Purandara Dasa's Lakshana

The pioneer of Carnatic music Purandara Dasa (1484-1564) was a prolific composer and he has written in many genres. He is believed to have composed scores of Lakshana Geeta of which only a handful have survived.

For Purandara Dasa, the Lakshya or Lakshana geete was the most suitable medium for beginners to learn music. He, therefore, kept the geete simple and even today it is sung from beginning to end without any variation or repetition. 

When Purandara Dasa decided to simplify Carnatic music and make it easier for students to learn, he first went about composing the geete in a medium tempo. He also ensured that there was not much complication in the raga, taala or swara. 

Generally, the lakshana geete does not have pallavi, anupallavi and charana as its tempo is uniform. This makes the Lakshana a continuous composition.

Today, these compositions have historical and academic value, as many of the ragas contained therein have become obscure. Though many of his Lakshana geete are lost, a few do survive. Some of them have two or more sections. But all these compositions are simple and easy on the beginners.

Purandara Dasa’s introductory geetas in praise of  Ganesha, Shiva or Maheswara and Vishnu are sometimes called as Pillari geetas which are in praise of a chosen deity. Many of these were composed in Malahari and the most famous is “Lambodara Lakumikara”, which is one of the finest composition on Ganapathy.

Many of the geetas are sung from the beginning to the end without repeating the avarthas.

When the geetas have two sections, they are called as Khandikas. In a few of his geetas, Purandara Dasa has concluded these compositions by repeating a part or full portion of the opening lines.

Apart from the Pillari geeta, the Sanchari geeta too are in praise of a chosen deity. The sanchari geete is also called as samanya or  sadharana geete.   

Unfortunately, a major portion of the Lakshana geete of  Purandara Dasa appears to have been irrevocably lost. Noted Dwaitha scholar and philosopher, BNK Murthy, regrets that many of these geetas have not survived. He blames the Haridasas subsequent to Purandara Dasa for this act and says the shifting of the centre of gravity of Carnatic music from Vijayanagar in 1565 sounded the death knell of the Dasa Sahitya.

Sri Krishnashtakam

One of the greatest Madhwa saints to have traversed all over India and the one who hailed from Karnataka is Vadiraja Theertha (1480-1600).

Vadiraja Theertha was a seer who adorned the Sode Matha, which today is also known as Sode Vadiraja or Vadiraja Matha. He was born at Gowri Gadde and he was a disciple of the venerable Vyasa Raja or Vyasa Theertha (1560-1539).

Vadiraja Theertha was a contemporary of  Purandara Dasa, Kanaka Dasa and Belur Vaikunta Dasa. His contribution to both Dasa Koota and Vyasa Koota is immeasurable.

He was a prolific writer and composer. He has several compositions on Udupi Krishna to his credit. The Sri Krishnashtakam is one of his best.

The lyrics of this composition in Kannada, English and Sanskrit are as follows:

 ಪಾಲಯಾಚ್ಯುತ ಪಾಲಯಾಜಿತ ಪಾಲಯಾ ಕಮಲಾಲಯ
ಪಲಯಾ ಧೃತಭೂಧರಾಂಬುರುಹೋದರ ಸ್ವಜನೋದರ |

ಮಧ್ವಮಾನಸಪದ್ಮಭಾನುಸಮಂ ಸ್ಮರಪ್ರತಿಮಂ ಸ್ಮರ
ಸ್ನಿಗ್ದನಿರ್ಮಲಶೀತಕಾಂತಿಲಸನ್ಮುಖಂ ಕರುಣೋನ್ಮುಖಮ್|
ಹೃದ್ಯಕಂಬುಸಮಾನಕಂಧರಮಕ್ಷಯಂ ದುರಿತಕ್ಷಯಂ
ಸ್ನಿಗ್ಧಸಂಸ್ತುತರೌಪ್ಯಪೀಠಕೃತಾಲಯಂ ಹರಿಮಾಲಯಮ್ ||೧||

