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.
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 createdwherein it followed the combined version of
Lord’s incarnation and preaching inclusive of Nam Ghukhato 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.
During this phase of establishing new preaching to reform
the earlier version of religiousaspects 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 Sankardevknown 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.
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.
In this sanctified holy observation of ‘Nam Dharma’ there is
nothing else except to keep in observation to devote oneself to the lord. Strangely in an unusual case of
Sankardev’s life it is found that his past genres were stated to be believer of
demigods, especially the goddess of power as well as Shiva (the destroyer of
God’s creation). They followed the hardcore rituals that were observed for
various demigods by placing image or idol in front.
In this rituals animal sacrifice was an integral part of
it. Sankardev was greatly disappointed by this unpleasant act and was
completely against this traditional religious bent of worshipping. In
observation to all these religious acts Sankardev separated himself from the
hardcore rituals that are against harmony. In an initiative to make a better
world Sankardev took to a challenge to establish a new religious act or
reformation of religion where one could achieve God without any penance and rigorous
practices.
This reformed religion was observed with no inclination for demigods
or goddesses nor any sacrificial activity. According to him if there was anyone
to follow then that is the sole God of the universe Vishnu. Sankardev had not only
great devotion but immense fascination for lord Krishna and loved to keep chanting
his name to discard evil impact of Kali Yug (Evil stage of the world where
one will indulge in all types darker activities). If here is any righteous act
that we can follow in this darker timethen that is through sole devotion
to lord Vishnu without any deviation to manifold paths.
For in context with
real life where in an institute one is benefited under the master’s direction
would not find the same privilege from other associates. Similarly in God’s
kingdom the same principle follows. Observance of this technique helps us not
only to seek the truth but also enables to partake in God’s world in the
fullest manner.
The main source from which Sankardev derived to create the
culture of Vaisnavism was from the source ‘Vaikunth Srimad Bhagavad’. From this
scripture he received poignant knowledge about universal fact which is rooted
to one source known as Vishnu. Sankardev realized through the scripture that Vishnu’s
power remains to be the sole essence in the expansion of his creation (the
universe) through his supernatural power known as Maya or illusion. These
universal bodies are in the regulatory of the implemented laws of mankind and
nature under Vishnu’s direction.
This scripture was in the hands of a pious Brahman named as
Jagdish Misra who was an ace scholar from which Sankardev derived to establish
Vaisnavism in a very simplest manner that could be absorbed even in the mind of
the layman. It was in a strange dream Jagdish Mishra saw lord Vishnu instructing
him to read out valuable essence of his book ‘Vaikunth Srimad Bhagavad’ to
Sankardev. For this reason Misra came in search of Sankardev in Kamrup capital
as he was not available at his home town in Alipukhuri but at Gang Mu named place.
Misra meet Sankardev at Gang Mu and expressed his desire to read out the
precious essence of his scripture to him.
The strange part of Misra was that he took his last breath
after reading out the complete version of the scripture. Exactly on the particular
time of his completion in reading out the Srimad Bhagavad to Sankardev on the very spot Misra’s soul parted from his body. After his demise Sankardev
took the scripture as a valuable asset and started to give dimension o Vishnu
Bhakti path that was split into nine categories. For this reason Sankardev’s
preaching was named as Bhagavati Nava(Nine) Vaishnav Dharama.
Seeing at Madhav Deb’s pitiful sight of failure after extensive effort the Guru addressed him
not to struggle hard to find the idea as he will guide him to cream out the actual
essence of the large scripture that will be later stated as the fertilized
version as ‘Namghukha’ by which reading one need not have to beat around the
bush about what primarily God wants from his devotees. This small booklet type ‘Namghukha’
was written in the style for laymen understanding without introducing difficult
terms of Sanskrit language. One following this 'Nam Dharma' ritually with devotion one can gain insight of about God's realm and relish his power. It is futile to follow this scripture without devotional essence.