The Neo-Vaishnavite Movement of Assam Unit 7
UNIT 7 : THE NEO-VAISHNAVITE MOVEMENT OF ASSAM
UNIT STRUCTURE
7.1 Learning Objectives 7.2 Introduction 7.3 Origin and Development of Neo-Vaishnavite Movement in Assam 7.4 Sankaradeva and the Neo-Vaishnavite Movement 7.5 Neo-Vaishnavite Movement after Sankaradeva in Assam 7.6 Let Us Sum Up 7.7 Answers To Check Your Progress 7.8 Further Reading 7.9 Model Questions
7.1 LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After going through this unit, you will be able to learn • Discuss the origin and development of Neo-Vaishnavite Movement, • Discuss the contributions of Sankaradeva towards Neo-Vaishnavite Movement, • Describe the development of Neo-Vaishnavite Movement after Sankaradeva.
7.2 INTRODUCTION
The Bhakti Movement (800-1700) started in South India in the sixth and the seventh centuries AD. The movement then gradually spread into the whole of India in the following centuries. The Bhakti Movement took different shape in different places. Still the basic character and motive of the movement remained the same. The movement opposed Brahmanical dominance, religious fanaticism, ritualism and casteism. It advocated for reaching God through love and devotion.
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The saints of the Bhakti Movement communicated to people through their devotional songs and dances. Tukaram in Maharastra, Mirabai in Rajasthan, the Sufi’s in Punjab, Kabira in Uttar Pradesh and Sankaradeva and Madhavadeva in Assam were a few of the major saints of the Bhakti Movement. According to their belief, God is one and he may be reached through love and devotion to Him.
7.3 ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEO- VAISHNAVA MOVEMENT IN ASSAM
It was SrimantaSankaradeva (1449-1568) who founded the Bhakti Movement in Assam towards the end of the fifteenth century AD. He was assisted by his disciples, chief among whom was Sri SriMadavadeva (1489- 1596). The religion taught by Sankardeva is Neo-Vaisnavism. It is based on the BhagavataPurana, shortly known as the Bhagavata. Therefore, his religion is known both as Neo-Vaisnavism and as Bhagavati Dharma. The religion teaches to take shelter in one God. This God is none other than Lord Krishna, a form of Lord Visnu. As it believes in one God, it is known as Ekasarana Dharma. It emphasizes on Naama (“citing of God’s name”) as a way of expressing devotion to God, for which it is also known as the Naama Dharma. The religion is also known as the EkasaranaNaama Dharma. Another name of the religion is Mahapurusiya Dharma, because Sankaradeva is considered to be a “Mahapurusa” (“Great Person”). Besides spreading religious and spiritual messages, Sankaradeva’s religion reformed and united the contemporary Assamese society by opposing social distinctions like caste and religion. He also shaped Assamese culture by founding Satra (a religious institution) and Naamghar (a type of prayer-house) and by inventing forms like Bhaona (“drama”), Satriya Dance (a dance form) and Bargeet (“holy songs of high standard”). Sankaradeva’s plays are known as AnkiyaNaat.
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The epoch of the Bhakti Movement continued in Assam for almost two centuries after Sankaradeva’s demise in 1568. It was guided during this period by various Vaisnavite leaders such as Damodaradeva and Harideva. Neo-Vaisnavism however did not stop to continue after the end of the Bhakti Movement.
7.4 SANKARADEVA AND NEO-VAISHNAVITE MOVEMENT
Vishnu worship was prevalent in the Brahmaputra Valley from very long past. The third important sect that prevailed in Assam on the eve of Sankardeva’s neo-vaishnavism was the Vaishnavism. This form of Vaishnavism was different from the one introduced by Sankardeva. Main difference between these two phases of Vaishnavism was that, in the earlier phase Vishnu was worshiped in the form of idol but Sankardeva’s Neo- Vaishnavism differs from that, in that it was popularized the cult of Krishna form of Vishnu worship with the most simple way of devotion called bhakti. Within two hundred years of inception the movement firmly established the Vaishnava faith as the supreme religious order of the Brahmaputra Valley. The socio-political situation of the Brahmaputra Valley, at this point of time produced the best fertile field for harvesting new socio-religious seeds. The state was scattered among various tribes with their own political as well as religious believes. There was absence of unity in every spheres of society. The common people at this situation had to face difficulties everywhere. Socially with the entrance of the brahmonical elements into their society, they were not treated equally, politically they had experienced the feudal hardship, and in the religious field also they did not have their own choice, as brahmonical elements were main force behind religion. In such a situation great socio-religious reformer of medieval Assam Sankardeva took birth at Barduwa in present Nawgong district of Assam in 1449 A.D. His father KusumbarBhuya with considerable power and affluence. He took his education in Sanskrit which helped him much in
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acquiring knowledge from our sastras. After the death of his first wife he went out on a long pilgrimage of twelve years duration and visited almost all the sacred places of northern India. He closely observed every place of religious importance, came into contact with many saints and scholars of neo-vaishnavite movement, which had a deep impact on his spiritual life. So after his return from pilgrimage he carried with him a reformist mind and started a new religious sect stressing more on bhakti i.e. neo-vaishnavite movement. Of the nine modes of bhakti, Sankaradeva considered sravana and kirtana to be sufficient as religious endeavour of man towards the highest consumption possible. They are accessible to the highest and the lowest alike, and no rigid theocratic laws are to be followed.Aim of Sankardeva’s neo-Vaishnavite movement was to teach the people simple ways of living, equality of all irrespective of caste and creed in the field of religion, practicing non-violence and discarding sacrifice of living being in the name of religion. The society was also marked by the complicated and elaborate systems of rituals and practices associated with propitiation of various gods and goddess, and exploitation of the commoners in all possible ways by practices of elaborate ritualism and the caste system. Snakardeva, through the prayer of congregational prayer, nam-kritan and devotion to one supreme God in the form of Vishnu or Krishna, attempted to simplify existing ritualism. The cultural contributions of Sankardeva towards the Neo-Vaishnavite Movement will be discussed in the unit 8.
