KANAKADASARU - Ondu chintane

️ kAnaKadAsaRu 
(1508 to 1606)
For followers of DaAsaSahityA, Sri KanaKaDasaru is suParichaya. A poet, philosopher, composer, keerthanakaara, a HariDasa, a social reformer, Sri KanakaDasaru was a Kannadiga who lived during 15th century belonging to the tradition of HariDasa movement.
Born in a place called BaADA village in the present Haveri (Dt.) of Karnataka State, Kanaka Dasaru originally known as Thimmappa Nayaka was a Paalayagara collecting Tax/Revenue on behalf of the Vijayanagar Empire. He was also a warrior helping the Kingdom during war times.
Kanakadasaru who had a treasure of Gold (Kanaka) became popular as KanakaNayaka later as Kanakadasa, was philanthropist in sharing his treasure for philanthropic activities; He was instrumental in the installation of the famous temple of AadiKesavaRaya at Kagninele.
Sri KanakaDasaru took his Deeksha from none other than Saint Sri VyasaRajaru and became his disciple.
He was contemporary of eminent Saint personalities viz. Sri VadiRajaru, Sri Purandaradasaru, Sri Vijayeendra Theertharu who were in the august Sishya parivaara of Sri VyasaRajaru;
KanakaDasaru who had pretty long life had privilege of having met two incarnations of Sri GuruRayaru (Prahlada Rayaru) viz., Sri VyasaRayaru and Sri Raghavendra Swamy.
His candid and unique compositions used to be in Graamya bhaasha (rural language) in Kannada focused on the realities of day to day socio-economic life with a philosophical dimension for easy understanding and wisdom to the common man.
His major literary compositions were, HariBhaktiSaara, NalaCharitre, RaAmaDhyana Charitre, MohanaTharangini, etc. Ankita for his divine compositions were given to BaadAadi Kesava and KaAginele AadiKesava;
Taking inspiration from his spiritual preceptor Sri VyasaRajaru and contemporary divine poet Sri PurandaraDasaru, His (Kanakadasaru) divine compositions (Keertanas/Ugabhoga’) were focused on propagating Hari Bhakti; re-establishing Hari-SArvottamatva; Vaayu Jeevottamatva; giving significance for Naama-Sankeertana.
His quotes were highly philosophical. In one of his popular quotes, Sri KanakaDasaru says…
“naanu hodare hodenu”
Those were the golden words of Kanakadasaru; the three words has a world of meaning in itself;
Once Sri VyasaRajaru poses a question to his disciples, “who among the scholars present could attain Salvation” Every one present was asked including KanakaDasaru for which he gave a firm answer the gist of which is…
> Naanu is Ahankaara; Egoism; 
> Hodare > if it goes; 
> Hodenu > that would lead to the path of salvation;
wonderful thought explained in one sentence rather three words;
Ego is the biggest enemy of human beings. A fool whose mind is deluded by egoism considers himself to be the doer; ignoring 'nAham kartA hariH kartA'
Unhappiness comes from the sense of I and Mine; they indicate ignorance.
The more we identify ourselves with little ‘I ‘(nANu) in us, more will be our problems and confusions in life.
All our sufferings in the world are caused by our own ego centric misconception and consequent arrogance characterized by our ever multiplying demand for wealth and desires.
An individual though may be a scholar/learned person, cannot lead a path of salvation when he is packed with Ego;
this was beautifully explained by Kanakadasaru in just three words in the august presence of Sri Vyasarajaru.
In another beautiful philosophical composition, Sri KanakaDasaru eulogizes Hari Sarvottamatva and writes.....

1.ನೀ ಮಾಯೆಯೊಳಗೊ, ನಿನ್ನೊಳು ಮಾಯೆಯೊ...
Are you a creature of illusion? or illusion your creation? Are you imbedded in Maya (illusion)? Or is Maya within YOU (God)?

2.ನೀ ದೇಹದೊಳಗೊ, ನಿನ್ನೊಳು ದೇಹವೂ...
Are you a part of the body? Or is the body a part of you? Are YOU residing inside the body? or Is the body inside YOU?

3.ಬಯಲು ಆಲಯದೊಳಗೊ, ಆಲಯವು ಬಯಲೊಳಗೊ...
Is space within the house/habitation? Or the house/habitation within space?

4.ಬಯಲು ಆಲಯವೆರಡು ನಯನದೊಳಗೊ...
Or are both space and the house/habitation within the sight of the seeing eye? 

5.ನಯನ ಬುದ್ಧಿಯೊಳಗೊ, ಬುದ್ಧಿ ನಯನದೊಳಗೊ...
Is the vision an ability of mind (knowledge) (or) the mind is in the eye (depending on eye)?/ Is the eye within the mind? Or the mind within the eye? 

6.ನಯನ ಬುದ್ಧಿಗಳೆರಡು ನಿನ್ನೊಳಗೊ ಹರಿಯೆ..
Or are both the eye and the mind within you O; Lord SriHari?

7.ಸವಿಯು ಸಕ್ಕರೆಯೊಳಗೊ, ಸಕ್ಕರೆಯು ಸವಿಯೊಳಗೊ
ಸವಿಯು ಸಕ್ಕರೆಯೆರಡು ಜಿಹ್ವೆಯೊಳಗೊ...
Does sweetness lie in sugar, or sugar in sweetness?
Or do both sweetness and sugar lie in the tongue?

8.ಜಿಹ್ವೆ ಮನಸಿನೊಳಗೊ, ಮನಸು ಜಿಹ್ವೆಯೊಳಗೊ...
Is the tongue within the mind? Or the mind within the tongue?

9.ಜಿಹ್ವೆ ಮನಸುಗಳೆರಡು ನಿನ್ನೊಳಗೊ ಹರಿಯೆ...
Or are both the tongue (sense of taste) and the mind within You? O! God! SriHari the real source of knowledge;

10.ಕುಸುಮದೊಳು ಗಂಧವೊ, ಗಂಧದೊಳು ಕುಸುಮವೊ...
Does fragrance lie in the flower? Or the flower in fragrance?

11.ಕುಸುಮ ಗಂಧಗಳೆರಡು ಘ್ರಾಣದೊಳಗೊ...
Or do both the flower and fragrance lie in the nostrils?

12.ಅಸಮಭವ ಕಾಗಿನೆಲೆಯಾದಿಕೇಶವರಾಯ ಉಸುರಲೆನ್ನಳವಲ್ಲ ಎಲ್ಲ ನಿನ್ನೊಳಗೆ
I cannot say, O Lord Adikeshava of Kaginele, O! Peerless one (the one who is above comparison), are all things within you alone?

> Reality is... all things are within you! To explain it is beyond my ability!

says Sri KanakaDasaru...
Though he belongs to Kuruba clan, he was a follower of Vishnavism having HariSarvottama-VaAyu Jeevottama jnyaAna and an advocate of Dvaita/TattvaVaada;
He is believed and considered as an incarnation of Lord YaMa;
yamaaMshasya paraabhaktyaa suprasannO hari: svayaM|
yasyaachaaryO vyaasaraaya: taM vaMdE kanakaabhidhaM|
ಯಮಾಂಶಸ್ಯ ಪರಾಭಕ್ತ್ಯಾ ಸುಪ್ರಸನ್ನೋ ಹರಿ: ಸ್ವಯಂ|
ಯಸ್ಯಾಚಾರ್ಯೋ ವ್ಯಾಸರಾಯ: ತಂ ವಂದೇ ಕನಕಾಭಿಧಂ|
Hari Sarvottama – Vaayu Jeevottama
Sri GuruRaajo Vijayate
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