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.

The Haridasa from Mysore

Guru Govinda Vittala Dasaru is one of the well-knonw Haridasas of the twentieth century. He founded the Akhila Bharata Haridasa Sammelana in 1978 to propogate Haridasa Sahitya.

The sammelana conducts Aradhana of  Purandara Dasa at different Teertha Kshetras. He chaired the Sammelanas till 1983.

Guru Govinda Vittala Dasa is the last disciple of Muddu Mohana Dasa of Devarayana Durga of Tumkur.

Guru Govinda Vittala Dasa (1894-1983) of Mysore belonged to the Haridasa Parmapara of Vijaya Dasa.  He has given Ankita Upadesha to over 260 Haridasas and Haridasis and authored over 50 books.

He has also consecrated the idol of Panduranga Vittala in Mysore at Gurugovinda Nivasa.

This is a Kannada song by the Dasa.

ಈರಾ - ಹರಿಪದ ಸೇವಕ ಧೀರಾ |

ಹರಿರಿಪುವನ ಪಾವಕ ಘೋರಾ | 

ಭಾರತೀಶ ಮಹ ಶೂರಾ                                 

ಅರಿಕರಿ ಸಂಕುಲ ಕೇಸರಿ ರೂಪನೆ

ಶರಣೆನ್ನುವೆ ತವ ಚರಣಾಬ್ಜಗಳಿಗೆ                    

ಪ್ರಾಣಾ-ಜಗಧರ ಕೂರ್ಮ ಸತ್ರಾಣ | ಮಾನ ಪ್ರಮೇಯದಿ ನಿಪುಣ

ಪಠಿಸಿ ಮೆರೆದ ನವ ವ್ಯಾಕರಣ | ಜಡ ಜೀವ ನಿಯಾಮಕ ಪ್ರಾಣ

ಜ್ಞಾನ  ಜ್ನೇಯ  ಜ್ಞಾತ್ರ ಅಭಿಧಾನದ

ಕ್ಷೋಣೀಶಗೆ ಕರ್ತೃ ಕರ್ಮ - ಕರಣ         

ಭೀಮಾ - ಕೌರವರಳಿದ ನಿಸ್ಸೀಮ | ಪ್ರಥಮಾಂಗ ಹರಿಗೆ ಸುಧಾಮ

ಅಸಮ ನಿನ್ನೊಳು ಹರಿಪ್ರೇಮ | ನಿನಗೊಂದಿಪೆ ಮುಂದಿನ ಬೊಮ್ಮ

ಶ್ಯಾಮಸುಂದರ ಹರಿ ಪ್ರೇಮ ಸಂಪೂರ್ಣ

ನಿಮ್ಮೋಲಗೆ ಬಯಸುವೆ ಭೂಷ ಲಲಾಮ         

ಮಧ್ವಾ - ಬಹುಶ್ರುತಿ ಪ್ರತಿಪಾದ್ಯ | ಮಧ್ವಾಖ್ಯ ತತ್ರ್ಯತಿ ಸಿದ್ಧ

ಶುದ್ದ ಸತ್ವಾತ್ಮಕ ತನು ಬದ್ಧ | ಬದ್ದ ತ್ವವು ನಾಮಮಾತ್ರ ಸಿದ್ದ

ಅದ್ವಿತೀಯ ಗುರು ಗೋವಿಂದ ವಿಠಲನ

ಸಿದ್ಧಾಂತಿಸಿ ಬಹು ಹಳಿದೆ ವಿರುದ್ಧ                       3

The stotra to get back riches and money

One of the greats saints of  Madhwa parampare is Vadiraja Theertha (1480-1600).

He belonged to the Sode Matha, which today is better known as Vadiraja Matha. He was given deeksha by Vageesh Theertha and

He was born in Gowri Gadde and his Brindavana is in Sode near Sirsi.

Vadiraja has several brilliant compositions and philosophical works to his credit. He was one of the most prominent disciples of Vyasa Raja or Vyasa Theertha (1447-1539). He was a contemporary of several Madhwa saints and Haridasas such as Surendra Theertha, Vijendra Theertha and Sudhindra Theertha of Raghavendra Swamy Matha,  Srinivasa Theertha and Rama Theertha of Sosale Vyasaraja Matha and several others.

He knew Purandara Dasa, Belur Vaikunta Dasa, Kanaka Dasa, Annamacharya and others.   

Vadiraja Theertha was a frequent visitor at Hampi and he is believed to have been one of the outstanding visiting professors of

the Vijayanagar University of which Vyasa Raja was the Chancellor.

However, after the passing away of Vyasa Raja in 1539, his visit to Vijayanagar or Hampi became less and less frequent. However, when he heard that Achuta Deva Raya (1529-1542) was in distress as the Kingdom’s treasury was empty, he helped out the Hindu Kingdom by revealing the secret treasures that had been hidden in the rocks around Hampi.

Vadiraja Theertha also composed a stotra and asked Achuta Deva Raya to recite it to regain all the lost wealth of Vijayanagar. Of course, the stotra helped the Raya regain the lost wealth.

Vadiraja Theertha asked Achuta Deva Raya to recite the sloka a thousand times. Achuta Deva Raya did so and he was able to get hold of untold wealth.

