Namdev: Difference between revisions
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The earliest anthological record of Namdev's works occurs in the [[Sikh]] scriptures known as the ''[[Adi Granth]]'', compiled in 1604,{{sfnp|McGregor|1984|pp=40-42|ps=}} although Christian Novetzke notes that while the manuscript records of Namdev mostly date from the 17th- and 18th-centuries, there exists a manuscript from 1581 that presents a rarely-recounted variant version of Namdev's ''Tirthavli'', a Marathi-language autobiographical piece.{{sfnp|Novetzke|2013|pp=41-42|ps=}} It is evident that the ''Adi Granth'' record is not an accurate rendition of what Namdev wrote: the oral tradition, in particular, probably accounts significantly for the changes and additions that appear to have been made by that time. The numerous subsequently-produced manuscripts also show variances texts and additions works that are attributed to him. Of around 2500 ''[[abhanga]]s'' that were credited to him and written in the [[Marathi language]], perhaps only 600 - 700 are authentic.{{sfnp|McGregor|1984|pp=40-42|ps=}} The surviving manuscripts are geographically dispersed and of uncertain provenance.{{sfnp|Novetzke|2013|p=41|ps=}} |
The earliest anthological record of Namdev's works occurs in the [[Sikh]] scriptures known as the ''[[Adi Granth]]'', compiled in 1604,{{sfnp|McGregor|1984|pp=40-42|ps=}} although Christian Novetzke notes that while the manuscript records of Namdev mostly date from the 17th- and 18th-centuries, there exists a manuscript from 1581 that presents a rarely-recounted variant version of Namdev's ''Tirthavli'', a Marathi-language autobiographical piece.{{sfnp|Novetzke|2013|pp=41-42|ps=}} It is evident that the ''Adi Granth'' record is not an accurate rendition of what Namdev wrote: the oral tradition, in particular, probably accounts significantly for the changes and additions that appear to have been made by that time. The numerous subsequently-produced manuscripts also show variances texts and additions works that are attributed to him. Of around 2500 ''[[abhanga]]s'' that were credited to him and written in the [[Marathi language]], perhaps only 600 - 700 are authentic.{{sfnp|McGregor|1984|pp=40-42|ps=}} The surviving manuscripts are geographically dispersed and of uncertain provenance.{{sfnp|Novetzke|2013|p=41|ps=}} |
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==Representations== |
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Six hundred years after his death [[Namdev]] is still represented in the state of [[Punjab]], northwest India. He is portrayed in poster art found at two Punjabi shrines: one at Ghoman, which draws mainly Sikh devotees, and one in Bassi Panthana, which has a dominant Hindu base. These shrines produce and distribute portraits of Namdev that are strikingly different from each other. the two sites represent very different approaches to Namdev. Thus, an image of Namdev might be seen quite differently by Hindus fas compared to how Sikhs view it. |
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Namdev spent three days in Bassi Pathanda before moving to the village of Ghoman where he lived out the remainder of his life, which is what most Sikhs believe. The city of Ghoman grew with Namdev's fame. Today the quiet village is home to two Namdev shrines, one that commemorates the area where Namdev has meditated before, this is called a tapasthan. The second shrine surounds the first one and called a samadhi. The second of these shrines, hosts a festival between the months of December to January, in Namdev's honour. The Ghoman samadhi shrine is tended to by Sikhs, dressed with white turbans, known as the Bavas. The trace their ancestry back to Namdev's principle discipline in Ghoman. The Ghoman shrine, even though is Sikh base, has made an effort to include worship places for Hindu, Muslims and Sikh visitors. |
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The foundation of the stone of the Namdev Mandir in Bassi Pathana was laid on November 25, 1925. From this stone a committe had been formed to build a renple on this site associated with Namdev. The Mandir that was built is believed to be locate din the place that Namdev use to live while he resided in Bassi Pathana. The Namdev Mandir in Bassi Pathana functions as a Hindu temple whereby hyms and ceremonies often occur here. Although the literature in the [[Guru Granth Sahib]] contributes to Sikhism, it pertains a lot more to Hinduism and their understanding of Namdev. For hindus, Namdev is seen as a figure who happened to stay in Punjab and not as a Sikh bagat. This idea illustrated the shrine's representation Namdev available at the Bassi Pathana temple, that is mainly supported by the Hindu community. |
