SHANKAR DEV

Shankaravara could run faster than all his friends and swim across
the Brahmaputra when it was in spate. But when his grandmother
scolded him for not paying attention to his books, he took her words
seriously. Named Shankar Dev by his guru, the young man fulfilled
all his duties as a student and a householder before embarking on a
voyage of self-discovery. A voyage which led to his starting the
Vaishnova movement in Assam.

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• NARAYAN MURTHY, CHIEF MENTOR. INFOSYS
88184
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SHANKAR PEV m
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Ik. J ^ /
PRAG-dyOTISH WAS THE NAME OF ANOENT ASSAM,
THE LANP OF MOUNTAINS, i^AlLEVS ANP THE R/UER
BRAHMAPUTRA. IN THESE MOUNTA/NS, NESTIEP THE
m.
LITTLE TOWN OF ALIPUKHUR/ .

tN ALIPUKHURI, IN THE TEAR /449,A SON SHANTARAM, THE FAMILY

WAS BORN TO THE SH/ROMi CALLEP IN
BHUVANS , OR CHIEFTAINS. f

LORP SHIVA \ / WHAT A BEAUTIFUL 5HIR0MANI

HAS QRANTEP ]/ CHILD HE IS^SATVA- ^ r^^^SU/WAVARAjVPUR
U5 OUR. WISH jl SANPHA! LET US CALL SON’S HOROSCOPE
AT LAST. /KhiM SHANKARAVARAt FORETELLS
A GREAT FUTURE
// for him.
f
t • Sr

• p*

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• • • , f
’ *-n ^ ^

r(;

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X

■>r

» OVERLORP -t VARA IS A BOON, AND SHANKARA IS ANOTHER NAME FOR SHIVA

1
 AMAR CHITRA KATHA SHANKAR DEV

NOT LONG fiFTER. THF\T, NUSUMAU/iRA TOO

OIEP. BUT UNPER THE LOVING CBRE OF
KHERSUTLy HIS GR/iNPMOTHER.,SHBNNfiRB-
VARA OREHL UP INTO A HEALTHV>
INTELLIGENT BOY . |--

HE COULP SMM ACROSS THE MIGHTS BRAHN1APUTRA p EVEN WHEN FT MAS IN SPATE^

HIS GREATEST LOVE HOWEVER WAS TO TENP COWS ANP TAKE THEM OUT TO GRATE.

f 'jktSNVMOTHLK 2
 AM.AR CHITRA KATHA
SHANKAR DEV
SHMNMRAVAM W/tS TY/ELVE ^EfiRS OLO Al, AREN’T Y GAMES ARE ALL VERY
WHEN ONEPW—I- ■ VOU QLAP ) WELL. BUT; TELL ME, HAVE
Al. I WAS WRESTLING THAT I WON?/ you PONE VOUR
tMlTM THE BOVS. ONCE
LESSONS
AGAIN I BEAT ALL Of TOPAVf
THEM I

SHANKARA,GO
ANP HAVE A WASH.
then come to

MV

NO, Al. IT... IT WA6

50 BRIGHT ANP
V SUNNV... ANP...

SHANHAR/S dOlNEP THE VILLAGE SCHOOL , CONDUCTEO 3V MA HENPRA (I HAVE NEVER

KANPAL!. HERE TOO, HE U/A5 EASILY THE BEST> |-, |i HAP A 6TUPENT
■'* AS BRILLIANT
AS SHANKARAI

4
 SHANKAK UfcV

AMAR CHITRA KATHA

...ANP COMPOSEP HIS OWN POEMS
SHANKARA'e> PASTIMES NOl^ TOOK
A SCHOLARLY TURN. HE REAP
ASSAMESE POETRV^..