A little known fact about Achuta Deva Raya is that he patronized Purandara Dasa and he himself was an accomplished Veena player.

Coming back to Vadiraja, both Krishna Deva Raya and his half-brother, Achuta Deva Raya, had high regard for the saint from Sode.     

This is how the stotra that Vadiraja taught Achuta Deva Raya goes. It can be recited if you have lost money and or wealth. Be sure to recite it after doing sankalpa.

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The Rangoli Dasa

Jagannatha Dasa of Manvi (1727-1809) was not only a great scholar but he was also a well-known Rangoli artiste.

The Dasa would spend time by drawing various Rangoli designs even as he sang the glory of  Hari.

He would draw different deities in Rangoli and they became so popular that people started calling him as Rangoli Dasa.

The Rangoli that the Dasa drew were so life like and so beautiful that people felt highly devotional on seeing them.

One day, Jagannatha Dasa happened to visit the house of Dewan Purnaiah in Srirangapatna. Tipu Sultan was the ruler of Mysore Kingdom and Srirangapatna was his capital.

Dewan Purnaiah and Jagannatha Dasa were great friends. When Jagannatha Dasa stayed in the Dewan’s house for some time, he began drawing Rangoli.

The rangoli drawings were highly appreciated by every one. When Purnaiah came back home from office, he was delighted to see the beautiful Rangoli. He was all the more happy when he noticed that the Rangoli was that of Ranganathaswamy, the presiding deity of Srirangapatna.

Both Hyder Ali and his son Tipu had great faith in Ranganatha and they did not harm the Ranganantha Temple. In fact, both donated liberally to the temple.

Dewan Purnaiah too was a devotee of  Ranganatha. He was a Madhwa Brahmin from a village near Coimbatore. When Purnaiah saw the Rangoli drawing of Ranganatha, his joy knew no bounds.

Purnaiah prostated before the Rangoli. But when he looked at it closely, he found that the God did not wear any crown.

Purnaiah then pointed out to Jagannatha Dasa that the drawing did not have the crown of Ranganatha. He said the Rangoli would have been complete had the crown been drawn.

Jagannatha Dasa replied that he had not draw the crown as Ranganatha had not worn it. This reply so astonished Dewan Purnaiah that he sent his servant to the temple to ascertain whether or not Ranganatha was wearing a crown.

The servant went to the temple and had a darshana of Ranganatha. He then came back to Dewan Purnaiah’s house came and told him that the priests had not yet kept the throne on the head of Ranganatha.      

Dewan Purnaiah was filled with admiration and respect to Jagannatha Dasa. He then acknowledged the holiness of the Dasa.

From then on, he became an ardent devotee of  Jagannatha Dasa.

Another Haridasa, who was well-known for Rangoli, was Helevankatte Giriyamma.

This Haridasi would draw Rangoli depicting the life and times of Krishna, particularly his sport with the Gopis, at the Ranga Mantapa in Helavankatte and then sing songs. People of the village liked her songs and Rangoli too.

Rangoli is known by different names in different states. If it is rangavalli in Karnataka, Kollam in Kerala, muggu in Andhra Pradesh, purna in Uttar Pradesh, mandana in Rajasthan, aripan in Bihar, alpana in Bengal and Maharashtra, alikhthap in Kumaon and saathiya in Gujarat.

It is not just the names but the designs too vary  from State to State. In Maharashtra, rangoli are drawn on the doors of homes to ward off evil forces attempting to the house. In Kerala, during Onam, flowers are elaborately set out and designed for each of the ten days of the celebration. In Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, the rangoli is drawn upon the ground or floor daily.

The designs of the Rangoli are geometric and symmetrical shapes but the materials used are either rice flour or slurry.

Chitralakshana, the earliest Indian treatise on painting, gives us an interesting legend about the origin of Rangoli. It says when the son of a King’s high priest died, the king was distressed. Lord Brahma asked the king to paint a likeness of the boy on the wall so that he  could breathe life into him again. That painting is believed to be the first Rangoli.
Another legend has it that God extracted the juice of a mango and painted a figure of a woman with it. Whatever its story of origin, the rangoli is mentioned in the Epics. Rangoli is a Sanskrit word, meaning creative expression of art by means of colors.

This ancient art form is drawn at the entrance of a house to usher in peace and prosperity. These drawings can either be simple or highly intricate. Apart from making the surroundings aesthetic and auspicious, they are believed to usher in peace and prosperity.

By the way, Suyatheendra Theertham senior pontiff of  Mantralaya Matha or Sri Raghavendra Swamy Matha (he was earlier known as (Susheelendracharya) is an excellent exponent of Rangoli art. 

There is a beautiful story about Rangoli and Purandara Dasa.

One day, Purandara Dasa came home and when he stepped on the threshold of his house, he was astonished to see a beautiful rangoli. He called his wife, Saraswathi, and complimented her on drawing such a beautiful design.

Saraswathi told her husband that it was nothing new but the rangolis are drawn every day and each of them are beautiful. She then stunned Purandara Dasa when she said that the Rangoli was not drawn by her but they were beautifully set when she opened the front door every morning to wash the courtyard and draw rangoli.

