The gift of Life

There was news a few days ago that Dwayne Johnson, the WWE wrestler-turned actor, had gifted his housekeeper, Esperanza, a new Ford Edge car

The gift came to light after Dwayne took to Twitter, saying that the gift was for his housekeeper as, she has cared after their home with for ten years.

The gift may have created news on the net, but does it match up to the gift a diamond merchant form India gave to his employees. This was sometime in December  and a Surat-based diamond merchant had gifted brand new Chevrolet-Beat as incentive to 70 of his employees for achieving their annual targets.

But what makes this gift all the more poignant is that several of the Surat diamond merchant’s employees  do not even know how to drive.

The diamond merchant, Savji Dholakia, had an year ago, set specific targets to all his diamond artisans. Savji employs 2,000 artisans and of them 100 achieved their target. Savji gifted cars to 70, while the remaining 30 opted for cash.

The cash wasgiven to some employees as some of them had to repay home loans, while others wanted to buy gold jewellery for their wives.

 Dholakia has a diamond-cutting and polishing unit at Varachha in Surat.

This post is not about gifts we give ourselves or to our friends and family. It is about what people give to their employees. One of the earliest such act in India is by Duryodhana, the eldest of the Kauravas, during the Mahabharata period when he sees Karna in tears and magnanimously gifts him the Kingdom of Anga and makes him its ruler.

True, die hard critics may say Duryodhana gifted the Kingdom for a purpose. They may say that he anted Karna on his side and he saw him as a champion who could take on the redoubtable Arjuna. Whatever it may be, the fact that Duryodhana elevated Karna to the ranks of a King ought to be appreciated.

There are several other such tales in India, which has a huge storehouse of such acts. Our epics-Ramayana and Mahabharata, Puranas, Shastras and history is full of such instances.

A unique case of a gift is by a Haridasa from Karnataka, Gopala Dasa (1722-1762), whose aradhane was celebrated yesterday. He  gifted forty years of his life to Jagannatha Dasa of Manvi after his guru Vijaya Dasa asked him to do so.

Gopala Dasa not only gifted his life but also took on the pain of Jagannatha Dasa.

Jagannatha Dasa was suffering from severe stomach ache. When Gopala Dasa gifted him his life, he also took upon himself the pain of Jagannatha Dasa. Till he met his end, Gopala Dasa suffered from severe stomach ache. But there was no murmur of dissatisfaction or repentence.  Gopala Dasa continued with his life with equanimity. This is perhaps the greatest gift of all-the gift of life which is unparalled anywhere in the annals of world history.      

The song of protection

Vijaya Dasa (1682-1755) was one of the foremost Haridasas and it was he who was responsible for the second coming of the Haridasas.

The Haridasa tradition had gone into a terminal decline following the defeat of the Vijayanagar forces at the hands of the Muslim states pf Deccan, This was in 1565 and the Mulsim states had destroyed Vijayanagar and burnt it down.

The Haridasas had fled Vijayanagar and the Haridasa tradition that was given a new meaning by Purandara Dasa had virtually come to a standstill.

It was Vijaya Dasa who pioneered the second revival and he write many kritis on Raghavendra Swamy. He had several disciples, including Gopala Dasa.

Vijaya Dasa sent Gopala Dasa (1722-1762) to Udupi and asked him to have a darshana of Udupi Sri Krishna. Gopala Dasa obeyed his master and made preparation to travel to Udupi.

In those days, the route from Adoni (where both Vijaya Dasa and Gopala Dasa were staying) to Udupi was full of dacoits and robbers. This region was the centre of pitched battles between the Peshwas who were at war with the Nizam of Hyderabad and the Mughals.

The death of Aurangzeb in 1707 had led to the decline of the Mughal power. The Nayakas and smaller states in the Deccan were trying to assert their independence. The Vijayanagar Empire had collapsed and so had the mighty Adil Shahis of Bijapur and the Nizam Shahis of Golconda.

