Bhakti Movement

Lesson 11BHAKTI MOVEMENT IN MEDIEVAL INDIA Learning Objectives 1. To make the pupil acquire knowledge about Bhakti Movement in medieval India. 2. To enable the pupil understand the aims and services of the leaders of the movement. 3. To motivate the pupil appreciate the work of the leaders of the Bhakti Movement. 4. To make the pupil compare the Bhakti cult in South India with the spread of Bhakti Movement in North India. Causes for the birth of Bhakti Movement: Prior to the coming of Islam to India, Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism were the dominant religions. Hinduism lost its simplicity. Many philosophical schools appeared. Two different sects, i.e., Vaishnavism and Saivism also appeared within Hinduism. In course of time Sakti worship also came into existence. Common people were confused on the way of worshipping God. When Islam came to India, the Hindus observed many ceremonies and worshipped many Gods and Goddesses. There were all sorts of superstitious beliefs among them. Their religion had become complex in nature. Added to these, the caste system, untouchability, blind worshipping and inequality in society caused dissensions among different sections of the people. On the other hand Islam preached unity of God and brotherhood of man. It emphasised monotheism. It attacked idol worship. It preached equality of man before God. The oppressed common people and the people branded as low castes were naturally attracted towards Islam. It only increased the rivalry among religions. Fanaticism, bigotry, and religious intolerance began to raise their heads. It was to remove such evils, religious leaders appeared in different parts of India. They preached pure devotion called Bhakti to attain God. 107 The Hindu saints of the Bhakti Movement and the Muslim saints of the Sufi movement became more liberal in their outlook. He took his message to Northern parts of India. He considered God as an Ocean of Love and beauty. Soon a large number of people became his followers. he had taught in the language of the common man. We shall deal with some of them here. Ramanuja : Ramanuja was one of the earliest reformers. preached the idea of Bhakti. The saints of the Bhakti Movement were men and women of humble origin. the main language spoken by the people of the North.D. (4) Worshipping God with devotion is better than performing religious ceremonies and going on pilgrimages. Bhakti Movement in the North : The Bhakti movement in North India gained momentum due to the Muslim conquest. and the Alwars. Their preaching was simple. Saints like Sankara. who worshipped Siva. All 108 . They had stressed tolerance among various religious groups. They had also preached the Unity of God and brotherhood of man.Origin of the Bhakti Movement : Bhakti means personal devotion to God.. His teachings were based on the Upanishads and Bhagwad Gita. He preached that there is nothing high or low.D. Principles of Bhakti Movement : The main principles of Bhakti movement were : (1) God is one. Ramanuja and Madhwa gave their concepts of God and the individual soul. They carried their message of love and devotion to various parts of South India through the medium of the local language. It made some of the followers of the Vedic faith to revive the old Vedic religion. They wanted to get rid of the evils which had crept into their religions. They came from all castes and classes. Born in the South. Ramanand was his disciple. Whatever he taught. (3) All men are equal. He was educated at Benaras. There were a number of such saints from the 8th to 16th century A. It stresses the Union of the individual with God. who worshipped Vishnu. Bhakti movement originated in South India between the 7th and the 12th centuries A. Ramananda : Ramananda was the first reformer to preach in Hindi. (2) To worship God man should serve humanity. and (5) Caste distinctions and superstitious practices are to be given up. he made a pilgrimage to some of the holy places in Northern India. The Nayanmars. They preached among common people. They had visited from place to place singing devotional songs. Ram and Rahim live there. A Muslim couple Niru and his wife who were weavers brought up the child. 