Vaman Pandit (born Vaman Tanaji Sesha) (1608–1695) was a Marathi language scholar and poet of India.
Early life
Vaman Pandit was born into Deshastha Rigvedi Brahmin (DRB) family of Madhva Sampradaya in
Dharwad,
Karnataka in a prominent Sesha family of poets and scholars.
The family who hailed from
Nanded had moved to
Dharwad but still maintain roots in Nanded. Vaman Pandit was a follower of
Madhvacharya a prominent
Vaishnava philosopher.
He migrated to
Varanasi for a significant period of his life. Vaman Pandit regards the
Saguna brahman ( Personal God) as superior to the Nirguna Brahman (Impersonal God). He considers
Lord Krishna as
Saguna Brahman incarnate.
Literary works
His most significant work, the
Yatharthadipika is a commentary on the
Bhagavadgita. His book
Nigamasara (1673) describes in detail the
Vargavi Varuni Vidya (
Vedanta). His other work includes
Samashloki Gita,
Karmatatva,
Bhaminivilasa,
Radhavilasa,
Rasakrida,
Ahalyoddhara,
Vanasudha,
Venusudha,
Gajendramoksha and
Sita Svayamvara. The captivating style and religious instruction of his work have made them popular with all sections of readers. In 1695 after death, a Samadhi site is built on the banks of
Warana River in Koregaon village of Sangali district. He has employed metres, figures of speech and other techniques of Sanskrit poetry in his works.
[Majumdar, R.C. (ed.)(2007). The Mughul Empire, Mumbai:Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, , p.583]
He was noted for his mastery of 'shlok' form: 'सुश्लोक वामनाचा'. And also for his mastery over long rhymes: 'यमक्या वामन'.
Bibliography
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Kusumawati Deshpande and M.V.Rajadhyaksha, A history of Marathi literature (New Delhi: Sahitya Akademi, 1988), pp31–33
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S.G.Kanhere, ‘Waman Pandit - scholar and Marathi poet’ Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London v4, 1926, pp305–314