Even as Gopala Dasa made his preparations to visit Udupi, Vijaya Dasa decided to protect him from dacoits and evil forces by composing a small but powerful Ugabhoga. He taught Gopala Dasa this Ugabhoga and asked him to keep on chanting it throughout the journey.

Vilaya Dasa told Gopala Dasa that no harm would come to him if he continued chanting the Ugabhoga through his journey. Vijaya Dasa warned Gopaa Dasa to be careful about a dacoit gang which was led by a Vaishnava called Bheema in Mandegadde near Udupi.

Vijaya Dasa said the modus operandi of Bheema or Mandegadde Bheema was to invite pilgrims to have food at his place and take some rest.He would then obtain details of the pilgrims and pass it on to a dacoit gang of which he was the leader.

When the pilgrims left Mande Gadde, the dacoits would waylay them and rob them of their belongings. Vijaya Dasa said only the Ugabhoga could save Gopala Dasa from the clutches of the dacoit.

 Gopala Dasa then took upadesha and collected Mantrakshathe from the Vijaya Dasa and left for Udupi with several others.  

Gopala Dasa managed to fend off dacoits or thieves en route to Udupi by reciting the Ugabhoga. The Ugabhoga also transformed Bheema into a pious man.

Gopala Dasa then came to Udupi where he had the darshana of Sri Krishna, which has been consecrated by Madhwacharya more than five centuries ago.

On seeing the beautiful idol of  Sri Krishna, Gopala Dasa sang the Ugabhoga composed for his safety by Vijaya Dasa. Legend says as soon as Gopala Dasa finished singing the Ugabhoga, Krishna gave him darshana.

The Ugabhoga goes as follows:

            

“Ondu kaiyalli khadga ondu kaiyalli halage

Andavaagi pididukondu diwaaraatriyalli

Ondu badiyalli nitya baaraasanaagi

Hindu mundupadravaagadante

Indireramana kaayuttalire enagaava

Bandhanagalilla dhanya dhanya

Kandarpanayya siri vijayavithalareya

Endendigaapattu baraleesanO”

This Ugabhoga is supposed to be a powerful mantra and it protects people from evil and diseases. You can repeat it as many times as you want and it has a curative effect.

The Suladi on Lord Rama

Vijaya Dasa (1682-1755) is a renowned composer and Haridasa. He is believed to have received the ankita Vijaya Vittala from Purandara Dasa himself who came in his dream and gave him Deekshe.

Vijaya Dasa wrote 25,000 songs and he sparked the revival of the Haridasa Sahitya after it had declined following the defeat of Vijayanagar in the battle of Rakasa Tangadi or Talikota in 1565.

Vijaya Dasa was an ardent devotee of Raghavendra Swamy of Mantralaya. Some of his best compositions are on Rayaru and he is the first Haridasa to tell us about the Swaroopa of Rayaru.

He wrote under the ankita Vijaya Vittala. 

He has written so many suladis that he is even today known as Suladi Dasa. This is a suladi on Rama.

Here are the lyrics in Kannada.

