The Bhakti Movement in English (in Roman Script) | Indian Medieval History | Uniexpro.in

 Source:Book- Indian Medieval History Written by V.D Mahajan | Uniexpro.in    

The Bhakti Movement in English (in Roman Script) | Indian Medieval History | Uniexpro.in

The Bhakti  Movement 

The Sultanate period was a period of military struggle as well as religious struggle . The reason for this conflict was the Turkish Muslim invaders who wanted religious victory along with military victory . His aim was to propagate Islam and make India Darul Islam . Therefore, this struggle took place in the military field as well as in the social and religious fields . As a result , the Bhakti movement was born in the Hindu society , which had the support of many sections of Muslims, especially Sufis . Like thisBhakti period was the most important event of medieval India. 

Its aim :- 

On the one hand, to instill hope among the disheartened Hindus , to give them social and religious faith , and on the other hand, to search for that common ground through which cooperation and goodwill could be established between Hindu religion and society and Muslim society and religion. The Bhakti movement fulfilled this need to an extent. 

 Religion is an essential part of human life and spiritual quest is the eternal aspiration of man. Man has tried to know the existence of Brahma and soul, the great aspiration of attaining salvation and the secrets of creation from the beginning of time. This spiritual quest has been in constant motion . In ancient India, Indians made this effort in Vedas and Upanishads and established a form of religion. After this Buddhism , Jainism , Bhagwat religion and Shaivism established different philosophies and ways of life by which human beingsMay you attain  eternal peace and eternal happiness .

As a result of this spiritual research, the ancient Indians had established three paths to attain salvation-

The path of knowledge, the path of action and the path of devotion . The path of knowledge and the path of action are not possible for every human being because they are complex and difficult paths, but the path of devotion is easily available to every person. 

Hence the path of devotion has gained more importance. 

Origin of Bhakti—

Regarding the origin of the Bhakti movement, Western scholar Weber is of the opinion that the principle of devotion for salvation was accepted from Christianity . Grierson also expressed a similar view. No scholar accepts this opinion because there is no evidence of contact between Indian saints and Christian scholars . On the other hand , Yusuf Hussain has expressed the view that medieval spiritualism was influenced by Islam . He writes that, "The Bhakti movement of medieval India gives the first indication of the effective encroachment of Islamic culture and ideas on Hindu society."He says that although the Bhakti movement was Indian in origin, the Bhakti movement of the fourteenth century was different from the original Bhakti movement because of the equality of human beings that it talked about, due to the influence of Islam.

 In this way , three arguments are given in favor of the influence of Islam on the Bhakti movement-

(1) Ramanand, the originator of the Bhakti movement in North India, must have been inspired by Islamic ideas, 

(2) The monotheism of Islam and the principles of equality of man must have influenced them, 

(3) The advent of Islam came as a challenge. When Muslims destroyed temples and idols, forcibly converted them. In this depressed environment, the Bhakti movement emerged as a reaction to Islam. 

As far as these arguments are concerned—

(1) There is no evidence that Ramanand got any inspiration from Islam, 

(2) The principle of equality of man was only for Muslims and Hindus knew its reality, 

(3) The soul of the Bhakti movement was Indian and it may be that its nature was broadened to protect the Hindu society against Islam. Bhakti spirit is found in a detailed form in the very ancient texts of Hinduism. Description of the worship of Shiva and Vishnu by the Aryans is found in the Vedic literature. Bhakti means complete surrender. This type of complete surrender is mentioned in the hymns of Rigveda. It is said in the Bhagavata Purana that salvation is attained by worshiping the Lord with full devotion. In one sutra it is said that Bhakti is the ultimate attachment to God, The quintessential form of devotion in the Bhagavad Gita is when Krishna preaches complete surrender. Bhagwat religion was developed even before Christ, the basis of which is devotion. In this, Saguna Ishwar was established in place of Nirguna Brahman. Various incarnations of Lord Vishnu were conceived and their idols were worshiped with devotion.Alberuni has mentioned Krishna worship. Therefore, the inspiration source of medieval Indian Bhakti movement was Indian philosophy. It was not influenced by Christianity or Islam.

