08 - Chapter 3 PDF
08 - Chapter 3 PDF
08 - Chapter 3 PDF
The three sects - the Saiva, the Sakta and the Vaisnava
* * *
have been occupying prominent places in the religious and social life
of Assam. It is however, not an easy task to determine their exact
origin, not withstanding the fact it can be presumed that the
worships of Siva, Sakli and Visnu have been prevalent in Assam since
very ancient times.
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Nilachal hill till the fall of the yonimandal on it .6 Hence it may be
said that Siva and Sakti were equally prominent in Pragjyotish Kamarupa
from ancient times.
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3 . 1 R O L E O F S A I V I S M :
S i v a i s t h e m o s t p o p u l a r G o d o f a l l t h e G o d s a n d G o d d e s s e s
o f H i n d u P a n t h e o n . H e i s t h e G o d , b e s t o w e r o f b l e s s i n g s a n d H e m a y
s a t i s f i e d v e r y e a s i l y a n d t h a t i s w h y h e i s c a l l e d A s u t o s a . B o t h t h e
t r i b a l s a n d t h e n o n t r i b a l s a n d e v e n t h e V a i s n a v a s a n d t h e S a k t a s , t h e
r i c h a n d t h e p o o r , t h e b a r r e n , t h e d i s e a s e d , t h e q u a c k s o r A s s a m
v e n e r a t e S i v a w i t h g r e a t e s t e e m . W h i l e o t h e r G o d s a n d G o d d e s s e s s
a r e l i v i n g i n h e a v e n o r s o m e u n k n o w n p l a c e s , m o u n t K a i l a s a i s S i v a ’ s
a b o d e . H e i s b e l i e v e d t o l i v e o n t h e b i g t r e e l i k e p e e p a l o r i n t h e
c r e a m a t i o n g r o u n d . H e i s a p o v e r t y - s t r i k e n f a m i l y h o l d e r a n d l i v e s
o n b e g g i n g . H e i s c o n t e n t e d i f s o m e b o d y o f f e r s a c i l i m o f h e m p .
W e a r i n g t i g e r s k i n , t r i d e n t i n h a n d , w i t h m a t t e d h a i r a n d l o n g b e a r e d ,
b e s m e a r i n g t h e b o d y w i t h a s h e s , u s i n g s n a k e a s s a c r e d t h r e a d , t h i s
S i v a i n H i s a n t h r o p o m o r p h i c f o r m i s v e r y f a m i l i a r a m o n g t h e m a s s e s .
F r o m a n c i e n t t i m e t o t h e p r e s e n t d a y S a i v i s m h a s b e e n
p l a y i n g a n i m p o r t a n t r o l e i n t h e r e l i g i o u s o u t l o o k o f t h e H i n d u s .
“ B o t h i n l e g e n d s a n d h i s t o r y S i v a w o r s h i p a p p e a r s t o h a v e b e e n t h e
m o s t p o p u l a r f o r m o f r e l i g i o n i n e a r l y A s s a m b o t h a m o n g s t t h e
a b o r i g i n a l a n d A r y a n i s e d p e o p l e . ” 1 1 T h e p o p u l a r i t y o f S i v a c u l l i n
a n c i e n t A s s a m m a y b e a s c e r t a i n e d f r o m t h e e x i s t e n c e o f g r e a t e r n u m b e r
o f i n s t i t u t i o n s o f S i v a w o r s h i p . T h e K a l i k a - P u r a n a c l e a r l y s h o w s t h a t
t h e h o l y p l a c e s o f K a m a r u p a , w h e r e t h e p l a c e s c o n n e c t e d w i t h S i v a
w o r s h i p a r e l a r g e r i n n u m b e r t h a n t h e p l a c e s a s s o c i a t e d w i t h D e v i
a n d V i s n u . 1 2 R a i B a h a d u r G u n a b h i R a m B a r u a h h a s m e n t i o n e d t h a t
S i v a w o r s h i p i n t h e l i n g a f o r m w a s i n t r o d u c e d b y a k i n g J a l p e s v a r a o f
p r e s e n t J a l p a i g u r i d i s t r i c t o f w e s t B e n g a l . 1 3 M e n t i o n i s m a d e o f
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n u m e r o u s s a c r e d p la c e s in th e K a lik a - P u r a n a a n d m a n y o f th e m a re
th a t S iv a w a s w o r s h ip p e d b y th e K ira ta s, b e f o r e N a ra k a w h o w a s
s u p p o s e d to h a v e in tr o d u c e d th e c u lt o f m o th e r G o d d e s s in o ld
K a m a ru p a . “F r o m h is to ric a l r e c o r d s it a p p e a r s th a t a ll th e p r in c ip a l
S iv a .”14 B is v a S im h a w h o f o u n d e d th e r o y a l d y n a s ty o f K o c h B ih a r
w a s a s ta u n c h d e v o te e o f S iv a a n d h e c la im e d to b e th e d e s c e n d a n t o f
G o d . A h o m k in g R u d ra S im h a r e n d e r e d in to A s s a m e s e a p a r t o f th e
S a n s k rit S iv a -P u r a n a .
