Its results have deeply influenced contemporary religious and cultural trends in India. [7] These poet-saints championed a wide range of philosophical positions within their society, ranging from the theistic dualism of Dvaita to the absolute monism of Advaita Vedanta. Ranade, in his book, The Rise of Maratha Power, sums up the deep impact of this spiritual awakening. [35][36] In verses 6.31 through 6.47 of the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna (Incarnation of Vishnu), the source of everything, describes bhakti yoga and loving devotion, as one of the several paths to the highest spiritual attainments. Get all the important information related to the UPSC Civil Services Exam including the process of application, important calendar dates, eligibility criteria, exam centers etc. Prohibited Content 3. Unacademy is Indias largest online learning platform. The movement started in the 9th century A.D. by Shankaracharya which continued up to 16th century A.D. by a number of Hindu devotees, preachers and religious reformers. All the prominent leaders played a significant role in the time of medieval India. [74] Brajavali is to an extent, a combination of medieval Maithili and Assamese. [30][31] Tsuchida writes that the Upanishad syncretically combines monistic ideas in Upanishad and self-development ideas in Yoga with personification of Shiva-Rudra deity. A brief summary of the main features of the movement are given below. [note 1][117], Guru Nanak, the first Sikh Guru and the founder of Sikhism, was a Bhakti saint. They want some solace to repair their broken hearts, The most significant social influence of the Bhakti movement was that its adherents disregarded the caste system, They started mixing on the premise of equality. The saints and reformers through Bhakti movement reduced the rigours of caste-system and through paved the way for their retention in the fold of Hinduism. The movement further divided the Hindu society. Account Disable 12. The society also suffered from polytheism, segregation, severe economic disparity due to casteism, untouchability etc. Uploader Agreement. The poets way of immortalizing love was praised by many, giving a new direction to the Bhakti. The concept was only to propel the Indian society to devote their life for the sake of love, devotion, and equity. In Gods sight, everyone is comparable. Devotion to the goddesses is more regional and local, expressed in temples and in festivals devoted to Durga, Kali, Shitala (goddess of smallpox), Lakshmi (goddess of good fortune), and many others. [55], According to Wendy Doniger, the nature of Bhakti movement may have been affected by the "surrender to God" daily practices of Islam when it arrived in India. "The main results of Bhakti movement were the development of vernacular literature, modification of caste exclusiveness, sanctification of family life, elevation of status of women, preaching of humaneness and tolerance, partial reconciliation with Islam, subordination of rites and ceremonies, pilgrimages, fasts etc, learning and contemplation to Bhakti, intense love and devotion, the only way to salvation. [14] Many scholars are now characterizing the emergence of Bhakti in medieval India as a revival, reworking, and recontextualization of the central themes of the Vedic traditions.[14]. [1] It swept over east and north India from the 15th century onwards, reaching its zenith between the 15th and 17th century CE. [86] Two 12th-century influential treatises on bhakti were Sandilya Bhakti Sutra a treatise resonating with Nirguna-bhakti, and Narada Bhakti Sutra a treatise that leans towards Saguna-bhakti. image source: bhaktivedantamanor.co.uk/home/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Pancha-Tattwa.jpg. "[59], The Bhakti movement witnessed a surge in Hindu literature in regional languages, particularly in the form of devotional poems and music. within the body the puja-leaves. It emphasized earning of wealth through hard work and honest means. The word Bhakti is a very familiar word in the Hindu religious system. Strictly objectifying blind faith, ceremonies, and superstitious rituals. The poem mentions their long association, bonding, anger, and disappointment. The Bhakti movement was propelled by an idea to introduce universal brotherhood and unity in God. Even Lord Buddha came to be regarded as the ninth incarnation of Lord Krishna in the Hindu pantheon. [21][136], John Stratton Hawley describes recent scholarship which questions the old theory of Bhakti movement origin and "story of south-moves-north", then states that the movement had multiple origins, mentioning Brindavan