Sample Materials for CSAT Paper -1 (G.S.) Pre 2013: "Ancient Indian History: The Saints of Medieval India"

Subject: Ancient Indian History
Topic: The Saints of Medieval India

Shankaracharya

1. Devotee of Shiva.
2. Gave birth to the philosophy of Advaitavad or Ektatvavad of Vedanta.
3. Established many Mathas (Viharas) in different parts of country-Jagannathpuri in east , Sringeri in south, Dwarka in west and Badarinath in north.
4. Emphasised knowledge or true education as a way to attain Moksha (salvation).
5. Known as Crypto – Buddhist
6. Defeated Buddhist scholastic teachers.

Ramanuja

1. Urged that for salvation the grace of god ismore important than knowledge.
2. Expounded the philosophy of visistaadwaita and qualified monism.
3. His commentary of Vedanta is compiled in Sribhashya and Gitabhashya.
4. According to him soul is one with God yet separate.

Ramanand

1. Admitted to his sect disciples from all castes, from both sexes and even from among the Muslims.
2. His twelve disciples, who became famous later on included a Jat named Dhanna, a barbar Sena, a cobbler Ramdas and a Muslim, Kabir.
3. Worshipper of Rama.
4. Representative of Sagun Bhakti sect.

Kabir

1. Most radical disciple of Ramananda.
2. Brought up by a weaver of Varanasi.
3. By means of sakhas and sakhis he imparted religious instruction to Hindus and Muslims alike.
4. His sayings.

• “O Kabir, Sanskrit is the water in a well, the language of people is the following stream.”
• “I am neither in kaba nor in kailash …… But present in all creatures.”
• “God is the breath of all breaths.”

5. Stood for Hindu-Muslim unity.
6. Declared that Allah and Rama were the names of the same god and called himRam and Rahim.
7. Representative poet-saint of Nirguna Bhakti sect.

Dadu Dayal

1. Resident of Ahmedabad.
2. Accepted by both the Hindus and the Muslims.
3. Devotee of Nirankar Brahma and staunch supporter of Nirguna School of Bhakti cult.

Guru Nanak

1. Believed in the doctrine of karma and the theory of transmigration of souls.
2. Started Langar (free community kitchen).
3. Worked for Hindu-Muslim unity.
4. Conceived God as Nirankara.
5. His work was compiled in the Adi Granth which also included the teachings of Kabir.
6. His Saying “God knows man’s virtues and enquires not his caste, in the next world there is no caste.”

Chaitanya

1. A devotee of Lord Krishna.
2. Founder of modern vaishnavism in Bengal.
3. Original name was Vishwambhar.
4. Great exponent of Krishnaite form of Vaishnavism.
5. He is considered by his followers as an incarnation of Krishna or Vishnu.
6. His philosophical doctrine – “Acgubttabgeda Bhedavada.”
7. His philosophy is known as Rag Marg (Path of spontaneous love).
8. Gave birth to Sankirtan system.
9. His birth place was Navadwip.

Nimbarkacharya

1. A Telgu Brahmin of Andhra Pradesh.
2. Spent most of the time at Vrindavan.
3. Published the theory of Dwaith advaitvad (Dualism-non dualism).
4. Identified Brahmana with Krishna.

Vallabacharya

1. Devotee of Krishna.
2. Believed in the philosophy o Sudhaadvaita.
3. Emphasised on Vaishnavism and Monoism.
4. His philosophy known as pushtimarg (the path of grace).

Mirabai

1. Follower of the Krishna cult of Vaishnavism.
2. Her songs were full of devotion and love, written in Rajasthani & Braja Bhasha.

Tulsidas

1. Renowned author of Ramcharit Manas.
2. Depicted Rama as the incarnation of Vishnu.
3. His other books are – Dohavali, Kavitawali, Vinay Patrika etc.
4. Became a saint and went to Ayodhya.

Madhawacharya

1. Expounded Dwaitvad (Dualism).
2. Devotee of Vishnu.

Jnamesvar or Jnanadeva

1. Saint of Maharastra Dharma.
2. Composed his Marathi commentary of the Bhagwad Gita known as Jnaneswari.
3. Related to Varkari sect.
4. Wrote Abhangas.

Namdev

1. Saint of Maharastra Dharma.
2. Associated with Varkari sect.
3. Some of his lyrical verses are included in the Granth Sahib.
4. His Sayings.

• “Hindu is blind, then Muslim squint, who knows it, is wiser than both; he is the servant of that name”.

Ramdas

1. Saint of Maharastra Dharma.
2. Spiritual guide of Shivaji.
3. Wrote Dasabodha which contains his vast knowledge of various sciences and arts with the synthesizing principles of spiritual life.
4. Expounder of Dharakari group.

Surdas

1. Foremost of poet of Krishna sect.
2. The first great theme of his poetry constitutes Krishna’s Bal Lila (child Krishna).
3. Disciple of Vallabhacharya.

Eknatha

1. Saint of Maharastra Dharma.

Tukaram

1. Tried to reconcile Hinduism and Islam. Known as “Kabir of the Deccan”.
2. Wrote several abhangas which embody his teachings and were widely recited in Maharashtra.

Sankardev

1. Resident of Assam.
2. Famous as “Chaitanya of Assam”.
3. His Saying.
4. “There is only one God, only one faith and devotion and besides this there is no other God”.

Narsi Mehta

1. Resident of Gujarat.
2. Author of vaishnav jan to teno kahiye ….. A favourite Bhajan of Mahatma Gandhi.

Basava

1. Prime Minister of the Kalachuri King Bijala.
2. Wrote Vachanas.’
3. Expounder of Virsaivism or Lingayat sect.

Answer of Question 1: C

Answer of Question 2: B