Vamadeva

Vamadeva 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. Vamadeva is the father of Brihaduktha, and belongs to the lineage of Sage Angiras.

Etymology Vamadeva is a bahuvrihi (Sanskrit compound) which means "he whose God (deva, देव) is beautiful (vāma, वाम)".

Hinduism In the Valmiki Ramayana Balakanda sarga 7, stanza 3, Vamadeva is a friend to Vasishta and a priest to Dasaratha.

In the Mahabharata, Vamadeva has a few roles. In Shanti Parva, chapter 92, he offers advice to King Vasumanas about the importance of righteousness. He is also a prominent member in Indra's assembly in Sabha Parva, chapter 7, stanza 17.

According to the Manusmriti and his own self-confession in the Rigveda, Vamadeva had once ate a dog's intestines. This incident is variously interpreted by scholars.

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.