Defence
The Sahajiya cult, which can be traced back to the 10th and 11th centuries, is associated with:
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Answer: Option D — Esoteric devotional traditions in Bengal (Buddhist and Vaishnava)
Detailed Solution
The Sahajiya cult is a set of esoteric religious traditions that developed in Bengal from about the 10th-11th centuries, first among Buddhists (the Sahajayana) and later among Vaishnavas (the Vaishnava Sahajiyas).
Meaning of the term:
- "Sahaja" means "natural", "easy" or "innate".
- The Sahajiyas believed that the ultimate truth or bliss could be realised in a natural and spontaneous way, within one's own body, rather than through rituals, scriptures or renunciation.
Buddhist Sahajiyas:
They were a branch of Tantric (Vajrayana) Buddhism, found in Bengal and Bihar under the Palas.
The "Charyapada" (Charyagiti), a collection of mystical songs composed by Buddhist Siddhacharyas (8th-12th centuries), is linked with this tradition; it is regarded as the earliest specimen of the Bengali, Assamese and Odia languages.
These songs use riddles and symbolic language ("sandhya bhasha", twilight language).
Vaishnava Sahajiyas:
- In later centuries (especially after the 16th century), the Sahajiya ideas were adopted by some Vaishnavas, who saw human love as a path to realising the divine love of Radha and Krishna.
- They believed that every man and woman contains elements of Krishna and Radha.
- The poets Chandidas and Vidyapati are sometimes associated with these ideas, though this is debated.
Influence:
- The Sahajiya traditions influenced the Baul singers of Bengal, wandering minstrels who sing about the divine within the human body and reject caste and ritual.
- They also influenced the Nath yogis.
Rejection of orthodoxy:
The Sahajiyas often rejected caste distinctions, rituals and the authority of priests, and were therefore criticised by orthodox groups.
NCERT on related traditions:
NCERT notes that many groups, such as the Nathpanthis, Siddhas and Yogis, criticised conventional religion and the social order, and that their ideas found expression in simple language.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Jain monasticism, Sun worship in Odisha and the Shaiva Siddhanta are not associated with the Sahajiya cult.
Quick tip
Remember: Sahajiya cult = esoteric traditions of Bengal (Buddhist Sahajayana, 10th-11th centuries; later Vaishnava Sahajiyas); Charyapada; influenced the Bauls.
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This question tests your understanding of Bhakti & Sufi Movements, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
The Bhakti and Sufi movements emphasised personal devotion to God over ritual and caste. This topic covers Bhakti saints such as Ramanuja, Kabir, Guru Nanak, Mirabai, Tulsidas, Surdas, Chaitanya, Namdev and Tukaram, and the Sufi orders (silsilas) such as the Chishti and Suhrawardi orders and their saints. Questions usually link a saint to their region, language, teacher or ideas, or ask which Sufi order a saint belonged to. For example, Moinuddin Chishti brought the Chishti order to Ajmer, and Kabir was a disciple of Ramananda. A table of saint, region and key teaching makes these questions easy. Practise the Bhakti and Sufi movements questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.