ONE PAT ^ POOR SHANKARA HAS

FALLEN ASLEEP IN THE '
SUN . I SHALL WAKE HIM
UP ANP TELL HIM TO
SLEEP IN THE SHAPE.
 AMAR CHITRA KATHA
SHANKAR DEV
WITHIN A SHORT TIME WU NOW POSSESS
SHANKAR DBM MASTERED THE MOST V/^LOABLE
A HOUSEHOLDER ?
SANSKRIT AND THE GIFT —KNOWLEPGE.
PLEASE Al, NOT SO
SACRED TEXTS. HIS LET IT BENEFIT NOT
SOON. I HAVE OTHER
SCHOOL -DAYS WERE onlv yoci BUT
THINGS TO DO.
OVER,

OTHER THINGS TO
DO ? THE MOST
NATURAL THING
FOR YOU TO DO
NOW IS TO
MARRY/

FREE TO DO WHAT ? ^ l.-.ALL RIG

NO, SHANKARA . YOU MUST I SHALL DO I
MARRY AND HAVE SONS PLEASE YOU
>
TO CARRY ON THE j
^ family name. /

8 9
 AMAR CHITRA KATHA SHANKAR DEV
-~ __ __ ^ ap/xtj~r/F/ji_ GIRL NAME^ SUR.^AVAiTt. THE PA^S THAT FOLLOWEP WERE TROUBLBP ONES FOR SHIROAAANT
SHANKAR. P£V M^5 MAR^/E^ TO A &EAUr/FCJL ^^-

\ AM A SUCCESSPUL
RULER. I AM RESPECTED
3^ MW PEOPLE. AND WET-.
I AM PISCOMTENTEP.
I WEARN FOR SOMETHING.
WHAT IS IT? I MUST
FIND OUT.
OO

HE BEGAN TO SPENP MORE ANP MORE T/ME IN CONTEMPLATION. HIS

SOON, A CHILP y^AS BORN TO THEM. we’ll call her RELATIVES WERE WORR
HARIPRIVA.

ANP THEN SURNAVATl PlEP. SHANKAR PEV INTO THE PEPTHS OF I LONG TO FREE MVSELF IF VOU MUST, PLEASE WAIT
PEPRESS/PN. I-\- FROM THE SONPS OF TILL HARIPRIVA IS MARRIED .
MARRIAOE • • • CHILPREN •
m
LEADERSHIP ANP GO WE CAN TAKE ON THE SURPEN
o ATTACHMENT-•• PEATH- • •
AWAV — ON A OF RULING THE LAND; BLTT
MISER4 • • • IS THAT LONG PILGRIM i TO SEE VOUR DAUGHTER
/ ALL THERE 15 TO UFE ? AGE. WELL SETTLED IS
J X^^youR duty. ^

»'l‘ / ,
4

vV

10 11
 AMAR CHITRA KATHA SHANKAR DEV

50 SHANKAR PEV WAITED TILL HAR/PRIVA AMP 60 BEOAN SHANKAR DEV ^3

CAME OF AOE AMD MARRIED HER TO
HART, THE SON OF A BHU'/AN-

Wi m
•I'l

with seventeen others, INCLUPINO MAHENPRA KANPAH, SHANKAR. PEV

LEFT ALIPUKHURI, LATER, AT BRINPAVAN

THERE IS A GENTLENESS
IN THE FERVOUR OF THESE
DEVOTEES 5 AN INFECTIOUS
RHVTHM IN THEIR J
DEVOTIONAL SONGS! A

«
I

■i

12 13
 AMAR CHITRA KATHA SHANKAR DEV

WHAT IMPRESSEP HIM MOST HOWEVER WAS THE

THEY SING ANP PANCE WITH SIMPLE LANGUAGE OF THE PEVOTIONAL SONGS
THE CARELESS ABANPON OF SUNG IN THE TEMPLES.
A LOVER BEFORE THE BELOVEPj
LOVE ! VES I THEY
L A CHILP COUIQ
WORSHIP 60P OUT OF UNPERSTANP ANP
LOVE , NOT FEAR.
|SIN<3 THOSE
SONGS ? VET THEY
I FILL MY HEART
L WITH A PEACE
1^1 HAVE HOT
rSWfr'o KNOWN. P
r

BHAKTI THAT TEACHES FOR TWELVE VEARS SHANKAR PEV ANP HIS
man to love, not FEAR COMPANIONS ROAMED THE COUNTRV.
SHfitNK/iR. P£l/ ALSO SA\P MUSICAL FLA VS ON TH£ LIVES OF KRISHNA ANP RAMA.
QOPj BHAKTI THAT
TEACHES MAN TO LOVE,
NOT PE5PISE, HIS LESS
: FORTUNATE BROTHERS

