Most people don’t realize that Mahatma Gandhi had modified the original Ram Dhun. During the freedom movement he used the Ram Dhun to bring an united struggle. We are not in 1947 and thus it is time we sing the original version.
The original version possibly came from Tulsidas or Sri Lakshamancharya.
रघुपति राघव राजाराम, पतित पावन सीताराम
Lord Ram, the descendent of the great Raghu wipes our sins along with Sita.
सुंदर विग्रह मेघश्याम, गंगा तुलसी शालिग्राम
He looks beautiful like the dark cloud and as pure as Ganga, Tulsi and Shaligram.
भद्रगिरीश्वर सीताराम, भगत-जनप्रिय सीताराम
He resides in the Bhadragiri (Bhadrachalam) and loved by his devotees.
जानकीरमणा सीताराम जयजय राघव सीताराम ॥
Ram of Janaki and Ram of Sita, all hail that descendent of Raghu, Ram.
While Mahatma Gandhi had political reasons to use the modified version to bring the support of Muslims for the freedom struggle, in a spiritual context it doesn’t make sense to alter. Just as we cannot alter Sufi poetry or Christmas carol to insert our gods, we cannot alter Hindu bhajans to bring in allah.
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