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==Biography== <!-- [[File:Sankardev-genealogy.svg|thumb|right|550px|Srimanta Sankardev's genealogy and relatives that played a role in his life and work's narrative. Sankardev himself drew his lineage from his great-grandfather Rajadhara. His grandmother was instrumental in raising him during his orphanhood and beyond. The brothers of his grandfather, Jayanta and Madhava dispensed the duties of the ''shiromani bhuyan'' during Sankardev's 20-year long first pilgrimage. A descendant of Jayanta, Kamalapriya, and her husband [[Chilarai]] were responsible for the royal [[Koch Kingdom|Koch]] support during the later part of his life. Puroshottam Thakur and Chaturbhuj Thakur, his grandsons, became important leaders in the religion Sankardev established.]] --> After the death of Sankardev, [[Madhavdev]] incorporated narrations of his life in prayer services, a practice that was followed by his apostles, and in due course of time a large body of biographical literature arose.<ref>{{harv|Neog|1980|p=2}}</ref> These are generally classed in two groups: early (those by Daityari Thakur, Bhusan Dwija, Ramananda Dwija and Vaikuntha Dwija) and late (''Guruvarnana'' by Aniruddha Das, the more than one anonymous ''Katha-guru-carits'', ''Bardowa-carit'', ''Sankardev caritra'' from Barpeta, the ''Saru-svarga-khanda'' and ''Bar-svarga-khanda'' by Sarvabhauma).<ref>{{harv|Neog|1980|p=3}}</ref> The authorship of the biography credited to Ramcaran Thakur, Daityari Thakur's father, is doubted and it is generally dated to the 17th-century and classed with the late biographies.<ref>{{harv|Neog|1980|pp=22–24}}</ref> In general, all biographies consider Sankardev as an incarnation of Vishnu, including that by Daityari Thakur, the earliest. The late biographies differ from the early group on the count that they ascribe supernatural feats to Sankardev, and describe miraculous events; and there is a tendency to read some events of the Bhagavata into his life.<ref>{{harv|Neog|1980|p=4}}</ref> The biographies are full of contradictions; even though the earlier ones are considered more accurate, not all they claim are true—Daityari Thakur's biography, the earliest one, claims Sankardev met with Chaitanya, which is now not accepted to be true.<ref>{{harv|Sarma|1990|p=38}}</ref> ===Early life: Bordowa=== [[File:Partha Pratim Bora Photography.jpg|thumb|Kirtan Ghar in the birthplace of Simanta Sankardev. ]] {{Sankardev's Family Tree}} Sankardev, then named Sankaravara,<ref>{{harv|Neog|1980|p=101}}</ref> was born into the Shiromani (chief) ''[[Bhuyan chieftains|Baro-Bhuyans]]'' family at [[Bordowa Than|Bordowa]] (Alipukhuri, Tembuani) in present-day [[Nagaon]] district in c1449.<ref>The traditional date of Sankardev's birth, generally considered correct, is in the month of Ashwin-Kartika (October) 1449 {{harv|Neog|1980|p=98}}. Assuming the middle of October as his birthdate in that year, his life span was 108 years, 10 months and a few days {{harv|Neog|1980|p=100}}.</ref> Though some authors have expressed doubt that Sankardev could have lived that long, considering that he was of good health 1449 is generally accepted.<ref>{{harv|Neog|1980|p=101}}</ref> The Baro-Bhuyans were independent landlords in Assam, and Sankardev belonged to the Kayastha(Kalita) family. His family-members, including parents Kusumvar Bhuyan and Satyasandhya Devi, were [[Sakta]]s. Sankardev lost his father to smallpox when he was about 7 years old,<ref>{{harv|Neog|1980|p=101f}}</ref> and his mother died either soon after his birth, or soon after his father's death;<ref>{{harv|Neog|1980|p=67}}</ref> and he was raised by his grandmother Khersuti. He began attending Mahendra Kandali's ''tol'' or ''chatrasaal'' (school) at the age of 12 and soon wrote his first verses ''[[karatala-kamala]]''. <!