The ‘Gunamala’ – An unparalleled creation of Srimanta Sankaradeva

The significance of the ‘Gunamala’ has endured through generations in Assamese society and will continue to shine brightly as an eternal and indestructible legacy as long as the Assamese nation exists – Himangshu Ranjan Bhuyan

The ‘Gunamala’, an unparalleled creation by the supreme pioneer Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardeva, is not merely a literary work but holds a significant place in the spiritual and social life of Assam. This text has condensed the vast philosophy and profound content of the Mahabharata into just six chapters with remarkable finesse and artistry. In 1552, at the request of the Koch king Naranarayana, Mahapurush Sankardeva composed this text in a single night, a feat that stands as a testament to his profound erudition, unmatched creativity, and deep devotion. The ‘Gunamala’ describes the virtues and glory of Lord Krishna, the magnificence of His divine pastimes, and the significance of devotion in a manner that deeply impacts the minds of both common people and scholars. The ‘Gunamala’ is not only an exemplary literary creation but also an inseparable part of Assam’s religious and cultural life. In Assamese society, this text is revered as the divine embodiment of the formless Lord, enshrined with great devotion in the ‘Guru Ashana’ at village Namghars or in household altars. Furthermore, the literary value of this text lies in the beauty, simplicity, and poetic style of its language.

The background of the ‘Gunamala’s’ composition is itself proof of its miraculous nature. In the royal court of Koch king Naranarayana, while Sankardeva was expounding the profound philosophy and narratives of the Mahabhagavata, the king presented him with an unprecedented challenge. The king ordered that the essence of the Mahabharata be written in such a way that it could be read in a single day. The scholars present in the court declared this task impossible, as condensing the vast content, deep philosophy, and extensive narratives of the Mahabharata was not only difficult but unimaginable. However, Sankardeva accepted the challenge and, in a single night, composed the ‘Gunamala’ in the Kusummala meter on a piece of palm leaf measuring 1 inch by 2 inches, presenting it to the king. The extraordinary quality of this creation left a profound impact on everyone present in the royal court. This work reflects not only Sankardeva’s literary prowess but also his deep devotion and unwavering faith in Lord Krishna. His contemporaries likened this achievement to ‘fitting an elephant into an ant’s nest’, as incorporating the profound philosophy and content of the vast Bhagavata Purana into such a concise text was a feat of miraculous scholarship. In its 337 verses, the ‘Gunamala’ beautifully describes various stages of Lord Krishna’s life, from His childhood pastimes to His divine deeds and virtues. Using local Assamese words and expressions, Sankardeva made this text accessible to the common people. Despite its simplicity, he presented complex philosophical concepts in a way that even the uneducated could grasp the essence of devotion and its spiritual significance. This ability highlights a unique aspect of Sankardeva’s literary genius. Through this work, he showcased the richness and beauty of the Assamese language to the world, granting Assamese literature a distinct identity. The background of this composition gives it a unique place in Assam’s history, as it is not only evidence of Sankardeva’s scholarship but also a remarkable expression of his creative mind.

The structure of the ‘Gunamala’ is highly artistic and meticulously crafted. The text is completed in just six chapters, brilliantly summarising the vast content of the Mahabharata. Sankardeva employed the Kusummala metre, whose simplicity and beauty make the text accessible to the common reader. The invocations at the beginning of each chapter clarify the spiritual significance of the text, enhancing its literary value while awakening devotional sentiments in the reader’s mind. The hallmark of Sankardeva’s writing style is his ability to maintain profound philosophy and devotional essence within brevity. The melodious rhythm of the Kusummala meter lends the text a unique aesthetic quality. Through this meter, Sankardeva describes Lord Krishna’s virtues and divine pastimes in a way that leaves a lasting impact on the reader’s mind. The combination of simplicity and depth in the text’s structure makes it an immortal creation in Assamese literature. Through this text, Sankardeva expressed not only literary beauty but also profound devotional philosophy. The structural elegance of the text makes it appealing to both common readers and scholars.

In the first chapter, Sankardeva vividly portrays Lord Krishna’s divine nature through a beautiful description of His childhood pastimes. Briefly mentioning Krishna’s ten incarnations, he expresses the Lord’s universal power and boundless compassion for His devotees. In this chapter, Krishna is depicted as the cause of the universe, the destroyer of sins, and the saviour of His devotees. The hallmark of Sankardeva’s writing style is his ability to express profound spiritual philosophy in simple language. The verses in this chapter highlight Krishna’s pure nature, His demon-slaying prowess, and His compassion for devotees, beautifully showcasing Sankardeva’s poetic talent. These verses awaken devotional sentiments in the reader’s mind while connecting them with Krishna’s divine essence, inspiring them to seek refuge at His feet. The verses create a deep spiritual connection with Krishna’s divine glory.

The second chapter narrates Krishna’s birth and various childhood pastimes, beautifully blending His human and divine aspects. Sankardeva highlights Krishna’s playful nature, bringing out His charming divine form. The beauty of his writing lies in his ability to express Krishna’s virtues and boundless compassion for His devotees within brevity. The verses in this chapter create a joyful sentiment in the reader’s mind through Krishna’s childhood deeds while evoking reverence through descriptions of His divine prowess. These verses beautifully portray the harmonious blend of Krishna’s human charm and divine glory.

