PERSPECTIVE OF SANKARI LITERATURE

Arup Saikia 

(arupsaikia07@gmail.com)

Sankari literature is another version of Vaishnavite writing. It was created during the transitional period from Tantrism/Shaktism to Vaishnavism. Both Shaktism and Tantrism became a degenerated religious cult of ignorance. The Vaishnavism appeared in this critical juncture as a ray of light and knowledge. So, Sankari literature is a kind of renaissance of knowledge in the darkness of Assam. Here we shall describe all literature, especially created by Sankardeva himself or by Madhavdeva, as Sankari literature. During that time, whatever the subject may be, all the literary creations are religion-based. But the speciality of Vaishnavite Sankari literature is very egalitarian in thoughts and offers everyone equal rights and opportunities. It doesn’t approve the division of people in the name of caste and community. Vaishnavite literature is virtually a tool to fight against the dogmatic philosophy of Brahmanism and Buddhism. Sankardeva and Madhavdeva are poets or writers of revolutionary social experience. They are as such social poets—not to call them literary poets. Their impact on culture, religion, art, and literature is immense and far reaching. The following are the major literary creations of Sankardeva.

THE KIRTANA: The most popular and flagship poetic project Sankardeva produced is none other than the “Kirtana”. The Kirtana is the greatest among the four Vaishnavite holy books of Assam. These are namely—Kirtana, Dasama, Bhakti Ratnavali, and Nam Ghosha. The author of the two books mentioned later is Mahapurusha Madhavdeva. The Kirtana contains twenty-eight chapters and is expanded into 2,398 verses. It exerts an indelible thought in the mindset of Assamese people. It comprises the philosophy of Sankardeva, e.g., Saguna and Nirguna, to fundamental writing capabilities, etc. The Assamese culture, spirituality, and even history will remain incomplete without the Kirtana. Reciting the verses of the Kirtana people mentally satiates themselves in times of hardship. The Kirtana is essentially like a pious altar of letters for all Assamese, irrespective of different sect-wise spiritual leanings.

What’s the Kirtana? Is it all about religion and philosophy?

Not at all. The quality of the Kirtana depends upon the outlook and personality of the concerned persons. The Kirtana is one of the finest Assamese poetry and religious books for litterateurs and devotees, respectively. It has nine emotions or flavours of literature and nine devotions. The literary flavours are: beauty, laughter, sorrow, anger, heroism, terror, disgust, wonder, and ranquility. The Kirtana has been churning all the components of Assam. It is now opus magnum of the whole province.

THE DASAMA: Another literary milestone of Sankardeva is the Dasama. This is actually the transcreated tenth chapter of the Bhagawat Purana from Sanskrit. Notwithstanding translation, it’s not literal in vernacular language. While translating, the surrounding environment of Assam is taken into consideration. This book is popularly known as the “Dasama.” The socio-religious life of Assam is much influenced by the Dasama, or this part of the Bhagawat. The people of Assam know the Bhagawat as the Dasama only. Sankardeva transcreated the Dasama in the last part of his life (1551–1558). This is projected like a law book of Neo-Vaishnavism in Assam. The language used in the Dasama is very meaningful and light-philosophical-orientated. To sustain ethos, Sankardeva carefully proceeds with the rendering, not to fundamentally deviate from the original verse. It has partially a shadow form of Sridhar Swamy’s Bhagawat-Dipika interpretation. The sportive life circle of Lord Krishna is vividly described here. The Krishna centric theory of Vaishnavism lies in the Dasama. Basing on stories of the Dasama or Bhagawat, many poems, drama and songs were written during the Vaishnavite period. The foundation of Sankardeva’s Neo-Vaishnavism is the Bhagawat Purana.

Why is the Dasama so popular?

The first reason that the Sankaradeva’s Dasama gained such popularity is that it is a purified religious book .The tenth chapter beautifully describes the opulence, glory, and greatness of Lord Krishna, the deity worshipped by Neo-Vaishnavism. Therefore, the tenth chapter is especially popular with religious people.

The second reason for the popularity of Dasama is its language. The language of Sankaradeva’s Dasama is simply a more vernacular characteristic. The language of the Dasama does not match the Kirtana. The language of the Kirtana  is universal, not confined to a province. If this book is written in another popular Indian script (letter), it will not be difficult for the people of Pan-India to understand its contents. The poet uses a great deal of vernacular style in its language. The distinctive characteristics of the Assamese language have been noticed in the Dasama language. The maximum number of vocabulary words used in the tenth book are vernacular. It is a very known matter that there is little freedom for the author in translations. Despite the limitations of the translation, Sankaradeva continued to use the purity, originality, and vernacular style of language like the original texts in the language of the Dasama. There are many similar vocabularies in the Kirtana Ghosha and Nam Ghosha, but the Dasama Sankaradeva uses only vocabulary characteristic of the Assamese language.