Causes of Bhakti Movement 

In short, the following were the reasons for the wide spread of Bhakti movement in medieval India- 

(1) Aspiration of simple religion—

It was difficult for the general public to adopt the ritual - oriented or the path of knowledge . They wanted a religion that did not have priesthood . Yagnik rituals were decreasing only after the rise of Bhagwat religion . The Bhakti movement was against such orthodox views . There was also reaction due to the complexity of Brahminism in the society . The Brahmins made various social and religious rules to maintain their supreme position, which Ordinary people were not ready to accept. Alberuni writes that, “The society was dominated by Brahmins. Veda study, religious worship, worship, yagya, among others were prohibited. When Shudra and Vaishya tried to study Vedas and worship, perform Yagya, the contemporary rulers got their tongue cut off under the influence of Brahmins. The supremacy of Brahmins in the society was not acceptable to other classes . In ancient times , Buddhism and Jainism had also made similar efforts, but the Brahmin class maintained its supremacy by establishing control over the form of religion and rituals related to it.The doors of salvation were closed for the lower castes . This religious inequality was the reason for the Bhakti movement. 

(2) Aspiration for social equality—

Another reason for the Bhakti movement was social inequality . The caste system had become complicated in the medieval period . Many foreign classes were included in the Hindu society , due to which the caste system became complicated in the Hindu society . The children born out of reverse marriage had no place in the caste system . The feeling of untouchability was on the rise . Buddhism and Jainism had also established the principle of social equality but Brahmanism With the restoration , the caste system was also re-established in a complex form . Hence the Bhakti movement was a rebellion against this type of social inequality . All were equal in the field of devotion . Thus , the path of equality became available to Dalits and untouchables . Remembering God was considered to be the main feature of religion . 

Alberuni has written the words of Lord Vasudev as , “God judges with impartiality. If someone forgets God and does good deeds, then he is bad in his eyes. If someone remembers God even while doing bad deeds, then he is good in his eyes. 

(3) Atrocities of Muslims—

The Bhakti movement developed in two phases . The first phase was in South India which was before the advent of Islam . Bhagwat religion was also being spread in North India before the arrival of Muslims, but the situation changed with the arrival of Islam in North India in the thirteenth century . Due to the narrow religious outlook of the Muslim rulers , an existential crisis arose for the Hindu society . Muslim rulers did not consider Hindus as their subjects. from them Collected Jizya , forced them to become Muslims, killed them if they did not become Muslims. Hindus could not get justice. Cultural annihilation of Hindus was done by destroying temples and idols . Hence, in such a situation, the Hindus found solace in the devotion of God who incarnates from time to time to destroy the wicked and oppressors . This also gave rise to the feeling of escapism . 

(4) Propagation of Islam—

The aim of the Muslim rulers was to spread Islam . The Ulema class used to demand this. Various means were being used to convert Hindus into Muslims . The policy of the Muslim rulers was that the depressed classes could be easily enticed . Therefore , one reason for the Bhakti movement was to strengthen and protect the organization of the Hindu society . That's why it was necessary to democratize the Hindu society to stop the spread of Islam . For this , it had become necessary to give equality to the lower castes and to open doors for them for salvation . Dr. A. Ale. Srivastava writes that, “These Mullah-Maulvi used to emphasize on the authority of Ekeshwar and used to criticize Hindu religion and philosophy and by adopting all kinds of means, they used to try to convert Hindus into Muslims. Therefore, the Hindus tried to protect themselves by removing the defects of their religion, especially the evils related to caste-caste and idol-worship. 

(5) Influence of Islam—

Bhakti movement was going on before the arrival of Islam in India . The principles of monotheism and human equality were known to the Hindus and had been established by the Alvar saints in South India , but Islam had a different influence. On the one hand, a sense of security arose in the Hindu religion and society, and on the other hand, cooperation and contact with the Muslims developed. With the permanent settlement of Muslims in India, it was natural for such social relations to be established . Close relations were also established between Sufi saints and Hindu devotees . Hindus got an opportunity to understand Islam from these relations . The effect of this was that the Hindu society became free from ostentation and many evils .

Farm and Characteristics of   Bhakti Movement

The Bhakti movement that spread throughout North India and Maharashtra in the 14th and 15th centuries gave rise to a new class of saints . This movement was started by Ramanand but the sentiments expressed by the saints were expressed more powerfully in the form of Kabir and Nanak . These saints emphasized on the worship of Nirguna Brahma and also tried to establish harmony between Hindu-Muslim societies. He established a mystical concept in the field of devotion and this led to the formation of Muslim Sufis . Also reconciled with Kabir  ,  Nanak  ,  Dadu  ,  Ravidas  were prominent among  these devotees. There was another class of devotees who were supporters of Saguna worship and whose main objective was to spread hope and faith in the disheartened Hindu society. Chaitanya and Tulsidas are prominent  in this group .

