Biography of Shri Ram Ray Ji

In Bhaktamal, Shri Nabha Ji describes -

Shri Ram Ray Ji appeared in the Saraswat Brahmin clan in the city of Lahore, situated on the banks of river Ravi, in the afternoon on the 11th day of the bright fortnight in the month of Vaishakh (April-May) in 1483. His father's name was Shri Gurugopal Saraswat and his mother's name was Shri Yashomati. His father named him Ram Ray. His younger brother's name was Shri Chandragopal, who is called the incarnation of the Chitra Sakhi by the saints.

Shri Ram Ray Ji appeared in the eleventh generation in the lineage of Shri Jaydev Goswami, the author of Gitagovind.

The family had the deity of Shri Radhamadhav Ji, the worshipful deity of Shri Jaydev Goswami according to the lineage tradition, and the whole family used to serve the Lord.

Shri Ram Ray Ji was extraordinary from birth. At the age of eleven, his father performed the Yagyopavit ceremony and gave him the Gayatri Mantra. He taught him all the scriptures.

The celebrations of the appearance day of Shri Jaydev Goswami Ji was celebrated every year at Shri Ram Ray's house. When he was twelve years old, the appearance day was organized with a big pomp. Every year, 200-300 people used to come to the festival to get the prasad, so this year also the prasad was prepared for 200-300 devotees. But suddenly 1000 Brahmins came to the festival. Father Gurugopal Ji was pleased to see the brahmins but started worrying that how is it possible to arrange prasad for so many brahmins. Twelve years old Shri Ram Ray Ji saw his father worried, then came to him, bowed to him, and said "Father, don't worry, Shri Radha Madhav is seated in our house, His prasad is Chinmay (divine) and infinite, so everyone will get prasad."

Ram Ray Ji himself started serving Prasad to all the Brahmins. He gave prasad to everyone and bowed down to their feet. There was no dearth of prasad anywhere. There was cheering all around. The festival ended happily.

Shri Ram Ray Ji used to go in front of Shri Radha Madhav every day before going to sleep and bow down to Their Lotus Feet. One day, before going to sleep at night, Shri Ram Ray went to pay obeisance to Shri Radha Madhav. Shri Radha Madhav Ji ordered him, "Ram Ray, you go to Vrindavan. I myself want to come to Vrindavan, but first, you go, make arrangements, then I will come to Vrindavan with Chandragopal." On receiving such an order, Shri Ram Ray Ji left for Shri Vrindavan in the night. Vrindavan was far away from Lahore. Shri Ram Ray Ji was only a child, he himself had no knowledge of which direction he was going. Such was the grace of the Lord that he walked in the night and reached Haridwar in the morning. Shri Ram Ray Ji was very pleased after seeing Haridwar. He worshiped Ganga and took bath. Than he left for Braj Dham. On the way, he reached Aligarh near the border of Braj.

There lived a Brahmin named 'Prasadi' in Aligarh, who was familiar with the maternal grandfather of Shri Ram Ray Ji. He was very generous to the Vaishnavas and used to serve them. Shri Ram Ray Ji stayed in the house of Prasadi Brahmin. He took some food and rested there. The next day when he started walking, the brahmin said to them "O saint, you seem divine in appearance, I am very poor, I serve the saints according to my ability. I request you, please remove my poverty, so that I can continue to serve the Vaishnavas.

Shri Ram Ray Ji felt pity. He took out the gold ring from his finger and gave it to that Brahmin and said, "Your poverty will be removed from today, now worship Shri Radhamadhav and his devotees."

After this Shri Ram Ray Ji entered the Braj Mandal. The state of the mind of Shri Ram Ray Ji changed as soon as he entered Braj Dham. The light of love towards Braj began to shine in the heart. Somehow Shri Ram Ray Ji reached Mathura. There he served food to the people of Braj. After a few days, all the Brajwasis started calling Shri Ram Rai Ji 'Prabhu'. Since then his name became Ram Ray Prabhu.

Whenever Shri Ram Rai Ji asked about the way to Vrindavan, the people of Braj said that Vrindavan is a dense forest, wild animals live there, and robbers also reside there. So don't take the name of going there. But Shri Ram Ray wanted to go to Vrindavan. When everyone slept in the night, then without informing anyone, Shri Ram Ray left for Vrindavan and reached the banks of Yamuna at Dhir-Sameer. There he had darshan of Shri Yamuna. Then he became restless and prayed to Shri Vrindavan to reveal Her form in front of him. As soon as he prayed, he started having the darshan of Shri Radha Krishn and Sakhis, he saw the divine banks of the Yamuna in which, many lotuses of different colors have blossomed, and many vines are adorned all over. Seeing the divine Vrindavan and Shyamashyam, Shri Ram Ray became very rapturous and fell unconscious on the ground. Then he heard the divine voice of Shri Radhamadhav, "The time for your stay in Vrindavan has not arrived, you should do the pilgrimage, you will be blessed by the spiritual master, and you have to propagate the name of Lord Hari everywhere."

