Medieval India saw an extraordinary production of devotional poetry, inspired by different religious movements and not restricted to one religion. The exponents of these movements held that total devotion (bhakti) to God could save man from the pitfalls of life and earn him salvation. They also believed that one does not have to go to temples or perform rituals, for God is omnipresent and resides inside every human.
1. The Idea of Bhakti
The Bhagavad Gita proposed that the path of bhaktimarga (the path of bhakti) is superior to the two other religious approaches. This provided inspiration to the exponents of the Bhakti cult.
| Path | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Bhakti (bhaktimarga) | The path of devotion – proposed as superior by the Bhagavad Gita |
| Jnana | The path of knowledge |
| Karma | The path of rituals and good works |