ಅಂಗದಾದಿಸುಶೋಭಿಪಾಣಿಯುಗೇನ ಸಂಕ್ಷುಭಿತೈನಸಂ
ತುಂಗಮಾಲ್ಯಮಣೀಂದ್ರಹಾರಸರೋರಸಂ ಖಲನೀರಸಮ್|
ಮಂಗಲಪ್ರದಮಂಥದಾಮವಿರಾಜಿತಂ ಭಜತಾಜಿತಂ
ತಂ ಗೃಣೇ ವರರೌಪ್ಯಪೀಠಕೃತಾಲಯಂ ಹರಿಮಾಲಯಮ್ ||೨||

ಪೀನರಮ್ಯತನೂದರಂ ಭಜ ಹೇ ಮನಃ ಶುಭ ಹೇ ಮನಃ
ಸ್ವಾನುಭಾವನಿದರ್ಶನಾಯ ದಿಶಂತಮರ್ಥಿಸುಶಂತಮಮ್|
ಅನತೋಸ್ಮಿ ನಿಜಾರ್ಜುನಪ್ರಿಯಸಾಧಕಂ ಖಲಬಾಧಕಂ
ಹೀನೋತೋಜ್ಝಿತರೌಪ್ಯಪೀಠಕೃತಾಲಯಂ ಹರಿಮಾಲಯಮ್ ||೩||

ಹೈಮಕಿಂಕಿಣಿಮಾಲಿಕಾರಶನಾಂಚಿತಂ ತಮವಂಚಿತಂ
ಕಮ್ರಕಾಂಚನಚಿತ್ರವಸ್ತ್ರಕಟಿಂ ಘನಪ್ರಭಯಾ ಘನಮ್|
ನಮ್ರನಾಗಕರೋಪಮೋರುಮನಾಮಯಂ ಶುಭಧೀಮಯಂ
ನೌಮ್ಯಹಂ ವರರೌಪ್ಯಪೀಠಕೃತಾಲಯಂ ಹರಿಮಾಲಯಮ್ ||೪||

ವೃತ್ತಜಾನುಮನೋಜ್ಞಜಂಘಮಮೋಹದಂ ಪರಮೋಹದಂ
ರತ್ನಕಲ್ಪನಖತ್ವಿಷಾ ಹೃತಹೃತ್ತಮಸ್ತತಿಮುತ್ತಮಮ್|
ಪ್ರತ್ಯಹಂ ರಚಿತಾರ್ಚನಂ ರಮಯಾ ಸ್ವಯಾಗತಯಾ ಸ್ವಯಂ
ಚಿತ್ತ ಚಿಂತಯ ರೌಪ್ಯಪೀಠಕೃತಾಲಯಂ ಹರಿಮಾಲಯಮ್ ||೫||

ಚಾರುಪಾದಸರೋಜಯುಗ್ಮರುಚಾಮರೋಚ್ಚಯಚಾಮರೋ-
ದಾರಮೂರ್ಧಜಭಾರಮಂಡಲರಂಜಕಂ ಕಲಿಭಂಜಕಮ್|
ವೀರತೋಚಿತಭೂಷಣಂ ವರನೂಪುರಂ ಸ್ವತನೂಪುರಂ
ಧಾರಯಾತ್ಮನಿ ರೌಪ್ಯಪೀಠಕೃತಾಲಯಂ ಹರಿಮಾಲಯಮ್ ||೬||

ಶುಷ್ಕವಾದಿಮನೋತಿದೂರತರಾಗಮೋತ್ಸವದಾಗಮಂ
ಸತ್ಕವೀಂದ್ರ ವಚೋವಿಲಾಸಮಹೋದಯಂ ಮಹಿತೋದಯಮ್|
ಲಕ್ಷಯಾಮಿ ಯತೀಶ್ವರೈಃ ಕೃತಪೂಜನಂ ಗುಣಭಾಜನಂ
ಧಿಕ್ಕೃತೋಪಮರೌಪ್ಯಪೀಠಕೃತಾಲಯಂ ಹರಿಮಾಲಯಮ್ ||೭||

