Bhakti Movement In India

The earliest exponent of Bhakti movement was Ramanuja.According to him the ways of Moksha lies through Karma,Gyan and Bhakti.He propagated the cult of devotion to God.

Madhavcharya ranks with Shanker and Ramanuja as one of the three principal philosophers of Vedanta system.His view was that the final aim of man is the direct perception of Hari which leads Moksha.Release from transmigration can be achieved only by means of knowledge and devotion.

Among those who were most critical of the existing social order and made strong plea for Hindu Muslim unity  the names of Kabir and Nanak stand out. Kabir emphasized the unity of God whom he calls by several names.He strongly denounced idol worship,pilgrimage,taking part in formal worship. He didn’t consider it necessary to abandon the life of normal at household for the sake of saintly life. He also denounced caste system and emphasized the fundamental unity of man.Followers of Kabir are called Kabir panthis.Guru Nanak from whose teaching the Sikh religion derived was born in Khatri household in village of Talwandi in 1469 AD. Nanak laid emphasis on oneness of God.His concept of God was Nirguna and Nirakkar.He composed hymns and sang them to the accompaniment of the rabab. He advocated the middle path in which spiritual life could be combined with the duties of householder.