Jagadguru Srimanta Shankardev of Assam has been a great Dharmik preacher and teacher, scholar, sant, social reformer, literary giant, artist, poet, dramatist, musician, and a beacon of neo-Vaishnavite renaissance. Born 575 years ago, he became an exemplary binding force during the turbulent times of Assam going through periods of political chaos and religious disintegration.
As impeccably noted by Dr Rajendra Prasad, the first President of independent Bharat, the literary works of the Mahapurush are understood to be among the earliest standard works in the Assamese language. As a result of his Vaishnavite Bhakti movement, people of Assam were able to develop a sense of unified socio-religious sentiments with rest of Bharat, because of a common language and literature, which in turn paved a way for the political, cultural, spiritual and linguistic growth of Assam. It won’t be wrong to say that almost everything that we call Assamese today was because of this great sant.
How It Began
Bharat was witnessing the dynamics of many socio-religious forces between 14th and 15th century CE that culminated to birth of new Bhakti movements in various parts of Bharat. These Bhakti movements, led by many great sants stressed on access of everyone to God, and preached pure devotion. These sants translated ancient Sanskrit Puranas and other scriptures into regional languages. The Bhakti movement played a crucial role in bringing about harmony among different sections of society. Under barbaric Mughal attacks, people found it difficult to go to temples. Sants showed that Bhakti can be pursued inside homes just by chanting name of Ram-Krishna. These movements played a critical role in saving Bharatiya culture during those tumultuous times.
Assam before 15th Century CE
Srimanta Shankardev was born in 1449 CE (1371 Saka) in a Bhuyan family, on Dashami of Ashwin month at Alipukhuri, about 13 Km to the North-West of Bardowa (about 26 Km from present Nogaon). At that time, Assam constituted of different kingdoms – the Chutias (or Sutias) ruled over easternmost region, south-east region was ruled by Kacharis, west of Chutias and Kachari on the south was ruled by chiefs called Bhuyans. Extreme west was the kingdom of Kamata, later came to be known as Cooch Behar under the Koch kings. Centuries before Shankardev was born, Assam was home to different races, tribes, beliefs, institutions, etc. Most of them followed Shakta and Tantra consisting of intense rituals, mantras and sacrifices.
Life and works of Srimanta Shankardev
Shankardev lost his parents very early, and was brought up by his grandmother Khersuti. He started education at the age of about 12 years, under the tutelage of Guru Mahendra Kandali. A bright student, he studied Vedas, Upanishads, Ramayan, Mahabharat, Puranas, Samhitas, Kavyas, Tantras and Grammar, and became a great scholar of Sanskrit and Shastras. He used to practice Yoga as well. Right after learning alphabets, he composed a poem made only from consonants. He also composed a small Kavya ‘Harishchandra Upakhyan’ during his early schooling years.
Shankardev lost his first wife Suryavati and father Kusumbara. He was filled with sorrow and thought of renouncing the world. At the age of 32-34 years, he went for his first pilgrimage, with 17 companions including his Guru Mahendra Kandali. It may have lasted for about 12 years according to different biographers. He visited many Tirthasthanas of Bharat. At these holy places and temples of North and South Bharat, he met with Vaishnavite teachers of various schools, learned from and had theological discussions with them.
This pilgrimage of neo-Vaishnavite movement (that was already affecting many parts of Northern Bharat then) had a deep influence on him. Gradually, propagating the message of Bhagwat Puran among common masses became the mission of his life. He started to have religious discussions and discourses at his home, and gradually, his Ek-Sharana-Naam-Dharma (ESND) movement seemed to take shape. People from all castes, different tribes became his followers. Sankara realised that the whole purpose of Bhagwat Puran was to project Bhagwan Vishnu (Shri Krishna) as the sole worshipful and celebrating His acts in the company of holy men, singing songs (Naam) about Him, and taking refuge (Sharan) in Him was the greatest Dharma of mankind. He set himself to the task of propagating this Bhakti movement among common masses, which started at Bardowa. Later, he had to move to Majuli, Kamarup and Barpeta etc.
