Context:
Prime Minister participated in the 525th birth anniversary celebration of Sant Meerabai in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh.
About Sant Meerabai (1498-1546):
- One of the great saint poets of the Bhakti movement.
- She was a Saguna Bhakt
- Held a deep devotion to Lord Krishna
- Born to Rajput King Ratan Singh in Jodhpur, Rajasthan.
- Married to Bhoj Raj (son of Rana Sanga and prince of Mewar)
- Refused to be a part of the royal household and moved to Brindavan in pursuit of her devotion.
- Composition –
- Composed her poems in the Rajasthani dialect of Hindi and Braj
- Famous Poems – ‘Mere to giridhar gopal’, and “Paayoji maine Ram Ratan dhan paayo”
- Social Reformer –
- Disciple of Saint Ravidas who hailed from a caste considered “untouchable”.
- Her religious pursuits challenged societal norms for princesses and widows.
About Bhakti Movement:
- Means personal devotion to God.
- Bhakti saints advocated for attaining God through devotion (bhakti) rather than adhering to rules, regulations, or societal structures.
- Development of the Bhakti movement –
- Tamil Nadu: Between 7th and 9th centuries.
- North India: 1300 – 1550 A.D
- 2 categories –
- Saguna (with attributes): Worship of specific deities with Anthropomorphic forms such as Shiva, Vishnu, goddess.
- Nirguna (without attributes): It was a worship of an abstract form of God.
- Famous Bhakti Saints – Guru Nanak, Tulsidas, Kabirdas, Ravidas and Surdas
Source: PIB
Previous Year Question
Consider the following Bhakti Saints:
1. Dadu Dayal
2. Guru Nanak
3. Tyagaraja
Who among the above was/were preaching when the Lodi dynasty fell and Babur took over?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2013 Prelims]
(a) 1 and 3
(b) 2 only
(c) 2 and 3
(d) 1 and 2
Answer: (b)