I n th e m e d ia e v a l p e r io d o f A ss a m S a iv ism h a d a w id e
A ss a m , w a s n a m e d a fte r S iv a a n d S a n k a r a . It is d e s c r ib e d in th e
b i o g r a p h i c a l w o r k s o f S a r ik a r a d e v a th a t h is f a t h e r K u s u m b a r a
w o r s h ip p e d G o p e s v a r s lv a to b le s s h im w ith a s o n .15 M a d h a v a d e v a
th e c lo s e d d is c ip le o f S a rik a ra d e v a o n c e r e c e iv e d o r d e r fr o m h is e ld e r
b r o th e r to w o r s h ip S iv a o n th e S iv a C a t u r d a s i d a y . R a m a n a n d a , a
a tm o s p h e r e in A ssa m b e f o r e th e a d v e n t o f N e o -V a isn a v is m . H e w r o te
“p e o p le d id n o t w o r s h ip K ris n a o r p e r fo r m th e d e e d s s a c r e d to H ari.
T h e y o n th e o th e r h a n d , w o u ld fa in w o s h ip B h a ir a v a a n d c o n s id e r it
M an y p e o p le p e rfo rm S iv a w o r s h i p o n th e K r is n a
C a tu r d a s i tithi (1 4 th . lu n a r d a y o f th e d a rk h a lf o f a m o n th ) o f P h a lg u n a
(F e b .-M a r c h ) o f th e y e a r. M a n y p e o p le o b s e r v e th is d a y a s S iv a r a tr i
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It is mentioned in the Dar,anga Raj - Vamsavali a chronicle
of the Koch-dynasty, that once king Narariarayana undertook a military
expedition against the Ahom king. Before the expedition he wor-
shipped Siva according to the sastric rites. But Siva appeared before
him in a dream and exhorted the king to worship him in tribal mode
o f rites. Accordingly the king made arrangement for performance of
rites by the kachari soldiers on the bank of the river Sonkos. Ducks,
Pigeons, liquor, cooked rice were offered and buffalos, swine, cocks
and he - goats were sacrificed. Deodhani dance was also performed.
Afterwards Narariarayana issued an order that in the temples lying on
tiie north bank of the Brahmaputra (North side o f Gohai Kamai road)
Siva would be worshipped by the Koches - Meches and the Kaeharis
in accordance with iheir traditional rites and on the south bank of the
river by the Brahmin priest. 1 7 From the above it is clear that Siva was
worshipped according to both the sastric rites as well as tribal methods.
“A curious practice o f animal sacrifice is in vogue even now in the
Siva temples o f Assam. On the occasion of the Siva caturdasi festival,
castrated goats are strangled to death in the precincts of the temples.
Their flesh is cooked and a huge feast is held at night in the temples . ” 1 8
There were some dancing wom en known as Nati or Devadasis in
the Siva temples. The women led an unmarried life. Such dancing
wom en were found in the Saiva temples such as Dubi-Parihareswar,
Negheriting, Umananda, Madhava temple o f Hajo, Kamakhyadham,
Pingaleswar, Visvariath-Siva temple and so forth.
1 7 . S a r n i a , N .C . ( e d ) : DarangaRajbansavali, P . 6 6 .
m o v e r o f all th e d is e a s e s. T h e q u a c k s c o m p e l th e e v il sp irit to a b a n d o n
S ri m a b a d e v a r h u m k d r
c a id h y a b h u b a n a r d e k h i n ir a n t a r
h u m h u m h u m k d r c a r iy a l a n k a r p a r
n a h ib i a m u k d r g h a r b a r i s im a i s n c a r
d s e p a s e y a d i ta i ra s
is v a r m a b a d e v a r m d th a k h a s
S a tik a r a r b a c a n s ir a t d h a r i
m d r o b y a d h i p a n ik r ity a k a r i .
