Shri Purandaradasa justly regarded as the Father of Karnatic music holds a preeminent place in the cultural history of Karnataka. Acclaimed as the best of Haridasas by his Guru Shri Vyasaraya, Shri Purandardasa was a literary genius, a humanist, saint and master of the theory and practice of the science music. It was he who consolidated and ensured the continuity of the famous Dasakoota of Karnataka which was a congregation of saints especially belonging persuasion and school of philosophy intended for the spiritual awakening and rehabilitation of the masses. Added to this, another dominating feature of Purandaradasa’s influence over the history of Dasakota and subsequent spread of its message was his remarkable of musical acumen. Through this most attractive and congenial channel of music he pursued his gentle methods of instruction to uplift the society and get at the heart of life’s mystery. The substance of this keertanas are divine, earthly and human and his yearning was service of the Lord Hari and ultimate union with him. The intense and constant devotion in and dedication to the Lord Hari and his glorification earned the name Haridasa to Shri Purandaradasa and others of his ilk who came after him.

Though of his birth date & place is still matter of controversy, he is generally believed to have been born in 1491 at Purandargad. He was the only of son of a very wealthy merchant by name Varadappa Nayaka and his wife Lakshmi Bai also called Saraswathi Bai who belonged to an orthodox Madhwa Brahmin Sect. Because the child was born in answer to the parent’s intensely devoted prayers to the Lord Srinivasa of Tirupathi, the child was named as Srinivasa Nayaka who later came to be called Krishnappa Nayaka and also affectionately as Seenappa Nayaka. After losing his parents at an young age, Srinivasa Nayaka continued his family business in precious stones and amassed immense wealth and prosperity. The increase in his parents at an young age, Srinivasa Nayaka who later came to be called Krishnappa Nayaka and also affectionately as Senappa Nayaka. After losing his parents at an young age, Srinivasa Nayaka continued his family business in precious stones and amassed immense wealth and Prosperity. The increase in his fortunes resulted in concomitant increase in miserliness much to the dislike and dismay of his noble saintly wife. on an eventful day after a very interesting and heart rending episode in his life to meet the expenses of his son’s thread ceremony which was sternly turned down, Nayaka became all of a sudden a thoroughly transformed person. The incident served as an eye opener to him who lost delight in the worldly pursuits. Instantly he eschewed all of his inherited wealth and pleasures of the senses by giving them in charity and resolved to lead a life of plain living and high thinking. He came to know the grim realities of the earthly existence and its attendant horrors which promoted him to lead a saintly life and attain salvation. He immediately left his place to the famous Vijayanagar to seek formal initation (Haridasa Deeksha) to saint hood from the Rajaguru Shir Vysaraya after which he became an acknowledged Haridasa and came to be known as Purandaradasa. His instant decision to make the greatest sacrifice of his life by giving away his immense wealth and thereby renounce the world for the sake of dedicating his remaining life to Lord Hari earned the name Navakoti Narayana. He may truly be called as Vyragya Shikhamani.

Purandaradasa and other Haridasas after him followed very simple path ie., the path of intense devotion of Lord Hari or Bhakti marga which is one of the three paths (the other two being the Jnana and Karma margas ) to attain salvation or moksha. The mystic saints of India who were the leaders of the Bhakti movement that began and gained the momentum in 11th and 12th centuries A.D. created what is known as the Bhakti cult that also formed the vital part of the cultural history of Karnataka. The Haridasas of Karnataka were the pioneers of this movement in south India who spread the efficacy of Bhakti marga as propounded in Upanishads quite effectively through the medium of simple music and compositions. This was done mainly to safeguard the Hindu culture and keep it alive even in the dark days of political upheavals, oppression and injustice, and also to expose the hollowness of human existence, guide the masses to extricate themselves from the quagmire of the complex samsara (cycle of births & deaths) and finally exhort people to lead a life of righteousness so as to surrender before God to experience self realization and attain salvation. In the light of the above considerations the excellent compositions of Purandaradasa are also regarded as Purandaropanishath.

The compositions of Purandaradasa which are of different types life Keerthanas, Suladis and Ugabhogas etc., were very simple with regard to the language used ie., Kannada and music employed for easy understanding and recitation. Purandaradasa who is rightly acclaimed as the Father of Karnatic Music or Sangeetha Pitamaha of the Monarch of Karnatic Music has composed innumerable compositions ranging from the most homely to most philosophical spreading the message of mutual love, sacrifice, righteous living true, god and beautiful (Satyam, Shivam and Sundaram. ) So it is the spirit and respected and cherished. At the hands of Purandardasa these compositions attained acme of perfection and also the status of the standard classical music compositions that served as models even to the giant composers like Tygaraja. Thus they formed most significant corpus of musical compositions transmission and absence of any written record worth the name in those days, much of Purandaradas’s compositions and music are lost for posterity. Purandaradasa’s contribution to Karnatic music is best exemplified by the following verses of the compositions by Prasanna Venkaradasa :

Geeta Thaaya Sulaadyugaabhoga padapadya vritta prabandha rachisi vittalana preetipadisi pratyaksha
Kandu naliva Vyshnavaagranaatha prasanna venkatakrishna priyana tande purandaradasara smarisuve ||

Meaning : I Prasanna Venkatakrishna remember Saint Purandaradasa, one of the leaders of Vaishnavasampradaya and a fatherly person who has not only composed innumerable compositions like Geetha, Thaya, Suladi, Ugbhoga, Padas, Padya,Vrittas and Prabandhas but also won the affection of the Lord and rejoiced in having his darshan.

