B h a k ti
Tradition and the Role of Saint-Philosophers
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religious traditions started looking more like Hinduism in terms of the
metaphysical explanations, canons, and practices. Thus classical and popular
Indian cultures changed more and became further diversified. Religious and
political power shifted during this period fi*om Brahmins to Kshatriyas and
through them to common people. ITiis was the first important change in the
history of India where non-Brahmins shared power with Brahmins in significant
ways."
Epics, Dharmashastras, and Puranas were written between 300 B.C.
and 300 A.D. These religious texts presented Hindu themes and philosophies in
easy-to-understand story form and provided clear codification of the Hindu
ethical and moral laws. Social organization based on the caste system, stages of
life, and dutiful preservation of the social order by the masses were described at
length. The most significant Epics were Ramayana and Mahabharta, the first
presenting an instructive story of a dutiful son, husband, brother, and emperor
who forsook all in order to establish justice and fairness in his empire, and the
second narrating a mammoth war between cousin-brothers Pandavas and
Kaurvas to decide who would have claim to the throne of India in the future.
The main Dharmashastras were The Laws ofManu and Kautilya's Arthashastra.
These describe social organization, its preservation, and duties and
responsibilities of the citizens in relation to the society and among themselves.
Puranas presented allegorical stories about ethics, morality, and spirituality and
became very popular with the masses. Important shifts took place during these
times from the “knowing” to “hearing and acting” tendencies, a position that
was advantageous for the Bhakti tradition. Classical and popular cultural
traditions diverged further in some respects but came closer in others. Attitudes
toward ritualistic practices, orthodoxy, and priest-craft remained ambivalent.
Caste, gender, social position, and power considerations remained strong and
Brahmins remained powerful."
The Bhakti tradition received a significant impetus between 300 and
900 A.D. with the arrival of Alvar saint-philosophers on the scene and their
stress on the practice of Bhakti toward the Vishnu deity as well as toward Shiva
and Shakti. Alvars were twelve in number (one woman and eleven men) fi*om
the Tamil- and Telugu-speaking areas of South India, and they belonged to
lower castes. These saint-philosophers wrote eloquent poetry in vernacular
languages, which were close to the heart of the people and easy to relate to.
Their poems and songs became very popular and have been sung with great
devotion by the masses to this day. Alvars had many followers, who traveled to
different parts of India and spread the message of Bhakti with great zeal. It is
due to the efforts of these followers that the message of Bhakti spread all over
India. Alvars opposed caste, gender, social position, and power barriers as well
as formalism, ritualism, orthodoxy, and priest-craft in all forms. Under their
influence, lower castes found higher status, women found more equality with
men, and social and religious power became more egalitarian. For the first time