The teachings of the Nirgunmargi saints of the Bhakti movement and their form of devotion had some common features which are as follows - 

(1) Simple religion without ostentation—

These saints preached simple Nirguna monotheism . There was no place for rituals or study of scriptures in his religious practice . There was no need of a priest in this. In this only the remembrance of God was emphasized. In this , the simplicity of life and purity of conduct and loyalty to God was preached . 

(2) Opposition to idol worship—

Nirgunmargi saints opposed idol-worship and considered God as Nirguna , formless and omnipresent . With this concept he came close to the Sufis . Kabir considered Ram as Nirguna Brahman and said, "Dasaratha Sut Tihun Lok Bakhana, Ram naam ka maram na jana." He insisted on knowing  the meaning or secret of Nirguna Brahman .

(3) Monotheism—

Saints abandoned polytheism and expressed their belief in monotheism . His monotheism was not bound by any one religion or sect . He called Ram and Rahim as one. 

(4) Equality of human beings—

Saints established the principle of equality of human beings . He opposed caste-caste, high- low . He said that any person can attain salvation through devotion . Through renunciation , loyalty and devotion , the devotee can unite with Brahman . His teachings had a deep impact on the Dalits and lower classes . Ramanand to Kabir and Ravidas _ Made a disciple and Gosain Vitthalnath preached to Raskhan . Thus these saints rejected the difference of caste or religion . Yusuf Hussain writes that, “They all preached against the harshness and cruelty of the varna system and declared the equality of all human beings in the eyes of God. This message of Islam had a special attraction for these people, teaching mutual motherhood and culminating in each situation by good deeds.

(5) Importance of Guru—

These saints said that the guidance of a Guru is essential for walking on the path of devotion . God resides in everyone 's heart , but by destroying worldly illusions, the Guru paves the way for the knowledge of God. That's why there can be no knowledge without a Guru . Kabir has given a higher place to Guru than Govind because it is Guru who has taught Govind . 

(6) Hindu-Muslim unity—

Saints also did the work of social coordination . His aim was to establish cooperation in place of conflict between Hindus and Muslims. He pointed out the faults of both and criticized them. Kabir was more eloquent in this matter . He used to say that God is omnipresent , he is neither in the idol nor in the mosque . Nanak and Ravidas also worked for Hindu-Muslim unity . Among the disciples of Nanak , Chaitanya , Namdev There were both Hindus and Muslims . 

(7) Opposition to sannyas—

The saints had preached a life of renunciation but they were not in favor of sannyas . His teaching was that man should worship God while performing his family duties. Kabir had led a religious life while pursuing his family business of weaving . Along with the family, he had also established the  prestige of labour .

(8) Religious tolerance—

Saints established the basic unity of all religions and told different religions different ways to reach God. The effect of this was that religious fanaticism decreased and a feeling of religious tolerance arose among the people. One result of this was also that the conversion of Hindus to Muslims stopped. Now the Dalits and the lower classes had got social and religious equality in the Hindu society . Now living in the Hindu society , he had become entitled to  worship and salvation .

(9) Upliftment of the lower classes—

Due to the Bhakti movement, the lower castes of the Hindu society got an opportunity to rise up. Ramanand had twelve disciples. Many of them belonged to lower castes, such as Dhanna Jat , Sena Nai, Ravidas Chamar . He also made the Muslim Kabir his disciple . These low caste saints composed devotional poems in Saras Vani . Thus the Bhakti movement did the work of social reform . 

(10) Creation of literature in regional languages—

An important result of the Bhakti movement was the creation of literature in regional languages. These saints adopted the local language for their devotional songs . Nanak adopted Punjabi , Kabir and Namdev Hindi , Meera adopted Rajasthani , Narsi Mehta adopted Gujarati , Jayasi and Tulsi Awadhi languages . In Hindi literature, this period of devotional poetry is considered as the  golden age.

