Title: Bhakti Movement in Medieval India (Mind Map)

Subject : History

Level : Class - VII
Topic :Bhakti Movement in Medieval India (Mind  Map)

Objectives :

- To introduce students to the essential  philosophy of  the Bhakti Movement in the medieval period.
- To create awareness on the importance of ideas of reform and equality propagated by bhakti saints.
- To enable students to realise the relevance of the philosophy of the  Bhakti Movement in present times.

Description : Bhakti Movement was a great reform movement of  medieval period of Indian history. It became popular in South India from the eighth century onwards. The   Alvar and Nayanar saints  who came from different socio-economic backgrounds  professions popularized  the idea of bhakti. They preached the path of surrendering oneself to God. These saint-poets travelled from place to place, singing hymns in praise of different Gods.

Description (Continued) : The saints composed hymns and sang bhajans which appealed to the common people. They taught that selfless love and devotion are the means to come close to God. All human beings are equal and that  God  did not create high or low caste people. Helping fellow human beings is the true form of bhakti. During the early medieval period, Shankaracharya and Ramanuja spread the message of bhakti in South India.

Description (Continued) : Ramananda. Namdev, Tukaram, Eknath, Tulsidas, Surdas and Mirabai were some prominent bhakti saints of this period. The ideas and philosophy of the saints  influenced the life of the people in a big way. They attacked the norms laid down by  Brahman and laid  stress on purity of character and conduct.  They also preached non-violence and asked people not to kill animals for food. They rejected caste and class differences and preached equality. For example Guru Nanak started the practice of langars or common kitchens, where people of all classes and castes ate together, something that the caste rules of that time did not allow.

BHAKTI MOVEMENT IN MEDIEVAL INDIA

[Image: Meera bai]

[Image: chaitanya mahaprabhu]

Chaintanya Mahaprabhu

Meera Bai

THE BEGINNING OF NEW ERA-BHAKTI

- The Bhakti Movement refers to the theistic devotional trend that emerged in Medieval India .
- It originated in the seventh century Tamil Nadu south India and spread northwards.
- It swept over east and north India from the 15th century onwards reaching its zenith between the 15th and 17th century.

[Image: Lord Krishna]

The Sanskrit word Bhakti is derived from the root Bhaj which means, Divine, Share, Partake, Participate, to belong to The word also means attachment, devotion to, fondness for, homage, faith or love, worship piety to something as a spiritual religious or means of Salvation.

BHAKTI MOVEMENT- THE REFORMATION IN INDIAN SOCIETY

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The Bhakti Movement has traditionally been considered as an influential social reformation in Hinduism and provided an Individual focused alternative path to spirituality regardless of one's caste of birth or gender.

Ideas of Bhakti appealed to the common people

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Humanity is the second name of Bhakti

A NEW KIND OF BHAKTI IN SOUTH INDIA NAYANARS AND ALVARS

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- The seventh to ninth centuries saw the emergence of new religious movements, led by the Nayanars and Alvars who came from all castes including those considered "Untouchables" like the Pulayas and Panars.

Images of Gnana Sambandar Nayanar Saint

- They were sharply critical of the Buddhist and Jain  and preached ardent love of Shiva or Vishnu as the path to salvation.
- The Nayanars and Alvars went from place to place composing exquisite poems in praise of the deities enshrined in the villages they visited and set them to music.

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Sri Sarangapani temple Kumbakonam ( Alvar Temple)

NEW PHILOSOPHY OF BHAKTI

Shankaracharya, one of the most influential philosopher of India, was born in Kerala in the 8th century.

He was an advocate of Advaita or the doctrine of  oneness of  individual soul and the supreme God which is the ultimate reality. He taught that Brahma, the only or ultimate reality was formless and without any attributes.

He considered the world around us to be an illusion or maya and preached renunciation of the world and adoption of the path of knowledge to understand the true nature of Brahman and attain salvation.

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SHANKARACHARYA AND ADVAITA

RAMANUJA AND VISHISHTADVAITA

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- Ramanuja was  born in Tamilnadu in the 11th century was deeply influenced by Alvars.
- According to him the best means of attaining salvation was through intense devotion to Vishnu.
- He propounded the doctrine of Vishishtadvaita or qualified oneness of the soul even when united with the supreme God remained distinct.
- Ramanuja's doctrine greatly inspired the new strand of bhakti which developed in north India.

