Srimanta Sankardev[3] ([ˈʃrɪˌmʌntə ˈʃænkə(r)ˌdeɪv];
1449â€"1568) was a 15thâ€"16th century Assamese polymath: a
saint-scholar, poet, playwright, social-religious reformer and a
figure of importance in the cultural and religious history of Assam,
India. He is widely credited with building on past cultural relics and
devising new forms of music (Borgeet), theatrical performance (Ankia
Naat, Bhaona), dance (Sattriya), literary language (Brajavali).
Besides, he has left an extensive literary oeuvre of trans-created
scriptures (Bhagavat of Sankardev), poetry and theological works
written in Sanskrit, Assamese and Brajavali. The Bhagavatic religious
movement he started, Ekasarana Dharma and also called Neo-Vaishnavite
movement,[4] influenced two medieval kingdoms---Koch and the Ahom
kingdomsâ€"and the assembly of devotees he initiated evolved into
Sattras over time, which continue to be important socio-religious
institutions in Assam and to a lesser extend in North Bengal.
Sankardev inspired the Bhakti movement in Assam just as Guru Nanak,
Ramananda, Namdev, Kabir, Basava and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu inspired it
elsewhere in the Indian subcontinent. His influence spread even to
some kingdoms as the Matak Kingdom founded by Bharat Singha, and
consolidated by Sarbanda Singha in the latter 18th century endorsed
his teachings.[5]His literary and artistic contributions are living
traditions in Assam today. The religious movement he preached is
practised by a large population, and Sattras (monasteries) that he and
his followers established continue to flourish and sustain his
legacy.After the death of Sankardev, Madhavdev incorporated narrations
of his life in prayer services, a practice that was followed by his
apostles, and in due course of time a large body of biographical
literature arose.[6] These are generally classed in two groups: early
(those by Daityari Thakur, Bhusan Dwija, Ramananda Dwija and Vaikuntha
Dwija) and late (Guruvarnana by Aniruddha Das, the more than one
anonymous Katha-guru-carits, Bardowa-carit, Sankardev caritra from
Barpeta, the Saru-svarga-khanda and Bar-svarga-khanda by
Sarvabhauma).[7] The authorship of the biography credited to Ramcaran
Thakur, Daityari Thakur's father, is doubted and it is generally dated
to the 17th-century and classed with the late biographies.[8]
1449â€"1568) was a 15thâ€"16th century Assamese polymath: a
saint-scholar, poet, playwright, social-religious reformer and a
figure of importance in the cultural and religious history of Assam,
India. He is widely credited with building on past cultural relics and
devising new forms of music (Borgeet), theatrical performance (Ankia
Naat, Bhaona), dance (Sattriya), literary language (Brajavali).
Besides, he has left an extensive literary oeuvre of trans-created
scriptures (Bhagavat of Sankardev), poetry and theological works
written in Sanskrit, Assamese and Brajavali. The Bhagavatic religious
movement he started, Ekasarana Dharma and also called Neo-Vaishnavite
movement,[4] influenced two medieval kingdoms---Koch and the Ahom
kingdomsâ€"and the assembly of devotees he initiated evolved into
Sattras over time, which continue to be important socio-religious
institutions in Assam and to a lesser extend in North Bengal.
Sankardev inspired the Bhakti movement in Assam just as Guru Nanak,
Ramananda, Namdev, Kabir, Basava and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu inspired it
elsewhere in the Indian subcontinent. His influence spread even to
some kingdoms as the Matak Kingdom founded by Bharat Singha, and
consolidated by Sarbanda Singha in the latter 18th century endorsed
his teachings.[5]His literary and artistic contributions are living
traditions in Assam today. The religious movement he preached is
practised by a large population, and Sattras (monasteries) that he and
his followers established continue to flourish and sustain his
legacy.After the death of Sankardev, Madhavdev incorporated narrations
of his life in prayer services, a practice that was followed by his
apostles, and in due course of time a large body of biographical
literature arose.[6] These are generally classed in two groups: early
(those by Daityari Thakur, Bhusan Dwija, Ramananda Dwija and Vaikuntha
Dwija) and late (Guruvarnana by Aniruddha Das, the more than one
anonymous Katha-guru-carits, Bardowa-carit, Sankardev caritra from
Barpeta, the Saru-svarga-khanda and Bar-svarga-khanda by
Sarvabhauma).[7] The authorship of the biography credited to Ramcaran
Thakur, Daityari Thakur's father, is doubted and it is generally dated
to the 17th-century and classed with the late biographies.[8]
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