Surdas | |
|---|---|
 A commemorative postage stamp on Surdas issued by India Post on 1 October 1952 | |
| Personal life | |
| Born | c. 1483 Gram Sihi,Faridabad,Delhi Sultanate |
| Died | c. 1563 Braj Parsauli,Mughal Empire |
| Parents | |
| Known for | Influencing theBhakti movements,Sant Mat, |
| Religious life | |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Philosophy | Bhakti |
| Religious career | |
Surdas was a 16th-century blindHindu devotionalpoet andsinger, who was known for his works written in praise ofKrishna.[2] His compositions captured his devotion towards Krishna. Most of his poems were written in the Braj language, while some were also written in other dialects of medieval Hindi, like Awadhi.[3]
Sūrdās's biography is most often told through the lens of theVallabha Sampradāya aka thePuṣṭimārga. The Puṣṭimārga regards Sūrdās as an initiated disciple ofVallabha, and his hagiography is told in theCaurāsī Vaiṣṇavan kī Vārtā by Gokulnāth and Harirāy. Sūrdās' poems, along with those of other Aṣṭachāp poets, form a central part of Puṣṭimārga liturgical singing-worship. However modern scholars consider the connection between Sūrdās and Vallabha and his sect to be ahistorical.[4]
The bookSur Sagar (Sur's Ocean) is traditionally attributed to Surdas. However, many of the poems in the book seem to be written by later poets in Sur's name. The Sur Sagar in its present form focuses on descriptions of Krishna as the lovely child ofGokul andVraj, written from thegopis' perspective.
The Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature suggests a birth year of 1258 into a Brahmin family of Uttar Pradesh.[5]Encyclopædia Britannica states that his lifespan is "traditionally" given as 1483-1563.[6] Sources state he was either aSārasvata Brāhmaṇa, aJāṭa, or aḌhāṛhī.[7]
Surdas, whose name translates to "servant of the sun", is celebrated as the pinnacle of poetic artistry inBraj bhasha. This language is linked to theBraj region, where Krishna is said to have spent his childhood. The hagiographerNabha Dass, in hisBhaktamal, praised Surdas for his poetic skill, especially in depicting "Hari's playful acts", a reference to Krishna's divine activities. Surdas also composed poems about Ram and Sita but primarily focused on Krishna's life and deeds.[8]
Surdas's poetry was written in a dialect ofHindi calledBraj Bhasha, until then considered to be a very plebeian language, as the prevalent literary languages were eitherPersian orSanskrit. His work raised the status of the Braj Bhasha from a crude language to that of a literary one.[9]
Surdas's poems are collectively known as theSursagar or "Ocean of Sur" due to a large volume of poems attributed to his name. The traditional format of the Sursagar is divided into twelve parts, similar to the Hindu scripture, theBhagavata Purana. Just as theBhagavata Purana describes the life and actions ofKrishna, the Sursagar also takes on a similar feat with a majority of its poems dedicated to Krishna. Many of the poems found in Sursagar arepads, containing six to ten rhymed verses. Other subject matter covered includeRama andSita,Vishnu,Shiva, heroes within Hinduism likeGajendra andKing Bali, and the poet's spiritual struggles.[10][11]
Eight disciples ofVallabha Acharya are called theAṣṭachāp, (Eight seals in Hindi), named after the oral signaturechap written at the conclusion of literary works. Sur is considered to be the foremost among them.[12]
Several films have been made about the poet's life. These include:[13]Surdas (1939) by Krishna Dev Mehra,Bhakta Surdas (1942) byChaturbhuj Doshi,Sant Surdas (1975) byRavindra Dave,Chintamani Surdas (1988) by Ram Pahwa.
The legend of the blind poetBilwamangala (identified with Surdas) and Chintamani has also been adapted several times in Indian cinema. These films include:[13]Bilwamangal orBhagat Soordas (1919) by Rustomji Dhotiwala,Bilwamangal (1932),Chintamani (1933) by Kallakuri Sadasiva Rao,Chintamani (1937) byY. V. Rao,Bhakta Bilwamangal (1948) by Shanti Kumar,Bilwamangal (1954) byD. N. Madhok,Bhakta Bilwamangal (1954) by Pinaki Bhushan Mukherji,Chintamani (1956) byP. S. Ramakrishna Rao,Chintamani (1957) by M.N. Basavarajaiah,Chilamboli (1963) by G. K. Ramu,Bilwamangal (1976) by Gobinda Roy,Vilvamangal Ki Pratigya (1996) by Sanjay Virmani.
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