Sri Åšaá¹…karadeva's Spiritual Mission: Its Relevance to Present Society

Abstract

Sri Åšaá¹…karadeva, the great medieval VaisÌ£nÌ£ava saint of Assam, laid the concrete socio-cultural foundation through his lasting contribution towards philosophy, religion, literature, art and culture. His Eka-Å›aranÌ£a nāma dharma was accessible even for the most ignorant and the humblest. Sri Åšaá¹…karadeva's faith acted positively in shaping the moral and social standards of an individual. He tried to establish a democratic society deliberating lessons on equality, tolerance, fraternity, non-violence and so on, and spread the message of social harmony.

The recent economic, social, scientific and technological developments have made us to forget that there is a spiritual spark inherent in every human being. This serious issue alienates one individual from the other. But long ago, during 15^th and 16^th centuries, Åšaá¹…karadeva declared spiritual equality of all men and denounced caste system. He promulgated that a genuine spiritual life would mould the character of an individual. His spiritualistic humanism tried to wipe off the prevailing social and other evils of his time. This paper is a trivial effort to find out how Åšaá¹…karadeva's spiritual mission has been exercising and restoring healthy influence on the moral, philosophical and social outlook of individuals of present society.