The tradition of Haridasas
begins with Sri Narada Muni, who sang in praise of Lord Narayana, the creator,
protector & annihilator of this Universe. He dealt in detail in his Bhakti
Sutras. This Bhakti tradition of surrender to Sri Hari continued through
Bhagavata Sampradaya. It passed on through generations of several saint poets,
composers, who set their feelings in tune with the local languages, in Kannada,
Telugu and Tamil.
Sri Purandara Dasa’s name
is almost synonymous with Karnatak Music. It was he who systematised singing
Kritis in various Ragas, set to Talas. Everyone who begins elementary lessons
in Karnataka Music, invariably starts with the simplest Mayamalava Gowla, ‘ Lambodara
Lakumikara…’, which is Purandara’s composition. Also termed Pillari Geete, this
lays foundation for learning other Ragas in Southern Music.
Sri Purandara Dasa was
born as Srinivasa Nayaka, a diamond merchant in Vijayanagar empire, who used to
visit Hampi, the Capital of Vijayanagar empire, during Sri Krishnadevaraya,
from Tuluva dynasty. Srinivasa Nayaka was born in 1484, to Varadappa Nayaka, a
famous diamond trader of those times. Varadappa got his son educated formally
in Kannada, Samskrita, and Marathi and basics of trading precious gems and
diamonds. He was married at about 18 years of age, to Saraswathi, a pious girl
from a rich family.
Srinivasa Nayaka continued
his family trade successfully. He was very calculative, but not an agonist. He believed
earning money is the ultimate goal to happiness. He never gave charity to the
poor, as he thought it might make them lazy. Nayaka had very less time to
attend to his family, always engrossed in trade. There was a turning point in
his life, when the Lord Sri Hari wished to put him on the right track of Jnana,
Bhakti & Vairagya, essentials to a true Vaishnava.
When Nayaka was about
30, an old man approached his devout wife Saraswathi for monetary help to
perform Upanayanam to his son. Earlier, he was chased away by Srinivasa from
his shop not to beg. The persistent old man reached Nayaka’s house and
requested his wife later. Saraswathi was not very free to dole out money, as it
was controlled by her miserly husband. She had nothing to donate. After a
while, out of her natural generosity to the poor and deserving, she decided to
give her Mukura ( Nose ring), gifted by her parents. The happy old man takes
this to Srinivasa’s shop to sell and get money, which he did. Nayaka getting doubt
on looking at the ornament, that it is wife’s, ignored it for the moment and
was back home to see her nose ring missing. He rebuked his innocent wife for
the grave ‘mistake’ she has done and demanded her to get back the same by
evening. Saraswathi prayed Lord Vitthala-Krishna to save her. Furious Nayaka
returned to his shop.
Saraswathi’s innocent
prayers were answered when she was about to take poison to end her life. The nose
ring dropped in the cup! This miracle of Lord Krishna, whom she worshipped as Vitthala,
had saved her. Vitthala is synonymous to Lord Vishnu and Krishna, in the local
usage.
By evening, when
Srinivasa Nayaka enquired about the lost piece of ornament, he was surprised to
see the lost ring, which was sold to him and locked in his box, back on the
nose of his wife. He went back to the shop, to find the jewel missing! He was
utterly confused at this. Though he believed in God, he never did so in
miracles. It remained a mystery to him. His wife just told him that the old man
went near Vitthala temple, and she was not aware where he went later. Srinivasa
Nayaka’s mind was disturbed much at this incident. He made all efforts to search
the old man in the small town, but failed. He repeatedly asked his wife to show
him. Saraswathi narrated how he was seen by her near Tulasi Brindavan, and she
did Pranam to him. There was a ocean of change in Nayaka’s attitude towards
material gains and happiness, which he thought coming only by this. He had earlier
experienced such lows when he got less profit in his trade. Now he slowly lost interest
to continue business, which brought him only some happiness, a semblance of it
for some time. Saraswathi also told him how the old man, whom she trusted as
only Vitthala, promised to give his darshan once her husband gave away all his
wealth and becomes penniless!
Srinivasa Nayaka, by
divine inspiration, and wife’s willingness, donated all wealth he had and found
his way to ultimate happiness in Bhakti, and travelled to Hampi, to meet his
Guru Sri Vyasa Tirtha, a master in Vaishnavism, and himself a disciple of
Sripadaraja, the grand sire (Pithamaha) of Haridasa tradition in Karnataka. He was
a saint, scholar, composer and now Rajaguru of the King.
The Guru Sri Vyasa
Tirtha recognised his disciple by name: ‘Oh Nayaka! You have at last come here,
welcome, join us. Srinivasa Nayaka, Saraswathi and her children had blessings
of the saint and witnessed Puja of Vyasatirtha, had divine Prasadam and stayed
near Chakra Tirtha, a holy pond in a mantap. The next day Guru Sri Vyasa Tirtha
gave him Ankita, pen name in Haridasa tradition, after ceremonial homas and
Deeksha and named him as ‘ Purandara Vitthala’. Thereafter, all he sang
became as respectable as Upanishad, hence the name “ Purandaropanishad’,
to his treasure of Kritis mostly in Kannada.
