Bhakti movement :
“Bhakti” means devotion to God. “Movement”,
means many people joined together to spread
new thoughts or bring reforms in society or
religion. The Bhakti Movement was an
important religious movement in medieval
India. It aimed to bring reforms in Hinduism
by teaching that love and devotion to God
were the best ways to reach salvation. The
movement began in Tamilakam( Tamil
Nadu ) around the 6th century CE with the
songs and teachings of the Vaishnava Alvars
(devotees of Vishnu) and Shaiva Nayanars
(devotees of Shiva). Later, it spread to
northern and eastern India, becoming very
popular between the 15th and 17th centuries
CE.
Main Features of the Bhakti Movement:
Devotion instead of rituals:
The Bhakti saints taught that true love and
faith in God are more important than doing
costly rituals or sacrifices.
Belief in equality:
They opposed the caste system and said
that all people are equal before God,
whether rich or poor, high or low.
Direct relationship with God:
The saints believed that anyone could pray
to God directly without the help of priests.
God could be worshipped in any form—
Vishnu, Shiva, Krishna, or the Goddess.
Use of local languages:
They spread their teachings in simple
languages like Tamil, Kannada, Hindi,
Marathi, and Bengali, so that ordinary
people could easily understand
Some famous saints of the Bhakti movement
are :
Nayanars :
Nayanars is a group of 63 saints . They
belonged to various castes like workers ,
peasants , potters and hunters . The nayanars
worshipped Lord Shiva .
Alwars:
They were a group of 12 saint of different castes
. They were followers of Vishnu .Their songs was
compiled in Divya Prabandham.
Bhakti Saints :
1. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu:
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486–1534 CE)
was a famous Bhakti saint from Bengal
and an important leader of the Vaishnava
Bhakti movement. He devoted his life to
Lord Krishna and taught that the best
way to reach God is through love and
devotion.
He was born in Nadia, Bengal, to
Jagannath Mishra and Sachi Devi. His
original name was Vishvambar, but he
became well-known as Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu. Even as a child, he showed
great spiritual devotion and deep love
and compassion for all living beings.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu emphasized that
true devotion matters more than
rituals. He encouraged people to sing,
chant, and dance in praise of Krishna,
a practice called sankirtan. This made it
possible for ordinary people to express
their love for God and feel close to Him.
He also taught that anyone could
worship God directly, without needing
priests or temples.
He traveled widely across Bengal,
Odisha, and other parts of India,
spreading the message of love, equality,
and devotion. He welcomed followers
from all castes and religions, showing
that God is accessible to everyone. His
teachings inspired many poets, saints, and
common people to compose devotional
songs. He is remembered for promoting
Krishna Bhakti, equality, unity, and
joy through sankirtan. Even today, the
Gaudiya Vaishnavism tradition
continues to follow his teachings.
2. Guru Nanak Dev:
Guru Nanak Dev Ji (1469–1539
CE) was the founder of Sikhism and a
great Bhakti saint. He taught that
there is one God, and everyone,
regardless of caste, religion, or
gender, can connect with God through
love, devotion, and good deeds.
He was born in Talwandi (now in
Pakistan). From a young age, he
showed deep spirituality and
compassion. He spent much of his life
traveling across India and beyond,
spreading his message of peace,
equality, and devotion.
Guru Nanak emphasized honest
living, helping others, and
remembering God at all times. He
rejected the caste system, rituals,
and blind superstition, teaching that
true devotion lies in serving humanity
and God.
His teachings are recorded in the
Guru Granth Sahib, the holy scripture
of Sikhism.
Shancaracharya:
Adi Shankaracharya (788–820
CE) was a great Indian philosopher,
theologian, and a key figure in Hinduism.
He is famous for reviving and spreading
the teachings of Advaita Vedanta.
He was born in Kalady, Kerala, and from
a young age, he showed extraordinary
intelligence and spiritual inclination.
He traveled across India, debating
scholars, writing commentaries on
the Vedas, Upanishads, and Bhagavad
Gita, and establishing monastic centers
(mathas) to promote learning and
spirituality.
Shankaracharya also strengthened
Hinduism at a time when Buddhism and
Jainism were widely practiced in India. He
emphasized knowledge (Jnana) and
meditation (Dhyana) as ways to realize
God. He composed many hymns and
philosophical texts still recited today.
In short, Adi Shankaracharya was a
saint and scholar who united
philosophy, devotion, and education,
inspiring generations to seek spiritual
knowledge and understanding of God.
