Sant Namdev

Sant Namdev or Namdeo or Namadeva (29 October, 1270 - 1350) (Marathi: संत नामदेव) or Bhagat Namdeo (Gurmukhi: ਭਗਤ ਨਾਮਦੇਵ) is a poet-saint from theVarkari sect of Hinduism. He is also venerated in Sikhism.

He 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 Gonai / Gonabai. Most of the spiritual messages of Namdev emphasized the importance of living the life of a householder (गृहस्थ जीवन) and that through marriage and having a family, one could attain Moksha.

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The following is evocative, poetic masterpiece of Saint Namdev.

It is picked up from the compilation of

the compositions of Saint Namdev,

the 'Namdev Gatha' 763/2012.

Here, Saint Namdev with the clear vision of the 'Divine'

as well as the means of attaining that 'Divine',

directly addresses, not any person, but the 'Mind' itself.

Saints of all religions, at all times, have emphasized

the importance of chanting, using rosary, or constant remembrance of the Lord.

Here Saint Namdev reveals the 'Art of Attuning'

with the Supreme.

Mind when single pointedly enters through the door called 'Lord'

finds itself in the Kingdom of Bliss.

Mind when wholly revels in the 'world' of objects, emotions and thoughts

is doomed to dreary lifelong toil that can never eke out lasting happiness.

The world all the time keeps on giving the illusion

that one day you will get all-fulfilling joy.

It promises joy in the future, thus keeping you future tense, present tense, past tense and always tense.

"If I do just this much more, I will get. Get what? I will reach. Reach where?"

Like a pig you keep plodding life long in the mud of worldly wails and sorrows, hoping for something cleaner, refined, wholesome and better.

You labor all your life. Does the mind ever get satiated?

This mind becomes incapable of soaring to the height and peak of evolution.

An eaglet, like a chick, keeps pecking on the ground scratching and searching the dust on the ground, not knowing that it has wings so strong that can take it majestically high above the clouds reveling in the world of unbroken peace and bliss.

Saint Namdev here not only tells the 'how' but

also discloses the 'result' of dwelling constantly in the remembrance

of the Lord.

Mind is the vehicle that takes you to the Lord,

Mind is the ass that keeps you plodding

bound in the tribulations of the world.

Mind takes the beating, toils day and night.

On getting intermittently morsel of dry grass to chew on, the ass

keeps dreaming that one day, with more effort and some more effort

it will get plenty, so much that it will be free from

back breaking labor, all toil and tribulation. Isn't it true?