Bhakti and Sufi Movement (Part-II)

Total Questions: 43

1. Why is Good Friday of Christians celebrated ? [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1990]

(a) Jesus Christ had died
(b) Jesus Christ was born
(c) Jesus Christ crucified
(d) AD was introduced

Correct Answer: (c) Jesus Christ crucified

Solution:Good Friday is celebrated as martyrs' day of Jesus Christ. According to the Bible, Jesus Christ was hanged on Friday.

Good Friday marks Jesus' sacrifice for humanity but traditions are different across the world and reflect the cultural and religious diversity of Christianity.

2. The Bhakti movement was started by - [U.P.U.D.A./L.D.A. (Pre) 2001]

(a) Alwar Saints
(b) Sufi Saints
(c) Surdas
(d) Tulsidas

Correct Answer: (a) Alwar Saints

Solution:The Bhakti Movement is a Hindu religious movement in which the main spiritual practise is loving devotion among the Shaiva Nayanars and the Vaishnava Alvars. The Bhakti movement originated in ancient Dravida region and began to spread to the north during the late medieval ages when North India was under Islamic rule. The Bhakti movement was started in the 8ᵗʰ
century by the great philosopher Adi Shankaracharya.

3. The Bhakti culture reborn in India during - [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1993]

(a) Vedic age
(b) 10ᵗʰ century AD
(c) 12ᵗʰ century AD
(d) 15ᵗʰ-16ᵗʰ- century AD

Correct Answer: (d) 15ᵗʰ-16ᵗʰ- century AD

Solution:The Bhakti Movement started with the great philosopher Adi Shankaracharya propounding the philosophy of Advaitvad to eliminate the influence of Buddhism during the 8ᵗʰ century. The Bhakti movement was reborn in the 15ᵗʰ- 16ᵗʰ century when Kabir, Tulsi, Nanak, Sur, Mirabai etc, encouraged the movement.

4. The common belief of life of both Buddha and Mirabai was - [R.A.S./R.T.S. (Pre) 1992]

(a) Following ahimsa
(b) Austerity of Nirvana
(c) The world is full of sorrow
(d) Speak of truth

Correct Answer: (c) The world is full of sorrow

Solution:Buddha and Mirabai had a common philosophy which states that the world is full of sorrow. 'Sorrow is first among the Four Arya Truths of Buddhism'.

5. 'Let no man ask a man's sect or caste' whose dictum was this ?" [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2009]

(a) Kabir
(b) Ramananda
(c) Ramanuja
(d) Chaitanya

Correct Answer: (b) Ramananda

Solution:The dictum above is related to Saint Ramananda. His pupils were from all castes, religions and sects.He was a 14ᵗʰ century Vaishnava devotional poet saint. Evidence also suggests that Ramananda was influenced by Nathpanthi ascetics of the Yoga school of Hindu philosophy. An early social reformer, Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating anyone by gender, class, caste or religion. His disciples included- Kabir, Ravidas, Bhagat Pipa and others. His verse is mentioned in the Sikh scripture Adi Granth. Some of his works include- Gyan-lila and Yog-cintamani (Hindi), Vaishnava Mata Bhajabhaskara and Ramarcana paddhati (Sanskrit).

6. A common feature to all Bhakti Saints was that they - [47ᵗʰ B.P.S.C. (Pre) 2005]

(a) Composed their verses in the language understood by their followers
(b) Rejected the authority of the priestly class
(c) Encouraged women to go to the temples
(d) Encouraged idol worship

Correct Answer: (a) Composed their verses in the language understood by their followers

Solution:The conduct of Bhakti saints was of a very high standard. Many of them visited the country and met many people having different views. They also contributed to the advancement of Hindi, Kannada, Punjabi, Bengali, Telugu, Tamil and other languages. The Saints of Bhakti Movement gave their verses in regional and local languages so that their followers could easily understand it. This was the main reason behind the development of local languages.

7. With reference to the religious history of medieval India, the Sufi mystics were known to pursue which of the following practices ? [I.A.S. (Pre) 2012]

1. Meditation and control of breath.

2. Severe ascetic exercises in a lonely place.

3. Recitation of holy songs to arouse a state of ecstasy in their audience.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below :

(a) 1 and 2
(b) 2 and 3
(c) Only 3
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Correct Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3

Solution:The emergence of Sufi saints in medieval India helped to promote communal harmony in the society. They promoted activities like meditation and hard breathe-regulation. They took the help of holy songs and music to spread unity and harmony in the society and to arouse a state of spiritual ecstasy in their audience.

8. Vaishnavism in Kamarupa was popularised by - [U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2002]

(a) Chaitanya
(b) Nimbarka
(c) Ramananda
(d) Shankaradeva

Correct Answer: (d) Shankaradeva

Solution:Vaishnavism in Kamarupa was popularized by Shankaradeva, the founder of Ekasarana sect. They believed in God Vishnu or his incarnation Krishna. They also opposed both rituals and idolatry. They were known as Chaitanya of Assam.

9. Famous medieval saint Shankaradeva belonged to - [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2015]

(a) Shaiva Cult
(b) Vaishnava Cult
(c) Advaita Cult
(d) Dvaita-Advaita cult

Correct Answer: (b) Vaishnava Cult

Origin: The Vasudeva-Bhagavata cult, which had its birth during the Gupta period, grew steadily, absorbing within its fold other Vedic and Brahmanic divinities like Vishnu and Narayana.
Bhagavatism, which was contemporary to Buddhism and Jainism in origin, owed its birth to the stream of thought which began with Upanishads.
It reached its zenith and became the most popular sect during the Gupta age.
Avatar Philosophy: From the late Gupta period, the name mostly used to designate this Bhakti cult was Vaishnava, with emphasis on the doctrine of incarnations (avatars).
Sakar Form: The movement was based on devotion to a Sakar form of God, mainly Rama and Krishna.
Vaishnava poet-saints known as Alvars preached single-minded devotion (Ekatmika Bhakti) for Vishnu, and their songs were collectively known as Prabandhas.

10. Who among the following introduced Vaishnavism in Assam and Cooch Behar ? [U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2011]

(a) Chaitanya
(b) Madhva
(c) Shankaradeva
(d) Vallabhacharya

Correct Answer: (c) Shankaradeva

Solution:Shankaradeva introduced Vaishnavism in Assam and Cooch Behar.

A great Assamese saint, scholar, poet, playwright, social reformer and founder of Vaishnavism in Assam.
He inspired the Bhakti movement in Assam and united people through his neo-vaishnavite movement - Ekasaran Naam Dharma.
Sankardev enriched Assamese language and literature through his poetry, dramas (ankia naat, Bhaona) and songs (borgeet & bhatima).
He was also the father of Assamese classical dance - Sattriya Dance.

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