Bhaktamal
Bhaktamal (Devanāgarī: भक्तमाल, IAST: Bhaktamāla) (c. 1600) is a poem in the Braja language which gives short biographies of more than two-hundred Bhaktas. It was composed by Nabhadas, a saint belonging to the tradition of Ramananda.[1][2][3]:14 Though considered a hagiography by some, the work is free from miraculous events, and is widely believed to be an unbiased account of Bhaktas across all sectarian paths.[2] In case of many Bhaktas, the Bhaktamal gives the earliest reliable account, and hence is considered an important source for literary and devotional history of northern India.[2]
About the author
Nabhadas (1570–1662) was born in a poor family in Gwalior and was blind since birth.[3]:243 He was abandoned by his parents in a forest when he was five years old.[3]:243 He was rescued by a saint by the name Agradas who raised him as his son.[3]:243 His other notable work is Ramashtayam in Braja.[3]:243
Commentaries, translations and adaptations
- Hindi commentary titled Bhaktirasbodhini. Authored by Priyadas in 1712.[4]
- A Rajasthani adaptation titled Dadupanthi Bhaktamal. Authored by Raghavdas in 1720. This work gives biographies of 1200 saints of the Dadupanthi order.[1]
- A Gurmukhi commentary authored by Bhai Gurdas in the eighteenth century.[5]
- Hindi commentary titled Bhaktamalpradipan in Persian manuscript. Authored by Tulsiram in the eighteenth century.[1]
- A Bengali adaptation titled Bhaktamal. Authored by Loldas in eighteenth century.[3]
- Hindi translation titled Bhaktakalpadruma. Authored by Pratap Sinha in the nineteenth century.[1]
- Hindi translation titled Shri Bhaktamal: Tika, Tilak, aur Namavali Sahit. Authored by Sitaramsharan Bhagavan Prasad in 1903.[1]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 Pinch, William R. (1996). "Ramanand and Ramanandis". Peasants and Monks in British India. University of California Press. pp. 48, 54–56. ISBN 9780520916302.
- 1 2 3 Lochtefeld, James G. (2001). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism: A-M. New York, New York, United States of America: Rosen Publishing Group. p. 98. ISBN 9780823931798.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Mukherjee, Sumit (1998). A Dictionary of Indian Literature, Volume 1. Orient Blackswan. p. 42. ISBN 9788125014539.
- ↑ Lutgendorf, Philip (1994). "The quest for the legendary Tulsidās". In Callewaert, Winand M.; Snell, Rupert. According to Tradition: Hagiographical Writing in India. Wiesbaden, Germany: Otto Harrassowitz Verlag. pp. 65–85. ISBN 9783447035248.
- ↑ Callewaert, Winand M.; Lāṭha, Mukunda, eds. (1989). "Do we know Nāmdev?". The Hindī Padāvalī of Nāmdev. Peeters Publishers. p. 24. ISBN 9789068311075.