ನಾರದಪ್ರಿಯಮಾವಿಶಾಂಬುರುಹೇಕ್ಷಣಂ ನಿಜರಕ್ಷಣಂ
ತಾರಕೋಪಮಚಾರುದೀಪಚಯಾಂತರೇ ಗತಚಿಂತ ರೇ|
ಧೀರ ಮಾನಸ ಪೂರ್ಣಚಂದ್ರಸಮಾನಮಚ್ಯುತಮಾನಮ
ದ್ವಾರಕೋಪಮರೌಪ್ಯಪೀಠಕೃತಾಲಯಂ ಹರಿಮಾಲಯಮ್ ||೮||

ರೂಪ್ಯಪೀಠಕೃತಾಲಯಸ್ಯ ಹರೇಃ ಪ್ರಿಯಂ ದುರಿತಾಪ್ರಿಯಂ
ತತ್ಪದಾರ್ಚಕವಾದಿರಾಜಯತೀರಿತಂ ಗುಣಪೂರಿತಮ್|
ಗೋಪ್ಯಮಷ್ಟಕಮೇತದುಚ್ಚಮುದೇ ಮಮಾಸ್ತ್ವಿಹ ನಿರ್ಮಮ
ಪ್ರಾಪ್ಯ ಶುದ್ಧಫಲಾಯ ತತ್ರ ಸುಕೋಮಲಂ ಹೃತಧೀಮಲಮ್ ||೯||

||ಇತಿ ಶ್ರೀ ವಾದಿರಾಜಯತಿ ವಿರಚಿತಂ ಕೃಷ್ಣಾಷ್ಟಕಮ್||

The lyrics in English is as follows:

pālayācyuta pālayājita pālayā kamalālaya
palayā dhr̥tabhūdharāṁburuhōdara svajanōdara |

madhvamānasapadmabhānusamaṁ smarapratimaṁ smara
snigdanirmalaśītakāṁtilasanmukhaṁ karuṇōnmukham|
hr̥dyakaṁbusamānakaṁdharamakṣayaṁ duritakṣayaṁ
snigdhasaṁstutaraupyapīṭhakr̥tālayaṁ harimālayam ||1||

aṁgadādisuśōbhipāṇiyugēna saṁkṣubhitainasaṁ
tuṁgamālyamaṇīṁdrahārasarōrasaṁ khalanīrasam|
maṁgalapradamaṁthadāmavirājitaṁ bhajatājitaṁ
taṁ gr̥ṇē vararaupyapīṭhakr̥tālayaṁ harimālayam ||2||

pīnaramyatanūdaraṁ bhaja hē manaḥ śubha hē manaḥ
svānubhāvanidarśanāya diśaṁtamarthisuśaṁtamam|
anatōsmi nijārjunapriyasādhakaṁ khalabādhakaṁ
hīnōtōjjhitaraupyapīṭhakr̥tālayaṁ harimālayam ||3||

haimakiṁkiṇimālikāraśanāṁcitaṁ tamavaṁcitaṁ
kamrakāṁcanacitravastrakaṭiṁ ghanaprabhayā ghanam|
namranāgakarōpamōrumanāmayaṁ śubhadhīmayaṁ
naumyahaṁ vararaupyapīṭhakr̥tālayaṁ harimālayam ||4||

vr̥ttajānumanōjñajaṁghamamōhadaṁ paramōhadaṁ
ratnakalpanakhatviṣā hr̥tahr̥ttamastatimuttamam|
pratyahaṁ racitārcanaṁ ramayā svayāgatayā svayaṁ
citta ciṁtaya raupyapīṭhakr̥tālayaṁ harimālayam ||5||

cārupādasarōjayugmarucāmarōccayacāmarō-
dāramūrdhajabhāramaṁḍalaraṁjakaṁ kalibhaṁjakam|
vīratōcitabhūṣaṇaṁ varanūpuraṁ svatanūpuraṁ
dhārayātmani raupyapīṭhakr̥tālayaṁ harimālayam ||6||

