Which of the following Bhakti Saints do not belong to the Nirguna bra...
Nirguna Saints – They preached the philosophy of a formless God. i.e. God without any physical form. Prominent saints were – Kabir, Nanak, Dadu, Namdev, Tukaram etc.
Kabir – his collection of Dohas are found in two books – Bijak and Sukinda. They were written in Awadhi. He was a radical bhakti saint and opposed the hierarchy based on caste and class. He called the priest class and zamindars as parasites. The condemned institutional form of religion. He advocated communication with God on devotion and surrender.
Saguna Saints – They believed that God has a physical form and then only he can be worshipped. Famous Saints – Surdas, Meera, Tulsidas, Chaitanya etc. Tulsidas was Follower of Lord Ram and he wrote Ramchayritramanas in Awadhi.
Tulsidas was the most important poet of the Rama Bhakti school. The wave of the Bhakti movement spear-headed in the North by Ramananda may have influenced Tulsidas. Kabir who founded the Nirguna School of Bhakti conceived Rama as a formless God whereas Tulsidas and his followers worshipped Rama as Saguna God taking into account His divine qualities and achievements.
Hence, the correct option is (a).
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Which of the following Bhakti Saints do not belong to the Nirguna bra...
Introduction:
Bhakti movement was a spiritual and religious movement that emerged in medieval India. It emphasized personal devotion and love towards a supreme being. The Bhakti saints were divided into two branches: Saguna Bhakti (worship of a personal deity with form and attributes) and Nirguna Bhakti (worship of a formless and attributeless divine). In this context, the question asks us to identify the Bhakti saint who does not belong to the Nirguna branch of Bhakti saints.
Explanation:
- Tulsidas: Tulsidas was a 16th-century saint and poet who composed the epic Ramcharitmanas, a retelling of the Ramayana in the vernacular language. He is considered one of the most prominent Bhakti saints in the Saguna Bhakti tradition. Tulsidas worshipped Lord Rama as a personal deity with form and attributes. Therefore, he does not belong to the Nirguna branch of Bhakti saints.
- Dadu Dayal: Dadu Dayal was a 16th-century saint and poet from Rajasthan. He preached the philosophy of Nirguna Bhakti, emphasizing devotion to a formless and attributeless divine. Dadu Dayal's teachings reject the importance of external rituals and focus on inner spiritual experiences. Therefore, Dadu Dayal belongs to the Nirguna branch of Bhakti saints.
- Kabir: Kabir was a 15th-century saint and poet who played a significant role in the Bhakti movement. He advocated for the unity of all religions and emphasized the worship of a formless divine. Kabir's poetry often criticized religious rituals and rituals associated with idol worship. Therefore, Kabir belongs to the Nirguna branch of Bhakti saints.
- Guru Nanak: Guru Nanak was the founder of Sikhism and a prominent figure in the Bhakti movement. He preached the concept of One God and rejected idol worship. Guru Nanak emphasized the importance of devotion to a formless divine and the unity of all religions. Therefore, Guru Nanak belongs to the Nirguna branch of Bhakti saints.
Conclusion:
Among the given options, Tulsidas is the Bhakti saint who does not belong to the Nirguna branch of Bhakti saints. Tulsidas worshipped Lord Rama as a personal deity with form and attributes, which aligns him with the Saguna Bhakti tradition. The other saints mentioned in the options - Dadu Dayal, Kabir, and Guru Nanak - all belong to the Nirguna branch of Bhakti saints as they emphasized devotion to a formless and attributeless divine.
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