14 * LOVING PEVOTION TO GOP

 AMAR CHITRA KATHA SHANKAR DEV

IF ONLY SOME PAY FILLEQ WrTH SUCH THOUGHTS, SHHHMR PEV

I CDULP GIVE MY RETURNEP TO ALtPUKHURf.
PEOPLE THE BHAGAW/TT
IN THE LANGUAGE
THEY KNOW.

ffT THE TEMPLE I LISTEN CAREFULLV, SHANKAR PEV,

I THIS IS THAT (3REAT BC>OK WHICH \
\ IS NOT AVAILABLE IN OUR. OWN ^

Al, I HAVE SEEN WILL YOU GIVE ME THE

MUCH. I HAVE ONE THING I WANT f
LEARNT MUCH ANP SURYAVATI PIEP W|-moUT
I HAVE BROUGHT bearing any sons.
BACK MUCH TO I WANT YOU TO MARRY
MY PEOPLE.

• f

* COPIES OF THE BHAOAWAT WERE HOT EASI i 17

HAP TO BE HANPWR.TTEN ON PALM LEAVES. PAYS AS THEY 16
 AMAR CHITRA KATHA SHANKAR DEV

AT last, FOR RERSUTt'S SAHE, SHANKAR AT BARPOWA. \NHERe HE A/OiV LtVEP, SHUN THE STRANGE PEITIES AND SOy THE EKASHARANA PHARMA,
PEV MARRIEP AGAIN ANP HAP THREE SHANKAR PEV SELECTEP A SECLUPEP THAT K/ILL BE PLEA5EP ONLV M/ITH SHANKAR PEV*S VAISHNAVA MOVEMENT
SONS. but he pip not let marriage PLACE ANP BUILT A NAMGHAR* THE BLOOP OF INNOCENT ANIMALS-
interfere with his spiritual life . THIS BECAME THE WELLSPR/NG OF WORSHIP THE ONE WHO IS CONTENT
THE NEW RELIGION. 1-- WITH VOUR LOVING ^
PEVOTION.

ONE PAV, A STRANGER CAME TO BARPOWA \

I COME FROM ^
PI5TANT PURI. I AM
SEE GOP IN VOUR. LOOKING FOR
ENEMV.LOVE HIM. ^ SHANKAR PEV. ^
SEE GOP IN /INIM/U^.
LOVE THEM. SEE I AM SHANKAR
GOP IN VOURSELF.
PEV. WHAT CAN
PO FOR voo

♦ HOU&E OF worship
18 19
 AMAR CHITRA KATHA SHANKAR DEV

HIS POETIC GENIUS BLOSSOMED, IT BECAME HIS MEDIUM FOR PROPAGATING THE
NEW PHARMA . HE COMPOSED PEPOTIONAL SONGS. uil

^ I SEEK NO SPELL OF \
happiness, anp salvation
IS NOT NH NEEP....LET/ME
HAVE PEVOTION AT THV
FEET ...THIS IS THE ^ HARI /
V FAVOUR I SEEK... A HARI I

V‘'

SHANKAR PEV MAPS THE TEACHINGS OF THE 3liAGA\OAT, THE BASIS OF HIS PHARMA

HE WROTE ANP STAGED A PlAV

CAU ED CHIHNA HA7RA IWHICH
TOOK SEVEN PAYS TO PERFORM.

ytw

SHANKAR DEV HIMSELF

IS PLAYING VISHNU. HOW
WELL THE ROLE SUITS
HIM

♦ ANOTHER NAME FOR VISHNU + PRAMA WITH PAINTINGS 2

20
 SHANKAR DEV
AMAR CHITRA KATHA_
PPT EVERV GREAT MOVEMENT /NVAR/A3LV PACES OPPOSmON. THE PR/E STS
-----" MUSIC ANP d/iCK-P^OPS , BEEN
hJEvEH B£FOR£ HAP A PLAV WITH ’ jkANSPORTED TO ANOTHER. VAR/OUS CULTS WERE UP /N ARMS.
PO YOU KNOW ? SHANKAR HOW PARE HE’
ENACTEP. THE PEOPLE FELT hS IF THEY HAP Fca ---
PEV REVILES OUR QOPS WE MUST PO
REALM. ^ ANP OUR SACRinCES! HE SOMETHING TO
FILLS the heaps STOP HIM-
OF THE our-
, CASTES WITH
IPEA5 ABOUT
^7
WORSHIPPING
I HAVE I SHALL GO TO k ONE SUPREME
never seen the NAM6HAR
ANYTHING evERV PAY TO
like THIS hear SHANKAR
BEFORE! ^ PEV. >