109 . He welcomed people of all castes and status to follow his teachings.D. He had twelve chief disciples. He also said : To the East is Hari. Ram and Rahim are Kabir one and the same.D. He taught that Allah and Eswar. both Hindus and Muslims became Kabir’s followers. They are present everywhere. If thou be a true seeker. neither in Kaaba nor in Kailash. Ramananda What Kabir said about God? I am neither in temple nor in Mosque. Kabir : Kabir was an ardent disciple of Ramananda. search thy heart. One of them was a barber. He preached that both the Hindus and the Muslims are the children of a single God. the third one was a cobbler and the other was the famous saint Kabir and the fifth one was a woman named Padmavathi.men are equal in the eyes of God. He wanted unity between the Hindus and the Muslims. It is said that he was the son of a Brahmin widow who had left him near a tank at Varanasi. thou shall find me in a moment. He was an ardent worshipper of Rama. religious rituals and ceremonies. The devotees of Kabir were known as Kabir Panthis. Later he became a weaver but he was attracted by the teachings of Swami Ramananda. within the inner core. He had no faith in idol worship. another was a weaver. He probably lived in the fifteenth century A. He considered God as a loving father. He lived in the 14th century A. to the West Allah’s abode. I am not in any ritual or rite nor in yoga or in renunciation. Thousands of people. Guru Nanak.D. The holy book of the Sikhs is popularly known as ‘Grantha Sahib’. he had showed great interest in education and studied Sanskrit. He hailed from Maharashtra. Nanak’s teachings were in the form of verses. From his very childhood. 110 Chaitanya . He was against the caste system.D. At the age of 29. A large number of people from different castes became his followers. Guru Nanak’s followers are Guru Nanak called the Sikhs.A. He worshipped Vishnu in the form of Lord Vithoba. List out the similarities of both Hinduism and Islam. He travelled all over the Deccan. where people belonging to all castes or religions could have their meals together.1469 A. he renounced the worldly life and became a sanyasin. From his childhood. a great devotee of Lord Krishna.Namdeva : Namdeva was a waterman by birth. Some of his verses are included in the Guru Granth Sahib.D.1538): Guru Nanak was the founder of the Sikh religion. They are full of intense devotion to God. He composed beautiful hymns in Marathi. He had travelled far and wide to spread his teachings. (A. Later at the age of 24. They were collected in a book called the Adi Granth. He married the daughter of a Saintly person. Guru Nanak had finally settled at Karthpur. He went to Mecca and Medina.1533) : Chaitanya. he did not show any interest in worldly affairs.D. the holy book of the Sikhs. He started the Langer or the common kitchen.1485 . Namdeva and other Bhakti and Sufi saints. He preached the Unity of God and condemned idolatry. He laid emphasis on pure and simple living. Later Adi Grantham was written in a script called Gurmukhi. was a saint from Bengal. It contains verses from Kabir. Understand the term Universal Brotherhood Chaitanya (A. he left his home and became a Sadhu. Meerabai : Meerabai was a Rajput princess. He was opposed to the inequalities of the caste system. He stressed upon the equality of all men before God. She married the Rana of Mewar. His work gives the story of Rama in Hindi. His songs are still very popular in Bengal. His followers regarded him as an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Jnaneshwar : He is one of the greatest saints of Maharashtra. the birth place of Krishna and Vrindaban. Guru Ramdas : Ramdas was a famous teacher. 