Morari Bapu

(b. Muraridas Prabhudas 1946) Modern
commentator and expositor (kathavacak) on the Ramcharitmanas. Written
by the poet-saint Tulsidas, the
Ramcharitmanas is a vernacular version
of the Ramayana, the earlier of the two
great Sanskrit epics. As with all vernacular renditions of the Ramayana,
Tulsidas did not simply translate
Valmiki’s Sanskrit epic, but adapted it to
address his own religious concerns, particularly the importance of devotion
(bhakti) to God, one of the text’s central
themes. Morari Bapu claims no supernatural powers or ability; his religious
fame rests solely on his commitment to
the text, and his power in expounding it.
At times he speaks to audiences of more
than 100,000 people, giving katha
(discourse) to the Hindu diaspora populations in Europe and North America,
as well as in India.