Purandara Dasa then decided to find out the mystery of the rangoli. He sat up the whole night and early in the morning he found a group of women washing the courtyard and drawing the rangoli.

Purandara called out and asked the women who they were and why they were drawing rangoli in front of his house. One of the women replied and said she was River Ganga. Introducing the others, she said they are  Yamuna, Godavari, Saraswati, Narmada, Sindhu and Cavery. 

She said all of them were river goddesses and they had come to paint rangoli so as to serve pious people like you. The women bowed to Purandara Dasa and vanished.

Even Emperor Krishna Deva Raya had noticed the beautiful rangoli in front of the house of Purandara Dasa. When he asked Vyasa Raja about it, the Rajaguru told him that they had been drawn by the seven river goddesses. This story may look imaginary but look at the moral of it. A drawing in front of the house not only pleases human beings but gods and Gandharvas too. What was the outcome of the beautiful rangoli in front of the house of Purandara Dasa. The Dasa went ahead and composed a beautiful song on Rangoli and he first sang it before his Guru, Vyasaraja.

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.

The warning that went unheeded

A few years before he passed away in 1564, Purandara Dasa warned the people of Vijayanagar about the dangers of forsaking god and falling into the trap of gaining wealth and leading an improper life. He sang, “Neechadhiree Bhagya” but the Emperor and the masses remained oblivious. Retribution was swift and the Vijayanagar forces lost in 1565 and Hampi was plundered and thousands of people put to the sword.

He also sang,

“Dharma shravana vetake  murkhage

Karma anushtana vansega dhiruva ,

Durmargi etka Brahmana Janma”

Konage veene gana videtake,

Manikhyavetake  markatge,

Tranavu tolagida hennigethake ,

Katani muthina haravu koralige.

Sadhu rasannavidetake,

Garthabha  udugore  sahithale shvananige,

Kadu vratthavahage  mai neardu hennina,

Odane  bhogipenembabila seyake.

Huttu kurudage  deepavidetake,

Bharastannigetke  kula dharma,

Srushtiyola damage  purandara vittlana

Muti bhajipenemba abhilaksha vetake.

Both Vyasa Raja (1447-1539), the Guru of Purandara Dasa (1480-1564) and the Dasa himself had foreseen the fall of Vijayanagar after the death of Krishna Deva Raya.

Krishna Deva Raya (1509-1530) was an Emperor who had upheld the Hindu dharma and he laid great store by the advice of Vyasa Raja, his Raja Guru. Krishna Deva Raya had immense respect and devotion to Vyasa Raja and he always went by his advice.

When Vyasa Raja warned him about the Kuhu Dosha, Krishna Devara Raya had gone by the perceptor’s advice. He had made Vyasa Raja the Emperor of Vijayanagar and he was reluctant to take back the Kingdom. But Vyasa Raja insisted that Krishna Deva Raya take back the Kingdom.

When Krishna Deva Raya pointed out that he had handed over the Kingdom to a saint and ascetic and that he could not take back what he had given as Dhana or offering, the erudite Madhwa seer turned this very same argument against the Emperor.

Vyasa Raja pointed out gently to the Emperor that he was only a wandering mendicant. He said a mendicant or sage had no interest in worldly things and that a sage could not be expected to take on the duties of a King.

Vyasa Raja then buttressed his arguments by quoting from the Bhagavath Geetha. He said Krishna had clearly said in the Geetha that one must do what one is asked to do or what one is best suited to do. “I am a wandering mendicant and I have no wordly attachment. I was taken away by my guru, Brahmanye Theertha, when I was young. I was brought up to lead a scholastic and monastic way of life. I am best at it. You, who are a King, know how to rule”, said Vyasa Raja.

He said a man who had given up everything to be near Hari had no attachment and even a Kingdom held no interest. Moreover, OI was sent to earth to fulfill a mission and I am still discharging the duty. O, King, I give back the Kingdom to you in the same manner that you gave me. Hence, there is no dosha or sin. No blame will accrue on you and you rule in a just and fair manner. That is all I ask of you”, Vyasa Raja said.

Though Krishna Deva Raya and Vyasa Raja did have difference of opinion, it never came in the way they respected each other. Krishna Deva Raya’s respect to the seer increased manifold when he was saved from the Kuhu Dosha and after he emerged victorious over the Adil Shah forces from Bijapur at the battle of Raichur.

Krishna Deva Raya then inscribed the sign, “Vyasa Raja is mu guru” on a panel in the Virupaksha Temple in Hampi. Krishna Deva Raya passed away in 1529 or 1530, grieving deeply over the death of his only male heir, Tirumala Raya, who appeared to have been poisoned to death.

Though Achuta Deva Raya, the brother of Krishna Deva Raya,  ascended the throne of Vijayanagar and ruled from 1529 to 1542, he had a tough time quelling challenges from Krishna Deva Raya’s son-in-law Rama Raya, also known as Aliya Rama Raya.

Achuta Deva Raya continued to pay respect to Vyasa Raja who was his Raja Guru too. When the time for entering Brindavana came in 1539, Vyasa Raja appears to have warned the Vijayanagar Emperor about the dangers that the Kingdom faced.