Prominent Saints of Bhakti Movement 

Ramanand-

Ramanand, the visionary of the era, was credited with giving life-giving energy and leadership to the Bhakti movement in North India. He did the work of converting Rambhakti into a mass movement. According to scholars, he was born in 1299 AD. I was born in a Kanyakubj Brahmin family of Prayag. He studied scriptures in Varanasi and took initiation into the Sri Sampradaya from Swami Raghavananda. He traveled to many pilgrimage places in South and North India. He accepted bhakti as the only means of salvation. But instead of Vishnu, he accepted Rama as his presiding deity, who killed the demons and gave happiness and peace to the society. In the then North India, the Hindu society needed such a presiding deity who would re-establish religion by killing the Mlechhas. Therefore, Ramanand propagated the worship of Maryada Purushottam Ram. He wrote Ananda-Bhashya on Brahmasutra in which Rambhakti has been described as Shreyaskar. Ramanand also did the work of social reform. Although he believed in the caste system, However, he considered the upliftment of the lower castes necessary for the protection of Hindu religion and society. Along with this, he did the revolutionary work of women's emancipation. Ramanuj Harihardas has written about him that, “Ramanand saw that the bondage of Varnashram is futile for the one who surrenders to God and comes on the path of devotion, so a Bhagwat-devotee should not get into the trouble of food and drink. If the names of sages can become clans and families, then why can't everyone be introduced in the name of the God worshiped by the sages, in this way all are brothers, all belong to the same caste. Excellence comes from devotion, not from birth. Of his twelve disciples, six were Brahmins, four were low caste people and two were women Padmavati and Surasi. Muslim Kabir was also his disciple. Thus he caste the door of Vaishnavism, Opened to all without distinction of birth or religion. Ramanand took his teachings to the general public. He made Hindi the medium of his propaganda in place of Sanskrit. With this the Bhakti movement became a mass movement. Along with this, these saints composed devotional songs in Hindi language, which enriched Hindi literature. Thus Ramanand made three main reforms in Vaishnavism. Firstly, in the path of Bhakti, the principle of human equality was established by eradicating caste discrimination. Second, by using the common language Hindi, the message of devotion was conveyed to the masses. third, He established the worship of Ram, who protects public dignity. By giving equality to the Shudras, he prevented them from converting to religion and also paved the way for Hindu-Muslim coordination by making Kabir his disciple. It is noteworthy that Ramanand did not oppose the Varnashram system. From this point of view, he has also been considered conservative. In fact, there was a struggle between innovation and antiquity in Ramanand's personality. He accepted the system of Varnashram but did not consider it necessary in the path of devotion. Dinkar has rightly written that, "He was a staunch supporter of Varnashram by thought but he was a compassionate saint by conduct." That's why his disciples were divided into two parts, the traditionalist and the reformist. In the first there were Tulsidas and Nabhadas; The representative thinker of the latter was Kabir. The date of Ramanand's death is considered to be 1410 AD. Saint Kabir: His teachings His Teachings) Kabir had a high position among the disciples of Ramanand. Kabir considered Nirgan formless Brahma to be worshiped in place of Saguna and preached devotion on the path of knowledge. There are many legends about his birth. It is said that he was the son of a widowed Brahmin in Varanasi, who left him near a pond in the newborn state due to public shame. The weaver Noori and his wife Neema brought up this child. Scholars consider his birth to be around 1440 AD. Some scholars are of the opinion that he had taken initiation from Saint Sheikh Taqi of the Suhrawardi order, but there is no evidence available for this. Kabir has called himself a disciple of Ramanand, “Kasi hum pratt bhaye, Ramanand Chitaye. According to legends, he lived a household life doing the business of a weaver. His son was Kamal and daughter Kamali. While working as a weaver, he did satsang of saints and preached his thoughts through poems. Kabir did not get education. But his creations have high quality thoughts and spiritual experience. His place is high among all the devotees of Bhaktikal. His thoughts were revolutionary and he mainly gave two teachings-first, to make spiritual development free from external ostentation; Second, by reducing the distance between Hindus and Muslims, establishing harmony at the religious level. He rejected both the Quran and the Puranas as both were divisive. He bitterly criticized the Brahmin priests and Muslim-mullahs who used to deepen religious differences. they worshiped idols, Criticized rituals like Ajan etc. His aim was to emphasize on the establishment of equality, brotherhood among human beings by destroying all barriers that divide human beings. The collection of his speech is famous by the name 'Bijak'. There are three parts in Bijak - Ramani, Sabad and Sakhi. Their language has been called Sadhukkadi. Words of Awadhi, Braj Bhasha, Rajasthani are found in it. 

The main features of his religious and social thoughts were the following- 

(1) Humanist—

Kabir placed humanity above religions and declared everyone to be the child of the one Parambrahmaan , “The Brahmins are made of the same blood, the Sudras. Some Hindus and some Turks say, stay on one land. 

(2) Monotheism—

Kabir preached monotheism-Nirgun Brahma but he refused to get into the controversy between formless and corporeal and said that Nirgun Brahma is above both of them. “Some meditate on the formless, some meditate on the formless. He is different from these two. 

