Volume VI Special Issue I January 2026

Name of Author : Bhaskar Jyoti Borah

Title of the paper : Śaṅkaradevas Literary Protest: Challenging Social Inequities through Bhakti and Vernacular Literature

Abstract: Srimanta Śaṅkaradeva 1449 to 1568, the saint, reformer, and literary genius of Assam, not only transformed the spiritual landscape of his time but also became a literary voice of social protest. Through his works including Bargīt devotional songs, Kīrtan Ghoṣā narrative poems, and Ankiyā Nāṭ one act plays he challenged social hierarchies, ritualistic orthodoxy, and caste-based discrimination. By employing the vernacular Assamese language, Śaṅkaradeva made profound philosophical and ethical ideas accessible to all, democratizing knowledge and devotion. His writings foreground Bhakti as a tool for social critique, advocating equality, compassion, and ethical conduct. This paper examines how his literary corpus functioned as instruments of resistance against social inequities, highlighting the intersections of devotion, literature, and social justice. Śaṅkaradeva emerges as both a spiritual guide and a reformist literary figure whose works continue to resonate in discussions of equity and moral conscience.

Keywords : Śaṅkaradeva, Bhakti, Social Reform, Vernacular Literature, Literary Protest

DOI :

Page Number : 141-146