LET US KNOW Nine modes of Bhakti There are nine modes of bhakti. They are sravana, kirtana, smarana, padasevana, archana, vardana, dasya, sakhya and atmanivendan
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7.5 NEO-VAISHNAVITE MOVEMENT AFTER SANKARADEVA
The immediate effect of the death of Sankardeva was visible on the neo-vaishnavite movement that the movement got split due to ideological differences of Madhavadeva and Damodardeva. Both Madhabdeva and Damodardeva were well known disciples of Sankardeva. Division became visible when the headship of the movement was entrusted by Sankardeva upon Madhabdeva. Damodardeva, who was a Brahmin disciple of Sankardeva could not accept Madhabdeva as the head of the order and seceded from it and established his own order by modifying the religious teachings and practices of the parent-cult by making a compromise between the path of devotion and the Brahmonical practices, which was against the teachings of the founder of the sect. Thus with Damodardeva, a new order of the neo-vaishnavite movement Brahma Samhati developed with more popularity among the Brahmin disciples of the movement. This division was soon followed by another division developed by Purushottam Thakur grandson of the saint himself, known as the PurushaSanghati, this division too rejected Madhavadeva’s headship, and claimed Sankaradeva as the Guru, and did not give much stress on ritualism. The third division came when Gopaldeva alias Gopal Ata, a disciple of Madhavadeva, founded his sect with all forms of liberality in the practice of religion as allowed originally by Sankaradeva known as the Kala Sanghati. MathuradasBurha Ata, another disciple of Madhabdeva founded another order NikaSanghati to retain the original teachings of the neo-vaishnavite movement. The process of the historic sectarian divisions of Sankardeva’s Vaishnavism took place in Lower Assam, and was complete by the close of the 16th century. Despite differences in certain aspects due to differences of personalities and contexts of developments, they share in common most of the basic elements of Vaishnavism, initiated by Sankardeva.
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CHECK YOUR PROGRESS Answer the Following questions:
Q.1: Name the chief disciple of Sankaradeva.
……………………...... ……………………
Q.2:………………………..founded NikaSanghati. (fill in the blank)
Q.3:Damodardeva developed……………..Sanghati.(fill in the blank)
Q.4: Who was the father of Sankaradeva?
………………………………………………………………...………..
7.6 LET US SUM UP
After going through this unit, you have learnt
• the origin and development of the Neo-Vaishnavite Movement in Assam in the fifteenth century.
• contributions of Sankaradeva towards the Neo-Vaishnavite Movement,
• the development of Neo-Vaishnavite Movement after Sankaradeva.
7.7 ANSWERS TO CHECK YOUR PROGRESS
Answer no 1:Madhabadeva Answer no 2:Mathuradas Answer no 3: Brahma Answer no 4:KushumbaraBhuyan
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7.8 FURTHER READING
1. Neog, M., (1965), Sankardeva and His Times: Early History of the Vaisnava Faith and Movement in Assam, Gauhati University, Guwahati 2. Sarma, S.N., (1966), The Neo Vaisnavite Movement and The Satra Institution of Assam, Gauhati University, Guwahati 3. Mahanta, P.J., (2007), The Sankardeva Movement : Its Cultural Horizons, Purbanchal Prakash, Guwahati
7.9 MODEL QUESTIONS
A) VERY SHORT QUESTIONS (Answer each question within 50 words) Q.1: Who was Sankaradeva? Q.2: Mention four divisions of the Neo-Vaishnavite movement.
B) SHORT QUESTIONS (Answer each question within 150 words)
Q.1: Briefly discuss the teachings of Neo-Vaishnavite Movement. Q.2: Write a short note on Sankaradeva.
C) LONG QUESTIONS (Answer each questions within 300-500 words)
Q.1: Discuss the origin and development of the Neo-Vaishnavite Movement in Assam. Q.2: Discuss the contributions of Sankaradeva towards the Neo-Vaishnavite Movement.
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