(3) Criticism of external ostentation—

Kabir considered internal practice important and considered external ostentation as an obstacle on the path of devotion . Brahman is in the heart of every living being, he searches for it outside in vain. 

Criticizing the idol-worship of the Hindus , he said, “If you worship Hari, I will worship Pahar. Taate this chaki bhi, the world eats peace.

Criticizing the Muslims , he said, “ Kankar pathar jori ke masjid lai chinaay. Ta chadi mullah bang de, deaf bhaya khuday. 

(4) Importance of Guru—

Kabir gave the best place to the Guru in spiritual practice . He believed that the guidance of a Guru was necessary to attain God . They give a higher place to the Guru than even God – Guru Govind Dou Khade, Kake Lagoo Paya. Balihari Guru is yours, who gave the lamp to Govind. 

(5) Importance of devotion—

Kabir gave importance to devotion. He considered the knowledge of the scriptures unnecessary. He used to say that God can be attained through love and meditation and true knowledge is love, “Pothi padh padh jag mua, pandit bhaya na koi. Two and a half letters of love, become a scholar by studying. 

(6) Coordination—

In the era of Kabir, there was a struggle between two civilizations, Hindu and Muslim. Kabir wanted to end the bitterness of the conflict and establish coordination between the two. That's why he severely criticized both and emphasized on those elements which could establish good relations between the two. Yusuf Hussain writes that, “Kabir's teachings give priority neither to Hindus nor to Muslims. He appreciates the good things in both the religions and rejects the stereotypes. They despise the Muslim Ulemas as much as the Brahmins. Kabir's real aim was to establish Hindu-Muslim unity, so he also clarified the folly of both, due to which they used to argue unnecessarily. “Brother, where did Jagdish come from, who should I say? Allah-Ram-Rahima-Keso, Hari-Hazrat named. 

(7) Philosophy—

Kabir has considered the Supreme Brahman as the basic element which pervades and is omnipresent in every particle. He was of the opinion that the world is false and full of illusion. In fact his concept is close to Gita. But the fact was that whatever knowledge Kabir had gained, he had gained it from satsangs. His philosophy was practical rather than ideological. He emphasized on purity of conduct and observance of duties by not giving priority to philosophical ideas. 

So Dr.A. Ale. Srivastava is of the opinion that it is futile to search for spirituality in Kabir's motives. He writes that, “ Kabir was a first-class devotee but not a philosopher in the true sense. So it would be futile to analyze his posts to find out which philosophical school he belonged to. 

In fact, we find diversity of thoughts in Kabir, both distinct Advaita and Bhedabheda, but one thing is different in Kabir's ideology-

That is their pure monism and ultimate faith in Nirguna God. He did not want to give any name to Parambrahma, but if he had to give a name, he used to call him Ram. He insisted on the need of a Guru but did not believe in incarnations. He died in 1510 AD. Both Hindus and Muslims cremated his remains according to their own methods. 

Guru Nanakdev: His Teachings 

Nanak's name is foremost among the main saints of the Bhakti movement. He preached syncretism and worked to establish social harmony through Hindu-Muslim unity.He was born in 1469 AD on the full moon day of Guru-Purnima in Talwandi village situated on the banks of river Ravi. He belonged to the Khatri family. His father's name was Mehta Kaluchand and he was the patwari of the village. In childhood, Nanak was educated in Sanskrit, Hindi and Persian. From childhood, Nanak was meditative and had no interest in worldly life. He was given a job in the office of the Nawab of Kapurthala but left it because of his recluse attitude. After this, he also abandoned the household life and started spending his time in the company of saints and sages. He used to spend his time in meditation and preaching. Unlike Kabir, Nanak was a cultured, well-educated man, but like Kabir, he believed that family life was not a hindrance to the worship of God. Nanak had traveled all over India. He is said to have visited Central Asia, China, Burma, Ceylon, Arabia, Had traveled to countries like Egypt etc. He discussed spiritual problems with many Muslim saints, such as Sheikh Farid of Panipat, Pir of Multan and Sheikh Ibrahim of Pakpattan. As a result of extensive travel, he came in contact with people of many sects and got deep knowledge. Finally he settled in Kartarpur. He died in 1539 AD. His verses and songs were later compiled in the Adi Granth. He preached religion in Punjab at a time when it was not possible to give any kind of preaching due to Muslim bigotry. Nanak's main contribution is that in such adverse circumstances, he protected Hindu religion by preaching devotion and disinterest. Had discussed spiritual problems with Pir of Multan and Sheikh Ibrahim of Pakpattan. As a result of extensive travel, he came in contact with people of many sects and got deep knowledge. Finally he settled in Kartarpur. He died in 1539 AD. His verses and songs were later compiled in the Adi Granth. He preached religion in Punjab at a time when it was not possible to give any kind of preaching due to Muslim bigotry. Nanak's main contribution is that in such adverse circumstances, he protected Hindu religion by preaching devotion and disinterest. Had discussed spiritual problems with Pir of Multan and Sheikh Ibrahim of Pakpattan. As a result of extensive travel, he came in contact with people of many sects and got deep knowledge. Finally he settled in Kartarpur. He died in 1539 AD. His verses and songs were later compiled in the Adi Granth. He preached religion in Punjab at a time when it was not possible to give any kind of preaching due to Muslim bigotry. Nanak's main contribution is that in such adverse circumstances, he protected Hindu religion by preaching devotion and disinterest. He died in His verses and songs were later compiled in the Adi Granth. He preached religion in Punjab at a time when it was not possible to give any kind of preaching due to Muslim bigotry. Nanak's main contribution is that in such adverse circumstances, he protected Hindu religion by preaching devotion and disinterest. He died in His verses and songs were later compiled in the Adi Granth. He preached religion in Punjab at a time when it was not possible to give any kind of preaching due to Muslim bigotry. Nanak's main contribution is that in such adverse circumstances, he protected Hindu religion by preaching devotion and disinterest. 

