RAS question
Who among the following Bhakti saints composed 'Padavali' in their respective languages, describing the divine love of Radha and Krishna?
Correct answer: (C) Vidyapati and Chandidas.
Vidyapati and Chandidas composed Padavali-style lyrics in their respective literary traditions on the divine love of Radha and Krishna.
Explanation
The answer is Vidyapati and Chandidas because Padavali poetry is centred on Radha and Krishna, not merely on famous Bhakti poets in general. Banglapedia's account of Vaisnava literature says that Chandidas composed many lyrics on the story of Radha and Krishna, while Vidyapati of Mithila composed many lyrics on that theme in Brajabuli. Banglapedia also defines Padavali as Vaisnava lyrics meant to be sung, and later poets gave symbolic and spiritual meanings to the Radha-Krishna romance. Vidyapati is associated with the Maithili/Mithila tradition, Chandidas with the Bengali tradition, and both shaped the later Bengal Bhakti and Gaudiya Vaishnava milieu around Chaitanya.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Kabir and Raidas belong to the Nirguna stream, so they are not the right pair for Padavali lyrics celebrating the love of Radha and Krishna.
- (B) Surdas wrote in Braj Bhasha and Tulsidas in Awadhi, but Vidyapati and Chandidas are the pair specifically linked with this Radha-Krishna Padavali tradition.
- (D) Namdev and Tukaram are Marathi Bhakti saints, whereas Vidyapati and Chandidas belong to the eastern Radha-Krishna lyric tradition.
Concept
This tests the Saguna Vaishnava strand of the Bhakti movement, especially regional devotional literature around Radha-Krishna. It recurs in RAS because medieval Bhakti questions often distinguish saints by language, region, sect and literary form.