Sankaradeva and Kabirdas: A Short Comparative Analysis of Their Bhakti

Abstract

In the history of Bhakti movement in India, the greatest reformers Sankaradeva and Kabirdas occupies a prestigious and glorious space. As a result of the Bhakti movement lead by Sankaradeva and Kabirdas, the social life of India got a new dimension. In the context of Bhakti, both these two great personality have established a stable idealism in the society by removing the differences of caste, religion and community and creating a united society. In Assam, Sankaradeva did preach the Bhakti cult to the people who taught them the meaning of ‘Love' and ‘Tolerance' and finally Bhakti or ‘devotion' towards the Almighty God. Sankaradeva wanted to reform the then Assamese society with the spirit of Vaishnava Dharma where Bhakti is the primary concern. Kabirdas was a Vaishnavite. He was deeply influenced by Nirguna Bhakti and he held high faith and respect for the truth beyond worldly affair. He described his God as Nirguna. He tried to establish the superiority of Bhakti as the path to achieve Supreme Being. According to him, the easiest way to get closely associated with God is Bhakti.