The Bhakti Movement, an important component of mediaeval India's cultural history, was a subtle revolution in society brought about by a galaxy of socio-religious reformers. It refers to the theistic devotional trend that originated in India during the mediaeval period and later altered society. The Bhakti movement empowered those at the bottom of Indian society and fueled the growth of vernacular literature. This article will explain to you the features of the Bhakti Movement which will be helpful in Indian Art and Culture preparation for the UPSC Civil service exam.

Bhakti Movement - Origin

• The Bhakti movement began in the southern portions of India, particularly Tamil Nadu, between the 7th and 12th centuries, and gradually spread to the northern belt by the end of the 15th century.
• In South India, there were two major groups of Bhakti saints: Nayanars (Shiva Devotees) and Alvars (Vishnu Devotees), who preached devotion to God as a way of salvation while rejecting the austerities preached by Buddhism and Jainism. The majority of their poems were on the devotional relationship between the devotee and God.
• They spoke and wrote in vernaculars such as Tamil and Telugu so that ordinary people could read and recite them.
• In Bhakti tradition, the presence of a priest was not essential. This greatly increased the popularity of their movement.
• The term 'Bhakti' is derived from the Sanskrit word "bhaj," which means to share, participate in, or be a part of. Unlike sensual love, Bhakti is spiritual and refers to total devotion.
• Bhaktism arose as a result of several reasons. Hinduism had grown exceedingly ceremonial, and the caste system had taken hold.
• Both Jainism and Buddhism advocated rigorous asceticism and were plagued by a lack of support.
• The Sufi movement, on the other hand, was gaining popularity due to its egalitarian beliefs and ease of prayer. People were looking for a way to satisfy their emotional and spiritual requirements.
• These reasons contributed to the rise and expansion of the Bhakti tradition within Hinduism. Bhakti saints opposed established religion and advocated for several changes.

The two Schools of Bhakti

• The Bhakti saints were separated into two schools based on how they perceived God. One school of thought envisioned God as formless, devoid of traits or qualities. The Nirguna School of Philosophy is the name of this school of thought.
• The Saguna School, on the other hand, believed that God had a particular form, character, and positive attributes and that the god shows himself in incarnations such as Rama and Krishna.

Reasons for the rise of the Bhakti movement

• Evils in Hindu Culture: Hindu society was riddled with social oddities such as caste rigidity, irrelevant rituals and religious practises, blind faiths, and social dogmas.
• Common men, in general, had formed an aversion to these societal problems and needed a liberal form of religion in which they could identify with basic religious rituals.
• Religion's complexity: The great philosophy of the Vedas and Upanishads was extremely difficult for the common people to understand.
• They desired a simple form of worship, as well as simple religious, practices and social conventions.
• Bhakti marga was an alternative—a simple way of devotion to obtain redemption from worldly existence.

Bhakti Movement - Significance

• The Bhakti movement was founded on monotheistic ideas and largely condemned idol worship.
• The Bhakti movement was founded on the belief that the best way to connect with God is through love and worship, rather than through rituals or religious rites.
• The Bhakti reformers advocated escape from the cycle of life and death, and that salvation could only be obtained through intense devotion and confidence in God.
• They emphasised the significance of self-surrender in gaining God's happiness and grace, as well as the value of Gurus who served as mentors and preceptors.
• They taught the Universal brotherhood principle.
• They were opposed to ceremonies, pilgrimages, and fasting. They were vehemently opposed to the caste system, which segregated people based on their birth.
• They also emphasised the singing of hymns with profound devotion, and without regard for any language as sacred, they created lyrics in common people's languages.

Textual Influences of Bhakti Movement

• Bhakti is mentioned in ancient Indian scriptures dating back to the first millennium BCE, including the Shvetashvatara Upanishad, the Katha Upanishad, and the Bhagavad Gita.
• Apart from 'GyanMarg' and 'Karma Marg,' the Bhagavad Gita discusses 'Bhakti' as a means of attaining salvation.
• 'Bhakti' is also mentioned in the sutras. It is stated especially in the Narada Sutra and the Sandilya Sutra.

