Devotion and Love 18 towards God CHAPTER In the previous chapter we acquainted ourselves with various beliefs, traditions and rituals of people living in very ancient times in our subcontinent. During the Mauryan period and after, the religious lives of Fig: 18.2 An early temple of Krishna the people living in different parts of the subcontinent began to change from Vidisha rapidly. This was also the time when traders were contacting the small worshipped images of Krishna. hunting and farming communities and empires were trying to gain control Archeologists have found remains of some over all of them. At the same time Brahmins following the Vedas, Buddhist Fig: 18.1 Gudimallam Lingam of the earliest temples built some two and Jaina Sramanas spread all over the country and interacted with these Bhagawatas and Shaivas thousand years ago in Vidisha in Madhya communities. The Bhagavatas worshipped Vishnu or Pradesh and also in Rajasthan. The Brahmins established ashramas in Hindu Religion Narayana. They believed that Vishnu was About the same time some other people different areas and performed sacrifices the ultimate god, who created this universe Hindu religion as we know it today, and was all powerful and all knowing. They began to worship Shiva in a similar manner. and conducted religious discussions. The evolved over thousands of years. Over also believed that Vishnu took birth on the They too built small temples with images Sramanas too established viharas and these years it has assimilated several Earth in various forms or incarnations of Shiva or a Lingam . If you go to stupas and preached the teachings of the religious traditions and teachings of saints (avatara ) to save the world from evil. The Gudimallam in Chittoor district you can see Buddha or Jaina. At the same time the and thinkers. The term ‘Hindu’ actually most important avataras are Rama and one of the earliest Lingam images of Shiva, Brahmanas and Sramanas also adopted came to be used only after 1000 CE. It Krishna. They became very popular in probably carved more than 2000 years ago. several features of the religion of the derives from the word ‘Sindhu’ meaning the different parts of the country around 2000 Some people also worshipped goddess people they interacted with. Thus the river Sindhu (or Indus) which has to be years ago. Durga in the same manner. worship of mother goddesses, snakes, crossed to enter the Indian subcontinent animals, trees and dead ancestors were from the North West. If you remember, the Buddhists or Even as Vishnu or Shiva or Durga was adopted by the Brahmins, the Buddhists and However some of the main features of Jainas or Upanishadic thinkers did not being worshipped as Supreme God, the the Jainas. They also adopted the practice the Hindu religion had taken shape well emphasise worship of any god as the road Buddhists and Jainas also began worshiping of using paintings or sculptures to worship, before 500 CE - this consisted of Vedic to salvation or moksha . They adovcated the Buddha and the Tirthankaras (Earliest even though many of them discarded the yagnas, worshipping dieties like Shiva, meditation, abandoning desires, or Jaina gurus). They made beautiful images idea of animal sacrifices as they believed Vishnu and Durga, building temples, pursuit purifying oneself through penance etc. But of the Buddha and the Tirthankaras and set in ahimsa . Thus gradually people began of Moksha through penance etc. The Vedas, the Bhagavatas believed that intense them up in stupas or temples called following mixed religious practices and Upanishadas, The Ramayana, The devotion and worship of Vishnu alone Chaityas and worshipped them. These were beliefs. Mahabharata (of which the Bhagawad Gita could relieve us from all problems and built in many places in Andhra Pradesh also, would lead to salvation. They thought that like in Amaravati, Nagarjunakonda, Can you see a similar combination was a part) and the Puranas came to be yagnas , or giving alms to Brahmins etc., Jaggayyapeta, Bhattiprolu, etc. Even though of different religious traditions in regarded as sacred books. In the following or even reciting the Vedas was not the Buddha or Mahavira did not claim to be the religion practiced in your own paragraphs we will study the Bhakti movement. necessary. They built temples and gods, they began to be treated as Supreme home? Discuss in the class. god’s representatives by now. Free Distribution by Govt. of A.P. 156 Social Studies Can you see the similarities stories and the stories about Vishnu or Shiva Tirumala are some such temples. It appears Hide and Seek between the Bhagavatas, the were written down as Puranas . that under the influence of these Bhaktas, You dwell in heaven Shaivas and