Sankardev's Tremndous Power To Rise From All Conflicts

Journey of Sankardev to spread his holy mission was not an easy attempt he had to counteract multiple challenges that time had put him in to test his extensive power to proceed in an undaunted manner.

At Tambuwani Jan Sankardev peacefully preached Hari Dharma’ with a good gather of followers towards his mission for a long duration. But this period of enjoying complete absorption in God in Tambuwani was short lived due to growing indifference with Kacharis. This indifference took to a great conflict as the Kacharis started to stir unrest in Bhuyan community. Unable to deal with the adamant Kachari tribe the Bhuyan group started to flee from Tambuwani to take shelter in peaceful parts of Asaam.

Contemplating at the insanity of the situation Sankardev left 'Borduwa Than' his birthplace where Tambuwani is an essential part of it. He came to Gangmou where he lived for five years by establishing a new 'Kirtan Ghar' and good many numbers of followers. As destiny wished Sankardev had to make his move from there due to stir of conflict by ‘Dafala’ named group in entire Assam. He took shelter in Sangoni and later he quit the place after six months, sensing trouble from the communityin the spread of his mission.

Sankardev came to Balguri and where he resumed with his mission in full fledge manner. He had established a ‘Satra’ which is a place where pious activities takes place through dance, drama, prayer, preaching and chant. As fate wanted wherever Sankardev started to set his mission he had to face lots of challenges and maltreatments but defying it he gracefully took it. Here at Balguri when everything was going fine he had to meet maltreatment from his relative members.

To retain his grace of his mission he left the place towards Kumurakota. Later the members of his family realized the guilt of their act and approached to Sankardev. They continuously pleaded him to come back at Balguri. Sankardev did not easily gave up to their plea and took six months to consent to go back to Balguri. During this phase he made a new disciple known as Goyapani who renamed him as Ramdas.

Sankardev's Enermous And Unique Task To Pull Mass Attention

During ‘Chino Yatra’ Sankardev himself played as the musician while he made his brother Bongoyagiri as the vocalist during ‘Bhauna’ session. He made his disciple Parmanda and Harbajoy as the dancer to display the intro of the Bhauna concept. Some other disciples were engaged in the theme roles of Bhauna.

This is how the birth of Bhauna had come to existent. Due to which new musical instruments were introduced for the first time to capture people’s mind.  It was to help enable their mind to absorb with holy thoughts depicted from the religious scripture in an imaginative presentation of Bhauna format. It was Sankardev who had given dimension to Khul, Tal and Mandira instruments that still remains as an integral part of Assamese music.

 In this enthusiasm of attracting maximum mass to ‘Chin Yatra’ he had brought to creation an unique piece of work known as “Vaikunthh Chin” which means display of Lord’s divine realm in art format over a long piece of woven cloth. 

As history reveals Sankardev had taken the help of an old lady to bring into creation of “Vaikunth Chin”. This is a long piece of cloth with story of lord that is encrypted in thread work. It was a giant task that both had taken to complete it.

Sankardev used to instruct the design and process how to weave out different designs in the most creative way. This hand woven art was made in handloom device known as “Tant”. It is a huge device constructed of wood where hand and feet both are used to. In this device one is enable to create huge length of cloth piece with the facility to encrypt designs in fine thread works.

Perfection in the old lady’s hand surprises even people of today. For one wonders how beautifully ‘Kher Huti’ the old lady had created the art without any error and in the very best imaginative process under Sankardev’s direction.

Sankardev's Unchallenged Innovation During His Time

During his stay at his birth place BorduwaThan Sankardev at the plea of his close associate and relatives had created ‘CihnaYJatra’ wherein numerous actors were used to display about famous characters of Bhagavad Gita in order to educate people on religious facts. This could be depicted as the world's first open-air theater. It comprised of dance, act and music to enliven the stage where each actors were endowed with particular costume that relates to the character. Much effort was given in visual effect such that it can drive everyone’s interest in holy percept that previously remained concealed in complicated words of Sanskrit. This ‘Cihna Yatra’ was Guru’s first step to give dimension to Bhauna where drama of mythological story was staged for public entertainment and still rules with pompous in Assam today. Soon when Bhauna popularity hit the mass then Sankardev came up with a new idea that is Sat (seven) Vaikuntha Citra (art) which could be stated to be his unique creation.

Sankaradev's another unique introduction was the 'Ankiya Naat. ' Another play that he had created was Bertolt Brecht where before the drama was rolled a Sutradhara (narrator) was introduced on stage to brief about it to enable people relate to the story.

