Table of Contents
In the eighth century, two significant spiritual trends, Sufism and Bhakti, began to take shape. These movements encouraged devotion to God without discrimination based on caste. Both Sufism and Bhakti shared many similarities and became popular around the same time.
The Concept of a Supreme God
Before the rise of large kingdoms, various communities worshipped their local deities. However, as towns, trade, and empires expanded, new religious ideas emerged. The concept that not all humans are born equal gained popularity during this period. The belief in a Supreme God who could free humans from earthly ties through devotion, known as bhakti, became widespread. Gods and goddesses previously worshipped locally were now identified with major deities like Shiva, Vishnu, or Durga.
A New Form of Bhakti in South India – Nayanars and Alvars
Between the seventh and ninth centuries, new religious groups called Nayanars (followers of Shiva) and Alvars (followers of Vishnu) emerged in South India. They criticized Buddhists and Jains and advocated intense love for Shiva or Vishnu as a way to salvation. They traveled from place to place, creating beautiful poems and songs in praise of these deities. Kings like the Cholas and Pandyas built grand temples for these shrines.
Philosophy and Bhakti
In Kerala, Shankara, a philosopher, promoted Advaita, the idea that the individual soul and the Supreme God are one. Ramanuja from Tamil Nadu taught that the best way to achieve salvation was through deep devotion to Vishnu.
Basavanna’s Virashaivism
In the mid-12th century, Basavanna started the Virashaivism movement in Karnataka. He and his followers, like Allama Prabhu and Akkamahadevi, advocated for equality and opposed the prevailing caste system and the treatment of women.
The Saints of Maharashtra
Saints like Jnaneshwar, Namdev, Eknath, Tukaram, Sakkubai, and the Chokhamela family in Maharashtra focused on the bhakti of Vitthala (a form of Vishnu), often using simple Marathi songs to inspire people. These saints, some from lower castes, rejected ritualistic practices and social inequalities.
Nathpanthis, Siddhas, and Yogis
During this period, groups like the Nathpanthis, Siddhas, and Yogis also criticized conventional religious rituals and the social order. They promoted meditation on the formless Ultimate Reality and emphasized the importance of yoga.
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Islam and Sufism
Islam, which preached monotheism or the worship of one God, rejected idol worship. Sufis, who were Muslim mystics, also rejected the strict codes set by Muslim religious scholars. Famous Sufis like Ghazzali, Rumi, and Sadi emphasized direct, personal union with God.
New Religious Movements in North India
After the 13th century, North India saw a resurgence of the bhakti movement led by figures like Tulsidas, Surdas, Kabir, and Baba Guru Nanak. They taught in regional languages, making their messages more accessible and relatable. Kabir and Baba Guru Nanak, in particular, rejected orthodox religious practices and preached a formless Supreme God.
From the eighth century onward, various devotional paths to the divine emerged, a key topic in Class 7 History Chapter 8 notes. People initially worshiped local deities before the formation of larger kingdoms. Many were drawn to the teachings of Buddha and Jainas, while others were attracted to the idea of a single Supreme God. This led to the rise of Bhakti movements where deities like Shiva, Vishnu, and Durga were worshiped as supreme through complex rituals.
During the seventh to ninth centuries, new religious groups like the Nayanars (devotees of Shiva) and Alvars (devotees of Vishnu) appeared. These saints, who belonged to various castes including the untouchables, advocated passionate devotion to Shiva or Vishnu as the way to salvation and criticized Buddhist and Jain practices.
The devotion to these deities was solidified through the construction of grand temples by Chola and Pandya kings from the tenth to twelfth centuries, making temple worship a significant aspect of the Bhakti tradition. This era is detailed in the devotional paths to the divine class 7 PDF.
Bhakti saints like Shankara promoted the Advaita philosophy, which emphasizes the unity of the individual soul with the Supreme God. He encouraged renouncing worldly life for spiritual knowledge. Meanwhile, Ramanuja, influenced by the Alvars, preached that salvation is best achieved through intense devotion to Vishnu.
In Karnataka, around the twelfth century, the Virashaiva movement led by Basavanna advocated against ritual and idol worship. Similarly, in Maharashtra, saints like Jnaneshwar, Namdev, Eknath, and Tukaram, using simple Marathi, inspired people with songs rejecting ritualism and social inequalities. They emphasized living a family life rather than renouncing the world.
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Other groups such as Nathpanthis, Siddhas, and Yogis also challenged traditional religious practices and the social order, promoting meditation on the formless Ultimate Reality and yogic practices.
Parallel to the Bhakti movement, Sufi movements within Islam stressed love and devotion to God and compassion towards all. Rejecting formal religiosity, they developed personal and communal spiritual practices, including chanting (zikr), singing (sama), and dancing (rags), under the guidance of a spiritual teacher or pir. Important Sufi contributions include those from Ghazzali, Rumi, and Sadi, and the formation of spiritual lineages or silsilas like the Chishti order.
From the 13th century, northern India saw a resurgence of the Bhakti movement, where figures like Kabir and Guru Nanak challenged orthodox religious practices, advocating a direct, personal form of worship. Their teachings emphasized a formless Supreme God and equality among all people, transcending caste or gender distinctions. This period is crucial in Class 7 History Chapter 8 notes.
The devotional works of these movements, often composed in regional languages, gained widespread popularity. They conveyed messages of equality and direct connection with the divine, appealing directly to the common people, and remain a significant study area in the devotional paths to the divine class 7 notes.
Overall, these movements marked a profound shift in the religious landscape of India, promoting personal spirituality over ritualistic practices, as detailed in Class 7 History Chapter 8 notes and devotional paths to the divine class 7 PDF.
Useful Terms in Devotional Paths to the Divine
- Virashaivism: Popular in Karnataka during the 12th century, it stressed equality and opposed traditional caste views.
- Silsila: A lineage of Sufi teachers.
- Shariat: Islamic law as developed by Muslim scholars.
- Gurmukhi: A script introduced by Guru Nanak for writing the Punjabi language.
We hope these “devotional paths to the divine class 7 notes” and “class 7 history chapter 8 notes” help you understand these movements. For more detailed study, you might look for “devotional paths to the divine class 7 pdf” which provides comprehensive insights into these fascinating periods of religious evolution.