ಧೃವತಾಳ- 

ವಂದೆ ಮುಕುಂದ ಮುಚುಕುಂದ ಪರಿಪಾಲಕ| 

ಕುಂದೇಂದು ವದನ ಆನಂದ ಮೂರ್ತಿ| 

ಗಂಧ ದೋಷ ದೂರವಾಗಿದ್ದ ಚಿತ್ ಪ್ರಕೃತಿ| 

ಯಿಂದ ನೋಡೆ ಚತುರ್ವಿಧ ದೋಷ ದೂರಾ| 

ವಂದೇ ಮುಕುಂದ ನಮೋ ವೃಂದಾರಕ ಮುನಿ| 

ವೃಂದ ವಂದ್ಯ ಸುಖಸಾಂದ್ರ ಸರ್ವೋತ್ತಮಾ| 

ಮಂದಹಾಸ ಮಂದಾಕಿನಿ ಜನಕ| 

ಸುಂದರೀನಾಥ ಗೋವಿಂದ ಇಂದೀವರದಳ ಶ್ಯಾಮ| 

ಕಂದರ್ಪ ಕೋಟಿ ಲಾವಣ್ಯ ತಾರುಣ್ಯ ಸದ| 

ಮಂದಿರಾ ವೈಕುಂಠ ವೈನತೇಯಾ ಶ್ಯಂದನ| 

ಸ್ಕಂದ ಸನಂದನಪ್ರಿಯ ಪುರಂದರ ನಂದನ್ನ ಮಾನಭಂಗ| 

ಇಂಧನಭೋಕ್ತಾ ನೇತ್ರ ಒಂದೊಂದು| 

ಒಂದಾರು ಮೇಲೋಂದು ಕಂಧರನ ಗೋಸುಗ ಅಹಮತಿಯಲ್ಲಿ| 

ಬಂದು ನಿಂದೆದಿರಾಗೆ ಜಡಮಾಡಿ ನಿಲಿಸಿದ ಅ| 

ರಿಂದರು ದಮ ಶಾಂತ ಪೂರ್ಣಾಪೂರ್ಣಾ| 

ವಂದೆ ಮುಕುಂದ ನಮೊ| 

ನಂದ ಗೋಕುಲ ಪಾವನ್ನ ವಿಜಯವಿಟ್ಠಲ ರಾಮ| 

ಚಂದ್ರ ಪಾಪ ಪರ್ವತಕ್ಕೆ ಇಂದ್ರಾಯುಧವೆಂದೆನಿಪ||೧|| 

-ಮಟ್ಟತಾಳ- 

ಮಂಗಳಾಂಗಿ ರಮಣ ರಂಗ ರಂಗೋರಂಗ| 

ಪುಂಗವ ಪರಿಯಂಕ ಸಂಗ ಸಂಗೀತಲೋಲ| 

ಅಂಗ ವಿಚಿತ್ರಾಂಗ ತುಂಗ ಮಾತಂಗರಿಪು-| 

ಭಂಗ ರಾಜಸಿಂಗ ಭಂಗರಹಿತ ಸರ್ವಾಂಗ ರೋಮ ಪ್ಲ-| 

ವಂಗ ಕಟಕನಾಯಕ ಇಂಗಿತ ಜನರಂತ-| 

ರಂಗ ಕರುಣಾಪಾಂಗ ರಂಗುಮಾಣಿಕ ಭೂಷಾ| 

ಶೃಂಗಾರಾಂಗ ಮಾರ್ಗಣ ಶಿಂಗಾಡಿ ಹಸ್ತ| 

ವಂಗುಳಿ ಚಾತುರ್ಯ ಗಂಗಾಧರ ಚಾಪ-| 

ಭಂಗ ಭಕ್ತವತ್ಸಲ ರಂಗ ರಂಗರಾಮ| 

ಮಂಗಳಾಂಗ ದೇವೋತ್ತುಂಗ ವಿಜಯವಿಟ್ಠಲ| 

ಜಂಗಮ ಸ್ಥಾವರ ಜಂಗುಳಿ ಜಡ ಭಿನ್ನಾ||೨|| 

-ತ್ರಿವಿಡಿತಾಳ- 

ಇಂದ್ರಗೋಪದಂತೆ ವರ್ನದಿಂದೊಪ್ಪುವ| 

