Sangam and Bhakti literature

Question 1

Bhakti Movement (Intro)

Answer 1

1. Bhakti movement was a religious reform movement which emphasised on single minded intense devotion to God. It was a complete surrender of oneself to God.
2. Bhakti movement was the direct result of the influence of the spread of Islam and its ideals such as Monotheism, equality and brotherhood of man and rejection of rituals and class divisions.

Question 2

Important Features

Answer 2

1. Unity of God or one God though known by different names.
2. Bhakti, intense love and devotion as the only way of salvation.
3. Condemnation of rituals, ceremonies and blind faith.
4. Rejection of idol worship.
5. Open mindedness about deciding religious matters.
6. No distinction of different castes, high or low.
7. Preaching’s through local or regional languages and abdicating elite languages like Sanskrit.

Question 3

Impact

Answer 3

1. According to them, there was no distinction and consideration of high and low castes on the basis of birth. Their doors were open to all classes. For ex., through the concept of ‘Langar’ or common kitchen, Sikh gurus emphasised on the equality of all in society.
2. The Bhakti saints tried to generate an environment of goodwill between Hindus and Muslims. Most of the promoters stressed the Ram and Rahim were one and the same. Some of the rulers adopted liberal religious policies under the impact of Bhakti movement.
3. The Bhakti saints were social reforms also. The evil practice of Sati recieved some setback.
4. Women were encouraged to join kirtans. Mirabai, Lalla (Kashmir) and Andal composed verses that are popular even today.
5. In place of Sanskrit, Bhakti saints preached through the medium of local languages which could be easily understood . Surdas used ‘brij’ dialect. Tulsi Das composed his works in ‘Awadhi’. Shankardeva popularizing Assamese, Chaitanya spreading their message in Bengali, Mirabai in Hindi and Rajasthani.
6. It emphasised the earning of wealth through honest means. It encouraged the value of social service to the poor and the needy. It developed a humanitarian attitude. It pointed out the virtures of contentment and self control.
7. The Bhakti movement succeeded to a very small extent in realising its two fold objective i.e. bringing about reforms in Hinduism and developing harmonious relations between the Hindus and Muslims.
8. The moevment further divided the Hindu society. For instance, the followers of Kabir came to be known as Kabir Panthis.

Question 4

Comparison bw Sangam and Bhakti literature

Answer 4

Compare - Women poets composed in Sangam as well as in Bhakti too.
Contrast -
1. Sangam was only in Sanskrit and its influence was not as widespread as that of Bhakti. Bhakti literature gave birth to regional languages and influenced pan India movements.
2. The dominating note in Bhakti is ecstasy and total identity with God. It is a poetic approach to religion. Sangam is not concerned with aspects of divinity, merger with God etc.
3. Bhakti became a great platform for Hindu - Muslim unity, while same cannot be said for Sangam literature.
4. Bhakti also attacked the age old caste system and devoted itself to the worhsip of humanity. No such theme is clear in Sangam literature.
5. In Bhakti, most of its poets belonged to the so called lower castes. Caste composition of Sangam composers is not clear. However, they did recieve royal patronage.

Question 5

Sangam and Vedic texts

Answer 5

1. Vedas are religious in nature, while Sangam is secular in nature.
2. Vedic texts poetry is metaphsical in nature, also contains medicine, mantras, rituals etx. Sangam poetry is on love and heroism.
3. Sangam is a surviving record of the Dravidian people, so composed in Tamil. The oldest surviving record of Aryans is the Rig Veda.
4. Sangam provides details about the socio economic and political life of Dravidian people. In Vedas, there is not much about the economic and political spheres.
5. Sangam talks about the military exploits of South Indian kings in detail. No such discussions can be found in Vedas, especially Rig Veda.
6. The Sangam literature consists of poems which were composed by poets in praise of their kings and also patronised by them. Vedas were composed by sages and there is no evidence of a dynasty patronising Vedas.