(1) The aim of Nanak- The aim of Nanak was to reform Hindu religion and end the ostentatiousness and caste system. He also urged to worship Nirguna Brahman through devotion. In this worship, the lower Hindu castes got the right of equality. He also tried to establish friendly relations between Hindus and Muslims but for this purpose he did not adopt the path of harsh criticism like Kabir but he tried to persuade them by loving and sympathetic words. 

(2) Religious outlook—

Like Kabir, Nanak did not accept the authority of the Vedas or the Quran. He was of the opinion that differences arise from religious narrow-mindedness, so man should adopt a broad and liberal approach. He preached simple religion and opposed ostentation. He opposed the priesthood of Brahmins and the prominence of clerics. He opposed the caste system and took people of all castes, even untouchables, as his disciples. He used to say, “Remember that karma determines caste. Man becomes superior or degraded by his own actions. Don't worry about caste discrimination. Remember that God's light is in all people, there is no caste difference here. Nanak said that there should be a coordinated form of all the four varnas in every person. He eradicated untouchability among his disciples and established fraternity. 

(3) Devotion to Nirguna—

Nanak believed in the formless Brahman which is all-pervading. He used to say that a person who leads a simple life with complete devotion to God attains salvation. At one place he has said, “Ik du jibbu lakh hoy lakh bis. Lakh lakh geda akhiye ek naam Jagdish. Hence man should not get confused because of the difference of names. He considered morality, humility, truth, knowledge and kindness as essential parts of a pure and simple life. 

(4) Emphasis on Hindu-Muslim unity—

Nanak did the work of bringing Hindu-Muslims closer. He said that due to giving importance to external differences, bitterness arises. His sermon was, "Do good to all human beings, love all human beings and have brotherly affection with every living being." He said that religious coordination was necessary to bring harmony in the society. At one place he said, “Parabrahma Prabhu is one, there is no other.” He also said that that one God is worshiped by many Muhammad, Brahma, Vishnu, Ram and Mahesh. He told the Muslims, “Consider kindness as your mosque, goodness and sincerity as your prayer mat, whatever is just and fair, that is your Quran. Accept humility as your Sunnah, observe manners as your Roza and thus you will become a Muslim. He said to the Hindus that he has read all the four Vedas, bathed in sixty-eight pilgrimages, Having lived in forests and jungles and meditating on the seven upper and lower worlds, I have come to the conclusion that one can attain salvation by four actions—fear of God, right actions, faith in God and His mercy, and a Faith in the Guru who can show the right path. In this way Nanak tried to establish basic unity between Hindu and Muslim religions. 