in north India as another center. what message has the dark-hued lord Islamic beliefs and practiceshad a significant impact on the movement. They believed in a formless and shapeless God which was the Supreme power. The term Bhakti refers to a single-minded devotion to one God. 2. The status of women received more importance. The movement which emphasized primarily these ideas was the Bhakti movementdevotion to God. Rejection of idol worship by many saints 7. Devotion to Shiva is associated with his frequent manifestations on earthin which he can appear as anyone, even a tribal hunter, a Dalit (formerly called an untouchable), or a Muslim. Gyan marga Attaining salvation through learning and understanding. Unacademy is Indias largest online learning platform. image source: file2.answcdn.com/answ-cld/image/upload/w_760,c_fill,g_faces:center,q_60/v1400865382/aq7aucv9yoo1k2slaob0.jpg. The Supreme Bramhan is most merciful. The term Bhakti means devotion, which proposed the following, The Bhakti saints derive Bhakti, devotion and love to be the only way to attain salvation, An objection to blind faith, ceremonies, norms and rituals, The objection of worshipping idols by the exponents, An open conversation and thoughtfulness in taking decisions on religious matters, No differentiation between lower and higher category castes, The movement raised the need for Guru to guide the socio-religious movement, Surrendering oneself to take the path of salvation and reach God, Promotion of religious messages by moving from one place to another through several groups, The principles and features of the Bhakti movement are interconnected. We also know about the person who built Alai Darwaza and much more about the topic. The Sikh scripture includes many verses on devotional worship. [86] Saguna Brahman, in contrast, was envisioned and developed as with form, attributes and quality. After the group ritual at the temple, the priest would distribute bits of the deitys leftover food (called prasad, the word for grace). Self-Surrender. [85] Nirguna Brahman was the concept of the Ultimate Reality as formless, without attributes or quality. Answer: Following are the main features of Bhakti: This was the result of people's struggle to free the religion from control of the priests. After living together for generations and continuous interaction between the people of two communities there grew a feeling of magnanimity and generosity among the Hindus and Muslims. Many of those poems continue to be recited and sung, often at all-night celebrations. [85], The Bhakti movement led to devotional transformation of medieval Hindu society, wherein Vedic rituals or alternatively ascetic monk-like lifestyle for moksha gave way to individualistic loving relationship with a personally defined god. Initially, the movement originated around Shaivites and Vaishnavites. [91][92], Poet-saints grew in popularity, and literature on devotional songs in regional languages became profuse. [83] Similarly, the first translation of the Ramayana into an Indo-Aryan language was by Madhava Kandali, who translated it into Assamese as the Saptakanda Ramayana. The Bhakti reformers believed in freedom from the cycle of life and death and preached that salvation could be attained only by deep devotion and faith in God. That God is one single entity, with different names. [98] Practices emerged bringing new forms of spiritual leadership and social cohesion among the medieval Hindus, such as community singing, chanting together of deity names, festivals, pilgrimages, rituals relating to Saivism, Vaishnavism and Shaktism. Positive principles of truthfulness, non-violence, harmony, morality and humanistic values were their creed and motto. It preached against the caste system, used local languages to reach among the crowds. Many people suggest that Ramanuja travelled from Chola to Mysore and established the Vaishnav group before their death. This was on account of the spirit of toleration preached by the Bhakti saints. Peasants and Monks in British India, University of California Press, 'The Brajabuli idiom developed in Orissa and Bengal also. Answer: The Saiva Nayanars and Vaishnava Alvars founded the Bhakti movement. [137] Hawley describes the controversy and disagreements between Indian scholars, quotes Hegde's concern that "Bhakti movement was a reform" theory has been supported by "cherry-picking particular songs from a large corpus of Bhakti literature" and that if the entirety of the literature by any single author such as Basava is considered along with its historical context, there is neither reform nor a need for reform. Madeleine Biardeau states, as does Jeanine Miller, that Bhakti movement was neither reform nor a sudden innovation, but the continuation and expression of ideas to be found in Vedas, Bhakti Marga teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, the Katha Upanishad and the Shvetashvatara Upanishad. The Bhakti movement succeeded to a very small extent in realizing its two-fold objective i.e. For instance the language of Kabir was a mixture of several languages of every day use. According to them there was no distinction and consideration of high and low on the basis of birth. The medieval period witnessed many revivalist movements in Hinduism under different sages and saints. 