WRITING FROM THE INSIDE: Domesticity and Transcendence in the Works of BahiIJa Baï (c. 1628-1700) Preeti Ashok Parasharami Faculty of Religious Studies McGill University, Montreal t February 8 \ 2006 A thesis submitted to McGill University in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Master's of Arts in Religious Studies. © Preeti Ashok Parasharami Library and Bibliothèque et 1+1 Archives Canada Archives Canada Published Heritage Direction du Branch Patrimoine de l'édition 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington Ottawa ON K1A ON4 Ottawa ON K1A ON4 Canada Canada Your file Votre référence ISBN: 978-0-494-24907-9 Our file Notre référence ISBN: 978-0-494-24907-9 NOTICE: AVIS: The author has granted a non­ L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive exclusive license allowing Library permettant à la Bibliothèque et Archives and Archives Canada to reproduce, Canada de reproduire, publier, archiver, publish, archive, preserve, conserve, sauvegarder, conserver, transmettre au public communicate to the public by par télécommunication ou par l'Internet, prêter, telecommunication or on the Internet, distribuer et vendre des thèses partout dans loan, distribute and sell th es es le monde, à des fins commerciales ou autres, worldwide, for commercial or non­ sur support microforme, papier, électronique commercial purposes, in microform, et/ou autres formats. paper, electronic and/or any other formats. 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While these forms may be included Bien que ces formulaires in the document page count, aient inclus dans la pagination, their removal does not represent il n'y aura aucun contenu manquant. any loss of content from the thesis. ••• Canada WRITING FROM THE INSIDE: Domesticity and Transcendence in the Works of Bahil,lu BUI (c. 1628-1700) By Preeti Ashok Parasharami Table of Contents Acknowledgements iii Abstract il' Résumé v Note on Transliteration 1'1 Introduction Chapter 1: Situating Bahil,lu BUI in the Vurkarl Tradition 14 Chapter 2: The Home as the Locus of Female Spirituality in the Works of Bahil,lu BUI 50 Chapter 3: In Pursuit of God: Bahil,lu BaTs Reflections on Philosophy and the Nature of Bhakti 81 Conclusion 100 Works Cited 104 ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Over the course of the two years of writing this thesis and the many years that 1 have been endeavoring to better understand the Hindu tradition, 1 have been inspired and encouraged by a number of people, who have been instrumental in the development, writing, and completion of this project. Primarily, 1 must acknowledge members of the McGill University Faculty of Religious Studies. 1 especially appreciate the efforts of my academic adviser, Professor Davesh Soneji, whose knowledge of Hinduism is nearly as vast as the tradition itself. 1 thank him for his invaluable advice, dedication to this project and for trusting me with a number of key resources from his collection of esoteric works. 1 also thank Professor Katherine Young and Sanjay Kumar, who encouraged me to continue with the study of Sanskrit, a task that was often difficult but weIl worth the many hours of work. Prior to beginning my academic adventure at McGill, 1 had the pleasure of working with Professors John Ross Carter and Wanda Warren Berry at CoIgate University, who inspired me in J 996 to enter into this academic field. 1 thank them for their nine years of encouragement and continued interest in me. There are number of friends and colleagues at McGill, whose support and advice must be acknowledged. 1 thank my academic cohorts Melissa Curley, Sajida Jalalzai, Meera Kachroo, Bridget Mc Gregor, and Jonathan Sozek for making my experience in Montreal memorable and utterly rewarding. To Benjamin Aronovitch, who served as an editor, listener and friend, 1 thank you for patience, understanding and profound faith in my abilities. In addition, 1 must express my appreciation to Philippe Turrene, whose help in translating my abstract into French is greatly appreciated. Finally, to my parents, Ashok and Shobha Parasharami, and older brother, Archis Parasharami, 1 thank you for being my greatest supporters and most honest critics. 