-- <blockquote> ''karatala kamala kamaladala nayana |''<br> ''bhavadava dahana gahana vana xayana ||''<br> ''napara napara para xatarata gamaya |''<br> ''xabhaya mabhaya bhaya xamahara xatataya ||''<br> ''kharatara varaxara hatadaxa vadana |''<br> ''khagachara nagadhara fanadhara xayana ||''<br> ''jagadagha mapahara bhavabhaya tarana |''<br> ''parapada layakara kamalaja nayana ||''<br> ''..'' </blockquote> --> The complete poem was written before he was taught the vowels except, of course, the first one, and is often cited as an example of the early flowering of his poetic genius. He stayed at the ''tol'' during his teens, and studied grammar and Indian scriptures.<ref name="Harv102">{{harv|Neog|1980|p=102}}</ref> He practised ''[[yoga]]'' (which he gave up later) and was physically very able,<ref>{{harv|Neog|1980|pp=102–103}}</ref> and according to legend, he could swim across the [[Brahmaputra]] while it was in spate. It is generally believed that he wrote his first work, ''Harishchandra upakhyan'', while at the ''tol''.<ref name="Harv102" /> Mahendra Kandali changed his name to 'Sankardev' while he was at school.<ref name="Harv102" /> ====Bhuyan ''shiromaniship''==== Sankardev soon mastered the major scriptures and thereafter left the ''tol'' in his late teens (c1465) to attend to his responsibilities as the Shiromani Bhuyan. He came to be known as the ''Dekagiri'' among his subjects and admirers. As Alipukhuri had become crowded, he moved his household from Alipukhuri to Bordowa. He married his first wife Suryavati when he was in his early 20s and a daughter, Manu, was born in about three years, but his wife died about nine months later.<ref>{{harv|Barman|1999|p=19}}</ref> ====First pilgrimage==== It is possible that the death of his wife increased his already existing spiritual inclination and he left for a twelve-year-long pilgrimage, sometime after his daughter was married to Hari, a Bhuyan scion. He handed over the maintenance of his household to his son-in-law Hari; the Bhuyan Shiromaniship to his grand uncles Jayanta and Madhav; and began his journey in 1481. He was accompanied by seventeen others including his friend and associate Ramaram and his teacher Mahendra Kandali.<ref>{{harv|Neog|1980|p=103}}</ref> At this point of time, he was 32. The pilgrimage took him to [[Puri]], [[Mathura, Uttar Pradesh|Mathura]], [[Dwarka|Dwaraka]], [[Vrindavan]], [[Gaya, India|Gaya]], [[Rameswaram]], [[Ayodhya]], [[Sitakunda]] and almost all the other major seats of the Vaishnavite religion in India. He seem to have spent many years at Jagannath-kshetra at Puri, where he read and explained the Brahma Purana to the priests and lay people.<ref>{{harv|Neog|1980|p=104}}</ref> At Badrikashram in 1488, he composed his first ''[[borgeet]]''—''mana meri ram charanahi lagu''—in [[Brajavali]].<ref>{{harv|Neog|1980|p=179}}</ref> According to Katha Gurucharit, the first Borgeet was "Rama meri hridaya pankaje baise" and he composed it in 1481 at the very outset of the pilgrimage at a place called Rowmari.<ref>{{harv|Borkakoti|2006|p=92}}</ref> He returned home to Alipukhuri after 12 years (his family had moved back from Bordowa in his absence). During his pilgrimage, he became the part of a pan-Indian Bhakti movement and helped it blossom. ====''Shiromaniship'' refusal==== On his return from his pilgrimage (c1493), Sankardev refused to take back the Shiromaniship, though on the insistence of his elders, he took responsibility of a hundred families (''gomastha'') but he soon handed over the responsibility to his son-in-law Hari. On his grandmother's insistence, he married Kalindi at the age of 54. Finally, he moved back to Bordowa and constructed a temple (''devagriha'') in c1498,<ref>After five years, Sankara had a temple built for him a little away from the abode of