1. Introduction to Bhakti Movement

Classification of Bhakti

• Bhakti tradition has been classified into two main categories:
• Saguna Bhakti (with form or attributes): The emphasis is on worshipping human-like figures of deities and their avatars. E.g.: Worship of lord Krishna by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
• Nirguna Bhakti (without form or attributes): Worship of an abstract form (nirankar) of God. Eg: God in Sikhism is formless.
• Early Bhakti movements around the sixth century were led by two groups:
• Alvars (devotees of Vishnu): Nammalwar, Tirumangai Alwar, Andal, and Perialwar were famous Alvar saints.
• Nayanars (devotees of Shiva): Appar, Sundarar, Thirugnana Sambandar, and Manickavachakar were famous Nayanar saints.

2. Key Proponents of Bhakti Movement

Adi Shankaracharya (788-820 AD)

• He was born in Kaladi, Kerala. His arrival marked the beginning of philosophical Bhakti discourse in Sanskrit.
• He propounded the theory of Advaita Vedanta (Non-Dualism). Sankara's Advaita, or non-dualism, had its roots in Vedanta or Upanishadic philosophy.
• His attempts to root out Buddhism and to establish smarta (traditionalist) mathas resulted in the establishment of monasteries in different places viz., Sringeri, Dvaraka, Badrinath, and Puri, which were headed by Brahmin pontiffs.

Ramanuja (1017-1137 AD)

• He challenged the monist ideology of Adi Sankara and propounded Vishistadvaita (Qualified Monism).
• Ramanuja took an interest in propagating the doctrine of Bhakti to social groups outside the varnashrama system. He influenced temple authorities to permit them to enter the temple at least once a year.
• He firmly believed that intense devotion to Vishnu was the best means to attain salvation.
• His teachings were based on the Upanishads and Bhagwad Gita and taught in a common language.
• He was influenced by the teachings of the Srirangam school of thought. Ramanujar joined it and was later declared the head of a monastery in Srirangam.

Namdeva (1270-1350 AD)

• He came from a family of tailors. He popularised the Bhakti Movement in Maharashtra and was closely associated with the Varkari Sect.
• He was converted to the path of bhakti under the influence of Saint Janadeva.
• He wrote many abhangs (songs composed and sung in the glory of God) in Marathi and Hindi, and later, some of his verses were added to Guru Granth Sahib.

Jnaneshwar (1275-1296 AD)

• Saint of Maharashtra, revered Vishnu as Vithoba or Krishna.
• He is considered one of the most influential figures in the Varkari religious tradition.
• His poetic work on Shiva named the Ashtadasha Shiva Hikari is a poetic compilation of 18,000 verses.
• He translated the Bhagavad Gita from Sanskrit to Marathi, called Jnaneshwari.

Ramananda (1400-1470 AD)

• He was a follower of Ramanuja and preached Vaishnavism in Hindi.
• He was the first to preach his doctrine of devotion in Hindi, the vernacular language.
• By establishing his own sect based on the philosophy of love and devotion to Rama and Sita, Ramananda introduced radical changes in Vaishnavism. He substituted the worship of Rama in place of Vishnu.
• He advocated equality before God and rejected the caste system, particularly the supremacy of Brahmins.
• He welcomed followers from all castes and backgrounds and had twelve chief disciples, which included Saint Kabir, Ravidas and a woman named Padmavathi.
• He famously used to say "Let no man ask a man's sect or caste".

Kabir (1398-1448 AD)

• He was probably a weaver, born in Varanasi.
• Learned Vedanta philosophy from Swami Ramananda.
• According to Tazkirah-i-Auliya-i-Hind (Lives of Muslim Saints), he was a disciple of the Muslim Sufi, Shaikh Taqi.
• His poems express a wide range of ideas, blending Sufi and Hindu ideas like 'zikr' and 'Nam-simaran' and taught that Allah and Eswar, Ram, and Rahim are one and the same.
• He had no faith in idol worship and denounced the caste system.
• He equally condemned Muslim formalism.
• Kabir's verses exist in three distinct traditions:
  • Kabir's Bijak is preserved by the Kabirpanth (the path or sect of Kabir).
  • Kabir Granthavali by Dadupanth in Rajasthan.
  • Adi Granth Sahib.

Baba Guru Nanak (1469-1538 AD)

• Born in 1469, Nankana Sahib (near the Ravi river).
• Advocated Nirguna bhakti, believing in a formless, genderless Absolute called "rab".
• He established a community of followers and set guidelines for collective worship, or "sangat", centred on collective recitation. He founded the Sikh religion during the period of Sikander Lodi (1489-1517) and when Babur was strengthening the Mughal dynasty. [UPSC 2013]
• He dismissed rituals, sacrifices, and the scriptures of both Hindus and Muslims and emphasised connecting to the Divine by repeating the Divine Name through "shabad" hymns.

Vallabhacharya (1479-1531 AD)

• Vallabhacharya, the founder of Pushtimarg (the path of grace), emphasised devotion to the child Krishna through Vatsalya Bhakti.
• He travelled across India, establishing eighty-four Pushtimarg seats during his pilgrimages.
• He propounded the theory of Shuddadvaita (pure non-dualism).
• Advocated householdership for Vaishnava devotees.

Chaitanya (1485-1533 AD)

• Fondly called 'Mahaprabhu', his songs remain popular in Bengal. He was devoted to Krishna.
• He started a revivalist movement as he wanted to exalt the superiority of Krishna over all other deities.
• His movement became popular in Bengal and Orissa.
• Considered an incarnation of Vishnu by his followers. He championed love and tolerance and opposed caste inequalities.
• He popularised 'Sankirtan' (public God-praising songs) in Bengal.

Shankaradeva (1499-1569 AD)

• He championed Vaishnavism in Assam (Especially in the Kamarupa region) through his Bhagavati dharma teachings, drawing from the Bhagavad Gita and Bhagavata Purana.
• He emphasised surrendering to Vishnu and endorsed 'naam kirtan' - reciting the lord's names in devout congregations (sat sanga).
• He advocated for 'satra' (monasteries) and 'naam ghar' (prayer halls) for spiritual growth.
• "Kirtana-ghosha" (written in Brajavali language) is a notable poetical composition.
• He is credited for devising new forms of music i.e, Borgeet, theatrical performances like Ankia Naat and Bhaona and Sattriya dance.

Tulsi Das (1532-1623 AD)

• He popularised the Rama cult through his Hindi rendition of Rama's story.
• His notable works include Janaki Mangal, Parvathi Mangal, Ramcharitmanas, Vinay Patrika, Dohavali, Gitavali, among others.
• He was a contemporary of Akbar and Jahangir.

Tukaram (1608-1649 AD)

• He was a contemporary of Chhatrapati Shivaji, Jahangir, Shahjahan and saints like Eknatha and Ramdas.
• Believed in a formless god and rejected Vedic sacrifices, pilgrimages, and idol worship.
• He promoted equality and brotherhood and tried to foster Hindu-Muslim Unity. This theme is covered in a few of his verses.
• He penned Abhangas in Marathi, devotional songs praising Lord Vithoba of Pandarpur.

Mirabai (1498-1546 AD)

• Born in Merta (Rajasthan), great-granddaughter of Rana Jodhaji, she was married to Bhoj Raj, son of Rana Sanga of Mewar.
• A prominent female poet in the bhakti tradition, advocating the form of Saguna bhakti. She wrote Rag-Govind.
• Mirabai's guru, Raidas, was a leather worker, highlighting her rejection of caste norms.

3. Summary: Bhakti Saints and Their Contributions