Bhakti Movement

The Bhakti movement was a silent social revolution initiated by a wide range of socio-religious reformers, and it plays a significant role in Medieval India’s cultural history. It refers to the philosophical devotional movement that transformed society. The Bhakti movement promoted the growth of religious writing and increased the influence of the people at the bottom of the society.

Many factors led to the development of bhaktism. Hinduism had become extremely ceremonial, and the caste system had taken root. Both Buddhism and Jainism lacked disciples and encouraged severe austerity. Conversely, the Sufi movement was growing in popularity due to its egalitarian beliefs and straightforward prayer style. People were looking for ways to satisfy their spiritual and emotional demands. These elements contributed to the growth and promotion of Hinduism's Bhakti tradition. Bhakti saints opposed conventional religion and advocated for specific reforms.

The Bhakti movement originated in southern India, specifically in Tamil Nadu, and spread throughout the country between the seventh and twelfth centuries. It had spread to the north by the end of the fifteenth century. The Nayanars and Alvars, two well-known Bhakti saint communities, advocated devotion to God as a path to salvation while rejecting the austerities of Buddhism and Jainism. The connection between worshipers and God was highlighted in their poetry. Priest attendance was not necessary, and vernaculars like Tamil and Telugu helped promote the movement. The Sanskrit word "bhaj," which means to share, take part in, or be a part of, is where the term "bhakti" originates. Complete devotion, or bhakti, is not the same as physical love.

Depending on how they viewed God, the Bhakti saints were divided into two schools.

• One school of thinking described God as being formless and without attributes. This philosophical school is known as the Nirguna School of Philosophy.
• In contrast, the Saguna School held that God manifested himself in incarnations like Rama and Krishna and that he had a distinct shape, personality, and set of good qualities.

1. The evil of the Hindu culture: Many social oddities, including social dogmas, blind faith, unnecessary rituals, and religious practices, and rigid caste systems, were prevalent in Hindu culture.
2. The common man had grown weary of these social ills and needed a liberal religion that had simple religious rites that they could relate to.
3. The intricacy of religion: The ordinary people found it very difficult to comprehend the tremendous ideas contained in the Vedas and Upanishads. They wanted basic religious rituals and social customs, as well as a basic form of worship.
4. An alternative was Bhakti marga, a straightforward method of devotion to be freed from this earthly existence.

• Based on monotheistic principles, the Bhakti movement placed more emphasis on love and adoration than on religious ceremonies or rituals as the surest paths to a closer relationship with God.
• It promoted redemption via fervent devotion and faith in God, as well as a way out of the cycle of life and death.
• The Bhakti reformers emphasized the significance of Gurus as teachers and preceptors, as well as the necessity of self-surrender for God's satisfaction and favor.
• They were against fasting, pilgrimages, rituals, and the caste system, which divided individuals according to place of birth.
• They also produced lyrics in the languages of common people and stressed the need of singing hymns with great dedication.

The movement opposed societal divisions based on gender, caste, and religion by advocating equality and global brotherhood. While Kabir focused on love, caring, and affection, disciples such as Ramananda included people from a variety of occupations. The movement's goal was to eradicate caste distinctions and wicked customs; Guru Nanak forbade customs like bathing in sacred rivers. His religious beliefs were moral and useful. The movement's primary focus was on the path of 'Bhakthi' as the means of realizing God and salvation, as opposed to shallow rituals.

• Bhakti is described in ancient Indian writings such as the Shvetashvatara Upanishad, Katha Upanishad, and Bhagavad Gita, which date back to the first millennium BCE.
• Apart from 'GyanMarg' and 'Karma Marg,' the Bhagavad Gita considers 'Bhakti' as a path of redemption.
• The sutras also mention the word "bhakti." It is mentioned specifically in the Narada Sutra and the Sandilya Sutra.