householder" {{harv|Neog|1980|p=69}}</ref> possibly a thatched house, built on the original site of his father's house where he could meet with people, discuss religious matters and hold prayers, and preach. He wrote ''Bhakti pradipa'' and ''Rukmini harana''. Soon after, he received a copy of the [[Bhagavata Purana]] from Jagadisa Mishra of [[Mithila (ancient)|Mithila]], with Sridhara Swami's [[monism|monistic]] commentary "Bhavartha-dipika". Mishra recited and explained the entire Bhagavata in the presence of Sankardev and this event is considered critical in the development of Ekasarana.<ref>{{harv|Neog|1980|p=107}}</ref> Datyari, an early biographer of Sankardev writes: Sankardev listened with rapt attention to the exposition by Jagadish Mishra and realised that the ''Bhagavata'' was a scripture without parallel, a scripture that determined Krishna as the only God, ''naam'' as the real dharma, and ''aikantika-sarana'' and ''sat-sanga'' as the indispensable elements of the faith."<ref>{{harv|Sarma|1999|p=12}}</ref> He also began composing the ''Kirtana ghosha''. ====''Cihna-yatra''==== [[File:XUTRADHAR1.jpg|thumb|Xutradhar in Assamese Bhaona]] After his exposure to the detailed Bhagavata Purana and Sridhara Swami's commentary ''Bhavartha-dipika'', Sankardev produced a dance-drama called ''Cihna yatra'', for which he painted the ''[[Vaikuntha|Sapta vaikuntha]]'' (seven heavens), guided the making of musical instruments and played the instruments himself.<ref>The early biographers are silent on ''Cihna-yatra''. ''Katha-guru-carita'' and ''Borduwa-carita'', both late biographies, say ''Cihna-yatra'' was performed after Sankardev's first pilgrimage; only Ramcaran says Sankardev arranged it when he was 19 years old, which is unlikely according to [[Maheswar Neog]]. {{harv|Neog|1980|p=107}}</ref><ref>But Bhuban Chandra Bhuyan, Dr. Sanjib Kumar Borkakoti etc have opined that Cihna yatra was enacted before the pilgrimage, to be precise in 1468 AD.{{harv|Borkakoti|2005|p=17}}</ref> According to other biographers, Sankardev produced ''Maha-nata'' in the presence of Jagdish Mishra in the temple he had constructed at Alipukhuri.<ref>{{harv|Neog|1980|p=108}}</ref> According to Neog, this was the point when Sankardev decided to preach a new religion. Some of the first to be initiated into this religion was the wife of Jayanta-dalai, a leper named Hariram (later Tulasiram), Ramaram his associate and Mahendra Kandali, his ''tol'' teacher.<ref>{{harv|Neog|1980|pp=108–109}}</ref> The 13 years at Alipukhuri was the period during which he reflected on Vaishnavism and on the form that would suit the spiritual and ethical needs of the people. Ananta Kandali, a profound scholar of Sanskrit, became his disciple during this time; he translated the later part of Canto X of the Bhagavata Purana after consulting Sankardev. From Alipukhuri Sankardev moved back to Bordowa in 1509 and built a ''thaan''. Some authors claim that this ''than'' had all the major features of a sattra (central ''kirtanghar'', ''cari-hati'' etc.),<ref>{{harv|Borkakoti|2006|p=23}}</ref> whereas many others assert that these features did not exist during Sankardev's time.<ref>"It is not known from biographical or contemporary literature of the period whether the sattra of Sankardev besides containing the prayer-hall and the shrine did really contain the system of ''cari-hati'' like that of later-day sattras". {{harv|Sarma|1966|p=105}}</ref><ref>"It may be recalled (Daityari, Katha-guru-carit) that in Sankardev's days, the daily sittings...were held in the open or under shades of trees" {{harv|Neog|1980|p=312}}</ref> This ''than'' was abandoned and more than a hundred years later in the middle of the 17th-century, Sankardev's granddaughter-in-law, Kanaklata, established it again.