Purandara Dasa

Carnatic composers (other than performing vidwans)
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mahesh3
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Joined: 06 Feb 2010, 21:32

Post by mahesh3 »

Purandara Dasa compositions. Can we discuss more on the founding father of carnatic music and his compositions?

rshankar
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Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:26

Post by rshankar »

Mahesh,
I moved this from the language thread where you posted to this, which is appropriate, for Sri Purandara Dasa was the first vAggEyakar.
Ravi

Vocalist
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Joined: 19 Feb 2006, 18:53

Post by Vocalist »

Sri Purandaradasa
Here is a biography of Sri Purandaradasa in English script.
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.

In Praise of the Devotees

It is intersting to note how Srinivasa Nayaka, having changed his life influenced by his wife's role and having been accepted by Sri Vyaasaraja as disciple naming 'Purandara Vittala', earned the belssings of Sri Hari. In his verses (keertanas) he praises all the devotees of Sri Hari who had earned the blessings of the Lord and supplicates before Sri Hari. He praises the good fortune of Lakshmi, the consort of Sri Hari, who had the rare fortune of serving the Lord with love at all times. He sings "How fortunate is Lakshmi, how pious is Lakshmi who serves Sri Hari with love at all times!"... Yashoda treated the protector of the world as her child and played with him and enjoyed every moment she spent with the child Krishna. Purandardasa envies her and sings "It is the good fortune of the Gopi that Sripati is in the form of a child". Thinking of Vidura who satisfied his friend and Lord of the World with just one cup of milk, he praises him for his good luck and sings: "it is the good fortune of Vidura that the universe in the for Padmajaanda (Lord Krishna) is fully satisfied with what Vidura has offered".

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.

World of Purandaradasa

Purandaradasa went on singing and praying for God's grace and finally he realised God's grace. He felt the ectsasy of God realisation and at such moments he broke into song delcaring "I saw Achyuta with my own eyes". He often became unconscious on account of the joy of God realisation and sang: "I am saved, I have conquered life. The good fortune of serving at the feet of Padmanabha has come to me".

Each stage of Purandaradasa'a growth and development as a pious man moving towards the higher stages of God realisation is significant. The greatness of his divine nature can be compositions (Suladis and Ugabhogas). The conflicts, anxieties, his hopes, fears and despair have been expressed in simple Kannada very eloguently and clearly. Purandaradasa bcame great because of his success in living the life of piety and proving the superiority of the soul over the wordly success. He has created a world of his own with his preoccupation with the life of the spirit and the strength of his devotion. We can read his verses and understand how the boy Dhruva and the sinner Ajamila reached the highest places as devotees by their devotion and piety. Krishna's advetnures as a boy have been beautifully recoreded and sung in his verses. If his playfulness, mischief and cleverness endear themselves to us in a particular way, the picture Purandaradasa gives about the coquetries and the passionate attachment of Gopis for krishna, their lover may please the readers in quite a different way. There are vivid pictures of the Gopis complaining to Yashoda about her son's mischief in these verses.

There is also the picture of the other Gopis taking the boy Krishna in their arms, kissing him with materanl affection and solicitude and propititing the evil powers in various ways so that nothing evil should happen to him. We can enjoy such pictures described beautifully by purandaradasa in his verses.

Purandaradasa has expressed his devotion to Lord Krishna,(Panduranga Vittala) his personal deity, imagining him in so many ways and had relationships with him. His pure love and devotion came out very clearly in all his verses. He admits that he has erred in hundred ways which he ties his tongue making it different for him to ask for forgiveness. He sings again -"you are the God who can kill and save. I have not seen gradeur like yours in any other God". Before a God Purandaradasa surrenders completely and asks for refuge. His love and devotion and the stages by which he travelled before coming to the summit can be understood by us according to each one's ability to understand such spiritual development.

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.

Art

Whatever Purandaradsa says, the way he introduces it and explains it is very pleasant. His similes are very simple and telling. He compares wicked men to the knotted tree of thorns. He warns the non believers that life is being wasted at every stroke of the bell. When he saw a post man he sang "A letter has arrived from Padmanabha. A letter that has been written by Padmanabha himself!".

He preached several moral precepts making use of familiar incidents like the postman delivering letters. It was God's gift that Purandaradasa was able to preach, in simple kannada, what is difficult even for philosophers to put across in a way which the ordinary people can understand.

Incidents of Life

Just as Purandaradasa used incidents to preach the value of devotion he was able to put across difficult principles in the few simple words in Kannada. Here is the verse: "The eyes which cannot see Narahari (Krishna) are no better than the eyes of peacock's feathers". He has criticised the pretense of people who merely shave off their heads without cultivating detachment of mind and pose as saints.

