About
Born: 1509, baada,shiggaon
died :1606 (age 97 years )Baada, Shiggaon
books: select songs of Kanaka Dasa (Keertane), essence of devotion: Haribhakthisara of poet saint Kanakadasa in English
parents: Birappa nayaka, Bachchamma
full name : Thimmappa nayaka
guru: Vyasa tirtha
philosophy: Dvaita, Vaishnavism
is kanaka Dasa a brahmin?
Kanaka Dasa was born a minor chieftain under the Vijayanagar empire. while he belonged to the shepherd caste. He was not some poor unknown .he was a well respected and successful member of society.
kanaka Dasaru
kanaka dasa (1509-1606) also known as daasashreshta kanakadasa ,was a haridas saint and philosopher of Dvaita vedanta from present -day karnataka , india .he was a follower of madhvacharya s dvaita philosophy and a disciple of vyasatirtha . he was a composer of carnatic music, poet,reformer and musician. he is known for his keertanas and ugabhoga,and his compositions in the kannada language for carnatic music.like other haridasas ,he used simple kannada and native metrical formas for his compositions.
birth
kanaka dasa was born into a kannada kuruba family in baada village ,near bankapura in karnataka , and was a warrior at the bankapura fort . he was taught by srinivasacharya .as a child, he become an expert in tarka ,vyakaranna,and mimamsa.based on one of his compositions, it is interpreted that he was injured in battle and took to the practice of chanting the name of lard hari .a begger appeared to kanaka dasa ,and kanaka asked who he was .
the begger responded by saying he was called by him (kanaka). kanaka dasa understood the begger to be lord hari (krishna) himself .lard hari offered to grant kanaka dasa three wishes. Lord hari first asked if kannaka wanted treasures.kanaka dasa refused,but asked for the following 1) to be healed of all his injuries, 2) for lord hari to appear whenever kanaka dasa called for him,and 3)to give darshan in his original form.the lord granted these wishes.upon seeing lord hari in his original form ,kanaka dasa was mesmerized.after this incident,kanaka abandoned his profession as a soldier and devoted himself to composing music ,writing literature and explaining philosophy to the people about sri hari .his early spiritual worls include poems such as narasimha stotra ,ramadhyana mantra ,and mohanatarangini.
what is the story of kanakadasaru and banana?
the story of saint kanakadasaru is similar there is a famous story about saint kanakadasa. once his guru a banana to disciples and told them to eat it at a place where no one can see them .all the ,except kanakadasa searched for a secret place and ate the banana .
in Udupi
kanaka Dasa had a connection with Udupi as he was the disciple of Vyasa Tirth . the priests would not let him enter the Mutt, judging him to be a member of lower caste based on his clothes, even though Vyasa Tirth asked them to let kanaka Dasa into the temple .the a wall cracked and the idol of Krishna turned towards kanaka.
kanaka Dasa spent a short time in Udupi. He used the phrase, Kagin Eleya Aadikeshav as his signature referring to the deity of Kaginele.he is one of great devotee of lord Krishna (Vishnu).
kanaka Dasa palace
during an excavation at Bada , Shiggaon region of karnataka, the archaeological department found ruins of a fort and a palace which was identified as the era of kanaka das (who was earlier called Thimmappa nayaka). the state government of karnataka has built a new fort ,palace and idols of kanaka Dasa and his life scenarios commemorating the religious leader.
major works
- Nalacharithre
- Haribhakthisara
- Nrusimhastava
- Ramadanyacharithe
- Mohanatarangini