<ref>{{harv|Sarma|1966|p=93}}</ref> ====Literary works in the Baro-Bhuyan territories==== # Non-''Bhagavata'' group #* ''Harishcandra-Upakhyana'' #* ''Bhakti-pradip'' #* ''[[Kirtan Ghoxa|Kirtan-ghosa]]'' (''Uresa-varnana'') # Non-''Bhagavata'' mixed with ''Bhagavata'' elements, not influenced by Sridhara Swami #* ''Rukmini-harana-kavya'' # Lyrics #* ''[[Borgeet]]'' # ''Bhagavata'' tales, not from Book X #* ''Ajamilopakhyan'' (Book VI) #* ''Amrta-manthan'' (Book VIII) #* ''[[Kirtan Ghoxa|Kirtan-ghosa]]'' (''Ajamilopakhyan'', ''Prahlada-caritra'', ''Harmohana'', #* Sections ii–vi<ref>{{harv|Noeg|1980|p=160}}</ref><ref>{{harv|Barman|1999|p=120}}</ref> ===Ahom kingdom=== ====Gangmau==== [[Biswa Singha]], began his activities to remove the Bhuyans from power in the western part of the Brahmaputra valley in 1509. Furthermore, the Bhuyans in the Bordowa area picked up a quarrel with their [[Dimasa Kingdom|Kachari]] neighbours, and when attacked Sankardev advised the Bhuyans to move, which brought to an end the independence of this group of Bhuyans.<ref name="Harv69">{{harv|Neog|1980|p=69}}</ref> Sankardev and his associates first crossed the Brahmaputra river in 1516–17 and settled first at Singari and finally at Routa; and when Viswa Singha advanced towards Routa, Sankardev moved to Gangmau in the [[Ahom kingdom]] in 1527.<ref>[Neog, Maheswar, ''Śaṅkaradeva and his times'', p. 68]</ref><ref name="Harv69" /> At Gangmau they stayed for five years where Sankardev's eldest son Ramananda was born. At Gangmau, he wrote the drama ''Patniprasad''. In fact he lived alone at a place named Gajalasuti out of dissatisfaction with some relative. He penned the play there. ====Dhuwahat==== While at Gangmau, the [[Koch dynasty|Koch]] king [[Biswa Singha]] attacked the [[Ahom kingdom|Ahoms]]. The Bhuyans fought for the Ahoms and the Koch king was defeated. Due to the unsettled situation at Gangmau Sankardev next moved to Dhuwahat, near Ahatguri in present-day [[Majuli]], washed away by the Brahmaputra in 1913. The Bhuyans were settled here by the Ahoms with land and estate,<ref>"Ere long, the inroads of the Bhutanese and the Koches compelled them to shift their residence to Dhuwahat-Belaguri, where the Ahom monarch settled them with land and estate." {{harv|Sarma|1966|p=13}}</ref> Hari, Sankardev's son-in-law became a [[Saikia]], and his cousin Jagatananda, grandson of Jayanta received a title 'Ramarai'.<ref>{{harv|Barman|1999|p=37}}</ref> At Dhuwahat, he met his spiritual successor Madhavdev. [[Madhavdev]], a sakta, got into a religious altercation with his brother-in-law Ramadas who had recently converted to Vaishnavism. Ramadas took him to Sankardev, who, after a long debate, convinced him of the power and the efficacy of ''Ekasarana''. The acquisition of Madhavdev, with his talent in poetry, singing and dedication to his new-found religion and guru, was a significant event in the ''Ekasarana'' history. At Dhuwahat he managed to attract a wider attention and popularity and he initiated many others into his religion. The popularity of Ekasarana and the conversion of people alarmed the priestly Brahmins,<ref>{{harv|Sarma|1966|p=13}}</ref> who reacted with anger and hostility. Sankardev tried to diffuse their hostility—by meeting with them at the house of his relative Budha-Khan<ref name="Harv111">{{harv|Neog|1980|p=111}}</ref> and asking his Brahmin antagonists to install a wooden idol of Jagannath, called Madan-Mohan, at his religious seat. (Sankardev left this idol hanging on a tree when he took flight from Dhuwahat, and it was rescued years later by Vamshigopaldev and installed at Deberapar-sattra).<ref>{{harv|Neog|1980|p=376}}</ref><ref>The wooden idol was carved by one Korola Bhadai, and his invitation to the priests were conveyed by his brahmin associate Ramaram {{harv|Barman|1999|p=37}}</ref> The Brahmins finally complained to the Ahom king, [[Suhungmung]] (1497–1539), who summoned Sankardev to his court for a debate with them. Sankardev was able to convince the king that he was not a religious rebel and a threat to the social order, and the charges against him were dropped.