On hearing the order of the Lord, Shri Ram Ray Ji left for pilgrimage and reached Kashi (Varanasi). Many scholars in Kashi were impressed by his brilliance and wanted to debate. Shri Ram Ray Ji defeated all the scholars in the scriptural debate and established the devotion of Shri Krishn according to the Vedas. All the scholars were very pleased and took out his procession by making him sit on the chariot. When they reached the banks of the Ganges, Shri Ram Ray Ji saw Shri Nityanand Prabhu and was attracted towards him. Getting down from the chariot, he bowed to Shri Nityanand Prabhu. Shri Nityanand Prabhu gave initiation to Shri Ram Ray Ji.

From Kashi, Shri Nityanand Prabhu and Shri Ram Ray Ji left for Navadvip. Reaching there, they had the darshan of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Shri Ram Ray Ji realized that Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the combined form of Shri Radha Krishn. Shri Ramray sang the sixth chapter of Gita Govinda to Mahaprabhu. Mahaprabhu was very pleased and embraced Ramray to his heart and ordered, "go to Vrindavan." After receiving this order, Shri Ram Ray Ji bowed down to Mahaprabhu and came to Braj.

Shri Ram Ray's parents had passed away in Lahore. Shri Chandragopal Ji was in the service of Shri Radhamadhav. He received an order in a dream in the night that "Shri Ram Ray Ji is in Vrindavan, you also go to Vrindavan with the Lord." According to the order in the dream, Shri Chandragopal Ji along with Shri Radhamadhav Ji came to Vrindavan. Both brothers started serving the Lord.

Shri Ram Rai Ji says that Shri Vrindavan is the eternal place of the Raas pastimes of Shri Radha Krishn, that is why it is dear to me.

Shri Ram Ray Ji says, O mind, roll in the dust of Shri Vrindavan. The desire for material happiness will vanish from your heart.

According to Shri Ramray, One should develop a love for Vrindavan which bestows the divine service of Shri Shyama Shyam. Therefore, one must never renounce Shri Vrindavan Dham, even for a moment.

- Shri Ramray, Aadivani (93)

Shri Krishna has decorated Shri Radha (with His adornments today); Sakhis are overdelighted looking at that. Shri Krishn has put a peacock crown on Shri Radha’s head, earrings in Her ears, a tilak on Her forehead, and a paste of musk on Her body. He dressed Her with a peetambar [yellow garment] and a flower garland around Her neck. He puts a black dot on the cheek of Shri Radha, a line of kajal (collyrium) in the Lotus Eyes, and offered betel leaf in Her mouth which makes Her lips red. At last, Shri Krishn surrendered (offered) His flute on Radha’s divine hands, gazing at which, Shri Ramray forgot His physical consciousness being totally drowned in the ecstasy of love bliss. 

- Shri Ramray Ji, Aadivani (17)

Shri Ram Ray Ji was always immersed in the service of the divine couple Shri Radha Krishn. His first composition is 'Aadi Vani' in which there is a compilation of 101 verses about the service of Shri Radha Madhav. It was composed in 1513 in the month of Sawan (July).

His second composition is 'Geet Govind Bhasha', which is a simple translation of Shri Jaydev Goswami's famous Sanskrit text 'Geet Govind' into verses and couplets in the language of Braj, which was composed in 1565 in the month of Vaishakh (May).

Shri Ram Rai Ji has also composed ‘Gaur Vinodini Tika’ (commentary) on Brahma Sutra.

Shri Ram Ray Ji had many disciples of which 12 disciples were the main ones. Shri Bhagwandas, Shri Garibdas, Shri Vishnudas, Shri Jugaldas, Shri Radhanath, Shri Kishordas, Shri Keshavdas, Shri Manohardas, Shri Lakhadas, Shri Madhusudandas, Shri Haridas and Shri Teerthram.

Shri Ram Ray Ji lived till the age of 100 years. In 1583, he left his body at Dhir Sameer, Vrindavan on the bank of Yamuna and entered the eternal pastimes of Shri Radha Krishn.