1 dedicate this work to the memory of my grandparents, whose remarkable lives remain an inspiration to me in my every pursuit. iii ABSTRACT WRITING FROM THE INSIDE: Domesticity and Transcendence in the Works of Bahil)a Baï (c. 1628-1700) Bahil).a Baï was a female poet-Saint whose participation in the Maharashtrian devotional movement known as the Varkarï Panth transformed the image of female devotionalism in the region. A collection of her poetic writings, the Samta Bahùyiibiifca Gatha, demonstrates her struggle to reconcile the demands of domesticity with those of devotionalism. Bahil)a Baï simultaneously extols the roles of the pativratü, devoted wife, and the bhakta, the devotee, in her Iyrical compositions, and resolves the tensions between domesticity and devotion by merging her husband's identity with that ofVi!hoba, a localized form of Vi~l)u. This thesis argues that Bahil)a Baï' s rebellion against a parochial vision of female spirituality integrates elements of Brahmanic orthodoxy, non-dual philosophy and bhakti practice. iv Résumé Écrits de l'intérieur: domesticité et transcendance dans l'oeuvre de Bahi6à Bàêi (c. 1628-1700) La poète-sainte Bahina Bai a transformé l'image du dévotisme féminin du Maharashtra par sa participation au Varkari Panth, mouvement dévot de cette région. Le Samta Bahinabaica Gatha, collection de ses écrits poétiques, illustre l'effort qu'elle exerce dans le but de réconcilier les demandes de la vie domestique avec celles d'une vie de dévotion. Dans ses compositions lyriques, Bahina Bai loue à la fois le rôle de la femme dévouée, la pativrata, et celui de la dévote, ou bhakta, et désamorce les tensions se posant entre la domesticité et la dévotion en fondant l'identité de son mari avec celle de Vitobha, une forme locale du dieu Vi$l)u. Le présent mémoire prouve que la rébellion de Bahina Bai contre une vision étroite de la spiritualité féminine conjugue des éléments de l'orthodoxie brahmanique, de philosophie non duelle et de la pratique de bhakti. v NOTE ON TRANSLITERA TION This thesis uses standard transliteration for Sanskrit and Marathi terms. These terms are italicized the first time they appear in the text. 1 use Sanskrit transliterations of most words unless they appear in the text of the Marathi poems (e.g. Rukmi1)Ï is sometimes spelled Rukhmi1)Ï, atman is sometimes spelled atma). Names of modem cities are rendered without diacritical marks. vi INTRODUCTION He whose trust is firm in the teachings of the saints, his bhakti. .. will have new form. He who lets his heart listen to instruction, will indeed arrive at the final peace. The teachings of the saints are on the authority of the scriptures. Give your immovably to the exercise of bhakti. Says Bahil)ï, "He whose longing is for the feet of the saints is to be recognized as on the bhakti path. (Abhmlga 153 by Bahil)a Baï, Cited in Abbott, 1985) This thesis explores the devotionallife and works of Bahil,1a BaI (1628-1700), a seventeenth century Indian female poet-saint associated with the Vai~l,1ava Maharashtrian devotional (bhakti) movement known as the VarkarI Panth. Bahil,1a BaI's contribution to the tradition can be seen in her ability to negotiate the demands of domesticity with those of devotionalism. Despite her important contribution to the tradition of female devotionalism, Bahil,1a BaI remains a largely understudied figure. There exists no comprehensive study of her work; in fact, this project is the first fu1l- length work that utilizes her devotional songs to understand both her life and the socio-religious implications of her literary output. 1 argue that Bahil,1ii BiiI appears to follow an orthodox model of asceticism in which she renounces her attachment to worldly desires in favor of devotional pursuits. This renunciation is unusual, however, for it is framed in the context of an active engagement with domestic activity. Bahil,1a BaI is thus able to resolve the tension between the roles of the householder and the ascetic. This thesis attempts to provide insight into her devotiona1life through an analysis of her devotional poetry. It presents an alternative reading of Bahil,1a BaI that challenges previous representations of her as 'ordinary' or as Jess radical th an other female bhaktas (FeJdhaus 1985). Instead, 1 argue that Bahil,1ii BaI's greatest contribution to the VarkarI Panth and to 1 female devotionalism in general, is her ability to carve out a religious path for high- caste women that legitimated and valued domesticity as an expression of bhakti. Prirnary Sources and Methodology This thesis offers a critical textual analysis of a collection of songs by BahiJ.1u Bai called Sarhta BahiIJâbâfcâ Gâthâ ("Songs of Sant BahiJ.1u Bai"), translated by Justin E. Abbott. The songs of BahiJ.1u Bui are composed in a genre known as abhmi.ga ("indestructible songs").' No critical edition of Sarhta Bahù:tiibiifcii Giithii exists, and hence the poems are organized differently in each of the available editions. In 1914, Dhoçio Visvanatha Umkhune produced the first print edition of BahiJ.1u Bul's songs.