“T h e u tte ra n c e ( h u m k a r ) o f M a h a d e v a is h e a r e d in th e
fo u r te e n w o r ld s . Y o u d is e a s e , g o to la n k a le a v in g th e b o u n d a r y o f th e
h o u s e h o ld . I f y o u re m a in s o m e w h e r e n e a r th e h o u s e y o u w ill e a t th e
h e a d o f M a h a d e v a . K e e p in g o n h e a d th e w o r d s o f S a n k a ra , I k ill y o u
d is e a s e . 19 M a n y e p is o d e s o f S iva h a v e b e e n n a rra te d in th e f o lk s o n g s ,
ta le s, le g e n d s e tc . In tokarig U , it is m e n t io n e d th a t s lv a h a s m a d e th e
fo lk fo r m o f S iv a th at h e c a rrie s a b a g o f h e m p o n s h o u ld e r , h is b o d y
is b e s m e a r e d w ith a s h e s , h e rid e s o n th e b u l l o c k a n d is c o n t e n d e d
w h e n s o m e b o d y o ffe r h im a le a f o f b e l t r e e .20
v I f w e c o m e to th e trib e s o f th e r e g io n s w e fin d th a t S iv a is
th e m o s t p o p u la r G o d a m o n g th e m . “ T h e B o r o c u ltu r e is a p a rt a n d
p a r c e l o f th e M o n g lo id (K ira ta ) c u ltu r e . ” 21 “ T h e B o r o s o f th e N o r th e r n
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relation to the worship of Bathou the supreme God among the Boros.”22
The Kacharis claim that Siva was their proginator. They worshipped
him in the name of Siva, Gita, dambra, khariya, Sribaray ( Sibrai),
Bathau etc.23 The Rabhas identify Him with Langa, the principal
deity of the tribe.24 The Karbis of the plains worship Him in the name
of Mahddai. “The Tiwas call Him Phd -Mahddeu .” 25 “The Sonowal
Kacharis worship Lord Siva in the name of Baitho .”26 Siva and Parvati
are worshipped in the name of Gird - Giraci or Pisvadem.d by the
Deuri-Chutiyas.27
gurus and apostles in Assam. Saivism has been mixed up with the
/ y /
Saktism and Siva and Sakti are revered equally.
22. Ibid.
23. Narzi, B. : BoroKacharirSamajAmSanskriti. P. 215.
24. Rabha, R. : RabhaJanajati. P. 95.
25. Bardoloi, N. : Siva. P. 256.
26. Bhattacharya, P.C. : AsamarLoka UtsavP. 98.
27. Ibid. P. 96.
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philosophy but also in the various fields of the national life of India.
Such as nationalism and the freedom movement of India. “Guru
Govinda Singh composed the C h a n d i- K d v y a in order to encourage
the feeling of nationalism among the Sikhs in Punjab. Bankim Chandra
conceived the motherland India as the Goddess Sakti and this
conception was a source of inspiration for the freedom fighters of our
nation . ” 28
u s u a lly g iv e n fo r th e p u r p o s e , c rim in a ls w h o h a d b e e n s e n t e n c e d to
p a rtic u la r c la n , w h ic h in re tu r n w a s a c c o r d e d c e r ta in p r iv ile g e s . T h e
p e r s o n s e le c t e d w a s fe d s u m p tu o u s ly , u n til h e w a s p lu m p to su it th e
s u p p o s e d ta ste o f th e g o d d e s s , a n d h e w a s th e n d e c a p it a t e d a t th e
c o p p e r te m p le a t S a d ia , o r at s o m e o th e r s h r in e o f th e trib e . H u m a n
J a in tia s a n d o th e r A s s a m trib e s, a n d it is th u s e a s y to s e e h o w th e y
c a m e to b e r e g a r d e d fa v o u r a b ly b y th e T a n tric s e c t o f H in d u is m w h ic h
p a rts o f S o u th In d ia , th e g o d d e s s D u r g a w a s w o r s h ip p e d w ith b l o o d
s a c r ific e .’’32 “ In B e n g a l, th e g o d d e s s K a li is w o r s h ip p e d w it h a n im a l
s a c r ific e s .”33
S a k tism w a s a p r e d o m in a n t r e lig io n in A s s a m s in c e th e
d a y s o f N a r a k a s u r a . It is m e n t i o n e d in t h e K a l i k a - P u r a n a t h a t
w ith S iva. M o th e r G o d d e s s a n d G o d d e s s o f l o v e s e e m to m in g le
to g e th e r in K a m a k h y a . B . K a k a ti h a s th o r o u g h ly d is c u s s e d th e p r o b a b le
e t y m o lo g y o f th e w o r d K a m a k h y a a n d in fe r r e d th a t th e w o r d is o f
m e r e s o u n d a n d s e n s e in th e fo r m a tio n s o f S k t- K a m a , A u s tr ic K a m o i,
S h in to K a m i a n d a ls o o n th e b a s is o f c o r r e s p o n d e n c e o f c e r ta in rite s
a n d c u s to m s , it m a y b e te n ta tiv e ly a s s u m e d th a t th e y o n i- g o d d e s s
s p r a n g u p a m o n g s t p e o p le s w ith le a n in g to w a r d s a n c e s to r - w o r s h ip
a n d b e lie v in g in th e p r o te c tiv e p o w e r s o f a n A n c e s tr a l M o th e r a n d
with human sacrifices. Even today Devi H erem adi worship is performed
if the people of Dimacha fall in some diseases and evils.37
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(P itc h e r r e p r e s e n tin g th e G o d d e s s ) e a c h in e v e r y o n e ’s h o u s e .”43 T iie
b e l ie f is still in v o g u e a m o n g s t th e w o m a n f o lk o f th e re g io n s .
