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Story Gora Kumbhar And Namdev

Story Gora Kumbhar and Namdev is part of Marathi Bhakti cult.

Once the potter-sant Gora Kumbhar tapped the heads of his guests with his potter’s stick. They were no ordinary guests. Sitting with a peaceful smile and submitting to the gentle tapping on their heads were Nivritti, Jnanadev, Sopan, Namdev, Muktabai and others. They were great devotees of the Lord and revered as saints even in their own lifetime.


On Jnanadev’s request, Gora Kumbhar was testing them (tapping the heads) to see which of them had sound or perfect knowledge.

But Namdev was strongly offended that his spiritual attainment should be put to test.

Gora then humbly declared Namdev as half-baked and not established in the final truth.

Namdev was the dearest devotee of Lord Vitthal of Pandharpur. He would speak with the Lord whenever he wished. His world began and ended with Vithoba. He did not recognize any other form of God.

But this fanatical devotion was hindering his progress into the higher and deeper experience of God.

Greatly humiliated, Namdev rushed to the Lord Vithoba, who pointed out his mistake and sent him to a guru for further realization.