The Contribution of Akka Mahadevi and Mirabai to Bhakti Literature: A Comparative Study from the 21st-Century Perspective

Abstract

This study aims to demonstrate the contribution of Akka Mahadevi and Mirabai to the Bhakti literature. This paper will explore the contribution of two classical female Hindu poet-saints by analyzing their selected poetry, a comparative analysis of Mahadevi’s devotion to Lord Shiva, and Mirabai’s devotion to Lord Krishna. These two famous women poets in the Middle Ages acted like social reformers and radical change makers in society; breaking the patriarchal norms, and erasing the distinction of caste, class, and language barriers to democratize spirituality through their artistic emotion of devotion and lyrical composition. The only possibility of self-expression available to women in a patriarchal society remained through spirituality. The spiritual imagery used in rebel saints' music reflects their societal estrangement. The argument in this study is divided into two parts, while Akka Mahadevi is aimed to define and describe the nature of devotion to Siva; and Mirabai is concerned with a woman’s ability to speak authoritatively by the nature of devotion to Lord Krishna. This study will emphasize how these two poets overcame the caste, class, and social disparity women faced in the Middle Ages by contextualizing the history and literary point of view by analyzing their poetry.