sen
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ramprasad Sen (Bangla: রামপ্রসাদ সেন) (1720-1781) was a Bengali song-writer and singer of Hindu devotional songs, specially Shyamasangit (Songs devoted to the goddess Kali). He is almost always referred to as Ramprasad, and his songs are known as Ramprasadi. Ramprasad's life has been the subject of many mystical stories depicting his devotion to and relation with Kali.
Ramprasad was born in Chobbish Pargana, now in West Bengal. He had very little formal education, though he learnt Persian, Sanskrit, Bangla and a few other languages from a private tutor. A number of mythical stories can be found concerning Ramprasad.
The collected poems, songs and hymns composed by Ramprasad Sen have been published in an edition entitled Grace and Mercy in Her Wild Hair. The following is an example of one of Ramprasad's bhakti hymns to the Goddess:
- You'll find Mother In any house.
- Do I dare say it in public?
- She is Bhairavi with Shiva,
- Durga with Her children,
- Sita with Lakshmana.
- She's mother, daughter, wife, sister -
- Every woman close to you.
- What more can Ramprasad say?
- You work the rest out from these hints.
[edit] Bibliography
- Grace and Mercy in Her Wild Hair : Selected Poems to the Mother Goddess, Ramprasad Sen (ISBN 0-934252-94-7)
- Devoted to the Goddess : The Life and Work of Ramprasad, by Malcolm Mclean (ISBN 0-791436-90-X)
- Singing to the Goddess: Poems to Kali and Uma from Bengal, Ramprasad Sen, Translated by Rachel Fell McDermott (ISBN 0-195134-34-6)