Scholars think that Purandara lived for about 84 years (from AD 1480 to 1564). On the basis of the verse in the name of Madvapathi his son it is held that Purandaradasa must have passed away a year before the fall of Vijaynagar. Taking it as authentic, his death anniversary is celeberated on the New Moon Day, in the second fortnight of Pushya.

It's once own duty to understand Purandaradasa's personality from his compositions and not be content with the stories that have grown around his name. We cannot come across such originality and variety in any other saint of that creed. On the basis of a verse in his name, it is said that he composed 4.75,000 songs. Whatever the number of his songs we can see the greatness from the verses available now.

It's once own duty to understand Purandaradasa's personality from his compositions and not be content with the stories that have grown around his name. We cannot come across such originality and variety in any other saint of that creed. On the basis of a verse in his name, it is said that he composed 4.75,000 songs. Whatever the number of his songs we can see the greatness from the verses available now.

He made music and song an integral part of the common man's life. About a quarter of his songs deal with his spiritual life and how it grew stage by stage. The remaining songs reveal his abundant experience, devotion, wisdom and his detachment.

Vyasaraya, his teacher himself has called his verses "Purandaropanishat". There is no need for some one else's praise. Some great man who saw the greatness of the soul which has pleased and guided the people for four hundred years has praised him in the following line which may be our tributealso to that great soul:

"Salutations to you, Purandaragur, Greatest of the saints and the kindliest"

(Purandara gurum vande Dasa-sreshtham dayanidhim).

Srinivasa Nayaka becomes a Saint

Our knowledge of Purandaradasa's life stems mainly from the compositions of Vijaya dasa who lived a hundred and fifty years after the passing away of Purandaradasa. This is taken as authentic since Vijaya dAsa is believed to be the incarnation of Bhrigu muni, and an aparOksha gyani (having mystical powers).

Vijayadasa had great faith in and devotion for Purandaradasa. It is believed that Purandaradasa himself appeared in Vijayadasa's dream and bestowed on him the ankitha 'Vijaya Vittala'. This is how the story of Purandaradasa runs:

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!

Jai Pundalika varada, Hari Vittala.

http://www.carnaticmusic.esmartmusic.co ... adasae.htm

Vocalist
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Post by Vocalist »

More on purandaradAsa in this link

http://www.geocities.com/promiserani2/co1004.html

Vocalist
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Joined: 19 Feb 2006, 18:53

Post by Vocalist »

The above are the two biographies I've kept. Other vocalists like MS, ARI etc. were also known for popularising items. However, MLV is the vocalist who stands out when it comes to Purandaradasar.

coolkarni

Post by coolkarni »

One cannot ignore TRS, while discussing artists who have sung purandara dasars compositions

drshrikaanth
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Post by drshrikaanth »

Decent job vocalist. I suggest you try and combine the 2 biographies as one. I am sure you can do it. If that is too much, just give the 2nd link and remove the rest.

kiransurya
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Post by kiransurya »

Vocalist!!!

Thats quite a good job..

drshrikaanth
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Post by drshrikaanth »

biDAram kRShNappa also did great service in propagating purandaradAsa/haridAsa compositions. He was the first musician to give an all dEvaranAMa concert.
Also vid|| Chennakeshavaiah, an AstthAna vidwAmsa of oDeyar, set to notation a 100(could be more)purandaradASara dEvaranAmas which was published during the 4th birth centenary of SrI purandaradAsaru.And I think we should also recall MLV`s mother LalitAngi as she also popluarised dEvaranAmas.

kiransurya
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Post by kiransurya »

Is MLV`s mother a classical musician too?

drshrikaanth
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Post by drshrikaanth »

Original songs for some of the references/translations given in the biography posted by Vocalist

"we must swim across suffering win victory over it". - Isa bEku iddu jayisa bEku'
Among the devotees of Hari, Purandara Dasa is the greatest'(from his preceptor Sri Vyaasa Tiirtha)- dAsarendare purandaradAsarayya

"How fortunate is Lakshmi, how pious is Lakshmi who serves Sri Hari with love at all times!"- Enu dhanyaLo lakumi entha mAnyaLo

"It is the good fortune of the Gopi that Sripati is in the form of a child -
gOpiya bhAgyavidu SrIpati tA SiSu rUpinalliruvudu

"it is the good fortune of Vidura that the universe in the for Padmajaanda (Lord Krishna) is fully satisfied with what Vidura has offered -
vidurana bhAgyavidu I padumajANDa tUgutalidakO

