Damodardev
Damodardev (Assamese: দামোদৰ দেৱ; 1488–1598) was sixteenth century Ekasarana preceptor from Nalaca, Nagaon. Damodardev was contemporary of Sankardeva and influenced litterateur's like Bhattadeva.[2]
Damodardev | |
|---|---|
| Native name | দামোদৰ দেৱ |
| Born | January 1488 Nalaca, Nagaon[1] |
| Died | 1598 (aged 109–110) Vaikunthapur Sattra |
| Occupation | Ekasarana preceptor |
Early life
Damodardev was born in a village called Nalaca in (in present-day Nagaon) in the 1488, the third and youngest son of Sushila and Satananda a Brahmin couple.[3] Nalaca was close to Bardowa, Sankardev's native place, and Satananda was Sankardev's friend. Damodardev and his family moved from the Ahom territories after Sankardev moved from Dhuwahat to Barpeta in 1546 and settled, after some wandering close to Patbausi, or Chandravatipura[4] near Sankardev's sattra.[5] Damodardev received his education along with his two brothers under Kalpacandra of Navadwip where they studied detailed grammar, derivations and usage of words, four Vedas, fourteen scriptures, Gita, Bhagavata Purana and other religious books.
Time with Sankardev and Sattra
After meeting Damodar, Sankardev asked him to recite Bhagavata in his Sattra for which Damodar replied "Yours is the land where tree of Bhakti can grow", and this marked the beginning of friendship between them. Sankara requested him to initiate Brahmin disciples. Sankardev also initiated Damodardev to the Mahapurushiya cult.
See also
Notes
- (Neog 1980, p. 128)
- Chaitanya, Bhattacharyya, Narendra Nath (1989). Medieval bhakti movements in India:Śrī Caitanya quincentenary commemoration volume. Munshiram Manoharlal. p. 274.
- (Neog 1980:128)
- Sarma, Anjali (1990). Among the Luminaries in Assam: A Study of Assamese Biography. Mittal Publications. p. 62.
- (Neog 1980:128-129)
References
- Neog, Maheshwar (1980). Early History of the Vaishnava Faith and Movement in Assam. Delhi: Motilal Banarasidass.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
