Bhaktamal

Bhaktamal (Hindi: भक्तमाल, IAST: Bhaktamāla), written c. 1585, is a poem in the Braj language that gives short biographies of more than 200 bhaktas. It was written by Nabha Dass, a saint belonging to the tradition of Ramananda.[1][2][3]: 14  Though considered a hagiography by some, the work recounts no miraculous events, and is widely believed to be an unbiased account of bhaktas across all sectarian paths.[2] The Bhaktamal gives the earliest reliable account of many bhaktas, and hence is considered an important source for literary and devotional history of northern India.[2]For example, Bhaktamal mentions about peity of Ramanandi saint Shri Bhagwanji of Gurdaspur (in Punjab) and miraculous powers of his disciple Shri Narainji, who founded the Ramanandi Vaishnav temple named Thakurdwara Bhagwan Narainji in Pandori dham in Gurdaspur, Punjab.[4]


In Bhaktamal, Goswami Nabha Das ji explains the lineage of Goswami Tulasidas ji, the author of Ramacharitmanas, and makes a mention of Shri Krishnadas Payahari ji of Galtaji and indirectly quotes his lineage too.

अनंतानंद पद परसि के लोकपालसे ते भये । गयेश करमचंद अल्ह पयहारी ॥
सारीरामदास श्रीरंग अवधि गुण महिमा भारी । तिनके नरहरि उदित ॥

“By touching the divine feet of Sri Anantānand, his disciples Sri Gayēśa, Sri Karamachand, Sri Alhadās , Sri Krishnadas Payahārī, Sri Sārīrāmadās, Sri śrīrangāchārya became equal to Loka-paals in virtues and glory! Thereafter Sri Narharidās appeared as the disciple of Sri śrīrangāchārya.”

— [Bhakta-maal, Chhappay 37 by Nabha das ji] [5]

Commentaries, translations and adaptations

  • Hindi commentary titled Bhaktirasbodhini by Priyadas in 1712.[6]
  • A Rajasthani adaptation, Dadupanthi Bhaktamal by Raghavdas in 1720. This work gives biographies of 1200 saints of the Dadupanthi order.[1]
  • A Gurmukhi commentary, by Bhai Gurdas in the eighteenth century.[7]
  • Hindi commentary Bhaktamalpradipan in Persian manuscript by Tulsiram in the eighteenth century.[1]
  • A Bengali adaptation, Bhaktamal by Loldas in eighteenth century.[3]
  • Hindi translation titled Bhaktakalpadruma by Pratap Sinha in the nineteenth century.[1]
  • Hindi translation titled Shri Bhaktamal: Tika, Tilak, aur Namavali Sahit by Sitaramsharan Bhagavan Prasad in 1903.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Pinch, William R. (1996). "Ramanand and Ramanandis". Peasants and Monks in British India. University of California Press. pp. 48, 54–56. ISBN 9780520916302.
  2. ^ a b c 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.
  3. ^ a b Mukherjee, Sumit (1998). A Dictionary of Indian Literature, Volume 1. Orient Blackswan. p. 42. ISBN 9788125014539.
  4. ^ Goswamy, B. N.; Grewal, J. S. (1969). The Mughal and Sikh Rulers and the Vaishnavas of Pindori: A Historical Interpretation of 52 Persian Documents. Indian Institute of Advanced Study.
  5. ^ "Goswāmi Tulasīdās". lordrama.co.in. Retrieved 2023-05-20.
  6. ^ Lutgendorf, Philip (1994). "The quest for the legendary Tulsidās". In Callewaert, Winand M.; Snell, Rupert (eds.). According to Tradition: Hagiographical Writing in India. Wiesbaden, Germany: Otto Harrassowitz Verlag. pp. 65–85. ISBN 9783447035248.
  7. ^ Callewaert, Winand M.; Lāṭha, Mukunda, eds. (1989). "Do we know Nāmdev?". The Hindī Padāvalī of Nāmdev. Peeters Publishers. p. 24. ISBN 9789068311075.