A staff saved him from snake bite

He was asleep when Lord Hari came in his dream and asked hi to stop working as a clerk. The Lord directed the man to approach Jagannatha Dasa of Manvi and take instructions from him.

Lord Hari also told the man that he should become a disciple of Jagannatha Dasa and become a Haridasa. When the dream ended, the man got up and he determined to follow his dream.

The man went to Jagannatha Dasa who then was living in Manvi. He served Jagannatha Dasa devotedly for twelve years. One day, he was ruing his fate at having to spend 12 years when Jagannatha Dasa came to him and said he had asked him to stay back here as he would have otherwise died. He then gave him a staff and warned him that he would be bitten by a snake. However, he would live of he kept the staff on the wound. He then blessed Narasimha and asked him to leave.

Narasimha then took leave of Jagannatha Dasa and came under the influence of Hundekara Dasa or Srisha Vittala. He was given the ankita Sreesha Vittala Dasa by Hundekar Dasa. When a snake bit him, he remembered the words of Jagannatha Dasa and kept the staff on the wound. Sreesha Vittala Dasa survived the snake bite. 

He then settled down in Kuntoji village on the banks of the Tungabhadra.

After staying for some time in Kuntoji, he made Kampli his home. Kampli too was on the banks of the Tungabhadra. By then, this man had earned name and fame as Kuntoji Dasa or Narasimha Dasa or Kuntoji Narasimha Dasa. He was also known as Shreesha or Srisha Vittala Dasa.

Born in Kanakagiri, his father was Thamanna, a clerk. Thamanna had performed seve and pooje to the famous Narasimha of Kanakagiri to beget a son, whom he named as Narasimha.

Thamanna decided to retire from service and he asked Narasimha to take over his duties. He stopped working as a clerk only after Lord Hari asked him to do so. 

Like Jagannatha Dasa, his Guru, this Haridasa too was a devotee of Raghavendra Swamy or Rayaru and he has composed some of the most evocative and beautiful songs on the bard of Mantralaya.    

“Nodele Manave, Kondaadu Gurugala Padaa, Eedillavo Punyake, NadOge Guru Raghavendra Rayara Seve Madidhava Parama Dhanya Maanya”, is one of his best known songs on Rayaru.

His composition, “Guru Madhwarayarige NamO NamO, Guru Madhwa SaMtatige NamO NamO” is another famous work that even today is sung at the beginning of any Bhajan programme or Haridasa Sammekana.

“Baro Guru Raghavendra, Barayya baa Baa Narahari Priyane Baa, Guru Shreesha Vitalana KaruNa Patrane Bega Baa Guruvarane Parishoshisennanu Mareyadhale tava CharaNa Koteyalirisi Charambujavva Thorutha Twarithadhali Ododi Baa Baa”, is another popular song by this Haridasa.

He has written a beautiful commentary on Sriharikathamrutsara. Born in 1740, he lived for more than a hundred years. He died in 1846.

The aradhane of this great saint is being held at Kampli from January 1. 

Songs of Vyasa Raja

Vyasa Raja is one of the most important saints of the Madhwa parampare. He started the Vyasa Koota and the Dasa Kota. While the Vyasa Koota was a philosophical movement comprising among others Vadiraja Theertha, Srinivasa Theertha, Rama Theertha, Vijendra Theertha, Sudhindra Theertha and several others, the Dasa Koota was made of poet-composers and singers like Purandara Dasa, Kanaka Dasa, Belur Vaikunta Dasa.

Vyasa Theertha or Vyasa Raja was a master of both the kootas and he has written scores of songs in all genres but only a few remain.

The most famous of his composition is “Krishna Nee Begana Baro” which is sung even today in all the dance programmes.

Vyasa Raja or Vyasa Theertha (1447-1539) first wrote with the Ankita Krishna and then changed to Sri Krishna.

