Question

Religious saint-poets between the 13th to 17th centuries, Dnyaneshwar, Namdev, Eknath and Tukaram, belonged to which Indian state?

• A. Tamil Nadu
• B. Kerala
• C. Gujarat
• D. Maharashtra

Answer 1

Answer:

D. Maharashtra

The religious saint-poets Dnyaneshwar, Namdev, Eknath, and Tukaram, who flourished between the 13th and 17th centuries, belonged to the Indian state of Maharashtra The most important Maharashtra saint-poets were Dnyaneshwar (Gyaneshwar), Namdev, Eknath and Tukaram and women like Sakhubai and the family of Chokhamela, who belonged to the "untouchable" Mahar caste. This regional tradition of Bhakti focused on the Vitthala (a form of Vishnu) temple in Pandharpur, as well as on the notion of a personal God residing in the hearts of all people. These saint-poets rejected all forms of ritualism, outward display of piety and social differences based on birth. In fact they even rejected the idea of renunciation and preferred to live with their families, earning their livelihood like any other person, while humbly serving fellow human beings in need. A new humanist idea emerged as they insisted that Bhakti lay in sharing others' pain. As the famous Gujarati saint Narsi Mehta said, "They are Vaishnavas, who understand the pain of others."