Archive | January 1, 2014

The sickly child who became a Haridasa

Mohana Dasa (1728-1751) was the adopted son of Vijaya Dasa (1682-1755).

One day, when Vijaya Dasa was at Hampi to conduct the Purandara Dasa Aradhana, he saw a woman trying to commit suicide by jumping into the Tungabhadra. He took her home and gave shelter to her and her son, who later became Mohana Dasa.

Vijaya Dasa learnt that the woman he had saved was Yagyamma, the wife of Bhemappa Nayak, a wealthy jeweler of Anegundi, near Hampi.

After he died, the woman and her son had been driven away and she had decided to take her life. Another reason for her to commit suicide was that the child was severely ill and blood and puss was oozing from its body.

Mohana Dasa and his mother stayed at the house of  Vijaya Dasa in Chikalparvi. Vijaya Dasa prayed to Hari to cure the child and it not only recovered but became a beautiful child.  Vijaya Dasa decided to take care of the child and he evcen composed a pom on him. It goes as:


 “chiranjeeviyaagiralO chiNNa neenu |

 parama bhaagavatara padadhooLi dharisutali |


Vijaya Dasa also went to Yama Loka and saved the life of Mohana Dasa. It was Mohana Dasa who himself narrated the incident. He says after he was dead, he found himself standing before Yama with Chitragupota by his side. He says, Vijaya Dasa entered suddenly and even Yama welcomed him and asked him why he had come to Yamaloka.

Vijaya Dasa replied that MOhana Dasa had been brought to Yama Loka by mistake. He still has to lead his life, he told Yama, who accepted the mistake and sent Mohana Dasa back to Earth wirh Vijaya Dasa.

A grateful Mohana dasa composed seven songs on Vijaya Dasa. The seven songs are: Paramaharushavayitu Vijayaraya gurugala;  SariyugaaNeyalli jagadolu; Tande Vijayaraaya vyaaLege bandyo vijayaraya; Ninna paadava nimbi anyaraashrayavyaake; Vijayaraayara paada bhajisidavaganavarata; 6. Ninna nambiruve prasannanaagu byaaga and Vijayaraayara paada nijavaagi nambalu.

Mohan Dasa learnt the tenets of Madhwa philosophy and Haridasa sampradaya from Vijaya Dasa.

One of his outstanding works is Kollu Haadu which contains  217 stanzas. It is a monumental work of devotion and faith. It starts with Dashavatara and ends with Arjuna-Subhadra.


His last song was “Srimadhwa chitta mandirane ninnaye charana taamarasa nere nambhi dae

Naan madida apardagala yenisi bariyadeke yi bhoomandala saaladu”.


Like Vijaya Dasa, his guru, Mohana Dasa too was an ardent devotee of Raghavendra Swamy or Rayaru. One of his songs on Rayaru is as follows:    


ಕ೦ಡು ಧನ್ಯನಾದೆ ಗುರುಗಳ – ಕಣ್ಣಾರೆ ನಾ
ಕ೦ಡು ಧನ್ಯನಾದೆ ಈ ಗುರುಗಳ            || ಪ ||

ತು೦ಗಾತಟದಿ ಬ೦ದು ನಿ೦ತ   
ಪ೦ಗು ಬಧಿರಾದ್ಯ೦ಗ ಹೀನರ   
ಅ೦ಗಗೈಸಿ ಸಲಹುವಾ – ನರ   
ಸಿ೦ಗನ೦ಘ್ರಿ ಭಜಕರಿವರ        || ೧ ||

ಗುರುವರ ಸುಗುಣೇ೦ದ್ರರಿ೦ದ
ಪರಿಪರಿಯಲಿ ಸೇವೆಗೊಳುತ
ವರಮ೦ತ್ರಾಲಯಪುರದಿ ಮೆರೆವ
ಪರಿಮಳಾಖ್ಯ ಗ್ರ೦ಥಕರ್ತರ            || ೨ ||

ಸೋ‍ಹ೦ ಎನ್ನದೆ ಹರಿಯ ದಾ
ಸೋಹ೦ ಎನ್ನಲು ಒಲಿದು ವಿಜಯ
ಮೋಹನ ವಿಠ್ಠಲನ್ನ ಪರಮ
ಸ್ನೇಹದಿ೦ದ ತೋರುವವರ            || ೩ ||