Bhakti Movement in South India

• Between the seventh and twelfth centuries CE, the popular Bhakti movement grew throughout south India.
• It was founded on religious equality as well as broad social engagement.
• The Shivaite Nayannars and Vaishnavaite Alvars, who propagated the Bhakti cult under the Pallavas, Pandyas, and Cholas, ignored the Jains' and Buddhists' austerities.
• They proclaimed that personal commitment to God was the only way to salvation.
• They ignored the rigidities of the caste system and used local languages to spread the message of love and personal devotion to God throughout South India.

Alwars

• The Alvars, which means "those steeped in God," were Vaishnava poet-saints who travelled around singing praises to Vishnu or his avatar Krishna.
• They were Vaishnavists who worshipped Vishnu or Krishna as the Supreme Being.
• There were 12 Alwars in total.
• They wrote hymns in honour of Vishnu and his avatars, which were collected in the Divya Prabandha.
• They also lauded the 'Divya Deshams,' which allude to the 108 Vaishnavite deities' abodes.
• Andal is the only female Alwar saint known as the 'Meera of the South.'

Nayannars

• They began as a congregation of 63 Tamil saints dedicated to Lord Shiva. The specifics of the saints' life are documented in the text 'Tevaram,' commonly known as the Dravida Veda.
• On the request of Chola ruler Raja Raja I, his priest began compiling the Nayyanar hymns into a series of volumes known as 'Tirumurai.' The Nayyannars come from a wide range of backgrounds.
• Brahmins and nobility were among them, but so were oil merchants and Vellalas.
• The Alwars and Nayyanars fought Brahmanical dominance as well as Jainism and Buddhism. They collaborated to provide the groundwork for India's Bhakti movement.

Bhakti Movement in North India

• During the 12th-17th centuries CE, the Bhakti movement gained prominence in the northern portions of the country.
• The Bhakti movement in north India is sometimes thought to be a continuation of the movement that began in the south.
• Despite the parallels in the two regions' traditions, the concept of Bhakti differed according to the teachings of each of the saints.
• The expansion of Islam in India affected the northern mediaeval Bhakti movement.
• The main aspects of Islam, such as belief in one God (monotheism), equality and fraternity, and rejection of rituals and class divisions, all had a significant influence on the Bhakti movement of this age.
• The campaign also brought about some social reforms.

Important Bhakti Saints

Ramanuja (1060-1118 AD)

• He was a Tamil Brahmin and one of the most prominent Vaishnavists. He travelled to several locations to convey his message of love and dedication before settling in Srirangam.
• He was the creator of the philosophy of 'Vishist Advaita,' i.e., qualified monism. According to him, salvation is possible through Karma, Gyan, or Bhakti

Madhvacharya (1238-1317 AD)

• He founded the Dvaita Vada (i.e. dualism) school of Vedanta.
• He was a critic of Adi Shankaracharya's Advaitavada theory, claiming that the Atman (individual soul) and Brahman (ultimate reality, i.e. Lord Vishnu) are fundamentally distinct and that the individual soul is dependent on the Brahman and can never be identical.

Vallabhacharya (1479-1531 AD)

• He founded Shuddhadvaita (Pure Non-dualism), and his philosophy is known as 'Pushti Marg.'
• This group is based on Krishna, particularly his child appearance, and is embellished by the usage of customs, music, and festivals.
• He also established the Rudra Sampradaya school.

Dnyaneshwar (Jnanadev) (1275-1296)

• He was the earliest Bhakti saint in Maharashtra and wrote the 'Dnyaneshwari' commentary on the Bhagavad Gita.
• Amrutanubhav on Yoga and Philosophy is his other work. Both of his pieces are regarded as landmarks in Marathi literature.

Eknath (1533-1599)

• He was a Maharashtrian saint of the Varkari Panth. Sufi mysticism and Vedanta philosophy affected him.
• 'Eknathi Bhagavatam,' a commentary on the Bhagavata Purana, is his most famous work. He was a follower of the Saguna religion.

Bhakti Movement and Women

• The Bhakti saints advocated for equality and encouraged women to participate. They denounced female infanticide and the practice of Sati.
• They also invited the women to renounce their worldly ties and participate in community-based kirtans.
• Meerabai was the most famous female Bhakti saint, and her songs devoted to 'Krishna' are immensely popular in India.

Meerabai (1498-1546)

• She was a princess from Pali, Rajasthan, born into a royal family.
• Meerabai was a devout devotee of Lord Krishna and considered Krishna to be her lover.
• She wrote bhajans (short religious songs) that are still heard today. Meerabai was written in Braj bhasa and Rajasthani.