• Between the seventh and twelfth century CE, the well-known Bhakti movement spread over southern India.
• It was built on equality between religions as well as widespread social participation.
• The Shivaite Nayannars and Vaishnavaite Alvars, who popularized the Bhakti religion under the Pallavas, Pandyas, and Cholas, disregarded the Jains' and Buddhists' austerity.
• They argued that personal devotion to God was the only path to salvation.
• They rejected the caste system's rigidities and used local languages to disseminate the message of love and personal devotion to God across South India.

• "Those steeped in God," or Alvars as they were called, were Vaishnava poet-saints who traveled abroad praising Vishnu or his incarnation, Krishna.
• These people were Vaishnavists and they revered Vishnu or Krishna as the Almighty.
• In all, there were twelve Alwars.
• They composed songs that were gathered in the Divya Prabandha as odes to Vishnu and his incarnations.
• Furthermore, they celebrated the 'Divya Deshams,' which refer to the dwelling places of the 108 Vaishnavite deities.
• "Meera of the South" refers to Andal, the sole female saint from Alwar.

• They started off as a group of 63 Tamil saints who were devoted to Lord Shiva. The scripture 'Tevaram,' often called the Dravida Veda, contains details on the saints' lives.
• Raja Raja I of the Chola kingdom asked his priest to start gathering the Nayyanar hymns into a book series called "Thirumurai."
• The backgrounds of the Nayyannars are diverse. They included Vellalas and oil merchants as well as Brahmins and nobles.
• Together with Buddhism and Jainism, the Alwars and Nayyanars opposed the power of Brahmanical thought. Together, they laid the foundation for the Bhakti movement in India.

• In the country's northern regions, the Bhakti movement rose to prominence between the 12th and the 17th century CE.
• It is sometimes believed that the Bhakti movement in north India is an extension of the movement that started in the south.
• Though the traditions of the two places were similar, each saint's teachings gave rise to a different understanding of Bhakti.
• The Bhakti movement of this era was greatly influenced by the core tenets of Islam, including the rejection of rituals and social distinctions, equality and fraternity, and belief in a single God (monotheism).
• A few social improvements were also brought about by the campaign.

Shankaracharya (788 – 820 AD)

• Adi Shankara, born in Kelara and dying in Uttarakhand, integrated Buddhism into Hindu thought and interpreted ancient Vedic religion.
• He consolidated Advaita Vedant doctrine, stating God and the created world are one, and individual souls are not different from Brahman. Citsukha's Brhat-Sankara-Vijaya is his oldest biography.

Ramanuja (1060-1118 AD)

• Ramanujacharya, who had been born in Sriperumbudur, studied under Yamuna Muni and Vedprakash.
• He established the Vaishnavist-preaching school of thought known as Vishta Advaita. Kulottanga Chola exiled Ramanujacharya for promoting Vaishnavism. In addition to being the leader of Srirangam Vaishnava Math, he wrote Sri Bashya.
  • The non-dualistic Vedanta school of thought known as Vishta Advaita holds that the universe is not an illusion but rather a component of Brahman's essence.
  • Spiritual emancipation is understood not as escape from the cycle of life, death, and reincarnation, but rather as the bliss of contemplating Brahman. The material world is considered as an integral aspect of Brahman's nature. Devotion, adoration, praise, and contemplation of heavenly perfection lead to this bliss.

Nibarakka

• He was a student of Ramanujacharya.
• The Radha Madhav cult, which was based on the adoration of Radha and Madhav, was initially introduced by him.
• He established the Dwita Advaita school of thought. The equilibrium between Advaita and Visishtadvaita was at the heart of everything.
• He penned Vedanta and Dashashloki.
• He was a well-known astronomer as well.
• According to its doctrine, mankind is imprisoned in physical bodies that are constrained by prakriti (matter), and the only way they may obtain the grace required to be freed from rebirth is by surrendering to Radha-Krishna rather than by their own efforts. After that, the physical body will disappear upon death.