1608. He worshipped Vishnu in the form of Vithoba or Krishna. Bengal and Orissa. There is a temple dedicated to Meerabai in Chittor. was a follower of Ramdas. He emphasised the need for tolerance. the great Maratha ruler. He was addressed `Mahaprabhu’ by his followers. He spread the message of Bhakti in Bengal. He popularised ‘Sankritan’or public singing of God’s name. He said that anyone could attain God’s favour by means of Bhakti. Tulsi Das : Goswamy Tulsidas was a devotee of Rama. He was the foremost in popularising Rama cult. humanity and love. At the age of 111 . He wrote all his abhangas in Marathi. He was born in A. Her songs or hymns are even today sung all over India. She had visited all places connected with the life of Lord Krishna. merciful and protective. He composed a large number of verses called Abhangas or devotional songs in praise of Panduranga or Krishna. Chatrapati Shivaji.D. His other works in Hindi are Janaki Mangal and Parvathi Mangal. Rama was a dear son to his parents. He helped the old and the needy. the capital of Mewar. Guru Ramdas was not merely a religious preacher but also a Nation Builder. She has written many songs in praise of Krishna. devoted student to his teacher and a desirable king to his subjects. Her palace was kept open to people of all castes to join her Bhajans of Lord Krishna. Tukaram : Tukaram was a saint who lived in Maharashtra. in Rajastani.Bihar. He believed in one God who was kind. her favourite God. In his writtings he insists the duty of a son to his parent. duty of a student to his teacher and duty of a king to his people. She was a pious devotee of Lord Krishna. She had lived for the most part of her life in Mathura. tells us the life stories of the Nayanmars. Sundarar and Thirugnana Sambandar composed the Thevaram hymns. According to Basava. They were progressive thinkers who led a simple life. They strictly followed the principles of the Holy Koran. These songs are even now sung during the Tamil month of margazhi (December . Basava : Basava lived in Karnataka. The Sufi movement promoted friendship between the Hindus and the Muslims. A saint named Nambiandar Nambi collected the devotional songs of Nayanmars. Andal and Perialwar were famous. written by Sekhizhar. Periyapuranam. He founded the Virasaiva or Lingayat sect. Manickvachakar’s songs are known as Tiruvachakam. Alwars : The Alwars were the worshippers of Lord Vishnu who were twelve in number. Hinduism. The Nayanmars. Buddhism and Jainism influenced the Sufi saints. Sundarar. The most famous among them were Appar.fourteen.Muslim Unity. Siva was the supreme God. Thirupavai songs are famous in Tamilnadu. the devotees of Siva. The two separate groups among the 112 .D. Man could realise God through meditation and fasting. They stayed in India in the 11th century A. The devotional songs of Andal is called Thiruppavai. Thirugnana Sambandar and Manickavachakar. The Bhakti movement motivated the Sufi saints to work for Hindu . SUFI MOVEMENT The Sufis were Muslim saints who came originally from Persian and Arabian countries. Tirumangai Alwar. These saints composed many verses in praise of Lord Siva. Among them Nammalwar. the Nayanmars and Alwars were the noted saints of the Bhakti movement. The songs of the Alwars were compiled in a book called Nalayira Divya Prabandham by Nadamuni.January). This book is called Jnaneshwari. They believed that God is present everywhere. Appar. were sixty three in number. he translated the Bhagawad Gita into the Marathi language. BHAKTI MOVEMENT IN SOUTH INDIA Nayanmars : In South India. Basava opposed child marriage and idol worship. 2. Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti started the Chishti group in India. It provided an example for the future generation to live with the spirit of toleration. it improved the moral and spiritual ways of life of the medieval society. The Bhakti movement freed the common people from the tyranny of the priests. Pupil will be able to observe devotion and love for mankind and God. They began to live amicably together. It emphasised the value of a pure life of charity and devotion. A new language Urdu. a mixture of Persian and Hindi. It checked the excesses of polytheism. The suppressed people gained a feeling of self-respect. Pupil will develop a sense of religious tolerance. It encouraged the spirit of toleration. The gap between the Hindus and the Muslims was reduced. Effects of Bhakti Movement: The Bhakti movement had brought the Hindus and the Muslims closer to each other. They composed hymns and songs in the languages spoken by the people. Therefore there was a remarkable growth of literature in all the languages. Ramanuja considered God as a) An Ocean of love c) Flower in a garden 113 b) Water in an Oasis d) A light on the mountain. Choose the Correct Answer 1. Finally. Learning Outcome 1. was developed. equal justice and equal treatment of all people. The reformers preached in local languages. 