"who was ever rescued by you, Sri Hari having placed complete trust on you!"- Aru badukidarayya hari ninna nambi

"No one who trusted you was ever ruined." - nambi keTTavarillavo rangayya

"I saw Achyuta with my own eyes". - kaNNAre kaNDenacyutana kanci puNyakOTi karirAjavaradana

"I am saved, I have conquered life. The good fortune of serving at the feet of Padmanabha has come to me"-
badukidenu badukidenu bhava enage hingitu- paDumanAbhana pAdadolume enagAytu

He compares wicked men to the knotted tree of thorns.- jAliya mradante durjana sanga

"A letter has arrived from Padmanabha. A letter that has been written by Padmanabha himself!".
-kAgada bandide namma kamalanAbhanadu I kAgadavannu OdikoNDu kAlava kaLeyiro

rshankar
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Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:26

Post by rshankar »

Kiran,
M=Madras
L=Lalithangi
V=Vasanthakumari

Lalithangi was a very good CM artist in her time. In a CD by carnatica, Doyennes of CM, there are a couple of tracks by Lalithangi (including P. Dasa's gajavadana bEduvE). IIRC, MLV's mother and father were among the first to sing Purandara's compositions in Madras. MLV learnt several from her mother.
Ravi

drshrikaanth
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Post by drshrikaanth »

IIRC, MLV's mother and father were among the first to sing Purandara's compositions in Madras. MLV learnt several from her mother.Ravi
I think it was SrI Bidaram krishnappa who sang first in Madras also. Perhaps it doesnt matter at all. They both did remarkable service in popilarising purandaradAsara dEvaranAmas. Here I quote from an article

Her intense love of his songs was matched only by her passion for Devaranamas and to demonstrate that Purandara songs could also be sung likewise in such an elaborate and scholarly manner, she arranged a concert of Bidaram Krishnappa at Madras to be covered only by Devaranamas. Mysore Vasudevacharya says, 'Ragalapana, Swarakalpana, neraval, everything was there as in a traditional concert. The audience felt delighted. They realised for the first time that the Kannadigas also have their own individualistic heritage'

And the link

http://www.saigan.com/heritage/music/bnr.htm

An article on Bidaram Krishnappa with his photo.

http://www.kamat.com/indica/music/bidar ... hnappa.htm

kiransurya
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Post by kiransurya »

Idu bhaagya Idu bhaagya in Brindavana saaranga popularised by DKJ-DKP school is my all time favourite Purandara daasa krithi...

Vocalist
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Post by Vocalist »

Nithyasree announced that item in Brindavani in a concert, kiransurya :shock:

DRS, the first biography covered some interesting aspects of Purandaradasar's life. These were not covered in Biography 2. I thought it would be useful seeing there aren't a great number of people who know that much detail about his life.

mahesh3
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Joined: 06 Feb 2010, 21:32

Post by mahesh3 »

Vocalist, you intro makes for interesting reading, perhaps it would be appropriate to just have the links posted, rather than the whole text? The thread becomes a drag to follow when there is 100 lines jumping out to be read.

thanks vocalist, for the intro btw.

I aplogize in advance if the following causes a storm, but I am going to try to explain my reasoning for this thread and my original intention in placing it in the languages forum, so that we can focus on the interest of Dasa compositions in its true context.

the reason i put sri purandara dasa in the languages section was because I felt sufficient importance is not given to his actual compositions in the Kannada language. There is much lipservice provided, but I haven't seen any meaningful discussion of the composer with krithis themselves, akin to the trinity and wodeyar threads we have running.

Also, MLV always seems to jump into the fray in these forums when even a hint of Purandara Dasa is made, and in my humble opinion, whereas it is noteworthy that she sang several dasa compositions, her pronunciation had much to be desired. Same goes for sri dkj also. as much as i love and respect both these great musicians.

To listen to dasa compositions, I prefer the pristine padanthaaras and native pronunciations of Sri RK Srikantan, Mysore Vasudevachar and Bidaram Krishnappa that bring out the beauty and simplicity of the compositions. I have hear RK Latha (sister of the rudrapattinam bros) sing a couple of dasa krithis, and it is just mindblowing, the fervour and devotion with which she sings them.

Perhaps, a list of Dasa compositions, and erudite reneditions are in order.

drshrikaanth
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Post by drshrikaanth »

mahesh3
Your intentions are good. Even so it fits in best in this section. R.K.Srikantan indeed is another musician who has rendered yeoman service in popularising dEvaranAmas. The reasons for a thread not being started was not lack of interest but lack of time for many of us to contribute to many threads simultaneously. I dont know is you used to participate on Sangeetham BBoard. If you did, you may recall the kanakadAsa thread that I ran which ran well over 100 posts and was well-received. If you would like, I can send you the thread as I have saved it.

