Class 7th History NCERT Chapter 8
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Based on the content of the chapter in the provided file, here are the important topics that students should study along with a brief summary for each:
1. The Idea of a Supreme God: Discusses the evolution of the concept of a Supreme God and the development of ideas related to rebirth and social hierarchy before the emergence of large kingdoms.
2. Devotional Paths to the Divine: Explores the worship of supreme deities like Shiva, Vishnu, and Durga, and the popularity of bhakti that surpassed caste boundaries through the Puranic stories.
3. Nayanars and Alvars: Introduces the Nayanars and Alvars, saint-poets devoted to Shiva and Vishnu, who composed songs praising the deities and promoted ardent love as a path to salvation.
4. Philosophy and Bhakti: Discusses the philosophies of Shankara and Ramanuja, highlighting Shankara's Advaita philosophy and Ramanuja's doctrine of intense devotion to Vishnu for attaining salvation.
5. Basavanna’s Virashaivism: Covers the Virashaiva movement in Karnataka initiated by Basavanna, advocating for equality, challenging caste norms, and opposing ritual and idol worship.
6. The Saints of Maharashtra: Explores the saint-poets of Maharashtra like Dnyaneshwar, Namdev, Eknath, and Tukaram, who emphasized personal devotion, rejected social distinctions, and promoted a humanist approach to bhakti.
These topics provide a comprehensive overview of the chapter on different devotional paths to the divine in Indian history. Students can review and study these topics to enhance their understanding of the chapter.
What idea gained popularity in the early centuries of the Common Era through the Bhagavadgita?
The idea of a Supreme God who could deliver humans from bondage if approached with devotion (bhakti).
Who were the Nayanars and Alvars, and what significant role did they play in the seventh to ninth centuries?
The Nayanars were saints devoted to Shiva, and the Alvars were saints devoted to Vishnu. They came from various castes, including those considered 'untouchable,' and preached ardent love of Shiva or Vishnu as the path to salvation. They composed exquisite poems in praise of the deities enshrined in the villages they visited.
What philosophical views did Shankara and Ramanuja propagate, and how did they differ in their teachings?
Shankara advocated Advaita, the doctrine of the oneness of the individual soul and the Supreme God, considering the world to be an illusion and emphasizing renunciation and the path of knowledge. Ramanuja, on the other hand, believed in intense devotion to Vishnu and taught about qualified oneness, where the soul, even united with the Supreme God, remained distinct.
What was the Virashaiva movement initiated by Basavanna in Karnataka in the mid-twelfth century, and what were some of its key principles?
The Virashaiva movement advocated for the equality of all human beings, opposed Brahmanical ideas about caste and the treatment of women, and rejected all forms of ritual and idol worship.
Who were the prominent saint-poets of Maharashtra from the thirteenth to seventeenth centuries, and what characterized their bhakti tradition?
The saint-poets included Dnyaneshwar, Namdev, Eknath, Tukaram, Sakhubai, and the family of Chokhamela. They rejected ritualism, outward show of piety, social differences based on birth, and renunciation. They preferred humble service to fellow human beings and emphasized the presence of a personal god in the hearts of all people.
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