Extra Questions – Class 7 History Chapter 8 Devotional Paths to the Divine

Extra Questions – Devotional Paths to the Divine

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Prelude

Question 1.
How people of the subcontinent used to perform religious rituals or worship?
Answer:
People in the subcontinent used to sing bhajans, Kirtans, qawwalis, or Jap music to perform rituals or worship (repeating the name of God and Goddess in silence).
Since the 8th century, bhakti and Sufi movements have left a heritage of devotion to God.

 

The Idea of a Supreme God

Question 1.
How did the idea of a Supreme God get around?
Answer:

• People came together as towns, trade, and empires grew, and new ideas sprouted.
• It was widely understood that all living creatures go through innumerable cycles of birth and rebirth as a result of their good and bad deeds.
• During this time, the belief that all humans are not created equal gained traction.
• The assumption that social advantages come from being born into a “noble or high” caste was a point of contention.
• People were drawn to the idea of a “Supreme God” who, if addressed with devotion, could free them from the bandage.

 

Question 2.
How did people of many groups turn to the teachings of the Buddha and the Jainas?
Answer:

• The concept of gods and goddesses was unsettling to many people.
• They turned to the Buddha’s or Jainas’ teachings.
• They believed that by personal effort, it was possible to overcome social disparities and break the cycle of rebirth.
• Others were drawn to the idea of a Supreme God who could save them from their troubles.

 

Question 3.
What is the idea of Supreme God?
Answer:
The Supreme God concept states that there is only one God in the universe, and that he or she can be gained or approached via devotion or bhakti. The Bhagavadgita endorsed the concept.

 

Question 4.
How did the ideas of Bhakti become very popular?
Answer:

• As supreme deities, Shiva, Vishnu, and Durga were worshipped through complex rites.
• At the same time, gods and goddesses worshipped in various parts of the world became associated with Shiva, Vishnu, or Durga.
• Local myths and legends were included into the puranic narrative as a result of this process.
• The puranas advised worship ways, which were adopted by local cults.
• Over time, the pin-anas also stated that devotees might obtain God’s mercy regardless of their caste rank. The concept of bhakti became so widespread that it was adopted by Buddhists and Jainas alike.

 

Question 5.
Write the names of two early religious sects which were influenced by the idea of Bhakti.
Answer:
The idea of Bhakti became very popular:

• Among Buddhists, and
• Jainas.

A New Kind of Bhakti in South India – Nayanars and Alvars

 

Question 1.
Describe the new kind of Bhakti in South India.
Answer:

• New religious movements arose between the seventh and ninth centuries.
• The Nayanars (Shiva-dedicated saints) and Alvars led them (saints devoted to Vishnu).
• They came from all castes, including the ‘untouchables’ such as the Pulaiyar and Panars.
• They were harsh in their criticisms of Buddhists and Jainas.
• They advocated fervent devotion to Shiva or Vishnu as a means to redemption.
• They were inspired by the Sangam literature’s themes of love and valour.
• These Nayanars and Alvars moved about a lot. They set to music wonderful lyrics in honour of the deities they encountered in the places they visited.

 

Question 2.
How were links between Bhakti tradition and temple worship strengthened?
Answer:

• The Chola and Pandya kings built large temples around many of the shrines throughout the eleventh and twelfth centuries.
• Saint-poets paid visits to these shrines.
• They bolstered the ties that bind the Bhakti tradition to temple worship.
• Temples were built in honour of many gods to display their devotion to them.

 

Question 3.
Briefly write about the Nayanar and Alvar saints.
Answer:

There were 63 Nayanars from various castes, including potters, peasants, ‘untouchables,’ hunters, warriors, Brahmanas, and others. Manikkavasagar, Appar, Sambandar, and Sundarar were the most well-known. Tevaram and Tiruvacakam are collections of their songs.

There were a total of 12 Alvars, all with different backgrounds. Periyalar and his daughter Andal ana Nammalvar were the most well-known. In Divya Prabandham, their songs were combined.

 

Question 4.
What were Hagiographies?
Answer:
The writings of saints’ lives or religious biographies were known as hagiographies. These are the books that are utilised to write about bhakti traditions.

 

Philosophy and Bhakti

Question 1.
Give an account of Shankar a.
Answer:

• Shankara, one of India’s most famous philosophers, was born in Kerala in the eighth century and advocated Advaita philosophy.
• It is the doctrine of the individual soul’s oneness with the Supreme God, the Ultimate Reality.
• He preached that Brahman, the sole or Ultimate Reality, had no form and possessed no qualities.
• The world around us, he believed, was an illusion or maya.
• He preached renunciation of the world and the pursuit of knowledge in order to comprehend the true essence of Brahman and achieve salvation.