Some of his other compositions include Avava Bageyinda: Bharatipatiya Pada: Eduraro Guruve Samararo: Ellimaya Yaadane: Yenna Bimbamuruthiva: Govinda Govinda Krishna: Jarathvavanu Maadida: Jayavayu Hanumantha: Kava Divayu: Krishna Krishna Krishna: Labavahudu Harikathamura: Mahiume Salade Iste: Pavamana Sanjatha Maruti and Tore Begane Toraja Nayane

The English lyrics of Avava bageyinda are as follows:

AvAva bageyiMda nInE rakShisuveyO

dEvAdi dEva shrIkraShNa nInennanu

hiMdinakAlava vyarthavAgi kaLedenO

muMdina gati chiMte lEshavillavo

saridu hOyitu dEhadoLagina balavella

maMdavAdavu iMdriya gatigaLella

AseyeMbudu ajana lOkakke muTTutide

kAsu hOdare klEshavAguttide

mOsamADi mrutyu baruvuda nAnariye

vAsudEvane enna dayamADi salahO

janaru dEhava biTTu pOpuda nA kaMDu

enna dEha sthiraveMdu tiLidukoMDu

dAnadharma modalAda hariya nEmava biTTu

The lyrics of  edurAro are:

edurAro guruve samanAro

madana gOpAlana priya jayarAya

kaDugarjisuva kEsariyaMte nimma vAda

gaDaNeya kELuta nuDi muMdODade

gaDagaDa naDuguta mAygOmAygaLu

ADaviyoLaDagOru nimma bhItiyali

kuTila matagaLeMbo chaTulaMdhakArakke

paTutara tatvaprakAsikeyeMteMba

chaTulatApadiMda khaMDisi tejO

tkaDadi merada budhakaTakAbja mitra

amita dvijAvaLi kumudagaraLisi

vimatara mukhakamalaMgaLa bADisi

svamatara hratsaMtApagaLODisi

vimala sukIrtiya paDedeyO chaMdra

vEdashAstragalEmbO shraMgagaLiMda su

dhAdi graMthagaLembO stanadiMdopputa tatva

bOdhaneyeMba dugda shiShyavatsaMgaLige

Adaradali koTTa yatisuradhEnu

vyAsasUtragaLeMba maMdaravanu vEda

rAShiyeMba varAShiyoLiTTu

shrI sarva~g~jara vAkyapAshadi sutti

bhAsura nyAyasudhA paDeda yatIMdra

vanajanAbhana guNamanEgaLu sarva~g~ja

munikrata graMthagaLavaniyoLagaDe sa

jjanarige bEkAMjanadiMda tOrisi

ghana sukhasAdhana mADidyOdhIra

ArthimaMdAra vEdArthavichAra sa

martha ShrIkraShNa pAdambhujalOla pra

tyarthi mattEbhakaMThIravakvObya

tIrtha karaja jayatIrtha yatIMdra

The song elli mAyavAdane goes as follows:

elli mAyavAdane raMgayyanu

elli mAyavAdane

elli mAyavAda pullanAbha kraShNa

chelve gaMgaLeyaru huDuka hOguva banni

maMdagamaneyarella kraShNana kUDe

cheMdadi iddevalla

kaMdarpa bAdhege guriya mADidanalla

maMdamati namage baMdu odagitalla

sarasijAkShiyaru kUDi kraShNana kUDe

sarasavADutaliddeve

karekaregoLisi manathribAdhegoppisi

charaNasEvakarAda taraleyaranu biTTu

bhaktavatsala dEvanu tannavarannu

akkaradali poredanu

sikkade hOganu huDukuta hOguva

akkayya bannire uDipi shrIkraShNanu

The enna biMba is anothert famous song:

enna biMba mUrutiya pUjisuve nAnu|

manamuTTi anudinadi mareyadE janarE||

gAtravE maMdira | hridayavE maMTapa | sUtravE mahaddIpa | hasta chAmaravu |

yAtre pradakShiNe | shayana namaskAra | sAstra mAtugaLella maMtraMgaLu ||

 enna svarUpaveMbude rannagannaDi | enna manOvratteyeMbudE Chatrike |

innu nuDiva harinAmAmratavE tIrtha | enna manaveMbudE siMhAsana ||

anya dEvate yAke | anya pratime yAke | anyavAda maMtrataMtravEke |

ennalli bharita sAdanegalu irutiralu | chennAgi shrIkraShNasvAmiya pUjisuvE ||

The Govinda Govinda song is as follows:

