Which one of the following pairs denoting various forms of 'Bhakti' is not correctly matched?
- A.Saguna : Belief in Gods with attributes
- B.Nirguna : Belief in Gods without attributes
- C.Alvars : Believed in devotion of Shakti
- D.Nayanars : Believed in devotion of Shiva
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is C, Alvars : Believed in devotion of Shakti. The Alvars were devotees of Vishnu, not of the goddess Shakti, so this pair is wrong.
The Bhakti movement began in Tamil Nadu between the sixth and ninth centuries with two groups of poet-saints. The twelve Alvars sang in praise of Vishnu, and their hymns were collected as the Nalayira Divya Prabandham; Andal was the only woman among them. The sixty-three Nayanars were devoted to Shiva, and their hymns form the Tevaram, with Appar, Sambandar and Sundarar among the best known. Later Bhakti divided into the saguna stream (Tulsidas, Surdas, Mirabai) and the nirguna stream (Kabir, Guru Nanak).
A is correct: saguna bhakti worships God with form and qualities, such as Rama or Krishna. B is correct: nirguna bhakti worships a formless God without attributes. D is correct: the Nayanars were Shaiva saints.
Exam tip: Alvars = Vishnu (12 saints), Nayanars = Shiva (63 saints); saguna has form, nirguna is formless.
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