BTW , rudrapaTNa brothers` sister is R.N.Srilatha. One other thing. I suggest that a list of purandaradAsa`s compositions is NOT to be posted as it will run into nearly a thousand. Also, a list alone is meaningless without discussion. All the best with the thread and we will all try and contribute as best as we can within our limitations.

Vocalist
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Post by Vocalist »

I had a link of some renditions uploaded somewhere. I will post it when I find it, if you like mahesh3?

drshrikaanth
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Post by drshrikaanth »

Vocalist
I still would like you to marry the 2 biographies or just give the link. As mahesh3 has said, it is too long and often puts off people. And next time you have such a long biography, split it into several posts.

I have edited your post about lalitAngi. That was in bad taste and added nothing of value to the discussion. AVoid posting such remarks in future.

coolkarni

Post by coolkarni »

""we will all try and contribute as best as we can within our limitations.""

my two cents

two of the many many krithis sung by TRS

http://rapidshare.de/files/19182620/03- ... a.mp3.html

http://rapidshare.de/files/19182863/05- ... -.mp3.html

mahesh3
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Post by mahesh3 »

drshrikaanth,

thanks for your response. we have all year to build this thread. Slow, methodical and detailing always isso much agreeable. I will email you about the Kanaka Dasa thread, I would appreciate it very much.

Regards,
Mahesh

rshankar
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Post by rshankar »

There is an absolutely delightful (though decidedly amateurish) biography of purandarA that was sponsored by Swami Krishnadas Giri (I think). It is in a movie format, with all of the participants under 11, and students of the dance school run by Smt. Krishna Kumari Narendran from Madras. It is told in the form of 'harikatha' with suitable 'flash backs'...it is simply great. My daughter 'got' the story after just one viewing. The only discrepancy between the movie and the posts by Vocalist is the name of his wife: in the movie, she is called lakshmI!
The part where vinAyakA teaches him music and how he composes lambOdara (thought to be his first) is very well picturized for an otherwise, obviously amateurish production and IMO one of the highlights.
It is commercially available as a 2 VCD set from some place in Bombay/mumbai.
Ravi

drshrikaanth
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Post by drshrikaanth »

That great lady, the wife of purandaradAsa was she saraswatibAi. He sings praise of her and gives her all credit for showing him the path of haribhakti in the dEvaranAma Adaddella oLitE Ayitu as "heNDati santati sAViravAgali daNDige betta hiDisidaLayya".

A beautiful kannaDa movie with Rajkumar in the lead role was made- navvakOTi nArAyaNa. ALso recently an animated kannaDa movie has been produced particularly with children in mind! The playback singers for this movie are sarvaSri S.Sankar, V.kalavati, and vidyabhushana.

R.K.Padmanabha has produced drama on SrI purandaradasa with himself in the lead role. This has done more than a 100 shows all over karnataka.

rshankar
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Post by rshankar »

DRS,
Can you give me the details of the producers of the animated movie. We saw hanUmAn recently and loved it. So, would like to try this out too.
Ravi

Raja Chandra
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Post by Raja Chandra »

Ravi,

you can find the details at:

http://www.mediateck.biz/

you can listen to more compositions at:

http://www.musicindiaonline.com/l/18/s/ ... ector.763/

http://www.kannadaaudio.com/Songs/Devot ... Kritis.php

vidwan R.K.srikantan Trust (R) has published a book:

Haridasa Kirthana Rathanamala which contains 22 devaranamas of srIpAdarAja, vyAsarAja, puraMdaradAsa, kanakadAsa and vijayadAsa complete with text, notations in kannada, english and tamil with svara saMyOjane by RKS.

they have also CD containing vintage melodies.

you can visit:
www.culturalindia.org/knowledgestore.asp

rshankar
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Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:26

Post by rshankar »

RC,
THANKS.
Ravi

coolkarni

Post by coolkarni »

A Lovely Rendering by TRS of Chikkavane Ivanu (TRS-Rajagopal-Parameswaran-Mumbai 1968)

http://rapidshare.de/files/19769869/TRS ... i.mp3.html

venkatpv
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Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:23

Post by venkatpv »

what a lovely rendition... TRS always adds something special to each rendition... in my book, its the way he sings "oduvanu"...i would run miles to listen to that!!! :)

kmrasika
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Post by kmrasika »

On the subject of purandara, I recall a discussion on the Sangeetham bboard on the attribution of compositions as follows:

1) the songs w/ the ankita, "purandara viThala" were composer by him
2) the songs w/ the ankita "tandE siri purandara viThala" were believed to be composed by his sons

I wondered this fact is in concord w/ others on this board.

drshrikaanth
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Post by drshrikaanth »

Kmrasika
what you say is correct. "tande purandaraviThala" and "guru purandaraviTHala" are the mudres of his sons. But there is some confusion/grey area as purandaradAsaru might have composed some songs with "guru" or "tande" preceding his mudre.

mohan
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Post by mohan »

Which of the popular purandaradasa songs are considered to be compositions of the Saint's sons or disciples?

kmrasika
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Post by kmrasika »

Which of the popular purandaradasa songs are considered to be compositions of the Saint's sons or disciples?
mohan sir: In gen. those having the ankiTa purandara viThala (purandara's viThala) are regarded as compositions authored by the saint-composer. As Sri Dr Shrikaanth has pointed out, there is conjecture that purandara himself had used "guru" or "tandE" as he regarded Lord pAnduranga as his own father.

While on the subject of purandara, I wanted to throw this in to get posters feedback.

Wondered whether it is true to hold that PD had pioneered pUjOpacAra songs to accompany worship (or was it annamayya) that gave inspiration to other composers like UtukkADu & tyAgarAja ? It seems he has composed substantially on the subject:

dhUpArati: dhUpAratiyA nODuva panni
dIpArati: ??(fill in the composition if u know)
naivEdyam: naivEdyavakoLLo nArAyaNa svAmi
tAmbUlam: tAmbUlava koLLo kamala vadanane
karpUra hArati (mangaLam): jaya mangaLam nitya
tAlATTu: tUgIrE rangana tUgIrE kr.shNana

Also, it seems purandara has composed some "cynical" compositions, one which the well known "kshIrAbdhi kannige" in which he asks lakshmi dEvi to Whom would she become wife ("yArige vaduvAguvE?").

rshankar
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Post by rshankar »

[quote=""kmrasika""]
Also, it seems puarndara has composed some "cynical" compositions, one which the well known "kshIrAbdhi kannige" in which he asks lakshmi dEvi to Whom would she become wife ("yArige vaduvAguvE?").
[/quote]

KMrasika,
I always assumed that this song was an 'adbhuta' composition and not cynicism: PD 'wonders' at which of numerous exemplary forms of srIman nArAyaNa will the daughter of the ocean be the bride of...
Ravi

kmrasika
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Post by kmrasika »

rshankar: Thank you for the correction. The adbhuta rasa component never occurred to me until u brought it up. And yes, u r right, vadu means "bride."

Shri PD has also composed musical poetry (combination of song and prose), one of such is on the topic of "draupadi mAnasaMrakshaNam" (the whole sAhitya appears in bhajana ratnAkaram and spans several caraNAs culminating in a mangaLam).

drshriikaanth: Just to reconfirm: his 1st composition was Adadella oLitE Ayitu and last was indina vara Shubha... (sUlAdi).. correct?

rshankar
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Post by rshankar »

kmrasika,
Have you heard anyone render PD's draupadI mAnasamrakshaNam? If so, will it be possible to share? It seems to be somewhat similar to Subramanya Bharati's pAnchAlI sabadam - I thought it was sheer poetry, but Rajkumar Bharati has set it to a rather haunting melody and sung it in one of his commercial cds.
If you liked 'kshIrabdhi kannyakE/kannikE' I think you will also appreciate Vadhiraja's 'lakshmi shObhAnE' describing lakshmi swayamvara after she rises from the milky ocean (you may be aware of it already, but I thought I would mention it anyway).
Ravi

kmrasika
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Post by kmrasika »

rshankar: If I had the audio, I wud hv already shared it when I posted. Someone sang parts of this work in a lecdem on PD in Madras during the season a few years back (can't recall details). I think the commentator was crediting PD having pioneered compositions like this as well as the sUlAdis, short gItAs etc.

The late MLV has rendered compositions of the kind, one of which is "bandEnayya gOvinda ceppi, ila harinAma..." One would be mesmerized with her amazing ability to give emphasis on parts of the story just like one of those poets that roam village to village to sing compositions like these.

I have read articles that make reference to the lakshmi shObhane of shrI vAdirAja svAmi but have never come across the text. If you have a link to this, pls by all means provide it.

Lakshman
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Post by Lakshman »

I have the lyrics for this song if anyone is interested.

rshankar
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Post by rshankar »

Lji,
Please post the lyrics...

kmrasika,
The version of lakshmi shObhAnE I have is a commercial one...:(
Ravi

Lakshman
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Post by Lakshman »

draupadI mAnasamrakSaNam

rAgA: bhUpALa/nIlAmbari. jhampa tALA.

