Religious Movements in 15th -16th Centuries

Religious Movements in 15th -16th Centuries

I. Bhakti Movement

Core Belief

• The Bhakti movement was based on the doctrine that the relationship between God and man is through love and worship rather than through performing any ritual or religious ceremonies.

Origin and Growth

• It was in South India for the first time that the Bhakti movement grew from a mere religious doctrine to a broad-based popular movement based on social and religious equality.

• It was led by popular saint poets called 'Alvars', who represented the emotional side of Vaishnavism through collective songs called Prabandhas.

• It declined after the 10th century.

Revival

• But it was revived as a philosophical and ideological movement by 'Acharyas' (who represented the intellectual side of Vaishnavism in the 11th century).

• Most important among them was Ramanuja, whose disciple Ramananda took it to North India.

Main Features of the Bhakti Movement:

1. Discarded rituals and sacrifices

2. Emphasized purity of heart and mind, humanism, and devotion

3. Monotheistic in nature

4. God has either form (Saguna) or is formless (Nirguna)

5. Knowledge was a constituent part

6. An egalitarian movement that denounced casteism

7. The best form of worship is singing Bhajans and the realization of God by personal effort; no need for the priestly class.

8. Saints preached in local languages.

Bhakti Philosophy and Founders

Important Bhakti Saints

• Ramanuja (1017–1137): The Vaishnava saint from South India. The earliest exponent of the Bhakti movement and Vishishtadvaita philosophy.

• Ramananda (14–15 Century): The first great Bhakti saint of North India who opened the doors of Bhakti without any distinction of birth, caste, creed, or sex.

• Kabir (1440–1510): The most radical disciple of Ramananda, who was opposed to caste, creed, image worship, and unnecessary rituals, sought to remove distinctions between Hindus and Muslims, and believed in social unity.

• Guru Nanak (1469–1538): A Nirguna Bhakti saint and social reformer. The first Sikh Guru and founder of Sikhism.

• Chaitanya (1486–1533): One of the greatest saints of Krishna Bhakti cult and founder of Gaudiya or Bengal Vaishnavism.

• Vidyapati (14th–15th Century): Maithili saint-poet who wrote thousands of love ballads on Radha-Krishna ('Padavali').

• Purandar Das (1480–1564): The foremost and the most prolific Vaishnav saint-composer in Karnataka. Believed to have laid the foundations of the modern phase of Karnataka music.

• Mirabai (1498–1546): The Rathor princess of Merata and daughter-in-law of Rana Sanga of Mewar. The most well-known woman is a Bhakti saint of the Krishna cult of Vaishnavism.

• Vallabhacharya (1479–1531): A great saint of the Krishna Bhakti cult of Vaishnavism, who propounded the philosophy of Pushti Marg.

• Surdas (1483–1563): A blind poet of Agra. He sang the glory of Krishna in his ‘Sursagar’.

• Tulsidas (1532–1623): The greatest saint-poet of the Ram Bhakti cult of Vaishnavism. The celebrated author of Ramcharitamanas, Kavitawali, and Gitawali.

• Shankara Deva (1449–1568): The founder of the Vaishnava devotional movement in Assam.

• Dadu Dayal (1544–1603): A Nirguna Bhakti saint belonging to the Tanner caste, who was born in Gujarat but spent his whole life in Rajasthan. Founder of the Dadu Panth.

• Thyagaraja (1767–1847): A Telugu saint who spent his life in Tamil Nadu. The greatest saint-composer of Karnataka music. He adored God in the form of Rama, the incarnation of Vishnu and the hero of Valmiki's Ramayana.

Bhakti Saints of Maharashtra Dharma

• Jnanesvara/Jnanadeva (1271–1296): The fountainhead of the Bhakti movement in Maharashtra, founder of Marathi language and literature, wrote a long commentary on the Bhagavad Gita, called the Bhavarthadipka (popularly known as Jnaneshvari).