<ref name="Harv111" /> The hostility, nevertheless, continued.<ref>{{harv|Neog|1980|p=112}}</ref> =====''Flight from Dhuwahat''===== Though the positions of the Bhuyans in the Ahom kingdom began comfortably—with Sankardev's son-in-law, Hari, becoming a [[Paik system|Paik]] officer and Ramrai, his cousin, becoming a royal official—the relationship gradually deteriorated. After the death of Viswasingha, who was inimical to the Bhuyans, and the rise of Naranarayan (1540), the Koch-Bhuyan relationship improved somewhat.<ref>"Prataprai Gabharu-Khan, who had escaped to Gauda when Viswasingha attacked them, returned to Kamrup and made a sort of alliance with Naranarayan" {{harv|Neog|1980|p=112}}</ref> Sometime in the 1540s during the reign of [[Suklenmung]] (1539–1552) a royal officer visited the region for an elephant capturing expedition. Hari did not make himself available and furthermore, an elephant escaped through a barrier managed by the Bhuyans. The officer took grave offence in this dereliction of duty and arrested Hari as well as Madhavdev. At [[Garhgaon]], Hari was executed and Madhavdev interned for about a year.<ref>{{harv|Barman|1999|p=38}}</ref> According to Daityari, taking advantage of the Koch advance against the Ahoms (1546–1547), Sankardev and his followers escaped from the Ahom kingdom as they fell behind the vanguard of the Koch army setting up their garrison in [[Narayanpur, Assam|Narayanpur]] further to the east.<ref>The year of Sankardev's escape is generally taken as 1546, first suggested by Bezbaroa {{harv|Neog|1980|p=113}}. Others suggest 1540 {{harv|Borkakoti|2012|p=26}}.</ref> ====Literary works in the Ahom kingdom==== # Arguments against those antagonistic to ''bhakti'' #* ''Kirtan-ghosa'' (''Pasanda-mardana'', ''Namaparadha'') #* ''(Vipra)-patni-prasad'' (Ankia Naat) # Tales from Krishna's early life #* ''Kirtan-ghosa'' (''sisu-lila'', ''rasa-krida'', ''kamsavadha'', ''gopi-uddhava-samvada'', ''kujir vancha-purana'', ''akrurar vancha-purana'') # ''[[Borgeet]]s'' ===Koch kingdom=== ====Sunpora==== Sankardev and his followers reached Kapalabari in Koch kingdom in later part of 1540 and put up there. But the water was very alkaline there. Several members including Madhavdev's mother Manorama died there. So after staying for some time at Kapalabari, Sankardev and his group moved to Sunpora in 1541.<ref>{{harv|Borkakoti|2012|p=27}}</ref> At Sunpora Sankardev initiated Bhavananda, a rich trader who had extensive business interest in the [[Garo Hills]] and Bhutan Hills besides Kamarupa. The trader, Narayana Das, settled at Janiya near [[Barpeta]] and took to agriculture. A man of the world otherwise, he soon flourished and became a provider to Sankardev and his devotees. He came to be known popularly as Thakur Ata. ====Patbausi==== After moving around, Sankardev settled at Patbausi near Barpeta in the [[Koch Kingdom]] and constructed a ''Kirtanghar'' (house of prayer). Some of the people he initiated here are Chakrapani Dwija and Sarvabhaum Bhattacharya, Brahmins; Govinda, a [[Garo people|Garo]]; Jayaram, a [[Bhutia]]; Madhai, a [[Pnar people|Jaintia]]; Jatiram, an ascetic; and Murari, a [[Koch people|Koch]]. [[Damodardev]], a Brahmin, was initiated by Sankardev. Damodardev was entrusted by Sankardev to initiate Brahmin disciples. A Sattra was also constructed for him at Patbausi itself. Later Damodardev became the founder of the Brahma Sanghati sect of Sankardev's religion. Among Sankardev's literary works, he completed his rendering of the Bhagavata Purana and wrote other independent works. He continued composing the