Don Bosco Degree College Golaghat

Bhakti movement gained momentum in South India around 6thcentury CE with Tamil Alvars (devotees of Vishnu) and Nayanars (devotees of Shiva) who emphasized devotional songs to their chosen deities. It focussed on intensive love and surrender to God, rather than external rituals or temple worship. It challenged the dominance of Vedic rituals by propagating equality, social justice and spiritual liberation. It was not confined to one religious tradition and encompassed the different Hindu Gods like Vishnu, Shiva and the Goddess, as well as Sufi and Sikh. This movement spread over to other parts of India particularly in the 12thand 13thcenturies with the saints like Kabir, Tulsidas, Mirabai, Guru Nanak etc. Ramanuja(1017 1137CE) and Srimanta Sankardeva (1449-1568 CE) of Assam were two towering personalities among others of our land to flourish Bhakti movement. Ramanuja’s philosophy of Visistadvaita (qualified non-dualism) and Sankardeva’s Eksarana Dharma (the path of devotion to one God) witnessed further expansion of the movement in their respective regions.A study from philosophical perspective may be undertaken to explore and comparethe philosophical thoughts of these two prominent Bhakti traditions by highlighting their views on God, soul and devotion leading to liberation. Though they came from different cultural, geographical, philosophical background both had the prime focus on personal devotion under accessibilityof God to the common people regardless of their class, caste and religion.

Keywords: Bhakti Movement, Ramanuja, SrimantaSankardeva, Eksarana Dharma