Beacon of Spiritual Wisdom
Dasa Parampare, often revered as the luminaries of Dasa Sahitya, infused their verses with profound spiritual insights and deep devotion to the divine. Through their compositions, Dasaru conveyed timeless teachings of love, humility, and surrender to the Supreme Being, transcending barriers of caste, creed, and social status.
ETERNAL LEGACYLegacy of Enlightenment
Guru Parampare
The profound legacy of Sri Narahari Thirtharu, hailed as the pioneer of Kannada Haridasa literature, resonates through the ages. A true disciple of Shriman Madhwacharya, he laid the foundation for a tradition that would flourish for centuries to come.
Following in his footsteps, sixty-four souls were born into this esteemed sect, each contributing to its richness and depth. Among them, figures like Jayadasa and Purandara Dasaru stand out, their names echoing through time in verses of devotion and wisdom.
Furthermore, within this lineage of devotees, luminaries such as Sri Sripadarajaru, Sri Vyasarajaru, Sri Vadirajaru, Sri Vijayeendraru, Sri Purandardasaru, Sri Kanakadasaru, and Sri Vaikuntadasaru emerged. These seven souls, amidst the 15th and 16th centuries, were akin to blossoms enriching and sanctifying the earth. Upon scrutiny of abundant evidence, it becomes evident that Kannada Dasasahitya had its genesis in the 12th century, rising to prominence in the 15th and 16th centuries, only to slumber for a century, before resurging in the 17th century, particularly during the era of Sri Vijayadasaru. Today, this literary stream continues to flow, akin to the very essence of life itself.
Dasara Biographies
The legacy of Haridasaru continues in a truly distinct manner. This captivating narrative is unparalleled in any other tradition of servitude.
Carnatic Haridasasahitya flourished under the guidance of SrimadAnandatirtha, renowned as Dvaitamata Pratishtapanacharya. Not many works composed by ShrimadAcharya in Kannada are available today. However, Sri Naraharitirtha, his devoted disciple, composed Kannada kirtans and played a pivotal role in the inception of Dasa Sahitya. Sri Ananda Tirtha’s endorsement and directives for this endeavor naturally endure.
In the lineage of Srimadanandacharya, Sri Teekacharyaru, Sri Sripadarajaru, Sri Vyasarajaru, Sri Vadirajaru, Sri Vijayeendraru, Sri Raghavendraru, Sri Varadendraru , Sri Vyasathatvajnaru and others, each of these Mathadeesharu contributed to the tradition by composing keerthanas themselves.
These compositions endure in our society today, exemplified by figures like Vidyeshathirtha of Bhandarikeri and the Peethadeesharu of Tambihalli. While luminaries such as Sri Shankarabhagatpadacharyaru and Sri Ramanujacharyaru are not known for composing kirtans in their own language. Gruhastashramies like Purandardasaru, Kanakadasaru, Prasannavenkatadasaru, Vijayadasaru, and Brahmacharies like Gopaladasaru – Mahilamanis starting from Helavanakatte Giriyamma, extensively nurtured this Dasa Sahitya tradition.
From Purandaradasaru to Shyamasundaradasaru, the rich legacy of Kannada Dasa Parampare spans over 400 Haridasaru. This heritage, akin to a life-giving river, continues to flow through the ages.