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RELIGIOUS REFORM MOVEMENTS

Between the 8th century AD and 16th century AD many religious reform movements were witnessed in India. Great religious leaders were born in India during this time. The earlier thinkers provided philosophical and scientific basis for Indian culture and religion. The reformers who appeared later condemned social evils like casteism , exploitation of lower classes etc The elaborate ritualism of the sacrifices and religious bigotry were opposed by certain reformers. The Bhakthi movement pointed out that by following a straight moral path in life, one can attain salvation .

SHANKARACHARYA (788-820 AD)


Shankaracharya was born in the village Kaladi in Kerala in a Nambudari Brahmin family. He was the son of Shivaguru and Aryamba. As a very young boy shankara renounced worldly life and he was initiated to Sanyasa by Govinda Bhagavatpada. His contribution to Hindu religion and philosophy was substantial. He wrote interpretations for works like Brahmasuthras, Vedas, Upanishads and the Bhagavadgita. He also composed poems like Saudarya Lahari and Bhajagovindam in Sanskrit. He toured length and breadth of the country to propagate his thoughts. He founded four Mathas in the four corners of the country. They were 1. Jyothirmatha in Badari 2. Kalika Peetha at Dwaraka 3. Govardha Peetha at Puri 4. Sharada Peetha at Sringeri

Vidyaranya of Sringeri played a prominent role in religious awakening in Vijayanagara times.

RAMANUJACHARYA (1017-1137)
The founder of Srivaishnavism, Ramanujacharya was influenced by the teachings of Tamil Alwars. His parents were Keshavacharya and Kantimathi from Sriperambudur. When his wife refused to remove the plates in which his teacher of the Shudra caste had taken food, Ramanuja was disgusted with her. He renounced family life and became sanyasi. Getting education at Kanchi he succeeded to a Gurupeetha vacated by a great saint Yaamunacharya at Srirangam. The Srivaishnava movement he spread to North also. In Karnataka Hoyasala ruler Vishnuvardhana welcomed him . The most important work of Ramanuja is 'Shribhashya'. 'Vedantasara', 'Vedanta Sangraha' and the commentary on the Bhagavadgita were his other works , in Sanskrit. The Tuluva and the Aravidu rulers of Vijayanagara were adherents of his teachings.

BASAVESHWARA (1132-1168 AD)


Born in a brahmin familyof Basavana Bagewadi . His parents were Madarasa and Madalambika. He refused to accept the initiation of thread ceremony (Upanayana) and acceptad Linga Diksha (initiation by wearing a Linga on one's body). He became the treasurer of Kalachuri prince Bijjala at Kalyana (modern Basava Kalyana in Bidar District) Presided over by another saint Allama Prabhu, the Sharanas(the devotees of Shiva) like Akka Mahadevi, Nagalambika, Madivala Machayya. Ambigara Chaudayya and Haralayya (cobbler) exchanged their spiritual experiences at this academy.

Many of his followers were from the lower strata of society irrespective of their caste or gender, they congregated together. His prominent Vachanas stress that there is no religion without compassion (daya) ; God is one but his names are numerous;and wishing well of all living beings is true religion are some of his notable statements.

He held devotion as the path of salvation. His arranging of a marriage between the daughter of Brahmin, Madhuvayya, with the son of an untouchable Haralayya caused turmoil. Basaveshwara was forced to leave Kalyana and attained the world at Kudala Sangama (1168). His followers left Kalyana and scattered all over south India . Later the successors of these Sharanas reassembled at Vijayanagara after several generations. The Veerashaivas founded numerous Mathas and encouraged education.

MADHWACHARYA(1238-1317)
Was born at a village called Pajaka near Udupi Born in a Brahmin family Madhyageha Bhatta and Vedavathi were his parents. He was names Thulu Vasudeva. He was a devotee of Vishnu and he propounded his new religion through his various Sanskrit works. They included 'Brahmasutra Bhasya', 'Geeta Bhasya', 'Vishnutattwa Nirnaya' and'Mahabharatha Tatparya Nirnaya'. Madhwacharya had a wide following in Karnataka, AP, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra. The 8 Mathas at Udupi (where acharya founded krishna temple) The Uttaradi Matha The Raghavendra Matha at Mantralaya in AP are the major centers of this religion. The Vallabha Pantha og Gujurat and the Chaitanya Pantha og Bengal were influenced by this cult. Purandaradasa is a prominent saint of this school.

BHAKTI MOVEMENT
The history of bm is a prominent chapter in the history of India. The Shaiva Nayanmars and Vaishnava Alwars from Tamil Nadu wre the prominent propounders of the bm. Later Ramanujacharya, Basaveshwara and Madhwacharya gave further fillip to it. For the protection of Indian religious tradition bm made prominent contribution a. The differentiation between men based on caste. b. excessive dependence on image worship c. depending on superstitions d. violent practises in the name of religion e. exploitation of religious beliefs made Indian life appear in poor light. Trying to condemn these black spots, the bm upheld the idea that God is one. It also propounded that all men, irrespective of their caste could worship God with earnest devotion and attain salvation. The saintly leaders of the movement stressed the need for intense love for god and shedding of the sense of ego and selfishness in ones pursuit of salvation.

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