 

Question 2.
Briefly write about Ramanuja.
Answer:

• In the eleventh century, Ramanuja was a powerful figure in Tamil Nadu.
• The Alvars had a big influence on him.
• He believed that great devotion to Vishnu was the best way to get salvation.
• In His grace, Vishnu assists the devotee in achieving the happiness of connection with Him.
• He was a proponent of the Vishishtadvaita (qualified oneness) concept.
• It’s because the soul remained unique even when it was unified with the Supreme God.
• Ramanuja’s doctrine influenced the subsequent development of a new strand of Bhakti in north India.

 

Basavanna’s Virashaivism

Question 1.
Describe Virashaivism of Basavanna.
Answer:

Basavanna’s Virashaivism: The Virashaiva movement, founded by Basavanna and his companions Allama Prabhu and Akkamahadevi, is the clearest example of the relationship between the Tamil Bhakti movement and temple devotion.

• This trend emerged in the mid-twelfth century in Karnataka.
• The Virashaivas advocated passionately for human equality and against Brahmanical views regarding caste and women’s treatment.
• They were also opposed to any forms of idol worship and ritual.

 

The Saints of Maharashtra

Question 1.
Describe the saints of Maharashtra.
Answer:

• From the thirteenth to the seventeenth century, Maharashtra was home to a large number of saint-poets.
  People were inspired by their modest Marathi tunes.
• Janeshwar, Namdev, Eknath, and Tukaram, Sakkubai, and the Chokhamela dynasty were among the most powerful.
• They belonged to the Mahar caste, which was considered “untouchable.”
• This Bhakti movement was centred on the Vitthala temple in Pandharpur, as well as the idea of a personal God abiding in everyone’s hearts.

 

Question 2.
What were the views of these saints?
Answer:

• All types of ritualism, outward displays of piety, and social inequalities based on birth were repudiated by these saint-poets.
• In fact, they were opposed to the idea of renunciation.
• They opted to live with their families, earn a living like any other individual, and serve other human beings in need respectfully.
• As they insisted that Bhakti consisted in sharing others’ misery, a new humanism idea arose.
• “They are Vaishnavas who appreciate the anguish of others,” remarked Gujarati saint Narsi Mehta.

 

Nathpanthis, Siddhas and Yogis

Question 1.
What were the practices and beliefs followed by the Nathpanthis, Siddhas, and yogis?
Answer:

• Criticism of traditional religion’s rituals and other features.
• The world is renounced.
• In meditation on the formless, there is a path to salvation.
• Oneness realisation and ultimate reality
• Yogasanas, breathing exercises, and meditation are all used to intensely train the mind and body.

 

Question 2.
How did these religious groups affect society?
Answer:
These religious groups used simple logical arguments to criticise the social system. The ‘lower classes’ fell enamoured with them. Their criticism of traditional religion sparked the rise of devotional religion, particularly in northern India.

 

Islam and Sufism

Question 1.
Who were the Sufis?
Answer:
The Sufis and the saints had much in common. They adopted each other’s ideas. Sufis were Muslim mystics who rejected outward religiosity. They emphasised love, devotion to God, and compassion for human beings.

 

Question 2.
Briefly write the teachings of Islam.
Answer:

Monotheism, or submission to one God, was promoted by Islam:

• It was opposed to idol worship.
• Worship practices were simplified into collective prayers.
• They created the Shariat, which is a holy law.

 

Question 3.
What measures were adopted by the Sufi saints to seek God?
Answer:

• Sufis despise complicated ceremonies and norms of conduct. They sought God as a lover seeks his beloved, unconcerned about the rest of the world.
• They wrote poetry to communicate their emotions. Fables’ anecdotes grew into rich literature.
• Sufis from Central Asia such as Ghazzali, Rumi, and Sadi believed that the heart could be trained to see the world in a different light.
• They devised elaborate training methods that included Zikr (name chanting), sama (singing), raqs (dance), introspection, discussions, and breath control, among others.
• As a result, the Silsilas Sufi masters genealogy was born. Each of them practiced rituals according to a certain tariqa (method).

