The INTRODUCTION in the PDF discusses the concept of bhakti, which means devotional surrender to a personally

conceived Supreme God for attaining salvation. It mentions that while the origin of this doctrine can be traced to both
the Brahmanical and Buddhist traditions of ancient India and various scriptures like the Bhagavad Gita, it was for the
first time in South India between the 7th and 10th century that bhakti grew from a mere religious doctrine into a
popular movement based on religious equality and broad-based social participation.

The introduction states that this movement, led by popular saint-poets, reached its climax in the 10th century and then
began to decline. However, it was revived as a philosophical and ideological movement by a series of wandering
scholars or acharyas, beginning with Ramanuja in the 11th century.

With the establishment of the Delhi Sultanate in the early 13th century, many diverse and widespread socio-religious
movements emerged in various parts of the country, drawing upon the concepts of bhakti. These movements have
been seen as a continuation or revival of the older South Indian bhakti movement.

However, the introduction clarifies that each of these later movements had its own historical context and peculiarities.
One of them, the non-conformist monotheistic movement associated with Kabir and other 'low-caste' saints, bears
only a superficial resemblance to the variants of the movement. Its social roots, ideology, social composition of its
leadership, and even its concept of bhakti and God set it fundamentally apart from the older bhakti movement of
South India as well as from the rest of the later bhakti movements.

The introduction emphasizes that due to these wide and sometimes basic differences among various bhakti
movements, they must be discussed individually to clearly understand the characteristics of each and to discover
elements of unity and diversity among them.

SECTION 14.2 discusses the background of the bhakti movement in South India. Here are the key points explained in
simple terms:

1) The Saiva Nayanar saints and Vaishnava Alvar saints spread the doctrine of bhakti among different sections of society
irrespective of caste and gender between the 7th and 10th century in South India.

2) Some of these saints came from lower castes and some were women. They preached bhakti in an intense emotional
manner and promoted religious equality.

3) The saints composed and sang devotional songs in the Tamil language, not Sanskrit, giving the movement a popular
character.

4) For the first time, bhakti acquired a popular base through the efforts of these saints who traveled the region singing,
dancing and advocating bhakti.

5) The saints were critical of Buddhists and Jains who enjoyed privileges at the courts of South Indian kings at that
time. They won over many adherents of Buddhism and Jainism to their movement.

6) However, the saints did not consciously oppose Brahmanism, the varna system or caste inequalities. The bhakti
movement was integrated with the caste system.

7) There was no elimination of Brahmanical rituals like idol worship, Vedic chanting and pilgrimages despite the
emphasis on bhakti.

8) Though the movement championed religious equality to some extent by allowing lower castes to preach and have
access to bhakti, it ultimately strengthened the caste system rather than weakening it.

In essence, this section highlights how the bhakti movement first acquired a popular base and promoted religious
equality in South India, but did not radically challenge prevalent Brahmanical practices or the caste system.
SECTION 14.3 discusses the Vaishnava bhakti movement in North India. Here are the key points explained in simple
terms:

1) When the popularity of the bhakti movement was declining in South India, the doctrine of bhakti was defended at
the philosophical level by a series of brilliant Vaishnava Brahmin scholars called acharyas.

2) Ramanuja (11th century) was the first of these acharyas. He gave philosophical justification for bhakti and tried to
balance orthodox Brahmanism with popular bhakti that was open to all castes, including Shudras and outcastes.
However, he did not support giving Shudras access to the Vedas.

3) Nimbarka, a contemporary of Ramanuja from the Telugu region, spent most of his time in Vrindavan near Mathura
and believed in total devotion to Krishna and Radha.

4) Madhava (13th century) based his philosophical system on the Bhagavat Purana and toured North India. Like
Ramanuja, he did not dispute restrictions on Vedic study for Shudras.

5) Ramananda (late 14th-early 15th century) and Vallabha (late 15th-early 16th century) were the last prominent
Vaishnava acharyas who lived mostly in North India during the Sultanate period.

6) Ramananda preached in the language of the common people and made bhakti accessible to all castes, even sharing
food with low-caste followers. He is regarded as the founder of the Ram cult in North India.