śuṣkavādimanōtidūratarāgamōtsavadāgamaṁ
satkavīṁdra vacōvilāsamahōdayaṁ mahitōdayam|
lakṣayāmi yatīśvaraiḥ kr̥tapūjanaṁ guṇabhājanaṁ
dhikkr̥tōpamaraupyapīṭhakr̥tālayaṁ harimālayam ||7||

nāradapriyamāviśāṁburuhēkṣaṇaṁ nijarakṣaṇaṁ
tārakōpamacārudīpacayāṁtarē gataciṁta rē|
dhīra mānasa pūrṇacaṁdrasamānamacyutamānama
dvārakōpamaraupyapīṭhakr̥tālayaṁ harimālayam ||8||

rūpyapīṭhakr̥tālayasya harēḥ priyaṁ duritāpriyaṁ
tatpadārcakavādirājayatīritaṁ guṇapūritam|
gōpyamaṣṭakamētaduccamudē mamāstviha nirmama
prāpya śuddhaphalāya tatra sukōmalaṁ hr̥tadhīmalam ||9||

The composition in Sanskrit is:

पालयाच्युत पालयाजित पालया कमलालय
पलया धृतभूधरांबुरुहोदर स्वजनोदर ।

मध्वमानसपद्मभानुसमं स्मरप्रतिमं स्मर
स्निग्दनिर्मलशीतकांतिलसन्मुखं करुणोन्मुखम्।
हृद्यकंबुसमानकंधरमक्षयं दुरितक्षयं
स्निग्धसंस्तुतरौप्यपीठकृतालयं हरिमालयम् ॥१॥

अंगदादिसुशोभिपाणियुगेन संक्षुभितैनसं
तुंगमाल्यमणींद्रहारसरोरसं खलनीरसम्।
मंगलप्रदमंथदामविराजितं भजताजितं
तं गृणे वररौप्यपीठकृतालयं हरिमालयम् ॥२॥

पीनरम्यतनूदरं भज हे मनः शुभ हे मनः
स्वानुभावनिदर्शनाय दिशंतमर्थिसुशंतमम्।
अनतोस्मि निजार्जुनप्रियसाधकं खलबाधकं
हीनोतोज्झितरौप्यपीठकृतालयं हरिमालयम् ॥३॥

हैमकिंकिणिमालिकारशनांचितं तमवंचितं
कम्रकांचनचित्रवस्त्रकटिं घनप्रभया घनम्।
नम्रनागकरोपमोरुमनामयं शुभधीमयं
नौम्यहं वररौप्यपीठकृतालयं हरिमालयम् ॥४॥

वृत्तजानुमनोज्ञजंघममोहदं परमोहदं
रत्नकल्पनखत्विषा हृतहृत्तमस्ततिमुत्तमम्।
प्रत्यहं रचितार्चनं रमया स्वयागतया स्वयं
चित्त चिंतय रौप्यपीठकृतालयं हरिमालयम् ॥५॥

चारुपादसरोजयुग्मरुचामरोच्चयचामरो-
दारमूर्धजभारमंडलरंजकं कलिभंजकम्।
वीरतोचितभूषणं वरनूपुरं स्वतनूपुरं
धारयात्मनि रौप्यपीठकृतालयं हरिमालयम् ॥६॥

शुष्कवादिमनोतिदूरतरागमोत्सवदागमं
सत्कवींद्र वचोविलासमहोदयं महितोदयम्।
लक्षयामि यतीश्वरैः कृतपूजनं गुणभाजनं
धिक्कृतोपमरौप्यपीठकृतालयं हरिमालयम् ॥७॥

नारदप्रियमाविशांबुरुहेक्षणं निजरक्षणं
तारकोपमचारुदीपचयांतरे गतचिंत रे।
धीर मानस पूर्णचंद्रसमानमच्युतमानम
द्वारकोपमरौप्यपीठकृतालयं हरिमालयम् ॥८॥

रूप्यपीठकृतालयस्य हरेः प्रियं दुरिताप्रियं
तत्पदार्चकवादिराजयतीरितं गुणपूरितम्।
गोप्यमष्टकमेतदुच्चमुदे ममास्त्विह निर्मम
प्राप्य शुद्धफलाय तत्र सुकोमलं हृतधीमलम् ॥९॥

॥इति श्री वादिराजयति विरचितं कृष्णाष्टकम्॥

By the way, centuries earlier, Adi Shankara had also composed a similar composition. Here, Shankaracharya calls Krishna as Jagadguru and this is a composition of eight cantos.

