title: Ramachandra Dattatrya Ranade
text: # Ramachandra Dattatrya Ranade
  
  Ramchandra Dattatray Ranade (1886–1957) was an Indian scholar-philosopher-saint of Karnataka and Maharashtra.
  
  ## Biography
  
  He was born on 3 July 1886 in Jamakhandi, in Bagalkot District of Karnataka. After completing his schooling he studied at Deccan College, Pune. In the year 1914 he passed M.A. with full honours and for a very brief period joined the teaching staff of Fergusson College, Pune. He taught at Willindon College, Sangli, on a regular basis before being invited to join Allahabad University as Head of Department of Philosophy where he rose to be the Vice-Chancellor. After retirement in 1946 he lived in an ashrama in a small village, Nimbal, on border of Maharashtra and Karnataka, near Vijaypura ( Bijapur) where he died on 6 June 1957.
  
  ## Philosophy
  
  According to Shri Gurudev Ramchandra Dattatray Ranade, the three main approaches in arriving at the solution to the problem of the Ultimate Reality have traditionally been the theological, the cosmological and the psychological approaches. The cosmological approach involves looking outward, to the world; the psychological approach meaning looking inside or to the Self; and the theological approach is looking upward or to God. Descartes takes the first and starts with the argument that the Self is the primary reality, self-consciousness the primary fact of existence, and introspection the start of the real philosophical process. According to him, we can arrive at the conception of God only through the Self because it is God who is the cause of the Self and thus, we should regard God as more perfect than the Self. Spinoza on the other hand, believed that God is the be-all and the end-all of all things, the alpha and the omega of existence. From God philosophy starts, and in God philosophy ends. The manner of approach of the Upanishadic philosophers to the problem of ultimate reality was neither the Cartesian nor Spinozistic. The Upanishadic philosophers regarded the Self as the ultimate existence and subordinated the world and God to the Self. The Self to them, is more real than either the world or God. It is only ultimately that they identify the Self with God, and thus bridge over the gulf that exists between the theological and psychological approaches to reality. They take the cosmological approach to start with, but they find that this cannot give them the solution of the ultimate reality. So, Upanishadic thinkers go back and start over by taking the psychological approach and here again, they cannot find the solution to the ultimate reality. They therefore perform yet another experiment by taking the theological approach. They find that this too is lacking in finding the solution. They give yet another try to the psychological approach, and come up with the solution to the problem of the ultimate reality. Thus, the Upanishadic thinkers follow a cosmo-theo-psychological approach. A study of the mukhya Upanishads shows that the Upanishadic thinkers progressively build on each other's ideas. They go back and forth and refute improbable approaches before arriving at the solution of the ultimate reality.
  
  ## Works
  
  He was a good orator who was also a good writer. His monumental work that made him famous, A Constructive Survey of Upanishadic Philosophy, was published by Oriental Books Agency, Pune, in 1926 under the patronage of Sir Parashuramarao Bhausaheb, Raja of Jamkhandi. He also wrote Pathway to God in Hindi and Marathi and Ramdasvacanamrut, which is based on the scriptures of Samarth Ramdas. As an eminent scholar of the Upanishads who had specialised in Greek philosophy, Shri Gurudev Ramchandra Dattatray Ranade emphasised the centrality of the psychological approach as opposed to the theological approach for the proper understanding of the Ultimate Reality. His works also include Pathway to God in Kannada literature. The Bhagavadgita as Philosophy of God Realisation. Evolution of my own thought. Ekanath Vachanamrut. Sant Vachanamrut.
  
  ## Inchegiri Sampradaya
  
  Shri Gurudev Ramchandra Dattatray Ranade belonged to the Inchegeri Sampradaya.
  
