The Bhagavath Geeta Saara

Vyasa Raja or Vyasa Theertha was initially a disciple of Bramanye Theertha of Abbur. He was born in Bannur near Mysore sometime in 1447 and he first became a disciple of Bramanye Theertha who later sent him for further studies to Sripadaraja of Mulabagal.

Even today, there is a small cave in the Sripadaraja matha in Mulabagal where Sripadaraja taught Vyasa Raja. The matha has also a Hanuman consecrated by Vyasaraja and this is one of the 732 Hanuman idols he consecrated all over India.

Vyasa Raja was the Raja Guru of six Emperors of the Vijayanagar dynasty. He was also the Chancellor of Vijayanagar University which had 10,000 students. He composed several works when he stayed at Hampi or Vijayanagar.

He was a master of Dwaitha and he is ranked alongside Madhwacharya and Jayatheertha in scholarship and literary erudition.

He was a great devotee of Krishna and once Sripadaraja found the Gopalakrishna idol dancing in his matha in Mulabagal even as Vyasa Raja was totally immersed in singing. Sripadaraja then handed over the idol of Gopalakrishns to Vyasa Raja and this is the main idol of the Sosale Vyasaraja Matha. This idol is still with the seers of the Matha and it can be seen even today.

Vyasa Raja performed the pooja of Srinivasa in Tirupathi for twelve years. He also visited Udupi and composed Krishna Nee Begana Baro when he saw the idol of Krishna consecrated by Madhwacharya.

He wrote under the ankita Krishna and subsequently as Sri Krishna. He was the founder of both the Dasa and the Vyasa Koota. If the Dasa Koota was a poetic expression of devotion to Hari, the Vyasa Koota was a philosophical stream.

Scholars classify his works into nine major works which includes  Nyâyâmrta, TarkatâNDava, and Chandrika. These three works are  collectively known as Vyâsa Traya. In is in his magnum opus, Nyâyâmrta, that he justifies the philosophy of Tattvavâda or Dwaitha. Here, he argues against Adwaitha thought and its concept of Maya. He says monism is untenable and that the world is as real as man.

A renowned debater, he distinguished himself at the court of the Vijayanagar Emperor, Saluva Narasimha, when he defeated several opponents in philosophical debates in Chandragiri near Tirupathi.

He was a magnanimous person and he never imposed his school of thought or philosophy on others, including even those he had defeated in debates. This is the reason he was highly respected by Kings and scholars from other schools, including Appayya Dikshita, Pakshadhara Mishra, Madhusûdana Saraswati, and Basava Bhatta.

Yusuf Adil Shah, the ruler of the Adil Shah dynasty of Bijapur and even the Mughal Emperor, Babur, honored Vyasa Raja with umbrella and showered him with gifts.  Portuguese visitors paid Vyasa Raja the respect due to a Raja Guru and they have eulogized him in all their writings as a learned Brahmin whose words the Emperors paid heed to.

The previous avatar of Raghavendra Swamy,Vyasa Raja composed the Bhagavath Geeta Saara.

The lyrics of this composition in Kannada is as follows:  

ಕೇಳಯ್ಯ ಎನ್ನ ಮಾತು ಪಾರ್ಥನೆ ಗೀತಾದರ್ಥನೆ ||ಪ||

ಶ್ಲೋಕ |  
ಕುರುಕ್ಷೇತ್ರದಿ ಎನ್ನವರು ಪಾಂಡವರು
ಪೇಳೋ ಸಂಜಯಾ ಏನು ಮಾಡುವರು ಕೂಡಿ |
ಕೇಳಯ್ಯ ಅರಸನೆ ನೋಡಿ ಪಾಂಡವರ ಸೇನಾ|
ಮಾತನಾಡಿದ ನಿನ್ನ ಸುತ ದ್ರೋಣಗಿಂತು ||

ಪಲ್ಲವಿ|  
ಕೇಳಿ ತಾ ಪಾರ್ಥನು ಕುರು ದಂಡ
ರಣದಲಿ ಚಂಡ | ಗಾಂಡೀವ ಕರದಂಡ
ಅಚ್ಯುತ ಪಿಡಿರಥ ನಡೆ ಮುಂದ
ಬಹು ತ್ವರದಿಂದ | ನೋಡುವೆ ನೇತ್ರದಿಂದ ||
ಗುರುಹಿರಿಯರ ಕೂಡ ಯಾಕೆಂದ
ಯುದ್ಧ ಸಾಕೆಂದ | ಭಿಕ್ಷವೆ  ಸುಖವೆಂದ||
ಕುಂತಿಸುತ ಈ ಮಾತು ಉಚಿತಲ್ಲ
ನಿನಗಿದು ಸಲ್ಲ | ಪಿಡಿ ಗಾಂಡೀವ ಬಿಲ್ಲ        ||೧||