ಅಂದವಾದ ದಿಗ್ವಿಜಯ ರಾಮಾ| 

ಚಂದ್ರ ಭಕ್ತ ಚಕೋರ ಮಾನವ ಮನುಜ ಲೀಲಾ| 

ಸಂದರುಶನ ಮಾತ್ರದಿಂದ ಲಾಭಾ| 

ಸಂದೋಹ ಕೊಡುವನೆ ಕ್ಷಾತ್ರ ಕುಲೋತ್ತಮ| 

ಶ್ಯಂದನ ಹತ್ತು ನಾಮಕ ನಂದನಾ| 

ಇಂದೆನ್ನ ಹೃದಯಾಬ್ಜ ಮಂದಿರದಲಿ ಬಂದು| 

ನಿಂದಾಡುವ ದಾಶರಥಿಯೆ ತಂದೆ ತಂದೆ ತಂದೆ| 

ತಂದೆ ಈ ಪರಿ ಎನ್ನ ನಂದವಾದ ಮನಕೆ ನಿನ್ನ ಮೂರ್ತಿ| 

ಪೊಂದಿಸು ಭುವನ ಪಾವನವಾದ ಚರಣಾರ| 

ವಿಂದ ಪಾಂಶ ಲೇಶ ಧರಿಪಾರಲ್ಲಿ| 

ಬಂದು ಕಾರುಣ್ಯಸಿಂಧು ನಿನ್ನಂಘ್ರಿ ನಖಚಂದ್ರ| 

ಚಂದ್ರಿಕೆಯಲಿ ಎನ್ನ ಹೃತ್ತಾಪವ| 

ನೊಂದಿಸು ನಾನಾವತಾರ ನಾರಾಯಣಾ| 

ಮಂಧರೋದ್ಧರನೇ ಮಹಾ ಮಹಿಮಾ| 

ಸಂದೇಹ ಎನಗಿಲ್ಲ ನಿನ್ನ ಕಂಡಮೇಲೆ| 

ಬಿಂದು ಮಾತುರ ಕ್ಲೇಶ ಎನಗಿಪ್ಪುದೇ| 

ಕೊಂದು ಬಿಸುಟುವೆನು ಖಳರ ಉಪದ್ರವ| 

ಕಂದನಾನೆಲೋ ನಿನಗೆ ಜನುಮ ಜನುಮ| 

ಎಂದೆಂದಿಗೆ ಎನ್ನ ಸಾಧನದಿಂದಲಿ ಆ-| 

ನಂದ ಕೊಡುವೆನೆಂಬೊ ಕೀರ್ತಿಯುಂಟೇ| 

ಬಂದು ಸೇರಿದ ಭೂತ ಪ್ರೇತಾದಿಗಳು ಮಂತ್ರ| 

ದಿಂದಲಿ ಅನ್ನಪಾನಾದಿಗಳು ತಂದು ಇತ್ತದ-| 

ರಿಂದ ವಶವಾಗಿ ಒಡನೊಡನೇ| 

ಹಿಂದೆ ತಿರುಗುತಿಪ್ಪವು ತ್ರಾಣಗೆಟ್ಟು| 

ವಂದಿಪೆ ಅದರಂತೆ ನಿನಗಲ್ಲವೊ ಎಳೆ| 

ಗಂದಿಯೋ ಸಂತತ ಅನುಕಂಪನೆ| 

ಅಂದ ಜನಕೆ ಪ್ರಾಣ ನಿಜ ಸ್ವಭಾವ ಉ-| 

ಪೇಂದ್ರ ವಿಜಯವಿಟ್ಠಲ ರಾಮ ರಘುಕುಲತಿಲಕಾ||೩|| 

-ಅಟ್ಟತಾಳ- 

ಜಡ ಚೇತನದೊಳು ವ್ಯಾಪ್ತವಾಗಿಪ್ಪನೆ| 

ದೃಢ ಭಕ್ತರಿಗೆ ತತ್ತದಾಕಾರ ರೂಪನಾಗಿ| 

ಬಿಡದೆ ಕಾಣಿಸಿಕೊಂಬದೇನು ಸೋಜಿಗವೊ| 

ಬಡವ ಭಾಗ್ಯವಂತ ಎಂಬೊ ವಾರ್ತೆಯಲ್ಲಿ| 

