Ref : My recent poem on Haridasaru - here is an explanation. I wrote this
because my son heard the recitation and said that he could not make out
anything even after repeatedly listening to the poem.
As I have said before, I was reading a book on Haridaasa culture and thought
that it would be nice if I could connect the well known dasaru to one of their
well known compositions and make a poem out of it.
I began with Acharya Madhwa whom the book mentions first. It says the
Dwadasha Stortra written by Madhwacharya is probably the beginning
of ‘haridasa’ culture.(though the compositions were in sanskrit and not
Kannada - hence technically do not qualify as ‘daasa’ literature) The line
quoted in my poem is from the fourth chapter of ‘dwadasha stotra’ where
Madhwacharya declares the supremacy of Maha Vishnu.
‘Bhujaverisi’ - means with raised hands. ghoshisuvudu - is to declare
‘Na hare paramo, na hare sadrusha’ - there is nothing /no one greater
than or like Sri Hari.
The second is Sri Vadiraja teertha. He has written extensively in Sanskrit,
Kannada and TuLu ( I hope to find the tuLu compositions and get the meaning
from Aishwarya, my daughter in law). he was a master in Poetry, as well as
in writing scholarly articles. I did not quote any line from his compositions
but mentioned the fact that the lord appeared in the form of a horse in front
of Vadirajaru. His ‘Dashavatara Stuti’ which I love, was inspired by that
experience. “Kudure Vadiraajarigaaytu Krishna Sadrusha” means the
Horse was Sri krishna to Vadirajaru.
After this is Sripadarajaru and his composition “kangaLidyaatako kaveri
Rangana NoDada”. It is very beautifully sung by Sri Bhimasena Joshi,
Doyen of Hindustani Classical. One of my favourites.
Sri Vyasateertharu has not written many poems, though he has written
extensively on Madhwa Philosophy. The line quoted is from one of his few
compositions and is new to me. I got it from the book I am reading.
But He is the first Yati or Swamiji who greatly encouraged Haridasa culture
and both Purandara dasaru and Kanakadasaru are his disciples.
‘dingarugaLu’ means those who were strongly devoted to a deity/ god.
‘Deekshe’ is - initiating someone into the group/ culture
Then comes Purandara dasaru who is said to have composed Thousands
(many are not available now) of devaranamas and his “kaliyugadali
harinaamava nenedare kulakoTigaLu uddharisuvavo” is one of the famous
compositions. (pari pari - the word used in my poem, means - in many
many ways, ‘PaDi’ means HaaDi, - ‘by singing’. ‘Puneeta’ is spiritually
pure, sinless.
Next is kanakadasaru and the first line in his “keshava nama” is “eesha
ninna charaNa bhajane aasheyinda maaduvenu” - I am sure my family
members recollect the song and are fed up of hearing it being recited
by me again and again.
“Indu engage govinda, ninnaya paada aravindava toro” (make your lotus
feet visible to me today, Govinda) is supposed to be the only devaranama
written by Sri Raghavendra swamy. But he has written meanings, notes
and comments on almost all of Sri madhwa’s works. He is known to be a
very great scholar and an expert in playing the Veena. The Line “Kandarpana
Tandeya aradhisidaru rayaru” means - (kandarpa is manmatha. his tande,
father is Vishnu. Aradhisu is worship with great love and devotion) Rayaru
worshipped Sri Hari with the song”.
Jagannatha dasaru is another haridaasaru having a similar story like
Purandara dasaru. PD was a jeweller turned haridasa, jagannatha dasaru
was a very learned but arrogant scholar turned haridasa. ‘Harikathamrutasara’
was his magnum opus and I hope to read it in full one day. It is a collection
of thousands of beautifully written verses, my mother’s favourite, but I will
need a dictionary for almost every single line.
The last stanza says “ I would like to sing and dance like these great people
but I don’t know the way.(Dishe is direction or path) I have a body ( kaaya)
which can worship you but again have no clue (upaaya) how exactly to do it.
(Here I don't mean the worship we see as ‘Pooje’ in temples and what we
usually do at home - I mean the worship in real sense - with the mind
unwaveringly concentrating on the supreme being or paramaatma,
who has no body that is perceivable by us and whose qualities makeup
his body - “Vigraho yasya sarve guNa evahi” as Sri Madhwacharya
describes. (His body is his unfathomable qualities.)
His worship as described by Sri Raghavendraru is offering every deed done
by one, both good and bad in the course of the day, to him. This matter
is a bit complicated to comprehend and I will try to make a better
explanation once I am clear in my mind. But What we presently do as
‘Pooje’ or worship, is what has been put in place by our elders and is
being followed over generations. It is not wrong but one is expected to
rise above that and that’s what I mean when I say I don’t know how
to worship you.
The last two lines - ‘Bantaru’ are servants, ‘Bantarinda kalita enTakshara’ -
means some eight or ten letters learnt from your servants. Who are his
servants? - Every one starting from Brahma and going lower in the hierarchy.
Brahma is considered the greatest teacher, Guru. Everyone lower in the
order from PraNadevaru to the teachers who taught me in first standard
are Vishnu’s ‘banTaru’ and ‘gurugaLu’ in their own right.
‘EnTaksharagaLa ganTu’ - packet of eight letters. It does not exactly mean
‘eight letters’ but only indicates a very limited knowledge. ‘Balasi’ - using
that limited knowledge. ‘tanTe’ - Mischief. ‘SrikanthaSuta’ - son Of
Srikantha ‘tunTu’ is mischief again. So the last lines means “bear with
this son of Srikantha who is playing mischief using the limited knowledge
obtained from his teachers”.
I hope this helps in getting a proper understanding of what is written.
Those who still have doubts and extra patience, may ask me for more !
Thanks for the patient reading.
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