ಶ್ಲೋಕ|  
ಬಾಲ್ಯ ಯೌವನ ಮುಪ್ಪುತನ ದೇಹದಲ್ಲಿ
ಇಂಥ ದೇಹಕೆ ಮೋಹ ಮತ್ತ್ಯಾಕಿಲ್ಲಿ|
ಕಾಯ್ದು ಕೊಲ್ಲುವ ನಾನು ಇರುತಿರಲು ಇಲ್ಲಿ
ಬಿಲ್ಲು ಪಿಡಿದು ಕೀರ್ತಿಪಡೆ ಲೋಕದಲ್ಲಿ ||
 

ಪಲ್ಲವಿ|  
ಶಸ್ತ್ರದಂಜಿಕೆಯಿಲ್ಲ ಜೀವಕ್ಕೆ
ಈ ದೇಹಕ್ಕೆ| ಪಾವಕನ ದಾಹಕ್ಕೆ |
ಉದಕಗಳಿಂದ ವೇದನೆಯಕ್ಕೆ
ಜೀವಕ್ಕ | ಮಾರುತನ ಶೋಷಕ್ಕೆ
ನಿತ್ಯ ಅಭೇದ್ಯ ತಾ ಜೀವನ
ಸನಾತನ| ವಸ್ತ್ರದಾಂಗೆ ಈ ತನವು |
ನನಗಿಲ್ಲಯ್ಯ|ಅದನಾ ಬಲ್ಲೆನಯ್ಯಾ            ||೨||

ಶ್ಲೋಕ|
ಜ್ಞಾನ ದೊಡ್ಡದು ಕರ್ಮಬಂಧನವ  ಬಿಟ್ಟು
ಕರ್ಮ ಬಿಟ್ಟರೆ ಪ್ರತ್ಯವಾಯವದೆಷ್ಟು |
ಫಲ ಬಿಟ್ಟು ನೀ ಮಾಡು ಸತ್ಕರ್ಮಗಳ
ಸಮ ದೇಹಕೆ ಫಲಕರ್ಮ ಕಾರಣವಲ್ಲ ||
ಪಲ್ಲವಿ | ಕರ್ಮದಲ್ಲೆ ನಿನಗಧಿಕಾರ
ಫಲ ತಾ ದೂರ| ಧನುಂಜಯಗೋಸ್ಕರ|
ಇತ್ತ ಬಾರಯ್ಯ | ಯೋಗಬುದ್ಧಿ ಮಾಡಯ್ಯ|
ಜಿತ ಬುದ್ಧಿ ಯಾವುದೈ ಕೇಶವ
ಜಗತ್ಪಾಶವ | ನೋಡದೇ ಪರಮೇಶ |
ಗೋವಿಂದನಲಿ ಮನವಿಟ್ಟವ
ಕಾಮ ಬಿಟ್ಟವ ಜಿತ ದೇಹ ತಾನಾದಾ            ||೩||

ಶ್ಲೋಕ|  
ಜ್ಞಾನ ದೊಡ್ಡದು ಕರ್ಮದಲ್ಲ್ಯಾಕೆ ಎನ್ನ
ಬುದ್ಧಿ ಮೋಹಿಸಿ ಕೃಷ್ಣ ಕೇಳಯ್ಯ ಬಿನ್ನಪ||
ಕರ್ಮವಿಲ್ಲದೆ ಮೋಕ್ಷವುಂಟೆ ಇನ್ನು
ಕರ್ಮ ಮೋಕ್ಷದ ಬುದ್ಧಿಗೆ ಬೀಜವಲ್ಲೆ||
ಪಲ್ಲವಿ |
ಯುದ್ಧ ಕರ್ಮವ ಮಾಡೋ ಪಾಂಡವ
ರಣ ತಾಂಡವ | ವೈರಿ ಷಂಡನೆಂಬುವ|
ಜನರೆಲ್ಲ ಮಾಳ್ಪರೋ ನಿನ್ನ ನೋಡಿ
ಮತ್ತೆನ್ನ ನೋಡಿ | ನೋಡಿದರ ನೀ ಬೇಡಿ |
ಎನಗ್ಯಾಕೆ ಪೇಳಯ್ಯ ಜನಕರ್ಮ
ಕ್ಷತ್ರಿಯ ಧರ್ಮ | ನಷ್ಟವಾಗುವದು ಧರ್ಮ|
ಅರ್ಪಿಸು ಎನ್ನಲ್ಲಿ ಸರ್ವವು
ಬಿಟ್ಟು ಗರ್ವವು | ತಿಳಿ ಎನ್ನೊಳು ಸರ್ವವು        ||೪||

