Ashtakam

ACHYUTĀŚHṬAKAM acyutaṃ keśavaṃ rāmanārāyaṇaṃ kṛśhṇadāmodaraṃ vāsudevaṃ harim | śrīdharaṃ mādhavaṃ gopikā vallabhaṃ jānakīnāyakaṃ rāmachandraṃ bhaje ‖ 1 ‖ Meaning: 1.1: I Worship You O Acyuta (the Infallible One), I Worship You O Keshava (Who Controls everyone, Who has beautiful Hair and Who killed demon Keshi), I Worship You O Rama the Incarnation of Narayana (Who is without any blemish), 1.2: I Worship You O Krishna (Who attracts others by His Divine Attributes and Beauty) Who is known as Damodara (because of being tied by Mother Yashoda around the waist) , I Worship You O Vasudeva (Who was the Son of Vasudeva), I Worship You O Hari (Who takes away the Sins, Who Receives the Offerings of the Yagna), 1.3: I Worship You O Sridhara (Who Bears Sri on His Chest), I Worship You O Madhava (Consort of Mahalakshmi), I Worship You O the One Who was the most Beloved of the Gopikas (the Cowherd Girls of Vrindavana) and 1.4: I Worship You O Ramachandra the Lord of Devi Janaki. achyutaṃ keśavaṃ satyabhāmādhavaṃ mādhavaṃ śrīdharaṃ rādhikā rādhitam | indirāmandiraṃ chetasā sundaraṃ devakīnandanaṃ nandajaṃ sandadhe ‖ 2 ‖ Meaning: 2.1: I Worship You O Acyuta (the Infallible One), I Worship You O Keshava (Who Controls everyone, Who has beautiful Hair and Who killed the demon Keshi), I Worship You O the One Who was the Lord of Satyabhama, 2.2: I Worship You O Madhava (Consort of Mahalakshmi), I Worship You O Sridhara (Who Bears Sri on His Chest), I Worship You O the One Who was Worshipped by Radhika, 2.3: I Worship You O the One Who is the Temple of Indira (i.e. the Sacred Abiding Place of Devi Mahalakshmi in His Heart), I Worship You O the One Who has a Beautiful Splendour, 2.4: I Worship You O the One Who was the Son of Devaki and I Worship You O the One Who became the Son of Nanda by being Given to him. viśhṇave jiśhṇave śaṅkane chakriṇe rukmiṇī rāhiṇe jānakī jānaye | vallavī vallabhāyārchitā yātmane kaṃsa vidhvaṃsine vaṃśine te namaḥ ‖ 3 ‖ Meaning: 3.1: I Worship You O Vishnu (the All-Pervading One), I Worship You O Jishnu (the ever Victorious One), I Worship You O the holder of Sankha (the Conch-Shell), I Worship You O the holder of Chakra (the Discus), 3.2: I Worship You O the One Who was extremely Dear to Rukmini (as Sri Krishna), and I Worship You O the One Who had Devi Janaki as His Wife (as Sri Rama), 3.3: I Worship You Who was Worshipped by the beloved Cowherd Girls of Vrindavana in their Hearts, 3.4: I reverantially Salute You O the One Who Destroyed Kamsa and Who Played beautiful Tunes in His Flute kṛśhṇa govinda he rāma nārāyaṇa śrīpate vāsudevājita śrīnidhe | acyutānanta he mādhavādhokśhaja dvārakānāyaka draupadīrakśhaka ‖ 4 ‖ 4.1: I Worship You O Krishna, the Incarnation of Govinda (Who can be known through Vedas), I Worship You O Rama, the Incarnation of Narayana (Who is without any blemish), 4.2: I Worship You O Sripati (the Consort of Sri), I Worship You O Vasudeva (Who was the Son of Vasudeva), the Unconquerable One, and I Worship You O Srinidhi (Who is the Storehouse of Sri), 4.3: I Worship You O Acyuta (Who is the Infallible One) and Endless, and I Worship You O Madhava (Consort of Mahalakshmi) the Incarnation of Adhokshaja (Who can be known only through Agamas), 4.4: I Worship You O the Lord of Dwaraka and One Who Saved Draupadi. rākśhasa kśhobhitaḥ sītayā śobhito daṇḍakāraṇyabhū puṇyatākāraṇaḥ | lakśhmaṇonānvito vānaraiḥ sevito agastya sampūjito rāghavaḥ pātu mām ‖ 5 ‖ Meaning: 5.1: I Worship You O the One Who Agitated the Rakshasas (as Sri Rama), and I Worship You O the One Who is Adorned by Devi Sita at His side, 5.2: I Worship You O the One Who was the Cause of Purification of the Land of Dandakaranya, 5.3: I Worship You O the One Who was Attended by Lakshmana, and Served by the Vanaras (Monkeys) , 5.4: I Worshipped You O the One Who was Worshipped by sage Agastya; O Raghava please Protect Me. dhenukāriśhṭakā'niśhṭikṛd-dveśhihā keśihā kaṃsahṛd-vaṃśikāvādakaḥ | pūtanākopakaḥ sūrajākhelano bālahopālakaḥ pātu māṃ sarvadā ‖ 6 ‖ 6.1: I Worship You O the One Who killed the Ass-demon Dhenuka and Bull-demon Aristaka who came with Evil intentions, 6.2: I Worship You O the One Who killed Horse-demon Keshi and took away the life of Kamsa, and I Worship You Who was a Player of beautiful Tunes in Flute, 6.3: I Worship You O the One Who showered His anger on Putana (by killing Her) and Who Played on the bank of river Yamuna, the river born of the Sun god, 6.4: I Worship You O Balagopala, Please Protect Me Always (by thwarting my dangers as You thwarted the attacks of the demons). bidyudud-yotavat-prasphurad-vāsasaṃ prāvṛḍam-bhodavat-prollasad-vigraham | vānyayā mālayā śobhitoraḥ sthalaṃ lohitāṅ-ghidvayaṃ vārijākśhaṃ bhaje ‖ 7 ‖ Meaning: 7.1: I Worship You O the One Whose Garments Flashed like the Rise of Lightning in the Sky, 7.2: I Worship You O the One Whose Handsome Form moved like the Clouds of the Rainy Season, 7.3: I Worship You O the One Whose Chest is Adorned with Vanamala (Garland of Wild Flowers) and 7.4: I Worship You O the One Whose Pair of Feet is Beautiful Reddish and Whose Eyes are Beautiful like Lotus. kuñchitaiḥ kuntalai bhrājamānānanaṃ ratnamauḻiṃ lasat-kuṇḍalaṃ gaṇḍayoḥ | hārakeyūrakaṃ kaṅkaṇa projjvalaṃ kiṅkiṇī mañjulaṃ śyāmalaṃ taṃ bhaje ‖ 8 ‖ 8.1: I Worship You O the One Whose Shining Face is Adorned with Beautiful Locks of Curly Hairs, 8.2: I Worship You O the One Whose Head is Adorned with Shining Gem, and Whose Face is Adorned with Shining Ear-Rings, 8.3: I Worship You O the One Whose Arms and Waist are Adorned with Shining Bracelets, 8.4: I Worship You O the One Whose Dark Body is Adorned with Tiny Bells making Pleasing Sounds. achyutasyāśhṭakaṃ yaḥ paṭhediśhṭadaṃ premataḥ pratyahaṃ pūruśhaḥ saspṛham | vṛttataḥ sundaraṃ kartṛ viśvambharaḥ tasya vaśyo hari rjāyate satvaram ‖ 9.1: Whoever Recites this Acyutashtakam, which is the Giver of Istha (Chosen Desire or nearness to Chosen Deity), 9.2: With Devotion, Everyday and with Longing for the Purusha (the Supreme Being), 9.3: This Acyutashtakam which Beautifully Encircles the All-Sustaining Being (with His various Names and Qualities), 9.4: (That Person) by the Will of Hari, will Quickly reach the Abode of Hari.

