Life and Conditions of the People of Hindustan (1200–1550 A.D.) c7.s4.8

c7.s4.8

A. *Loyalty to a Master or Superior.*—One of the paths to spiritual salvation recommended by Hindu religious philosophy and ethics was that of *Bhakti-marga* or the Path of Devotion. We are not concerned here with the connection of this doctrine with the far-reaching religious revolution that took place during our time in Northern India. We only want to emphasize that this essentially spiritual term of an ancient date was employed to give to the political relations between the ruler and the ruled a certain spiritual basis in Hindu society, when the status of an earthly and despotic ruler was raised to that of a spiritual Guru.² It was universally believed that the service of a master in every case required a complete and unqualified surrender of personality and will on the part of a person called upon to serve. The examination of the qualifications of the master and the principles for which he stood, were foreign to this essentially spiritual view of life.³