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THE medieval period of Indian history is a microcosm in the story of dark ages of mankind. After passing through the long and dark tunnel, humanity weary of earth and longing for heaven, found some light and solace. In Europe, Erasmus contributed more to the liberation of the mind from the thraldom of the clergy than the uproar and rage of Luther’s pamphlets. In his In Praise of folly, Erasmus says folly is the chief source of happiness and rules the world, but more particularly the Church. The jokes of Erasmus did the Pope more harm than the anger of Luther. At the same time in India, there came nathas and sants who tried to liberate the Hindu mind from the ritualistic Brahmanical tyranny. The Nath sect rejected all Hindu ceremonies, scriptures, incarnations, food taboos and caste distinctions, including the role of Brahmins. ‘God was the transcendent Creator, but he was also immanent in creation, above all in man himself.’ In the Nath tradition, sants not only challenged the established order of hierarchy of caste system but also softened the dogmatism of religious orthodoxy and strived hard through their bani to bring a synthesis of Hinduism and Islam. The movement gave birth to Sufism of which Kabir was an outstanding exponent. In this spiritual tradition, the names of two sants are worth mentioning — Guru Nanak and Guru Ravi Dass. The sants were intellectuals and spoke out against the ills of the society. The sants considered God as giver and not taker. Through their devotional songs they sought refuge and solace at His feet. There is no evidence that Guru Nanak ever studied the Bible. Yet, his communion with God brought him to reach the same conclusion. His bani finds expression in the (shabd), naam (God) and voice of the servant of God. The Gospel according to John 1:1 is "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God." ‘There’s one God, Eternal Truth His name’, says Guru Nanak. This undermined the very foundation of the prevalent social system. Guru Ravi Dass was born in an untouchable community. His many songs are filled with references to the despised occupation he was engaged in but he was proud of his spiritual evolution by which he could claim superiority over the highest born. His egalitarian teachings have been a source of inspiration for his followers. His poem, Begampura, is an expression of the fractured soul aspiring to build a society without pain, oppression and distinction between the high and the low: My distant home, where every thing is right That imperial kingdom is rich and secure, Where none are third or second — all are one Its foods and drink are famous, and those who live there, Dwell in satisfaction and in wealth They do this and that, they walk where they wish, The stroll through fabled palaces unchallenged O, says Ravi Dass, a good-for-nothing low born Those who walk beside me are my friends. The banis of
Kabir and Guru Ravi Dass form an integral part of the Guru Granth
Sahib. |
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