Sankardev: Difference between revisions

| birth_place        = Bordowa<br/>  (Today [[Nagaon district]], [[Assam]], [[India]])

| death_date        = 23 August 1568 (aged 118)

'''Srimanta Sankardev'''<ref>The name is spelt variously as '''''Sankardev''''', '''''Sankardeva''''' and '''''Sankaradeva'''''. Further discussion may be seen at [[Talk:Sankardev|relevant talk page]].</ref> ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|s|r|ɪ|ˌ|m|æ|n|t|ə| |ˈ|s|æ|n|k|ə(r)|ˌ|d|eɪ|v}}; {{IPA-as|sɹimɔntɔ xɔŋkɔɹdew}}; 1449–1568) was a 15th–16th century [[Assamese people|Assamese]] [[polymath]]; a saint-scholar, poet, playwright, dancer, actor, musician, artist 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 [[Bhagavatism|Bhagavatic]] religious movement he started, [[Ekasarana Dharma]] and also called Neo-Vaishnavite movement,<ref>{{cite web|title=Sankardev's Religion – Mahāpurusism|url=http://www.atributetosankaradeva.org/mahapurusiya.htm|access-date=27 October 2012}}</ref> influenced two medieval kingdoms – [[Koch Kingdom|Koch]] and the [[Ahom kingdom]]s – and the assembly of devotees he initiated evolved over time into monastic centers called [[Sattra]]s, which continue to be important socio-religious institutions in Assam and to a lesser extent 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 rajya|Matak Kingdom]] founded by Bharat Singha, and consolidated by [[Sarbananda Singha]] in the latter 18th century endorsed his teachings.<ref>P. 372 ''Religious History of Arunachal Pradesh'' edited by Byomakesh Tripathy, Sristidhar Dutta</ref>

He made arrangements with Madhavdev and Thakur Ata and gave them various instructions at Patbausi and left the place for the last time. He set up his home at Bheladonga in Kochbehar. During his stay at Kochbehar, Maharaja Naranarayana expressed his wish to be initiated. Sankardev was reluctant to convert a king and declined to do so. (According to one of the biographers Ramcharan Thakur) A painful [[boil]]; a ''visha phohara'' – had appeared in some part of his body and this led to the passing away of the Saint. Thus, in 1568, after leading a most eventful life dedicated to enlightening humanity; the ''Mahapurusha'' breathed his last – after four months of his last stay at Bheladonga– at the remarkable age of 120 years.

For most of his works, he used the [[Assamese language]] of the period so the lay person could read and understand them. But for dramatic effect in his songs and dramas he used [[Brajavali]], medieval [[Maithili language|Maithili]].

His translation of the ''Bhagavata'' is actually a transcreation, because he translates not just the words but the idiom and the physiognomy too. He has adapted the original text to the local land and people and most importantly for the purpose of bhakti. Portions of the original were left out or elaborated where appropriate. For example, he suppressed the portions that revile the lowers caste of ''[[Shudra|sudra]]'' and ''[[kaivarta]]s''{{dn|date=February 2022}}, and extols them elsewhere.