THE VA/SHNAVA5 BEGAN TO BE

HARASSEP. THEY WERE STONEP
ON THE STREETS ANP A&USEP.
FORGIVE THEM
THEY PIP IT
THROUGH
IGNORANCE. V

HACHARi * MiRif OARO ^ ANP HHASI * ALL PLOCKEP TO 7H£ NAMQHARS TO

HEAR rhLJVMRBATTtLE PREACHER^ ■ jm'■ 4 1
1 9
-
M

t'm IM
!>]BI im i

COME, MV brothers.
i
%;
WE ARE ALL EQUAL IN THE I 'K
EVES OF THE ONE GOP.
COME AS KRISHNA'-
PEVOTEES.

r WHV PQ ^
VOU HESITATE?
CO/V\E IN. THI5
temple is
k OPEN TO ALL.

* NAME OF A TRIBE 23
 AMAR CHITRA KATHA SHANKAR DEV

THE FLEEING VAISHNAVAS CROSSEP OVER. MAPHAV WAS SILENT FOR A

TO THE AHOM KINQPOM ANP SETTLEp ON MOMENT, THEN —
AN ISLANP,0N the RIVER BRAHMAPUTRA. I ACCEPT DEFEAT I TAKE you
devotion to VISHNU IN WITH OPEN
IS THE ONLV TRUTH. ARMS. VOU
ACCEPT ME AS VOUR SHALL BE A
DISCIPLE, MASTER. PILLAR OF THE
NEW RELIGION.

at the town of phuwahat in THE^ ARQPEP for over FOHR HOURS'

MAJULIj A MAN NAMEP MAOHAV PEV FINALLY, SHANKAR PEV QUOTEP A LINE
SHANKAR PEV'S COLOURFUL PLAVS ANP MELODIOUS SONGS STIRRED THE
CAME TO SEE SHANKAR PE.V. FROM THE BHAGA WAT PURANA- '

HEARTS OF THE DEVOTEES .

"AS THE BRANCHES AND LEAVES OF \ ... JUST AS WATER
A LEARNED MAN u HOLDS THE LOTUS, j for without
A TREE ARE N0UR.I6HED BV THE I
READS HOLV BOOKS, \ g(jT ONLV THE BLACK I PEVOTION, THERE
POURING OF WATER ONLV AT THE I BUT ONLV A DEVOTEE I SUCKS ITS J CAH BE NO
ROOT; A5 THE LIMBS OF THE BODY /
REALISES THEIR HONEY... SALVATION.
ARE NOURISHED BV PUTTING FOOD / ESSENCE...
ONLV IN THE STOMACH; SO ALL
GODS AND GODDESSES ARE PRO-Z'^^B
PITIATED BV / ^ Ci
■*
FT !,
2^ THE WORSHIP K MH r
n ^ OF VISHNU." 4 W^\
s f
/’

/
/
/i
\
\
\
\

ANP MAPHAV BEOAN A PEBATE

WHERE CHANTING THE LORDlS NAME IS ENOUGH TO ATTAIN SALVATION
WITH SHANKAR PEV. » A FAITH
t-JL
25
24
 amar chitra katha SHANKAR DEV

A STRANGE I SUSPECT THAT SHANKAR DEV RELUCTANTLY

BUT /miSFOflTUNe STKUCK A6AIN ■ HE TOO HAS BEEN ESCAPED iNTTH SOME OF HIS
ORPER
TURNEP AGAINST US. FOLLOWERS TO MAJUL!.
inpeep!
/ the KINQ’6 NOTHING CAN SE
MEN ! WHAT VO PONE. WE SHALL
they want (* ^ THE KING HAVE TO JOIN THE
ORPE.R5 the BHUyAN5 EI^PEPITION .
living here to join
IN THE ROYAL
ELEPHANT -TRAPPING
EAPEPITION.