Why

why think of him before any thing done. Draupadi asked the Lord as to why he did not help her husband's to which the lord said they did not think it proper to remember me. even when duryodan said mama shaking will throw the dice on our behalf if they had said Krishna will play for us ..... but they did not. the consequence is there for all to see. THINK OF THE LORD MAKE IT YOUR BREATH THOUGHT SIGHT WORK PURPOSE OF LIFE. THATS THE ONLY WAY.

s and k y v

What was the reason Yanjalwakia came out from vaisampayana ? Once upon a time, an assembly of Brahmins was arranged in presence of Lord Brahma. All the Brahmin teachers and professors were invited. It was declared that who ever among the invited fails to attend the Brahmin assembly would be considered to have committed the sin of murder of a Brahmin (Brahmahatya). For some unavoidable circumstances, Professor Vaisampayana could not attend this meeting and acquired the sin of Brahmahatya. He assembled all his disciples and requested them to share the burden of the sin of murder. One of his disciples was Yajnavalkya. He was a great intellectual and was very powerful due to his knowledge. He came forward and suggested that he would take all the sin and manage it with his powers and requested Vaisampayana to let go other disciples. Vaisampayana was enraged at this request. He considered this request as arrogance of Yagnavalkya and completely out of line. Consequently, he ordered Yajnavalkya to give up all the learning that he learned from Vaisampayana and leave his school immediately. Yajnavalkya followed the orders of the professor and discarded all the learning, which immediately evaporated into the solar dimension. And he became poorer in his knowledge and hence in powers and luster. Yajnavalkya went to the Sun God and requested the Sun to teach him Yajurveda. The Sun God agreed to teach and asked him to follow him in the form a horse during his continuous travel across the skies and learn. Thus Yajnavlakya became a Vajasaneya, one who learned as a horse and a branch formed called Vajasaneya sakha. This Yajurveda learned by Yajnavlkya as a horse from the Sun God is called SuklaYajurveda and the earlier one that was learned from Vaismpayana was Krishna Yajurveda.