The third chapter describes the various pastimes of Krishna and Balarama, vividly portraying Krishna’s valour and divine power. Sankardeva highlights Krishna’s demon-slaying nature, with his poetic skill and devotional depth evident in the verses. These descriptions awaken unwavering devotion in the reader’s mind. The hallmark of Sankardeva’s style is his ability to express profound spiritual philosophy in simple language, clearly conveying Krishna’s omnipotent nature and boundless compassion. These verses paint a vivid picture of Krishna’s divine glory in the reader’s mind.

The fourth chapter briefly describes events from Krishna’s childhood pastimes to His demon-slaying deeds. It highlights both His playful actions and omnipotent nature. The beauty of Sankardeva’s style lies in his ability to maintain profound spiritual philosophy and literary beauty within brevity. These verses evoke reverence and devotion in the reader’s mind, beautifully portraying the harmonious blend of Krishna’s human and divine aspects.

The fifth chapter beautifully summarises the tenth skandha of the Mahabhagavata, narrating Krishna’s various pastimes in a systematic manner. Sankardeva blends Krishna’s human and divine aspects, with the verses clearly expressing His virtues and compassion for devotees. The beauty of his style lies in his ability to convey profound spiritual philosophy in simple language, awakening unwavering devotion in the reader’s mind and painting a vivid picture of Krishna’s divine glory.

The sixth chapter versifies the eleventh skandha of the Mahabhagavata with the concept of devotion. It expresses the depth of Krishna’s philosophy of devotion and His universal nature. Sankardeva’s ability to maintain profound spiritual philosophy and literary beauty within brevity is evident. The verses clearly convey Krishna’s virtues and compassion, painting a vivid picture of His divine glory in the reader’s mind. This ability establishes the ‘Gunamala’ as one of the pinnacle creations of Assamese literature.

The literary significance of the ‘Gunamala’ lies in the simplicity of its language, poetic beauty, and artistic structure. Sankardeva used the six-syllable Kusummala metre, which lends the text a melodious rhythm and lyrical quality. This rhythm makes the ‘Gunamala’ suitable not only for reading but also for singing, making it an integral part of Assam’s musical tradition. Through local Assamese words and expressions, Sankardeva presented complex religious and philosophical ideas in a simple form, making the text accessible to the common people. This ability helped establish the Assamese language as a powerful literary medium. During Sankardeva’s time, Assamese literature was still in its nascent stage, with limited written works despite the prevalence of oral literature. Through his various works, Sankardeva established Assamese as a robust literary medium, with the ‘Gunamala’ being a shining example. Condensing the vast content of the Mahabharata was an immensely challenging task, yet he not only succeeded but also presented it in a way that was comprehensible to all classes of people. The poetic sensitivity and mastery over language in each verse enriched the Assamese vocabulary and expressions, giving Assamese literature a new direction. The imagery and linguistic beauty in the ‘Gunamala’ elevated the artistic standards of Assamese literature. Through this text, Sankardeva showcased the strength and beauty of the Assamese language to the world, a legacy considered a proud chapter in Assamese literature even today. His work transcended the boundaries of religious texts, giving Assamese literature a universal appeal. The language and metre of the ‘Gunamala’ introduced a new stream in Assamese literature, serving as a guiding light for future poets and writers.

During Sankardeva’s time, Assamese society was plagued by caste discrimination, religious orthodoxy, and social inequalities, which complicated people’s lives. Through his Ekasarana Namadharma, he propagated a powerful message against these disparities. The core mantra of his philosophy, ‘One God, one service, none other’, is beautifully reflected in the ‘Gunamala’. His religious philosophy aimed to liberate people from complex rituals and connect them with the ultimate truth through the simple path of devotion. Through the narratives of Krishna’s life in the ‘Gunamala’, he conveyed that salvation could be attained through devotion. Each verse beautifully expresses profound devotional sentiments, creating spiritual peace in the reader’s mind. Sankardeva believed that devotion could alleviate all human suffering and unite individuals with the ultimate truth. Through the description of Krishna’s virtues, he awakened deep reverence and devotion in the reader’s mind. This text liberated the common people from complex religious rituals, guiding them toward the simple path of devotion. This effort sparked a new religious consciousness in Assamese society, fostering awareness of the true essence of religion. The text called for all people to unite in the service of God, transcending caste, class, or social divisions. Through the ‘Gunamala’, Sankardeva conveyed that all are equal on the path of devotion. This philosophy sparked a new social consciousness in Assamese society, liberating people from caste discrimination and fostering unity and harmony. The social message of the ‘Gunamala’ profoundly impacted Assamese society, shaping a new identity for the Assamese nation. His efforts not only brought about religious reform but also initiated a new path for social reform. The social significance of the ‘Gunamala’ makes it an invaluable asset to Assamese society. Through this text, Sankardeva awakened a new social consciousness, uniting people from various classes and fostering a society built on equality and harmony.

In conclusion, Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardeva’s ‘Gunamala’ is a transformative treasure of Assamese literature, religion, and culture. Assamese society considers the ‘Gunamala’ a highly sacred text. This creation played a pivotal role in spreading the Bhakti movement in Assamese society. The ‘Gunamala’ is a unique blend of Sankardeva’s creativity, philosophical depth, and spiritual vision. Its simple language, poetic beauty, and profound spiritual philosophy make it an invaluable asset to Assamese literature. The significance of the ‘Gunamala’ has endured through generations in Assamese society and will continue to shine brightly as an eternal and indestructible legacy as long as the Assamese nation exists.

 (Sources: Several books, multiple essays, and various articles available on the internet have been consulted. The writer can be reached at hrbhuyancolumnist@gmail.com.)