govinda govinda kriShnA hari

govinda mukunda gopala krishnA

kaDegannilindomme noDo nee

naDigeraguveno nee dayamaaDo

biDadenna ninnavarolu kUDo en-

noDeya nityaananda nee nalidADo

makkalagoDeya neenaagi hasu

makkalakuDa neenaaDa hogi

sikkide bahu dinakaagi dindi-

mikendu kunisuve baa chennagi

hrudaya kamala dolage ninnA

padakamalavanne nee daya gaiyyo munna

chadura kuniyo chelvaranna vibudara

oDeyane nityaananda Krishna

 

The jAratvavanu song is as follows:

jAratvavanu mADida pApagaLigella

gOpIjana jAraneMdare sAlade ?

chOratvavanu mADida pApagaLigella

navanIta chOraneMdare sAlade?

krUratvavanu mADida pApagaLigella

mAvanna koMdavaneMdare sAlade?

prati divasa mADida pApaMgaLige ellA

patitapAvananeMdu karedare sAlade?

iMtippa mahimeyoLogoMdannAdarU omme

saMtasadi neneye salahuva sirikraShNa

The song on Hanumantha or Anjaneya is equally famous:

jaya vAyu hanumantha jaya bheema balavantha

jaya pUrna mativantha jaya salaho santha

anjaneyali huTTi andhu rAmana seve

nandadindali maaDi kapi balava kuDi

sindhu langisi kalara vana bhangisi site-

gungurava koTTi lankapurava suTTi

harige chuDAmani yanitthu harigala kuDi

sharadiyanu kaTTi aribalavanu kuTTi

uraga bandandinda kapivararu maimareye

giriya sanjivanava thandhu badukisida

dwaparAnthyadalli paanDu bhupanatmanendenisi

sripArtha sArathiya bajaka neenAde

paapi baka keechaka hiDimbakara

kopadindali taride mUrjjagadi merede

dhuradali duryodhanana bhalavanu thilide

aritu dushaasanana oDalanu bagede

urava tappisi kauravanna thoDegala muride

hariya kinkara durandharagaaru sariye

kali yugadali kallarudisi durmatigalanu balisi

sri hariya gunagala maresi

kaliyabbu sarisalu guruvaagi avatarisi

kalara durmata muride srikrishna paranende

The Abhavahudu is as follows:

Abhavahudu harikathAmrutha

padumanAbhana pAdada pathadi

ahudu sajjana gaNake satyA

arishaDvargaMgala toradu

jaridu tApatrayava kaledu

muraharana pAdada pathadi

iralu sajjane gaNake satyA

elu dinavu pariskshitanu

veley arithu hariya katheya

keli mukthanaada mele

kelida katheya kela beku

eraDu galige kaTwAnga rAya

harana puradi sri kRuShNaMNa katheyu

smarisi mukta naada mele

nirutha katheya kelabeku

Another small but beautiful composition on Hanuman is

pavamana saMjata maruti !

ninageNeyaaro ee jagadi maruti !!

aMjane udaradi janiside bhava baMjana namava paaDide !!

aMjade siMdhuva daaTide mudreyuMgura seetege neeDide !!1!!

kuMti kumaara kali bheemane mahadaMta sameera niseemane !!

naMda kishOrana oliside maha saMdhaana korryava seeLide !!2!!

vEdaaGna viprara varasuta divya vEdaaMta peeThada yativara !!

gOpi caMdanadoLu aDagida muddu gOpaala kRuShNana pUjipa !!3!!

