Sri Purandara dasa
Dasa Sahitya, a perfect blend of sahitya, sangeeta and tatvajnana, makes it nonpareil. Dasa Sahitya took the medium of music and used sahitya in spreading tatvajnana. Its musical element makes it pleasant to the ears. The sahitya fills the heart with bhakti and the tatvajnana enlightens our minds. The eminence of Dasa sahitya lies in the fact that it amasses ordinary people.
The major aspect of Dasa Sahitya is the tatvajnana, which is the knowledge we should attain to know the Supreme Lord Vishnu. Knowledge should never rest like stagnant water, rather it should ooze out of every generation. But when the medium of knowledge was in a language (Sanskrit) that became very difficult for lay people other than scholars to understand, there emerged Dasa Sahitya helping the flow of knowledge among people.
It has brought to us that knowledge of the versatile Lord through which the eternal salvation or moksha is attained. The richness of tatvajnana that Dasa sahitya holds is extraordinary. There were many ‘Hari dasas’ who have contributed to ‘Dasa sahitya’.
The word ‘Dasa’ itself means the one who has surrendered himself to the Supreme Lord. Such a person was ‘Sri Purandaradasa’.
Purandara dasa’s contribution to Dasa sahitya is phenomenal. In this world, it is a custom of the students to praise the Guru. But in the case of Sri Purandaradasa, it was his guru, a great man, a profound scholar Sri Vyasarajateertha who praised him in one of his compositions. Sri Vyasaraja teertha says – “Dasarendare Purandaradasarayya”.
There is a popular saying in Kannada which says “He who is a real haridasa should have sung Sri Purandaradasa’s devarnama at least once in his lifetime.”
His compositions hold a variety of modules. His compositions infuse bhakti in the minds of people who not only sing but also hear them. The greatness of the Lord, his consort Lakshmi devi, Vayu deva etc… are predominantly found in his compositions. In addition to it, are the vairagya padas, the devarnamas which shows us the Dharma, acharana etc. Madhwa siddhanta also constitutes a major portion.
Though the medium of language of his compositions is Kannada, he is well-known in all Southern states of India. His contribution to the Dasa sahitya is such that it is sung by everyone irrespective of caste or religion. It is a mountain of approx. 4,75,000 compositions that he has bestowed upon us which deems impossible for a common human being.
He made it possible because he was none other than the incarnation of “Narada rishi”, who has pleased God through Nadopasana. Sri Vijayadasa, in one of his compositions narrating the life history of Purandaradasa, quotes the fact that he was the incarnation of Narada rishi.
“Dwaraka puradalli Sri Ramana sabheyolege……….
Veerarava ghorendu pogalala nabhadinda Naradaru dharegilidaru.”
Such a great man incarnated as the son of a wealthy person Varadappa Nayaka. His place of birth was Purandaragada. His birth name was ‘Srinivasa Nayaka’. At a very young age he had a great knowledge in Kannada. He had also learnt business and skills which were needed to take care of his father’s business. His interest in music made him learn sashtriya sangeeta too.
At the age of 18 he was married to Saraswati bai who was a daughter of a wealthy merchant. Then on, he took care of his father’s business and attained success. Thus, he was called Navakoti Narayana.
In due course, he had 4 sons and a daughter. Despite everything he had in his life, he was parsimonious. Though he did not hate God, he was bereft of bhakti. Added to this was his penny-pinching nature. Contradicting this was the nature of his wife Smt. Saraswati bai. Often, she tried to guide him with dharmopadesha but in vain. A particular incident at that point of his life was the turning point.
Lord as a Poor Brahmin
The Lord himself got down to rescue his bhakta. He came in the form of a poor Brahmin begging for alms to conduct his son’s upanayana. Navakoti Narayana couldn’t refuse him on the face, so he asked him to come the next day. And when the poor Brahmin arrived the next day again the same thing repeated and that ‘tomorrow’ never came.
At last, frustrated by the repeated arrival of poor Brahmin Navakoti Narayana gave him one fourth of a penny. His stinginess reached its peak. Now the Lord disguised as a poor Brahmin decided to invoke vairagya in him. So, he went and approached his wife Saraswati Bai and asked for alms.