• Namadeva (1270–1350): A contemporary of Jnanesvara. He was a tailor by caste and was opposed to all caste distinctions. The object of his devotion was Vithoba or Vithal (identified with Vishnu) of Pandharpur. The cult of Vithoba or Vithal known as the Varkari sect was founded by Namadeva.

• Eknath (1533–1599): A great scholar saint from Maharashtra who wrote a commentary on the Ramayana called the Bhavartha Ramayana and another commentary on the eleventh book of the Bhagavata Purana.

• Tukaram (1598–1650): The greatest Bhakti poet from Maharashtra, wrote devotional poems, known as Abhangas, which are the glory of devotional poetry.

• Ramdas (1608–1681): The last great saint poet from Maharashtra. Dasabodha is a compilation of his writings and sermons.

II. Sufi Movement

What is Sufism?

• Sufism is the mystical movement in Islam.

• The Sufis, while accepting the Shariat, did not confine their religious practice to formal adherence and stressed the cultivation of religious experience aimed at a direct perception of God.

• The Sufi doctrine was based on union with God which can be achieved through love of God, prayers, fasts, and rituals, without reference to Hindu or Muslim.

Main Features of the Sufi Movement

1. Organized in different Silsilas (orders)

2. Absorbed a variety of ideas and practices from Hinduism, Christianity, Buddhism, and Zoroastrianism

3. Aimed at the service of mankind through spiritual self-development

4. Eager for Hindu-Muslim unity and cultural synthesis

5. Opposed to orthodoxy; preached faith and devotion to God

6. Discouraged materialistic life, but not in favor of complete renunciation

Important Sufi Saints

• Khwaja Ali Hujjwiri (11th Century): Also known as Data Ganj Baksh, the earliest Sufi saint of eminence known to have settled in India. Author of Kashf-ul-Mahjub.

• Shaikh Bahauddin Zakariya (1182–1262): Founder of the Suhrawardi order; established the first leading Khanqah in India at Multan.

• Khwaja Muinuddin Chisti (1141–1236): Founder of the Chisti order, settled at Ajmer (c. 1206).

  • Other saints of the historical order:

    • Sheikh Hamiduddin Nagauri (1192–1274)

    • Khwaja Qutubuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki (d. 1236)

    • Baba Fariduddin Ganj-i-Shakar (1175–1265)

    • Shaikh Nizamuddin Auliya (1236–1325)

    • Shaikh Nasiruddin Mahmud (d. 1365), Chirag-i-Delhi

    • Syed Muhammad Gesu Daraz (d. 1421) – prolific writer and poet in Urdu

• Shaikh Badruddin Samarkandi (13th Century): Founded the Firdausi order in Bihar.

• Shah Nayamatu llah Qadiri and Shah Abdullah Shuttari (15th Century):

  • Qadiriya order spread in Uttar Pradesh and Deccan

  • Shuttari order spread in Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat

• Miyan Mir (1550–1635): The most popular Sufi saint of the Qadiriya order.

• Khwaja Baqi Billah (1536–1603): Founded Naqshbandiah order

  • The most famous saint: Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi (d. 1625), known as Mujaddid Alif Sani

Key Sufi Terms

Achievements of Bhakti and Sufi Movements

• They influenced each other and inherited from each other

• Bhaktism reformed Hinduism, and Sufism liberalized Islam

• Both movements put the brakes on religious orthodoxy

• Encouraged various social reform measures

• Created an atmosphere of inter-religious fraternity

• Helped reconcile Hindu and Muslim communities

• Encouraged the development of regional languages

• This led to a cultural synthesis that transformed Muslim rule in India into a national government under Akbar

Final Thoughts

The Bhakti and Sufi movements played a transformative role in shaping Indian society by promoting devotion, equality, and spiritual unity. They challenged social hierarchies and religious orthodoxy, emphasizing personal connection with the divine. Saints from both traditions preached in local languages, making spiritual teachings accessible to all.

Their teachings fostered communal harmony and inspired major cultural developments in art, music, and literature. Together, these movements laid the foundation for a more inclusive and humanistic religious outlook in India.