hIna viShayagaLigeraguve sirikraShNa

koLalanUduva chadura yaare pELammayya||pallavi||

taLiraMdadi taa poLeva karadi piDidu||a.pa||

naadadi tuMbitu gOvardhanagiri

yaadavakula ghana oreditu khagakula

saadhisi nODalu kRuShNanu Igale

saadhyavE nI bRuMdaavanadoLu||koLalanUduva||

mEvu maretavu gOvugaLellavu

saavadhaanadi haridaLu yamune

aavu kaavutali gOvaLarellara

haavabhaavadali bRuMdaavanadoLu||koLalanUduva||

suraru suridaraakaaSadi sumagaLa

saridu pOgi nODe bRuMdaavanadoLu

saari saari SrIkRuShNanu Igalu

turugaLa taa kaayda kadaMbavanadoLu||koLalanUduva|

Some of these songs are also Taratamya songs. The Taratamya concept was one of the most important tenets of Madhwacharya. For him, there was a clear and distinct gradation of gods or Taratamya and all Madhwa saints, including Vyasa Raja or Vyasa Theertha and all Haridasas accepted and propounded this in their writings.   

The Suladi Dasa

A renown Haridasa, he is called the Suladi Dasa as he used this form of poetry to express his devotion to Hari and propagate the Madhwa way of life.

He stands next only to Purandara Dasa in the number of his compositions. Though he was born more than a hundred years after Purandara Dasa died, he accepted Purandara Dasa as his guru as he came in his dream and took him to Vyasa Kashi.

It was at Vyasa Kashi that Purandara Dasa introduced him to Veda Vyasa who inscribed the Ankita Vittala on his tongue. Since then, he went on to compose 25,000 songs and he came to be better known as Vijaya Dasa (1682-1755).

He has to his credit 525 suladis, 491 padas and 72 ugabhogas. Unfortunately, these are all the compositions of this great Haridasa which are extant today. The rest are presumed missing or lost to posterity.

He used the suladi medium to great effect. He is the author of the Pancharatna Suladi and this is rare gem in Kannada literature. He also made use of suladis to describe Raghavendra Swamy, his avatars and the Brindavana.  

He has written suladis on Purandara Dasa, Vyasa Raja and Sripadaraja also. His suladi on Purandara is called Dasa Purandara. In one of the suladis, he describes the vows a person has to take before he accepts the Haridasa Deekshe.

His suladis are generally characterized by usage of Sanskrit words. Yet, the compositions are simple and easy to recite. 

Some of his famous suladis include Veda Vyasa Suladi, Kapila Suladi, Vayudeva Suladi, Narasimha Suladi, Habba Suladi, Durga Suladi,  Haridasa Lakshana Suladi, Parashurama suladi, Gurubhakuti Suladi, Hayagreeva Suladi, Dhanvantri Suladi, Naivedya Suladi, Stotra Suladi, Mangalacharana Suladi, Mantra

mahatmya Suladi, Apattu parihara Suladi, Tatvabhimani Suladi,

Taratamya Suladi, Srusti Prakarana Suladi, Upasana

Suladi, Atmanivedana Suladi, Vyadhiparahira suladi,  

Apamrutyu parihara suladi and Theerthakshetra suladi.

Incidentally, Vijaya dasa has composed a Suladi on Narasimha as has his shishya or disciple Jagannatha Dasa of Manvi.

The Narasimha suladi of Vijaya Dasa goes like this:

“Lata Lataa Lata Lataa Latakatisi Vanajanda

Kataha Pata Pata Putadutkatadi Bichchutaliralu

Puta Putaa Putanegedu Cheeri Haaruta

Palkata Kata Kataa Kadidu Roshadinda

Bobbiriye Veera Dhwaniyinda Tanagidi

Habbi Munchooni Uri Horageddu Sutte

Ubbasa Ravigaage Abja Nadugutire

Abdhi Saputa Ukki Horachelli Barutire

Abuja Bhavaadigalu Tabbibbugondaru

Abbaravenenuta Nabhada Gooleyu Tagiye

Shabda Tumbitu Avyakruta Aakasha Pariyanta

Nibbaragalu Taru Giri Jharjharisalu

Vabbarigoshavalla Namma VijayaVithala

Ibbageyaagi Kambadinda Poramatta.”