1: hA krSNa dvArakAvAsa kvAsi yAdava nandana
imAvavsathAm samprAptAm anAthAm kimupEkSasE
vAsudEvAya namO namaha vAsudEvAya namaha
vAsuki shayanAya vAsavAdyakhila sura vandita padAmbhOja
bhUsurapriya bhajaka pOSakanE rakSisu kEshava anAthabandhO
2: shuNDAla puradoLagE duruLa duryOdhananu pANDu nandanaroDanE
kapaTajUtavanADi geNDaraivara munde drupada sutayaLa seraga
laNDa dushshAsana piDidu aNDeladu sIreyanu sheLeyutirE suvratiyu
kaNDu manadali bedari paramAtma paripUrNa puNDarIkAksha
rakSisu enuda moreyiTTa laNDa jaturangagAga
3: patigaLaivaru satyavratadi summane iralu ati klEsha baDudiharu
vidura bhISmAdigaLu sutanamElana mOha mamateyali summaniha
gatalOcanada mAmanu krtakapaTadalli iralu shakuni karNAdigaLu
hitava bhayasuvarAra kANE nAnidaroLagE gatiyilladarigE
sadgati nInE jagadoLagE ratipatiya pitanE salahO
4: pAkavana uriyoLagE hokku horaDalu bahudu hAvugaLa
heDe piDidu eLedeLidu tarabahudu tIviruda maDudumiki eLalu bahudu
garaLava kuDidu baduka bahudu sAvikancadE koraLa kattarishi
koLabahudu jIva viddantE lajjaya toreyalArenE Avapariyali ninna
nambida anAthalanu dEvAbhimAna kAyO
5: attEyillavE enagE gAndhAri dEviyare mrtyuvantE eLavaniva
piDisa bAradE tAyI uttamaLA nInE bhAnumati nagehananE
itta dayamADi nODE suttaneratiha sabhaya parivAradavarellavE
enna pOlva heNmakkaLanu huttadoLu hudugirda
sarpasAyalu bahude tatva bAhirarAdirE
6: ArigOdaridarenna dUru kELuvarilla vAru gANisuvavara kANE
nAnidaroLagE sAridarE poreva kamsAri nInalladinnAru
enagApta bandhu mAridaru dharmadEvatEgEnna vallabharu
bhAraninnadu endu nambida anAthaLanu nIrinoLagaddu
kSIradoLagaddu gati nInE nArAyaNanE rakSisO
7: asura bennaTTi bare pashupatiya rakSisidE rSi shApavanu
darishidambarISana kAidE vasudayoDu kallAgi bidda
ahalya poredE shishu prahlAda goLidE pasuLE dhruvarAyagE
pesarulla padavittE dashakaNThananu jage sthira paTTavanu koTTE
hesaru koNDarE maganajAmiLana rakSidE vasudEva sutanE salahO
8: lakSmI manOharanE ikSu shApana pitanE yakSa gandharva muni
amarEndra vanditanE akSayanE AtadoLu jagava mOhipa sthUla
sUkSmadoLu paripUrNanE kukSiyoLu IrELu jagava pAlisuthanE
akSaya asurAntakanE pakSi vAhana dEva rakSisu anAthabandhO
9: tande tAyuyu nInE bandhu bagaLavu nInE indenna svAmi
guru pitAmaha nInE endu nambida nenna mAnAbhimAnava
mukunda ninage oppisidane sandEhavEkE kondarE yoLidu
kAidaruLikendu kaNgaLa mucci karataLangaLana gEhi
indu prANava biDuvEnendu niccayisi gOvinda endaLu mrgAkSi
10: indenuta draupadiya moreyiDuvadana kELi antarAtmaka krSNa dvArakApuridoLage kAnte rukmiNi satyabhAmeroDa kUDi
EkAnta bhavanadoLu kuLidu kunti nandanadara satiyuTTu-
dakSayavAgi santOSa koLadendu varavitta shrI krSNa
enduNTO hari krpayu bhakutara mElE ananta vastragaLAduvai
11: sheLeyutirdanu khalanu beLayutirdavu shIrE biLaya pombaTTi
nAnA vicitravaNNa hoLalu tumbuva teradO sheladu sheladu
pApAtma baLadi iLiyoLu biddanu gaLayu kuntitumErE shakuni
duryOdhanara baLiya nintirda bhaTaranu karedu nEmisuta
tiLuhadI vastragaLa kaLuhu bokkasakenalu naLinamukhi tiLidaLadanu
12: siTTinaLi svaratiyu kaN teredu nODidaLu biTTida tOrda vastra
rAshigaLella suTTige horasuvE rAjasabhe manekelavu paTTanAhuti
koNDavE koTTaLu shApavanu kamalamukhi gurupatiye kaTTALu
bhImasEnana raNadi gade bandu kuTTi nuDi bisuDali ninna
toDagaLeraDanu endu iTTa nuDi tappaluNDE
13: mUDidavu pratisUrya dhUmakEtugaLuvu dADitavu gaganadoLu
haddu kAgegaLu kAdADitavu mrgajAti calihitavu shilEpratimErUDhi
gaDagaDa naDugidu mUDidavu nakStara rAshigaLu divadi
mAtADidavu asharIri vAkyagaLu purajanaru keDu korava
gAgadiradendu nishcayisi ODi manegaLa hokkaru
14: harSapaTTaru manadi vidura bhISmAdigaLu suraru
nAradarkUDi nerada bhramardamElE harasi jayajayavendu
shiri muDiya surisidaru pU mAlagaLa hariya nAmAvaLiya
pogaLudaLE dvijEndra tirigi pOdanu tanna paTTaNagE daramElE
harinAma nenevarenO dhanyarO draupadiya hariya nAmavE kAidu
15: avanidanu dayakAladaleddu bhaktiyeli bhAva shuddhiyeli
bhajanaya mADuvanthavana sAvira janmada sancita pApagaLu
tAvE hata vAhavendu shrI vAsudEvanA jnApisida rukmiNigE
dEvikeLenda bAyamundE arjunage nAvE sArathiyAgi
salahuvEyu avaremma jIva pANDuvarendanu
16: mangaLam jhaSa kUrmakiTi naraharivaTugE
mangaLam bhArgava shrI rAmakrSNa buddha
mangaLam kalki ananta avatAranigE
mangaLam siriyarasagE mangaLam murahaigE
mangaLam nagadharagE mangaLam draupadiya mAnavanu kAidavagE
mangaLam jagadIsha purandara viThalagE
mangaLam nitya shubha mangaLam

