Jagannatha Dasa

Jagannatha Dasa - Dasa reigns victorious:

Harikathamruthasara by Jagannatha dasaru is the nectar of dwaitha darshana, nectar to the listening ear and it is nectar in the form of kavya for kannadigas. He is a superb "rasa-kavi" who can direct his Kavya to flow within the banks of thathvas of dasa deeksha even when it being carried away in the floods of kavya rasa. His kavya will trumpet the victory of dasakula as long as the language of kannada is alive. Truly it is bhakthi Bhageerathi.
In him, knowledge, scholarly skills and brilliance coexisted. The Siddhantha that was absolutely but great beyond ordinary intelligence was made to touch the depths of hearts and to be read by all. He was that high profile scholar who made the pandiths crave for writing a samskruth Vyakhyana to Kannada Kavya.
This poet who is like kalpatharu sprouted from the seed of siddhantha and thathvajnana of Sri Ananda Theertha Bhagavathpada. Entire Kavya has rare thathvajnana treasure hidden in it. This powerful poet has crystal clear awareness of the inner and outer transactions of self. His deeksha in presenting kavya to the world, an amazing sadhana an ego of literally offering every thing at the feet of Sri Hari, the lord of the universe and to lead the rest of life in peace and harmony remembering Shrikantha.
The superior presence of shriman Narayana is seen in Harikathamruthasara kavya, all the chapter of this grantha are like boats to carry the common man towards shri Hari to understand spiritual postulates, plenty of knowledge, One's own life experience, projecting shastra and clinging to thathvas of Sukha theertha all these are pooled together in making Harikathamruthasara krithi.
This work is an important milestone in Kannada sahithya and culture. No one can match Jagannatha dasa in conducting a microscopic examination of life, providing brilliant smiles and examples and in kindling common mans refined feeling. The grantha is an oasis on the tormented soul. It is a grand confluence of tough stuff of Madhwa's Sidhantha, soothing principle of Hari bhakthi and superb sahithya.
This bhakthi kavi says that one should be crazy over Achutha. It is welcomeing and something to be appreciated, Achutha for him is one who if you sing laying by he will listen sitting. If you sit and sing he will listen by standing up. If you sing by standing he will dance, if you dance singing his glory he will grant you his darshan. Hari is one who tolerates devotee's mistakes. Has lot of concern for them. Harikathamruthasara which houses many thoughts like this let the flood gates open for Vishnu bhakthi to flood entire Kannada nadu.
Thathvasuvali also is like Harikathamruthasara. Tough thoughts, depth, dharma & purity are the features of his sahitya.
The compassion of Vijaya dasa and guidance of Gopala Dasa as guru-has combined in Jaganatha dasa. Jaganatha Dasa uplifted spirituality. Karjagi Dasappa who was after material things, had to be converted to become Shreeda Vittala and made him write pallashruthi to Harikathamruthasara. He also brought the well known Pranesha Dasa to limelight.
Jagannatha dasa is said to be the incaration of Sahlada, brother of Prahalada. A great vaishnava with traits of a devatha, being proficient in both sangeetha shasthra and sahithya is shone as a vaggeyakara. A sinner purified in the fire of repentance need not worry since Paramathma has this title "Pathithapavana" i.e, one who renders the sinner pure. It is his firm conviction that one should be paramathma oriented every second of his life. Dasaru has revealed the features of a siddha-bhaktha. At one place he tells "Sree Nilayana" which means to know and uderstand the virtues of Srinilaya Hari and sign them is the true reward of living on earth "Arithavarigathi sulabha" he opens your inner self informing that for one who has understood correctly Haripooja is very easy, but one who does not know is a pauper in this world of humans.
The thirty two chapters or sandhis of Sri Harikathamruthasara, explains spiritual thathvas in a clear, easy way. It is a vast store house of spiritual knowledge. It is an indispensable work for a sadhak, seeker of truth. It will put the pious on the path of salvation making Hari bhakthi swell in one's heart.
Srinivasacharya at an young age radiated scholarly brilliance. He had to suffer because of this flaw. But he was fortunate to get the compassion, love, trust of Vijaya Dasa an aparoksha jnani and Gopala dasa a amsha of Ganapathi. His principle and ego were totally destroyed. Forty years of life were given to him by Gopala Dasa and was thus saved from the jaws of early death. While taking bath in Chandrabaga river in Pandarapura he had the darshan of the lord and secured the ankitha "Jagannatha Vittala" inscribed on a stone. He became a Haridasa and composed Sri Harikathamruthasara. This dasa grantha is superfine from culture and sahithya point and spiritually a superlative marvel, bestower of dharma, artha, kama, moksha. The sathvik world will always remain indebted to this aparoksha jnani kavi Sri Jagannatha Dasa.
                                                           
                                                                                           Sri Sripadaraja mutt website