In another suladi, he talks of seeing Raghavendra Swamy with several other Gods. This is what he says:

“Nodidhenu Guru Raghavendrara

Maadidenu Bhakutiyali Vandane

Bedidenu Kondaadi Varagala

Eedu Illade Koduva Gurugala

Nooru Parvata Varusha Bidadale

Chaaru Vrundavanadalli

Vistaara Aradhaneyu Tolagade

Vaara Vaarake Aagutippudu

Saara Kaarunyadali Lakumee

Narayana Taa Chakra Roopadi

Saaridavara Agha Kaledu

Ivarige Keerutiya Tandippdanudina.”

  

Vijaya Dasa lived a long life and he had innumerable disciples (61 disciples) and the most famous among them are Gopala Dasa (Bhaganna Dasa),  Panganamma Timmana Dasa or Venugopala Vittala Dasa, Mohana Dasa, Ramachandrappa (Ramachandra Vittala Dasa), Kondali Madhwacharya (Madhwesha Vittala Dasa), Sheshagiri Dasa (Hayagreeva Vittala Dasa), Modalakallu Sheshagiri Dasa (Guru Vijaya Vittala Dasa) and Kallur

Subbannacharya (Jagannatha Dasa).

Some of his contemporaries are Satyabhinava Theertha, Satyapoorna Theertha and Satyabodha Theertha, all of Uttaradi Matha: Sumateendra Theertha, Upendra Theertha, Vadeendra Theertha and Vasudendra Theertha, all of Mantralaya Matha, Vyasa Tatvagnaru, Dewan Venkannapant or Dewan Venkanna of Adoni, Jagannatha Dasa of Manvi, Prasanna Venkata Dasa, Helavanakatte Giriyamma and others.

Narada inspired this poetess

When she was a child, she went to sleep only after her grandfather sang Dasara Padagalu. On days or rather nights when he did not sing, the child refused to sleep and cried till her grandfather relented and sang her to sleep.

Married when still young, she lost her husband and like the widows of her age, she tonsured her life and readied herself to live a life of strict widowhood. She was just eleven when she was married off to Muniyappa, thrice widowed native of Harapanahalli. The couple had a son and daughter. She lost Muniyappa when she was 36.  It was during this time of difficult times that her interest in Dasara Padagalu helped her build up her life.

Since she was Madhwa, leading a normal life after becoming a widow was all the more tough.

She slowly began taking interest in Dasara Padagalu. She also began singing them. Soon, she spent most of her time in reading  various Madhwa scriptures and singing Devara namas. Indeed, she became so involved with religion and philosophy, that even in her dreams she was constantly focused on Hari.

When she sang, she lost herself  in the world of Hari. She then began composing her own songs and sang them with the rest of the Dasara Padagalu. One day, when she was deeply immersed in singing the praise of Hari, the saint of  Heaven, Narada muni, came to her in the guise of a Brahmin holding tamboori in his hand. He then gave her the Ankita “Bhimesh Krishna.” This soon transformed the woman and she subsequently came to be known as one of the foremost Haridasa composers of her times. She is none other than Harapanahalli Bheemavva (1822-1902).

 She began composing under the new Ankita Nama, Bhimesh Krishna. Legend has it that she wrote down whatever she saw in her sleep. Thus, her dreams played a major role in writing Kritis and Devara Namas.

She regularly visited Bomagatti Pranadevaru and composed many songs on him and on Mahalakshmi. She also has many compositions on Krishna and his childhood. She visited Mantralaya, Udupi, Sonde and composed songs on Udupi Krishna, Raghavendra Swamy and Vadiraja. She composed more than 200 Devara Namas.

Mangalarathi Thandu Belagire, the Mangalarthi song of Lakshmi is written by Bheemavva as is the popular Gajamukhane Ganapathiae.

Her Harathi Hadagalu are even popular today among the womenfolk.

Bheemavva was born in Narayanakere village of Hospet talyuk of Bellary district. She died at Hosur which is located on the Tungabhadra in December 1902.