 

Question 4.
During which period did the Sufi-Bhakti movements strengthen in India?
Answer:

• From the eleventh century onwards, several Sufis from Central Asia settled in Hindustan.
• With the creation of the Delhi Sultanate, this process was bolstered.
• Several important Sufi centres sprang up across the subcontinent at this time.
• The Chishti silsila was one of the most powerful orders in the world.
• There was a huge queue of teachers waiting to be hired.

They were as follows:

• Ajmer’s Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti.
• Delhi’s Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki
• Punjab’s Baba Farid.
• Delhi’s Khwaja Nizamuddin Auliya
• Gulbarga’s Bandanawaz Gisudaraz.

 

Question 5.
How did the Sufi masters carry their activities?
Answer:

• In their khanqahs, or hospices, the Sufi masters convened their gatherings.
• Devotees from all walks of life, including monarchy and nobility, as well as ordinary people, went to these khanqahs.
• They talked about spiritual issues.
• In order to solve their worldly troubles, they sought the saints’ blessings.
• They simply showed up for the music and dance activities.

 

Question 6.
What is a dargah Why did people throng there?
Answer:

• Sufi teachers were frequently credited with magical powers that could cure others’ illnesses and afflictions.
• A Sufi saint’s tomb, or dargah, became a pilgrimage site. Thousands of individuals of many faiths flocked to this location.

 

New Religious Developments in North India

Question 1.
What new developments happened in north India?
Answer:

• A new wave of the Bhakti movement began in north India from the beginning of the 14th century forward.
• Islam, Brahmanical Hinduism, Sufism, diverse strands of Bhakti, and the Nathpanthis, Siddhas, and Yogis all affected one other throughout this time.
• During this time, new towns and kingdoms arose.
• People started new careers and took on new responsibilities.
• Craftspeople, peasants, tradesmen, and labourers, in particular, flocked to hear these new saints and propagate their beliefs.

 

Question 2.
Name the famous religious teacher who became a devotee of Lord Krishna and preached in Bengal during the Sultanate period (about 1199 to 1526 AD).
Answer:
Chaitanya was a notable religious instructor who became a Krishna follower and taught during the Bengal Sultanate period.

 

Question 3.
Describe the contributions of some of the saints of this period.
Answer:

• All traditional religions were rejected by Kabir and Baba Guru Nanak.
• Tulsidas and Surdas, for example, embraced established beliefs and customs.
• They intended to make these available to the general public.

God appeared to Tulsidas in the shape of Rama.

• The Ramcharitmanas, which he wrote in Awadhi, is significant as a literary achievement as well as an expression of his devotion.
• Surdas was a devout Krishna follower.
• Sursagara, Surasaravali, and Sahitya Lahari were used to compile his works.
• They show how devoted he is.

Assam’s Shankaradeva emphasised devotion to Vishnu.

• In Assamese, he wrote poems and plays.
• He established the practise of establishing namghars, or recitation and prayer houses.
• It was a habit that has persisted to this day.

 

Question 4.
Describe the contributions of Mirabai.
Answer:

• Saints like Dadu Dayal, Ravidas, and Mirabai were also part of the Bhakti tradition.
• In the sixteenth century, Mirabai was a Rajput princess who married into the royal house of Mewar.
• Ravidas, a saint from the ‘untouchable’ caste, took her as a pupil.
• Krishna was her sole focus.
• She wrote several bhajans to show her deep devotion.
• Her songs also boldly criticised the ‘higher’ castes’ norms.
• In Rajasthan and Gujarat, she became well-liked by the general public.

 

Question 5.
How did the songs of the saints become popular?
Answer:

• Most of the saints’ works were written in regional languages and could be sung, which was a unique feature.
• They quickly gained a large following and were passed down orally from generation to generation.
• These songs were usually conveyed by the poorest, most disadvantaged groups and women, who often added their personal experiences.
• As a result, these songs are as much the work of the saints as they are the work of generations of singers. They’ve assimilated into our current popular culture.

 

A Closer look: Kabir

Question 1.
Briefly write about Kabir.
Answer:
Kabir lived between the 15th and 16th centuries. He was born into a Julaha (weaver) family and grew up near Benares. Wandering bhajan performers sing his collection of poetry known as sakhis and pads. Granth Sahib, Panch Vani, and Bijak all have some of these.

 

Question 2.
What were Kabir’s teachings?
Answer:

The rejection of religious traditions was at the heart of Kabir’s teachings. He was opposed to:

• Both Brahminical Hinduism and Islam have external forms of worship.
• The priestly caste structure and its dominance.
• He wrote in a dialect of Hindi that common people could understand.
• He believed in an all-powerful, formless Supreme God. As well as bhakti is a path to salvation.
• Both Hindus and Muslims were fans of his.