the Buddhists? These Puranas, besides combining gradually people took worshipping Shiva Have you seen worship of gods in various religious traditions also extolled and Vishnu. Stand on the sacred mountain, sleep on temples? Describe the procedure one or the other god as the Supreme God the ocean, roll around in the earth Can you compare the religious of the worship in temples. Discuss who was all powerful, all knowing etc. They belief of hunter-gatherers and the Yet hidden everywhere, you grow what you know about them in the advocated worshipping of the God as the Bhakti movement and point out the invisibly; class with each other. easy way to solve one’s problems and attain similarities and differences? salvation. Moving within numberless outer Can you compare the religious worlds Story tellers Love for the supreme beliefs of the Vedic period and the Playing within my heart, yet not Bhakti movement? You probably love listening to stories from God – Bhakti Movement showing your body your elders, from religious story tellers or Alvars and Nayanars Will you always play hide and seek? performers like puppetry. About 550 Common Era, in Tamilnadu there arose a new movement of devotion Twelve main devotees of Vishnu were Can you describe any such to God. They were the followers of Vishnu called the Alvars – the most important In the above verse Nammalvar is pointing performance in the class? or Shiva. They did not believe in among them being Periyalvar and out that the Lord is present everywhere but performance of any elaborate ritual like Nammalvar. Andal the daughter of Have you attended any story telling is not appearing before him. He is yagnas or animal sacrifices. They were also Periyalvar is the only woman among them. in temples? If so, describe it. desperately seeking a vision of God, but the very opposed to religions like Buddhism Most of them travelled to different temples God is not showing Himself to Nammalvar. of Vishnu and composed and sang songs People of ancient period also loved to and Jainism which did not believe in any He is unable to have a glimpse of God. called Pasurams . Here we give you some listen to stories. In those days bards and God. Instead they believed that intense love for Shiva or Vishnu and a desire for union of the songs of Nammalvar to think and Why does Nammalvar feel that God religious story tellers (like harikatha ) used understand its meaning. to wander around telling stories of the with Him alone was the path for salvation. is playing hide and seek with him? They did not pray for solving problems or Creation various gods and goddesses like Shiva, In what way is Nammalvar for riches or power, but for union with God Vishnu or Durga or stories of Ramayana In that original moment (Vishnu), our expressing his intense love for or a vision of the God. They also believed and Mahabharata. Stories related to the lord and father Vishnu? Buddha were also told. People gathered in that anyone irrespective of their caste or Made earth, water, fire, wind and sky large numbers to hear them. These story community could love God. All devotees together sang songs of love for the God and And the mountains; The Nayanars were 63 in number and tellers not only related the stories they had were devotees of Shiva. They came from danced in joy. Made the two lights, sun and moon, learnt from their elders but also learnt new different castes, including Kannappa, a stories from the people. Suppose some Some of the Bhaktas went to different And other such bodies; hunter and Nandanar, a Pulaiya, or an people worshipped snakes and had stories temples and composed songs on the diety Then the rain, and all that lives by rain, outcaste. Some of them like Appar, about snake gods, the story tellers learnt in the local language so that they are And the gods of rain. Sambandar, Sundarar and Manikka Vasakar those stories and added them to their understood by the masses. These songs went from one temple to another and collection of stories. In this way the story were sung by the devotees for several In this verse you can see that Nammalvar composed songs in praise of Shiva. A tellers combined various stories of gods generations before they were finally considers Vishnu to be the creator of the couple of them like Karaikkal Arraiyar were and goddesses, religious teachings and collected and written down around 1100 CE. universe, but at the same time talks of him women. Here are some verses from methods of worshipping. Gradually these As a result of their efforts a large number as being his own father and lord. Thus the Tevaram and Tiruvasakam composed by began to be written down. The Buddhist of these temples became famous and all powerful God is as close as a father to them.