Narahari Sonar or Narharidas was a 13th-century Hindu poet-saint of the Varkari sect and goldsmith from Maharashtra, India.
23 Facts About Narahari Sonar
1.
2.
Narahari Sonar was a staunch Shaiva, who lived in Pandharpur, where the chief temple of Vithoba stands.
3.
Narahari Sonar worshipped at the Mallikarjuna temple, the Shiva temple located in the southwest part of the town.
4.
Narahari Sonar never visited the famous shrine of Vithoba even once and even refused to look at the shikhara of the temple.
5.
Narahari Sonar crafted an ornate waistband with the gold and jewels brought by the merchant and the provided measurements.
6.
The merchant returned after Narahari Sonar lengthened the waistband, but it was too loose then.
7.
The merchant implored Narahari Sonar to come to the temple and fit the waistband himself, however Narahari Sonar was adamant.
8.
Narahari Sonar said that he observed the vow of looking only at one deity, Shiva.
9.
The merchant suggested that he would blindfold Narahari Sonar to maintain the vow.
10.
Narahari Sonar touched Vithoba's image and felt as though the image had five heads and ten arms.
11.
Narahari Sonar wore tiger and elephant skin garments and his body was covered in ash.
12.
Narahari Sonar recognised the iconography of his patron deity Shiva and removed the blindfold to see him.
13.
Narahari Sonar realised that Shiva and Vithoba were one and the same.
14.
Narahari Sonar becomes a devotee of Vithoba and joins the Varkaris, preaching the oneness of God.
15.
Narahari Sonar speaks the ephemeral and unreal world, which like a picture on the wall.
16.
Just like an elephant is controlled by an and a tiger by a cage, Narahari Sonar is brought under control by the grace of his guru Gaibinatha.
17.
Narahari Sonar says by his own experience that this sound will fill one with true love of God and lead to Him.
18.
Narahari Sonar refers to his profession as a goldsmith in an.
19.
Narahari Sonar calls himself a goldsmith who deals in the name of God.
20.
Narahari Sonar's body is the melting vessel for his soul of gold.
21.
Narahari Sonar weighs the name of God with a balance of spiritual enlightenment.
22.
Narahari Sonar says that he "uses his intellect as the scissors to steal the gold of bhakti while cutting a deal with his customer - God".
23.
The Sonar community, to which Narahari belonged, worship him at a shrine they have built in Pandharpur.