Venu gitam

The first five verses of Venu Geet glorify the autumnal month of Kartik. That supreme moment of Krishna's manifestation as human lover and divine incarnate is experienced through a celebration of nature in her most glorious state, in that magical time of the year which comes with Sharad Ritu, the autumnal season. That is when the skies are cleared of heavy black clouds, the waters flow clear and sweet and the air is luminous, and the whole of earth rejoices on being cleansed. In this enchanted season Krishna picks up his flute and breathes music into it. The magical sound fills the gopis with intoxication, peacocks dance, animal stand still entranced, the cows stop grazing. In this state of innocence all the elements of nature are perceived as living, sentient beings: the earth is blessed because Krishna has chosen to walk on her, the bamboo trees are proud that Krishna has chosen them for his music.All of them are filled with one bhava which pervades the atmosphere that of ecstatic devotion or shringara bhakti. The gopis see Krishna entering the forest of Vrindavan accompanied by His friends wearing a peacock crown and golden garments, in verse 5 of the Venu Geet. He is adorned with flowers in His ears and a forest garland around His neck. Filling the holes of His flute with the nectar of His lips, His entrance is not only into the beautiful forest of Vrindavan, but into the hearts of the gopis. In the next 14 verses of Venu Geet, the gopis sing the glories of Krishna's flute.The flute in the hands of Krishna is more than a musical instrument. It is the breath of love and a call to eternity. It is the sound of the flute that attracts the cows and draws the gopis, the milkmaids of Vrindavan, out of their homes for a romantic dalliance with Krishna. The gopis exclaim in verse 9 of Gopi Geet, “What act of great merit hath this flute performed in consequence of which it is drinking the nectar from the lips of Krishna without leaving the smallest particle for the gopis, the rightful enjoyers of it? What ! Is this more loved even than us, that night and day Krishna continues holding it?...Why did not the lord of Vraja make us flutes so that night and day we had remained with Hari Krishna.” As they stepped into youth, the gopis became intensely desirous of having Krishna's attentions for themselves alone. When Shri Krishna plays the flute a second time, the enlightenment of the gopis is five-fold. Firstly it is absolute renunciation. When the gopis hear even a single note, they know no other loyalty but to find Krishna even when they know that he is as capricious as the inconstant bee. Hearing the music, the gopis abruptly abandon husbands, children, calves, dinner on the stove to run to him. Heedless of their reputation, the adoration of the village women brings them into the dark forest. Krishna rebukes them and asks them to return to their duties back home. The second step is acquiring knowledge or sankhya. On an autumnal night when Krishna dances with them, He realizes that conceit and pride has affected the gopis' love for him, and He vanishes.With Krishna's disappearance, the gopis experience a depth of despair that carves a new dimension in their love; the gopis learn that Krishna is very much in and of this world yet He is above it, He is human and yet divine. Thirdly when Krishna reappears before the gopis and answers their questions on the different kind of love, He prepares the milkmaids for a love of selfless devotion. “ Your devotion for Me has increased now when you went through the agony of losing Me for a while.” Strangely enough, the gopis find themselves cleansed of their sensual desire for Krishna-as much as the hills and rivers and skies have been cleansed after the rain. Yoga or meditation is the fourth step of enlightenment; a delicately decisive moment in the progression of the gopis towards union with their Lord. No longer in search of satisfaction of their lust alone, stripped of pride and conceit, they urge one another into complete absorption in the joy of Krishna that does not require His human presence. Finally the cowherdesses' bhakti transforms into parabhakti or perfected devotion. Aching with separation, they begin to know the Krishna that abides in their hearts when they sing His praise and dwells in their longing for Him. They have begun to know their friend not as a separate singular god-like body, but mystically visualize Him as the world around them. And they instinctively renounce the desire for liberation and enlightenment, as well. Having imbibed the essence of His flute play, the milkmaids love Krishna constantly, freely, without purpose. While milking cows, draining curds, washing clothes on riverbanks, they gather in clusters at night to sing the dark God's glories