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The tensions between the similarities and differences in the Punjabi Sikh and Hindu portrayals of Namdev are evident in the various prints on the two largest Namdev shrines: Sri Namdev Darbar in Ghoram that is ran by the Sikhs and Aitihasik Sant Namdev Mandir in Bassi Pathana which is ran by the Hindus. Both shrines differ and have their own interpretations of the way in which Namdev lived his life, what he stood for and his personality. Even the manes of each shrine shows religious identity. This is seen when one says Darbar, in Sikism it is a reference to the divine court of God. Whereas in Hinduism, Aitihaskik shows the shrine is historical and Mandir is the most common Hindu word for temple.<ref>prill, susan. 2009. "representing sainthood in india: sikh and hindu visions of namdev." Material Religion 5, no. 2: 156-179. Academic Search Elite, EBSCOhost (accessed February 11, 2014</ref> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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Revision as of 09:20, 11 February 2014
Namdev | |
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| Born | c. 1270 CE Maharashtra, India |
| Died | c. 1350 CE Padharpur |
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| Philosophy | Bhakti |
| Senior posting | |
| Literary works | Bhagwat-Dharma |
| Part of a series on | |
| Hindu philosophy | |
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Namdev (traditionally, c. 1270 – c. 1350 CE) was a poet-saint who is significant to the Varkari sect of Hinduism. He is also venerated in Sikhism. He is traditionally believed to have been born in 1270 CE in the village of Narsi Bahmani, in Hingoli district (presently called Narsi Namdev) of Maharashtra, India. His father, a calico printer/tailor (Bhavsar), was named Damshet and his mother's name was Gonai (Gonabai). Most of the spiritual messages of Namdev emphasized the importance of living the life of a householder and that through marriage and having a family, one could attain Moksha.
Life
Details of the life of Namdev are vague.[1] He is traditionally believed to have lived between 1270 and 1350 but S. B. Kulkarni — according to Christian Novetzke, "one of the most prominent voices in the historical study of Maharashtrian sant figures" — has suggested that 1207-1287 is more likely, based on textual analysis.[2] Some scholars date him to around 1425[3] and another, R. Bharadvaj, proposes 1309-1372.[4]
Namdev was born into a Shudra caste.[3] He was married to Rajai and had a son, Vitha, both of whom wrote about him, as did his mother, Gonai. Contemporary references to him by a disciple, a potter, a guru and other close associates also exist. There are no references to him in the records and inscriptions of the then-ruling family and the first non-Varkari noting of him appears possibly to be in the Lilacaritra, a Mahanubhav-sect biography dating from 1278. Smrtisthala, a later Mahanubhav text from around 1310, may also possibly refer to him; after that, there are no references until a bakhar of around 1538.[5][a]
Tradition is that he was born in at Narsi Bahmani, near to Pandharpur in Maharashtra,[4] and that he spent much of his life in Punjab and was a cotton-printer.[1] The Lilacaritra suggests, however, that Namdev was a cattle-thief who assisted Vitthal. At an early age manifested a great devotion for Vitthal. Hagiography has Vitthal drinking milk offered by the young Namdev.[7][8][b] As a young man, Namdev became associated with the Varakari devotional movement and travelled throughout Maharashtra singing the praises of Vitthal. In some versions of the story his is accompanied by poet-saint Jnanadev. [10]A friendship between Namdev and Jnanesvar, a yogi-saint,[11] has been posited at least as far back as circa 1600 CE when Nabhadas, a hagiographer, noted it in his Bhaktamal.[1] Jnanesvar never referred to Namdev in his writings but perhaps had no cause to do so; Novetzke notes that "... Jnandev's songs generally did not concern biography or autobiography; the historical truth of their friendship is beyond my ken to determine and has remained an unsettled subject in Marathi scholarship for over a century."[12]
Namdev was generally considered to be a bhagat. The bhagats, both Hindu and Muskim, composed poems expressing their devotion to God in a way that is seen as consistent with Sikh belief. Many of the bhagats were of the lower caste and are thus often seen as social reformers in addition to their status as devotees. Namdev was usually described as a tailor or a calico pronter and thus on the lower end of the caste hierarchy.[13]