Sankardev’s Challenge With Words To Minimize Ocean Of Spiritual Knowledge

This mountainous challenge was made by Guru Sankardev to simplify life in a balanced manner by combining rules of materialistic and spiritual strata’s to help enable one to receive the ultimate goal in this short lifetime.

Sankardev in his venture to establish a new concept to true devotion was started by researching multiple religious Hindu scriptures inscribed with words of God. During this research period he realized that in one’s lifetime only essential matters need to be concentrated. Since life is short and people have to set their concentration to complete family responsibilities before getting into spiritual life with deep religious bent to percept truth of holy concept. Guru Sankardev in this perspective worked day and night to create a simplified version of ‘Bhagavad Gita’. In this attempt to create one he concentrated the usages of words, sentence, phrases and quotes to help minimize matter with conceal of all essentials from the vast version of ‘Bhagavat Gita’. So that by reading this normal people who are rigorously involved in farming, cooking, building and other activities of life could follow holy words in the easiest way. This eventually will easily free them from being intertwined into extensive religious process bondage of life to achieve God’s realm. It was initially the Kirtan Puthi (Kirtan Book) he created  wherein it followed the combined version of Lord’s incarnation and preaching inclusive of Nam Ghukha  to it. Well Nam Ghukha is separately placed in the Manikut of Kirtan Ghar but is also found attached to Kirtan Puthi at the end. These were certain style formats established by Sankardev. The Nam Ghukha receives the highest prominence as it contains the absolute essence of Lord’s version in a simplified and crisp manner for easier understanding of truth in whole context.

Sankardev’s Divine Form Of 'Vishnu' To Sangkha

During this phase of establishing new preaching to reform the earlier version of religious  aspects in Assam to develop its culture to bridge various communities Sankardev had spend much of his time in isolation to dedicate himself in reading and writing of scriptures in a hut near to his Tambuwani 'Kirton Ghar' or 'Nam Ghar'. At that time there was a notorious Muslim person named as Snagkha who loved to make fun of the Brahmins. For this class of Hindu group thinks his class to be of untouchable category as they intake beef. He used to wait for an opportunity by hiding himself in a loation from where the Brahmins use to pass whenever they use to come closer he is use to pounce upon them. This act of Sangkha use to make the Brahmins go wary for being made impure. In this way he had made people go for bathe for innumerous time particularly those group who bears the concept of untouchability. Once his eyes fell on Sankardev and he thought of playing the same prank with him when he comes out of his hut where he often spends time. So he waited outside his hut but when he was not coing out for a long time his curiosity went far ahead to know what he was doing inside. He staretd to peep from a hole through the bamboo walled hut and he saw Sankardev in a stting posture infront of his writing table. Next within an instance Sankadev’s image changed to a four handed being who started doing multiple jobs while concentrating over the scripture on the table. It was actually the four limbed form of Vishnu that Sangkha saw and was shocked to find in him in such strange form. Perspiration ran down all over his body while devotion filled his heart for the divine personality and he rushed at his feet to pray who he was then Sankardev gave his divne identification. After this instance with him Sangkha felt remoresed of his act and he pleaded to take him in his religious circuit. For which he is ready to abide by his rule. This was the first case where a Muslim man who is particularly from a different religious background became a transformed person by Sankardev’s grace. This story about Sangkha when fell on to the topmost disciple of Sankardev known as Madhav Dev then he felt sad that he was Sankardev's primary person who is so much attached to him. But his Guru never revealed this identity to him that he wanted to relish. This supernatural divine view of Sankardev which only rare one had the privilege to have it was a quite an unusual case that mere person like Sangkha was blessed.

Sankardev’s Essential Essence in ‘Nava Dharma’

Essence of Sankardev’s ‘Nava Dharma’ that was earlier mentioned was based on four aspects like Nam (chanting), Dev (divinity), Guru (Master) and Bhakt (Devotee). For this reason these four aspects are considered as the four pillars of Bahkti Marg (devotional path). Through this four aspects one can  gain Bakti Marg (devotional path) that eventually will help open one’s door to Gods realm. Specifically ‘Nam’ is to mean chanting of lord’s name or singing his hymns in his praise. ‘Dev’ means divine aspects of Godliness. ‘Guru’ is to mean one who opens door to God’s realm in true manner. ‘Bhakt’ is to mean one who surrenders to lord Vishnu. One who perfects in all these four aspects is certified to be called as a pure Vaisnav. After  being appointed as Vaisnav then one should abide by certain things like Ahimsa (non-violence), benevolence towards all creatures and follow the path of truth. Usually in many religions there is always class differentiation where here there is nothing like that. Here one need not concentrate in any other practices to purify oneself. In this dharma of Guru Sankardev there is no differentiation of class where only one’s true intention is observed before appointing him or her into this religious circuit.