7) Vallabhacharya advocated Krishna bhakti and founded the Pushtimarga sect which became popular in Gujarat.

This section highlights how a philosophical tradition defending bhakti emerged through Vaishnava Brahmin scholars,
some of whom tried making bhakti more inclusive while upholding orthodox principles.

Here is a rewritten explanation covering all the points in SECTION 14.4 on the emergence of the bhakti movement in
simple terms:

The bhakti movement that influenced large numbers of people in North India during the 14th-17th centuries emerged
due to a combination of political, socio-economic, and religious factors.

Political Factors (14.4.1)

Before the Turkish conquest, the socio-religious sphere in North India was dominated by the alliance between Rajput
rulers and Brahmans. The Turkish conquests ended this supremacy.

The advent of Islam with the Turks also diminished the power and prestige of the Brahmans. The Turks deprived
Brahmans of temple wealth and state patronage, impacting them materially and ideologically.

This declining status of the Rajput-Brahman alliance and the new political situation created favorable conditions for
the growth of non-conformist, anti-caste, and anti-Brahmanical movements like the sect of Nathpanthis. Ultimately,
this paved the way for the popular monotheistic bhakti movements to rise.

Socio-Economic Factors (14.4.2)

One view is that the bhakti movements represented sentiments against feudal oppression, similar to the Protestant
Reformation in Europe. However, there is no evidence that bhakti saints campaigned against the feudal state on behalf
of the peasantry.

The Vaishnava saints only broke away from Brahmanism to the extent of emphasizing bhakti and religious equality. The
more radical monotheistic saints rejected Brahmanical religion but did not seek to overthrow the ruling class.

However, the saints did identify with the sufferings of common people through their poetry using images from daily
life.

Socio-economic changes played a role. The Turkish ruling class resided in towns and extracted more agricultural
surplus. To meet their demands, urban crafts and trade expanded.
This growth of artisan and merchant classes, who were dissatisfied with their low status in the Brahmanical order,
provided a social base for the egalitarian ideas of the monotheistic movement in different regions.

In Punjab, even the Jat peasant community embraced Guru Nanak's movement, helping evolve Sikhism into a mass
religion rooted in peasantry.

So, while not representing any ideological opposition to feudalism, the socio-economic changes made non-elite
sections like artisans, traders and peasants more receptive to the egalitarian bhakti ideologies.

Other Religious Factors

The bhakti movements also emerged in the context of the declining influence of Buddhist and Jain traditions which
had become ritualistic by then. The bhakti poets successfully won over adherents from these traditions through their
emphasis on devotion and equality.

So, in essence, a combination of political factors weakening Brahmanical orthodoxy, changing socio-economic
conditions impacting non-elite groups, and theospace left by declining Buddhist/Jain traditions - all created a conducive
environment for the rise and spread of the bhakti movements across North India.

SECTION 14.5 discusses the main popular branches of the bhakti movement in North India and their characteristic
features. Here is an explanation covering all the sub-sections in simple terms, without using complex words or
sentences:

14.5.1 Monotheistic Movements of North India

This sub-section talks about the saints associated with the monotheistic branch of the bhakti movement in North India.

Kabir (c.1440-1518) was the earliest and most influential figure. He belonged to a family of weavers (Julaha) who had
converted to Islam. He spent most of his life in Varanasi (Kashi/Banaras). Later monotheistic saints either claimed to
be his disciples or respectfully mentioned him. His verses were included in large numbers in the Sikh scripture Adi
Granth, showing his importance.

Raidas probably belonged to the generation after Kabir. He was from the tanner (chamar) caste, lived in Varanasi, and
was influenced by Kabir's ideas. Dhanna was a 15th-century Jat peasant from Rajasthan. Other prominent saints were
Sen (a barber) and Pipa.

Guru Nanak (1469-1539) preached similar ideas as Kabir but his teachings ultimately led to the emergence of Sikhism
as a mass religion. He belonged to the Khatri trader caste and was born in a village now called Nankana Sahib in
Pakistan. Later, he settled in Punjab's Dera Baba Nanak after widespread travels. His hymns were compiled in the Adi
Granth.