Kirtan Ghosha, further translated the first canto of the [[Ramayana]] (''Adi Kanda'') and instructed Madhavdev to translate the last canto (''Uttara Kanda''), portions that were left undone by the 14th century poet [[Madhav Kandali]]. He wrote four plays: ''Rukmini harana'', ''Parijata harana'', ''Keligopala'' and ''Kalidamana''. Another play written at Patbausi, ''Kansa Vadha'', is lost. At Patbausi, he had lent his Bargeets numbering around 240 to Kamala Gayan. But unfortunately, Gayan's house was gutted and most of the ''borgeets'' were lost. Since that incident Sankardev stopped composing ''Bargeets''. Of the 240, 34 remain today. ====Second Pilgrimage==== Sankardev once again left for a pilgrimage in 1550 with a large party of 117 disciples that included Madhavdev, Ramrai, Ramaram, Thakur Ata and others. Thakur Ata had to return after just one day's journey. Madhavdev had to take entire responsibility of logistics. He on the request of Sankardev's wife Kalindi urged him to return from Puri and not proceed to Vrindavana. Sankardev and the group returned to Patbausi within six months in 1551. ====Koch capital and Bheladanga==== On receiving repeated complaints that Sankardev was corrupting the minds of the people by spreading a new religion [[Nara Narayan]], the Koch king, ordered Sankardev's arrest, and Sankardev went into hiding.<ref>{{harv|Barman|1999|p=49}} The complainant was Vidyvagisha Chakravarty, though Kanthabhushan, the royal priest who was Ramarama's son-in-law, protested. Not finding Sankardev, Thakur Ata and Gokulcand were arrested instead and tortured.</ref> [[Chilarai]]—the general of the Koch army, half-brother of the king and married to Kamalapriya the daughter of Sankardev's cousin Ramarai—then convinced the king to give Sankardev a hearing instead.<ref>{{harv|Barman|1999|p=50}}</ref> For the audience with Nara Narayan, as he moved up the steps to the court, Sankardev sang his Sanskrit ''totaka'' hymn, composed extempore, to Lord Krishna ''madhu daanava daarana deva varam'' <!-- <blockquote> ''madhu daanava daarana deva varam |''<br> ''vara vaarija locana cakra dharam ||''<br> ''dharani dhara dhaarana dheya param |''<br> ''paramaartha vidyaashubha naasha karam ||''<br> ''kara churnita chedipa bhuri bhagam |''<br> ''bhaga bhushana karchhita paada yugam ||''<br> ''yuga naayaka naagara vesha ruchim |''<br> ''ruchiraanga shupidhaana sharira suchim ||''<br> ''suchichamara vayunishebya tanum |''<br> ''tanumadhyaga deha suvesha hanum ||''<br> ''hanumanta harisha sahayaratam |''<br> ''rataranga parayana shatrunatam ||''<br> ''nata vartula sthula sudirgha bhujam |''<br> ''bhuja gadhipatalpa shayanamajam ||''<br> ''ajaramara vigraha vishwagurum |''<br> ''guru godhana kamada kalpatarum ||''<br> ''taruni manamohana sarva shubham |''<br> ''shubha mangala gaayaka nila nibham ||''<br> ''ibha kumbhaja mouktika malya vaham |''<br> ''vahalora samishtapa sarva saham ||''<br> ''sahajayati padma laksha chidam |''<br> ''chidanandana vinodana vedavidam ||''<br> ''vidusha mana mandana kambugalam |''<br> ''gala shobhita kaustabha bhimabalam ||''<br> ''balabhadra sahodara satya vapum |''<br> ''vapu nidrita vishwa surariripum ||''<br> ''ripujuthapa juthapa darpa harama |''<br> ''hara mouli nitristapadapja param ||''<br> ''paraloka sahaya sahasra mukham |''<br> ''mukharali kulakula malya sukham ||''<br> ''sukha mokshada rakshada mana manam |''<br> ''manasoparimeya sahasra phanam ||''<br> ''pranatoshmi natoshmi natoshmi harim |''<br> ''harivairi hutashana bhogya harim ||''<br> ''hari kinkara ''[[sankara]]'' isha pade |''<br> ''pada micchan gayati chamrita de ||''<br> ''...'' </blockquote> --> and as he sat down, he sang a ''[[borgeet]]'', ''narayana kahe bhakati karu tera'', playing on the name of the king. At the debate with the court pundits that followed, Sankardev was able