Ramrasokar Mahakavi Madhavdas Dadhiwadiya

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text about Mahakavi Madhavdas Dadhiwadia, drawing from all four pages:

The text introduces Mahakavi Madhavdas Dadhiwadia as a prominent poet from the Deval branch of Charan poets, who were historically associated with the Shakla dynasty of Kshatriyas in Rajasthan. The Deval Charans of the Rooncha branch were patronized by the Shakla rulers of Rooncha. The text traces the lineage of the Dadhiwadia Charans back to Rooncha, mentioning that King Sodhdev Shakla, a contemporary of Allauddin Khilji, was forced to marry a Shakla princess. When Allauddin attacked and weakened the Shakla clan, a powerful Charan named Mehajal Deval, belonging to the Deval branch, used his poetic skills to appease Allauddin by addressing him as "Kurva Samudra" (Ocean of Goods), which pleased the emperor and led to the return of the Rooncha territory to the Shaklas. This event solidified the fame of the Dadhiwadia branch of Deval Charans.

Later, the rulers of Marwar, led by Rao Ranmall, took control of Rooncha from the Shaklas. The Dadhiwadia Charans, being the "polpatra" (hereditary bards) of the Shaklas, moved with their patrons to Mewar. Maharana Kumbhakarna of Mewar granted two villages, Dharta and Gothiyan, to Dadhiwadia Jaita, whose four sons were Mahapa, Mandaan, Deva, and Barsi. When Maharana Sangramsingh I defeated the ruler of Mandav, he honored his warriors and poets. Mahapa received the village of Shavor, Deva settled in Dharta, and Barsi remained in Gothiyan. Mandaan returned to Marwar and is described as a highly devoted poet.

Madhavdas was born in the village of Baluda, Marwar, to Chuda Dadhiwadia. Chuda was a respected figure in both courtly and devotional circles. While some scholars suggest Madhavdas was a patron of Maharaja Shursinh of Jodhpur, the provided evidence indicates he was a dependent of Thakur Ramdas Chandawat Rathore of Baluda. Chuda himself was appointed as the "polpatra" and poet by Rao Chanda Veerambdevot, who granted him land and resources. Chuda's own works include "Gun Nimandha Nimandh," "Gun Chanakya Veli," "Gun Bhakhdi," and various "sphut" verses.

Madhavdas, the son of Chuda, lived in Baluda under the patronage of Thakur Ramdas. He authored two works: "Gun Raso" and "Gajmokh." "Gajmokh" is a small composition, while "Ram Raso" is described as the first epic poem in Rajasthani literature. "Ram Raso" is dedicated to Lord Rama and has enjoyed widespread popularity and respect in Rajasthan, comparable to Tulsidas's "Ramcharit Manas." Madhavdas composed "Ram Raso" based on the narratives of Valmiki's Ramayana, Adhyatma Ramayana, and Hanumannaatakam.

There is some scholarly debate regarding the exact number of verses in "Ram Raso" and the biographical details of Madhavdas. While some scholars, like Sitaram Lalas, suggest Madhavdas passed away in VS 1690 and identified Dwarkadas Dadhiwadia as his son, this is contested. The text asserts that Madhavdas died on Tuesday, Jeth Sudhi 8, VS 1680, in the village of Moongdada. This occurred during a battle where Thakur Ramdas and Madhavdas were killed alongside others while fighting against the forces of Abu Muhammad, the royal official of Merta, who had attacked wealthy Brahmins. This event took place during the reign of Maharaja Gajsingh. Furthermore, the text refutes the idea that Dwarkadas was Madhavdas's son, noting a 92-year gap between their known periods of activity, suggesting Dwarkadas was likely Madhavdas's grandson.

The text also clarifies that Madhavdas's father, Chuda, was granted the village of Jarodo in Merta's territory by Rathore Ratansingh Raymalot. Contrary to some interpretations, the text suggests Madhavdas had a brother named Shyamdas (younger) and two sons, Sundardas and Mohandas, who were alive until the reign of Maharaja Jaswantsingh I of Jodhpur (until VS 1721).

The number of verses in "Ram Raso" varies across different manuscripts due to the prevalence of copyists and the inclusion of interpolated verses. Some verses are found in "Ram Raso," "Prithviraj Raso," and even the Prakrit "Gaha Saptashai," indicating the influence of different literary traditions and the skill of scribes.

Madhavdas's poetic guru was Munivar Karmanand, as explicitly stated in the introductory verses of "Ram Raso." The composition date of "Ram Raso" is consistently recorded as VS 1675 in all available manuscripts. Despite his relatively short life after completing "Ram Raso," the poem achieved significant popularity in educated families in Rajasthan. Verses from "Ram Raso" are also found in prosody texts like "Pingal Shiromani." However, the dating of "Pingal Shiromani" (estimated to be before VS 1618) presents a chronological discrepancy with "Ram Raso" (VS 1675), raising questions about the precise dating of the prosody text.

Madhavdas was proficient in both Rajasthani (Dingal) and Sanskrit. His interactions with rulers and nobles likely provided him with knowledge of Arabic, Persian, and Turkish, as evidenced by the presence of words from these languages in "Ram Raso." The use of folk sayings and idioms in the epic further indicates his deep understanding of the colloquial form of Rajasthani.

Finally, the text mentions a concluding couplet in "Ram Raso" that refers to Bhagat Kalyan as the scribe. The author expresses hope that scholars will further research Kalyan. The text concludes by stating that the uncertainties surrounding Madhavdas's guru, lineage, and death date are now clarified.