Gopi G

https://youtu.be/0lZ9eUgQ8sE

gopīgītam ॥

gopya ūcuḥ ।

jayati te'dhikaṃ janmanā vrajaḥ

     śrayata indirā śaśvadatra hi ।

dayita dṛśyatāṃ dikṣu tāvakā-

     stvayi dhṛtāsavastvāṃ vicinvate ॥ 1॥

śaradudāśaye sādhujātasa-

     tsarasijodaraśrīmuṣā dṛśā ।

suratanātha te'śulkadāsikā

     varada nighnato neha kiṃ vadhaḥ ॥ 2॥

viṣajalāpyayādvyālarākṣasā-

     dvarṣamārutādvaidyutānalāt ।

vṛṣamayātmajādviśvatobhayā-

     dṛṣabha te vayaṃ rakṣitā muhuḥ ॥ 3॥

na khalu gopikānandano bhavā-

     nakhiladehināmantarātmadṛk ।

vikhanasārthito viśvaguptaye

     sakha udeyivānsātvatāṃ kule ॥ 4॥

viracitābhayaṃ vṛṣṇidhurya te

     caraṇamīyuṣāṃ saṃsṛterbhayāt ।

karasaroruhaṃ kānta kāmadaṃ

     śirasi dhehi naḥ śrīkaragraham ॥ 5॥

vrajajanārtihanvīra yoṣitāṃ

     nijajanasmayadhvaṃsanasmita ।

bhaja sakhe bhavatkiṅkarīḥ sma no

     jalaruhānanaṃ cāru darśaya ॥ 6॥

praṇatadehināṃ pāpakarśanaṃ

     tṛṇacarānugaṃ śrīniketanam ।

phaṇiphaṇārpitaṃ te padāṃbujaṃ

     kṛṇu kuceṣu naḥ kṛndhi hṛcchayam ॥ 7॥

madhurayā girā valguvākyayā

     budhamanojñayā puṣkarekṣaṇa ।

vidhikarīrimā vīra muhyatī-

     radharasīdhunā''pyāyayasva naḥ ॥ 8॥

tava kathāmṛtaṃ taptajīvanaṃ

     kavibhirīḍitaṃ kalmaṣāpaham ।

śravaṇamaṅgalaṃ śrīmadātataṃ

     bhuvi gṛṇanti te bhūridā janāḥ ॥ 9॥

prahasitaṃ priya premavīkṣaṇaṃ

     viharaṇaṃ ca te dhyānamaṅgalam ।

rahasi saṃvido yā hṛdispṛśaḥ

     kuhaka no manaḥ kṣobhayanti hi ॥ 10॥

calasi yadvrajāccārayanpaśūn

     nalinasundaraṃ nātha te padam ।

śilatṛṇāṅkuraiḥ sīdatīti naḥ

     kalilatāṃ manaḥ kānta gacchati ॥ 11॥

dinaparikṣaye nīlakuntalai-

     rvanaruhānanaṃ bibhradāvṛtam ।

ghanarajasvalaṃ darśayanmuhu-

     rmanasi naḥ smaraṃ vīra yacchasi ॥ 12॥

praṇatakāmadaṃ padmajārcitaṃ dharaṇimaṇḍanaṃ dhyeyamāpadi । caraṇapaṅkajaṃ śantamaṃ ca te ramaṇa naḥ staneṣvarpayādhihan ॥ 13॥ suratavardhanaṃ śokanāśanaṃ svaritaveṇunā suṣṭhu cumbitam । itararāgavismāraṇaṃ nṛṇāṃ vitara vīra naste'dharāmṛtam ॥ 14॥ aṭati yadbhavānahni kānanaṃ truṭiryugāyate tvāmapaśyatām । kuṭilakuntalaṃ śrīmukhaṃ ca te jaḍa udīkṣatāṃ pakṣmakṛddṛśām ॥ 15॥ patisutānvayabhrātṛbāndhavā- nativilaṅghya te'ntyacyutāgatāḥ । gatividastavodgītamohitāḥ kitava yoṣitaḥ kastyajenniśi ॥ 16॥ rahasi saṃvidaṃ hṛcchayodayaṃ prahasitānanaṃ premavīkṣaṇam । bṛhaduraḥ śriyo vīkṣya dhāma te muhuratispṛhā muhyate manaḥ ॥ 17॥ vrajavanaukasāṃ vyaktiraṅga te vṛjinahantryalaṃ viśvamaṅgalam । tyaja manāk ca nastvatspṛhātmanāṃ svajanahṛdrujāṃ yanniṣūdanam ॥ 18॥ yatte sujātacaraṇāmburuhaṃ staneṣa bhītāḥ śanaiḥ priya dadhīmahi karkaśeṣu । tenāṭavīmaṭasi tadvyathate na kiṃsvit kūrpādibhirbhramati dhīrbhavadāyuṣāṃ naḥ ॥ 19॥ 

iti śrīmadbhāgavata mahāpurāṇe pāramahaṃsyāṃ saṃhitāyāṃ daśamaskandhe pūrvārdhe rāsakrīḍāyāṃ gopīgītaṃ nāmaikatriṃśo'dhyāyaḥ ॥

The gopīs said: O beloved, Your birth in the land of Vraja has made it exceedingly glorious, and thus Indirā, the goddess of fortune, always resides here. It is only for Your sake that we, Your devoted servants, maintain our lives. We have been searching everywhere for You, so please show Yourself to us.

2) O Lord of love, in beauty Your glance excels the whorl of the finest, most perfectly formed lotus within the autumn pond. O bestower of benedictions, You are killing the maidservants who have given themselves to You freely, without any price. Isn't this murder?

3) O greatest of personalities, You have repeatedly saved us from all kinds of danger —from poisoned water, from the terrible man-eater Agha, from the great rains, from the wind demon, from the fiery thunderbolt of Indra, from the bull demon and from the son of Maya Dānava.