(5) Importance of Guru—

Like Kabir, Nanak also considered the guidance of a Guru to be necessary for a religious life. Nanak says that worldly life ends and spiritual life begins only through the Guru. The ego is destroyed by the teachings of the Guru and the liberated state is attained. In fact, Nanak described the Guru as the center of religious life which leads to spirituality. (6) Social reform- Nanak had established equality of human beings by opposing the caste system and completely rejected untouchability. He also gave respectable place to women and accepted their rights for spiritual practice. really, Nanak's aim was the upliftment of the entire humanity. Therefore, he gave special importance to service work with devotion and ordered the disciples to serve only the living beings. He established brotherhood among the disciples. He said that one should not hate the sinner but the sin. That's why it is the ultimate religion of man to love the fallen and bring them on the right path. Emphasizing on purity, renunciation, he ordered to earn righteously. Nanak considered the householder's religion to be the best and he thought that a man can attain salvation in a householder's life. Nanak died in 1538 AD. Nanak's teachings gradually took the form of a sect. His disciples were called Sikhs. They took the form of a military community to oppose Muslim bigotry and protect Hindu religion. Emphasizing renunciation, ordered to earn righteously. Nanak considered the householder's religion to be the best and he thought that a man can attain salvation in a householder's life. Nanak died in 1538 AD. Nanak's teachings gradually took the form of a sect. His disciples were called Sikhs. They took the form of a military community to oppose Muslim bigotry and protect Hindu religion. Emphasizing renunciation, ordered to earn righteously. Nanak considered the householder's religion to be the best and he thought that a man can attain salvation in a householder's life. Nanak died in 1538 AD. Nanak's teachings gradually took the form of a sect. His disciples were called Sikhs. They took the form of a military community to oppose Muslim bigotry and protect Hindu religion. 

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu: His Teachings 

Chaitanya's place is unique in the tradition of Saguna worship. Chaitanya's real name was Vishwambhar. He was born in Navadvipa, modern Nadia, Bengal in 1486 AD in a Brahmin family. His father Jagannath Mishra was a religious person. In childhood, he was also called Gauranga and Nimai. Vaishnavism had become popular in Bengal before Chaitanya. Jayadeva's 'Gita Govinda' and Chandidas's posts had made Krishna devotion widespread in eastern India. At that time, the general Hindu public was afraid of the religious persecution of Muslims in Bengal and their Hindus fled and settled in Nadia. Chaitanya was educated in Nadia. In a short span of time, he learned Sanskrit, grammar, Completed the study of poetry. His father had died at the age of nine. At the age of fourteen, he wrote a commentary on Kalapa-Vyakaran. He established a school for the teaching of jurisprudence in Navadvipa. Many students from remote areas used to come to this school for learning. At the age of twenty-two, Chaitanya took initiation from a saint named Ishwarpuri. He met Ishwaripuri in Gaya. This meeting changed his life completely. After coming back from Gaya, Chaitanya renounced the household life and now he wanted to become a monk. Finally, at the age of twenty-four, he took initiation from Keshavbharti and adopted the religion of renunciation. People started calling him Krishna-Chaitanya. He went to Puri where many people became his disciples. After this he traveled to Far South, Gujarat, Mathura, Vrindavan. The rest of his life was spent in Puri where he died in 1533 AD. 

Purpose of consciousness

By this time Muslim rule had been established in Bengal. Buddhism was on the decline and the influence of Gorakhpanthi confetti ascetics was established. These ascetics believed in Hatha Yoga and Tantrism. In this way, the virtuous form of religion and loyalty to the presiding deity had been destroyed and an atmosphere of religious, social and moral decline was maintained. The Muslim invaders had created an atmosphere of fear and allurement to convert Hindus. Brahmins had also imposed different types of restrictions on other varnas. Therefore, Chaitanya's aim was to establish simple religion and to bring about social reform and upliftment of the lower castes. Along with this, Chaitanya's aim was to remove the bitterness between Hindu-Muslims and establish harmony. 

Religious point of view

Chaitanya was an ardent devotee of Krishna. Leaving the path of knowledge and work, he gave the highest place to devotion. His advice was to have great affection for Krishna and to get immersed in his devotion. He considered Kirtan as the main means. Although Kirtan is important in all sects, but Chaitanya considered it the main means of devotion. He used to say that Kirtan was the easiest means of devotion in Kali Yuga. Chaitanya preached Kirtan all over the country. 

Bhakti Bhava—There were nine principles of Chaitanya's devotional practice— 

(1) Monotheism—

Chaitanya believed in monotheism. Ekeshwar had two forms-Narayan and Krishna-Radha. 

(2) Adishakti—

The presiding deity of Chaitanya was 'Hari'. They believed that 'Hari' is Adi Shakti. 

(3) Rasa-Sagar—

Chaitanya considered Krishna to be an ocean of juices. Rasa is the form of love that happens between the worshiper and the deity. 

(4) Jiva-soul—

Chaitanya believed in soul and reincarnation. Due to Maya, the soul is bound in the cycle of karma. 