Unfortunately, Achuta Deva Raya was unable to rectify the faults that Vyasa Raja and Purandara Dasa pointed. Rama Raya, for some reason, appears to have taken a hostile attitude towards Madhwas and this led to the gradual erosion of support to the Emperors.

The Hindus had been the mainstay of the Vijayanagar Empire for close to three centuries. Once Rama Raya began antagonizing them, they began moving away from Vijayanagar.

The movement of the Hindu intelligentsia, including Haridasas like Kanaka Dasa 1509-1609 (he moved away from Hampi after the death of Purandara Dasa and in his last days, he lived in Tirumala), Vadiraja 1480-1600 (he went back to Sonda after the passing away of Vyasa Raja), Vijendra Theertha (he came to Vijayanagar to pay respect to the Brindavana of his ashrama Gurugalu Vyasa Raja, and then went back to Kumbakonam), Belur Vaikunta Dasa 1480-1550 (He went back to Belur in Hassan district after the death of Vyasa Raja) signaled the decline of Hindu literature.

Vijendra Theertha (1517-1614) too foresaw the fall of  Vijayanagar and he too warned the Vijayanagar Emperor but alas his warning was not taken seriously.

Purandara Dasa’s youngest son Madhwapathi Dasa continued composing Devara namas after his father passed away at the Purandara Mantapa in Hampi in 1564. He too was mildly critical of the epicurean lifestyle of the people of Vijayanagar and its Kings.  

Srinivasa Theertha, who ascended the Vyasa Raja Matha pontificate after Vyasa Raja, ruled till 1564. He passed away in 1564 and he was buried near his guru, Vyasa Raja in Nava Brindavana. Being the Raja Guru of Vijayanagar, he too warned the Vijayanagar Emperor, Achuta Deva Raya and other Kings who followed him but to no avail.

Srinivasa Theertha was followed by Rama Theertha and he became the Raja Guru of Vijayanagar in 1564. He headed the Vyasa Raja matha till 1584 and even he too appears to have forsaken Hampi once the Vijayanagars lost the battle of Rakasa Tangadi or Talikota.    

When the battle of Talikota took place in 1565, Rama Raya was beheaded by the Muslim forces who then converged onto Hampi or Vijayanagar and completely sacked it.  

Madhwapathi Dasa fled to Pune, while Kanaka Dasa took himself away from Hampi and wandered all over Karnataka. Belur Vaikunta Dasa spent his last days in Belur itself. Vijendra Theertha ruled from the Sri Matha pontificate in Kumbokanam.      

The Vijayaraya Kavacha

The aradhane of one of the greatest saints composers of the Haridasa movement. Vijaya Dasa ((1682-1755), is just a day away. Vijaya Dasa along with   Purandara and Kanaka is called the trinity of Haridasa movement.

Vijaya Dasa was believed to be an incarnation of  Madhwapathi Dasa, the youngest son of Purandara Dasa. He was born so that he could fulfill his father’s wishes of writing five lakh devara namas.

Purandara Dasa could compose only 4,75,000 songs and he asked Madhwapathi Dasa to complete the rest 25,000. Since Madhwapati could not complete the numbers in his lifetime, he was reborn as Vijaya Dasa.

Vijaya Dasa was a contemporary of several other Haridasas such as  Gopala Dasa, Helevankatte Giriamma, Jagannatha Dasa and Prasanna Venkata Dasa.

Vijaya Dasa was born in a poor Brahmin family in Cheekalaparvi or Chippagiri to Srinivasappa and Kusamma. It was Purandara Dasa himself who came in a dream and initiated him into the Dasa Koota and gave him the nomenclature Vijaya Vittala.

Vijaya Dasa was among the fist of the dasas to compose  extensively on Raghavendra Swamy of Mantralaya. He is known as Suladi Dasa as he composed innumerable suladis.  

Vijaya Dasa accepted Kallur Subbanachar (1720-1815) as a Haridasa and gave him the Ankita nama Vyasa Vittala. A grateful Subbanachar realised that Vijaya Dasa was not an ordinary person and he  composed this stothra in praise of his Guru and called it as “Vijaya Raya Kavacha.

The Vijaya Raya Kavacha is one of the finest songs of its genre by Kallur Subbanachar on Vijaya Dasa.

This composition is popular even today and it is recited regularly by women folk who believed that if you want any wish to be fulfilled, you have to chant the Vijaya Kavacha everyday.

The English translation goes as follows:

  

“Smarisi badukiro divya charaNakeragiro
durita toredu poreva vijaya gurugalembarA

dAsarAyana dayava sUsi paDedanA
dOSharahitanA santOShabharitanA ||1||

jAnAvantana balu nidhAni shAntana
mAnyavantana bahuvadAnyadAtana ||2||

hariya bhajisuva narahariya yajisuva
durita tyajisuva janake haruSha surisuva ||3||