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Ramanuja in Sriangam temple

Ramanuja

THE SAINTS OF MAHARASHTRA

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Saint Jnaneshwar

Namdev

From the thirteenth to the seventeenth centuries Maharashtra saw a great number of saint-poet, whose songs in simple Marathi continued to inspire people.The most important among them were Jnaneshwar, Namdev, Eknath and Tukaram as well as women like Sakhubai and the family of Chokhamela who belonged to the untouchable "Mahar" caste.This regional tradition of Bhakti focused on the Vitthala( a form of Vishnu) temple in Pandharpur.

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Pandharpur temple in Maharashtra

Saint Tukaram

- These Saints-poets rejected all forms of ritualism, outward display of piety and social differences based on birth.
- They even rejected the idea of renunciation and preferred to live with their families, earning their livelihood like any other person.
- A new humanist idea emerged as they insisted that bhakti lay in sharing others pain.

NIRGUNA AND SAGUNA BHAKTI

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Nirguna Brahman was the concept of ultimate reality as formless without attributes or equality.

Nirguni Bhakta's poetry were " Jana-Shayari", had roots in Knowledge.

NIRGUNA BHAKTI

SAGUNA BHAKTI

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Saguna Brahman in contrast was envisioned and developed as with form attributes and equality.

Saguna Bhakta's poetry were "Prema Shayari"or with roots in love.

SAINT KABIR THE MYSTIC POET PHILOSOPHER

[Image: SAINT KABIR THE MYSTIC POET PHILOSOPHER]

- Saint Kabir was perhaps the greatest saint poet of the Bhakti movement.
- He was probably born in Kashi. We have very little information about his early life, though there are many legends about him.
- Some believed that his mother was a Brahmin widow who abandoned him and that he was adopted by a childless Muslim couple, who were weavers by profession.
- They taught him the weaver's trade.

PHILOSOPHY OF KABIR

Kabir believed in the unity of God.Though he calls him by different names, such as Ram, Rahim, Hari, Allah and so on.

God for him was one, the supreme reality.Kabir was against idol worship, performing rituals, taking dips in holy river, going on pilgrimages and other such outward forms of worship.

He attacked the Brahmans and the Qazis for their superstitions.He laid stress on purity of character and conduct, and leading a simple life, dedicated to bhakti.

He also preached "Ahimsa" and asked people not to kill animals for food.

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GOD IS EVERWHERE

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EVERY ONE IS EQUAL

THERE IS NO FIX IMAGE OF GOD

The religion of Kabir was a "Religion of the heart" open to all.He did not believe in caste distinctions.Most of his followers were men and women from the so called lower castes of the society.Kabir wanted Hindu Muslim Unity.

He strived for harmony between Hinduism and Islam.

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NO DISCRIMINATION

THE PERFECT EXAMPLE OF COMMUNAL HARMONY

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Death Story of Kabir

Kabir had both Hindu and Muslim disciples. According to a legend, when he passed away, there arose a dispute as to how his last rites should be performed. The Hindus wanted to cremate the body while the Muslims wanted to bury it. When they remove the shroud, they found only some flowers. Hindus took half and cremated them. The Muslim took half and buried them.

Shrine of Kabir

GURU NANAK THE FOUNDER OF SIKHISM

[Image: GURU NANAK THE FOUNDER OF SIKHISM]

Nanak was born on 15th April 1469 at Rai Bhoi ki Talvandi ( Present day Nankana Sahib in Punjab, Pakistan) His parents were Kalyan Chand das and Mata Tripta.

Guru Nanak

GURU GRANTH SAHIB

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Nanak's teachings are in the form of verses. These have been compiled in the Guru Granth Sahib also called the Adi Granth.

It has the teachings of Nanak and the three gurus who followed him, together with a large selection from Kabir and the other saints of that period.

GURU GRANTH SAHIB

TEACHINGS OF GURU NANAK

[Image: Pious symbol of Sikhism]

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Nanak emphasized the worship of one God.In the hymns he composed, he preached true devotion to God as the only path to salvation.A Guru, he said can lead people  to the path of Bhakti.He advised people to lead an honest life and to help others.He rejected caste and class differences and preached equality.He started the practice of "langer"  or common kitchens.

Here people of all classes and castes ate together, something that the caste rules of that time did not allow.

A devotee prays before the Golden Temple

Pious symbol of Sikhism

THREE PRINCIPLES OF GURU NANAK

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Vand Chhako ( Share your earnings with those less fortune than you)

Nam Japo ( Meditation)

Kirt Karo ( Work Hard)

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Development Team :

Content Developer : Harish Kumar Thakur

Subject Coordinator : Mily Roy Anand

Design Team :

Dr. Indu K. Babra, Associate Prof.,Head P&RD,CIET,NCERT

Prachi Sharma,Project Associate,CIET,NCERT

Ruchi Sharma,CIET,NCERT