This Dasa could not speak as a child

Till the age of five, he could not speak. Try as they might and pray as they did at several temples, the young boy’s inability to speak did not go away.

Worried about what the future would hold for such a boy, his parents took him to Guru Jagannatha Dasa, a devotee of Raghavendra Swamy and a leading Haridasa.

Guru Jagannatha Dasa kept his hand on the head of the boy and blessed him. He then told the astonished parents that there was nothing wrong with the boy and that he would go on to become a renown Haridasa.

A few days after this incident, the boy began speaking and soon exhibited signs of  mastery over Kannada. He learnt Sanskrit and became a school teacher. He also began composing poetry.

This man is none other than Shyamasundara Dasa (1903-1957), a Haridasa of the 21^st century.

Shyamasundara was earlier known as Karodi Gundacharya. He was born at Ballatagi, a small village near Manvi in Raichur district. He was a disciple of  Ikoor Acharya who was also known as Narasimhacharya.

He has composed songs with the ankita Shyamasundara and a compilation of them are available in a book called Shyamasundara Sthotra Mala. Some of his well-known compositions include Kayo Cauvery Ranga, Karunya Panga, Kelu Kelelo Tatvajnana, Nataka Darushana, Nodide Venkataramanana Dwarawada Gramadi Ninta Devana, Ninage Bhodisuve naa, Kshetra chalisalare, Motaru Vahana, Ide Piyusha Pana, Kshetra Muruthi Shyamasundara Vittala, Kshetradolage Baro, Sanjeevaraya porevudo sanjeevaraya, aanjaneya bhavabanjana bhayahara, sanjeevaraya

He is a contemporary to Suladi Kupperayara, Sririvara Ramachandra Rao, Chitradurga Ramachandra Rao (Tande Venkatesha Vittalan).

Karodi Gundachar could not speak till the age of  five. His parents took him to Guru Jagananatha Dasa.

Shyamacharya, father of Karodi Gundachar, requested Guru Jagananatha Dasa to solve the problem. Guru Jagannatha Dasa blessed the child and asked the parents not to worry. He forecast that Gundacharya would become a Haridasa.
Soon, Gundachar studied Sanskrit under Gururajachar. After that, he became a Puroit at Manvi in Raichur district. He then took up the post of a school teacher for an year. He resigned his jib and came back to Manvi and continued his job as a Purohit.

He had the ability to compose songs on the spot. He made use of his knowledge of Sanskrit in composing devaranamas and even enact plays based on Ramayana and the Mahabharata.  
He came in contact with Askhpal Govinda Dasa who then gave him the ankita Shyamasundara.

He had an excellent command over the SriHarikathamurutasara and other texts. He lived most of his life in and around Manvi.   

One of his most memorable composition is Kayoo Kaveri. The English lyrics of the composition is as follows:

Kayoo Kaveri Ranga |

Karnuya Panga|
Devaadideva Ninu|

Pranatha Janarige|
Devathru Manidhenu|

Eandarithu Nistalli|
Dhavisi Bhandananu|

Raghuvamsa Bhanu|
Kavnayaa Neenuolidhu Karunadi|
Pavamaniya Shatravarithu|

Bhava Bhakthili Ninna Paduva|
Kovidhare Sevana Madi||