14.5.2 Common Characteristic Features

This sub-section lists the common features that gave the monotheistic movement its fundamental unity:

i) Most saints belonged to the lower castes and were aware of each other's teachings, indicating an ideological affinity
among them.

ii) They were influenced by Vaishnava bhakti concepts, the Nathpanthi movement, and Sufism, though adapting these
influences innovatively.

iii) For them, the only way to attain God was through personally experienced nirguna (formless) bhakti. They rejected
saguna (incarnate) bhakti of Vaishnavites.

iv) They followed a path independent of Hinduism and Islam, criticizing superstitions and orthodox elements of both
religions.

v) They composed verses in common languages/dialects of the masses rather than Sanskrit.

vi) Most were married and led normal lives, not ascetics. They referred to each other as 'sant' or 'bhagat'.
vii) They traveled widely propagating their beliefs which spread to different regions.

viii) Despite widespread popularity, each major saint's followers gradually organized into exclusive sectarian orders like
Kabir Panth, Ravidasi Panth, Nanak Panth etc.

14.5.3 Vaishnava Bhakti Movement in North India

The key points on the Vaishnava stream of the bhakti movement in North India are:

- Ramananda (late 14th-early 15th century) was the most prominent Vaishnava bhakti saint based in Varanasi. He
looked upon Ram as the supreme God to be adored with Sita.

- He preached in the common language, made bhakti accessible across castes, and even ate with low-caste followers.

- Vallabhacharya (late 15th-early 16th century) advocated Krishna bhakti and founded the influential Pushtimarga sect.

- Later, saint-poets like Surdas, Mirabai, and Tulsidas popularized Krishna and Ram bhakti respectively during the
Mughal period.

14.5.4 Vaishnava Bhakti Movement in Bengal

Some distinct points about the Vaishnava bhakti in Bengal:

- It was influenced by the Bhagavata Purana's Krishna lila tradition as well as Buddhist Sahajiya and Nathpanthi cults
emphasizing esoteric practices.

- Pioneer poets like Jayadeva (12th century) and Chandidas (14th century) helped shape this syncretic tradition.

- Chaitanya (1486-1533) became the most prominent figure, popularizing Krishna-bhakti while integrating practices
like community devotional singing (sankirtana).

- Though open to all castes, he upheld some caste prejudices among his Brahmin disciples against lower castes.

14.5.5 Bhakti Movement in Maharashtra

Key points on the bhakti tradition in Maharashtra:

- Drew basic inspiration from Bhagavata Purana like other Vaishnava streams.

- Also influenced by the Tamil Shaiva Nayanar and Vaishnava Alvar saints' ideology.

- Pioneer was Jnaneswar (1275-1296) who wrote an extensive Marathi commentary on the Bhagavad Gita called
Jnanesvari.

- Other prominent figures were Namdev (a tailor who traveled to North India), Eknath and Tukaram.

14.5.6 Bhakti Movement in Other Regions

The section briefly covers bhakti traditions in some other parts of India:

- In Kashmir, the 14th century woman saint Lal Ded was a key figure of Shaiva bhakti.

- In Gujarat, the Vallabha sect as well as Narsimha Mehta (1414/1500-1580) preached bhakti.

- In Karnataka, the Lingayat/Virashaiva movement of the 12th-13th centuries preached a radical, anti-caste concept of
Shaiva bhakti.

- In Assam, Shankaradeva (1449-1568) founded the eka-sarana (refuge in one) bhakti tradition advocating devotion to
Vishnu/Krishna while rejecting casteism. He innovated by incorporating dance-drama.

So, in summary, this section comprehensively outlines the major movements, figures, regional variations, as well as
the overarching unity and core characteristics of the monotheistic and Vaishnava streams of the medieval bhakti
tradition across North India.
SECTION 14.6 discusses the influence of other traditions and movements on the bhakti movement in North India.
Here is an explanation covering all the sub-sections in simple terms, without using complex words or sentences:

14.6.1 Popular Monotheistic Saints and Ramananda

This sub-section talks about the relationship between the popular monotheistic saints like Kabir, Raidas, etc. and the
influential Vaishnava scholar-saint Ramananda.