mOdabharitana paMchabhEdavaritana
sAdhucharitana manOviShAda maretana ||4||

ivara nambida janakE bhavavidembudu
havanavAgadO nammavara matavidu ||5||

pApakOTiya rAshi lEpavAgadu
tApa kalEvanu balu dayApayOnidhi ||6||

pavanarUpadi hariya stavana mADida
bhuvana bEDida mAdhavana nODida ||7||

ragganEndana bhavavu higgitEndana
maggalAggana antaraggavaritana ||8||

kAshinagaradallidda vyAsadEvana
dayava sUsi paDEdana ullAsatanadali ||9||

chintEbEDirO nishchintarAgirO
shAntagurugala pAdondu nambirO ||10||

khEdavAgadO nimage modavAhudo
Adidevana suprasAdavAhudO ||11||

tApa taDevanu banda pApa kaDivanu
shrIpatIya padasamIpaviDuvanu ||12||

veda Odalu baride vAda mADalu
hAdi doreyadu budhara pAda nanbade ||13||

gagge mindare malavu hiMgitallade
raMganoliyanu bhaktara saMga dorakade ||14||

lekkavilladA deshatukki bandarU
duHkhavallade lesha bhakti dorekadu ||15||

dAna mADalu divyagAna pADalu
jAna doreyado ivaradhInavAgade ||16||

niShThe yAtake kaMDa kaShThavyAtake
diTTa gurugala pAda muTTI bhajisiro ||17||

pUje mADalu kaNDa goju bIlalu
bIja mAtina phla sahaja dorakadu ||18||

suraru ellaru ivara karava piDivaro
taralaraMdadi hinde tirugutipparo ||19||

grahagalellavU ivarge sahAya mADuta
ahorAtrili sukhava koDuvavu ||20||

vyAdhi bArado dEhabAdhe taTTado
Adidevana suprasAdavAhudo ||21||

patitapAmara mandamatiyu nA balu
tutisalApane ivara atishayaMgala ||22||

karuNadindaliymma porevanallade
duritakoTiya bega tariva dayadali ||23||

mandamatigalu ivara chandavariyade
nindisuvaro bhavada bhanda tappado ||24||

indirApati ivara munde kuNivano
anda vachanava nijake tandu torpanu ||25||

udayakAladi I padava paThisalu
madaDanAdaru jAna udayavAhudo ||26||

saTeyidellavo vYAsaviThala ballano
paThisabahididu keli kuTilarahitaru” ||27||

Germans discovered this Haridasa

Haridasas are a household name in Karnataka and even elsewhere. Many of the Haridasas such as Purandara Dasa never bothered to write down their compositions. They went about singing their compositions, oblivious of  the need to preserve their literary gems in the written form.

However, the compositions of  the Haridasas needed no introduction and people took to them like duck to water. Their compositions were simple to understand, easy to sing and much easier to memorise.

The Haridasas came to widely known even outside their place of residence. Thus, we have several Haridasas such as Purandara, Kanaka, Vijaya Dasa, Jagannatha Dasa and others whose fame spread far beyond the borders of Karnataka.

There was perhaps not a single Haridasa except this one whose works remained largely unknown not only to the people of the State but also to critics and literary historians. The fact that this Haridasa was a native of  Udupi and he lived most of his life in and around this region was perhaps another reason for his obscurity.

It took two German authors to bring to light the compositions of this Haridasa. One of the German authors who discovered the writings of this Haridasa was none other than Rev. Ferdinand Kittel (1832-1903), the man who earned the gratitude of millions of Indians when he published his remarkable dictionary.

The Haridasa was Nekkara Krishna Dasa, an eighteenth century man of letters. He was essentially a Kannada poet-saint who mainly wrote Keertanes or Devara namas under his pen name Varaha Thimappa.

Krishna dasa as born in a family of Nekkaras in Udupi.

His remarkable compositions work were first discovered by the Basel missionary Hermann Mogling (1811-1881) of Germany. A stunned Mogling, who rated the compositions very highly, published 72 poems of this Dasa in 1856. He called this book. Dasara Padagalu”.

Subsequently, another German, Rev. Ferdinand Kittel came to India and he mentions 24 more unpublished poems of Krishna Dasa in October 1872. These were published in the monthly magazine Indian Antiquary. Unfortunately, these compositions are still untraceable.

Kittel ranked this Dasa alongside Purandara Dasa and Kanaka Dasa.

After the Germans discovered him, Krishna Dasa once again lapsed into obscurity and it is only in the past few years that interest in him has revived. What is more sad is that many of his compositions have been plagerised by some singers who have passed it off as the works of Purandara Dasa.

Krishna Dasa was a great devotee of Srinivasa of Tirumala. Hence, we see a lot of compositions dedicated to Venkateshwara. He also has several compositions on Udupi Sri Krishna.

His compositions clearly exhibit the influence of Madhwacharya. Some of his compositions are invaluable as they document the daily, monthly and annual rituals and rites of the Sri Krishna temple of Udupi.

Like Purandara Dasa, this Haridasa too has written about the life and times of the people, the society in which he lived and the trials and tribulations of people. Thus, we see a social touch in his writings.   

He was born as Krishna Raya to a family of Perampalli Nekkars near Shivalli village. He later became a disciple of  Vibudendra Theertha Swamy of Krishnapura Matha, one of the Asta mathas of Udupi.

Two of his compositions, “Lakshmi Kalyanaa” and “Sri Krishna

Charitre” are considered as classics of  Haridasa literature. All his compositions bear the Ankita Varaha Thimappa.