1. The term Sufi has come from the word Safa meaning pure which implies purity of thought and action. Repeating the actual name. In course of time the saints of Northern India got themselves involved in this Bhakti movement. Many people suggest that Ramanuja travelled from Chola to Mysore and established the Vaishnav group before their death. Sufism, however, gained prominence in the 10th and 11th centuries during the reign of the Delhi Sultanate. Thus, the general public was greatly influenced by the reforms of these Bhakti cults. Repetition of the True Name. They believe that God lives in ones heart and not in any specific temple or mosque. The notion of Bhakti originated with Hinduism and is related to complete devotion to God. [109] Some of the bhagats whose hymns were included in the Guru Granth Sahib, were bhakti poets who taught their ideas before the birth of Guru Nanak the first of Sikh Guru. 2. One who practices bhakti is called a bhakta. It encouraged the value of social service to the poor and the needy. An important factor which led to the popularity of Bhakti movement was that most of the promoters of this movement attempted to reconcile the differences between the Hindus and the Muslims by stressing that Rama and Rahim were one and the same. For the Hindus the effort was initiated by the Hindu saints of the Bhakti movement and for the Muslims by the Sufi Saints. With such long-lasting impacts, the religious depression of the medieval society was set aside. Learn more topics related to Ancient History of India, Download lessons and learn anytime, anywhere with the Unacademy app, Access free live classes and tests on the app, A Brief Guide On Main Principles Of Bhakti Movement, Bhakti movement swept over India in the east and north since the 15th century. The feeling of appreciation of the difference between the thought and practices of the two religions emerged. It is to be noted that Southern Vaishnavite saints are called Alwars and the Saivite saints are called Nayanars. The Bhakti movement also led to the prominence of the concept of female devotion, of poet-saints such as Andal coming to occupy the popular imagination of the common people along with her male counterparts. Terms of Service 7. It drew attention to the evils of anger, greed and vanity. Get answers to the most common queries related to the Railway Examination Preparation. Even some of the prominent rulers of India became ardent followers of these religions. Therefore, to provide a deep study of the revolution, the write-up will discuss the role, salientfeatures and principles of the Bhakti movement. Seeingand being seen bythe god or goddess (darshan) was an essential part of the ritual. The poet was a disciple of Guru Ramananda Ji, who guided Kabir on the path of devotion. The former's adherents, known as Vaishnavas, were further classified into Krishna - both avatars of Vishnu - as their personal God. It is not the way of worship but the love of a selfless devotee of pure heart that matters for Whoever offers to me with devotion, a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or water I accept (IX, 26). The Bhakti movement started in the South in response to the conquest of northern India by Muslim rulers. Vishnu-bhakti is based on Vishnus avatars (incarnations), particularly Krishna and Rama. They brought necessaryprinciples of the Bhakti movementthat could convince many to urge on the path of devotion, love and tenacity. On the philosophical front, both the Saguna and the Nirguna adhered to the Upanishadic doctrine of Advaita, with slight variations provided by various Bhakti saints. The Bhakti movement was a significant religious movement in medieval Hinduism[1] that sought to bring religious reforms to all strata of society by adopting the method of devotion to achieve salvation. Bhakti, intense love and devotion, the only way to salvation. Pechilis in her book on Bhakti movement, for example, states:[135]. Adi