Surdas
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Surdas (1483 - 1573) was a Hindu poet, sant and musician of India. He is said to have been blind from birth.
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Prolific composition through Inner Vision
Surdas was a very prolific composer. He is known for his "Sur Sagar" (Ocean of Melody). This magnum opus is said to originally contain 100,000 poems or songs; however, today only 8,000 have survived. These songs on the life and adventures of Krishna were dictated by him to an assistant, who had to write faster than the poet could dictate! Endowed with an inner vision, the poet dictates as if he is seeing the exploits of Krishna directly.
Status of Brij Bhasha raised
Surdas' poetry was in the proto-Hindi language of Brij Bhasha. This dialect was considered to be a very plebian language. This was especially pronounced as the literary language of Hinduism was Sanskrit. Surdas' work is one of a number that are credited with raising Brij Bhasha from the status of a vulgate into that of a literary language.
Impact on Bhakti movement
The philosophy of Surdas' work is a reflection of the times. He was very much immersed in the Bhakti movement that was sweeping North India. This movement represented a grass roots spiritual empowerment of the masses. For the corresponding spiritual movement of the masses that happened in South India in the first millennium A.D. see South India's 75 Apostles of Bhakti.
Foremost of the Ashta-chaap
Eight Disciples of the Master-Teacher Vallabhacharya are called the Ashta-chaap, meaning, eight reprints (of the Master). Surdas is considered to be the foremost among them.
Shuddhadvaita
Due to the training he received from his spiritual guru, Surdas was a proponent of the Shuddhadvaita school of Vaishnavism (also known as Pushti Marg). This philosophy is based upon the spiritual metaphor of the Radha-Krishna Lila (The celestial dance between Radha and Lord Krishna). It propagates the path of Grace of God rather than merging in Him. This is derived from earlier saints such as the great Kabir Das.