Some of his other popular compositions include “Ballarolu”, “Ninna Nambidhe Nannu”, “Neene Guruvaagenage”, “Dhanavu Iddhare Saaku”, “Yarige Dooruvenu” , “Salahikomuvarille”, “Endige Dayebaa”, “Rokka Eradakku Dukka Kaanakka  ”,  “Kaadadiru” and “Thannolagidhu”.

Varaha Thimappa Dasa was perhaps only less prolific than Purandara Dasa and Vijaya Dasa. He is supposed to have lived in the times of Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan. When Sagar fell into the hands of Hyder Ali, he fled to Tirumala. He was a contemporary of Madhava Dasa of Udupi.

It took several decades after this incident for this Haridasa to be brought to the notice of the outside world and we owe this to the two German authors. Thus, Varaha Thimappa Dasa must be one of the few poet-saints who were first recognised by foreigners and it was they who brought him back into circulation in the place of his domicile and in the State he lived. 

The first woman Haridasa poet

There here have been close to four hundred Haridasas in Karnataka and these poets-composers have left behind a rich treasure trove of literature spanning several centuries and touching almost all genres of literature.

However, the Haridasas have mainly concentrated on Hari and sung his glory. Talk of  Dasas and the first name that come to our mind is Purandara and the rest such as Kanaka, Vijaya, Jagannatha, Vaikunta follow.

However, what many people do not know is that apart from the Haridasas, there are nearly a hundred Hari Dasis or women writers who equalled their male counterparts in composing hymns, Devarana Namas, Suladis and other forms of poetry.

They have left behind a vast body of Bhakti literature. Unfortunately, only a few of the Hari Dasis such as Helavanakatte Giriyamma, who wrote under the pen name of  Helavanakatteranga, have gained recognition.  

There are several other women Kannada poets and composers of the Bhakti tradition but their names are almost forgotten and barring students of Kannada language and literature and a few research scholars, they remain unheard of.

Among the first Hari Dasais was Galagali Akka (1670-1760). She can be classified as the first Madhwa women poet and certainly among the first Haridasis.  

As her name suggest, she belonged to the Galagali family and her original name Rama. She was the daughter of a village accountant.

Mudgalacharya, a 95-year-old scholar, saw Rama and enchanted by her beauty,  married her. She was just 12 then. He died eight days after the marriage, leaving Rama a widow.

Rama, however, did not lose heart. She began learning shastras and Devarana Namas and quickly mastered them. Her five grown up step sons began tutoring her in Madhwa Siddantha and Madhwa Sampradaya apart from Shastras. She soon began taking part in religious discussions and contests and helped her step sons defeat other scholars in debates. She was honored by the Peshwas, the Wodeyars and others.

What sets aside the compositions of Rama is the manner in which she treats her subject. In one composition on Krishna, she voices the embarrassment that the God feels when he sees he has married so many women.

Today, we have 263 songs and compositions of Rama or Galgalli Akka, as she was affectionately called. Some of  her compositions are Muyyada Haddu which deals with Gowri Pooje: Bheegara Haadu, which as the name itself suggest deals with events after a Hindu wedding: Sringara Tara Tamya, which gives us an exquisite description of various ornaments worn by women. She spent her last few days in Shurpali, near Jamkhandi in Bagalkot district, which was her ancestral home.One of her famous disciples was Bhagavva.

Srinivasa of Vyasaraja and Ramanuja

This known the world over as the Toy town. Apart from the toys, the silk manufactured here is part of the famous Mysore Silk collection.

Located almost halfway between Bangalore and Mysore, this town sees thousands of vehicles pass by every day. Unfortunately, only a handful deign to stay back here and explore its ancient roots. The vast majority stop at the many famous eateries in and around the town and once finished they head back to either to Mysore or Bangalore.

What many travelers miss seeing is that this is the very place where two of the greatest philosophers stayed back for some time. Both the philosophers have left behind their love and devotion for the same God they worshipped in two different traditions.

While one of the tradition is Madhwa Parampare, the other is Srivaishnava. The philosophers of both the traditions have left behind two temples of the same God-Srinivasa-here and this must one of the few such places in India.

In addition to the two Srinivasa temples, there are scores of temples dedicated to Hanuman and one of them was consecrated by Vyasa Raja, the Madhwa saint.

Thus, the city even today has the two temples where the deities are consecrated by two revered saints of yesteryears-Vyasa Raja of the Madhwa parampare and Ramanujacharya of the Srivaishnava fold.

Both the saints stayed in this town and both of them visited and prayed at the Apremaya Temple in nearby Malur. This is the town of Chennapatna in Ramanagar district.        

Vyasa Theertha or Vyasa Raya was a disciple of Sripadara of Mulabagal. He spent twelve years of his life-1486-1498-devoting himself to the worship of Srinivasa in Tirupati.

While in Tirupathi, he set right the anomalies that had crept into the worship of Srinvasa and streamlined the system. Many of the rituals that he instituted is still followed today.

After he returned from Tirupathi, Vyasa Raja spent time at Abbur near Chennapatna. Though the residents of Abbur and Chennapatna were happy about the return of Vyasa Raja, they had one grouse. They had not been able to make the pilgrimage to Tirupathi to see Srinivasa while Vyasa Raja had been seeing the idol daily for 12 years.