kiransurya
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Post by kiransurya »

Wondered whether it is true to hold that PD had pioneered pUjOpacAra songs to accompany worship (or was it annamayya) that gave inspiration to other composers like UtukkADu & tyAgarAja ? It seems he has composed substantially on the subject:


Kmrasika!!!
Annamcharya composed songs on all aspects of Pooja.....
One of the best examples being "Shodasa Kalaanidhiki Shodasopachaaramulu..."

rshankar
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Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:26

Post by rshankar »

Lji,
Thanks for the lyrics of draupadI mAnasamrakshaNa...looks like it is in maNipravALam - mainly in kannadA and the first caraNa in sanskrit...
Ravi

kiransurya
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Post by kiransurya »

Lakshman
Do you have audio for this?
Would be quite good to see how the singer presented the whole episode..

Lakshman
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Post by Lakshman »

No I don't.

drshrikaanth
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Post by drshrikaanth »

Lji,
Thanks for the lyrics of draupadI mAnasamrakshaNa...looks like it is in maNipravALam - mainly in kannadA and the first caraNa in sanskrit...
Ravi
There is no official "maNIpravALa" style in kannaDa. That style is only seen in malayalam. Note that in this style, the malayalam words are sometimes treated as sanskrit words and there is a free admixture of sanskrit words with "sanskrit case endings". This is not seen in kannaDa.

Generally the early kannaDa kAvyas/poetry(about 12 to 13 centuries ago) tended to contain a profusion of sanskrit words, including complex sandhis/samAsa words (But NO sanskrit case endings except in exceptional cases) and the campU style was used. But later poets used more and more of kannaDa vocabulary with a fair use of sanskrit as is common to all south Indian languages.

Coming to this particular song by purandara dAsa, this is straightforward kannada. The text I have, as given in the 4 volume "purandara sAhitya darSana"(published by the Govt of Karnataka) is different from Lakshman's given in the start.

First stanza
vAsudEvAya namO vAsukISayanAya
vAsavAdyakhiLa sura namita padAmbhOja
bhUsurapriya bhajakapOShakane rakShipudu kESavAnAthabandhu ||.