Sri Purandara Dasa
lived between 1484-1564. He travelled to all Pilgrim centres, mainly Tirumala,
the abode of Srinivasa, Kanchi of Varadaraja, Ghatikachala (Sholinghar) of
Narasimha- Hanuman him shrines, Srirangam, Ahobilam, and Melukote, Srirangapatna,
Mulabagilu, Abburu, near Channapatna, a place of Sri Vyasatirtha’s Guru Sri
Brahmanya Tirtha and Kolhapur, Pandharpur in Maharashtra, where he stayed for
quite some time. Kannada- Marathi-Telugu were closely connected during
Vijayanagar era, and inter- state travel, trade, cultural exchange was very
common. Language served only as means to communicate, not to politicise.
Telugu-Kannada had a common script.
His contribution
to Karnatak Music:
Sri Purandara Dasa had
a deep knowledge of nuances of South Indian Music. There was no systematic way
of learning this divine art, by beginners. He streamlined the syllabus of
Musicology by using Mayamalava Gowla, as a basic Raga with simplest
notation, which could be developed later by the learner by permutation &
combination of Ragas as 72 Melakartas. A century later, Venkata Makhi,
also from Karnataka composed a basic text book-‘ Chaturdandi Prakashka’ which
is in Sanskrit, which thoroughly researches the nuances and niceties of Southern
Music.
Sri Purandaradasa’s
Kritis:
Tradition says he has
composed 4, 75,000 songs. This literature includes 8 Categories of Tirtha
Kshetra Mahimas, Madhvacharya’s Dvaita school of Vedanta, Puranic stories,
Devata moorti dhyana, upasana, Ekadashi’s importance, Sri Krishna Jayanthi, and
lastly, the most important Suladis, (short couplets) and Devaranamas.
‘ Venkatachala
Nilayam’, a single Sanskrit Kriti is attributed to him, but lacks grammatical
framework of the language. ‘Bhagyada Lakshmi Baramma’ is a prayer to
Mother Mahalakshmi, several songs of Lord of Seven Hills, several songs on
pranks of child Krishna, like ‘ Aluvudetako Ranga…’, Who do you cry Oh Lord
Krishna? ‘Endapppikombe Rangayyana…( When
can I hug child Krishna..?, and a marvellous kriti on Srinivasa at Tirumala and
everywhere, which runs like this:
A
Pada Ananda A nakha Ananda
A
janu Ananda- A jangha Anandamayavayya/
A
Uru Ananda- A kati Ananda
A
Nabhi Ananda- A kukshi Ananda
………
A sarvangada Avayavagalella
Asamkhya
Ananda Purandara Vitthala//
- Oh
Lord Srinivasa! I see bliss at each part of your divine image- the lotus feet,
nails, thighs, knees, waist, nabhi, slender stomach, all organs of your divinity
are nothing but Ananda- Bliss Divine, Oh Purandara Vitthala!’
While
at Malluru, with his Guru Sri Vyasatirtha, he exclaims:
‘Adisidalu
Yashode Jagadoddharana….’ Child Krishna was entertained by his innocent foster-
mother Yashoda, who failed to know he is the Supreme Lord, controlling the Universe,
mistaking him to be just her mischievous kid!’- this Kriti is most popular like
his other Songs, sung by celebrity singers of Karnatak Music in Katcheris till date.
A
Social Reformer:
Though
a staunch follower of Madhva Vaishnava tradition, he personally mixed well with
all communities. None was low to be loved by the creator. All are his children,
was his message.
Holeya
bandanendu Olage Devara Madi… says he, fools hide
images of Gid when a low caste person comes, but they are impure by themselves,
by impure mind and beliefs. Tanuvina Kopa Holeyallave..? getting angry
with others is not an impurity? ‘paradhana Parasathi Holeyallave..?
mocking at others’ money and wife, is not impurity?.. he boldly asks common
folk. All are outcastes who never return money borrowed, a man of low
character, one who misses promises made, a misrely person who never gives in
charity to the deserving poor…. All are Outcastes, not those by their birth.
He
spent most of his life, after 35, when he was given Dasa Deeksha till his last
days. His wife, children, all died before him and he was made complete Virakta
by the Lord. After each death he would say: Giliyu Panjaradolilla’, the
Parrot is out of Cage- a wonderful way of expressing Jiva as parrot & body
as cage! He was highly knowledgeable, enlightened servant of God.
His
songs range from the early morning wake up call: Yelu Narayananane Yelu
Lakshmi Ramana Yelu Srigirivasa Belagayitu, ( Udayaraga), several lullabies,
Jo Jo Jo Krishna, Suladis pregnant with philosophical message to divine life, and
his literature covers most of what a human being needs to see a purposeful
life.
Sri Purandara Dasa was
an eye witness to several incidents in Vjayanagar History. He describes how his
dear Guru Sri Vyasa Tirtha attained Maha Samadhi at an island of Tungabhadra,
near Anegondi, Hampi. Sri Purandara Dasaru lived a few years after that and
passed away in 1564, Pushya Amavasya is his Aradhana Day, celebrated by
Haridasas & Vaishnavas, by singing his Kritis and taking a procession of
his Photograph in Hampi, Mulabagilu, Tirumala and other places, as a tribute to
this saint-singer-composer-philosopher. He is traditionally believed as Narada
Muni reborn.
****