 

A Closer look: Baba Guru Nanak

Question 1.
Give a life sketch of Guru Nanak.
Answer:

• We are more familiar with Guru Nanak (1469-1539) than with Kabir.
• At Talwandi, he was a bom (Nankana Sahib in Pakistan).
• Before establishing a centre in Kartarpur, he travelled extensively (Dera Baba Nanak on the river Ravi).
• His disciples were given access to regular worship, which included the singing of his own hymns.
• His followers ate together in the communal kitchen Hangar, regardless of their previous creed, caste, or gender.
• Dharmsal was the name given to the hallowed place built by Guru Nanak.
• Gurdwara is the name given to it currently.
• Before his death in 1539, Guru Nanak appointed one of his followers as his successor.
• His name was Lehna but he came to be known as Guru Angad.
• It signified that he was a part of Gum Nanak himself.

 

Question 2.
How was Guru Granth Sahib compiled?
Answer:

• Gum Angad combined Gum Nanak’s works and added his own in a new script known as Gurmukhi.
• Gum Angad’s three successors likewise wrote under the name ‘Nanak.’
• Gum Aijan gathered all of their compositions in 1604.
• Other writers’ writings were added to his collection, including Shaikh Farid, Saint Kabir, Bhagat Namdev, and Gum Tegh Bahadur.
• Gum Gobind Singh, his son and successor, verified the compilation in 1706.
• It is now known as the Sikhs’ holy scripture, Gum Granth Sahib.

 

Question 3.
How did the number of followers of Guru Nanak increase?
Answer:

• Under Guru Nanak’s successors, the number of Guru Nanak’s followers grew throughout the sixteenth century.
• They were from a variety of castes, but traders, agriculturists, artisans, and craftsmen were the most common. This could be related to Gum Nanak’s insistence that his disciples live in their own homes and engage in fruitful and meaningful work.
• They were also obliged to contribute to the community of followers’ general funds.

 

Question 4.
How did Khalsa Panth become a political identity?
Answer:

• The town of Ramdaspur (Amritsar) had grown up around the major Gurdwara known as Harmandar Sahib by the beginning of the seventeenth century (Golden Temple).
• It was almost self-governing, and modern historians refer to the Sikh community of the early seventeenth-century as “a state within a state.”
• They were seen as a potential threat by Mughal Emperor Jahangir.
• In 1606 he ordered Guru Arjan’s death.
• In the seventeenth century, the Sikh movement became increasingly politicised, culminating in Guru Gobind Singh’s 1699 establishment of the Khalsa.
• The Khalsa Panth, or Sikh community, evolved into a political organisation.

 

Question 5.
What were the teachings of Guru Nanak?
Answer:

Guru Nanak underlined the significance of worshipping a single God:

• Caste, creed, and gender, he believed, had no bearing on redemption.
• His definition of emancipation was not a condition of inner happiness, but rather the pursuit of an active life with a social commitment.
• For the substance of his teaching, he utilised the terms nam, dan, and isnan.
• His teachings emphasise the significance of having the right beliefs, worshipping God, living honestly, and helping others.
• From the start, his concept of equality had social and political ramifications.
• This demonstrates that the followers of other religious saints such as Kabir, Ravidas, and Dadu differed. Despite the fact that they shared comparable ideals.

 

Question 6.
How do we now know about the teachings of Guru Nanak?
Answer:

• Guru Angad compiled his (Guru Nanak’s) teachings with certain additions. Guru Aijan gathered the texts of Guru Angad and his three successors. Guru Granth Sahib is the name given to it currently.
• Nam-japna, kirt-kama, and vand-chhakna are three of his teachings that emphasise the necessity of proper belief and worship, honest living, and assisting others.
• His concept of equality had ramifications on both a social and political level.

