Namdev, Namdev poetry, Yoga / Hindu, Yoga / Hindu poetry, Vaishnava (Krishna/Rama) poetry, poetry, Sikh poetry Namdev
India (1270 - 1350) Timeline
Yoga / Hindu : Vaishnava (Krishna/Rama)
Sikh

Poems by Namdev
Books - Links

Namdev was born about 1270 into a family of low-caste tailors, though as he grew he showed little interest in the family profession or in any worldly affairs. As is sometimes common in rural India, he was married as a child, at age 11. He eventually had four children. His marriage was not a happy one, however, as his wife belittled Namdev's devotion to God, while Namdev, for his part, did little to earn much needed income for the family.

Namdev came under the influence of the bhakti poet-saint Jnanadev, who was several years his senior. Namdev became a wandering minstrel, traveling through the countryside chanting and singing songs of devotion.

In his fifties, Namdev settled down again with a group of devotees that had gathered around him.

It was in the household of Namdev that Janabai served as a maid, a revered poet in her own right.

Namdev, like his mentor Jnanadev, was a devotee of the Vitthala movement, a pastoral sect with a distinctive bhakti (devotional) attitude dedicated to Krishna or Rama. Many poets and saints in the bhakhti traditions, including Namdev, are revered by the later Sikh religion, as well.

Poems by Namdev


Recommended Books: Namdev

Songs of the Saints from the Adi Granth Namdev, His Mind and Art: A linguistic Analysis of Namdev's Poetry Hindi Padavali of Namdev



Related Links

Namdev
http://www.sivanandadlshq.org/saints/namdev.htm
An extended biography of Namdev written by Swami Sivananda. Also includes references to Janabai, and Jnaneshwari.

Vitthalas (Verkari Panth)
http://philtar.ucsm.ac.uk/encyclopedia/hindu/devot/vitt.html
A brief overview of the Vitthala sect that Namdev addhered to.

Sikh Bhagats: Bhagat Namdevji
http://allaboutsikhs.com/bhagats/bhagatnamdev.htm
An exploration of Namdev's life and philosophy from a Sikh perspective.
Namdev