4) You are not actually the son of the gopī Yaśodā, O friend, but rather the indwelling witness in the hearts of all embodied souls. Because Lord Brahmā prayed for You to come and protect the universe, You have now appeared in the Sātvata dynasty.

5) O best of the Vṛṣṇis, Your lotuslike hand, which holds the hand of the goddess of fortune, grants fearlessness to those who approach Your feet out of fear of material existence. O lover, please place that wish-fulfilling lotus hand on our heads.

6) O You who destroy the suffering of Vraja's people, O hero of all women, Your smile shatters the false pride of Your devotees. Please, dear friend, accept us as Your maidservants and show us Your beautiful lotus face.

7) Your lotus feet destroy the past sins of all embodied souls who surrender to them. Those feet follow after the cows in the pastures and are the eternal abode of the goddess of fortune. Since You once put those feet on the hoods of the great serpent Kāliya, please place them upon our breasts and tear away the lust in our hearts.

8) O lotus-eyed one, Your sweet voice and charming words, which attract the minds of the intelligent, are bewildering us more and more. Our dear hero, please revive Your maidservants with the nectar of Your lips.

9) The nectar of Your words and the descriptions of Your activities are the life and soul of those suffering in this material world. These narrations, transmitted by learned sages, eradicate one's sinful reactions and bestow good fortune upon whoever hears them. These narrations are broadcast all over the world and are filled with spiritual power. Certainly those who spread the message of Godhead are most munificent.

10) Your smiles, Your sweet, loving glances, the intimate pastimes and confidential talks we enjoyed with You — all these are auspicious to meditate upon, and they touch our hearts. But at the same time, O deceiver, they very much agitate our minds.

11) Dear master, dear lover, when You leave the cowherd village to herd the cows, our minds are disturbed with the thought that Your feet, more beautiful than a lotus, will be pricked by the spiked husks of grain and the rough grass and plants.

12) At the end of the day You repeatedly show us Your lotus face, covered with dark blue locks ofhair and thickly powdered with dust. Thus, O hero, You arouse lusty desires in our minds.

13) Your lotus feet, which are worshiped by Lord Brahmā, fulfill the desires of all who bow down to them. They are the ornament of the earth, they give the highest satisfaction, and in times of danger they are the appropriate object of meditation. O lover, O destroyer of anxiety, please put those lotus feet upon our breasts.

14) O hero, kindly distribute to us the nectar of Your lips, which enhances conjugal pleasure and vanquishes grief. 

That nectar is thoroughly relished by Your vibrating flute and makes people forget any other attachment.

15) When You go off to the forest during the day, a tiny fraction of a second becomes like a millennium for us because we cannot see You. And even when we can eagerly look upon Your beautiful face, so lovely with its adornment of curly locks, our pleasure is hindered by our eyelids, which were fashioned by the foolish creator.

16) Dear Acyuta, You know very well why we have come here. Who but a cheater like You would abandon young women who come to see Him in the middle of the night, enchanted by the loud song of His flute? Just to see You, we have completely rejected our husbands, children, ancestors, brothers and other relatives.

17) Our minds are repeatedly bewildered as we think of the intimate conversations we had with You in secret, feel the rise of lust in our hearts and remember Your smiling face, Your loving glances and Your broad chest, the resting place of the goddess of fortune. Thus we experience the most severe hankering for You.

18) O beloved, Your all-auspicious appearance vanquishes the distress of those living in Vraja's forests. Our minds long for Your association. Please give to us just a bit of that medicine, which counteracts the disease in Your devotees' hearts.

19) O dearly beloved! Your lotus feet are so soft that we place them gently on our breasts, fearing that Your feet will be hurt. Our life rests only in You. Our minds, therefore, are filled with anxiety that Your tender feet might be wounded by pebbles as You roam about on the forest path.

Namdeo the great.

 Saint Namdeo (29 October, 1270 - 1350) (Marathi: संत नामदेव) or Bhagat Namdeo was born on October 29, 1270 in the state of Maharashtra village of Narasi-Bamani, in Hingoli district (presently called Narsi Namdev).

His father, a calico printer/tailor (Bhavsar), was named Damshet and his mother's name was Gonabai. Most of the spiritual message of Bhagat Namdeo emphasized the importance of living the life of a householder (गृहस्थ जीवन) and that through marriage and having a family one could attain enlightenment.

Background :

The first biographer and auto-biographer in Marathi and the foremost proponent of Bhagawad-Dharma who propagated the religion right up to Punjab. Saint Namdev, a contemporary saint-poet of Saint Dnyaneshwar, is considered a prominent religious poet of Maharashtra. He was one the earliest writers who wrote in the Marathi language.