Madhvacharya (1238-1317 AD)

• In the little town of Pajaka, close to Udupi, Shri Madhvacharya was born to Narayana Bhatta and Vedavati. He was given the name Vasudeva when he was born in 1238 on the fortunate day of Vijayadashami.
• He promoted the Dwaita or dualism school of philosophy. Shankaracharya and Ramanujacharya were the other two thinkers who emerged from the Vedas and Puranic era to have a significant influence on Indian thought.
• Achyutapreksha granted him the path of sanyasta.
• He was given the name Purnaprajna after his initiation. The name "Madhva," by which he became more well-known, was also bestowed upon him by Achyutapreksha.
• Madhvacharya composed commentaries on a number of significant Hindu sacred books, such as the Brahma Sutra and the Bhagavad Gita.
• He also wrote a number of texts describing his philosophy, Tattvavada, or Dvaita as it is more commonly known.
• The Gita Bhashya, Brahma Sutra Bhashya, Anu Bhashya, Karma Nirnaya, and Vishnu Tattva Nirnaya were among his works of literature.

Vallabhacharya (1479-1531 AD)

• His ideology, called "Pushti Marg," is credited with founding Shuddhadvaita, or Pure Non-dualism.
• Customs, music, and festivals are used to enhance this group, which is based on Krishna, especially his childlike aspect.
• He also founded the school known as Rudra Sampradaya.

Basavanna

• He was a Lingayat saint, administrator, poet, and philosopher in the Shiva-centered Bhakti movement of the 12th century.
• His poems, known as Vachanaas, helped to increase societal consciousness.
• New public institutions he established included the Anubhava Mantapa, often known as the "hall of spiritual experience," which invited men and women from all socioeconomic levels to engage in open dialogue on spiritual and everyday issues.
• He promoted Visishtadvaita Basavavanna literature, which includes the Kannada Vachana Sahitya. He goes by the names Bhakti Bhandari, Basaveswara, and Basavanna as well.

Ramananda

• He was a Vaishnava devotional poet from the fourteenth century.
• Evidence also implies that Ramananda was influenced by the Nathpanthi ascetics of the Yoga school of Hindu philosophy, from whom he formed his philosophy and devotional themes.
• Ramananda was a pioneering social reformer who took in students without regard to a person's gender, caste, class, or religious beliefs. Among his followers were Kabir, Bhagat Pipa, Ravidas, and others.
• The Adi Granth, a Sikh book, mentions his verse.
• His writings include the Sanskrit Ramarcana paddhati, the Hindi Gyan-lila and Yog-cintamani, and the Vaishnava Mata Bhajabhaskara.

Dnyaneshwar (Jnanadev) (1275-1296)

• He wrote the "Dnyaneshwari" commentary on the Bhagavad Gita and was the first Bhakti saint in Maharashtra.
• His other work is Amrutanubhav on Yoga and Philosophy. His two works are recognized as classics of Marathi literature.

Kabir

• India's most famous saint, poet, and social reformer, Sant Kabir Das, flourished in the fifteenth century. The vastness and unity of the Supreme Being are depicted in his highly regarded works and writings.
• He was one of the Bhakti Movement's proponents.
• He was a follower of Ramananda and disapproved of flimsy religious rituals.
• He held that there is a formless God and that people who follow the path of virtue contain the truth.
• The Kabir panth, a Sant Mat group, carries on Kabir's tradition as the first person to successfully unite Islam and Hinduism.
• In addition to spreading Ram Bhakti, he authored a number of holy writings, including Sabad, Bijak, Doha, Holi, and Rekhtal.

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu

• Raised in Nabadwip, Bengal, he was a well-known Bhakti reformer and Keshav Bharti's student.
• He spread the Vaishnavist faith throughout Bengal and Odisha, with Puri serving as his primary hub.
• He brought the Bhakti movement to Kirtans and popularized "Gudik Vaishnavism," a kind of Vaishnavism.