Shankaracharya, an 8th-century Hindu religious reformer and scholar, was also instrumental in extending the Bhakti movement throughout India. The exponents, including Kabir, Guru Nanak, Ramanuja, Chaitanya and Jaidev, promoted the idea of equality and unity among the different sections of society. During the time of Muslim rule in India the Hindu society was full of many social anomalies like rigidity of caste system, irrelevant rituals and religious practices, blind faiths and social dogmas. He approached the Indian society to bring unity in God and not differentiate any of them. It was a complete surrender of oneself to God. The movement tried to loosen the bond of caste. image source: images.cdn.bigcartel.com/bigcartel/product_images/122440308/max_h-1000%2Bmax_w-1000/bm_Tcover.jpg. They wanted a simple way of worship, simple religious practices and simple social customs. [32] Hiriyanna interprets the text to be introducing "personal theism" in the form of Shiva Bhakti, with a shift to monotheism but in the henotheistic context where the individual is encouraged to discover his own definition and sense of God.[33]. Surdas spoke in the Brij dialect. The major similarities and common ideas can be summarized in the following manner: 1. Shankaracharya is claimed to have been a child genius who knew all the Hindu sacred books by eight. [89] Yet given the "mountains of Nirguni bhakti literature", adds Lorenzen, bhakti for Nirguna Brahman has been a part of the reality of the Hindu tradition along with the bhakti for Saguna Brahman. image source: static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2011/11/20/1321804097807/Sufi-Muslim-dervishes-dur-004.jpg. Learn about the life of Vallabhacharya, a great saint and philosopher. Open- mindedness about deciding religious matters. The movement was inspired by many poet-saints, who championed a wide range of philosophical positions ranging from theistic dualism of Dvaita to absolute monism of Advaita Vedanta.[11][12]. Besides, the fifteenth century is generally regarded as the century of tolerance. The Bhakti movement brought them hope and support and inner strength to save themselves. [19] Bhakti movement in Hinduism refers to ideas and engagement that emerged in the medieval era on love and devotion to religious concepts built around one or more gods and goddesses. Self-Surrender. Believed in Non-violence (Ahimsa) It is a reform movement within the Islamic religion which started in Persia. Before uploading and sharing your knowledge on this site, please read the following pages: 1. They stressed that a true religious man is one who is pure in thought and action. Their doors were open to all classes. Although the preachers of the movement were from different parts of India, spoke different languages and presented different sermons there was a marked similarity in their thoughts and philosophy. Wendy Doniger is the Mircea Eliade Distinguished Service Professor of the History of Religions in the Divinity School at the University of Chicago. One God with different names. within the body all the Jangamas[95] Rejection of idol worship by many saints Open- mindedness about deciding religious matters. They advocated that the salvation could be attained only by deep devotion and faith in God. The Bhakti movement was a huge religious development in the history of medieval India. Learn about a brief history of Adi Shankaracharya, one of the most revered teachers in India's spiritual history. 10. Adi Shankaracharya, an 8th-century Hindu religious reformer and scholar, was also instrumental in extending the Bhakti movement throughout India. A true guru was the main source to attain God. [120][121][122] Guru Arjan, in his Sukhmani Sahib, recommended the true religion is one of loving devotion to God. They were based on Bhakti which was the outcome of the feeling of escapism which dominated the Hindu mind as a result of the conquest of its sacred places in Islam.. The spirit of tolerance, harmony and mutual respect which was inaugurated by the Bhakti saints had another everlasting impact the emergence of a new cult of worship by both Hindus and Muslims. It also describes maintaining unity in society, which begins with worshipping God. Repetition . It reformed the religion to a great extent. With the above mentioned characteristics Bhakti movement began a new chapter in the Indian society. The saints of the Bhakti movement rejected the difference of caste and Uati. [113], While Sikhism was influenced by Bhakti movement,[114][115][116] and incorporated hymns from the Bhakti poet-saints, it was not simply an extension of the Bhakti movement. Nanaks teachings