Class 7 History Chapter 8

Chapter 8 Devotional Paths To The Divine

1. Match the following:
The Buddha                 –   namghar
Shankaradeva             –   worship of Vishnu
Nizamuddin Auliya     –   questioned social differences  Nayanars                     –  Sufi saint
Alvars                            –  worship of Shiva
Answer: 

The Buddha                   –  questioned social differences
Shankaradeva               –  namghar
Nizamuddin Auliya       –  Sufi saint
Nayanars                       –  worship of Shiva
Alvars                             –   worship of Vishnu

2. Fill in the blanks:
(a) Shankara was an advocate of…………..
(b) Ramanuja was influenced by the ………….
(c)  ………. , ………..  and ………. were advocates of Virashaivism.

(d) ….. was an important centre of the Bhakti tradition in Maharashtra.

Answer:  

(a) Advaita
(b) Alvars
(c) Basavanna, Allama Prabhu, Akkamahadevi
(d) Pandharpur

3. Describe the beliefs and practices of the Nathpanthis, Siddhas and Yogis.
Answer: 

• They advocated renunciation of the world.
• They believed that the path to salvation lay in meditation on the formless God and the realisation of oneness with it.
• To achieve this they advocated intense training of the mind and body through practices like yogasansas, breathing exercises and meditation.
• They did not believe in the ritual and oilier aspects of conventional religion and the social order.

4. What were the major ideas expressed by Kabir? How did he express these? 
Answer: The major ideas expressed by Kabir include:

• Rejection of major religious traditions.
• Criticism of all forms of external worship of both Brahmanical Hinduism and Islam.
• Criticism of priestly classes and caste system.
• Belief in a formless Supreme God.
• Emphasis on Bhakti or devotion to achieve salvation.

Kabir expressed his ideas in a vast collection of verses known as sakhis and pads. These are said to have been composed by him and sung by wandering bhqjan singers.

5. What were the major beliefs and practices of the Sufis?
Answer: The major beliefs and practices of the Sufis were as follows

• Sufis were Muslim mystics. They rejected outward religiosity and gave emphasis on love and devotion to God. They inspired people to be compassionate towards all fellow human beings.
• They rejected idol worship and considerably simplified rituals of worship into collective prayers.
• They believed that the heart can be trained to look at the world in a different way.
• They developed elaborate methods of training using zikr, meaning chanting of a name or sacred formula, contemplation, sama Le. singing, raqs, Le. dancing, discussion of parables, breath control etc. under the guidance of a master called pir.

6. Why do you think many teachers rejected prevalent religious beliefs and practices?
Answer:  Many teachers rejected prevalent religious beliefs and practices because these were based on social differences, excess ritualism and outward display piety.

7. What were the major teachings of Baba Guru Nanak?
Answer:  The major teachings of Baba Guru Nanak are as follows

• He emphasised the importance of the worship of one God.
• He insisted that caste, creed or gender was irrelevant for attaining liberation. His idea of liberation was based on the pursuit of active life with a strong sense of social commitment.
• He used the terms nam, dan and isnan for the essence of his teaching, which actually meant right worship, welfare of others and purity of conduct.
• He gave importance to right-belief and worship, honest living and helping others.
• Guru Nanak, thus, promoted the idea of equality.

8. For either the Virashaivas or the saints of Maharashtra, discuss their attitude towards caste.
Answer: Attitude of the Virashaivas towards caste :
They believed in the equality of all human beings. They were against Brahmanical ideas about caste and the treatment of women. They wished for a society where people of all backgrounds could live in harmony without any feelings of high and low, rich and poor.

9. Why do you think ordinary people preserved the memory of Mirabai?Answer:  Mirabai was a Rajput princess married into the royal family of Mewar. But she had no interest in the worldly affair. She was an ardent devotee of Krishna and wanted to devote her time to the worship of her lord. She had no belief in princely status and other norms of high class society. Her devotion to her deity was supreme. Hence, she left the royal palace and began to lead a simple life with ordinary people.

10. Find out whether in your neighbourhood there are any dargahs, gurudwaras or temples associated with saints of the Bhakti tradition in your neighbourhood. Visit any one of these and describe what you see and hear.
Answer: Students are suggested to do this exercise themselves.

11. For any of the saint-poets whose compositions have been included in this chapter, find out more about their works, noting down other poems. Find out whether these are sung, how they are sung, and what the poets wrote about
Answer:  For self attempt.

12. There are severed saint-poets whose names have been mentioned but their works have not been included in the chapter. Find out more about the language in which they composed, whether their compositions were sung and what their compositions were about.
Answer:  For self attempt