Vamadeva (Sanskrit: वामदेव, romanized: Vāmadeva) is a rishi (sage) in Hindu literature. He is credited as the author of Mandala 4 of the Rigveda. He is mentioned prominently in the Upanishads as well, particularly the Brihadaranyaka and the Aitareya. He is described to be the son of a sage named Gotama and the brother of Nodhasa, who is also associated with hymns in the Rigveda.[1] According to the orientalist Pargiter, Vamadeva is the father of Brihaduktha, and belongs to the lineage of Sage Angiras.[2]
In the Mahabharata, a king of the Solar dynasty named Shala visits Vamadeva's hermitage during a hunt, asking the sage for a few of his horses belonging to the herd called vamya, reputed to be swift. Vamadeva agrees to lend the king the vamyas for the purpose of catching a deer, on the condition that they be returned to him immediately after the king's hunt. Shala breaks his word following the hunt, considering the horses unfit for the possession of a Brahmin, keeping them within his palace. Following a month, Vamadeva sends his disciple to ask the king to return the vamyas, but is refused. Angered, the sage personally travels to the king's court to demand their return. When refused once more, the sage warns the king not to create a conflict between their respective classes. The king offers the sage bulls, donkeys, and other horses instead, calling Vamadeva unworthy to own the vamyas. Furious, Vamadeva curses the king to be slain by rakshasas, and Shala is killed. His brother, Dala, upon ascending the throne, also refuses to give up the horses, and plots to have Vamadeva killed with a poisoned arrow. Vamadeva foils this scheme. When the new king repents, Vamadeva tells him that he may be absolved of the sin of trying to murder a Brahmin by touching his queen with the arrow. The queen praises the sage and promises to serve Brahmins well thereafter. Pleased, Vamadeva offers her a boon, and she asks that he forgive her husband and wish him well. The boon granted, Dala returns the horses to the sage.[3][4]
In the same epic, he offers advice to King Vasumanas about the importance of righteousness.[5]
In the Ganesha Purana, Vamadeva curses a gandharva who accidentally trampled him to become a mouse. When the gandharva begged for mercy, the sage added that as a mouse, he would assume the honourable role of the vahana (mount) of Ganesha.[6]
In multiple places in the early Buddhist texts, such as the Vinaya Pitaka of the Mahavagga (I.245)[7] section the Buddha lists the ancient Vedic rishis "Atthako, Vâmako, Vâmadevo, Vessâmitto, Yamataggi, Angiraso, Bhâradvâjo, Vâsettho, Kassapo, and Bhagu".[8] He consistently rejects the authority of the Vedas and the ancient seers, comparing them to a line of blind men.[9]
^P. 494 The Pali-English dictionary By Thomas William Rhys Davids, William Stede
^P. 245 The Vinaya piṭakaṃ: one of the principle Buddhist holy scriptures ..., Volume 1 edited by Hermann Oldenberg
^The Vinaya Pitaka's section Anguttara Nikaya: Panchaka Nipata, P. 44 The legends and theories of the Buddhists, compared with history and science By Robert Spence Hardy