ಶ್ಲೋಕ|
ಯೋಗ ಸನ್ಯಾಸ ಎರಡು ಮುಕ್ತಿಗೆ ಧೃಡವು
ಭೋಗವರ್ಜಿತ ಕೀಳು ಸನ್ಯಾಸಿಯಿರವು |
ಹೇಗೆ ಪದ್ಮಕೆ ವಾರಿಯ ಲೇಪವಿಲ್ಲ
ಹಾಗೆ ಭಕ್ತಿಗೆ ಸಂಸೃತಿಯ ಇಲ್ಲ ||
ಪಲ್ಲವಿ |
ಅಜನಲ್ಲಿ ದ್ವಿಜನಲ್ಲಿ ಗಜದಲ್ಲಿ
ಸಮನಾನಲ್ಲಿ| ಭಜಿಪರ ಮನದಲ್ಲಿ
ಮನಸು ಯಾರ ಜೀವಕೆ ಬಂದು
ಇತ್ತ ಬಾರೆಂದು | ಮತ್ತೆ ವೈರಿ ದಾರೆಂದು|
ಲೋಷ್ಟ ಕಾಂಚನ ನೋಡು ಸಮಮಾಡಿ|
ಆಸನ ಹೂಡಿ | ನಾಸಿಕ ತುದಿ ನೋಡಿ|
ಧ್ಯಾನ ಮಾಡು ಹರಿ ಅಲ್ಲಿಹ
ಅವನಲ್ಲಿಹ | ಯೋಗ ಸನ್ನಿಹಿತನವನೇ        ||೫||

ಶ್ಲೋಕ|
ಯಾರ ಭಕ್ತಿಯು ಎನ್ನ ಪಾದಾಬ್ಜದಲ್ಲಿ
ಘೋರ ಸಂಸಾರ ಯಾತನೆ ಅವರಿಗೆಲ್ಲಿ|
ಶರೀರವೆ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರವೆಂತೆಂದು ತಿಳಿಯೋ||
ಪಲ್ಲವಿ |  ಶರೀರದೊಳಗಿದ್ದು ಪಾಪಿಲ್ಲ
ದುಃಖಲೇಪಿಲ್ಲ | ಆಕಾಶವು ಎಲ್ಲಾ|
ಮೂರು ಸದ್ಗುಣ |ಕೇಳೈಯ್ಯ ಫಲ್ಗುಣ|
ಸುಖದುಃಖ ಸಮಮಾಡಿ  ನೋಡು ನೀ |
ಈಡ್ಯಾಡು ನೀ| ಬ್ರಹ್ಮನ ನೋಡು ನೀ|
ಸೂರ್ಯ ಚಂದ್ರರ ತೇಜ ನನದಯ್ಯ
ಗುಡಾಕೇಶಯ್ಯ| ಅನ್ನ ಪಚನ ನನ್ನದಯ್ಯ        ||೬||

ಶ್ಲೋಕ|
ನಾನೇ ಉತ್ತಮ ಮನಸು ಎನ್ನಲ್ಲು ಮಾಡೋ
ಜ್ಞಾನ ಅಜ್ಞಾನ ಪೇಳುವೆ ತಿಳಿದು ನೋಡೋ
ಜ್ಞಾನ ದುರ್ಲಭ ಅವರ ಭಕ್ತಿಗಳಂತೆ
ನಾನು ಕೊಡುವೆನು ಫಲವ ಮನಸು ಬಂದಂತೆ||
ಪಲ್ಲವಿ |  ಸ್ಮರಣೆ ಮಾಡುತ ದೇಹ ಬಿಡುವರೋ
ನನ್ನ ಪಡೆವರೋ | ಬಲು ಭಕ್ತಿ ಮಾಡುವರೋ|
ಅನಂತ ಚೇತನ ಸುಳಿವೆನು
ಹರಿ ಸುಲಭನು | ಮತ್ತೆ ಜನನವಿಲ್ಲವಗೆ|
ಎನ್ನ ಭಕ್ತರಿಗಿಲ್ಲ ನಾಷವು
ಸ್ವರ್ಗದಾಶವು| ಬಿಟ್ಟು ಚರಣ ಭಕುತಿಯ        ||೭||