emancipated his followers to break the social shackles and caste system of Indian society. Download our apps to start learning, Call us and we will answer all your questions about learning on Unacademy. TheBhakti saints, including Ramanuja, Chaitanya, Jaidev, Kabir, Ramanand, believed in the unity of God. On the other hand the Muslims also appreciated that the Hindus were in absolute majority and it was impossible to force all of them to embrace Islam. The devotees worship is intended to obtain Gods favour for salvation. Therefore, one should constantly chant the Hare Krishna Mahamantra, - Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. The Nayanars were devotees of Lord Shiva, whereas the Alvars were devotees of Lord Vishnu. 4. The poet was a disciple of Guru Ramananda Ji, who guided Kabir on the path of devotion. Many doctrines of the Bhakti cult may be found in the Bhagavad-Gita. The evil practice of Sati received some set back. The Bhakti saints believed in equality of man and man. Bhakti arose in South India in the 7th to 10th centuries in poems that the Alvars and the Nayanars composed in Tamil to the gods Vishnu and Shiva, respectively. Disclaimer 8. Privacy Policy 9. The Bhakti movement aimed at the purification of Hindu religion and liberation of the people from the monopoly and injustices of the priestly classes. 3. [63][82] These writers championed a spectrum of philosophical positions ranging from theistic dualism, qualified nondualism and absolute monism. Anybody, irrespective of caste, colour and creed, could reach Him and realize Him through the simple method of selfless devotion. According to Sufi saints, God is the beloved of the lover ('Mashook") i.e. [127], Some Sikh sects outside the Punjab-region of India, such as those found in Maharashtra and Bihar, practice Aarti with lamps in a Gurdwara. [132] John Cort suggests that the bhakti movement in later Hinduism and Jainism may share roots in vandal and puja concepts of the Jaina tradition. Karma marga Attaining salvation through food deeds like doing services to the needy people; They brought necessary. The thirteen Hindu bhagats whose hymns were entered into the text, were poet saints of the Bhakti movement, and included Namdev, Pipa, Ravidas, Beni, Bhikhan, Dhanna, Jayadeva, Parmanand, Sadhana, Sain, Surdas, Trilochan, while the two Muslim bhagats were Kabir and Sufi saint Farid. I swear by Rama. Observing fasts, going on pilgrimages, reading namaz or worshipping deities were totally useless if they were not done with purity of thought or a sense of surrender to God. And the word Bhakti can be translated as devotion or devotional love. As a matter of fact Bhakti movement had raised its voice against racial discrimination, caste hierarchy and such social differentiations. Jaidev-Jaidev was a Sanskrit poet of the 12th century, famous for Gita Govindas poem. [20], Ancient Indian texts, dated to be from the 1st millennium BCE, such as the Shvetashvatara Upanishad, the Katha Upanishad, and the Bhagavad Gita mention Bhakti.[21]. Bhakti movement centred round monotheism or the worship of one God. They range from the 7th to 9th century, with Muslim traders settling in coastal regions of the Indian peninsula, to Muslims seeking asylum in Tamil Nadu, to raids in northwest India by, Karen Pechelis (2011), "Bhakti Traditions", in. Any object could be used as a symbol of the god. Devotees also offered daily sacrificesfor some, animal sacrifices; for others, vegetarian sacrifices of fruit and flowersin the home or temple. These people were known as the Nayanars and the Alvars. A person was free to choose his ways and means to worship a god. It pointed out the virtues of contentment and self control. Right from the time of the compilation of the Vedas, the word Bhakti has come into vogue. Salient Features of Bhakti Movement 1. Copyright 10. 2. The orientalist images of bhakti were formulated in a context of discovery: a time of organized cultural contact, in which many agencies, including administrative, scholarly, and missionary sometimes embodied in a single person sought knowledge of India. ; The origin of Bhakti is traced in Vedas, but its real development took place after the 7 th [104][105] In Sikhism, "nirguni Bhakti" is emphasised devotion to a divine without Gunas (qualities or form),[105][106][107] but it accepts both nirguni and saguni forms of the divine. The period witnessed the emergence of a number of saints and reformers who tried to purge Hinduism of its evils and blind practices. Their efforts helped in the promotion o Answer: Only one God exists. [19] Karen Pechelis states that the word Bhakti