Nāmadeva
Nāmadeva · nāma-deva, “the one whose deva is the Name”
The Pratisarga Parva of the Bhavishya Purāṇa tells that Nāmadeva was born at Dehalī from the tejas of Bhagavān Varuṇa, the second Vasu. Devoted to Sāṅkhya Yoga, he saw the whole brahmāṇḍa as full of Bhagavān Vishṇu, became a śishya of Rāmānanda at Kāśī, built a white stone ghāṭa there, and by his yoga-bala (power of yoga) brought the dead back to life.
His birth
Sūta tells a muni that, on hearing the words of Bṛhaspati, the second Vasu, Bhagavān Varuṇa, produced from his own mouth a tejas on the earth. That tejas was born in Dehalī in the house of Dharmabhakta. His widowed daughter held that tejas of Hari. Knowing this, Dharmabhakta was very glad at the arising of a son. His name was Nāmadeva.
His bhakti
He was devoted to Sāṅkhya Yoga. Knowing and seeing that the whole moving and unmoving brahmāṇḍa is full of Bhagavān Vishṇu, he came to Kāśī to Rāmānanda, dear to Hari, took śishyatva (discipleship) and lived there.
Sikandara and the ghāṭa at Kāśī
At that time Sikandara, Mlecchapati, ruled in Dehalī. He called Nāmadeva, tested him well, and, pleased, gave him fifty lakh mudrās (coins). With that money Nāmadeva had an excellent white stone ghāṭa built at Kāśī.
By his yoga-bala he brought back to life ten dead brāhmaṇas, five kings, five vaiśyas and a hundred cows.
Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Pratisarga Parva, Khaṇḍa 4, Chapter 16
Sources
- Bhavishya Purāṇa, Pratisarga Parva, Khaṇḍa 4, Chapter 16