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The Idea of a Supreme God
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Fig. 1
A page from a south
Indian manuscript of
the Bhagavadgita.
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Hagiography
Writing of saints
lives.
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Fig. 2
A bronze image of
Manikkavasagar.
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Basavannas Virashaivism
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Virashaiva vachanas
These are vachanas or sayings attributed to Basavanna:
The rich,
Will make temples for Shiva.
What shall I,
A poor man,
Do?
My legs are pillars,
The body the shrine,
The head a cupola
Of gold.
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He who identifies
with the battered and the beaten
Mark him as a saint
For God is with him
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He holds
Every forsaken man
Close to his heart
He treats
A slave
As his own son
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Says Tuka
I wont be tired
to repeat again
Such a man
Is God
In person.
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Fig. 3
A fireside gathering of
ascetics.
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Fig. 4
Mystics in ecstasy.
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Fig. 5
A page from a
manuscript of the
Quran, Deccan, late
fifteenth century.
Hospice
House of rest
for travellers,
especially one
kept by a religious
order.
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Fig. 6
Devotees of all backgrounds visit
Sufi shrines.
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North
Fig. 7
Chaitanyadeva, a
sixteenth-century
bhakti saint from
Bengal, preached
selfless devotion to
Krishna-Radha. In
the picture you see a
group of his followers
engaged in ecstatic
dancing and singing.
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Map 1
Major bhakti saints
and the regions
associated with them.
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Beyond the Ranas palace
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Fig. 8
Mirabai.
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In search of the True Lord
Here is a composition of Kabir:
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Fig. 9
Kabir working on
a loom.
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Fig. 10
Baba Guru Nanak
as a young man, in
discussion with
holy men.
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Fig. 11
An early manuscript
of the Guru Granth
Sahib.
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Martin Luther and the Reformation
ELSEWHERE
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Title page of the German Bible translated by Martin Luther.
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Imagine
You are attending a meeting where a
saint is discussing the caste system.
Relate the conversation.
Lets recall
1. Match the following:
The Buddha
namghar
Shankaradeva
worship of Vishnu
Nizamuddin Auliya
questioned social
differences
Nayanars
Sufi saint
Alvars
worship of Shiva
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KEYWORDS
Virashaivism
bhakti
Sufi
khanqah
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(b)
(c)
, and were
advocates of Virashaivism.
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Lets understand
5. What were the major beliefs and practices of the Sufis?
6. Why do you think many teachers rejected prevalent
religious beliefs and practices?
7. What were the major teachings of Baba Guru Nanak?
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Lets discuss
8. For either the Virashaivas or the sants of
Maharashtra, discuss their attitude towards caste.
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