My Memoir in the Making 81st Chapter (The Bhakti Movement – Meera, Kabir, and Guru Nanak)

There is a common belief that after a long dark age, the Renaissance period, lasting from the 15th to the 17th century, was followed by the industrial revolution in Europe.  Galileo, Johannes Kepler and Isaac Newton were some of the leaders whose research contributions supported this European journey.  In addition, a host of scholars, educationists, writers, musicians, and philosophers also contributed as well as inventors, physicians, and acousticians.  Similarly, in the East, in general, and in India the Renaissance came as a new wave of social and spiritual upliftment known as the Bhakti Movement.

Notwithstanding the knowledge era in Europe in the form of scientific and economic upliftment, the Bhakti Movement produced many Bhaktas whose appearance during the Renaissance times overshadowed the efforts of the Europeans who eventually not only captured but also penetrated India, replacing the then Islamic rule in the country. Despite the aforementioned political scenario, the turmoil in the region was pacified by the appearance of numerous devotional saints whose appearance during this Bhakti Movement catered to the spiritual quest of the people.

The chronological order of saints that appeared during the Bhakti movement are - Ramanuja (1017-1137), Nimbarka (12th century), Basavanna (1134-1196), Kabir (18th century), Guru Nanak (1469-1539), Namdev (1270-1350), Chaitanya Maha Prabhu (1486-1534), Purandara Dasa (1484-1564), Kanka Dasa (1509-1609), Mirabai (1498-1547), Surdas (1478-1581), Eknath (1533-1599), Vallabha Acharya (1479-1531), Tukaram (1608-1649), Raidas (15th to 16th century), Samartha Ramdas (1608-1681). These Bhaktas in their own way served the Bhakti Movement, remodeling religious norms with their perception of devotion for the emancipation of the soul.

Most researchers believe that the Bhakti Movement arose due to feudal tyranny and Brahminic dominance for the continuation of the caste system.  In fact, the Bhakti movement came as a rebellion against the continuation of practices emanating from the Brahminical School over the ages.  These were based on the continuity of religious sermons but were not applicable to the Shudras. On the contrary, if someone scrutinizes the list of Bhaktas, the promotors of the Bhakti Movement, either belonged to the aforesaid category of neglected ones or of those who got enlightened to promote the realization of God through devotion and worship of the Almighty. 

Surprisingly, the positive impact of the Bakti Movement was not only to promote equality amongst all castes of Hinduism but also to narrow down the gap between Hindus and Muslims.  The main message of humanity overshadowed the religion and all preachers equally spoke in favour of devotion without any religious bias. In fact, the Bhakti movement called for religious ramification of Hinduism in its purest form, shedding the classification into four castes with equal privileges for all including the Brahmins.  The other aim was to merge the Islamic movement into the mainstream by creating a new platform of Godly practices common for all through devotion and loyalty called Sufism. 

Sufism was promoted by the saints of the Bhakti movement.  The concept of Sufism developed amongst the Muslims and became a part of this new movement.  The worship places of Sufism even today are equally visited by Hindus and Muslims. This way Metaphysics, a fancy part of Hinduism, also found its place in Islam through Sufism.

As already mentioned in the preceding paragraphs, the list of saints in the Bhakti Movement is endless, but I have chosen only three in this essay. 

Meera Bai, a lone representative of women, was married off at a young age but her obsession for Krishna often brought her criticism from her in-laws.   The condition turned from bad to worst with the early death of her husband.  She often went to Krishna temples, sitting with the commoners, which was not appreciated by her brother-in-law.  Her husband died after a few years of marriage.  But unmindful of all these treacherous challenges, she continued singing poetry and songs (Bhajans) composed by herself, expressing her devotion for Lord Krishna. 

Kabir was a mystic and poet who belonged equally to the Hindus and Muslims.  There are doubts as to whether he was a Muslim or a Hindu.  The majority believe that he was born to a Brahmin family near Banaras but was brought up by a Muslim couple, weavers by profession. His Guru Ramananda initiated him into the higher knowledge of Hindu tenets and Muslim religious and philosophical ideas.

As a saint, his approach was to promote that Hindus and Muslims are the creation of the same God. His mission was to coordinate Hinduism and Islam, offering a mid-way path called Kabirpanthi which could be followed by both communities equally.  To him, Rama and Allah, temple and mosque, were the same.  He believed that every life has a relationship with Jivatma and Paramatma and the union of the two is Moksha.  He composed dohe, salika, and sakhi concisely and simply with an admixture of Hindi, Avadhi, Braj, and Bhojpuri.   He believed in the synthesis of Bhakti and Sufi ideas.

Guru Nanak Dev ji is also referred to as Baba Nanak, founder of Sikhism and the first Guru of the Sikhs. Born on April 15, 1469, at Kartarpur in a Hindu Khatri family, he left for his heavenly abode on September 22, 1539.  Because of his close connection with Hazrat Sheikh, the Punjabi Sufi saint, he is often treated as a Sufi saint.  He too believed in devotion to the Lord as the only way to Moksha.

Through Guru Nanak, the Bhakti movement in Punjab became a vehicle for social change integrating Bhakti-Sufi traditions for spiritual quest.  His preachings were also on socio-religious reforms, discarding practices then in vogue in the Hindu temples.  He strongly advocated universal brotherhood, social justice, humanitarian cultural vision, peaceful coexistence, and cultural pluralism. In short, Guru Nanak Dev Ji is the champion of the worship of formless divine entity beyond all caste, creed, and religion.

To sum up, the Bhakti Movement in medieval India was broad and diverse, encompassing various religions and communities. All the protagonists of the Bhakti Movement advocated devotion and surrender as the chief mode for the emancipation of the soul.  It was characterized by a surge of Bhakti towards personal deities or godly figures leading to a direct and emotional connection between the individual and the divine.  Guru Nanak Dev Ji did not believe in intermediaries and so recommended a direct link with the Almighty.