to refute all allegations against him. The king declared him free and furthermore honored him with a seat close to the throne. Sankardev began to attend Naranarayana's court regularly, and received the freedom to propagate his teachings. Chilarai was instrumental in keeping Sankardev safe and supporting his work. Many of Sankardev's literary and dramatic works were completed in his domain with his patronage and protection. Sankardev acknowledged his appreciation in his play '[[Ram Vijaya]]'. Sankardev shuttled between [[Cooch Behar State|Koch Behar]] the capital and Patbausi his seat. He was often hosted by Chilarai, and on his request agreed to have the images of the childhood days of krishna at Vrindavan woven on cloth. He engaged the weavers of Tantikuchi, near Barpeta, to weave a forty-yard long tapestry panel. Sankaradeva provided the designs to be woven, chose the various colours of thread to be used, and supervised the weaving. It took about a year to complete and, deriving its name from its theme, came to be known as the [[Vrindavani vastra]]. It was presented to [[Chilarai]] and Naranarayan. A section of this cloth is preserved now in the [[Victoria and Albert Museum|Victoria and Albert museum]] in [[London]]. Chandsai, a Muslim tailor serving the Koch king became a disciple of Sankardev at Kochbehar. When Sankardev returned to Patbausi some time later, Chandsai too came with the saint. Sankardev frequented the capital for more than 20 years and enjoyed unstinted royal patronage for the first time. ====End==== He made arrangements with Madhavdev and Thakur Ata and gave them various instructions at Patbausi and left the place for the last time. He set up his home at Bheladonga in Kochbehar. During his stay at Kochbehar, Maharaja Naranarayana expressed his wish to be initiated. Sankardev was reluctant to convert a king and declined to do so. (According to one of the biographers Ramcharan Thakur) A painful [[boil]]; a ''visha phohara'' – had appeared in some part of his body and this led to the passing away of the Saint. Thus, in 1568, after leading a most eventful life dedicated to enlightening humanity; the ''Mahapurusha'' breathed his last – after four months of his last stay at Bheladonga– aged 120. ====Literary works in the Koch kingdom==== # ''Bhagavata'' tales, not from Book X #* ''Bali-chalana'' (Book VIII) #* ''Anadi-patana'' (Book III, ''Vamana-purana'') # ''Bhagavata'' tales from Books X, XI, XIII #* ''Kirtan-ghosa'' (''Jarasandha yudha'', ''Kalayavana badha'', ''Mucukunda-stuti'', ''Syamanta-haran'', ''Naradar-krishna-darsan'', ''Vipra-putra-anayana'', ''Daivakir-putra-anayana'', ''Veda-stuti'', ''Lilamala'', ''Rukminir-prem-kalah'', ''Bhrigu-pariksha'', ''srikrishnar-vaikuntha-prayana'', ''Chaturvimsati-avatar-varnana'', ''Tatparya'') # ''[[Gunamala]]'' #* Section i<ref>"The ''Bardowa-carit'' and, depending on it, Lakshminath Bezbaroa (in his ''Sankaradeva'') hold that five sections of the work (that is the whole book, without the first section) were composed much earlier, and that it was presented to one Satananda or Devidas at Gangmau" {{harv|Neog|1980|p=182}}</ref> # Renderings of Bhagavata Purana #* Bhagavata X (''Adi'') #* Bhagavata XI (with material from Books I and III) #* Bhagavata XII #* Bhagavata I #* Bhagavata II #* Bhagavata IX (lost) #* ''Kurukshetra'' (Book X, Uttarardha) #* ''Nimi-nava-siddha-samvada'' # From Ramayana #* Ramayana, ''Uttara-kanda'' # Lyrics #* Borgeets #* Totaya #* Bhatima # Doctrinal treatise #* ''Bhakti-ratnakar'' # Drama (Ankia Naat) #* ''Kali-daman'' #* ''Keli-gopal'' #* ''Rukmini-haran'' #* ''Parijat-haran'' #* ''Ram-vijay'' # Visual Art #* ''[[Vrindavani vastra]]'' – parts of this work are preserved in London. {{Srimanta_Sankardev_Timeline_graphical_timeline}}
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