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 Suvalli of Jagannatha Dasa

Nearly a thousand years ago, one of India’s greatest mathematicians and astronomers wrote a book on mathematics and dedicate it to his daughter who had lost her husband just after marriage. The mathematician wanted to ensure that the memory if his daughter remains forever and he penned Lilavathi, one of the finest books on mathematics.

The mathematician was Bhaskaracharya (1114-1186) and his daughter was Lilavati. Determined to ensure that the world did not forget the name of his daughter, Bhaskarancharya wrote Lilavati.

Seven centuries later, a Haridasa from Karnataka lovingly compiled a text and gifted it to his daughter-in-law. You see, the Dasa had just lost his son and he deeply sympathized with the plight of his daughter-in-law. He wanted to console her and help her come out the agony of being a widow.

This Dasa was none other than Jagannatha Dasa (1726-1809) of Manvi and his daughter-in-law was the pious Gopamma.

Gopamma had just lost her husband Damodara and she was grieving continuously. She was also lamenting her fate of becoming a widow so early in life. More than anything, she was holding herself responsible for the death of her husband. Nothing that Jagannatha Dasa said could console her. Left with nothing else, the Dasa decided to write about Sri Hari and gift it to his daughter-in-law.

The Dasa then composed the Tatwa Suvalli which is a beautiful composition on the mahime of Vishnu and his family. It is a composition in Tripadi and since it is penned in the Janapada or folklore style, it is easy to memorise and easier to recite.

The Tatwa Suvalli is based on several other Hindu religious and philosophic works such as the Harivamsha of Vedavyasa, Brahma Sutra Bhashya and Mahabharata Tatparya Nirnanya of Madhwacharya, Bhagavatha, Upanishads, Theertha Prabhanda and Yukti Makkika of Vadiraja,Vamana, Garuda and Brahmanada Puranas, Vishnu Rahashye, Sri Sumadhwavijaya of Narayana Panditacharya and other famous works.

Gopamma began reciting the Suvalli and soon other women followed. Just as women in and around Bijapur began singing Chakki namas (composed by sufi saints and they dealt with ordinary chores that women would perform at home every day), the Suvalli son became famous in and around Raichur district.

Of the 1200 suvallis that formed the text, only 456 have survived.

The Tatwa Suvalli contains stuthis like Dashavatara, Brahma, Krishna, Tulasi, Rukmini Vilasa, Navagraha, Ganesha, Surya, Chandra, Vaisha Deva prakara, Maha Rudra Deva, Pranadevaru,  Stuthi, Venkateshwara, Mayavadha Kandana, Bhu Durga Stuthi and others.

Interestingly, in the Suvalli, Jagannatha Dasa has treated Rahu and Ketu as Chaya grahas and included Surya, Chandra, Mangala, Budha, Guru, Shukra and Shani as Navagraha.

If we go through this work, we find that the Dasa has given us a summary of the teachings and philosophy of Madhwacharya. He strictly adheres to the Taratamya or the gradation of Gods preached by Madhwacharya. Some of the tenets of Vadiraja Theertha are also brought out. The Suvalli brings out the philosopher in Jagannatha Dasa.

He says people should at all times remember and meditate on Hari or Vishnu. It is only Vishnu who can provide a balm to sooth all the pains that human beings experience. Hari is the only one who can save us and remember him always and in all circumstances, says the Dasa.

In one of the lines of the Suvalli, he says “inna vismritigadika mahapApa mahapApa karmagalu inilla inilla lOkatraydolu” and this is addressed directly to Vishnu. What he means is that much time has been spent in going after worldly pleasures and we have forgotten the lotus feet of Vishnu. We have tended to forget Vishnu and this is the first among the sins that we have committed.

At another place, he says “kere bAvi dEva maMdiraMgalanu keDisi divya hiridAgi mane kaTTidE nere neDava mArgadolu aravaTigegalannu thara tharadi bichchi tegede”.

He says he has been the cause and the source of destruction of Nature and temples and also the cause of their neglect. He says man has been selfish and he has not made use of the gifts of Nature to help others.  

The Suvalli starts with Ganapathi Stotra. It is in Ananda Bhairavi and is set to Ekathala.