Shri Purandara Dasa

World of Purandaradasa

Purandaradasa went on singing and praying for God’s grace and finally he realized God’s grace. He felt the ecstasy of God realization and at such moments he broke into song declaring "I saw Achyuta with my own eyes". He often became unconscious on account of the joy of God realization 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’s growth and development as a pious man moving towards the higher stages of God realization 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 eloquently and clearly. Purandaradasa became great because of his success in living the life of piety and proving the superiority of the soul over the worldly 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 adventures as a boy have been beautifully recorded and sung in his verses.

There is also the picture of the other Gopis taking the boy Krishna in their arms, kissing him with maternal affection and solicitude and propitiating 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.

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 essence of these scriptures in simple Kannada and show the way that one should live.

He practiced in his life what he preached. It is important to note this 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 renunciation 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 was 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 Purandaradasa 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.