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

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V. Sadagopan • November 4, 1996 


Retransmittal
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From:	V. Sadagopan, 75041,3037
TO:	OM, INTERNET:bhakti@lists.best.com
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