CHAPTER 8 DEVOTINAL PATHS TO THE DIVINE KEY WORDS a) Virashaivism : started in Karnataka in 12 th century, argued for equality of all human being, against the Brahaman view of caste and treatment of women. It was against all forms of rituals and idol worship. b) Bhakti : was a personal devotion to a god that inspired faith. It rejected ritualism and renunciation from one s worldly duties. Vaishnava bhakti lay in understanding and sharing the pain of other beings. It encouraged oneness of human soul with the Ultimate Being. c) Sufi : saints were believers in equality of all faiths and people, and propagated their beliefs through singing and dancing sessions that were part of spiritual discussion. The dargah of Sufi saints were open to all. d) Khanqah : was the place where Sufi masters held their meetings to discuss spiritual matters, through music and dance sessions. It was open to all classes, and people of all faiths. Q1. Match the following: a) The Buddha : questioned social differences b) Shankardeva : namghar c) Nizamuddin Auliya : Sufi saint d) Nayanars : worship of Shiva e) Alvars : worship of Vishnu Q2. Fill in the blanks: a) Shankara was an advocate of Advaita. b) Ramanuja was influenced by the Alvars. c) Basavanna, Allama Prabhu and, Akkamahadevi were advocates of Virashaivism. d) Pandharpur was an important centre of Bhakti tradition in Maharashtra. 10x10learning.com Page 1
Q3. Describe the beliefs and practices of the Nathpanthis, Siddhas, and Yogis. Answer Nathpanthis, Siddhas, and Yogis criticised the rituals and social inequalities. They advocated renunciation from the world and meditation for salvation. For meditation, intense training of mind and body was undertaken through Yoga asana. Q4. What were the major ideas expressed by Kabir? How did he express them? Answer. Kabir completely rejected all major religious beliefs of his time, and ridiculed all forms of rituals. He was an illiterate weaver, and spoke his mind while working. Those around him memorized his doha, pad, and sakhis and compiled them in form of a book called Bijak. He believed in a formless Supreme God, whom he addresses as Ram in his sakhis. His language was Hindi, that was spoken by the ordinary persons. Q5. What were the major beliefs and practices of the Sufis? Answer. Sufis were Muslim mystics, who emphasized on love and devotion and compassion towards all human beings. They were believers in one God and simplified the rituals of worship to collective prayers. They also rejected the elaborate rules of social behaviour formulated by the Muslim clerics. Q6. Why do you think many teachers rejected prevalent religious beliefs and practices? Answer. Many of the teachers rejected the prevalent religious beliefs and practices as those had created great inequalities in society. The existing practices were also seen to be increasing the exploitation of the non ruler classes and groups. The rituals also involved expenditure for the ordinary people, and therefore, the new ideas that rejected the rituals, and emphasized on equality of all human beings, had a special appeal. Q7. What were the major teachings of Baba Guru Nanak? Answer. Baba Guru Nanak emphasized on the worship of one god, and insisted that caste or gender were not important to gain liberation. He propagated respect for all work and propagated the importance of right belief, honest living and helping others. His idea of equality had political and social 10x10learning.com Page 2
implications as he started community kitchens called langar, to feed anyone who wanted to eat. Q8. Why do you think ordinary people preserved the memory of Mirabai? Answer. Mira Bai was a Rajput princess who composed many bhajans or religious poems, expressing her bhakti for Krishna. Her poems openly challenged many existing norms of royal life styles norms for women. She left the palace of her in-laws to become a disciple of Sant Ravidas. She wrote her poems in regional language and became very popular in Rajasthan and Gujarat. Her bhajans have survived through the oral tradition and are still sung in the 21 st century. As she had braved the social taboos against women writers, her memory is still preserved by ordinary people. Surdas bhajan examples प रभ म र अवग ण च त न धर समदरस ह न म चतह र ह त प र कर एक ल ह प ज म र खत एक रहत ब य ध घर पर प रस ग ण अवग ण नचह च तवत क न करत खर 10x10learning.com Page 3
एक नचदय एक न ल कह वत म ल ह न र भर जब द चमलकर एक बरन भई स रसर न म पर एक ज व एक ब रह म कह व स र श य म झगर अब क ब र म ह प र उत र नचह पन ज त टर Lord, heed not my faults! You are known as he who sees as all equal, At will you can take me across the ocean of existence. One iron is used in worship, another in butcher's steel; The philosopher's stone counts not merit or fault But turns both to purest gold. One is called "river", another a "rivulet" filled with murky water; When they merge they become of one colour and are known As "Sursari"(Ganges), river of gods. The soul and the Supreme are given different names, But all is one in Sur's Shyam. This time, take me across, or give up your vow to be saviour! अखखय हरर दर शन क प य स द ख हत कमलनयन क, चनस चदन रहत उद स क सर चतलक म चतन क म ल, व द वन क व स न ह लग ए त य ग गय त ण सम, ड रर गय गल फ स क ह क मन क क ऊ क ज न, ल गन क मन ह स स रद स प रभ त म हर दरस चबन ल ह करवत क स Our eyes thirst for a vision of Hari; They long to see the lotus-eyed one, Grieving for him day and night. Wearing a saffron tilak and pearl garland 10x10learning.com Page 4
And dwelling in Vrindavan, He gave us his love, then cast us aside like a blade of grass, Throwing a noose around our necks. No one knows what is in another's mind, There is laughter in people's hearts; But Lord of Surdas, without a vision of you we would give up our very live A depiction of Surya in an 1884 book, Indrajalakala (The Art of Magic); Stamp with depiction of Sant Tulsidas Jwala Prakash Press, Meerut 10x10learning.com Page 5
Sant Surdas Abdul Rahim Khan e- Khana 1556-1627 10x10learning.com Page 6
10x10learning.com Page 7
10x10learning.com Page 8