As she expressed her dependency on her husband, the Lord asked her to donate the nose ring, as it belonged to her maternal home. Unable to refuse the poor Brahmin who has come begging for a good cause, she lent him the ring. Acquiring the ring the Brahmin went to Navakoti Narayana to sell it.
Navakoti Narayana was astonished seeing the ring which resembled his wife’s nose ring. His mind was filled with doubt. He carefully secured the ring in a box and placed it in a cupboard. He rushed home and questioned his wife on the missing nose ring. Unable to answer him she decided to leave her soul by drinking poison. In a moment the ring appeared in the bowl.
When she handed it back to him, he was startled. He was at his wits end when he checked for the secured ring and found it missing at his shop. When enquired, his wife explained everything. That was a changing moment for him where he realized that the one who had come begging was none other than the Lord.
Grieving his mistakes, he sat with a strong determination that he would not even consume a drop of water until he again saw the Lord. His wife Saraswati bai tried to convince him, but in vain. Then after 3 days of fasting the Lord reappeared in front of his wife. “His sins are now washed away by this fasting, but still he has not detached himself completely from materialistic things.
Let him sacrifice everything then I will come.” said the Lord. On hearing about the words of the Lord from his wife, Navakoti Narayana foreswore his business, wealth, house and everything he had. He placed a tulasidala (Basil leaf) on his house and said krishnarpana. Accompanied by his wife and sons, he walked out of the house with absolutely nothing. His heart and mind were filled with bhakti.
On the way he saw an old Brahmin. This time he identified the Lord and submitted himself immediately at the Lord’s feet. At that moment, the Lord disappeared. That night again the Lord appeared in his dream and advised him to acquire mantropadesha from a Guru. The next morning he woke up and decided to reach Sri Vyasaraja teertha, a great tapasvi, a profound scholar, a prominent figure in Madhwa parampara.
That day after the pooja, Sri Vyasaraja teertha and Srinivasa nayaka met in person. Srinivasa nayaka procured Guru upadesha from Sri Vyasaraja teertha and was advised by him to dedicate all his kritis to PURANDARA VITTALA. From then on, his birth name diminished and he became popular by the name ‘Sri Purandara Dasa’.
Whenever Purandara Dasa closed his eyes it was Lord Krishna who filled his heart and mind and with that came his first kriti— “Krishna Moorthy kanna munde nintidantide.” Then he sang the kruti “Hendati santati savira vagali dandige chitta hidisidalayya” recognizing Saraswati bai was also a reason behind his transformation in his life. Then came the krpti “Adedella olite aitu” expressing his gratitude to the Lord. Thus began the devout journey of Sri Purandara Dasa.
He was worshipped by kings and common people alike. The ruler of the Deccan, Sri Krishnadevaraya was moved by Sri Purandara dasa’s life. He once called Purandara dasa to his palace and they had a long conversation that led to a devaranama “nimma bhagya doddado namma bhagya doddado”.
He recognized the amount of vairagya that Sri Purandara dasa possessed and awarded him with a lot of wealth as a gift. The next day the King heard the news that Purandara dasa gave up all the wealth to an old man. This increased Krishnadevaraya’s devotion towards Purandara dasa.
Just like his works to Dasa sahitya, his contribution to the field of Carnatic Music is insurmountable. Popularly known as ‘sangeeta pitamaha’, he accorded the foundational lessons of Carnatic music like sarali varisai in the raga mayamalavagowla. He played a pivotal role in showing us the right path to learn the art form.
Trinities of Carnatic music
The trinities of Carnatic music namely Tyagaraja, Muttuswami Deekshitar and Syamashastri have all given utmost respect to Sri Purandara dasa and his works. Tyagaraja has expressed his devotion towards Purandara dasa in the beginning of his work, ‘prahlada bhakti vijayamu’ as a kandapadyamu. He and his works were placed at such a esteemed pedestal by a lot of vagyeyakaras (one who composes and sings the keerthanas).
His compositions bring the essence of sarva moola granthas (treatises of Sri Madhwacharya) recognized by Sri Vyasaraja teertha who called them ‘Purandaropanishat’. They formed an ocean making it impossible for anyone else to achieve. Such a mahamahimopadyaya has composed songs till the end of his life.
His life exhibits vairagya and his songs evokes bhakti. Though he has attained the Hari pada, he will live in his songs for centuries and centuries to come.
