Purandara Dasa

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Purandara Dasa

 

Introduction

Purandara Dasa is famous among the Haridasas of Karnataka; foremost

among the talented Karnatic composers. He earned much money and lived

only to earn it, but eventually gave away all his wealth because of a

strange incident and became a devotee of Sri Hari. He practised the

principle contained in the popular saying " we must swim across

suffering win victory over it " . He earned the well-deserved

praise-'Among the devotees of Hari, Purandara Dasa is the

greatest'(from his preceptor Sri Vyaasa Tiirtha). His works have

earned the name 'Purandaropanishat'.

 

 

After Nayaka Became Saint

After Srinivasa Nayaka became the saint-singer celebrating Sri Hari,

he sourght a teacher for guidance and was received as a disciple by

Sri Vyaasaraja. Sri Vyaasaraja who had been accepted as a great saint

had composed verses both in sanskrit and Kannada. He bestwoed the name

of 'Purandara Vittala' on the unattached Srinivasa Nayaka and blessed

him heartily. Purandaradasa has expressed his gratitude to Sri

Vyaasaraja in one of his verses thus: " My only refuge is the feet of

Vyaasaraja. I was able to understand Purandara Vittala by his grace " ..

Srinivasa Nayaka who had earned the name of Navakoti Narayana, became

a devotee of Narayana, the protector of the mankind and started a new

life along with his wife and children. Purandara Dasa's wife and

children appear to have composed verses like him.

In course of time Purandaradasa came to Hampi and settled down with

his wife and children. He had four sons-Varadappa, Gururaya,

Abhinavappa and Gurmadhvapathi. Every morning Purandaradasa went into

the town wearing bells on his ankels and tulasi mala around his neck.

He carried a tamboori in the hand and sang his Hari-keertanas sounding

the tamboori with his fingers. The verses he sang were his own

compositions. They were on a variety of themes. Some of them described

Sri Krishna's adventures in this world. Some others sang about God's

kindness to man. A few more verses were simple compositions expounding

the philosophy contained in the Vedas, Upanishads and Bhagavadgita in

simple words. In yet other verses Purandaradasa praises Lord Krishna

affectionately. In some verses Purandaradasa has even made fun of the

Lord. He sang these songs to the accompaniment of tamboori and the

bells tied to his ankles and went about the streets of the town. The

people admired the listened to his songs. Purandaradasa accepted alms

given to him during the wandering and led a life of renunication. He

who had been called Navakoti Narayana now had willingly accepted the

life of a saint and begged for his food.

 

Worn-out Coin given as Alms

Purandaradasa lived in Purandaragadha, a small town in present-day

Maharashtra (India), but belonging to the then Vijayanagar dynasty.

His earlier name was Srinivasa Nayaka. He was engaged in the family

business - dealing in precious stones. He was very rich and popularly

known as navakOti nArAyaNA. He was a miser by nature, and cared for

nothing except money.

Lord Vishnu decided that it was time for Srinivasa Nayaka to give up

his love of money, and take his rightful role among saints. So, He

took the form of a poor brahmin and approached Srinivasa Nayaka for

money in order to perform the thread ceremony of his son. Even though

days rolled by, Nayaka did not give anything, but the brahmin too did

not relent. He visited Srinivasa Nayaka's shop again and again. Six

months passed by in this fashion. Finally, Nayaka decided that he had

to do something to get rid of the brahmin. He had a collection of

worn-out coins that were more or less worthless. He poured this in

front of the brahmin and asked him to take one and never come back.

The brahmin went away, seemingly crestfallen.

 

 

Gift of a Nose-stud

Saraswathi, Nayaka's wife, was a kind hearted soul who in her own way,

tried to make amends for her husband's miserliness. The brahmin, who

knew this, went directly from Nayaka's shop to his residence. He told

her his story and how her husband had sent him away with nothing.

Saraswathi was appalled by her husband's behaviour. She wanted to help

the poor brahmin, but felt helpless since she could not give anything

without her husband's permission. When she explained her helplessness,

the brahmin asked if she had something given by her parents (which,

presumably, she could give without asking for her husband's

permission). She agreed and gave him the diamond nose-stud that her

parents had given her.

