Two statements as Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are given below. Read them carefully and choose the correct option : Assertion (A) : Baba Guru Nanak Devji advocated Nirguna Bhakti. Reason (R) : For Baba Guru Nanak, the absolute or 'rab' had no gender or form.
Two statements as Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are given below. Read them carefully and choose the correct option : Assertion (A) : Baba Guru Nanak Devji advocated Nirguna Bhakti. Reason (R) : For Baba Guru Nanak, the absolute or 'rab' had no gender or form.
Options
Official answer
The correct option is (A) Assertion (A) is correct and Reason (R) is the correct explanation of Assertion (A).
Why:
- Assertion is true: Baba Guru Nanak advocated Nirguna Bhakti — devotion to a formless God.
- Reason is true and explains it: he described the absolute (rab) as having no gender and no form, which is precisely the meaning of Nirguna (attributeless) worship.
Marking scheme
- 1.1 mark for selecting option (A) — both A and R are true and R correctly explains A.
- 2.Full mark requires recognising that a formless, genderless 'rab' is the very basis of Nirguna Bhakti.
Hint
A formless, genderless God can only be worshipped as Nirguna — check whether the Reason gives exactly that logic.
Quick oral answer
Guru Nanak preached Nirguna Bhakti because for him God, or rab, had no form and no gender, so only devotion to a formless, attributeless divine made sense.
Common mistakes
- 1.Selecting (B) by treating the Reason as an unrelated fact — a formless, genderless God is the direct basis of Nirguna Bhakti.
- 2.Confusing Nirguna (formless) with Saguna (with form) Bhakti, which reverses the whole meaning of the Assertion.
Analysis and explanation
This assertion-reason item tests the meaning of Nirguna Bhakti through Guru Nanak.
Concept:
- Nirguna Bhakti is devotion to a God without attributes or form, as opposed to Saguna Bhakti (worship of God with form, such as Vishnu or Shiva).
Why the Assertion is correct:
- Guru Nanak rejected idol worship, rituals and the authority of the Vedas, emphasising a single formless divine.
Why the Reason is correct and explains it:
- Since, for Guru Nanak, rab had neither gender nor form, the only fitting devotion is to an attributeless God — which is exactly Nirguna Bhakti. The Reason therefore directly justifies the Assertion.
Why the other options fail:
- (B) wrongly claims R does not explain A; it does.
- (C) wrongly calls R incorrect.
- (D) wrongly calls A incorrect.
Interesting facts
Guru Nanak's teachings were preserved in a script called Gurmukhi and later compiled into the Guru Granth Sahib.
He expressed his ideas of the formless divine through hymns (shabad) set to specific ragas, blending music with devotion.
Question details
Q14 of 41 questions
- Board
- CBSE
- Class
- Class 12
- Subject
- History
- Year
- 2026
- Section
- Section A
- Marks
- 1
- Chapter
- Bhakti-Sufi Traditions: Changes in Religious Beliefs and Devotional Texts
- Topic
- Guru Nanak and Nirguna Bhakti
- Bloom's level
- understand
- Syllabus topic
- Theme 6: Bhakti-Sufi Traditions — Baba Guru Nanak and the Idea of a Formless God
- Author
- CBSE
- Reviewed by
- Padhantu Academic Team
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Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Nirguna and Saguna Bhakti?
Nirguna Bhakti is devotion to a formless, attributeless God (as taught by Guru Nanak and Kabir), while Saguna Bhakti worships God with form, such as Vishnu, Shiva or Devi.
Why is Reason the correct explanation of the Assertion here?
Because a God with no gender and no form can only be worshipped without attributes, which is exactly what Nirguna Bhakti means, so R directly explains A.