Vaishnava Bhakts

During medieval period, the entire India was swept by Bhakti movement of Vaishnava tradition. This movement represented spiritual empowerment of the masses. The corresponding spiritual movement of the masses first happened in South India in the seventh century, and spread in various parts of India (UP, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Bengal, Orissa, Delhi etc.) in the 14th-17th centuries.
Bhakti poets such as Alwars, Raidas, Narsigh Mehta, Haidas, Meera Bai, Namdev, Ramananda, Surdas, Tulsidas, Eknath, Tyagaraja, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and many others influenced the expansion of Vaishnavism. They wrote a large number of Bhajans (poetries) in the glory of Parmatama and taught the religion of love and kindness to society.

Bhakts (devotees) borne in different parts of nation during this period gave message of:

• Enlightenment and liberation from re-birth are fulfilled by Bhakti of of Vishnu or his avatars viz. Krishna, Rama.
• Parmatama can be realised bhakti which can be done by total surrender to him.

The details of such bhakts are as under:

The Alwars (6th to 9th Century), Tamil Nadu:

1. 1. Alwars in Tamil is ‘Azhwar’ means immersed in Parmatama love. Alwars are collective name of tamil vaishnavs tradition. They are known for Vatsakayabhav,  Madhurbhav Bhakti.
   2. Parmatama is omniscient and beyond comprehension of mind and senses. He can be realised only through consciousness. Bhakti fulfilled through surrender.
   3. The Alwars prescribe conquering the senses, not by starving them, but by changing their direction towards Paramatma. The senses and the mind rather than being uprooted, are nurtured towards Parmatama. Therefore, instead of being obstacles, they become instruments of spiritual progress.
   4. They wrote poems called Narlayira Divya Prabandhan – The divine four thousand. All their poems are chanted once in a year during the Adhyayan festival in vashnav temples of south. 

 

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