  Shri Chandra Bhanu Pathak was disciple of Gurudev Ranade, who carried forward his lineage in northern part of India. He was a renowned, loving, affectionate guru among his disciples who stayed in Bikaner, Rajasthan. Raj Kamal Vyas, who is disciple of Shri Chandra Bhanu pathak has translated Gurudev Ranade Literature in Hindi from Marathi and English as well. The lineage is being carried forward by Shri KhinwSingh ji Shekhawat (aka Shri Yogkshem shekhawat) among his and disciples of Shri Chandra Bhanu Pathak.
  
  vteInchegeri Sampradaya :
  
  Rishi Dattatreya
  
  Navnath, the nine founders of the Nath Sampradaya,
  
  Gahininath, the 5th Navnath
  
  Revananath, the 7th or 8th Navnath, also known as Kada Siddha
  
  Siddhagiri Math c.q. Kaneri Math (est. 7th or 14th century; Lingayat Parampara c.q. Kaadasiddheshwar Parampara
  
  Nivruttinath, Dnyaneshwar's brother
  
  Dnyaneshwar (1275–1296) also known as Sant Jñāneshwar or Jñanadeva and as Kadasiddha or Kad-Siddheshwar Maharaj
  
  Different accounts:
  
  Kadasiddha, also called "Almighty "Kadsiddeshwar", who appeared as a vision to Sri Gurulingajangam Maharaj
  
  or
  
  The 22nd or 24th Shri Samarth Muppin Kaadsiddheswar Maharaj, who initiated Sri Gurulingajangam Maharaj
  
  or
  
  "The 25th generation of the kadsiddha at siddhagiri had then initiated Guruling jangam maharaj of nimbargi."
  
  or
  
  "Juangam Maharaj" c.q. "a yogi [at Siddhagiri] who gave [Nimabargi Maharaj] a mantra and told him to meditate regularly on it"
  
  1
  
  Nimbargi Maharaj (1789–1875) also known as Guru Lingam-Jangam Maharaj
  
  23rd Shri Samarth Muppin Kaadsiddheswar Maharaj
  
  2
  
  Shri Bhausaheb Maharaj Umdikar (1843 Umdi – 1914 Inchgiri)
  
  24th Shri Samarth Muppin Kaadsiddheswar Maharaj
  
  3
  
  Shri Amburao Maharaj of Jigjivani
  
  (1857 Jigajevani – 1933 Inchgiri)
  
  Shivalingavva Akka (1867–1930)
  
  Girimalleshwar Maharaj
  
  Sri Siddharameshwar Maharaj (1875–1936)
  
  25th Shri Samarth Muppin Kaadsiddheswar Maharaj
  
  4
  
  Shri Gurudev Ranade of Nimbal (1886–1957)
  
  Balkrishna Maharaj
  
  Shri Aujekar Laxman Maharaj
  
  Madhavananda Prabhuji (d. 25th May, 1980)
  
  Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj (1897–1981)
  
  Sri Ranjit Maharaj (1913–2000)
  
  Sri Ganapatrao Maharaj Kannur (1909–2004)
  
  Shri Vilasanand Maharaj (1909–1993)
  
  Shri Ranachhodray Maharaj, Baitkhol Karwar
  
  26th Shri Muppin Kaadsiddheshwar Maharaj (1905–2001)
  
  Student of Sri Siddharameshwar Maharaj
  
  5
  
  Shri Gurudev Chandra Bhanu Pathak
  
  Bhausaheb Maharaj (Nandeshwar)
  