ಶ್ಲೋಕ|  
ಕೃಷ್ಣ ತೋರಿಸು ನಿನ್ನ ವಿಭೂತಿ ರೂಪ |
ಇಷ್ಟ ಪೂರ್ತಿಯ ಆಗಲೊ ಎನಗೆ ಶ್ರೀಪ|
ರಾಮ ನಾನಯ್ಯ ರಾಜರ ಗುಂಪಿನಲ್ಲಿ
ಸೋಮ ನಾನಯ್ಯ ರಾಜರ ಗುಂಪಿನಲ್ಲಿ
ಸೋಮ ನಾನಯ್ಯ ತಾರಕ ಮಂಡಲದಲಿ||
ಪಲ್ಲವಿ | ಅಕ್ಷರದೊಳಗೆ ಅಕಾರನು
ಗುಣಸಾರನು| ಪಕ್ಷಿಗಳಲಿ ನಾನು ಗರುಡನು|
ಸಕಲ ಜಾತಿಗಳಲ್ಲಿ
ಶ್ರೇಷ್ಟತನದಲಿ| ಎನ್ನ ರೂಪ ತಿಳಿಯಲ್ಲಿ|
ತೋರಿಸೋ ಶ್ರೀಕೃಷ್ಣ ನಿನ್ನ ರೂಪ|
ನಾನಾ ರೂಪ| ಅರ್ಜುನ ನೋಡೋ ರೂಪ|
ಕಂಡನು ತನ್ನನು ಸಹಿತದಿ |
ಹರಿ ದೇಹದಿ| ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಾಂಡಗಳಲ್ಲಿ        ||೮||

ಶ್ಲೋಕ|  
ಕ್ಷರ ಅಕ್ಷರ ಎರಡಕ್ಕೂ  ಉತ್ತಮನು ನಾನು|
ಗೋರ ನರಕದ ಲೋಭ ಕಾಮನು ನಾನು |
ಸಾರ ದಾನವು ಸಜ್ಜನರ ಹಸ್ತದಲ್ಲಿ
ಭೂರಿ ದಕ್ಷಿಣೆ ನೀಡೋ ಸತ್ಪಾತ್ರರಲ್ಲಿ ||
ಪಲ್ಲವಿ |  ಸರ್ವ ದಾನದಕಿಂತ ಎನಭಕ್ತಿ
ಕೇಳೊ ಭೂಶಕ್ತಿ | ಮಾಡಯ್ಯ ವರಕ್ತಿ |
ಕೃಷ್ಣ ಹರಣವಾಯ್ತು ನಿನ್ನಿಂದ
ಮೋಹ ಎನ್ನಿಂದ| ಬಹು ಸುವಾಕ್ಯ ದಿಂದ|
ಕೃಷ್ಣ ಭೀಮಾನುಜರ ಸಂವಾದ
ಮಹ ಸುಖಪ್ರದ| ಧೃತರಾಷ್ಟ್ರ ಕೇಳಿದ|
ಬಲ್ಲೆನು ವ್ಯಾಸರ ದಯದಿಂದ|
ಮನಸಿನಿಂದ| ಕೃಷ್ಣನಲ್ಲೇ ಜಯವೆಂದ        ||೯||

The style of the Haridasas

In earlier posts, we had dealt with some Haridasas and their works. There was also a post on suladis.

However, the suladi is not the only vehicle of language that the Haridasas deployed. They wrote a range of poetry encompassing several forms, each with its own uniqueness and distinctness.

All the Haridasa writings are a harmonious bend of music and language. Purandara dasa was the first to systematize these and others followed suit.

Today, we are fortunate that Haridasa literature has emerged as a distinct genre and it is much different from mainstream literature.

Haridasa literature is purely devotional and it is religious, moralistic spiritual and even ethical.

Haridasa sahitya is popular even today unlike other forms of literature and this is because of its nearness to the common man and a deep and abiding understanding of  the trials and tribulations of the common man.  

The Haridasas preach the glory of Hari and some like Purandara pick on common ay events and themes to drive in their message. Kanaka Dasa talks of  a casteless, classless society.

Today, the Haridasa sahitya has become so popular that it has gone beyond the Vaishnava houses and mathas and the Haridasas have seen new readers and singers from all over the world, heralding their composition.      

