Nabha Das is a saint poet who wrote about other saints of
Vallabha sect and Vaishnava saint poets. He composed poems on seers, saints and
sages. The selected compositions of Nabha Das are available in this Bhaktamal (garland of devotees). It is believed the he lived during the 17th
century AD. He belonged to the Ramananda Sampradaya – the sect following the
teachings of Ramananda.
There is a confusion regarding the birthplace of Nabha Das,
first it was believed he belonged to a learned family from South India. Now,
some scholars are of the opinion that he lived in Gwalior.
Nabha Das was initiated into sannyasa by Mahanta Sri Agra
Das, Jaipur’s Galata Gaddi, who himself belonged to the Ramananda Sampradaya.
Since a holy garland in Hinduism contains 108 beads, Nabha
Das also wrote 108 poems, each of six lines, on the lives of famous bhaktas of
the Vallabha sect and other Vaishnava poets.
Bhakta Mala, the most important work of Nabha Das, has many
commentaries. The best among it is the one written by Priyadasji.
Bhakti Mala delves into the life of saints that graced
the earth in all the four yugas. The book is reckoned as the most authentic
account of the great saints of Santana Dharma.