Rest seem to be the same.

cmlover
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Post by cmlover »

DRS

maNiprvaaLam was a living and spoken language among the namboodiris of keraLa. Most probably Adi shankara knew it and spoke it. The dravidian endings are just to ease the difficult grammar of Sanskrit just like the prakrita corruption of Sanskrit. There are many kathakaLi compositions in maNipravaaLam which are almost sanskrit. It will be nice to make a comparative study of the dravidian languages vis-a-vis sanskrit in this context. It may incidentally throw some light on the evolution of SankEti too!

drshrikaanth
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Joined: 26 Mar 2005, 17:01

Post by drshrikaanth »

DRS

maNiprvaaLam was a living and spoken language among the namboodiris of keraLa. Most probably Adi shankara knew it and spoke it. The dravidian endings are just to ease the difficult grammar of Sanskrit just like the prakrita corruption of Sanskrit. There are many kathakaLi compositions in maNipravaaLam which are almost sanskrit.
maNipravALa is very artificial. My understanding is that it was used for composing poetry and not for conversing. ACtually, it is not sanskrit words having dravidian endings(which is common in all dravidian languages) but the converse- malayalam words and sanskrit words with sanskrit vibhakti endings used freely along with malayalam words with malayalam case endings. This is certainly not seen in kannaDa, tamizh or telugu.

Usages such as "mADambInA, pinnIDEthAH, pottayitvA" are seen in uNNu nIli sandESam.

pupUgirE pandalagattu cUkarA-
ScUDirE mAlapariccorOrttarE
tatallirE tammilatIva ghOramAy
mamaNDirE koNDu maNATTi tanneyum ||

(Examples drawn from "kEraLa pANinIyam"(kannaDa translation published by Bangalore university).
It will be nice to make a comparative study of the dravidian languages vis-a-vis sanskrit in this context. It may incidentally throw some light on the evolution of SankEti too!
As I mentioned earlier, maNipravALa usage is certainly not in vogue in the other dravidian languages. sankEti is no exception. No doubt, sanskrit words are used in plenty both as tatsamas and tadbhavas, but they are ALWAYS reduced to sankEti grammar and case-endings.

cmlover
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Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:36

Post by cmlover »

DRS
have a look at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manipravalam

Manipravalam is indeed closely related to Malayalam and it evolved from Sanskrit. I presume it is still a 'living language' being used by a minority of namboodiris! Perhaps it has no relationshsip to kannada. Is malayaLam closer to Tamil tha to Kannada? What is the status of 'tuLu' that is spoken in northern Malabar?

rshankar
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Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:26

Post by rshankar »

If maNipravALam is only Sanskrit and malayALam combo, then why are compositions like nIsAti (MD) that are in an admixture of tamil and telugu billed as maNipravALam?
Ravi

drshrikaanth
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Joined: 26 Mar 2005, 17:01

Post by drshrikaanth »

DRS
have a look at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manipravalam

Manipravalam is indeed closely related to Malayalam and it evolved from Sanskrit. I presume it is still a 'living language' being used by a minority of namboodiris! Perhaps it has no relationshsip to kannada. Is malayaLam closer to Tamil tha to Kannada? What is the status of 'tuLu' that is spoken in northern Malabar?
The link says exactly what I said:- that maNipravALa is used for composing literature. It is no doubt an artificial construction and was not meant to be used for conversing in day-to-day lives.

Yes malayalam is closer to tamizh than to kannaDa in terms of temporal rwlation during evolution. The shared vocabulary and pronunciation(To a degree) is more between malayalam and tamizh than with kannaDa. But kannaDa grammar texts(vyAKaraNa granthas) in malayalam/grantha script have been found in keraLa and are considered to have had a great influence in the formation and writing of malayalam grammar. Also, the pronunciation of malayalam in the northern parts of kerala are mmore similar to kannaDa than to tamizh(shared boredrs and interplay).

tuLu is an ancient dravidian language and is now accepted as an ancient offshoot of proto-dravidian. It is closer to kannaDa(not least because of millenia of coexistence). Interestingly the script used for malyalam is the "tulu-malayalam" script as the tuLu people used it to write their language in ancient times. But kannaDa script is nearly universally used to write tuLu today and is accepted as the official script.

But composing literature has never been a passion in tuLu. There is some literature of certainly good quality but not extensive. One of the reasons could be that tuLu was never an administrative language. kannaDa has always held that place even when the rulers were tuLuvas.

I guess we should park this discussion here as it is not related to the dAsas.

drshrikaanth
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Joined: 26 Mar 2005, 17:01

Post by drshrikaanth »

If maNipravALam is only Sanskrit and malayALam combo, then why are compositions like nIsAti (MD) that are in an admixture of tamil and telugu billed as maNipravALam?
Ravi
This is an extension of meaning in musical parlance. Also, when sanskrit is involved, it has to involve the vibhakti endings as well to be billed as maNipravALa.

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