Apart from being a great composer, Shri Purandaradas was also a Lakshanakara of highest calibre and is credited with having systematized the teaching methodology of music thus setting the musical standard for all times.

While couple of Geethas attributed to him are available, no prabhanda or Thaya said to have been composed by him are available. We have a course the large number of Suladis, Ughaboghas, Padas and Padyas. Music has been utilized by Purandaradasa and others to intensify the beauty of the structure and the sentiments behind the songs. As such there are no compositions exclusively in praise of ‘Sangeetha’.

Nearly 30 songs contain references to music including instructions and the qualifications of musicians etc. In a song opening with the word "Keleno Hari Taaleno, Taalamelagaliddu", he mentions many instruments that were in vogue at the time like tambura, Kombu flute etc. The spiritual excellence of music is stressed in Ughabogha "Tamboori Meetidava, Bhavaabdhi Daatidava"

Here reference is made to tambura, tala, gejje and singing, and their importance in leading to moksha. In one of his Suladis he alludes to mandra, mandhya and tara sthayis. In the Suladi "Govindanaadidaatagalanu" he mentions swara, nada, murchana, jati, geeta and prabandha. Similarly, in the Kirthana "Gokulada Gopiyarenu Dhanyaro" mention is made of raga and geeta and mention of tala, dandige, geeta vadya is made in song "Yama tanna puradi Saaridanu".

Numerous references to ragas possibly in vogue during his time have been made by Purandaradasa in some of his songs. For instance, mentions is made of Ramakri, Gundakri and Maharanjini, Ahiri, Kamboji, Gurjari, Gundakriya, Deshkshi, Shankarabharanam, Sri Bhoopali, Bhiravi, Vasanta etc., and also the ragas that come later like kalyani, Paadi, Poorvikalyani, Gowri and saranga. Ragas like Kalyani and Darbar with Persian influence were popularized by the Dasas.

The suladi Sapta Talas were perfected and brought into practice. A study of the songs of Purandaradasa is rewarding in understanding the shape of karnatak music in the heydays of Vijayanagara. They also help to understand the musicianship and the influence of purandaradasa of Karnatak music and its future shaped from his times. Purandaradasa has emphasised the necessity of a good voice for the vocalist.

It will be clear from the study of his songs that he was a very learned musician. To him we owe the initial systematization of Karnatak music, so much so, all the famous ragas of today bear the same complexion as they did in his time. As he was a master of both Lakshya and Lakshana, it was possible for him to compose many kirtanas to serve as illustration.

He introduced raga Thodi to our system of music. He prescribed Mayamalavagaula scale as the basic scale for music instruction in place of the older Kharaharapriya scale.Generally, his compositions are in “Madhyamakala”. He has used the seven suladis tala, but he has favoured Chapu and Jampe tala. In the suladi, the theme is the same as in the Kirtana with elaborate Sahitya each of which is set to one of the talas. Some suladis have different ragas for the different divisions.

“Sangeetha Saramrutha” of Tulaja Maharaja gives numerous examples of Purandardas’s Suladis to illustrate raga features. The later composers have followed his patterns in raga delineation, structure and tempo, features which make body and soul of a song. It is difficult to assess the authenticity of the tunes now attributed to purandaradasa. There is no traceable linage of disciple or notational script for the melodies.

The Kirthanas are, as rule, simpler, compositions, intended for group singing. Their main features are firstly, that tunes are easy to sing and do not call for great expertise ; secondly, they are usually set within a single octave, thirdly, they have no sangati embellishments; and fourthly, ever where the “Charanams” are little difficult, the “Pallavi” is always simple, so that while the leader sings the charanams, the chorus can intone the conclusion of each of the couplets.

The Kirtanas are also more word-heavy than the kritis, and their appeal is a combined one, in equal measure of religious devotion and musical delight. One may say that while in the kriti the words serve the song, in the kirtana the tune serves the words. The whole credit of rescuing of Karnataka Sangeeta from being corrupted due to foreign invasions, belong to Purandaradasa.

The main outlines of about all the ragas have been laid down by him in clear terms. “The Trinity Scrupulously respected the tradition of the Purandaradasa. Dikshitar and Syama Sastri followed him in raga and the tala aspects only”. Tyagaraja modelled his compositions on those of the great Purandaradasa in bhava as well as in raga and tala.