The ascetic, devotional sect of the Mahanubhavs -Those of the greatexperience - arose, like the much more popular bhakti movement ofthe Vårkaris centred in Pandharpur, in thirteenth century Maharastra.If in the beginning the Mahanubhavs had a fairly rapid expansion, especiallyin the northern and eastern regions of Maharastra, around theend of the fourteenth century their movement went underground aimingat a defensive isolation from the larger Hindü context. They centredthemselves in remote areas and villages. Although the prominentleaders among the early Mahanubhavs were brahma's (often convertsfrom the prevailing advaita vaißñavism), their followers were and aremostly non-brahma's, that is, low caste people and even untouchables.Outside of their own closed circles Mahanubhavs were met with prejudiceand distrust, at least up to the beginning of the twentieth century.In this volume the author offers an overview of the origins and mainreligious and doctrinal characteristics of the Mahanubhavs, discussingthose aspects which appear especially revealing of their differenceand nonconformity.
Tolerance was and still is a key notion in Neo-Hindu discourse. Its systematic articulation is to be found in the speeches and writings of Swami Vivekānanda. Inspired by his master Rāmakr . s . n . a, he proclaimed non-dual (advaita) Vedānta as the metaphysical basis of universal tolerance and brotherhood as well as of India's national identity. Conceptually, his notion of tolerance is to be understood as a hierarchical inclusivism, given that all religions are said to be ultimately included in Vedāntic Hinduism. The claim is that Advaita Vedānta is not a religion but Religion itself. Thus Vivekānanda promoted his understanding of Vedāntic Hinduism as the world religion based upon what he perceived to be universally valid ethical and metaphysical principles. Neo-Hinduism has had a profound, lasting influence among the educated middle classes of India and Vivekānanda was among those who paved the way for the independence movement of the early 20th century. The popular Western view of Hinduism as being synonymous with Advaita Vedānta is part and parcel of this heritage. The Indian gurus who have become popular in the West in the last hundred years are all indebted to the Vivekānandian model of spirituality.
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