A tradition in Maharashtra is that Namdev died at the age of eighty in 1350 CE.[1] Sikh tradition maintains that his death place was the Punjabi village of Ghuman, although this is not universally accepted. Aside from a shrine there that marks his death, there are monuments at the other claimant places, being Pandharpur and the nearby Narsi Bahmani.[14][15]
Work
The literary works of Namdev were influenced by Vaishnavite philosophy[1] and a belief in Vithoba. Along with the Dnyaneshwari, a sacred work of Dnyaneshwar, and of Bhakti movement teacher-writers such as Tukaram, the writings of Namdev form the basis of the beliefs held by the Varkari sect of Hinduism.[16] He was thus among those responsible for disseminating the monotheistic Vithoba faith that had emerged first in the Karnataka region around the mid- to late-twelfth century and then spread to Pandharpur in Maharashtra.[17]
Namdev and Jnanesvar used the Marathi language to convey their beliefs rather than using the traditional Sanskrit language that was essentially a buttress for the pre-eminence of the Brahmin priests. Namdev's style was to compose simply-worded praise for Vithoba and to use a melodic device, called samkirtana, both of which were accessible to common people. Shima Iwao says that "He taught that all can be saved equally, without regard to caste, through devotion (bhakti) to Vithoba" and that he greatly influenced groups of people who were forbidden by the Brahmin elite from studying the Vedas, such as women and members of the Shudra and untouchable communities.[17]
The earliest anthological record of Namdev's works occurs in the Sikh scriptures known as the Adi Granth, compiled in 1604,[1] although Christian Novetzke notes that while the manuscript records of Namdev mostly date from the 17th- and 18th-centuries, there exists a manuscript from 1581 that presents a rarely-recounted variant version of Namdev's Tirthavli, a Marathi-language autobiographical piece.[18] It is evident that the Adi Granth record is not an accurate rendition of what Namdev wrote: the oral tradition, in particular, probably accounts significantly for the changes and additions that appear to have been made by that time. The numerous subsequently-produced manuscripts also show variances texts and additions works that are attributed to him. Of around 2500 abhangas that were credited to him and written in the Marathi language, perhaps only 600 - 700 are authentic.[1] The surviving manuscripts are geographically dispersed and of uncertain provenance.[19]
References
Notes
- ^ There was a revival of interest in the Marathi-language bhakti movement, of which Namdev had been a part, in the sixteenth century following the collapse of the Vijayanagara empire.[6]
- ^ The Mahanubhavs and Varkaris were antagonists and this is often reflected in their writings, especially in those of the former sect. Novetzke discusses the chronological and philological difficulties relating to the purported origins of the Lilacaritra and the traditionally-accepted year of birth and spelling of Namdev.[9]
Citations
- ^ a b c d e f g McGregor (1984), pp. 40–42
- ^ Novetzke (2013), pp. 45–46
- ^ a b Iwao (1988), p. 184
- ^ a b Novetzke (2013), p. 48
- ^ Novetzke (2013), pp. 42–44, 46
- ^ Iwao (1988), p. 185
- ^ prill, susan. 2009. "representing sainthood in india: sikh and hindu visions of namdev." Material Religion 5, no. 2: 156-179. Academic Search Elite, EBSCOhost (accessed February 11, 2014
- ^ Novetzke (2013), p. 43
- ^ Novetzke (2013), pp. 44
- ^ prill, susan. 2009. "representing sainthood in india: sikh and hindu visions of namdev." Material Religion 5, no. 2: 156-179. Academic Search Elite, EBSCOhost (accessed February 11, 2014
- ^ Novetzke (2013), p. 42
- ^ Novetzke (2013), pp. 42–43
- ^ prill, susan. 2009. "representing sainthood in india: sikh and hindu visions of namdev." Material Religion 5, no. 2: 156-179. Academic Search Elite, EBSCOhost (accessed February 11, 2014
- ^ Novetzke (2013), pp. 43, 48
- ^ Sadarangani (2004), p. 146
- ^ Iwao (1988), p. 186
- ^ a b Iwao (1988), pp. 184–185
- ^ Novetzke (2013), pp. 41–42
- ^ Novetzke (2013), p. 41
Bibliography
- Iwao, Shima (June–September 1988), "The Vithoba Faith of Maharashtra: The Vithoba Temple of Pandharpur and Its Mythological Structure" (PDF), Japanese Journal of Religious Studies, 15 (2–3), Nanzan Institute for Religion and Culture: 183–197, ISSN 0304-1042, archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-03-26
- McGregor, Ronald Stuart (1984), A History of Indian Literature, Otto Harrassowitz Verlag, ISBN 9783447024136
- Novetzke, Christian Lee (2013), Religion and Public Memory: A Cultural History of Saint Namdev in India, Columbia University Press, ISBN 9780231512565
- Sadarangani, Neeti M. (2004), Bhakti Poetry in Medieval India: Its Inception, Cultural Encounter and Impact, Sarup & Sons, ISBN 9788176254366