S. 1

L MAPHAV DEV WAS RELEASED BECAUSE

MADHAV DEV AND SHANKAR DEV’S
WAS A HOLY man. BUT HAR! WAS BEHEADED.
v! SONHN-LAW, HARh WERE CAPTURED.
II
Tv

AFTER THE HUNT» SHANKAR. DEV AND UNFORTUNATELY, THE \WlLD ELEPHANT!
H/S FOLLOWERS WERE ORDERED TO BROKE THROUGH THE ENCLOSURE AND
GUARD THE ANIMAL 5 •

when MADHAV dev brought THE NEWS

TO SHANKAR DEV —

LEAVING MAUULI, THE VAISHNAVAS

SETTLED DOWN AT BARPETA, IN THE HOC
KINGDOM OF THE KING ,NARANARAVANA.

27
 AMAR CHITRA KATHA SHANKAR DEV

FROM 3ARP£TA, SHANKAR DEV ALONC ^HEN SHANKAR OEV RETURNED TO BARPETA AFTER OOMPLETINCt HIS SECONO
WITH A FEW OF HIS FOLLOWERS SET pilgrimage of BHARATMARSHAy"^ HE FOUND THAT THE NAMOHARS WERE FULL.
OUT ON A SECONO PILGRIMAGE •
IT IS GOOD TO SEE IT IS ONLY NATURAL, SRIMANTAT
THAT SO MANY MORE THE EKASHARANA PHARMA IS
have embraced THE LIKE A REFRESHING FOUNTAIN
PHARMA WHERE ALL TRAVELLERS MAY QUENCH
k THEIR THIRST. ^

IS.
I
L

BUT THE ORTHOPOX PEOPLE OF BARPETA BEGAN TO POISON THE MINDS OF KING
NARANARAVANA AND THE CROWN PRINCE^ CHHA RATA, AGAINST SHANKAR DEV.
YOUR MAJESTY, THIS SHANKAR ALL RIGHT. SUMMON V '
DEV IS BENT ON BREAKING ALL HIM TO COURT. LET iJ ^ \

THE RELIGIOUS LAWS OF THE HIM ANSWER YOUR

\ KINGDOM. HE IS A CHARGES HIMSELF.,
^ \ DANGEROUS MAN.y

BUT WE HAVE V'OUR GURUPEV TRULV )

PEPRIVEP THE / HAS COMPASSION
HUNTER QF FOR ALL LIVING
HIS ?00V. I'LL BEINGd*
LEAVE THIS COIN
HERE - FOR HIM
TO Buy FOOP F
HIS FAMILV.
j fm 1 IIw* rWL^ L " ^- JLLf > f v .P .T*

SHANKAR DEV CAME TO COURT AND ANSWERED T!lEIR CHARGES WITH ALL HUMILITY,
WHAT KINP OF A " lord JAGANNATH
HOLY MAN ARE YOU? IS MY GURU.
YOU DON’T EVEN ISN’T THAT
have a SPIRITUAL > k ENOUGH P
hw GURU. ^

^ INDIA * A TERM OF RESPECT

28
 AMAR CHITRA KATHA

MAKE KOCH VOOR

/ HOW HOLLOW the
f CHARGES LEVELLEP
I AGAINST HIM ARE j
,f HOME AND LET MV
PEOPLE BENEFIT
BV VOUR WI600M.

CHITRA

Tulsida^
R4m Mansis
It brought Raiuayana to the masses

F>PO>H THEN ON SHHNkHR OEV SPENT HiANY ...AND GAVE UP HIS MORTAL 30DY.
PEACEFUL YEARS tN THE KOCH KINGDOM.
CO***
WHEN HE WAS 120 YEARS OLD HE NOMINAT¬ »U2SA
ED MAPHAV PEi^ AS HIS SUCCESSOR...

T,-

It

30
Read the story in Amar Chitra Katha^- [M.y\