There was a chieftain of the soldiers in the King Krishnadevaraya’s court. He was a shepherd named Birappa. His wife was Buchchamma. They were an ideal couple and were staunch devotees of Sri Venkateswara. They had no children for quite sometime, but later were blessed with a male child due to their continuous pleads to Lord Venkateswara. They named him Timmappa.
Timmappa showed no interest in studies. The father being a soldier himself made him learn martial arts; he lost his parents at an early age and his wife too, within a few years of marriage. He was left a lonely soul in the vast world. People, people everywhere but not a single person to love him.
Timmappa need not have worried since the Lord himself came to him in his dream and ordered him to become his disciple. We are pulled miles apart from the Lord. So even when God comes down to bless us, we are not ready to accept it. So was the case with Timmappa. He flatly refused to obey the order. He expressed his desire to enjoy material comforts. Bhakti and Mukti are not his cup of tea. Lord Adikesava repeatedly appeared before him in his sleep, but he was adamant.
Once, the enemies attacked their Kingdom and Timmappa had to partake in it. He displayed his valor well and shattered the soldiers of the opponent. When he was thus like a lion in the fight, a soldier threw a knife at him from behind. Timmappa fell down and became unconscious. Even after he came back to his senses, he could not move due to severe pain. God felt this as the opportune moment. He appeared before him and put in the same proposal.
The words ‘Are you hurt Timmappa’ were more hurting than the real hurt. He did not hesitate to shout at God. ‘Don’t you have any other work? Why do you pester me like this? I hate Bhakti or Mukti. When thousands of people are after you for your blessings to be showered on them, why are you after me?
God explained the reason. Will God’s actions be unreasonable? ‘Timmappa, you were my devotee in previous Janma. You were a great pundit who served him wholeheartedly. Due to your ‘Karma Phala’ you weren’t able to pray to me in this Janma. But now the time is ripe. You pray to me sincerely and I will bless you.
Timmappa struck a bargain with him ‘OK fine! I will oblige you if you oblige me. You first relieve me of this physical pain. Then I can accept that you can relieve me of the physical world. Even as he uttered the last words, Adi Keshava Swami relieved him of his pain with a gentle touch across his body. The gentle touch also tickled the spiritual feeling in him. Then God vanished.
There was a sea change in Timmappa. The one, who was against God, could hardly bear his separation from God. He ran to the temple of Adhi Keshava. His powerful feelings gave went to a prayer spontaneously.
His golden faith for Kesava turned him into Sri Kanaka Dasaru.
There was a drastic change in him ever since then. The original Timmappa was mad after material comforts while this Sri Kanaka Dasaru was mad after God. His every thought was centered on Lord Adhi Keshava.
One day Lord Adhi Keshava told him in his dream to become a disciple of the Guru Vyasaraja Theertharu to seek Jnana. Accordingly he went to Hampi to learn from Sri Vyasaraja Theertharu. Sri Vyasaraja Theertharu, though a Guru, was bound by the caste differences. He was not willing to teach an untouchable, but Sri Kanaka Dasaru was not ready to leave him. Unable to avoid him the guru said ‘you just chant the name of buffalo.’ The disciple had so much faith in him that he was continuously chanting the word buffalo, in a lonely place. Lord Yama was delighted at his faith in his Vahana and so appeared before him as a buffalo. He was ready to fulfill any desire of his, but Sri Kanaka Dasaru humbly said, ‘I don’t have any desire, but my guru may have.’ He took the buffalo to the guru.
The guru was astonished at the situation, but all the same, he did not want to miss a golden opportunity. So he asked the buffalo to remove a boulder across the stream. The buffalo fulfilled it and disappeared. It was named ‘Kanakatruma’. You can see it still near Madanapalli village in Chittoor district. The guru realized the greatness of Sri Kanaka Dasaru and blessed him with his teachings.
One day Sri Vyasaraja Theertharu was doing Pooja. He was decking God in his heart. He reached a stage where he was supposed to deck God with a garland of flowers. He was toying with the idea of removing the crown for garlanding God. Sri Kanaka Dasaru as he happened to step in then said, ‘Guruji! The crown is big, whereas the garland is small. Why don’t you keep it at the feet instead? The Guru has realized that Sri Kanaka Dasaru has become a blessed soul.
Sri Kanaka Dasaru wanted to go on a pilgrimage and have the Darshana of all Gods. He had bath in many holy rivers. He visited many holy places. Then he reached Tirumala. The Lord Venkateswara was pleased to see him in his place. He appeared in the dream of Mahantu of the temple and ordered him to honour Sri Kanaka Dasaru as he was His staunch devotee. But Sri Kanaka Dasaru looked so inconspicuous that the Mahantu could not identify him. Sri Kanaka Dasaru lingered at the main door the whole day, but couldn’t have the Darshana of God.
As luck would have it, that day the jewelry of the Lord was stolen and the suspicious eyes turned towards Sri Kanaka Dasaru. They felt so because he was seen loitering there all alone even at night. He was arrested and was whipped. He fainted. Will God leave his disciple to his fate? He appeared in the dream of Mahantu again and expressed his anger over him. The man who was to be honored was being whipped! Was there any justice? The Mahantu rushed to Sri Kanaka Dasaru, released him, fell before him and pleaded guilty. He took him to the temple and the jewelry of God was very much there! God was his usual self decked in all jewels!
Sri Kanaka Dasaru said, ‘Oh God! Your Leela is unbelievable. I can understand that the episode of the theft of your jewelry is created by you just to spread my name. He was moved to tears for God’s concern for him.
Praying to God incessantly he finally reached Udupi to have Krishna’s Darshana. Just as he was about to step in, the trustees of the temple forbade his entry since he was an untouchable. He felt his life was a waste if he couldn’t have the Darshana of the Lord. He pleaded to the trustees but they fell into deaf ears. His tears only hardened their hearts.
Sri Kanaka Dasaru went to the one side of the temple and wept bitterly. The human beings were like stones but the God in the stone was melted by his tears. The statue turned from its original place. The statue which was facing east turned towards Kanaka Dasaru. In one word, Lord Krishna took a turn and he had the Darshana of the disciple who was deprived of his Darshana. Sri Kanaka Dasaru joy knew no bounds. Today disciples see God through the window Sri Kanaka Dasaru saw. It is called ‘Kanakana Kindi’.
Most of the compositions of Sri Kanaka Dasaru have the Ankitha Nama of “Kagineleyadhi Keshava”. There is a class of compositions called Sri Kanaka Dasara Mundige full of abstract imagery, subtlety of metaphysics and inscrutable implications, challenging the finest in the Bhakta.
Besides many devotional songs including "Mundiges" (allegories) he wrote the Mohanatarangini, Haribhakthasara, Ramadhyana Charite and Nala Charite. His portrayal of feelings is vivid and penetrating. He can be most homely and sublime as occasions demand and rise to inimitable perfection of art.
Sri Kanaka Dasaru lived for 90 years and composed thousands of Keertanas. He constructed many temples. He became a blessed soul by the blessing of God and he is an inspiration to many more to lead a life of spirituality like him.
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