Bhaktamal

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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]

Commentaries, translations and adaptations[]

  • Hindi commentary titled Bhaktirasbodhini by Priyadas in 1712.[4]
  • 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.[5]
  • 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. ^ 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.
  5. ^ Callewaert, Winand M.; Lāṭha, Mukunda, eds. (1989). "Do we know Nāmdev?". The Hindī Padāvalī of Nāmdev. Peeters Publishers. p. 24. ISBN 9789068311075.
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