The Haridasas used a variety of forms to compose and they include pada or prose: suladi: Ugabhoga: Tattva-suvali: Shloka: Kanda: Vachana: Vrittanama: Dvipadi: Tripadi: Choupadi: Shatpadi: Ashtapadi: Ragale and Yalapada.

The first ever Suladi in Haridasa sahitya can be ascribed to Narahari Theertha, one of the four direct disciple of Madhwacharya. He is the first Madhwa Yati or seer (I am not including Madhwacharya here as he is a class apart and he is the fountainhead of all Haridasa and Vaishnava literature) to compose songs on Sri Hari and his inspiration was his guru, Madhwacharya. Today, only three of his compositions survive and they are Entu Marulade Nanentu: Hariye Idu Sariye and Tilako Ninnolage Nine.

He is the first to use the Pada for music and this was later developed by others who followed him . The next to use the Suladi to great effect and also make an everlasting to Haridasa Sahitya was Sripadaraya of Mulabagal (1406-1504).

He was the first Madhwa seer to introduce rhythm oriented compositions set to seven talas called Suladis and excluded other talas such as Misra, Marga, Sankara and Desi.

He also composed Ugabhogas, Devaranamas and exclusive compositions for dance called Narthana Sevakritis, Bhramara Geethe and Viraha Geethe. He has also composed the only Dandaka or Uddanda in Kannada literature. Many of his compositions are in Kannada.

He also composed Gopi Geethe, Venu Geetha and lullabies and set his own compositions to music. Many of them are based on Bhagavath Geeta. The Vrittanama was perhaps the creation of  Sripadaraja himself. Its main features are that it comprises sections which are tala bound and unbound by tala and they occur alternately.

He is also the first to compose kirtanas or Keertanas in Kannada, which was subsequenbtly followed by other Madhwa seers and all the Haridasas.

Sripadaraja thus laid the foundation for Sangeeta by composing a variety of songs in different genres. The Haridasas like Puradara Dasa, Kanaka Dasa and Vijaya Dasa and Madhwa seers after him like Vyasa raja, Vadiraja and Vijendra Theertha composed in these forms and they range from biographical to religious, philosophical, social, ethical, ritualistic and  introspective.

Purandara Dasa also composed the famous pillari geetas, which is the basic foundation for students to learn Carnatic music even today.

Sripadaraja also commenced the genre of Vrittinama where verses are sung with tala first and without next. Apart from Sripadaraja, it was Purandara who mastered this difficult form.

The Haridasas also used ugabhogas, where the verses were set to  ragas. However, ughabhogas do not have any prescribed ragas.

The Ughabhoga is generally divided into tow parts called Udgraha and Abhoga and in between are the Melapaka, Dhruva andAntara. These compositions are four to twelve lines in length. Haridasas such as Purandara Dasa and Kanaka Dasa have excelled in using this form.

It is very similar to the Vachanas.  

Keertanas or devaranamas are perhaps the most attractive compositon of Haridasas. The emphasis here is on its aesthetic excellence and the raga and tala aspects are adhered to.

The Vrittinama is a combination of  word and hymn. After Sripadaraja, we find Vadiraja Theertha (1480-1600) using it extensively. Gopala Dasa has used this to excellent effect in “Rakshiso Venktatagiri Raja, ravishta teja Ashritakalpa bhUja”. All of them-Sripadaraja, Vadiraja and Gopala Dasa- used Sanskrit words in these compositions.

One of the rarest forms of composition is the Dandaka. This alternates between the text form and poetical form. In this form, one pada constitutes 20 matras and it is again subdivided into five  matras each. Sripadaraja has composed the seventh chapter of Bhagavath  Geeta in this style.

Jagannatha Dasa of Manvi used Tripadi extensively, particularly in his Tatwa Suvali, while the Shatpadi have been used by Vadiraja Theertha in Vaikunta Varnane (description of Vishnu’s Vaikunta) and Kanaka Dasa in his Nala Charitre and Hari Bhakta Sara.

Jagannatha Dasa has also used the shatpadi in Sriharikathamruthasara, his magnum opus.

In Kavya genre, the Sriharikathamrutasara is an unparalleled composition. These are highly philosophical in nature.   

Jagannatha Dasa was a master of Tatwa Suvali. He has written a composition by that name and dedicated it to his daughter-in-law.

The story of a tamburi

Mention Tamburi and the image that comes to our mind is that of Purandara Dasa wandering around south India with a tamburi in hand, bells on his feet and a melodious voice that spreads the message of Madhwa philosophy.

