Chapter 16 -

The rise of neo-religious ideas

1. 1.  Write the answer-

(a) What is devotionalism?

Answer: Literally, devotion refers to deep loyalty and reverence for God. In that sense, devotionalism is the doctrine created by the great sages by emphasizing the union of the human soul with God, deep love and devotion to God.

(b) What are two reasons for the formation of the Bhakti movement?

Answer: 1. In the seventh century AD, a devotional movement developed in the Tamil kingdom of South India under the patronage of two communities named Alvars and Nayanar. In their devotional thought, both these communities emphasized the welfare of the people by reforming society through the worship of divine powers rather than merely devotion to God.

2. The appearance of Islam in the Middle Ages contributed to the awakening of the Bhakti movement.


c) What is 'Divya Prabandham'?


answer- The songs, voices and oral literature of the Alvars were later compiled. This collection of literature of the Alvars is called the 'Divya Prabandham'


d) Name four persons who pioneered the Bhakti movement in North India


answer- The four pioneers of the Bhakti movement in North India are Nanak, Tulsidas, Kabir and Ramananda


e) According to Sankaradeva, how can one attain liberation?


answer- According to Sankaradeva, one can attain salvation through exclusive faith in God and devotion to His name.



2. Fill in the blanks with appropriate words based on the text:


Answer:

a) He was a Shankaracharya Advaitaism  Believer ǀ


b) The Christian of the ninth century From ǀ the Muslim Turkish Afghans appeared in India


c) was the main deity worshiped by Ramananda Vishnu's incarnation is Rama ǀ


d) Tulsidasak The incarnation of Balmiki considered to be ǀ


e) Kabir's poems on the path of devotion "Doha" is called the 'Star Wars'


3) Kiss typing- 


Answer:


(a) Shankaracharya - Bhaktiism was born in the southern Indian state of Kerala under the leadership of Shankaracharya. Shankaracharya believed in Advaita. He believes that there is no difference between the soul and the Supreme Soul. God exists in man. Through good knowledge and good deeds, one can attain salvation.


(b) Gnanadeva- The Bhakti movement began in Maharashtra in northwestern India in the 13th century under the leadership of Gyandev. Gyandev spread the message of devotion to God among the people through songs. He emphasized on living a simple and friendly life by removing the caste discrimination, rich and poor discrimination in the prevailing society. He presented to the people that God exists in all human beings. Gyandev's words were later spread by his followers (Tukaram, Ramdas, etc.) in other regions.


(c) Ramananda -  Ramananda was the propagator of the Bhakti movement in northern India, especially in the Hindi-speaking regions. He was a scholar and social reformer. The main deity of his devotional path was Rama, the incarnation of Vishnu. He opened the door of religion to all classes of people. He wrote poetry in Hindi and preached devotion. One of his disciples was Kabir.


(d) Nanak- Guru Nanak was one of the pioneers of the path of devotion in North India. He was greatly influenced by Kabir's path of devotion. Nanak did not believe in the idolatry and casteism prevalent in Hinduism. He believes that God is one; He is unique and formless. The disciples of Guru Nanak later became known as Sikhs.


(e) Meerabai-  In the 13th century, the Bhakti movement flourished in northwestern India. Along with several other seekers in Gujarat and Rajasthan, Meerabai also spread the praises of God among the people through bhajan kirtans. This path of devotion gained considerable popularity among the people. 


4. Who are the Alvars? What was their main religion? 


answer- The Alvars were at the root of the devotional movement in the southern Tamil kingdom in the seventh century AD.

The Alvars were worshipers of Lord Vishnu. They believe that Vishnu is the best and the root of creation. Moksha is attained by giving up ego and surrendering oneself to God. God can be found in people. Therefore, love of living beings is the basis of love of God. In their devotional thought, this community did not consider reverence for God as mere devotion but emphasized the reform of society through the worship of divine powers and the achievement of all kinds of welfare for the common people


5. What was the motto of Sufism? Name two persons who played a role in the spread of Sufism in India.


answer- The motto of Sufism is to worship one God. Sufis believe that God can be attained through love and devotion.

Two people who played a role in the spread of Sufism are Nizamuddin Auliya and Moinuddin Sisti.


6. Why was Kabir popular among all Hindus and Muslims?


answer- Kabir grew up in a Muslim weaving family. Like other devotees, he was a worshiper of one God. He called God by various names like Ram, Hari, Khoda, Allah etc. Kabir preached devotional religion through devotional poems. These poems were well received by the public. Attracted to the path of devotion he preached, people of both Hindus and Muslims accepted his discipleship. Therefore, Kabir was popular among all Hindus and Muslims.


7. What was the purpose of the leaders of the Bhakti movement in undertaking social reforms besides religion?


answer- In the Middle Ages, many challenges arose in the Indian society in terms of religion. The lower classes of society were especially upset by the strict rules of Hinduism, caste discrimination, upper and lower classes, rich and poor. They wanted to get rid of it. The leaders of the Bhakti movement undertook social reforms to free the people from these religious immorality and superstitions and build a society steeped in devotion.


8. What is the reason for the popularity of the Bhakti movement in India?


answer- The Bhakti movement had a significant impact on social reforms in India. This movement greatly reduced the caste system, high and low, and the excess of rituals in the society. Because the liberal human view was the foundation of devotionalism, women had the opportunity to practice religion on an equal basis with men. The pioneers of the Bhakti movement propagated their doctrines in regional languages ​​in a way that everyone could understand, which led to the rise of regional languages. Scholars believe that the Bhakti movement reflected the hopes of social revival in medieval India. The Bhakti movement became popular in India for the above reasons.


9. Write a note in about 50 words on the contribution of Srimanta Sankardeva to the Assamese society 


answer- In the fifteenth century AD, Mahapurusha Srimanta Sankardeva started the Bhakti movement in Assam. He visited famous pilgrimage sites in India and studied the basic scriptures of Hinduism. He pioneered the devotional movement in Assam, arguing that the Bhagavad Purana is the root of all. He reshaped the Assamese society with the idea of ​​devotionalism. He preached the message of equality, tolerance and non-violence to unite the social life of the Assamese. To bring religion closer to the masses, Sankaradeva wrote the scriptures in Brajavali and Assamese instead of Sanskrit. He organized various cultural programs to strengthen social unity and harmony.