Purandara DAsaru- Life history- Part 4

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Sri Vishnupreranaya Sri VishnupreethyaRTham

 

An Overview of Purandara Literature (Purandara Sahitya)

 

Sri Purandara Dasa is considered to be the main architect of Kannada

Haridasa literature. His influence on the Haridasa literature has flown

like a tide which became as sacred as Ganga and it created a

waves of Bhagirathi river. Purandara Dasa's doctorine is "Devotion". On

holding this theory Purandara Dasa became noble person.

 

He is fond of Vittala, whatever service he does became Madhava's service,

whatever he spoke from his mouth became the name of Sri Narayana, and

wherever he went in this world those places became

sacred place. He took refuge with Sri Krishna and Krishna became his

intellect. Udupi's Sri Krishna position became his path of love and this

became Dasa's power also.

 

Sri Purandaradasa's eyes filled with tears of joy whenever he thought of

child Krishna. He describes in his verses-Krishna playfulness from the

angle of his mother Yashoda. In some of his verses

Purandaradasa has identified himself with the Gopis of Gokula and has

described Krishna as if he were one of the Gopi's. Although Devaki was his

mother, it was Yashoda's good fortune that she became his

foster-mother and brought him up so lovingly. The child krishna was unlike

other children. He would suddenly burst out crying in the cradle waking up

from sleep which brought Yashoda to the cradle feeling

anxious about his safety.

 

She would ask other Gopis to tell her, if they could, why he was crying.

She would try to undo the effect of the evil eye which must have hurt her

child Krishna. Naughty child Krishna would never stay at

home. The whole of Gokula was his home and playground. All the cowherds and

milkmaids were his playmates. Yashoda would plead with him not to go out,

as the famous verse sings, "Do not go out,

Ranga, beyond the threshold. If you go, the Bhagavathas will take you

away". But Krishna would not listen to her. He was always fond of playing

outside the home. Often he went to the other houses and ate

all the butter and milk that he found there.

 

Unable to bear the mischief of Krishna, the Gopis complained to Yashoda who

felt unhappy over this. She would cry out, "What shall I do, Krishna my

son, the day has dawned", and would feel sorry at

each sunrise, as it was not within her power to restrain Krishna during the

day. At other times she would silence the Gopis by asking them: "Why are

you complaining against my Rangayya, the idol and the

beloved of all the three worlds?". If some Gopis were tired of his

mischief, some of them gladly welcomed him and played with him comparing

him to the moon. Whatever the complaints or praise of others,

child krishna was Yashoda's dear idol. She would play with him and forget

the whole world during that time. She would bless him in various ways as

she gave him in various ways as she gave him a bath of

oil. If he did not listen to her, she would frighten him by saying "There

is a ghost, Ranga there is ghost waiting for you". She would pretend to

call the ghost. Krishna then would promise that he would be quiet

and request his mother not to call the ghost. If Krishna did not return

home for food after his games, Yashoda would go out searching for him and

asking every woman, "Did you not see my Ranga?" .

Purandaradasa has given detailed description in his verses of Balakrishna's

dress and jewellery with which to identify the child. The description of

his dress and jewellery in the verses is very beautiful.

 

As the days went by Krishna's greatness became well known. The incident of

Krishna's lifting the Govardhana mountain to give shelter to every one

against the torrential rain sent by Indra is the most

uncommon episode. Similarly his dancing on the hood of the great serpent

Kalinga who was causing endless trouble to all people who entered the pond

is another proof of his greatness. Purandaradasa has

described this incident graphically in his vers:"Ranga danced on the hood

of Kalinga in a splendid way, giving gifts to all who prayed and enjoying

himself the while and asking for butter". All the moods of

Krishna have been vividly described by Purandara Dasa. Through his verses

we can appreciate and understand the kind of love and affection with which

he approached God.

 

Purandaradasa won over all the hurdles because he took oath on Tatva.