The first mention of  an instrument similar to the tamburi in Indian texts is when we are given a beautiful description of Sage Narada who goes around all the worlds, with his divine veene in hand.

Both the tamburi and the veene are plucked string instruments and both are used in Indian music.

The tamburi come in different sizes and it can have four or five wire strings. These strings are plucked one after the other to create a harmonic resonance on the basic note. This basic note is called as the Shruti.
If the Haridasa used tamburi extensively, Carnatic musicians prefer the veene.
However, the first mention of the tamburi as an accompaniment of a Haridasa is when Achalananda, who is regarded as the first ever Hari dasa, goes all over India, singing the glory of Narasimha with a tamburi in hand.

Many centuries later, the tamburi is mentioned for the first time ever in a composition by Sripadaraja, the seer of Sripadaraja  Matha of Mulabagal. The tamburi suited Sripadaraja as he sang in Adhara Sadja and the drone instrument that the tamburi was, was perfect for Haridasa bhajan.         

The Tamburi then is used with great dexterity by Vyasa Raja or Vyasa Theertha (1447-1539) who passes on its skill to Purandara Dasa (1484-1564).

It is Purandara Dasa who popularises the tamburi throughout South India. He goes around, propagating Dwaitha siddantha, with bells tied to his feet and with his famous tamburi in hand.

There are several instances when Purandara goes around the city of Vijayanagar or Hampi singing the glory of Hari with Tamburi in hand. The tamburi remains Purandara Dasa’s constant companion.

After Purandara Dasa, this instrument was used by Kanaka Dasa, Belur Vaikunta Dasa and Vijaya Dasa.

Vijaya Dasa revives the Haridasa tradition and he went around India singing the glories of Hari with tamburi and gejje and collected alms. Vijaya Dasaru’s wife would cook all the collected food items and the couple would have food after Vijay Dasa did   naivedya.

Vijaya dasa and his wife never stored any food articles as they cooked all of it the Dasa had collected.

Vijaya Dasa had a close affinity with tamburi as he had been given the instrument in a dream by Purandara Das who also gave him his ankita nama.  

The word tamburi comes from Tan and pura. If it is tanpura in north India, the same instrument is called Tamburi in the south.  Like the tamburi, the Tanpura too is a drone instrument. 

Tamburi closely resembles a sitar except that it has no frets (fret is a raised element on the neck of a stringed instrument). Generally, the tamburi has four strings tuned to the tonic.

The tanpura and of course the tamburi is known for its very rich sound. There are three main styles; the Miraj style of Maharashtra, the Tanjore style of Tamil Nadu and the small instrumental version sometimes called tamburi.

The Miraj style is the typical north Indian tanpura and this is mainly used by Hindustani musicians. The Tanjore style is south Indian and it is extensively used by Carnatic musicians.

The Hari dasas used tamburi to set the sruti and also conjure up the imagined notes of the Raga to be sung. These dasas considered tamburi to be sacred as it represents the Sruti or the pitch and Tala or the time measure.

Purandara Dasa felt that Sruti and Tala are the two fundamental aspects of music and they are often referred to as the Mother and Father of music respectively. He, therefore, preferred the tamburi to all other instruments.

Subsequently, all Haridasas, without exception have used the tamburi. Today, we can se the tamburi of  Jagannatha Dasa in his house in Manvi in Raichur district. (Manvi is on way to Raichur from Bangalore). The tamburi of Vijaya Dasa also can be seen.  

One of the best compositions on this instrument is by Purandara Dasa.It is called “Tamburi Meetidava”.  

This is a beautiful Ugabhoga and the Enlgish translation goes as follows:

“Tamburi meeTidava

bhavAbdi dATidava

tAlava taTTidava

surarolu sEridava

gejjeya kaTTidava

kalaredeya meTTidava

gAyana pADidava

harimurthi nODidava

puraMdara viTTalana nODidava

vaikuMTakke ODidava”

Here, he describes that a Haridasa can reach Hari only by holding the tamburi and surrendering himself completely to the supreme being.

Prasanna Venkata Dasa (1680-1752) gets a tamburi from Lord Venkateshwara in Tirumala. He is sent to Tirumala by none other than Raghavendra Swamy himself.

When Hari himself gives the tamburi to a Dasa and asks him to spread his message, tha tamburi attains a divine status. With Purandara Dasa, an amsha of Narada and Vijaya Dasa an amsha of  Brigu Muni and Sripadaraja, an amsha of Dhruva and Vyasa Raja an avatar of Prahalada, all using the tamburi, the instrument gains wide acceptance and popularity.