Contributions of Bhakti Movement

• The Bhakti movement was critical in bringing about much-needed religious, social, and cultural reforms.
• They advocated for an equal social order by speaking out against caste and gender prejudice.
• They espoused religious concord and universal fraternity. Some saints drew Hindus and Muslims closer together and worked to reconcile their competing interests.
• They instilled in their students the importance of purity of mind and action.
• Religion was brought to the public through the use of vernacular languages in their teachings.
• This resulted in the expansion and development of vernacular languages and literature.
• A lot of works, for example, were created in Hindi, Marathi, and Gujarati. The Bhakti saints were passionately opposed to the priests' prescribing of intricate ceremonies.
• Rather than rituals, a personal connection with God through bhajans and kirtans became the most popular form of devotion.

Conclusion

The Bhakti movement was a historical religious movement in medieval Hinduism that sought to bring religious reforms to all strata of society by using devotion to achieve salvation. The Bhakti movement evolved regionally around various gods and goddesses, with some sub-sects including Vaishnavism (Vishnu), Shaivism (Shiva), Shaktism (Shakti goddesses), and Smartism. The Bhakti movement preached in local languages for the message to reach the masses. Many poet-saints inspired the movement, championing a wide range of philosophical positions ranging from theistic to agnostic. The Bhakti movement empowered the underprivileged and engendered the growth of vernacular literature in India.

GS Mains Questions and Model Answers

Q1: Analyze the impact of the Bhakti Movement on the caste system in medieval India.

Answer: The Bhakti Movement challenged the entrenched caste system in medieval India by promoting the idea that all individuals, regardless of caste or social status, could attain salvation through devotion to God. Saints like Kabir and Guru Nanak rejected caste-based distinctions, emphasizing the equality of all human beings. This shift helped reduce the rigidity of the caste system, especially among the lower castes, and promoted social harmony across religious and caste lines. The movement's stress on devotion and love for God democratized spirituality, making it accessible to the masses.

Q2: Discuss how the Bhakti Movement contributed to the development of vernacular literature in India.

Answer: The Bhakti Movement significantly contributed to the growth of vernacular literature by encouraging saints and poets to express their devotion in the local languages of the people. Saints like Tulsidas wrote in Awadhi, Kabir in a mixture of Hindi and regional dialects, and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in Bengali. This shift from Sanskrit to vernacular languages made religious teachings more accessible to the general population and fostered the growth of regional literature. This also led to the development of a rich cultural and literary tradition in various parts of India.

Q3: Evaluate the role of the Bhakti Movement in promoting religious tolerance in India.

Answer: The Bhakti Movement played a pivotal role in promoting religious tolerance by advocating the unity of all religions and the oneness of God. Saints like Kabir and Guru Nanak preached that there was no fundamental difference between Hinduism and Islam and that all paths ultimately lead to the same divine truth. This emphasis on universal brotherhood and tolerance helped bridge the gap between different religious communities, particularly Hindus and Muslims, fostering a spirit of communal harmony in the medieval Indian subcontinent.

Previous Year Questions on Bhakti Movement 

1. UPSC CSE Prelims 2017:

Question: Which of the following saints is associated with the Bhakti Movement?

A. Adi Shankara

B. Kabir

C. Aryabhata

D. Kautilya

Answer: B

Explanation: Kabir was a central figure in the Bhakti Movement, advocating Nirguna Bhakti and rejecting caste distinctions and idol worship.

2. UPSC CSE Mains 2016 (GS Paper 1):

Question: Discuss the socio-religious impact of the Bhakti Movement on Indian society.

Answer: The Bhakti Movement had a profound impact on Indian society by promoting social equality, religious tolerance, and the rejection of the caste system. It democratized religion by allowing the common people to express their devotion to God without the need for priests or rituals. Saints like Kabir, Mirabai, and Guru Nanak preached unity and harmony across religious lines, fostering communal tolerance. The movement also contributed to the development of vernacular languages, making spiritual literature accessible to the masses.

3. UPSC CSE Prelims 2018:

Question: Which of the following Bhakti saints emphasized the oneness of God and rejected caste distinctions?

A. Shankaracharya

B. Guru Nanak

C. Kalhana

D. Aryabhata

Answer: B

Explanation: Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, emphasized the oneness of God and preached against caste distinctions, focusing on equality for all