The Mahapurush built institutions like Namghar and Satras. At Namghar, his followers would listen to his discourses on Bhagwat Puran and Bhakti movement. Satras are like Ashram. The education of ESND, Satriya dance and music is imparted by Satradhikars (Head of the Satra), where pupils receive this education in Guru-Ashram system. Young boys receive Satriya Gurukul education in Satras.
During his ESND movement, Shankardev translated Bhagwat Puran into Assamese. It is not mere translation, it can be thought of as Bhagwat (12 Books) with commentary, interpretative in nature. He wrote it in simple Assamese that could be understood by common people, and also added proverbs, idioms, descriptions, contexts and stories etc. from daily life, to make it more enjoyable. At some places, he also added some texts and stories from other Puranas. This was the creativity of the great Sant.
The Mahapurush also wrote Bhakti-Ratnakar, Kirtan Ghosha and many other literary works, that included his creations Ankiya Naats (one-act dramas). Kavya ‘Kirtan’ stands as a book not only for its religious outlook, but also for elevated and noble thoughts that transcend all religions. To children, it gives stories and songs for amusement, delights the young with true poetic beauty and elderly people find in it religious instructions and wisdom. All the sentiments – pain, love, separation, anger and forgiveness, are well amalgamated in the Kirtan. To make the stories of texts easier to understand, Shankara created Chinha Yatra (One-Act Opera). Bhaona, Satriya dance, Satriya music, Borgeet, Oja Palli dance, and puppetry was also prompted to enact the stories of the Mahabharata, Bhagwadgita, Ramayana and other Shastras. Gayan-Bayan was also created.
He moved to Barpeta (1546 AD) and at Pat Bausi established a Satra and Namghar, where he lived till the end of his life. Major portion of his religious writings, songs, dramas and Kavyas were written here. In the year 1550 AD, at age of about 100 years, Shankardev went to his second pilgrimage to Puri, accompanied by 120 devotees. During this journey, he is said to have seen Chaitanya at Puri. Shankardev lived up to 120 years of age.
Lessons to learn
- In spite of losing parents during early childhood, Shankardev did not lose perseverance, with focused hard work, urge to follow scholarship and resilience, he followed the path of enlightenment, and achieved and contributed a lot to the society, mankind and Nation
- He lived up to 120 years, did Yoga, was fit and radiating till his last breath. He had a charismatic personality, with lotus-like eyes, and light of enlightenment radiating from his face
- Shankardev created the religion of universality and democracy, accessible to people of all castes, creeds, and tribes – Chandal, Garo, Bhutia, Kaivarta, Kachari, Potter, Kayastha, Kalita, Maran, Chutia, Ahom, Brittial, Sudra to name some. He stressed that realisation of God is for all those who devote themselves to Hari Bhakti
- Through his Vaishnavite Bhakti movement, the Sant united people by propagating Puranas, Ramayan, Mahabharat etc. To a certain extent, Namghar and Satra were patterned after the monastic establishments of Southern Bharat. Some of his texts and artistic expressions were also inspired by other Sants including Kabir, Vidyapati etc.
- His writings and texts put much emphasis on the ethical aspects of Dharma. He used ample illustrations from Puranas, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Gita etc to elaborate merits like Satya (truth), Daya or Kripa (mercy), Daan (charity), Ahimsa (non-violence), Kshama (forgiveness), Anasuya (absence of envy), Dhriti (patience), Shraddha (respect) and Dama (control of senses)
- Not only did he preach Bhakti movement and upholded ethical virtues, but also established a new social order by removing social evils
- He regenerated Assamese literature, drama, poetry, songs, dance, music and Satriya costume, puppetry, Gayan-Bayan, fostering unity among the people
- The Mahapurush created an artificial language ‘Brajawali,’ a fusion of Awadhi and Assamese languages to write his texts, as it has the characteristic sweetness, classical nature, and easily understood by the common people. He collected stories and materials from different texts, to make them more palatable
