BHAGAT NAMDEV JI ON HIS 755 theBIRTH ANNIVERSARY (NOV. 2, 2025)

 Bhagat Namdev Ji also spelled as Nam Dev Ji, his full name being Namdev Damaji

Relekar is one of the 15 Bhagats whose hymns Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji included in Sri

Adi Granth Sahib. In compiling Sri Adi Granth Sahib Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji, in

addition to the hymns of his predecessor Sikh Gurus and his own hymns included

the hymns of 15 Bhagats, 11 Bhatts and four others closely associated with the Sikh

Gurus. These 15 Bhagats include (i) Bhagat Jaidev Ji (ii) Sheikh Farid Ji (iii) Bhagat

Trilochan Ji (iv) Bhagat Namdev Ji (v) Bhagat Sadhna Ji (vi) Bhagat Ramanand Ji

(vii) Bhagat Ravidas Ji (viii) Bhagat Kabir Ji (ix) Bhagat Sain Ji (x) Bhagat Dhanna Ji

(xi) Bhagat Pipa Ji (xii) Bhagat Beni Ji (xiii) Bhagat Bhikhan Ji (xiv) Bhagat Sur Das

Ji and (xv) Bhagat Parmanand Ji. Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji (1666-1708) gave this

Holy Scripture the final form by including the hymns of the ninth prophet-teacher of

the Sikhs Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib and thereby gave this Holy Scripture the

name Sri Guru Grath Sahib which is the eternal Guru of the Sikhs. This Holy

Scripture is unique in the sense that it includes the hymns of Hindu as well as

Muslim saints belonging to various castes and creeds which include Muslim, Rajput

Brahman, Jat, washerman, calico-printer, chamar, kasaee, weaver and barber born

in different parts of India. Talking about God Almighty Bhagat Namdev Ji says (SGGS, Page 485) God is

present here and there and everywhere. There is no place in the world where he is

not present. In water and on earth You are present everywhere

Bhagat Namdev Ji (SGGS, Page 973) says that the Guru has shown me the sixty-

eight places of pilgrimage within my own heart, where I now take my cleansing bath.

Bhagat Namdev Ji says that while doing the daily chores, our mind should be

focused on the Lord. He says (SGGS, Page 972):

One Universal Creator God. By the Grace of the True Guru: The boy takes paper,

cuts it and makes a kite and flies it in the sky. Talking with his friends, he still keeps

his attention on the kite string. My mind has been pierced by the name of the Lord

like the goldsmith whose attention is held by his work. The young girl in the city takes

a pitcher, fills it with water and puts it on her head. She laughs, and plays and talks

with her friends but she keeps her attention focused on the pitcher of water. The cow

is let loose, out of the mansion of the ten gates to graze in the field. She grazes upto

five miles away, but keeps her attention focused on her calf. Bhagat Namdev Ji says,

listen O Trilochan: the child is laid down in the cradle and the mother is at work,

inside and outside, but she holds her child in her thoughts.

Describing his love for God Almighty Bhagat Namdev Ji (SGGS, Page 693) says:

As water is precious in the desert, and the creeper weeds are dear to the camel and

the tune of hunter's bell at night is enticing to the deer, so is the Lord to my mind.

Your name is so beautiful Your form is so beautiful, Your love is so very beautiful, O

my Lord! as rain is dear to the earth and the flower's fragrance is dear to the bumble

bee and the mango is dear to the cuckoo, so is the Lord to my mind. As the sun is

dear to the chakvi duck, and the lake of mansarovar is dear to the swan and

husband is dear to his wife, so is the Lord to my mind, as the raindrop is dear to the

mouth of the rain bird and as water is dear to the fish, so is the Lord to my mind.

Many seekers, Siddhas and silent sages seek Him, but only a rare few behold him.

Just as your name is dear to all the universe, so is the Lord dear to Namdev's mind.

Sri Guru Ram Das Ji in his hymn which appears on Page 733 of Sri Guru Granth

Sahib talking about Bhagat Namdev Ji says that God turned his back on the persons

of high classes such as Kshaatriyas and Brahmins and showed his face to Namdev

which means that God Almighty blessed Bhagat Namdev Ji. Sri Guru Ramdas Ji

(SGGS, Page 733) says that Namdev loved God Almighty whom people called

calico-printer. But God Almighty turning his back on Kashaatriyas and Brahmins

blessed Namdev. Sri Guru Ram Das Ji in this hymn (SGGS, Page 451) has stated

that Namdev loved the Lord, the people called him a fabric dyer. Sri Guru Ramdas Ji

says that God Almighty turned his back on the egoists and slanderers and blessed

Bhagat Namdev Ji.

Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji (SGGS, Page 487) says that by worshipping God the low caste

person Namdev became a high ranking saint.

Under the influence of saints Jnanadeva Ji Bhagat Namdev Ji was converted to the

path of Bhakti. As such Vithala of Pandharpur became the object of his devotion and

he spent much of his time in worship and kirtan and chanting hymns mostly

composed by himself. Bhagat Namdev Ji composed poetry in Hindi as well as in

Marathi.

Earlier he believed in idolatry and sarguna Bhakti but later on he became a devotee

of the attributeless (nirguna) Absolute.

Bhagat Namdev Ji's songs have been collected in 'Namdevachi Gatha' which

includes a long autobiographical poem 'Tirathavali'. Dharampal Single and Baldev

Singh Baddan in their list of 67 Saint poets have put Bhagat Namdev Ji's name at

number one. As per tradition more than 2000 hymns have been ascribed to him, but

the actual number does not seem to exceed to 156, counting those preserved in Sri

Guru Granth Sahib.

In the company of Jnanadeva Ji and other saints Bhagat Namdev Ji roamed about in

the country and later came to village Ghuman in Tehsil Batala, District Gurdaspur of

Punjab. He lived in this village for about 18 years. Presently S. Tarsem Singh

(Mobile No. 94177-36233) is President of this Gurdwara.

In Bhagat Namdev Ji's sacred memory in village Bhattiwal, Tehsil Batala of District

Gurdaspur, Punjab Gurdwara Nameana Sahib has been established. In this village

two more Gurdwaras (i) Gurdwara Khoohi Sahib and (ii) Gurdwara Khundi Sahib

have been established.

This year the Sikh Community all over the world will celebrate Bhagat Namdev Ji's

755

th Birth Anniversary on Nov 2.

DHAN DHAN BHAGAT NAMDEV JI!

References used in this write-up include:

(i) The Encyclopaedia of Sikhism published by Punjabi University, Patiala, Part

III, 1997.

(ii) Mahan Kosh by Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha (1930).

(iii) Pandran Bhagat Sahiban by Sukhdev Singh Shant (2018)

(iv) Vaaran Bhai Gurdas Ji: Vaaran Gian Ratnavli, Shiromani, Gurdwara

Parbandhak Committee (1990)

(v) Parchi Gosain Namdev Ki in Parchian Bhagtan Kian (Ed) Darbari Das (Bhai)

Gurcharan Singh Sek (1991)

(vi) The book Punjab De Sant Kavi by Dharampal Single and Baldev Singh

Baddan (2006).

(vii) Sarbjinder Singh's book Divine Revelation (1999)

(viii) Atlas: Travels of Guru Nanak by Fauja Singh and Kirpal Singh (1976)

(ix) Prabhakar Machwe's book Sant Namdev (2010)

(x) Macauliffe's book The Sikh Religion (2009)

Although reference has not been given at each place  

Dr. Amrit Kaur

Retd. Professor

Punjabi University

Patiala, Punjab, India

Email: amritkaurchd40@gmail.com