Which one of the following pairs denoting various forms of ‘Bhakti’ is not correctly matched?
[amp_mcq option1=”Saguna : Belief in Gods with attributes” option2=”Nirguna : Belief in Gods without attributes” option3=”Alvars : Believed in devotion of Shakti” option4=”Nayanars : Believed in devotion of Shiva” correct=”option3″]
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CDS-1 – 2023
– Nirguna Bhakti refers to devotion towards a formless, attributeless, ultimate reality, often referred to as Brahman. This is correctly matched.
– Alvars were a group of Tamil saints (primarily between the 6th and 9th centuries CE) who were staunch devotees of Vishnu (Vaishnavism). Their hymns are compiled in the Divya Prabandha.
– Nayanars were a group of Tamil saints (primarily between the 6th and 10th centuries CE) who were staunch devotees of Shiva (Shaivism). Their hymns are compiled in the Tirumurai.
– Shakti refers to the divine feminine power, worshipped in various forms like Durga, Kali, etc. Devotion to Shakti is known as Shaktism, which is distinct from Vaishnavism (Alvars) and Shaivism (Nayanars).