Consider the following statements regarding the Bhakti Movement:(1) Ra...
The wave of Bhakti movement started from south India, by Alvaras - the devotees of Lord Vishnu and Nayanars-devotees of Shiva. They travelled to various places singing hymns in Tamil in praise of their gods. Later, many temples were built that became the sacred places for pilgrimage. Ramanuja was a Tamil Brahman who spent a considerable part of his life teaching at the famous temple at Shrirangam (Thiruchirapalli), eventually being regarded as the founder of the Shri Vaishnava Movement. He disagreed with Shankara’s theory that knowledge was the primary means of liberation from rebirth. According to him, it was only one of the means and was not nearly as effective or reliable a pure devotion. Ramanuja, while accepting special privileges for the higher castes, was nevertheless opposed to excluding certain categories of Shudras from worship in the temple. He pleaded for the throwing open of temples to all Shudras, though without much success. So, the statements (1) and (2) are correct.
Madhava, a thirteenth-century theologian, made further attempts to synthesize the ideas of Bhakti with brahmanical theology. He was also a Vaishnava, and his concept of Vishnu was that the deity granted his grace to free the souls only of the pure, which implies selection. So, the statement (3) is also correct.
Therefore, the correct answer is (d).
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Consider the following statements regarding the Bhakti Movement:(1) Ra...
The Bhakti Movement was a socio-religious movement that emerged in medieval India, particularly in the southern and western regions, between the 7th and 17th centuries. It sought to bridge the gap between different castes and promote a direct and personal relationship between the individual and the divine. The movement emphasized devotion (bhakti) and love for a personal deity as the means to attain salvation.
Let us examine each statement regarding the Bhakti Movement:
1) Ramanuja accepted special privileges for the higher castes.
- This statement is correct. Ramanuja, a prominent theologian and philosopher of the Bhakti Movement, belonged to the Sri Vaishnava tradition. He accepted the idea of varna dharma, which upheld the caste system, and advocated for special privileges for the higher castes. He believed that by performing their caste duties faithfully, individuals could attain liberation.
2) Ramanuja pleaded for opening the gates of the temples to all Shudras.
- This statement is correct. Ramanuja challenged the traditional exclusion of Shudras (the lowest caste) from entering temples and participating in religious rituals. He argued that devotion and faith were more important than caste, and therefore, advocated for the inclusion of Shudras in temple worship. Ramanuja's teachings emphasized equality and the accessibility of God to all individuals, regardless of their caste.
3) Madhava was a Vaishnavite saint.
- This statement is correct. Madhava, also known as Madhavacharya, was a Vaishnavite saint and the founder of the Dvaita school of Vedanta philosophy. He was a follower of the Bhakti Movement and propagated the worship of Lord Krishna. Madhava emphasized devotion and surrender to God as the means to attain salvation. His teachings had a significant influence on the development of the Bhakti Movement in South India.
Based on the above analysis, we can conclude that all three statements regarding the Bhakti Movement are correct. Ramanuja's acceptance of special privileges for higher castes, his plea for temple access for Shudras, and Madhava's association with the Vaishnavite tradition are all significant aspects of the Bhakti Movement. This movement played a crucial role in challenging social hierarchies and promoting inclusivity and equality within the realm of religion.
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