The people took this grievance to Vyasa Raja who too had been feeling a void in his heart at not being able to see Srinivasa. Vyasa Raja then decided to consecrate a temple in the name of Srinivasa so that both the people and he himself would be able to see Srinivasa every day.

He then consecrated an idol of Srinivasa in Channapatna which exists even today. This is in the Kundapura Vyasaraja Matha near the fort in Chennapatna.

This Matha is built in Vijayanagara style. The stone pillars are sculpted with relief structures. Vyasa Raja installed the beautiful idol of  Srinivasa in the Garbagriha. The Srinivasa hears bears remarkable similarity to the idol at Tirupathi.

What makes it important from the Madhwa point of view is that it was consecrated and first worshipped by Vyasa Raja. 

There are two entrances to the hall in the matha- one from north and another from the east. This entrance leads to a hall where we can see the Purandara Mantapa.

There is a beautiful story about the construction of this mantapa. Purandara, who was a disciple of Vyasa Raja and his constant companion, visited Chennapatna and stayed here.

He sang and even composed a few of his favourite bhajans in front of Srinivasa. The residents of Chennapatna and surrounding areas, were enthralled by Purandara’s voice and liberally gave alms and money as Dakshine.

Purandara handed the entire proceeds to Vyasa Raja, saying that it belonged to Srinivasa. He also built the mantapa with his own earnings and a grateful Vyasa Raja named it as Purandara Mantapa.

There is a small carved image of Puranadara and Vijaya Dasa in the mantapa which were carved recently. One of the pillars in this Mantapa has a fine sculpture of Vyasatirtha. The Purandaradasa Aradhane is held here annually.

In front of the main building is a small shrine of Anjaneya. This is one of the 732 Anjaneya shrines consecrated by Vyasa Raja. There is an Anjeneya Temple facing the Vyasaraya Matha.

Another temple dedicated to Srinivasa is better known as the Varadaraja Temple. This is one of the oldest temples in Chennapatna.

The deity here is believed to have been installed by Ramanujacharya who came here from Melkote and spent time at nearby Malur. This is a high structure with a spacious inner Prakara.

Its Garbhagriha is squarish with a tall standing image of Varadaraja (Narayana) in Vijayanagar style. There is an Ardhamantapa leading to a spacious Navaranga having six Vijayanagara pillars containing many relief sculptures on them. Over the Garbhagriha is a Dravidian Shikhara. The niches in the Shikhara are carved with stucco images of Dashavatara-the ten avatars of Vishnu.

The Navaranga is faced by a Mukhamantapa with tall massive pillars having impressive relief sculptures depicting Vaishnava episodes. On either sides of the spacious Mukhamantapa are two Jagatis, having Vasantotsava and Kalyana Mantapas. Beside them are small shrines of Alwars and Ramanujacharya.

At the left corner of the Prakara is the Soumyanayaki Ammanavaru temple with a Garbhagriha, a Navaranga and a small open Mukhamantapa.

Beside the road, facing the Varadaraja temple is one more Anjaneya shrine. There is a Kannada inscription in the front entrance of the temple dated 1553 A.D.  It belongs to  Sadashiva Raya of Vijayanagara and mentions Channapatna but the rest of the inscription is defaced.

There are several other temples in Chennapatna which are worth a visit such as the Lakshminarayana and Nilakanteshwara.

The locals say that the Nilakanteshwara Temple was built by Jagadevaraya, the ruler of Chennapatna though archaeologically the structure can be dated to the 18th century. This temple is unique as it has two Nandis or Bull.

The pillars of the Mukhamantapa and outer Mantapa of the temple are in Mysore style. This is a huge structure with one Garbhagriha, two Ardhamantapas and a spacious Navaranga. The Navaranga is rectangular with four central pillars having several modern images engraved on them. The Nandi facing the Garbhagriha is of Mysore times.

The Neelakantaha Linga is very tall and is believed to be old. One more Nandi is placed in the spacious open Mukhamantapa and it is said to have been brought from the precincts of the taluk office. The pillars of the Mukhamantapa contain fine relief sculptures of Shaiva Purana episodes.

Chennapatha is easily accessible either by road or rail. It is 60 kms from Bangalore and it is situated on the Bangalore-Mysore Highway.

Accommodation is available at the Vyasaraja and Raghavendra Swamy Matha in Chennapatna itself. There are many places in and around Channapatna which are worth seeing such as Abbur, the home of Bramanye Theertha, Bramanyapura which has a beautiful idol of Anjaneya, Malur which is famous for the Apremaya Temple housing Srinivasa and the idol of Ambegalu Krishna.      

  

The last days of Vyasa Theertha

He was one of the greatest Madhwa sages of his times and common men and Emperors alike acknowleged it. He was honored by several Emperors including Krishna Deve Raya, his successor Achurta Deva Raya, the Adil Shahi Emperor who was a biter foe of  the Vijayanagar.

A royal preceptor to six emperors of the Vijayanagar dynasty, Vyasa Raja or Vyasa Theertha had made Hampi or Vijayanagar the home of Madhwa or Dwaitha philosophy. He had, by example,  set the tone for Dasa Sahitya.