ಅಡಿಗಡಿಗೆ ಕೇಳು ಇದರ ವಿಚಿತ್ರದ| 

ನುಡಿ ಬೇರೆ ನಡೆ ಬೇರೆ ಪಾರಾವಾರ ಮೂರ್ತಿಯೆ| 

ಸಡಗರ ಏನೆಂಬೆ ಯೋಗ್ಯತಾನುಸಾರ| 

ಕೊಡುವನು ಜ್ಞಾನ ಭಕುತಿ ವೈರಾಗ್ಯವ| 

ಅಡಿಗಡಿಗೆ ತನ್ನ ಧ್ಯಾನವ ಪಾಲಿಸೀ| 

ಪೊಡವಿ ವಿಬುಧರೆಲ್ಲ ಮತ್ಸರ ದುರ್ಗವ| 

ಕಡಿದು ಮನೋರಥ ಪಡಕೊಂಡು ಸುಖಿಪುದು| 

ಕಡಲಶಯನ ನಮ್ಮ ವಿಜಯವಿಟ್ಟಲರೇಯಾ| 

ಅಡಿಗಳರ್ಚಿಪರ ಚಿತ್ತದಲಿ ನೆಲೆಸಿಪ್ಪ||೪|| 

-ಆದಿತಾಳ- 

ಆನಂದ ಜ್ಞಾನಪ್ರದ| ಶ್ರೀನಾಥನ ದಕ್ಷಿಣವಾಮಾಂಘ್ರಿ| 

ಆನಂದ ಪಾದ ಆನಂದಪ್ರದ| ವಾನರಕಾಂತ ಲಕ್ಷ್ಮಣ ಸುಗ್ರೀವ| 

ದಾನವನಿಂದಲಿ ಪೂಜೆಕೊಂಬ ಪಾದ ರಾಜಿಸುವ ಪಾದ| 

ದೀನ ಮಾನವರಿಗೆ ಒಲಿದೊಲಿದು ನಿತ್ಯ ಧ್ಯಾನಪ್ರದ ಪಾದ| 

ಮಾನಪ್ರದ ಪಾದ| ಶ್ರೀನಾರಿಕರಕಮಲ ಪೂಜಿತ 

ಸರ್ವಾಂಕಿತ ಪಾದ ಭವತಾರಕ ಪಾದ| 

ಏನೇನು ಬೇಡಿದಭೀಷ್ಟೆಯ ಕೊಡುವುದು| 

ಒಳಗೆ ಪೊಳೆವ ಪಾದ ಹೊರಗೆ ತೋರುವ ಪಾದ| 

ಆನಂದತೀರ್ಥರ ಮನದಲ್ಲಿ ನಿಂದ ಅ| 

ತಿ ನಿರ್ಮಲ ಪಾದ ಅಪ್ರಾಕೃತ ಪಾದಾ| 

ದಾನಿಗಳರಸ ವಿಜಯವಿಟ್ಠಲ ಕಾಮ-| 

ಧೇನು ರಾಮ ರಾಮ ಕೌಸಲ್ಯತನಯನ ಪಾದ||೫|| 

-ಜತೆ-

ವಸುಧೇಂದ್ರಮುನಿಯಿಂದ ನಾನಾಪೂಜೆಯಗೊಂಡು| 

ವಸುಧೆಯೊಳಗೆ ಮೆರೆವ ವಿಜಯವಿಟ್ಠಲ ರಾಮಾ||೬|| 

The Narasimha Suladi of Jagannatha dasa

If Vijaya Dasa has written a Suladi on Narasimha, so also has Jagannatha Dasa of Manvi.

The Narasimha Suladi has an interesting antecedent.  

