Introduction

• Sankaradeva (1449-1568) was a great saint and social reformer who reshaped Assamese society.
• His contributions led to a culturally equal Assamese society with a distinct identity, despite internal diversity.
• Sankaradeva was an embodiment of intellectual and cultural renaissance of enlightenment, promoting compassion, brotherhood, non-violence, oneness, and integration.
• When he was born, Assam’s social, political, and religious life was in transition due to political chaos and disorder.
• The ancient kingdom of Kamrupa began disintegrating in the 13th century, leading to the rise of several unstable kingdoms and political instability.
• By the 15th century, Assam presented a diverse cultural picture with people from different tribes, each with distinct manners, customs, and religious beliefs.
• The majority followed Hinduism, loosely adhering to Vaishnavism, Shaivism, and Shaktism, with some engaging in extreme tantricism and practices like human and animal sacrifice.
• Evil practices were prevalent in temples like Kamakhya, Ekajata, Tara, and Deoshal, with tribes like Kachari, Deuri, Chutiya, and Ahom involved in human sacrifices.
• Magical rites and spells were commonly practiced, often targeting economically backward and socially downtrodden classes.
• The other end of the religious spectrum included indigenous non-Hinduised tribal communities with their own belief systems.
• The pressing need was to systematize religious practice and provide a simple, accessible mode of worship for all communities.
• Sankaradeva’s ideas ushered a socio-cultural renaissance in Assam, establishing the eka-sarana nama dharma (the religion of reciting the name of God).
• His teachings focused on monotheism, non-violence, equality, and fraternity as the guiding principles.
• Sankaradeva established religious institutions that became powerful tools for reform, transcending all social barriers in Assamese society.
• His philosophy gradually became integral to Assamese life and remains relevant in contemporary society.