Bhakti Literature
Key Pointers
- Tamil: Alvars compiled in Nalayira Divya Prabandham (Nathamuni); Andal (Tiruppavai, Nachiyar Tirumozhi). Nayanars: Tevaram (Appar, Sambandar, Sundarar), Tiruvasagam (Manikkavasagar); Periya Puranam (Sekkizhar).
- Sanskrit: Bhagavata Purana; Gita Govinda (Jayadeva, 12th century).
- Marathi: Jnaneshwari (Jnaneshwar), abhangs of Tukaram, Namdev, Eknath; Dasbodh (Ramdas).
- Kannada: Vachanas (Basavanna, Akka Mahadevi, Allama Prabhu) of the Virashaiva movement; Dasa Sahitya (Purandara Dasa, Kanaka Dasa).
- Telugu: Annamacharya (kirtanas), Potana (Andhra Maha Bhagavatam).
- Malayalam: Thunchaththu Ezhuthachan (Adhyatma Ramayanam; 'Father of Malayalam language').
- Hindi/Awadhi/Braj: Kabir (Bijak, dohas), Tulsidas (Ramcharitmanas, Awadhi), Surdas (Sursagar, Braj), Mirabai, Rahim, Raskhan; Sufi epic Padmavat (Malik Muhammad Jayasi).
- Bengali/Assamese/Odia/Gujarati: Chandidas, Chaitanya Charitamrita (Krishnadas Kaviraj); Sankardeva (Kirtan Ghosha) and Madhavdeva (Naam Ghosha); Jagannath Das (Odia Bhagabata); Narsinh Mehta ('Vaishnava Jana To').
- Punjabi: Guru Granth Sahib (compiled by Guru Arjan Dev, 1604), Baba Farid, Bulleh Shah.
- Features: Vernacular languages, devotional themes, anti-ritual and social equality; helped develop regional literature.
MCQs
Q1. 'Ramcharitmanas' was composed in which language?
(a) Braj
(b) Awadhi
(c) Maithili
(d) Sanskrit
Answer: (b).
Q2. The 'Nalayira Divya Prabandham' is a collection of hymns of the:
(a) Nayanars
(b) Alvars
(c) Sufis
(d) Vachanakaras
Answer: (b).
Q3. Who composed 'Adhyatma Ramayanam' in Malayalam?
(a) Thunchaththu Ezhuthachan
(b) Basavanna
(c) Annamacharya
(d) Jayadeva
Answer: (a).