About Sankardev & Madhavdev Works — History, Key Facts and Exam Importance
Sankardev and Madhavdev are the two central figures of the Vaishnavite period of Assamese literature, and their works form the heart of the Assam Literature syllabus. Srimanta Sankardev (1449–1568), born at Bordowa in present-day Nagaon district, founded the Ekasarana Namadharma, a monotheistic Vaishnavite faith centred on devotion to Krishna and the chanting of his name. His chief disciple Madhavdev (1489–1596) carried the movement forward and became the first satradhikar of the Barpeta Sattra. Between them they produced the Kirtan Ghosha, the Naam Ghosha, the Ankiya Naat plays and the Borgeet songs that gave Assamese literature its devotional heart. For aspirants of ADRE, APSC, Assam Police, DHS, DME, SSC and Railway examinations, this is a very dependable scoring area because the questions are almost always direct matches of author to work and work to genre.
Sankardev is remembered above all for the Kirtan Ghosha, also called the Gunamala, a collection of about twenty-six kirtans (some editions say twenty-seven) that narrates the life and glory of Krishna. It is the magnum opus of Assamese devotional literature. His other verse works include the Bhakti Ratnakar, the Bhakti Ratnavali, the Bhakti Pradip and the Harishchandra Upakhyan. He also began the tradition of the Ankiya Naat, one-act plays performed as Bhaona. The first of these, Chinhayatra, was composed after his travels, and the best known include Rukmini Haran, Parijat Haran, Kaliya Daman, Keli Gopal, Patni Prasad, Kansa Vadha and Ram Vijay. His Borgeet, or noble songs, are a landmark of Assamese classical music, and his Gunamala retells Krishna's life as a garland of virtues.
Madhavdev's magnum opus is the Naam Ghosha, a collection of about 746 verses on the power of the divine name, which is recited daily in the Namghar. He wrote Anadi Patana, a poem on creation and the nature of God, the Janma Rash on Krishna's birth and childhood, the Naam Malika, and the Ankiya Naat Rukminir Haran. He also composed the Bhatimas, devotional songs classified into Ghattana, Padya and Ragiya, and by tradition a larger number of Borgeet than Sankardev. The two saints are jointly honoured as the Mahapurusha, and the institutions they built, the Sattra and the Namghar, shaped Assamese society for centuries. The Sattriya dance that grew out of their tradition is today recognised as one of India's classical dance forms.
Two features of this topic make it especially exam-friendly. First, the "firsts" are fixed: the first Ankiya Naat is Chinhayatra, the Kirtan Ghosha is also called the Gunamala, and the Naam Ghosha belongs to Madhavdev. Second, the questions stay within a small set of works, so a single table of author, work and genre answers a large share of the paper. Be careful not to mix the two masters: the Kirtan Ghosha and the Ankiya Naats belong to Sankardev, while the Naam Ghosha and Anadi Patana belong to Madhavdev. The Brajavali language in which these works were composed is itself a recurring question.
Main Facts about Sankardev & Madhavdev Works (Quick Revision Bullets)
- Sankardev: Srimanta Sankardev (1449–1568), founder of the Ekasarana Namadharma.
- Birthplace of Sankardev: Bordowa (Alipukhuri), in present-day Nagaon district of Assam.
- Kirtan Ghosha: Sankardev's magnum opus, also called the Gunamala; about 26 kirtans (some editions say 27).
- Other works of Sankardev: Bhakti Ratnakar, Bhakti Ratnavali, Bhakti Pradip and Harishchandra Upakhyan.
- First Ankiya Naat: Chinhayatra, by Sankardev.
- Famous Ankiya Naats: Rukmini Haran, Parijat Haran, Kaliya Daman, Keli Gopal, Patni Prasad, Kansa Vadha and Ram Vijay.
- Bhaona: the theatrical performance of an Ankiya Naat.
- Borgeet: classical devotional songs composed by Sankardev and Madhavdev.
- Madhavdev: (1489–1596), the chief disciple of Sankardev and the first satradhikar of Barpeta Sattra.
- Naam Ghosha: Madhavdev's magnum opus, about 746 verses on the power of God's name.
- Anadi Patana: a poem on creation by Madhavdev.
- Janma Rash: Madhavdev's work on the birth and childhood of Krishna.
- Bhatima: devotional songs by Madhavdev, of three kinds — Ghattana, Padya and Ragiya.
- Mahapurusha: the joint honorific for Sankardev and Madhavdev.
- Literary language: Brajavali, used in the Kirtan Ghosha and the Naam Ghosha.
- Institutions: the Sattra and the Namghar, centres of faith and culture.
- Dance form: Sattriya, associated with Sankardev's tradition and recognised as a classical dance of India.
- Exam pattern: direct matching of author to work and work to genre appears again and again.
Why Sankardev & Madhavdev Works Matters for Assam Competitive Exams
This topic is the heart of the Vaishnavite period and therefore sits at the centre of the Assam Literature syllabus. It links directly to the history of the Neo-Vaishnavite movement, to the Sattra and Namghar institutions, to Sattriya dance and Bhaona, and to the rise of Assamese devotional poetry, so one body of facts can be tested from several angles. The questions are fixed and factual and the same works return year after year. Because the set of important titles is small and stable, a table-based revision gives a very high return in marks, and studying bilingually helps you recognise each work in either language on the exam day.
How to Prepare Sankardev & Madhavdev Works for Assam Exams
Use these exam-specific tips to make your revision fast and accurate:
- Separate the two masters. Draw two columns, one for Sankardev and one for Madhavdev, and sort every work into the correct column. The Kirtan Ghosha, the Ankiya Naats and the Bhakti texts go to Sankardev; the Naam Ghosha, Anadi Patana and Janma Rash go to Madhavdev.
- Group by genre. Keep the Ankiya Naats, the Borgeet, the Bhatimas and the verse translations in separate clusters. Genre questions, such as which of these is an Ankiya Naat, become easy once the clusters are clear.
- Fix the numbers and firsts. Remember 1449 and Bordowa for Sankardev's birth, 1489 and Barpeta for Madhavdev, about 26 kirtans in the Kirtan Ghosha, about 746 verses in the Naam Ghosha, and Chinhayatra as the first Ankiya Naat.
- Attempt and review. Attempt the 37 bilingual questions on this page and the mock test, then note every work you still confuse. Re-attempt the set after a few days to check your recall.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who founded the Ekasarana Namadharma and what are its main features?
Srimanta Sankardev founded the Ekasarana Namadharma. It teaches devotion to a single God, Krishna, mainly through the chanting of his name, and it played down elaborate ritual and caste distinctions. The faith was spread through the Sattra and the Namghar.
Which is the magnum opus of Sankardev and what is it also called?
Sankardev's magnum opus is the Kirtan Ghosha, which is also called the Gunamala. It contains about 26 kirtans (some editions say 27) that describe the life and glory of Krishna.
What is the Naam Ghosha and who composed it?
The Naam Ghosha is the magnum opus of Madhavdev, Sankardev's chief disciple. It is a collection of about 746 verses on the power of God's name and is recited daily in the Namghar.
What is the difference between an Ankiya Naat and a Bhaona?
An Ankiya Naat is the one-act play composed by Sankardev, such as Chinhayatra or Rukmini Haran. Bhaona is the theatrical performance of such a play, combining drama, music and dance.
Who composed more Borgeet, and what are Bhatimas?
Madhavdev composed more Borgeet, about 120, against about 30 by Sankardev. Bhatimas are devotional songs composed by Madhavdev in praise of God and the Guru, and they are of three kinds: Ghattana, Padya and Ragiya.