He is the foremost proponent of the Bhagwad-Dharma who reached beyond Maharashtra, right into Punjab. He also wrote some hymns in Hindi and Punjabi. His depth of devotion and talent in delivering Kirtan was of such a high standard that it is said even the Lord Pandurang swayed to his tune. Despite being a proponent of the Warkari sect, Saint Namdev established religious unity across the country.

Saint Namdeo was born in the year 1270 in the village of Narasi-Bamani, now located in the Hingoli District in Maharashtra. He was born to a tailor named Damasheti Relekar and his wife Gonai. Yadusheth, his ancestor in the seventh generation, was a devotee of Bhagawad-Dharma. Soon after his birth, his family moved to Pandharpur, where the prominent temple of Lord Vitthal (also called Vithoba) is located. Saint Namdev’s spent the better part of his life, spanning eighty years, at Pandharpur. His parents were devotees of Vithoba.

Namdev showed little interest in the family profession. Even as a child his devotion to Lord Vitthal was extraordinary - his sole occupation was to spend day and night in devotion to Vithoba. His devotion was so sincere that sometimes he would consider Vithoba to be his dearest brother or his play mate. According to a legend, when Namdev was five years old, his mother once gave him some food offerings for Vithoba and asked him to give it to Vithoba in the Pandharpur temple.

Namdev took the offerings and placed it before Vithoba's idol in the temple, asking Vithoba to accept the offerings. When he saw that his request was not being met, he told Vithoba that he would kill himself if Vithoba continued to ignore the offerings. Vithoba then appeared before him and ate the offerings in response to the utter devotion of young Namdev.

At the age of eleven, Namdev was married to Rajai. Namdev and Rajai had four sons namely Nara, Vitha, Gonda, Mahada and a daughter called Limbai. His elder sister, Aubai also lived with them. There were in all fifteen people in the household.

The year 1291 was a turning point in his life at the age of twenty-one when he met Saint Dnyaneshwar. Several records in various saint literatures have been found to the following event which is actually false but spread by some community to dominate Namdev -

Once, all the Saints like Dnyaneshwar, Nivruttinath, Sopandev, Muktabai, Namdeo, Chokhamela, Visoba Khechar, etc. had congregated at Saint Goroba’s house in Terdhoki. As instructed by Saint Dnyaneshwar, Saint Goroba tapped each saint’s pot (head) to find out who was spiritually mature.

The reference to the pot being tapped is because Saint Goroba was a potter and him being selected for the test shows his own spiritual maturity. On testing Saint Namdev, Saint Goroba expressed his opinion that Namdev was still immature, which was backed by Saint Muktabai. Miffed by this, Namdev complained to the Lord himself. But the Lord advised him to accept the 

But the Lord advised him to accept the guidance of Visoba Khechar and Namdev acquired a Guru.

He accepted Visoba Khechar as his ultimate Guru, through whom he actually saw the form of God.This Visoba Khechar was Brahmin actually.

His Kirtans have references to many holy books. This shows that he was well read and a great scholar. His Kirtans were so effective that it is said –

Namdev Kirtan kari, pudhe nache dev Panduranga (Namdev delivers his kirtan, in front of him dances the Lord Pandurang)

His goal in life was –

Nachu Kirtanache rangi, Dnyandeep lavu jagi (Will dance to the tune of Kirtan, light the lamp of knowledge the world over)

Namdev travelled through many parts of India, reciting his religious poems (Kirtans). In difficult times, he played the difficult role of uniting the people of Maharashtra spiritually. He is said to have lived for more than twenty years in the village of Ghuman in the Gurdaspur district of Punjab. The Sikh brethren in Punjab consider him one of their own, singing praises of him as Namdev Baba. Bahordas, Laddha, Vishnu Swami and Keshav Kaladhari were his disciples in Punjab.

He composed around 125 Abhangas in Hindi. Sixty-one of these came to be included in the Sikh Scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib as Namdevjiki Mukhbani (The holy songs of Namdev). There is an amazing similarity between the ShabdaKirtan of Punjab and the Warkari Kirtan of Maharashtra. A memorial in Ghuman, Punjab commemorates him. Temples in his memory have also been built in Rajasthan by the Sikhs.

In his early fifties, Namdev settled down at Pandharpur where he gathered around himself a group of devotees. His Abhangas became very popular and people thronged to listen to his Kirtans. Approximately 2500 of Namdev's Abhangas have been collected in NamdevVaachi Gaatha. The book also includes the long autobiographical poem Teerthaavali, talking about his travels in the company of Saint Dnyaneshwar.

This poem makes him the first auto-biographer in Marathi literature. He has also written a biography on Saint Dnyaneshwar through Aadi, Samadhi and Teerthavali, which makes him the first Marathi biographer. He continued to propagate the Bhagawad-Dharma for 50 years after the death of Saint Dnyaneshwar. Saint Namdev is regarded to have had a significant influence on Saint Tukaram.

He died in July, 1350 at the age of 80 in Pandharpur at the feet of the Lord at Pandharpur. He preferred to be a stepping stone at the temple in Pandharpur so that he would be forever blessed by the touch of innumerable saints and devotees stepping on him into the temple.