  Shri Nagnath Alli Maharaj
  
  Maurice Frydman
  
  Ramesh Balsekar
  
  Gautam Sachdeva
  
  Ramakant Maharaj
  
  Alexander Smit
  
  Douwe Tiemersma
  
  Robert Powell
  
  Timothy Conway
  
  Jean Dunn
  
  Mark McCloskey
  
  "Sailor" Bob Adamson
  
  Stephen Wolinksky
  
  Mark West
  
  David Hargrove
  
  27th head: Adrushya Kadsiddheshwar Swamiji
  
  Jagadguru Ramanandacharya Shree Swami Narendracharyaji Maharaj
  
  Notes for table
  
  Notes
  
  ↑ Frydman 1987↑ Boucher↑ Frydman 1987↑ Dnyaneshwar↑ Frydman 1987↑ Frydman 1987↑ Boucher↑ Kada Siddha (website Ranade Maharaj↑ Kada Siddha (website Ranade Maharaj)↑ Siddhagiri Math↑ Siddhagiri Math (website Shri Kshetra Siddhagiri Math, Kaneri)↑ Siddhagiri Math (Gramjivan Museum)↑ Kaadsiddheshwar Maharaj (website Kaadsiddheshwar Maharaj)↑ Kaadsiddheshwar Maharaj Parampara↑ Dnyaneshwar↑ Nisargadatta Maharaj Disciples↑ Nisargadatta Maharaj Disciples↑ Frydman 1987↑ Boucher↑ Frydman 1987↑ Ranjit Maharaj Timeline↑ Ranjit Maharaj Timeline↑ Siddhagiri Math (website siddhagirimath.org)↑ Siddhagiri Math (website siddhagirimath.org)↑ Kada Siddha (website Balkrushna Maharaj)↑ Boucher↑ Boucher↑ Nimbargi Maharj (website Ranade Maharaj↑ Frydman 1987↑ Boucher↑ Bhausaheb Maharaj (website Ganapatrao Maharj)↑ Bhausaheb Maharaj (website Ranade Maharaj)↑ Amburao Maharaj (website Ranade Maharaj)↑ Frydman 1987↑ Shivalingavva Akka (website Ranade Maharaj)↑ Frydman 1987↑ Girimalleshwar Maharaj (website Balkrushnamauli Maharaj)↑ Boucher↑ Frydman 1987↑ Amburao Maharaj Maharj (website Ranade Maharaj)↑ Ranade Maharaj (website Ranade Maharaj)↑ Boucher↑ Frydman 1987↑ Ranade Maharj (website Bridge-India)↑ Balkrishna Maharaj (website Balkrishna Maharaj)↑ Nagnath Alli Maharaj (website)↑ Madhavananda Prabhuji (website gurusfeet.com)↑ Boucher↑ Boucher↑ Ranjit Maharaj (website Ranjit Maharaj)↑ Ranjit Maharaj Interview↑ Ranjit Maharaj Satsang↑ Bhausaheb Maharaj (website Ganapatrao Maharaj)↑ Kaadsiddheshwar Maharaj (website Kaadsiddheshwar Maharaj)↑ Ranjit Maharaj (website Angelfire)↑ Bhausaheb Maharaj (Nandeshwar) (website Balkrishna Maharaj)↑ Nagnath Alli Maharaj (website Nagnath Alli Maharaj)↑ Nisargadatta Maharaj Disciples↑ Nisargadatta Maharaj Disciples↑ Gautam Sachdeva↑ Ramakant Maharj (website Ramakant Maharaj)↑ Nisargadatta Maharaj Disciples↑ Nisargadatta Maharaj Disciples↑ Nisargadatta Maharaj Disciples↑ Nisargadatta Maharaj Disciples↑ Nisargadatta Maharaj Disciples↑ Jean Dunn (website Ed Muzika)↑ Jean Dunn (website Ngeton)↑ Nisargadatta Maharaj Disciples↑ Nisargadatta Maharaj Disciples↑ Sailor Bob Adamson (website Sailor Bob Adamson)↑ Nisargadatta Maharaj Disciples↑ Nisargadatta Maharaj Disciples↑ Nisargadatta Maharaj Disciples↑ Siddhagiri Math – History (website siddhagirimath.org↑ Narendracharyaji Maharaj (website Narendracharyaji Maharaj)
  
  Sources
  
  Boucher, Cathy (2002), The Lineage of Nine Gurus. The Navnath Sampradaya and Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj
  
  Frydman, Maurice (1987), Navanath Sampradaya. In: I Am That. Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, Bombay: Chetana
  
  Websites
  
  Amburao Maharaj (website Ranade Maharaj): Gurudev R.D. Ranade, Sadguru Shri Amburao Maharaj
  
  Balkrishna Maharaj (website Balkrishna Maharaj): balkrushnamauli.com, Samarth Sadguru Balkrushna Maharaj
  
  Bhausaheb Maharaj (website Ranade Maharaj): Gurudev R.D. Ranade, Sadguru Shri Bhausaheb Maharaj Umdikar
  
