Q. With reference to the characteristics of the early phase of the Bhakti Movement in North India (c. 13th-15th century), consider the following statements:
1.The movement, initially catalyzed by the teachings of the South Indian Alvars and Nayanars, found widespread acceptance in the North primarily after saints began composing devotional works in Sanskrit.
2.The Bhakti saints generally simplified the path to spiritual liberation, advocating for a simple life and eschewing complicated rituals.
3.A key feature was the simultaneous presence of two distinct religious approaches: the Saguna (form-worship) and the Nirguna (formless) ideological streams.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Answer: B
Notes:
Explanation:
- Statement 1: Incorrect. The widespread popularity of the Bhakti movement in North India was significantly aided by the use of regional languages (like Hindi, Punjabi, Bengali, Marathi) by the saints, which made their message accessible to the common person, unlike Sanskrit which was the domain of the elite.
- Statement 2: Correct. Bhakti saints championed a simplified religion, eschewing complicated rituals and expensive sacrifices prescribed by orthodox Brahmanism.
- Statement 3: Correct. The movement in North India featured both the Saguna stream (e.g., Tulsidas, Chaitanya, Surdas), which worshipped God with form/attributes, and the Nirguna stream (e.g., Kabir, Nanak), which worshipped a formless, non-incarnate God.