Jagannatha Dasa was touring holy places and he came to a temple near Surpur. The province of Surpur in Gulbarga district was ruled by a local chieftian. (Today, Surpur is called Shorapur and among the temples is the Venugopala Swamy Temple) The Dasa halted at a temple singing the glory of Hari when he noticed a poor Brahmin in his entourage. The Brahmin looked sad and he appeared anxious.

Jagannatha Dasa called the Brahmin aside and asked him for the reason of his sadness. The Brahmin replied that he was an extremely poor man and that he did not have sufficient needs to even have a meal a day.

He sought the blessings of  the Dasa to come out of his poverty. Jagannatha Dasa meditated and found out that the Brahmin had come to this state as he had not given any dhana or given anything to people in his earlier birth.

He had, therefore, been cursed to be born poor and was forced to lead a wretched life for the past three lives. Jagannatha Dasa asked the Brahmin what he could donate.

The Brahmin said he had no money except a small copper vessel.
Jaggantha Dasa asked the Brahmin to sell the vessel, prepare panaka from the money he got and give it to him.

The Brahmin sold the vessel and with the money he got from it , he prepared panaka for Jagannatha Dasa and other members of the party. After Jagannatha Dasa completed his pooje, he took the panaka along with his disciples and blessed the Brahmin.
He then composed the Narasimha Suladi and gave upadesha to the Brahmin. He then asked the Brahmin to stay back at the temple they were camping. “Worship God here and he will do the rest. Do not forget to recite the Narasima Suladi”,  the Dasa told the Brahmin.

The Brahmin was overjoyed and he followed the instructions of Jagannatha Dasa. He recited the Narasimha Suladi with devotion and sincerity. Narasimha then gave the Brahmin riches and also helped him attain a high post in the durbar of  Surpur.

This is a powerful sloka and if recited with sincerity and devotion, it can help us get over all our difficulties.

The English translation is as follows:

“Dhurithavana kuTAri dhurjana kula vairi
sharaNAgatha vajrapamjara kumjara
vara samrakShaka janma maraNarahitha mahitha
parama karuNAsimDhu BakthabamDhu
svaratha svathamthra jagadhBaritha chithsuKapUrNa
hariye kSharAkShara puruShOththama
urugAya vaikumTa vara mamdhira chamdhira
tharaNi kOti samkAsha vimala kEsha
DhuradhoLagarjunana thuraga nadesidha sam
gara Bayamkara lOkaika vIra
narasimha ninna pAdhakkeragi bEdikombe
morehokka dhAsage bamdha Bayava pari
harisi souKyava karuNisu dhayadhimdha
sarvaramthaRyAmi lOkasvAmi
smaraNe mAthradhi ajAmiLage mukthiyaniththe
aridhEnO nInIga porevudhemma
saruva kAmadha jagannAThaviTTala Baktha
paripAlakanemba birudhu ninnadhallave? ||

viDhipitha nInalladhe niDhipathigaLumte?
saDhananAgi ippe ninna dhaasarigaagi
maDhusUdhana jagannaaThaviTTalarEya
niDhananenisikombe ninna dhvEShigaLige ||

mUru lOkasvAmi sarva~G~Ja suKapUrNa
prEraka sAkShi kAraNakArya dhOShavi
dhUra sadhguNasAmdhra sajjanAmbuDhi chamdhra
BArakartha jagake nInire emma manOraTha
salisuvudhEnasADhyavO ninage?
krUramAnavara samhAramAdisu guru
mAruthanimdhathi shIGravAgi
nIrakShisemdhu prArThisuve Baktharige BUri
sAra BAgyavaniththu kRupemAdu anudhina
shUra jagannAThaviTTala nInalladhi
nnAru Bakthara kAva karuNigaLu jagadhi? ||

