Dr. Satyajit Das
(mail-sdaslmv@gmail.com)
The Neo-Vaishnavism ideology boldly possessed by Mahapurusha Srimanta Sankardeva along with his chief disciple Mahapurusha Sri Sri Madhavadeva that had been led to the spiritual-cultural and social renaissance in Assam during the times of 15th-16th centuries and as such the emergence of this new movement was totally concerned with the religious reformation as well as spiritual uplift, cultural revival, rethinking, social reorganization along with the reformation. For a long duration, Srimanta Sankardeva and Sri Sri Madhavdeva had led the movement from the front and carried this venture for a long time which would be transformed into a spiritual-cultural and social renaissance in Assam because all the elements of literary heritage, arts and crafts, visual arts of architectural and sculptural heritage, fine arts of traditional paintings and art works on Sanchipaat or Elobark and Tulapaat or Cottonbark, performing arts including classical music, Satriya Dances and Ankiya Naat or Bhaonas were largely associated with this great revolution-'the Neo-Vaishnavite Movement'. The two great Mahapurushas have ideologically focused on their core philosophical framework of monotheism. Monotheism means the one Supreme God who is the chief creator, operator and destroyer of this Universe as such core ideological and philosophical framework of the 'Bhakti-Movement' or Vaishnava upsurge that was oriented through the path of Vaishnavism in the 14th-15th century originated from the South and disseminated towards North, North-West and East later on led by the spiritual apostles Sankaracharya, Ramanujacharya, Ramananda, Kabir, Surdas, Tukaraam, Chaityanya and Meera Bai, Guru Nanak and Tulshi Das of Northern parts of India. On the basis of that core doctrine as well as philosophical framework of spirituality along with the religious endeavors, the spiritual, social and cultural ideals of Sankardeva influenced the Assamese social and national life and thus through it he established a new horizon in the history of Assamese nation building. Sankardeva's basic tenet of religion 'Ek Sarana Hari Naam Dharma' (religion of shelter in one God and his name) had provided a new reformative path for the social life of Assam and its nationality. His ideal played a major role in upgrading the Assamese nationality into a great cultured nation. About six hundred years or more ago from today, the disorderly social system, social hierarchy, social disparity, caste discrimination, unruly political situation, incontinence, deform religious system, violence, untouchability as well as superstitions were the major social and religious evils deteriorating the social values and degrading humanism to a great extent in all over the state of Assam. Then prevalent religious system had largely impacted upon the masses that were exploited by the rich and the upper class and caste of the society. In the name of religion, the worshipping and propitiating many gods and goddesses, sacrifices of animals, even human sacrifice had created the anarchy among the general people. Because of this type of anarchy, the entire Assamese society had been changing into a narrow societal system. So, in this critical and momentous juncture as well as degraded and unquiet ambience, Sankardeva and his chief disciple Madhavdeva together had led the religious and cultural movement for overcoming all the social evils as well as religious deformation. This movement is considered as a cultural renaissance and social revolution. This social revolution as well as cultural renaissance is called the Neo-Vaishnavite Movement. In this movement, not only spiritual and religious thoughts but also all the components of arts and culture were comprised in it. At that time, Sankardeva had accepted all his followers as his disciples belonging to different castes and communities. Among them, Narottama of Nagas, Govinda of Garos as well as Chandasai of Muslims (Yavana) Paramananda of the Miris, Jaihari of the Bhotas along with the Haridas of the Baniyas were noteworthy. Srimanta Sankardeva with his chief disciple Sri Sri Madhavdeva as well as other disciples of different castes and communities collectively had been disseminating and publicizing the 'Ek Sarana Hari Naam Dharma' in the entire state of Assam. The main objective of Sankardeva's 'Ek Sarana Hari Naam Dharma' is to worship and propitiate the Lord Sri Krishna by chanting his heroic and ideal deeds among people. Later on, for reforming the society by Sankardeva and Madhavdeva through religious as well as spiritual ways, literature and culture were also considered as essential media. Both of them composed and narrated poetry, songs, verses, dramas, music and dances.
Through all these, they had disseminated the internal thoughts, philosophy and ideal of Lord Sri Krishna and his activities and heroic deeds among the masses through a very simple language called 'Brajabali'. Then, there were lots of communities, including tribes and non-tribes living in various plains and hills of the entire state since time immemorial that were attracted by the literary works, arts, cultural creations as well as 'Ek Sarana Hari Naam Dharma' religion of Sankardeva and Madhavdeva and so they adopted to become disciples of them and followers of neo-Vaishnavism. Thus the neo-Vaishnavism movement had been contributing largely towards a greater Assamese nationality formation. Because, through establishing Xatras and Naamghars by Sankardeva and Madhavdeva, it was easier for took the initiative regarding the process of unification of various castes and tribal communities in a common stage under the same ideology as well as unique spiritual thoughts and cultural feelings. In "Ek Sarana Hari Naam Dharma", there is no place for division of the disciples into upper and lower castes and also rich and poor discrimination and such that Srimanta Sankardeva and Sri Sri Madhavdeva have wonderfully able to form and envisioned the process of the greater Assamese Nationality formation as well as built the spiritually, culturally enriched the greater Assamese society and nation. Lastly, Srimanta Sankardeva and Sri Sri Madhavdeva are recognized as the architect of the building of greater Assam. In the context of greater Assamese nationality as well as society formation, their idealism has been leading the different races, castes and tribes to re-establish the spiritually and culturally enriched the state of Assam forever.
(Author teaches and guides Ph.D Research at Krishnaguru Adhyatmik Visvavidyalaya, Nasatra, Barpeta, Assam).