should not be understood as uncritical emotion, but as committed engagement. The term "Bhakti" means "devotion", which proposed the following features of the Bhakti movement in the early medieval period. An objection to blind faith, ceremonies, norms and rituals. Main Features of the Bhakti Movement: 1. The term 'Bhakthi' refers to 'devotion'. The bhakti movement brought principles and thought change among the Indian societal sections by imposing the following features- Self-surrender of oneself in the devotion of God The objection to worshipping idols by Bhakti saints Unity in God means there is only one God with different physical forms and names [139][140], John Guy states that the evidence of Hindu temples and Chinese inscriptions from the 8th century CE about Tamil merchants, presents Bhakti motifs in Chinese trading towns, particularly the Kaiyuan Temple (Quanzhou). Later on, the movement took a new direction by evolving the devotion to God, i.e., Lord Krishna. 3. The Kama connotes emotional connection, sometimes with sensual devotion and erotic love. The impact of the Bhakti movement in India was similar to that of the Protestant Reformation of Christianity in Europe. He used to believe in the idea of One God and honesty. 7. It is perhaps far-fetched to say that Akbars broad outlook was on account of the impact of the Bhakti movement. bhakti, (Sanskrit: devotion) in Hinduism, a movement emphasizing the mutual intense emotional attachment and love of a devotee toward a personal god and of the god for the devotee. UPSC Prelims Previous Year Question Paper. The different sections of Indian society also followed their paths between the 12th and 18th centuries. Disclaimer 8. In the 16th century Tulsidass Hindi retelling of the Rama legend in the Ramcharitmanas (Sacred Lake of the Acts of Rama) focused on the sentiment of friendship and loyalty. [17][18], The meaning of the term Bhakti is analogous to but different from Kama. Introduced Social giving like Seva Introduced dana (charity) Community kitchens with free food. [7] Most scholars state that Bhakti movement provided women and members of the Shudra and untouchable communities an inclusive path to spiritual salvation. Omissions? We also learn about the Shankaracharya, salvation, idol worship and much more about the topic. Due to this synthesising attitude Bhakti movement attained tremendous success. Condemnation of rituals, ceremonies and blind faith. The movement tried to reduce the growing bitterness between the two and bridge the gap. Period of common people's devotion to God in the medieval Indian subcontinent, These views include Sikhs believing in achieving blissful mukhti while alive, Sikhs emphasizing the path of the householder, Sikh's disbelief in. Surdas used Brij dialect. The Sufi saints of the Muslims also emphasized devotion to Allah (God). The Tirumurai, a compilation of hymns on Shiva by sixty-three Nayanar poet-saints, developed into an influential scripture in Shaivism. The attitude of self-surrender constituted another important tenet of the movement. Rejection of idol worship by many saints. In South India passionate, often erotic, poems to Shiva and Vishnu (particularly to Krishna) were composed in Tamil and other Dravidian languages, such as Kannada, Telugu, and Malayalam. Following are the, A man should serve humanity to worship their God, Although, no religion is more prominent than humanity or humankind, The Bhakti movement defines worshiping the Lord as more important than performing ceremonies, People should give up all the caste system and superstitious beliefs regarding the lower caste and racism, All Gods are one; they exist in different physical forms but have the same souls, the only God is the one that lives in our hearts, Honesty and Truthfulness are of utmost importance, Universal brotherhood is of primary importance than disrespecting each other based on different religions and castes, The movement aimed at bringing equality by sharing their meals and kitchen, it led to a decrease in the negative impacts of the caste system, The followers of the Bhakti movement enchant many slogans and poems across different sections of society to remove caste discrimination, The Bhakti movement was propelled by an idea to introduce universal brotherhood and unity in God. Please read the description below to learn about their work and contribution. 2. Shandilya and Narada are credited with two Bhakti texts, the Shandilya Bhakti Sutra and Narada Bhakti Sutra. The genesis of the Bhakti movement lies in the social evils prevalent in the-then Hindu society.
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