“The appropriateness of the choice of words for the tenth chapter of the Bhagawat is noteworthy. There is no complicated translation anywhere as you read the book. The Dasama seems to be the fundamental book because of its appropriate choice of words and syntax. There is a richness, vividness, and vitality to the original work. The translation was not compiled as a book. Sankaradeva did not seem to sit down, especially to translate the book. He composed the book naturally as the ink and writing feather sticks go. Sankaradeva dictated the Dasama in a concentrated mood. Madhabdev wrote them down. Dasama was composed only after Mahapurusha had completely mastered the content of the original Dasama. Therefore, like the basic texts, the subject matter has taken an innovative form in the hands of Sankaradeva. The whole book is the epitome of vernacular Assamese language.” – Dr. Navin Chandra Sarmah (Mahapurush Srimant Sankardeva)

SANSKRIT LITERATURE: Sankardeva has good command in Brajawali, Assamese, and Sanskrit languages. Sankardeva was a renowned Sanskrit scholar. It’s perceivable from the writing of “Bhakti Ratnakar,” a dissertation on Vaishnavism in Sanskrit. Moreover, he wrote or inserted many Sanskrit verses in “Ankiya” dramas in the Brajawali language.

The ‘Bhakti Ratnakar’ is a prominent collection of books. The Mahapurusha composed the great book ‘Bhakti Ratnakar’ by collecting or selecting verses from various devotional scriptures to inform the non-Assamese outsiders / scholars about devotion in Sanskrit. The verses collected or selected from various Sanskrit texts are systematically arranged. The “Vaisyas” of north and south India spread Vaishnavism with the help of commentaries on the Brahma Sutras. Sankardeva did not pay attention to such commentaries and did not think they were necessary, so he did not preach. The Vaishnava saints, like Sankaradeva, accepted the Srimad Bhagavatam Purana as the essence of all Vedanta. 

THE GUNAMALA: It’s an abridged version of the Bhagawat purana. The writing of Gunamala is a very tough task that Sankardeva amazingly accomplished. The court of Nara Narayan was like a chamber of faculties in a university.

Once king Nara Narayan demanded from the scholars a condensed version of the entire ten chapters of the Bhagawat Purana in one day. All the scholars admitted their inability in such a short time. But Sankardeva succeeded.

“Gunamala is a book of hymns in praise of Vishnu and Krishna. Its jingling rhymes and onomatopoeic words are of absorbing interest. Each stanza is like an algebraic formula that sticks to the tip of the tongue easily. Sankardeva’s art is didactic. It is an affirmation of the principle according to which the pure spirit of religion, apart from external dogmas, is really the precious thing of life.”

(From Hem Baruah, Assamese Literature)

SONGS: The Kirtana and Dasama quintessentially express the poetic genius of Sankardeva. But the devotional songs “Borgeets” or the songs of Ankiya Bhaona are not less qualitative. The dramatic Brajawali songs of Ankiya Bhaona have natural onomatopoeic appeal. The entry, exit, and war songs of Bhaona synchronise with Sankari music easily.

Sankardeva knew the effect of songs very well to attain his socio-religious mission. Therefore, he wrote Borgeets, Bhatima, Totoy, Chopoy, etc., but in Brajawali. All are hymns to God or mentor. Generally, Bhatima is applied to glorify kings, mentors, God, etc. Totoy and chopoy are the rhythms of Sanskrit.

Songs that do not follow the fixed rules of raga, musical scripture, and judgement of organs and are sung only in voice and rhythm aren’t included in Borgeet. The verses of the Kirtana, Ghosha, and Bhatima fall into the non-Borgeet category. Some Vaishnavite scholars call it Khudrageet (small songs) in contrast to Borgeet (great songs). But some songs of the “Ankiya Nat” belong to the classical and have ragas with musical scriptures are considered Borgeet. Most of the characteristics of classical national songs are expressed in Borgeet, the songs of Sankaradeva and Madhavadeva.

Some Assamese scholars describe Borgeets as follows:.

(A) According to Dimbeswar Neog, the songs through which the accumulated devotional imagination of Sankaradeva and Madhavadeva are embodied in the combination of emotion, language, and melody are called Bargeet.

(B) Dr. Satyendra Nath Sharma said: The greatness of the subject matter, the beauty of the composition, and the solemnity of the classical melody and restraint of imagination distinguish these songs composed by the Mahapurusha from other contemporary classical melodies. 

(C) According to Dr. Maheshwar Neog, Borgeet is a song composed by Sankaradeva and Madhavadeva, with classical ragas and rhythms, occupying position in the cycle of fourteen “prasangas” (holy prayers), composed in Brajawali language and free from worldly emotions such as rhetoric.

Since the fifth century onwards, the Alvars and Nayanars have germinated the seed of the initial Bhakti movement through singing and dancing in Tamil Nadu. The role of songs is not limited to spiritual development only. But also in the context of inspiring new consciousness, changing social values, transmitting national love, etc. In the words of Dr. Banikant Kakoti, “Songs are used to awaken the repressed consciousness of man and make songs the means of that consciousness influence. Everyone has some vague idea about everything; with the help of songs or poems, the vague idea is clearly expressed and defined as the language of expression. These songs or poems become the common language of the people on the subject of particular national movements, and the previously clear ideas are expressed through songs and merged with the life consciousness.”

ANKIYA NAAT: Creative imagination with appropriate expression is the foundation of a play. The style of expression deftly led the scene of romance, anger, excitement, pathos, etc. Drama is socially a very strong part of literature that Sankardeva utilised religious propagation. These dramatic verses are mythopoetic or prose. All are written in Brajawali language, above the above-oned songs (Borgeets, Bhatima, Totoy, Chopoy). It’s, as such, not literature of Assamese language but occupies an esteemed position as Vaishnavite literature.

( Arup Saikia is a cultural enthusiast, Bhaona artiste, noted writer, and alumnus of the University of Delhi.)