गोबिंद गोबिंद गोबिंद संगि नामदेउ मनु लीणा ॥ आढ दाम को छीपरो होइओ लाखीणा ॥

Gobindh Gobindh Gobindh Sang Namadhaeo Man Lena Aadt Dhaam Ko Shheparo Hoeiou Lakhena.

Naam Dayv's mind was absorbed into God Gobind Gobind, Gobind. The calico-printer, worth half a shell, became worth millions. - Sat Guru Arjan Dev Guru Granth Sahib (Page 487) Namdeo was married before he was eleven years of age to Rajabai, daughter of Govinda Sheti Sadavarte.

They had four sons and one daughter. Janabai, the family's maidservant and a devotee and poetess in her own right, records the tradition that Namdeo was born to Gonabai as a result of her worship of Vitthala in Pandharpur.

God's name was always on the lips of Namdeo. He was asked by the king to show miracles. He refused to do so and was thrown before a drunk elephant to be crushed to death. Under the influence of saint Jnanadeva, Namdev became part of

The  Bhakti Movement. Vitthala of Pandharpur was now the object of his devotion and he spent much of his time in worship and kirtan, chanting mostly verses of his own composition.

In the company of Jnanadeva and other saints, he roamed about the country and later came to the Punjab where he is said to have lived for more than twenty years at Ghuman, in Gurdaspur district, where a temple in the form of samadhi still preserves his memory.

In his early fifties, Namdev settled down at Pandharpur where he gathered around himself a group of devotees. His abhangas or devotional songs became very popular, and people thronged to listen to his kirtan. Namdeo's songs have been collected in Namdevachi Gatha which also includes the long autobiographical poem Tirathavah.

His Hindi verse and his extended visit to the Punjab carried his fame far beyond the borders of Maharashtra. Sixty-one of his hymns in fact came to be included in the Sikh Scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib. His hymns or shabads were very much a inspiration to the Sikh Gurus and they were able to identify the God in Namdeo's hymns with the Sikh version of the formless God.

Remembrance of God's Name central Namdeo is a pioneer of the Radical bhakti School. Though he appeared a century earlier than Kabir, his religious and social views are very much like those of Kabir. He unambiguously repudiates all the four fundamentals of Vaisnavism.

Though in his devotional approach, he is clearly a monotheist, he makes many pantheistic statements too, e.g., every thing is God; there is nothing but God; consider the world and God to be one; the foam and the water are not different. Chaturvedi writes: "Sant Namdeo seemed to believe both in transcendence and immanence, in pantheism and nondualism.

His devotion was purely of the non-attributional absolute. He also considers God to be immanent, everywhere, in all hearts, and the Creator of everything. Like Kabir and the Sufis, Namdeo is very other worldly. He says, "The strength of contempt of the world should be in the body an unchanging companion.

Message of Unity for All :

One should lay aside differences between oneself and others, and feel no anxiety for things of the world. Rānadé also writes: "He (Namdeo) tells us that it is impossible that the pursuit of God can be coupled with a life of Samsara. If it had been possible for a man to find God while he was pursuing Samsara, then Sanaka and others would not have grown mad about God.

If it had been possible for him to see God while carrying on the duties of a householder, the great Suka would not have gone to the forest to seek God. Had it been possible for people to find God in their homes, they would not have left them to find out. Nam Dev has left all these things, and is approaching God in utter submission."

Namdeo's cosmogenic views are also orthodox. He says that God created maya and "maya is the name of the power that placeth man in the womb." Indirectly, he is neither happy with the world, nor with human birth. To him, shop, shopkeeper, men and everything are unreal excepting God. Against this background, he sought release from the world and suggested renunciation: "Namdeo gave up trade, and devoted himself exclusively to the worship of God".

The world being a play of maya and not being a worthwhile arena for spiritual endeavours, Namdeo's goal was to have union with God through devotion and singing His praises. He says, "I perform worship, sing God's praises and meditate on Him for eight prahar in a day i.e., round the clock. At the same time, he suggests good conduct and purity of life. For, God created all men alike. Though he holds every person responsible for his acts, he clearly does not believe in a world rigidly governed by karma. Because he says: If everything were determined by karma, who created karma originally?

Sant Namdeo not only claims union with God, but, like Kabir, also states that more than once, God miraculously intervened on his behalf to reveal Himself to him, or help him. Without doubt, Namdeo's approach remains otherworldly both before and after his achievement. At one time, he even gave up work so as to remain absorbed in his worship and meditations. He never initiated any religious institution or movement. His was a solitary search for God, without creating any social or religious organisation.

We find that in his repudiation of Vaisnava doctrines, in his metaphysical ideas, methodology and goal and more particularly in his otherworldly approach to the world and society, Namdeo's views are quite identical with those of Kabir.

There is a shabad about Bhagat Namdeo in the Siri Guru Granth Sahib according to which the temple rotated towards his direction as he was not allowed to sit inside the temple.

