Copy of: Purandara Dasa and Sri Venkatachalapathy of Thirumalai--Part 1

[Guest guest]

Retransmittal

---------- Forwarded Message ----------

 

V. Sadagopan, 75041,3037

TO: OM, INTERNET:bhakti

DATE: 11/3/96 10:13 AM

 

RE: Copy of: Purandara Dasa and Sri Venkatachalapathy of Thirumalai--Part 1

 

Dear Fellow members of the Bhakthi group :

 

A dear member of the group asked me to write on

the special bonds that Purandara Dasa had with

Srinivasa of Thirupathi . I am happy to do so. Kannada

is not my mother toungue. Hence , I request the indulgence of

Kannada speaking friends of this group to bear with me, when

I make number of mistakes in transcribing the sahityam of

his "Saurabhas " or Bhakthi-laden blossoms forming the

garland Purandara Dasar placed at the feet of Purandara Vittala . " Saurabha "

is an apt term coined by m ydear friend ,Late Dr. Yamuna .T. Thathachari

of first thirumaaLigai at Srirangam. He was a great scholar

befitting lineage that goes back to Yaamunaacharya . He came up

with the title " Purandara Dasa Saurabhas for a beautiful audiocasette

of Purandara Dasa Krithis sung majestically by Srimathi Jayashree

Varadarajan of Sunnyvale, California .

 

I will focus on the Srinivasa Saurabhas in these postings .

Sri Purandara Dasa (Born AD 1494) lived for 80 years on this

earth , half of which was spent as a Sanyasi. He is considered

Naradaamsam .Satya Dharma Teeertha of Vyasaraya mutt conferred on

Srinivasa (Purvaasrama name ) the dasa name of "Purandara Dasa ".

He derived his inspiration from the three strands of musical

tradition-Karnataka, Maharashtra and Hindusthani - and poured his

bhagavd bhakthi in the two musical styles of Margi and Desi . As a

Karnataka Sangita Pitamaha , he followed the foot steps of the

great Talapaakam Annamacharya , who sang the glories of

Thriupathi VenkataramaNan day and night .

 

Visits of Purandara Dasa to Thirupathi

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ************

Purandara Dasa in his dasa Vritthi woe his Tulasi

maala , Gajjai and held his chaplaa kattai in one hand

and his tampuraa in the other hand and climbed the

seven hills many times to have the darsanam of Srinivasan.

He had a great attachment to his " name sake " , Srinivasan .

He will run off to Thirupathi in a moment's notice , when the

thought of Srinivasan overpowered him. He offered his

Sangeetha Saurhabham on those occsions to the Lord of seven hills.

One such krithi is set in Ragam Sindhu Bhairavi :

 

PALLAVI :

 

VENKATAACHALA NILAYAM VAIKUNTAPURA NIVAASAM

PANKAJA NETHRAM PARAMA PAVITHRAM SANKA CHAKRA DHARA

CHINMAYA RUPAM

 

SARANAM:

 

AMBHJOTHBHAVA VINUTHAM AGANITHA GUNA NAAMAM

THUMBHURU NAARADA GAANA VILOLAM

 

MAKARA KUNDALA DHARA MADANA GOPAALAM

BHAKTHA POSHAKA SRI PURANDARA VITALAM

(SRI VENKATAACAHLA NILAYAM )

 

Here , Purandara Dasa worships Srinivasa as

Sri Vaikuntanatha with His base in Thirumalai.

There he sees Him with His lotus eyes ,sanka

and chakra , chinmayaananda rupan enjoying the

divine music of sage Narada and Thumbhuru and

the eulogy of His lotus-born son, Brahmaa..

His indescribable sacredness and unimaginable

Nama Mahimaa are then referred to . Lord of

Thirumalai must have given darsanam to him as

the most enchanting Madana Gopala wearing

Makara Kundalam . Dasar salutes this protector

of devotees in the rakthi ragam of Sindhu Bhairavi .

