Sankaradeva a reformer in pan-Indian context Book
New Delhi Nov 27 PTI Srimanta Sankaradeva was a religious reformer in pan-Indian context says a new hagiography on the Assamese medieval polymath which describes how he did not restrict his reform activities to Assam alone but carried out all over BharatavarshaIn Srimanta Sankaradeva in all-India Perspective author Sanjib Kumar Borkakoti explores the contributions of the saint to the nation and tells how his message was well received outside AssamAccording to the author Sankaradeva was a Bharatiya by heart and one has to understand the concept of Bharatavarsha to understand his Bharatiya statusThe name Bharatavarsha means the entire Indian sub-continent and Bharatiya culture means the colourful culture of the sub-continent he saysThis wideness is also reflected in Srimanta Sankaradevas expression about Bharatavarsha No geographic boundary confined his expression He went beyond all geographic boundaries and addressed the entire humanity as Oba naraloka thus he showed his magnanimity as well Borkakoti writesHe adds that Sankaradeva gave importance to the cultural identity of the sub-continent rather than its geographical identityThe author who has carried out extensive research on Assamese hagiographies particularly Sankaradeva also mentions how the saint cautioned the society to choose the appropriate religious philosophyHe presented the devotional path of Sanatana religion He projected the characters Krishna and Rama the two heroes of the epics Mahabharata and Ramayana as the role models These two heroes of Chaturbingshati avatara were also the heroes of most of Srimanta Sankaradevas writings he saysBorkakoti also writes how Sankaradeva did not restrict his reform activities to Assam aloneHe carried out those activities all over Bharatavarsha That was why he travelled in nooks and corners of Bharatavarsha during 1481 to 1493 and tried to establish the essence of Sanatana religion among the common people Many people in Puri Puskar Vrindavan etc accepted him as preceptor and started following his ideology evidence of this is there in medieval hagiographies the book saysThe book published by Authorspress also describes how famous Vedanta scholar Brahmananda declared Sankaradeva incarnation of God and his impact spread all over Odisha through Jagannath DasBorkakoti also dedicates a chapter on Sankaradeva and Guru Nanak bringing out some uncanny and fascinating similarities between their livesBoth were trail-blazers of new movements Their preachings have mobilised people in millions on the path of virtue over the centuries There are great similarities in the attitudes of Mahapurusha Srimanta Sankaradeva and Guru Nanak to different religious and cultural issues he says PTI ZMN RB RB
New Delhi Nov 27 PTI Srimanta Sankaradeva was a religious reformer in pan-Indian context says a new hagiography on the Assamese medieval polymath which describes how he did not restrict his reform activities to Assam alone but carried out all over BharatavarshaIn Srimanta Sankaradeva in all-India Perspective author Sanjib Kumar Borkakoti explores the contributions of the saint to the nation and tells how his message was well received outside AssamAccording to the author Sankaradeva was a Bharatiya by heart and one has to understand the concept of Bharatavarsha to understand his Bharatiya statusThe name Bharatavarsha means the entire Indian sub-continent and Bharatiya culture means the colourful culture of the sub-continent he saysThis wideness is also reflected in Srimanta Sankaradevas expression about Bharatavarsha No geographic boundary confined his expression He went beyond all geographic boundaries and addressed the entire humanity as Oba naraloka thus he showed his magnanimity as well Borkakoti writesHe adds that Sankaradeva gave importance to the cultural identity of the sub-continent rather than its geographical identityThe author who has carried out extensive research on Assamese hagiographies particularly Sankaradeva also mentions how the saint cautioned the society to choose the appropriate religious philosophyHe presented the devotional path of Sanatana religion He projected the characters Krishna and Rama the two heroes of the epics Mahabharata and Ramayana as the role models These two heroes of Chaturbingshati avatara were also the heroes of most of Srimanta Sankaradevas writings he saysBorkakoti also writes how Sankaradeva did not restrict his reform activities to Assam aloneHe carried out those activities all over Bharatavarsha That was why he travelled in nooks and corners of Bharatavarsha during 1481 to 1493 and tried to establish the essence of Sanatana religion among the common people Many people in Puri Puskar Vrindavan etc accepted him as preceptor and started following his ideology evidence of this is there in medieval hagiographies the book saysThe book published by Authorspress also describes how famous Vedanta scholar Brahmananda declared Sankaradeva incarnation of God and his impact spread all over Odisha through Jagannath DasBorkakoti also dedicates a chapter on Sankaradeva and Guru Nanak bringing out some uncanny and fascinating similarities between their livesBoth were trail-blazers of new movements Their preachings have mobilised people in millions on the path of virtue over the centuries There are great similarities in the attitudes of Mahapurusha Srimanta Sankaradeva and Guru Nanak to different religious and cultural issues he says PTI ZMN RB RB