Ramananda's teachings are considered to be the source of the popular monotheistic movement associated with saints
like Kabir, Raidas, and others. He belonged to the late 14th and early 15th centuries and lived in Varanasi.

Like the monotheists, Ramananda opposed caste restrictions and opened the path of bhakti to all castes, including the
lowest. He also preached his ideas in the common language of the masses.

However, overall, Ramananda's ideas and concept of bhakti were essentially a part of the Vaishnava tradition. On the
other hand, Kabir and the other monotheistic saints went much further by denouncing the entire Brahmanical religion.

Interestingly, none of the major monotheistic saints make any mention of Ramananda or any other human guru in their
verses and utterances, despite the later traditions linking them as Ramananda's disciples.

14.6.2 Influence of the Nathpanthi Movement

This sub-section discusses how some ideas of Kabir and other monotheists can be traced to the influence of the
heterodox Nathpanthi movement.

The Nathpanthis were yogis who belonged to various lower castes like weavers, tanners, washermen, etc. Their
movement became very popular in North India during the 13th and 14th centuries after the establishment of Turkish
rule.

The Nathpanthi influence can be seen in Kabir's non-conformist attitudes, his independent thinking, his use of
enigmatic language with paradoxes (called ulatbasi), and partly in his mystical symbolism.

However, Kabir and other monotheists adapted and selectively adopted the Nathpanthi ideas for their own purposes.
They rejected the Nathpanthis' asceticism, esoteric practices, and physical methods like breath control.

So, the Nathpanthi influence was more in terms of the monotheists' heterodox attitudes towards orthodox
Brahmanical and Islamic religions, rather than in their actual practices.

14.6.3 Influence of Islamic Ideas and Sufism

Many scholars argue that the bhakti movements and the doctrine of bhakti itself emerged due to the influence of
Islamic ideas and concepts like devotion (ibaadat) both before and after the 12th century.

However, it is pointed out that bhakti as a religious idea had indigenous origins in ancient Indian traditions like
Brahmanism and Buddhism. The older bhakti movement in South India also predated the advent of Islam there.

That said, Islam did influence the bhakti movements, especially the popular monotheistic movements, in certain ways:

- The monotheists adopted some Islamic ideas like the uncompromising faith in one formless God, rejection of
incarnation, and criticism of idolatry and casteism.

- However, they did not blindly borrow from Islam and rejected many orthodox Islamic elements too.

- The Vaishnava movements were largely unaffected by Islamic influence as they continued believing in saguna
(incarnate) bhakti and other Brahmanical ideas.

The relationship between the monotheistic movement and Islam seems to have been one of mutual influence. Sufi
concepts like the mystic pir (guru) and union with the 'Beloved' (God) had parallels with the monotheists' ideas,
providing a common ground for interaction between them.

There are mentions of Kabir having affiliations with Chishti Sufis and of Guru Nanak's encounters with Sufis, though
lacking concrete historical evidence.
14.6.4 Theory of Islamic 'Challenge' to Hinduism

One modern viewpoint attributes the rise of medieval bhakti movements to alleged persecution of Hindus under
'Muslim' rule and Islam's doctrines of God's unity and equality posing a challenge to Hinduism.

According to this theory, the movements were a defensive mechanism - the monotheists tried purging Hinduism of
evils like casteism and idolatry, while poets like Tulsidas defended its core by popularizing it.

However, this theory is not supported by evidence for several reasons:

- The Islamic regime and society itself became hierarchical and discriminatory over time, contrary to the ideals of
equality.

- Hindu religious practices continued unhindered across most regions under Muslim rule.

- The overwhelming majority remained Hindu, even around the Sultanate capitals.

- The monotheists denounced orthodox elements of both Hinduism and Islam.

- The Vaishnava poets showed little to no concern for any supposed Islamic threat in their poetry.

So, in essence, this section highlights how while the bhakti movements had indigenous origins, they were influenced
to varying degrees by existing traditions like Nathpanthis, Sufism and certain Islamic ideas - through complex
interactions and adaptations rather than any one-sided impact.