Definition
Namdev (fl. thirteenth to fourteenth century) was a poet-saint from Maharashtra who composed hymns in praise of Vitthal (a local manifestation of Vishnu). He is also considered a precursor of the North Indian Sant tradition, which advocated devotion to a formless God.
Life and Works
Namdev is believed to have been born into a low-caste family in the state of Maharashtra, in central Western India. His family was chhimba by caste and was occupied either as calico printers or as tailors. The traditional dates given for Namdev are 1270–1350. ([3], p. 25) Namdev became an ardent devotee of the god Vitthal, a regional version of Vishnu/Krishna, whose cult (known as Varkari) is centered in the town of Pandharpur. ([7], p. 183) Pandharpur is sometimes given as Namdev’s birthplace, as is the town of Narsi Bahmani. ([9], p. 47) The steps to the Vitthal temple contain a shrine to Namdev on the purported site of his death. Sikhs and some Punjabi Hindus hold...
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References
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Prill, S. (2017). Namdev. In: Mandair, AP.S. (eds) Sikhism. Encyclopedia of Indian Religions. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-024-0846-1_500
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