Krishna Deve Raya honored Vyasa Raja by performing Ratnaabhisheka and placing the seer on the throne of Vijayanagar for a day. Vyasa’s power and prestige reached a peak during the period of Krishna Deve Raya.

Vijayanagar then had two durbars-the royal one in which Krishna Deve Raya presided and the Dharmic one in which the venerable Vyasa held fort. In this court, even the Emperor was only a mute spectator.

Vyasa’s durbar was attended among others by Vadiraja Theertha, Purandara Dasa, Kanaka Dasa, Belur Vaikunta Dasa (He did not stir out much from Belur and the only time he travelled was when he visited Hampi) and others such as Srinivasa Theertha and Rama Theertha, both followers of Vyasa Raja . Even the Portugese travelers Paes and Nuniz paid respect to Vyasa Raja in his durbar.   

Krishna Deve Raya died in 1529 and he was succeeded by Achuta Deve Raya. Achuta Deve Raya  showered Vyasa Raja with the same affection and respect as Krishna Deve Raya.

However, sometime during 1539, Vyasa Raja felt that his end was near. He recalled the curse of Brahma when he was Shanku Karna, Brahma had cursed him with being born a Brahmin and to live on earth.

Shanku Karna then had been plucking flowers for Brahma and he had stayed back awhile to admire the melody from the Veene of Saraswathi. Brahma had been angered by the delay of Shanku Karna in bringing him flowers for the worship of Narayana. He had then cursed Shanku karna.

Though born as Balmiki Raja, Shanku Karna had not been able to throw away the curse of Brahma. He had died at the hands of Bhima during the Kurukshetra War.

When he was reborn as Vyasa Raja, he realised that he would have to complete the curse of Nrahma. Hence, he had chosen to stay for long time in Hampi, particularly Nava Brindavana, which was the very place from where he had plucked flowers for Brahma.

Vyasa Raja visited Nava Brindavana frequently and paid his respect to Padmanabha Theertha, the first direct disciple of Madhwacharya. Apart from this seer, two others-Vageesha Theertha and Kavindra Theertha-had their brindavana at Nava Brindavana.

All these saints had left a place in the centre of the Nava Brindavana and Vyasa Raja had chosen this spot for his Bindavana Pravesha.

Vyasa Raja had made his intention to enter Brindavana clear to Achuta Deve Raya and his composer Dasa, Purandara. His two Shishyas, Srinivasa Theertha and Rama Theertha, too had been informed.

During the last few days of  his physical presence, the Emperor (Achuta Deve Raya) and the wandering ministrel (Purandara) were constantly on attendance to Vyasa Raja. They tried to fulfill each and every need of Vyasa Raja.

Even in those last few days, Vyasa Raja continued reading texts and teaching his pupils. When his eyelids drooped due to old age, he asked Pyurandara to hold them up so that he could continue reading uninterrupted.

On the day he was to enter Brindavan, the Emperor and Purandara were at his side. Vyasa Raja looked calm and composed though he knew his end was near. He began his pooje and slowly sang his favourite “Krishna Nee Negana Baro,” which he had composed some decades earlier. (This song is wrongly attributed to Purandara. By the way, this was one of Purandara’s all-time favourite and it was always on his lips.) 

Another song he remembered was, “Puttadhante madu srushteesa Sri Krishna Pattabhi Ramane Parama purushotthamane gettiyaagi ninna padhagala nambidhe.” He was continuously chanting the  name of  Krishna. He had worshipped Krishna uninterruptedly for more than eight decades. 

Looking at Vyasa Raja, Purandara  burst extempore into one of his songs. He likening the movement of Vyasa to the Brindavana to the movement of a jewel bedecked chariot. This, Purandara said, was the journey from Satyaloka to Devaloka.

All the while, Vyasa Raja was majestically sitting in Padmasana. He appeared oblivious of everyone near him who were in tears. The man who shed tears most was Puurandara. The Emperor  Achuta Deve Raya too was in tears.

Vyasa Raja was entombed in the Brindavana in the middle of Nava Brindavan. The day was Saturday and the date March 8, 1539. He had been born on April 22, 1447 in Bannur near Mysore and he was 90 years old or a little more at the time of leaving the mortal world.

Even as the large crowd watched, the last stone was placed on the Brindavana and the Emperor and Purandara among others walked back to Vijayanagar. Strangely, the lively city of Vijayanagar seemed to be enveloped in an eerie silence and all forms of gaiety had ceased on that day.

Purandara says he saw Vyasa Raja being taken in a special plane to Vaikunta.

During subsequent days, Achuta Deve Raya personally monitored the completion of the construction of the Brindavana. As far as Purandara was concerned, he seemed to be lost in thought and he began spending more and more time at the Puurandara Mantapa near Nava Brindavana. 

Much of the material for this article is taken from Vyasayogicharita, a wrok by Somanatha, a Smartha poet and contemporary of the seer, the biography of Vyasa Theertha by his immediate successor to the Vyasa Raja Matha, Sreenivasa Theertha and the poems of  Purandara. I have also referred to the chronicles of the foreign travelers who visited Vijayanagar during the time of Krishna Deve Raya and Achuta Deve Raya and also accounts of Vijayanagar Empire by historians of Adil Shahi court.