The word ‘Bhakti’ means devotion to God. It has been well known to India since the age of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. It has been clearly mentioned in the ‘Bhakti yoga’ of Srimad Bhagavat Gita. But the reform movement called the Bhakti Movement exercised considerable influence upon the people in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. This movement was meant to bridge the gulf between the Hindus and Muslims. Though the main principles of Bhakti cult can be traced back to the age of the Puranas, this movement received an impetus when muslims came to India and settled here.

Hindu society, during the medieval period, was suffering under the weight of certain social and religious practices which were incompatible with the doctrine of the brotherhood of man. It was a caste-ridden society, which encouraged segregation, untouchability, idol worship and polytheism (worship of many Gods). On the other hand, Islam taught monotheism (worship of one God) and preached the message of universal brotherhood and equality of all human beings. Above all, the practices of Islam were quite simple.

Thus Hinduism came to face a new challenge.

Bhakti Cult :

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The Hindu reformers who preached the Bhakti cult saved the situation by preaching a doctrine that aimed at eradicating most of the ills prevailing in Hindu society. The religious leaders of the Hindus intended to purify the Hindu society in order to make it a living force. At the same time, they advised their followers to respect other religions and live in peace and harmony with muslims. The simple gosril of the Bhakti cult brought great relief to common people, which preached “realisation of God through devotion and love”.

This movement influenced all communities and castes. It aimed at religious harmony, unity and social fraternity. It believed in liberalism and catholicity. The Bhakti movement was liked by common people, because it prescribed a simpler method to realise God. The Bhakti cult did not prescribe any complicated ceremony or demand a deep knowledge of the scriptures. This movement could give the people the opportunity to attain God through deep devotion.

Thus the Bhakti movement served Indian society in two ways – It tried to bridge the gulf between Hinduism and Islam and saved Hinduism from a real challenge. In fact it helped greatly to check the spread of Islam in India.

The reform movement popularly known as Bhakti cult started in South India in the eighth century A.D. Shankaracharya is said to have been the first and principal exponent of the reform movement. After that Ramanuja and Namadeva gave their sermons to people. Gradually this movement also spread to the north. Ramanuja, Vallabhacharya, Kabir, Srichaitanya and Guru Nanak led this movement.

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We are mostly concerned with the contribution of three leading saints of the Bhakti movement : Kabir, Nanak and Sri Chaitanya.