Srimanta sankardeva the paradigm of vaishnavism

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Srimanta Sankardeva: The Paradigm of Vaishnavism Guptajit Pathak Assistant Professor, Department of History Kanya Mahavidyalaya, Gitanagar, Guwahati- 781 021 Dist. Kamrup (Assam) E-mail ID : guptajitpathak@yahoo.com Mobile : +91-99548-85175 & Ph. D. Research Scholar Department of Women’s Studies Magadh University Boodh Gaya, Bihar, India Abstract: The development of Vaishnavism in Assam was not an isolated process. It was an unavoidable part of main Indian culture. The Neo-Vaishnaviate cultural movement was spreading from Barepta Kirtan Ghar to every corner of the state. Srimanta Sankardeva the great Vaishnaviate reformer spent most of his valuable time in the Barepta Kirtan Ghar and cultured the Ek-SaranNam Dharma.

Gandhiji visited Barpeta and felt “A great vaishnava revival under Sankardeva in the 16 th century has made Assamese people kindly, tolerant and humane. There is no sign anywhere of that form of untouchability which is to be found is South India. Assam is indeed, is fortune for Sankardeva, has five centuries back, given the Assamese people an ideal which is also my ideal of Ram Rajya”.

Key Words: Vaishnavism, Srimanta Sankardev, Ek-Saran-Nam Dharma.

Introducstion: Srimanta Sankardeva, as an idol of Vaishnavite ideals and ethos of life, had to carry forward his creative and innovative ideals very carefully so as to touch and motivate the people on to the path of social peace and mutual love between them. According to the great saint it is possible only through mutual respect and understanding without any hatred and discrimination between people of diverse religion and cultural backgrounds.

Love has its own divine power. It can win hearts, even enemy tend to surrender before love.

Vaishnavism is a faction of love i.e. loves between man and man, man and other creature and friends and enemies. Vaishnavism developed this idea on certain fundamental issues of life.

An eminent anthropologist Rajmohan Nath described about the Neo-vaishnaviate movement as “During his (Srimanta Sankardeva’s) journey, he went among other places to Gaya, Kashi, Puri, Brindhaban, Mathura, Kurukeshtra, Upa-Badarikasram, Varakestra, Puskar, Davarka and Rameshwar. He noticed that Vaishnavism was the rolling religion that had achieved with a new

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outlooks and movement, the unification of the people on common basis is though the medium of congregational player accompanied with music.”

Again well-known critic Dr. Satyendra Nath Sarma highlights, “The vaishnaive in Assam was not an isolated phenomenon having no connection whatsoever with the current vaishnaive revival that swept over the rest of India during this period.”

Srimanta Sankardeva and Vaishnava Religion: Srimanta Sankardeva, the great Vaishnava saint and reformer was born in Alipukhuri of Bardowa in Nagaon district of Assam in 1449. The great soul intended to play a noteworthy role in sermonizing to humanity and protecting human religion, the demoralized, the browbeaten and the untouchables.

Lord Krishna the symbol of art said to Arjuna in Gita, “when irreligion prevails, I manifest myself in bodily form age after age for the purpose of protecting the saints and destroying the inauspicious forces to foster religion.” Srimanta Sankardeva’s personification is a great one, and he was also a symbol of art.

Srimanta Sankardeva was at the same time a Guru, poet, dramatist, painter and sculptor. The saint has a good number of literary compositions to his credit especially poetic compositions or Kavyas and lyrics. The embodiment of this great soul is a historical wonder. He contributed enormously to the integrity of the human culture.

Srimanta Sankardeva preached “Ek-Saran-Nam Dharma”. It emphasizes on the chanting the name of Lord Krishna through devotional songs along with musical instruments. Adoration of Lord Krishna through “Nam Prasanga” leads to the quest for truth and balance between the soul and the body.

Srimanta Sankardeva enjoined a pure honest work culture, social discipline, humanized love and thus cherished religious values conventional by all. The very lesson of humanism can be drawn in the literature, drama, music, dance, totoy, chopoy, bhaona and art & culture of Srimanta Sankardeva.

The main characteristics of Srimanta Sankardeva’s religious faith are truthfulness, religious liberty and a benevolent attitude towards one and all. The characteristic of his religion basically secularism. The principles of all the religion are included into the vaishviate faith. As a religious teacher he was more secular, more catholic than any other religious teachers.

There is no casteism in the vaishviate faith. The disciples of Srimanta Sankardeva were from different ethnic tribes of Assam. The members from all castes and communities starting from Brahmins to Kayasthas were his disciple. In the Vaishnavite Faith the women have equal access to Namgharas and can take part in Nam-kirtana. They receive initiation and even hold responsible positions.

“Kritan Ghosha” is the eminent literary creation of Srimanta Sankardeva. It is an early Assamese poetical work. In “Gunamala” Srimanta Sankardeva described the multiple qualities of Lord Krishna in a day to impress Koch King Narayanan which is indeed the soul of “Bhagawat Gita”.

The great soul translated “Srimod Bhagawat” the incomparable creation of Vyasdev, into the Assamese language.

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Srimanta Sankardeva was the founder of The Satra Institutions of Assam and studied most of the Sastras of his time and the stanch believer and follower of one God in the form of lord Krishna.

He studied most of the sastras of his time and a firm believer and follower of one God in form of lord Krishna.

The great soul commenced a pilgrimage in the company of some of disciples to Northern India spending twelve years of his life. During this journey he gathered huge experiences about the religious of Bhakti, which is the dominant spirit of the faith and way of life. During his time in Assam some cruel practices like animal slaughter and even human sacrifice was prevailing in that society. So he propagates a very straightforward religion and introduced faith based on Bhakti and Nama.

In the Vaishnavite faith Srimanta Sankardev preached, complete devotion and chanting of the name of lord Krishna in full dedication. He had used some simple ways like songs, drama etc to teach his thought amongst the masses to propagate his teachings He introduced the institution called Satra to perform various art forms and to educate the people of Assam.

Conclusion: Every religion whatever its potency and the number of followers might be, visualize a philosophy. The highly spiritualized philosophy and pure monotheistic principle of Sankardeva could bring a sweeping change to the society. Vaishnavite Religion must unite all classes of people without any demoralizing impact on ant community. So, it is love that can bind every one to all.

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4. Nath, U. (2001). Barpetar Sanskritik Buranji.

5. Neog, M., Sankardeva and his Times.

6. Pathak, G. (2003). Barpeta Satrar Itihas, Amar Desh Brakasan, Barepta.

7. Sarma, S.N., Neo-Vaishnaviate Movement and Satra Institute of Assam.

8. Thakur, D. Mahapurush Sree Sree Sankardeva-Madhavdeva Charit.