r*
F r o m th e h is to ric a l p o in t o f v ie w , it is s e e n th a t th e S a k t i
- p u j a w a s p r e v a le n t d u rin g th e p e r io d o f B a n a m a la V a rm a n ( 9 th
c e n t u r y A .D .) a n d I n d r a p a la ( 1 1 t h c e n t u r y ) . B e s i d e s , s i n c e th e
s ix te e n th c e n tu r y w ith th e s u p p o r t o f th e K o c h k in g s a n d th e A h o m
/ _ _
k in g s, th e S a k ta r e lig io n flo u ris h e d . S in c e a n c ie n t tim e , K a m a k h y a
te m p le is b e in g r e g a r d e d a s th e c e n tr e o f th e S a k ti w o r s h ip a n d s u c h
S a k ti w o r s h ip is a ls o f o u n d to d a y .44
T h e r e a re a g o o d n u m b e r o f te m p le s a n d s h rin e s d e d ic a te d
in th e n a m e o f th e D e v i. T h e A h o m a n d th e K o c h k in g s w e r e c h ie f
s u c h a s M a h a m a y a , K a li ( B h a i r a v i ) , B h a g a v a t i, A i, K e c a i- K h a it i,
B a g h e s v a r i, T a m re s w a ri e tc . G e n e r a lly S a k tism m e a n s th e w o r s h ip o f
D e v i M a h a m a y a (p a ra m a Sak ti) D u r g a w h o h o ld s th e B is v a B ra h m a n d a .
- L '
H e n c e t h o s e w h o w o r s h ip D u r g a a r e c a ll e d S a k t a . T h e S a k t a s
a re c e le b r a te d .
3-3 VAISNAVISM:
» «
“T h e w o r s h ip o f th e L o rd V is h n u m a y b e tr a c e d b a c k to
th e e r a o f th e M a h a b h a r a t a - , t h e e p ic in its S a n t i p r a v a c o n t a in s
r e f e r e n c e to V is n u d e s c r ib e d a s P ra g jy o tis J y e s t h a .”45 I n th e B r a h m a
a m o n g th e n in e s a c r e d r e g io n s , a ls o c a lle d y o n i, o f K a m a r u p a . A
g o o d n u m b e r o f c o p p e r p la te s a n d te r r a c o tta s h a v e b e e n d is c o v e r e d
46. Ibid.
47. Kakati, B. : Op-cit, P. 67.
48. Barua, B.K. : A Cultural History of Assam, P. 172.
49. Sarma, II. : Assam Gaurav.
50. Chaliha, B. P. (ed) : Sankardeva Studies in Culture, P. 7.
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during the fifteenth sixteenth century is known widely as Vaisnava
dharma ,5 1
[44]
The impact of Gaudiya Vaisnavism of Caitanyadeva is also
noteworthy. The sect entered into Assam during the sixteen century
A.D. Malhuradas Budha Ata, a foremost devotee of Madhavadeva was
a Gaudiya Vaisnava before he met Madhavadeva. Another disciple
of Madhavadeva, Gopala Ata was a Gaudiya Vaisnava. At present
there are many devotees of the said sect in Assam. Gaudiya mathas
have been constructed in villages and towns in Assam.
$$$
[4 5 ]