20+ Bhakti Saints | Short notes🧵
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1. Shankaracharya
• Disciple of Govindacharya
• Popular works: Vivekahudamani, Saundaryalahari, Bhajagovindam
• Founded Advaita Vedanta: Moksha achieved in this life (Jivanmukti), not after life & true self identical to Brahman
2. Ramanujacharya
• Disciple of Yamuna Muni & Vedprakash
• Wrote Sri Bashya, headed Srirangam Vaishnava Math,Worshipped Lord Vishnu
• Gave Vishista Advait: Non dualistic school, Doesn’t see the world as a mere illusion
3. Madhavacharya
• Works: Gita Bhashya, Anu Bhashya, Karma Nirnaya etc
• Gave philosophy of Dwaita/Dualism, aka Tattvavada
• Refutation of Mayavada of Sri Shankara; World is real, not just an illusion
4. Nimbaraka
• Disciple of Ramanujacharya
• Wrote Dashashloki & Vedant
• First to introduce Radhamadhav cult to worship Radha & Madhav
• Founded Dvaita Advaita: centred on balance b/w Advaita & Vishishtadvaita
5. Vallabhacharya
• First to promote Krishna Bhakti on Maha Bhagvad Purana
• Founded Shuddha Advaita with faith in Absolute union
• Prescribed Pushtimarga as means of salvation (extreme devotion to God)
6. Basavanna
• Philosopher, poet of Lingayat Saint (Shiva Bhakti)
• Propagated Vishishtadvaita (of Ramanujacharya)
• Social awareness via his poetry known as Vachanas & Anubhava Mantapa
7. Kabir
• 15 cent mystic poet/saint w/ verses in Guru Granth Sahib
• Formless god, first to reconcile Hinduism and Islam
• Kabir Panth & propagated Ram Bhakti
• Wrote: Sabad, Bijak, Holi, Rekhtal
8. Guru Nanak Dev
• Gave the concept of ‘Vahiguru’ i.e. shapeless, timeless, omnipresent, invisible entity
• Most famous teachings: only one god, all humans can have direct access to w/o priests
9. Mirabai
• First to introduce: Giridhara Gopala cult and Bhajans
• Bhajans in Vraj/Braj Bhasha
10. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
• Aka Gouranga & Vishambar
• Preached Gudik Vaishnavism (Bengal, Odisha)
• Main centre: Puri, first to introduce Kirtans
11. Tulsidas (seen in PYQs)
• Started Ramlila plays
• Contemporary of Akbar, wrote Ramcharitmanas in Avadhi
• Other works: Dohavali, Sahitya ratna/Ratna Ramayan, Gitavali, Krishna Gitavali/Krisnavali, Vinaya Patrika
12. Shankar Dev
• 1st to preach Vaishnavism in Brahmaputra valley
• Founder of Eka Saranadharma & Veerapurushamarga
• Credits for new forms of: Borgeet (Music) Sattriya (dance) & Brajavali (Literary Language)
13. Ekanath
• Pro-Marathi language use
• Devotion can be done with family life
• Works: Abhangas, Owees, & Bharuds
14. Namdev
• Profession: tailor, emphasised Men = Women
• Cultural unity b/w Marathas emphasised with new tradition called Mahapurusha Sampradaya
15. Tukaram
• Message: equality and Universal Brotherhood
• Shivaji contemporary, greatest Marathi Bhakti Reformer
• Popularised Vithoba cult, devotional songs called Abhangs on Vithalswami
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Thanks for such a quick n crisp notes 🎗️