 

Multiple Choice Questions

Prelude

Question 1.
Which devotional path evolved since the 8th century?
(a) Bhakti
(b) Sufism
(c) None of these
(d) Both of these
Answer:
Both of these

 

The Idea of a Supreme God

Question 1.
Which was NOT the supreme deity of Hindu worshipped during the Bhakti movement?
(a) Shiva
(b) Vishnu
(c) Ganesha
(d) Durga
Answer:
Ganesha

A New Kind of Bhakti in South India – Nayanars and Alvars

Question 1.
Religious biographies are called
(a) autobiography
(b) geography
(c) photography
(d) hagiography
Answer:
hagiography

 

Philosophy and Bhakti

Question 1.
Ramanuja was born in which state of India?
(a) Kerala
(b) Tamil Nadu
(c) Andhra Pradesh
(d) None of these
Answer:
Tamil Nadu

 

Basavanna’s Virashaivism

Question 1.
Allama Prabhu was the companion of:
(a) Ramanuja
(b) Basavanna
(c) Shankara
(d) Kabir
Answer:
Basavanna

The Saints of Maharashtra

Question 1.
Vitthala is a form of
(a) Shiva
(b) Vishnu
(c) Krishna
(d) Ganesha
Answer:
Basavanna

 

Question 2.
Who rewrote the Gita in Marathi?
(a) Saint Janeshwara
(b) Chaitanya
(c) Basavanna
(d) Virashaiva
Answer:
Saint Janeshwara

 

Nathpanthis, Siddhas, and Yogis

Question 1.
Nathpanthis, Siddhas and Togis made devotional religion popular in:
(a) North
(b) South
(c) East
(d) West
Answer:
North

 

Islam and Sufism

Question 1.
Sufis were ……………………. mystics.
(a) Hindu
(b) Boddh
(c) Muslim
(d) Christian
Answer:
Muslim

 

Question 2.
The Sufi master held their assemblies in their
(a) temple
(b) courtyards
(c) Khanqahs
(d) none of these
Answer:
Khanqahs

 

Question 3.
House of rest for travelers kept by a religious order is
(a) fable
(6) sama .
(c) raqas
(d) hospice
Answer:
hospice

 

Question 4.
According to Islam the day of judgment before the Allah is called
(a) Quran
(b) Haz
(c) Qayamat
(d) Jannat
Answer:
Qayamat

 

Question 5.
The disciples in the Sufi system were called
(a) shishya
(b) nayanars
(c) alvars
(d) murids
Answer:
murids

 

Question 6.
Shariat is
(a) single-minded devotion to one God
(b) the month of fasting for Muslims
(c) the disciples in the Sufi system
(d) Holy law made by Muslim scholars
Answer:
Holy law made by Muslim scholars

New Religious Developments in North India

Question 1.
The Ramacharitamanas are written in which language?
(a) Urdu
(b) Hindi
(c) Awadhi
(d) Brij
Answer:
Awadhi

 

A Closer look: Kabir

Question 1.
Kabir was brought up by the family of:
(a) Carpenters
(b) Weavers
(c) Farmers
(d) None of these
Answer:
Weavers

 

A Closer look: Baba Guru Nanak

Question 1.
The new script introduced by Guru Nanak was termed as
(a) Dharmsal
(b) Gurmukhi
(c) Gurudwara
(d) Langar
Answer:
Gurmukhi

 

Question 2.
Adi-Granth is the other name of
(a) Adi-Puran
(b) Guru Granth Sahib
(c) Koran
(d) Gita
Answer:
Guru Granth Sahib

 

Objective Type questions

Question 1.
Fill in the blanks with appropriate words:
1. Surdas wrote Sursagar, Surasaravali and …………………..
2. Two sets of a compilation of songs of the Nayanars saints were ………………… and Tiruvacakam.
3. Two companions of Basavanna were …………………….. and Akkamahadevi.
4. Saint Sakkubai belonged to ……………………….. caste.
5. Alvars were devoted to ………………
6. Mirabai was a disciple of ………………………. a saint from a lower caste.
Answer:
1. Sahitya Lahiri
2. Tevaram
3. Allama Prabhu
4. Mahar
5. Lord Vishnu
6. Ravidas

 

Question 2.
State whether the given statements are true or false:
1. According to Buddhism and Jainism it was possible to overcome social differences and the cycle of rebirth.
2. Nayanars were devoted to Lord Vishnu.
3. Alvars saint’s compilation of songs is known as Divya Prabandham.
4. Tulsidas’s composition Ramacharitamanas is written in Awadhi.
5. Great Sufi saints of Central Asia were Gazzali, Rumi and Sadi.
6. Idea of Bhakti was advocated in the Ramayana.
Answer:
1. True
2. False
3. True
4. True
5. True
6. False.

 

Question 3.
Match the contents of Column A with that of Column B:

Answer:
1. (d)
2. (f)
3. (c)
4. (a)
5. (b)
6. (e).