Purandara Dasa Flashcards
Life of Purandara Dasa
Purandara Dasa’s lifespan
1486-1564
15th - 16th centuries
True or false:
Purandara Dasa was not the first to systemize the manner of learning Sangeetham.
False
What did Purandara Dasa compose?
Sarali, Janta, alankaras, geethams, devarnamas, pillari geethams
Other names for Purandara Dasa
(Music related, NOT pet names)
- Karnataka Sangeetha Pitamaha
- adi guru
Purandara Dasa’s parents
Vardhappa Naik & Kamala Bai
Vardhappa Naik was a diamond merchant.
Where was Purandara Dasa born?
Purandaragudda
Near Hampi
Fun fact: he even sang in K. Deva Raya’s court!
Purandara Dasa’s original name
Srinivasa
People fondly called him Sinappa.
True or false:
Purandara Dasa was a scholar in Sanskrit and Litearture.
True
At what age did Purandara Dasa get married?
age 16
he got married to Saraswathi Bai
How old was Purandara Dasa when his parents passed away?
20
He then took over his father’s business and became very succesful.
True or false:
After seeing his success in business, people gave Purandara Dasa the name “Navakoti Narayana”
True
As he became successful, he was a merciless meanie but his wife wasn’t.
Why did a poor man come to Sinappa’s store asking for money?
To perform his son’s thread ceremony (upanayana)
True or False:
Purandara Dasa accepted the poor man’s request for money and gave it to him.
False
The poor man then went to Dasa’s wife, knwoing that she wasn’t a meanie like him
What did Saraswathi Bai give the poor man?
Purandara Dasa’s wife
Her diamond nose ring
True or false:
The poor man went to Sinappa’s store to sell his wife’s nose ring
(Dasa’s wife)
True
Dasa then went home to ask his wife about the ring.
Why did Saraswathi Bai decide to kill herself?
Because she was scared Dasa would get mad at her
She decided to poison herself.
What happened when Saraswathi Bai wanted to end her life?
(She wanted to poison herself)
The ring which she gave away was found in the bowl where there was supposed to be poison.
(It was the exact same as the one she gave away)
True or false:
Sinappa did not change at all after the nose ring incident.
False
He gave away all his wealth and started singing about God.
What was Purandara Dasa’s first song that he composed?
Mosa Poyidhe - Atana - Kannada
True or false:
Purandara Dasa was the first to introduce Shankarabharana ragam.
False. He was the first to introduce Mayamalavagoula, through the 15 abhyasa ganams (basics).
True or false:
Purandara Dasa was the first to compose in Kannada.
True
He has composed over 47,500 devarnamas in Kannada.
How many times did Sinappa go on pilgrimage?
(He went from the Himalayas to Kanyakumari)
3 times
Who gave Sinappa the name Purandara Dasa?
Vyasarasa Pitathipathi Swamiji Sathyadharma Tirtha
What is Purandara Dasa’s mudra?
Purandara Vittala
