Sant Vangmayachi Samajik Falshruti

Towards the end of the nineteenth century, when Justice Mahadev Govind Ranade articulated his position on the history of the Marathas in response to the needs of his time, sufficient historical sources were not yet available. Moreover, Marathi scholarship was largely unfamiliar with a precise theoretical understanding of the relationship between literature and society. (Ranade, however, did not require such a framework for his analysis.)

Although the position adopted by G. B. Sardar in the present book is, in many respects, similar to Ranade’s, his discussion is distinguished by a clear and systematic understanding of materialist historiography.

By providing a well-supported explanation of the social structure of medieval Maharashtra and the position occupied by Brahmins within it, Sardar demonstrates how the psychological subjugation of the Bahujan community was more significant than economic bondage during that period. Through numerous examples, he convincingly and coherently explains how the saints worked to loosen the grip of this psychological subjugation.

Sardar also examines the differences between the nature of religious authority in Europe and India, as well as the contrasting structures of their respective societies. He explains why the kind of social enlightenment that took place in Europe did not produce similar consequences in India. At the same time, he acknowledges the historical limitations that constrained the social contributions of the saints.

Although Sardar’s conclusions regarding the social consequences of saint literature are consistent with those of Justice Ranade, this book presents those conclusions through a distinct theoretical framework. It can therefore be regarded as an attempt to advance the discussion of the social role and significance of saint literature from a more systematic analytical perspective.

The book Sant Vangmayachi Samajik Phalashruti (The Social Impact of Saint Literature) stands out for its deep concern for Maharashtra’s cultural life, its generous and balanced perspective on the past, and the clarity of its analysis.

Debates and differences of opinion concerning saint literature had emerged within Marathi society as scholars examined history and literature from different ideological perspectives. This book can be seen as a constructive historical synthesis of those diverse viewpoints.