pithanimdha nomdha praHlAdhananu kAydhe dhE
vathegaLige bamdha Baya pariharisidhe dhrou
padhiya more kELi dhivyaambarava karuNisidhe
kShithijanAlayadhi baLaluva bAleyara dhvArA
vathige karedhoydhu olidhavara pOShisidhe mA
ruthiya karadhim bRuhadhraThakuvarana kolisi
pRuThivipara bidisi pAlisidhe karuNadhali kuru
pRuThanadhoL pAmdavara gelisi kIrthiya padadhe
shathamOdhanasthradhimdhali garBadhoLage pI
dithanAdha shishuparIkShithana samthaisidhe
shithikamTagolidhu sAyakanAgi muppuradha
sathiyaranolisi kIruthiyiththe Bakthanige
mithiyumte ninna karuNake dhEvapathi sAm
pratha bEdikombe binnapa kELajasra sam
sthuthipa Bakuthara manOraThava pUraisu su
vrathanAma shrIjagannAThaviTTala BAga
vatha janara priya nInE gathi emage ihaparadhi ||

nI salahalinnaaru mUrlOkadhoLu bamdha
ddaisuvaru oLahorage? dhAnava dhivou
kasaru ninage samarpaka kARya ma
hA suKadhi nadesuvaru niruthadhi lakShmi
dhAsiyemdhanipaLu ninnaramaneyalli
dhEsha kAla guNakarmAdhigaLu ninagA
vAsake yOgyavAdha sThAnavenipavu
Isha lOkake lEshAyAsa kANeno karu
NA samudhrane olidhu emma manadha aBi
lAShe pUraisemdhu bEdidheno vEdha
vyAsa kItage olidhu kottu mahAsim
hAsanavannErisi nI poredheyo pa
rAsharAthmaja ninna guNagaLa baNNise
nA samarThane emdhemdhigAdharu dhEva
nI sulaBanemdhAshrayisimdhu nA bi
nnaisidheno I rIthiyalli saru
vAsunilaya shrIjagannAThaviTTalarEya
Isu mAthugaLEke manmanadha
Ashe pUrthiya mAdi emmanu dhayadhi u
dhAsisadhe anudhina nOLpudhu ||

nigamathathigaLige vEdhyavAgadha ninna
agaNitha mahime lakumi bomma BavA
dhigaLu thAvariyaru sAkalyadhimdha ji
vigaLige gOcharisuvudhe ninna rUpa
Bagavamtha nIne dhayALuvemdharidhu nA
pogaLidheno yaThAmathiyoLage lEsha
bageyadhirennaparADhakOtigaLannu
jagathIpathi thanna maguvina thodhalu mA
thugaLane kELi thA nagutha kAmitha bage
bageyimdha pUrthisi mige haruShadhimdha
bigidhappi mOdhipanalladhe shishuvanu
thegedhu bisutu maththe pagegombanEnO thrai
yugane bidadhe pAdipogaLuva dhAsagI
bage badathanavEke samsAradhoLage nA
lmOganayya arThakAmagaLoLagippa I
rvage rOpavomdhAge AvudhasADhyavo
gagana BUpAthALa vyAptharUpage kara
mugive gOcharisemma dhRuguyugagaLigimdhu
yugavartha shrIjagannAThaviTTala nara
mRuganAgi kambhadhimdhogedhu bamdhodhagidhe ||

shrIniDhi prathidhEhamgaLalli gathi
nInalladhe emagArihaparadhalli
A naLinaBavaBavAdhyanimiShara ni
jAnamdhavarithu PalagaLa koduva ma
hAnuBAva emmaBimatha salisuvu
dhEnachchari ninnarisi lakumi kade
gANaLu paramaishvaRyadha prAmtha chi
dhAnamdhamayane praNathara aDhikA
rAnusAra nadesuva muKya
prANapathige nUthana vi~G~JApana
vEnumtinnanudhinadhali mALpudhu
mAnadha guru jagannAThaviTTala karu
NAniDhi sarvadha sulaBa nInallave? ||

chatula kARyagaLa samGatane mAduveyo ni
Shkutila jagannAThaviTTala dhEvOththama ||

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.     

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.