Bhaktamal

Bhaktamal (Devanāgarī: भक्तमाल, IAST: Bhaktamāla) (c. 1600) is a poem in the Braja language which gives short biographies of more than two-hundred Bhaktas. It was composed by Nabhadas, a saint belonging to the tradition of Ramananda. Though considered a hagiography by some, the work is free from miraculous events, and is widely believed to be an unbiased account of Bhaktas across all sectarian paths. In case of many Bhaktas, the Bhaktamal gives the earliest reliable account, and hence is considered an important source for literary and devotional history of northern India.

About the author

Nabhadas (1570–1662) was born in a poor family in Gwalior and was blind since birth. He was abandoned by his parents in a forest when he was five years old. He was rescued by a saint by the name Agradas who raised him as his son. His other notable work is Ramashtayam in Braja.

Commentaries, translations and adaptations

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