Gurdwara & Temple :

Ghoman is situated about 26 KM Southeast of Batala city and about 10 KM from Sri Hargobindpur. It is towards west side of Sri Hargobindpur. Ghoman is associated with Baba Namdeo (1270–1350). Baba Namdeo was the founder of this town and meditated here for 17 long years. Here he did miraculous deeds.There is a temple in Punjab of Saint Namdev.

The eastern entrance to this temple is known as the Namdeo gate (after the great 13th century Vaishnava saint). The sanctum enshrines the standing image of Vithoba also known as Panduranga, Pandhari or Vitthala. Stylistically the image dates back to the 5th century. There are inscriptions in this temple dating back to the 13th century which place origin of this shrine to the 6th century.

Sree Annapurna stotram

 https://youtu.be/UkT5eHWOIjQ

SREE ANNAPURNA STOTRAM

nityānandakarī varābhayakarī saundarya ratnākarī

nirdhūtākhila ghōra pāvanakarī pratyakṣa māhēśvarī .

prālēyāchala vaṃśa pāvanakarī kāśīpurādhīśvarī

bhikṣāṃ dēhi kṛpāvalambanakarī mātānnapūrṇēśvarī 1

nānā ratna vichitra bhūṣaṇakari hēmāmbarāḍambarī

muktāhāra vilambamāna vilasat-vakṣōja kumbhāntarī .

kāśmīrāgaru vāsitā ruchikarī kāśīpurādhīśvarī

bhikṣāṃ dēhi kṛpāvalambanakarī mātānnapūrṇēśvarī 2 .

yōgānandakarī ripukṣayakarī dharmaikya niṣṭhākarī

chandrārkānala bhāsamāna laharī trailōkya rakṣākarī .

sarvaiśvaryakar tapaḥ phalakarī kāśīpurādhīśvarī

bhikṣāṃ dēhi kṛpāvalambanakarī mātānnapūrṇēśvarī 3

kailāsāchala kandarālayakarī gaurī-hyumāśāṅkarī

kaumārī nigamārtha-gōcharakarī-hyōṅkāra-bījākṣarī.

mōkṣadvāra-kavāṭapāṭanakarī kāśīpurādhīśvarī

bhikṣāṃ dēhi kṛpāvalambanakarī mātānnapūrṇēśvarī 4

dṛśyādṛśya-vibhūti-vāhanakarī brahmāṇḍa-bhāṇḍōdarī

līlā-nāṭaka-sūtra-khēlanakarī vijñāna-dīpāṅkurī.

rīviśvēśamanaḥ-prasādanakarī kāśīpurādhīśvarī

bhikṣāṃ dēhi kṛpāvalambanakarī mātānnapūrṇēśvarī 5

urvīsarvajayēśvarī jayakarī mātā kṛpāsāgarī

vēṇī-nīlasamāna-kuntaladharī nityānna-dānēśvarī.

sākṣānmōkṣakarī sadā ubhakarī kāśīpurādhīśvarī

bhikṣāṃ dēhi kṛpāvalambanakarī mātānnapūrṇēśvarī 6

ādikṣānta-samastavarṇanakarī ambhōstribhāvākarī

kāśmīrā tripurēśvarī trinayani viśvēśvarī arvarī .

svargadvāra-kapāṭa-pāṭanakarī kāśīpurādhīśvarī

bhikṣāṃ dēhi kṛpāvalambanakarī mātānnapūrṇēśvarī 7

dēvī sarvavichitra-ratnaruchitā dākṣāyiṇī sundarī

vāmā-svādupayōdharā priyakarī saubhāgyamāhēśvarī.

bhaktābhīṣṭakarī sadā ubhakarī kāśīpurādhīśvarī

bhikṣāṃ dēhi kṛpāvalambanakarī mātānnapūrṇēśvarī 8

chandrārkānala-kōṭikōṭi-sadṛśī chandrāṃśu-bimbādharī

chandrārkāgni-samāna-kuṇḍala-dharī chandrārka-varṇēśvarī

mālā-pustaka-

pāśasāṅkuśadharī 9

kṣatratrāṇakarī mahābhayakarī mātā kṛpāsāgar

sarvānandakarī sadā ivakarī viśvēśvarī rīdharī .

dakṣākrandakarī nirāmayakarī kāśīpurādhīśvarī

bhikṣāṃ dēhi kṛpāvalambanakarī mātānnapūrṇēśvarī 10

annapūrṇē sādāpūrṇē aṅkara-prāṇavallabhē .

jñāna-vairāgya-siddhayarthaṃ bikbiṃ dēhi cha pārvatī 11

mātā cha pārvatīdēvī pitādēvō mahēśvaraḥ .

bāndhavā: ivabhaktāścha svadēśō bhuvanatrayam 12

sarva-maṅgala-māṅgalyē ivē sarvārtha-sādhikē.

araṇyē tryambakē gauri nārāyaṇi namō'stu tē 13