That's why he composed a song 'krishnamU^rthy kanna mu.nde ni.nthiv^rthide'

(he is seeing the standing position of Sri Krishna in his

eyes).

 

Sri Purandara is considered to be one of the ever over flowing river in the

Karnataka Haridasa Sahitya rivers. He is one of the founder of the

Karnataka music. Navakoti Narayana suddenly became

Haridasa by holding tamboori in his hand. There is song ' dAsaru t.amboori

mItidaru, javabdi dAtidaru, gejjeya kattidaru, khalaredeya mettidaru,

arisshatwargagalannu kuttidaru, vykuntada bagilanu tattidaru,

gayana pAdidaru, harimurthyyanu nodidaru (he played tamboori, he crossed

the fetters of the world, he weared Gajje (spherical jinging bell), chased

the shyness, he defended the hearts of thiefs (khalarede),

he grinded all materialistic aspirations (arishatwarga), he knocked the

door of moksha, vaikunta, adobe, he sung devotional songs and saw Sri Hari).

 

After seeing the great saint Sri Vyaasaraja his crores of ancestors became

purified and sacred. He got the eligibility power to pray Srisha. He got

ankita as Purandara Vittala. His attachment to the magical

samsara has been cutoff and he was blessed by the preceptor - Sri

Vyaasaraja. He suceeded in getting the friendship with Haridasa's and his

dream of getting the sacred people as friends became reality. He

repeatedly and continuously (without any interruption) shown interest in

praying Madhava.

 

It is natural for a Haridasa to think of his Lord as his master. His prayer

to his Lord to accept him as his servant has been expressed in a variety of

ways. In his vers "Take me as your dasa (slave). You are

kindness itself. How then can you wound me by your delay?" We can see the

sincerity of his prayer. In another verse Purandaradasa sings, "Every day I

prostrate at your feet begging that you grant me

firmness of mind to be your devotee".

 

The relationship that each Hari Bhakta (devotee of Hari) wishes to

establish with his Lord is called Dasyabhava-the relationship that exists

between a good master and an ideal servant. Many of

Purandaradasa's verses give expression to this sentiment. As intimacy

develops between God and his devotee, a feeling of mutual regard and love

develops. As if to give expression to this feeling,

Purandaradasa sings rather with a sense of too much familiarity. "I donot

need you nor your obligation. It is enough that I have the strength of your

name". At another time Purandardasa sings with feeling of

friendship with his Lord. "I swear and so should you, both of us should

swear on the deovtees." He comes to terms with his Lord in this way.

 

Sri Purandara Dasa has travelled all over the country. He popularised the

concept of Devotion. He carried the people to the top of the mountain

called 'Bhagavadbhakti' (God's devotion). He attacked the

kama, kroda (lust, hatredness). Like the common usage of lakhs of stars in

the sky, lakhs of lamps, etc. he composed four lakh seventy five thousand

songs. T he genesis of his songs go like this 'vishayada

vichara bidu, vihita ka^rma mAdu, vairAgya bhAgya bhedu, vinayadi sajjanara

kooda volagannu teredu, volaganninolaginda volagolage iruva hariyanu

mOr^jaga dhoreyanu nodu' (leave mundane things, do

your duty, ask for passionlessness asset, along with sacred people open

your eyes, inside the eye see the presence of the king of three worlds Sri

Hari.) By these songs the whole country became enlightened.

 

All Purandara's compositions are sutra's (theorems), commentaries

(bhashya). His vision is like Garuda's (King of Birds) vision. He touched

the hearts of common man and tamed him to be satvik (good)

from his writings and compositions of songs. Because of his noble

characters his songs have become all time great and powerful. He doesnot

have the mind of show off of his schloastic knowledge. Each song

carries morals and mundane things of a common man. This has real effect on

the minds of the people. He has the great vision and inquisite mind of

providing knowledge to all of them who seek devotion

through his songs. He called the people to live in pure and sacred mind. He

advised those people who unnecessarily blaming others.

 

Sri KrishnArpanamasthu