History: Cultural Developments in Medieval India: Vaishnava Bhakti and Sikhism- Flexiprep

9/22/2021 History: Cultural Developments in Medieval India: Vaishnava Bhakti and Sikhism- FlexiPrep

FlexiPrep History: Cultural Developments in Medieval India: Vaishnava Bhakti and Sikhism (For CBSE, ICSE, IAS, NET, NRA 2022)

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Similarities in the Teachings of Monotheistic Bhakti Saints in North India Most of the monotheistic belong to the low caste and hence there was a unity in their ideas.

All of them were influenced by Vaishnava concept of bhakti, the Nathpanti and Sufis. Their ideas were the synthesis of these traditions.

The importance was given to the personal experience of bhakti saints with God was a common feature.

Any formal association with organised religions was refused and criticised these religious traditions for their negative aspects.

They composed poems in popular languages and dialects of north India. This enables them to transits their ideas among common masses.

Vaishnava Bhakti Ramananda was the famous Vaishnava bhakti saint in north India. He took Ram as an object of bhakti. He founded the Ram cult in north India by worshipping Ram and Sita. Ramananda rejected cast hierarchies, preached in local dialects to popularise the cult. His followers were called Ramanandis.

Other Vaishnava saints were Tulsidas, Vallabacharya (popularise Krishna bhakti) , Surdas and Mira bai.

Vaishnava Bhakti Movement in Bengal Bhakti movement of Bengal was different from north and south.

They were influenced by the Vaishnava bhakti tradition of Bhagavata purana and Sahajiy Buddhist and Nathpanthi tradition.

Their tradition focusses on esoteric and emotional aspects of devotion.

Jayadeva was an important saint. He stressed more on the mystical aspects of love.

Chaitanya was another popular figure. He did not question the authority of the Brahmanas and scriptures. He popularised Sanskrit.

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Bhakti Movement in Maharashtra Bhagavata purana and Siva Nathpanthis influenced bhakti movement in Maharashtra.

Jnaneswar was the popular bhakti saint. He made commentary on Bhagvat Gita called as Jnanesvari. Jnaneswar opposed caste distinction and therefore, he believed that the only way to attain god was through bhakti.

Vithoba was the god of this sect.

Vithobha of Pnadarpur, Namdev were the famous saints of Maharashtra. Some others were Choka, Sonara, Tukaram and Eknath.

Sikhism Guru Nanak was the founder of Sikh religion.

Three Basic Elements of Sikhism

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Nanak and His Ideology of Religion Criticised the existing religious beliefs and established a religion that could lead to salvation.

Rejected idol worship.

Did not favoured pilgrimage.

He condemned formalism and ritualism.

Denounced caste system and inequality.

Concepts of justice, righteousness and liberty were stressed.

Two major concepts of his poems were Sach (truth) and Nam (name) .

He introduced the concept of langar (a community kitchen)

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