Sankardeva, a versatile genius of rare calibre was born in 1449 AD near Bardowa in the present district of Nagaon in central Assam. An erudite scholar of outstanding merit he produced a substantial quantity of vernacular literature in the form of prose, poetry, songs and plays and thereby ushered in a ‘Golden Age’ in Assamese literature. In a most critical period when the society was divided and disintegrated in the line of caste, creed and sect, Sankardeva with his reformative zeal brought different communities under the periphery of a single religious perimeter and laid the foundation of the great Assamese society.
In the early part of the 15th century, the Assamese society was plunged in deep darkness of superstition and prejudices. Political disintegration couples with religious degeneration vitiated the society bringing it to the lowest ebb. The common people who were illiterate, ignorant and poor were exploited by a section of elite people. Saktism and Tantricism were prevalent in the society. Many esoteric rituals and malpractices like animal sacrifice (somewhere man also) were carried out in the name of religion. In this social background, Sankardeva emerged as an apostle of peace and saviour to the mankind. On the basis of Vedantic philosophy he evolved a simple religion called eka-saran-nam-dharma.
The doctrine of eka-saran-nam-dharma initiated by Sankardeva is firmly based on the principle of monotheism. Sankardeva believed in one ultimate spiritual entity called Bishnu in the form of Lord Krishna. According to Sankardeva, Bishnu was the expression of all forms of God. He is the supreme God and eternal force of this universe. So avoiding the practice of praying several Gods and Goddesses, Sankardeva prescribed to pray Lord Bishnu with deep conviction and devotion. As Bishnu is considered to be the only God in the religion preached and propagated by Sankardeva, therefore it is popularly known as Vaishnava cult.
The ethics of Vaishnava cult propagated by Sankardeva is very simple and free from extraneous rituals. It is entirely based on devotional principle described in the Gita and the Bhagavata. Instead of idol worship and blood sacrificing to the deities, Sankardeva prescribed chanting and listening of Harinam (name of God) as the only way of attaining salvation. According to Sankardeva, Sravana (listening) and Kirtana (chanting) are the best methods of worshiping God. He translated many religious scriptures from Sanskrit into Assamese so that common people can read them and understand the basic principle of religion.
Sankardeva was not only a religious leader but also a social reformer of outstanding merit. With his broad outlook and vision he wanted to build an egalitarian society which would bring solidarity, unity and integrity among the people belonging to different castes, communities and sects. A humanist of the highest order he relentlessly fought to free the society from the clutches of the caste system and untouchability. Breaking the social barrier of caste and community he congregated diverse sections of people under the cover of a religious umbrella called eka-saran-nam-dharma. His disciples consist of a Muslim called Chandsai, a Naga called Narottam, a Garo named a Mishing called Paramananda, a Kaivarta called Haridas etc. Praising his reformative zeal Mahatma Gandhi, a crusader of love and untouchability admitted that what he had done to abolish caste system from the society, the great Vaishnavite saint did it 500 years ago in Assam. According to Gandhi, he tried to finish only the incomplete work of Sankardeva.
Sankardeva founded two sacred religious institutions called Satra and Namghar. Apart from disseminating Vaishnavite cult the two institutions play a very important role in maintaining integrity and solidarity among different sections of people in the society. Satra can be compared with the Buddhist monasteries where the preceptor and his disciples reside devoting themselves in practising and discussing religious books and scriptures. Preserving Vaishnavite art, culture and traditions in their original forms since last 500 years the Satras created an unprecedented spiritual awakening among the people at large. Namghar actually is an integral part of Satra. But as a unique independent institution it has flourished in every nook and corner of the State. The social, moral and spiritual life of Assamese people revolve around a Namghar. Namghar brings peace, tranquility and harmony in the society. It acts as a community hall. An open stage and auditorium. It is a prayer hall where congregational prayer is held on different occasions. Namghar also serves as a court of justice where various affairs relating to village politics are discussed and disputes are amicably settled.
Sankardeva spiritually linked Assam with other parts of the country. He twice went for pilgrimages and visited Kashi, Gaya, Mathura, Brindavan and many holy places of northern India. There he met many saints and seers and discussed with them all the subjects relating art, culture and religion. He directly came to the contact of the Bhakti Movement which already swept northern and southern India. On the basis of this experience and knowledge he spread Pan-Indian Bhakti Movement in Assam. He established Lord Krishna, the powerful king of Dwaraka as the spiritual hero of his new religion called eka-saran-nam-dharma. Admixing Hindi, Marathi and coloquial Assamese he derived a lingua called Brajavali and extensively used it in his dramas and songs. In his writings, he nowhere used the term Asom but called his native land as Bharatavarsha. He felt proud as an Indian as he wrote dhanya dhanya Bharatavarisha.
