Srimanta Sankardeva was a multi-faceted guru who was a saint-scholar, poet, playwright, dancer, actor, musician, artist and social-religious reformer of his time in Assam. He was born on Vijaya Dashami day of 1449. He was born at Bordowa, Nagaon in Assam. He died in 1569 at Bheladonga, Cooch Behar in modern-day West Bengal at the ripe age of 120 years. He had inspired the Bhakti Movement in Assam at the same time as Ramananda, Guru Nanak, Kabir, Basava, Meerabai, Tulsidas, and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu inspired it elsewhere.
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| Srimanta Sankardeva portrait by Vladimir Trochin |
Srimanta Sankardeva propagated Ekasarana Mahapuruxia Dharma in Assam. Ekasarana means devotion to One. The religion is called Mahapuruxiya because it is based on the worship of the Mahapurush Narayana as mentioned in the Bhagavata Purana. Narayana, as Krishna in his manifestation, is the supreme entity. Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva are all part of Him. It rejected varna (social hierarchy), idol worship, and Vedic karmik rituals. It does not worship Radha with Krishna, which is common in other Vaishnava sects. It focuses on bhakti (devotion) to Krishna in the form of Sravan (congregational listening ) and Kirtan (singing his name and deeds). Sattra (monasteries) and Namghar (prayer houses) are Ekasarana institutes that are set up across the land.
Srimanta Sankardev brought in new forms of academic awakening with books written in Assamese, Sanskrit, and Brajavali. He translated and created new scriptures which he collected across from India in his pilgrimage so that common people can access them. He initiated new forms of music known as Borgeets (prayer songs) and these were written and set on specific raagas but not necessarily to any tala. He wrote many new dramas as Ankia Naat (one-act plays) and Bhaona (musical dance drama). He defined a devotional dance form of Sattriya. He also designed musical instruments and guided artisans to build them. He excelled in playing many instruments, acted in dramas, danced, and did performing arts. He too excelled in visual arts and encouraged paintings, weaving, and mask making.
Ekasarana Mahapuruxia Dharma is practiced in Assam and its traditions are living testimony to the great guru Srimanta Sankardeva. Today on Vijay Dashami we celebrate his birth anniversary.