The vanishing ornament

The brahmin took the ornament straight to Srinivasa Nayaka's shop.

When Nayaka became angry with the brahmin for coming back, despite his

instructions to the contrary, the brahmin clarified that he was there

not to beg, but to pledge an ornament and take a loan. Nayaka was

skeptical and asked the brahmin to show him the ornament. When he saw

the ornament, he was perplexed because he immediately recognized it as

the one belonging to his wife. When questioned about the ornament's

antecedents, the brahmin told him that it was a gift from a benefactor.

Asking the brahmin to come back the next day, Nayaka safely locked

away the ornament in a box and went home. When he saw his wife without

her ornament he questioned her about it. She tried to stall him with

non-committal answers, but he insisted on seeing it immediately. He

was angry because he thought she had given away a valuable ornament to

a beggarly brahmin.

Saraswathi felt the ground giving way under her feet. She knew that

her husband would punish her if she told him the truth. Unable to

think of an alternative, she decided to commit suicide. She poured

poison into a cup and lifted it to her lips. Just as she was about to

drink the poison, she heard a metallic sound. Lo behold, wonder of

wonders, the ornament was right there in the cup. She could not

believe her eyes. Her heart filled with gratitude, she prostrated

before the idol of Krishna and took the ornament to her husband.

Nayaka was astounded as it was the very same ornament that he had

safely locked away in his shop. He quickly excused himself and ran

back to the shop to check. The box in which he had safely locked away

the ornament was empty! He was now completely and totally dumbfounded.

The renunciation

He want back to his house, and pressed his wife to tell him the truth.

She told him everything that had transpired. This put his mind into a

turmoil.

After deep thought, he came to the conclusion that the brahmin was

none other than God Himself. He recalled all the incidents that had

transpired in the previous six months. He was disgusted with himself,

and his miserliness. He felt that his wife had conducted herself far

more decently and generously than himself. Since it was his love of

money that had made him ill-treat the Lord, he gave away all of his

wealth with the Lord's name on his lips.

From that day onwards he became a devotee of Sri Hari. navkOti

nArAyANa became a nArAyANa Bhakta; the hands which sported gold and

diamond rings now played the tamboora, the neck which used to be

resplendent with golden chains now housed the tulasi mAla. The man who

had turned away countless people away, now himself went around

collecting alms and living the life of a mendicant. The Nayaka who

would have lived and died an inconsequential life became

PurandaradAsa, loved and revered even centuries after his death. Just

as the philosopher's stone turns everything it touches to gold, the

Lord took a wretched miser and made him into the doyen of all

haridAsas. Such was the magic wrought by the Lord!

Anxiety

Even though Purandardasa had taken the vow of Haridasa, his mind had

not yet acquired equipoise (peace/restfulness). He feels unhappy over

the state of his mind which was still unable to reach a stage of

complete restfulness. He bemoans in a verse: " I did not think of you

during the day, I failed to do so during the night also because of

thirst and hunger. I am the victim of these two desires. O Purandara

Vittala. "

Again he gives expression to the conflict in his mind about his

inability to give up his house, wife and children in a verse: " the

love of my house and my wife on the one hand and the longing and

anziety for the children on the other hand.. " . The all-too-human

weakness and conflict are beautifully depicted in this verse. The sole

object of Purandaradasa was to be victorious over these desires and to

win God's blessings. This problem was constantly before him. Sometimes

he dreamt that Sri Hari appeared before him because of his constant

preoccupation with the Lord. At times he appeared to him (at a mental

level) the screen of his mind. The Lord seemed to test the depth of

his longing and his sincerity. Purandardasa seems to have been

disturbed and upset because of the severe test to which he was

subjected. Hence he complains in a bannering verse " who was ever

rescued by you, Sri Hari having placed complete trust on you! " The

next moment there is complete surrender to the Lord as the verse

indicates " No one who trusted you was ever ruined. " This is the

comfort he derived at the end of the conflict in his mind.

Good Conduct

Purandaradasa set the highest value on good conduct. The strength and

greatness of Sri Hari's name have been beautifully enshrined and sung

in this world. People who do not know Sanskrit find it hard to

understand the vedas and upanishads. But Purandaradasa has explained

the whole essense of these scriptures in simple kannada and show the

way that one should live. He practised in his life what he preached.