(5) Bondage of nature—

The soul is in the bondage of matter and Maya. Karma, inaction and vikarma lead to the downfall of the soul. 

(6) Freedom from nature—

The soul is freed from bondage by the taste of Dharma, Yoga, Vairagya and Krishna-bhakti. 

(7) Unreasonable discrimination—

The Supreme Soul is different from the soul, yet the parts of both are the same. 

(8) Devotion—

The simplest way to salvation is devotion, which is a means independent of knowledge and action. According to Chaitanya, there are three types of bhakti-means bhakti, bhav bhakti, love bhakti. 

(9) quietness—

Dispassion towards the world is the way to salvation. 

means of devotion

Chaitanya has also mentioned various methods of devotional practice. 

According to him, these means are as follows-

Hearing the name, form and qualities of Hari, singing songs of his name and qualities, meditating on his name and qualities, serving his feet, worshiping and worshiping him, surrendering to him, taking all measures to please him , Be friendly. By taking disinterest in the world and surrendering completely to him. Chaitanya gave an important place to Bal Leela in the devotion of Krishna. Although he was an ascetic, he gave importance to household life. He established the importance of Guru and considered Guru's guidance necessary for devotion. Chaitanya put such an intense form of kirtan in bhakti in which the devotee became so emotional that in this love he experienced the vision of God. 

Attitude towards society

Chaitanya rejected ostentation and priests. He made no distinction of caste or religion and preached to all. People considered him an incarnation of Krishna and called him 'Chaitanya Mahaprabhu'. He did not establish any sect. His main followers are called the Six Goswamis in Vrindavan. Chaitanya opposed the caste system. The Dalit class was suffering from the tyranny of the elite class. Many of the lower classes were his disciples. To establish coordination between Hindu and Muslim societies, he also made Muslims his disciples. In fact, Chaitanya's devotion was also inspired by human love. He considered human welfare as an essential part of Krishna-worship. Giving high passion to devotion to Krishna is the main gift of Chaitanya. 

Bhakti Movement in Maharashtra—

Religious reform and social change was started by Dnyaneshwar in Maharashtra. He opposed the narrow-mindedness and caste-caste of Brahmins. His movement is called Pandharpur movement. In this the worship of Bithova was started. Namdev was another famous saint of this movement. His ancestral occupation was tailor but from childhood he spent his life in sadhu seva and satsang. He had great devotion for Saint Dnyaneshwar and had traveled all over Maharashtra with the saint. After the death of Saint Dnyaneshwar, he started living in Punjab and propagated his faith there. He told the way to attain God through love. Kabir had considered Namdev as an ideal devotee. He was a worshiper of Rama and considered Rama to be omnipresent. 

Effects of Bhakti Movement 

(1) Practical religion—

In the medieval period, when it became impossible to follow the Hindu religion due to the tyranny of the Muslim rulers, the Bhakti movement determined the form of following the religion only by remembering the name. In this type of practical religion, there was no need of temple, idol, priest, scriptures. 

(2) To give hope to the Hindus—

The Bhakti movement infused hope among the Hindus. His faith in his religion deepened. 

(3) Approach to coordination—

The Bhakti movement succeeded in bringing Hindus and Muslims closer, due to which the approach of coordination developed. 

(4) Abandonment of narrow-mindedness— 

The Bhakti movement ended social and religious parochialism and the religion became organized and ready to face the challenge of Islam. This stopped the conversion of Hindus. 

(5) Influence of Muslims—

Devotees and saints established close relations with Muslim saints. This gave them an opportunity to understand each other. Respect for Hindu religion arose among liberal and enlightened Muslims. This had an impact on the ruling class as well and there was a reduction in the atrocities of the Muslims. 

(6) End of ostentation—

Due to the Bhakti movement, rituals and ostentation ended and devotion to God was considered sufficient. Now there is no need for pilgrimage or study of scriptures. There was no need to leave home to attain salvation. 

(7) Upliftment of the lower castes—

The Bhakti movement opposed the caste system, due to which the lower castes got the opportunity to rise. Many of these received the same respect as famous saints. This reformed the Hindu society.

 (8) Creation of regional literature—

Saints composed their posts in the local language and gave their sermons in this colloquial language. Due to this devotional literature was created in languages ​​like Marathi, Gujarati, Awadhi, Punjabi etc. The rulers were also affected by the Bhakti movement. Babur appreciated it and Akbar tried to implement it again but despite all the merits, the Bhakti movement failed to establish close trust and relation between Hindus and Muslims.