  Bhausaheb Maharaj (website Ganapatrao Maharaj): ShantiKuteer Ashram, Bhausaheb Maharaj
  
  Bhausaheb Maharaj (Nandeshwar) (website Balkrishna Maharaj): balkrushnamauli.com, Shri Bhausaheb Maharaj (Nandeshwar)
  
  Dnyaneshwar: V. V. Shirvaikar, A brief biography of saint Dnyaneshwar (Jnanadeva)
  
  Gautam Sachdeva: gautamsachdeva.com, About Gautam Sachdeva
  
  Girimalleshwar Maharaj (website Balkrushnamauli Maharaj): balkrushnamauli.com, Girimalleshwar Maharaj</ref>
  
  Jean Dunn (website Ed Muzika): Jean Dunn and Nisargadatta Maharaj
  
  Jean Dunn (website Ngeton): Ngeton, Navnath Masters
  
  Kaadsiddheshwar Maharaj (website Kaadsiddheshwar Maharaj): Mazad Sad Guru, Biography
  
  Kaadsiddheshwar Maharaj Parampara: mazasadguru.com, The Kaadsiddheshwar Parampara
  
  Kada Siddha (website Ranade Maharaj): Gurudev R.D. Ranade, Kada Siddha
  
  Kada Siddha (website Balkrushna Maharaj): Balkrushna Maharaj, Kadsiddheshwar Maharaj
  
  Madhavananda Prabhuji (website gurusfeet.com)Gurus Feet, Madhavananda Prabhuji
  
  Nagnath Alli Maharaj (website Nagnath Alli Maharaj): Shri S.S. Nagnath Alli Maharaj Sansthan, About us
  
  Narendracharyaji Maharaj (website Narendracharyaji Maharaj): A brief biography of Jagadguru Ramanandacharya Sri Swami Narendracharyaji Maharaj
  
  Nimbargi Maharaj (website Ranade Maharaj): Gurudev R.D. Ranade, Sadguru Shri Guruling Jangam Maharaj
  
  Nisargadatta Maharaj Commemorations pt.1: David Godman, Remembering Nisargadatta Maharaj pt.1
  
  Nisargadatta Maharaj Disciples: Advaita Vision, Navnath Sampradaya. Disciples of Nisargadatta Maharaj
  
  Ramakant Maharaj (website Ramakant Maharaj): Shri Ramakant Maharaj, Information
  
  Ranade Maharaj (website Ranade Maharaj): Gurudev R.D. Ranade, Shri Gurudev R. D. Ranade
  
  Ranade Maharaj (website Bridge-India): Bridge-India, Shri Gurudev R.D. Ranade
  
  Ranjit Maharaj (website Ranjit Maharaj): Sadguru.com, Shri Ranjit Maharaj
  
  Ranjit Maharaj Timeline: Sadguru.com, Shri Ranjit Maharaj History
  
  Ranjit Maharaj Interview: InnerQuest, Ranjit interview
  
  Ranjit Maharaj Satsang: inner-quest.org, "Final Reality has no beginning and no end."
  
  Ranjit Maharaj (website Angelfire): Sri Ranjit Maharaj profile
  
  Sailor Bob Adamson (website Sailor Bob Adamson): Sailor Bob Adamson website
  
  Shivalingavva Akka (website Ranade Maharaj): gurudevranade.com, Rv. Smt.Shri.Shivalingavva Akka
  
  Siddhagiri Math: Detailed history of Shri Nisarghadatta Maharaj
  
  Siddhagiri Math (website Shri Kshetra Siddhagiri Math, Kaneri): Shri Kshetra Siddhagiri Math, Kaneri
  
  Siddhagiri Math (Gramjivan Museum): Siddhagiri Gramjivan Museum Kaneri Math
  
  Siddhagiri Math (website siddhagirimath.org): siddhagirimath.org, Siddhagiri Math – Pedigree
  
  Siddhagiri Math – History (website siddhagirimath.org): siddhagirimath.org, Siddhagiri Math – History :
  
  