The Cambridge History of India, Vol. IV: The Mughul Period v4.c21.s1.1

v4.c21.s1.1

The Marāthās are typical hillmen, independent and freedom-loving, and their language and literature reflect these characteristics. Marāthī is a rugged tongue, with none of the courtly refinements of northern India, and the early poetic literature is the simple, natural expression of religious emotion. The earliest Marāthī poetry is an offshoot of the *Bhakti* movement which swept over India from the twelfth century A.D., and gave such an impetus to the development of vernaculars. Its essential doctrine is that salvation may be attained, independently of priests, ritual and caste, by devotion to the Divine Name. The Deity, whether manifested as Shiva, or Vishnu in his various incarnations, is Bhagavān, the Adorable, and his devotees are the Bhāgavatas. It has been not inaptly compared to the Protestant Reformation in Europe.