4.Sufis were the Chishti and the Suharwardi. .EVALUATION I. Pupil will be able to describe the aim of the Bhakti movement. Shaikh Shihabuddin Suharwardi and Hamiduddin Nagori were Sufi saints of Suharwardi groups. The equality concept preached by the leaders reduced the rigidity of the caste system to a certain extent. 3. SELF . Pupil will be able to recall the religious preaching of Bhakti leaders for Humanism. Baba Farid and Nizamuddin Auliya were other great Sufi saints. It led to the development of Vernacular literature. The first reformer to preach in Hindi was 4. Holy book of the Sikhs is a) Grantha Sahib c) Ramayanam 8. Chaitanya was a saint from a) Maharashtra c) Mysore a) Kambar c) Tulsidas 10. The founder of the Sikh religion was 9. Rama Charitamanas was written by 11. b) Marathi d) Tamil b) Meerabai d) Tulsidas b) Ramananda d) Tukaram b) Jnaneswara d) Kabir b) Ramananda d) Guru Nanak 3.2. The one who considered God as a loving father was 5. The temple dedicated to Meerbai is in 12. Namdeva’s hymns are written in a) Bengali c) Telugu 7. The disciple of Ramanuja was a) Kabir c) Ramananda a) Ramanuja c) Gurunanak a) Basava c) Chaitanya a) Kabir c) Tukaram 6. Chatrapati Shivaj was a follower of a) Kabir b) Ramdas c) Ramanuja d) Ramananda 114 . Meerabai wrote her songs in a) Bengali c) Rajastani a) Chittor c) Patna b) Marathi d) Hindi b) Varanasi d) Kolkotta b) Bengal d) Kerala b) Valmigi d) Tukaram b) Gita d) Mahabharatham. Sankirtan – – 115 Vithoba Common kitchen . The language. ______________ preached the oneness of God. 3. Guru Nanak’s followers are called___________ 10.13. ___________was brought up by Niru. Ramanuja’s teachings were based on_________________ and ___________ 5. Devotional songs of Tukaram were written in ___________ language. After becoming a Sadhu. Personal devotion to God is meant ______________ 2. 12. The chief disciple of Ramananda was___________ 7. The number of Nayanamars is a) 63 b) 62 c) 64 d) 65 14. Alwars 2. Guru Nanak went to___________ and ___________ 9. Urdu is a mixture of a) Hindi and Bengali b) Persian and Hindi c) Persian and Marathi d) Hindi and Rajastani II. ______________ was one of the earliest reformers. Ramananda was educated at___________ 6. Meerabai lived for the most part of her life in ___________the birthplace of ___________ 13. Tiruvachakam was written by ___________ III. The songs of Alwars were compiled by a) Nadhamuni b) Nambiandar Nambi c) Kamban d) Andal 15. ___________is considered as an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Adi Grantham was written in a script called ___________ 11. 8. Match the Following 1. Fill in the Blanks 1. 14. 4. The two groups of Sufism were ___________and ___________ 15. the Muslim weaver. 8. 13. 5. 10. V. 11. Who was Guru Ramdas? 12. Write a few words about the Langer. What do you know about the preachings of Kabir? 6. 14. What are the preachings of Ramananda? 5. Answer Briefly 1. 7. 3. 13. What do you understand by Bhakti Movement? 3. 7. Meerabai Guru Granth Namdeva Guru Ramadas Langer Chaitanya Jnaneswara Abhangas Periapuranam Woman Alwar Basava – – – – – – – – – – – Rana of Mewar Nation builder Worshipped Vishnu Mahaprabhu Holybook Public singing of God’s name Tukaram Bhagavad Gita Lingayat Sect Sekkizhar Andal IV. Explain the origin and principles of the Bhakti Movement with the preachings of a few Bhakti reformers.3. 116 . 12. What are the literary works of Tulsidas? 10. Mention the preachings of Chaitanya. Write a few sentences on Jnaneswara’s literary work. 6. Name the different sects of Hinduism. Mention the names of some great Sufi Saints. 2. 4. Who composed the hymns of Thevaram? 15. Write about Sufi Movement. 4. Mention the principles of Bhakti Movement. 2. 9. Answer in Detail 1. Point out the effects of the Bhakti Movement. Mention the service of Nambiandar Nambi. What do you know about the holy book of the Sikhs? 8. 9. What do you know about Meerabai? 11.