Tulsidas

• Tulsidas, a contemporary of Akbar, wrote 'RamcharitManas' in Avadi and founded the Sankatmochan Temple in Varanasi.
• He also started the Ramlilaplays, a folk-theatre adaptation of the Ramayana.
• Other works include Dohavali, Sahitya ratna, Gitavali, Krishna Gitavali, and Vinaya Patrika.

Eknath (1533-1599)

• He was among the earliest revolutionaries to highlight the importance of Marathi language development. He advocated that a person might dedicate their life to God by raising a family and performing all home chores.
• Several religious songs known as Abhangas, Owees, and Bharuds are among his compositions.

Dadu Dayal

• Born into Ahmedabad's weavers community, he preached Nirgunabhakthi and compiled his teachings into 'Dadu Dayaram ki Bani'.

Shankra Dev

• The first Vaishnava preacher in Brahmaputra valley, he founded Eka Saranadharma and Veerapurushamarga, and is credited with reviving past cultural traditions by creating new forms of music, theatrical performances, dance, and literary language.

Puranadasa

• Haridasa philosopher from Karnataka, considered the father of Carnatic music, introduced the RagaMayamalavagowla scale for beginners, a practice still followed today.
• His keertanas focus on social reform and identifying societal defects, with his notable work, Dasa Sahitya, being a notable example.

Tukaram

• He produced devotional songs about Vithalswami known as Abhangs and was a contemporary of Shivaji. He is regarded as the finest Maratha Bhakti reformer. He popularized the Vithoba cult.
• His message was one of equality and fraternity among all people.

Ramadasa

• Contemporary Shivaji, a significant Marathi Bhakti reformer, popularized the Vithoba cult and composed devotional songs called Abhangs, promoting equality and universal brotherhood through his message.

Bhakti Movement and Women

• The saints of Bhakti promoted equality between genders and urged women to take part. They condemned the practice of Sati and the killing of female infants.
• They also extended an invitation to the ladies to join in community-based kirtans and give up their earthly ties.
• The most well-known female Bhakti saint was Meerabai, whose devotional hymns to "Krishna" have tremendous popularity in India.

Meerabai (1498-1546)

• Among Bhakti reformers, she was the most popular.
• Rajasthan was her birthplace.
• She married Rana Bhojraj, a member of the Rajasthani royal family.
• She also introduced Bhajan to the Bhakti movement and the Giridhara Gopala worship of Brindavan initially.
• She wrote her bhajans in Vraj Bhasha's language.

• Much-needed religious, social, and cultural changes were made possible in large part by the Bhakti movement.
• They spoke out against discrimination based on gender and caste in order to promote equality in society.
• They promoted religious harmony and international brotherhood. Some saints attempted to balance the conflicting interests of Muslims and Hindus by bringing them closer together.
• They emphasized the value of moral rectitude in both thought and deed to their students.
• Religion was made accessible to the general population by using everyday language in its teachings.
• As a result, vernacular literature and languages spread and developed. For example, a great deal of material was produced in Gujarati, Marathi, and Hindi. The priests prescribed elaborate rites, which the Bhakti saints vehemently resisted.
• The most common kind of devotion replaced rituals with a personal relationship with God via bhajans and kirtans.

Using devotion to obtain salvation, the Bhakti movement was a historical religious movement in medieval Hinduism that aimed to bring religious reforms to all social classes. Local variations of the Bhakti movement emerged around different gods and goddesses; examples of these sub-sects include Vaishnavism (Vishnu), Shaivism (Shiva), Shaktism (Shakti goddesses), and Smartism. To get the message to as many people as possible, the Bhakti movement preached in regional tongues. Prominent poet-saints who supported a broad spectrum of intellectual stances, from atheist to agnostic, served as the movement's inspiration. India's vernacular literature flourished and the poor were given more influence by the Bhakti movement.