It is important to note ths aspect of his life. He gifted away all his

wealth and lived the life of renunciation which he preached to others.

Although he took to the life of renuciation and asceticism he did not

desert his wife and children. He lived with them.

He made it clear to others by his conduct how it ws possible to

achieve purity of thought, word and deed regardless of caste, religion

or creed. He did not believe that man could understand God by mere

external purity unless it was accompanies by purity of mind.

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 Purandara Dasa is real social reformer. He had the dream of

providing peace of mind to all the people. His ambition is to build a

healthy society. Dasa's socialism is poorman's side. He represented

the poor people. He wished to have the poverty till the end of his

life. That's why he use to ask 'rAgiya ta.ndIra, bhikshake rAgi ya

tandira' (ragi is bascially sort of grain grown in southeren India and

are being used by the rural poor people).

All his compositions are very simple, rich contents and informative.

Others might have told the meaning in ten words but Sri Purandara use

to use only one word to convey the message. He always reminded about

the rememering the name of Sri Narayana again and again which will

lead to liberation. He stresses these are the steps to the hall of

mukthi.

 

 

Purandara has filled courage to all the people. Even he filled the

patience among all of us. He told that one has to live and win

(Isabeku iddu jaIsabeku). He has shown the people the confidence to

live and built the positive hopes in life. He travelled all sacred

places, he climbed Tirupathi and carved bhagavantha's image in every

devotee's chest.

For those interested in decoration (shrungara) (ie always use to stand

in front of the mirror and decorating himself and feeling happy about

his/her beauty and youth) he has opened the door of reality. He has

given the ruling (shasana) about the fact in his songs. He enjoyed the

and lived the concept of passionless (absence of worldy desires) rest

of his life. His songs goes like this .. hIgguva, bagguva, tagguva,

kugguva, negguva, mugguva kadege agniyolage biddu dhagdhavAguva Ei

dhEhake yAkO higguvE yAkO manujA higguveyAkO .. (this body is

expanding, compressing, it bends, it knocks, it crashes, it goes

forward and finally lands in the fire, so why do you feel happy about

mundane things oh Man...)

Sri Purandara Dasa is known for his compassion and conscience. He had

hundred of faces of his socialism knowledge. Any body whether he is a

thief, a butcher, one who deceived the brahma father (brahamana) if he

comes as a guest in the afternoon he has told that one has to treat

him as real guest by offering rice along with basil leaves which will

go to Sri Purandara Vittala, these are the some of the genesis and the

rulings which he has composed in the form of songs.

Purandara Dasa is a well known accounts auditor. He says that one has

to audit the mind for doing good and bad things. In his song.. manava

shodisabeku.. The genesis of this song goes like this 'it is awakening

call to all Haridasa the time is running out. one will be sleeping

like zebra in an sophisticated bed, one's life is one hundred years

out of that half is day time and rest is night time, half is awakening

and another half is sleeping. One has to take an account that out of

100 years of life 50 years is sleeping, from the other 50 years first

15 years is youth which is considered to be lack of knowledge, last 25

years is considered to be old age, in between 20 years of youth life,

when the blood is hot and mind is running like Arabian horse towards

the worldly happiness. Where is the time to think of skilful way of

living thinking of God. One more song also tells like this. binnahake

bayallavaiah... means there is no time for praying to you, there is

innumerable no. of faults like which constitues love towards his kid,

husband/wife love, relatives affection, love towards the worldly happy

needs, country love, animals love, land love, friends love, from love

it will lead to egotism, rice egotism, knowledge egotism, youth

egotism, beauty egotism, popularity egotism,. to remove all these

things there is order from Dasa one has to fight out these kama

(sex,lust), kroda (hatredness), egotism and calls mind as burial

ground mind (masana mana) and pray Madhava.

He describes hs present business thus: " The kindness of Hari is my

cloak, The kindness of my guru is my head dress, The kindness of

Haridasas is the cloth with which I wrap myself, wearing the footwear

called the greatest kali,-walking over the chests of the wicked in the

world is the business I do " .

Jai Pundalika varada, Hari Vittala