 

On yet another occasion , He chose Bhairavi ragam and

offered saraNaagathi at the feet of Srinivasa :

 

PALLAVI : SARANU VENKATARAMANAA NINNE

SARANAVA NAMBITEH NAANU

 

ANUPALLAVI : KARUNAA SAAGARA KAAMITHA PALAVEEVAA

SARANA BHAKTHARA KAAVA GARUDA VAAHANA DEVA

BHAKTHA VATSALA HARIYEH NAMMA BHAVA DHURITAPARIHAARANEH

 

CHARANAM : AKILAMTAKOTI BRHMAANDA NAYAKA

SARANOBHAKTHARAGAAVA SURA MUNIGALEHDEVA

DESAGATHIKAVAADHA NAMMA SESHAGIRI ISAA

SRI VEMKATA GIRI THIRUMALESAA

DAASA DAASARASALAHUVA SRI PURANDARA VITTALA (SARANU )

 

He cries aloud to the Karunaa saagaran and addresses Him as

the munificient boon-granter . He says : " O Lord who rushes

on the back of Garuda to protect the devotees in distress ! Hari !

Bhaktha Vatsalaa! please banish my fears and sufferings

associated with Samsaaric life .I am counting on Your Dayaa

and Anukampa ".

 

In the charana Vakhyams , Dasar addresses Srinivasa as the

Antharyaami Brahmam residing inside the crores and crores of

chetanas and Achetanas of His universe and salutes Him as the

Lord of the Seven hills sanctified by His residence .He recognizes him as

the Aapath Bhaandhavan , who comes to the rescue of Devas and

Sages during their times of distress . He points out tha this Seshaadri

Sekhara Vibhu never fails to protect His devotees. He declares his

Maha Viswasam as the central credential of his Saranaagathi to

VenkataramaNan .

 

Dasar chose a rare ragam known as Siva KalyaaN for his third

krithi on Srinivasa , who gave darsanam to him as Govinda .

In this Govinda Naama sankeerthanam echoing in the seven hils as

"Govindaa, Govindaa " as we hear it even today, when the Bhakthaas

come in front of Venkataachalapathi , Dasar declares :

 

PALLAVI :

 

GOVINDAA NIMMA NAAMAVE CHENTHAA

 

CHARANAM :

 

aNureNu truNa kaashta paripurNa GovindA

nirmalaathmakanaahi iruvateh aanandaa(Govindaa)

 

srishti sthithi laya kaaraNa Govindaa

Yee pari mahimaayeh tiLiyuvadaanandaa (Govindaa)

 

Parama purusha Sri Purandara Vitalana paaduva

daasara salahoovavadhaanandaa (Govindaa )

 

In the charana vaakyams, Dasar describes the pervasive

and seamless presence of Srinivasa Govindan from atoms ,

dust particles , blades of grass to dry branches and every

thing in this universe. The greatest joy that a Jeevan can

experience is the understanding of this principle of yours

and to stay in the blemishless and pure state (NishkaLanga,

Nirmala ) exhibited by You .O Lord , the one responsible for

the creation, protection and destruction of the universe and its beings !

What a joy it is to understand this truth about yourself being the root cause

for the functioning of Your universe and to sing about your limitless

auspicious GuNaas . The Dasaas immersed in the nectar of

joy through the Nama Sankeerthanam of your Sahasra Naamaas forget

every thing and do not let their mind wander into worthless pursuits.

 

I will continue with Dasar's Venkatesa Krithis in Ragas Thodi

( Ninna Nodi ) , Madhyamaavathi ( Thirupathi VenkataramaNa ninage ),

Kambhoji ( Naanenu Maaditheno Venkataraaya ) , Ananda Bhairavi

( Srinivaasa Nineh Paaliso sruthajana Paala )

and Vasantha ( Baarayaa VenkataramaNaa).

 

Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan