Nathpanthis, Siddhacharas and Yogis1. Criticised the ritual and other ...
Justification: Statement 1: They gave logical arguments for the same and believed that such rituals and practices were trivial when compared to the ultimate goal of attaining salvation.
These groups became particularly popular among “low” castes. Their criticism of conventional religion created the
ground for devotional religion to become a popular force in northern India.
Statement 2: To them the path to salvation lay in meditation on the formless Ultimate Reality and the realisation of oneness with it. To achieve this they advocated intense training of the mind and body through practices like yogasanas, breathing practices etc.
Q Source: Page 110: Class 7th NCERT History: Our Pasts-II
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Nathpanthis, Siddhacharas and Yogis1. Criticised the ritual and other ...
Both 1 and 2 are correct.
Nathpanthis, Siddhacharas, and Yogis were groups of religious and spiritual practitioners who emerged in medieval India. They shared certain common beliefs and practices that challenged conventional religion and societal norms.
1. Criticism of Ritual and Social Order:
The Nathpanthis, Siddhacharas, and Yogis criticized the ritualistic practices of conventional religion. They believed that the external rituals and elaborate ceremonies had become detached from their original purpose of spiritual growth and self-realization. Instead, they emphasized the importance of inner transformation and direct personal experience of the divine. They rejected the notion that religious merit could be gained solely through external acts and rituals.
Moreover, these groups also criticized the prevailing social order, which was characterized by caste hierarchy, inequality, and oppression. They questioned the rigid social norms and advocated for a more egalitarian and inclusive society. They believed that spiritual realization should transcend social divisions and that all individuals, regardless of their caste or social status, could attain enlightenment.
2. Advocacy of Renunciation and Meditation:
Another important aspect of the beliefs and practices of these groups was the advocacy of renunciation of the worldly life. They believed that material possessions and attachments hindered spiritual progress and distracted individuals from realizing their true nature. Renunciation, for them, meant detachment from the material world and the pursuit of a simple and ascetic lifestyle.
In order to attain spiritual liberation, Nathpanthis, Siddhacharas, and Yogis advocated the practice of meditation on the formless reality. They believed that by turning inward and focusing on the formless and eternal essence of existence, individuals could transcend the limitations of the physical world and experience union with the divine. This form of meditation was seen as a means to attain self-realization and liberation from the cycle of birth and death.
Overall, the Nathpanthis, Siddhacharas, and Yogis challenged the traditional religious and social structures of medieval India. They emphasized the importance of inner transformation, criticized ritualistic practices, advocated for social equality, and promoted renunciation and meditation as a means to attain spiritual liberation.