“BOTH ANNAMACHARYA AND PURANDAHARA DASA PROPAGATED BHAKTI CULT WITH NAMA SANKEERTHANA”-TIRUMALA JEO

Tirumala, 20 January 2015: Being the contemporaries, both the saint poets of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, Sri Annamacharya and Sri Purandhara Dasa propagated the Venkateswara Bhakti cult extensively through “Nama Sankeerthana” said, Tirumala JEO Sri KS Sreenivasa Raju.

Presiding the Purandhara Dasa Aradhanotsavams held at Asthana Mandapam in Tirumala on Tuesday, the JEO said, there were many similarities in these two saint poets and blessed their lives in the service of Lord Venkateswara through “Akshara Yagna” by penning innumerable songs in the praise of Lord.

He said when Annamacharya is known as “Telugu Padakavitha Pitamaha” for having written over 32thousand songs, Sri Purandhara Dasu who is believed to be the incarnation of Narada Maharshi, has penned over 4.75lakh songs during his life time.

Later in their Anugraha Bhashanam, the pontiff of Mantralaya Sri Raghavendra Swamy mutt Sri Subudendra Teertha, pontiffs of Udupi Sri Palimar Mutt, Sri Vidyadheesha Teertha and Sri Eshapriya Teertha Swamijis said, Sri Purandhara Dasu said in Kaliyuga “Nama Sankeerthana” through bhajana sampradaya is the best way to attain salvation. “This Nama Yagna needs no havan, firewood, ghee, Rutviks etc. Every one and any one can chant His Divine name through bhajans. To you are all taking up the Dasa Padagalu in a big way and every one of you have become a Purandhara Dasu in spreading His message through bhajans”, they added.

Earlier, the Dasa Sahitya Project Special Officer Dr Ananda Teertha Charyulu said every year the Dasa Sahitya Project of TTD organises Purandhara Dasa Aradhanotsavams in a big way. This year from Jan 19-21 this festival is being observed in a grand way in around 14 important pilgrim cities in the states of AP, TN, TS, Karnataka and Maharastra also. While it takes days for us to learn a sankeerthan, in his entire life time, Sri Purandhara Dasu has penned over 4.75 lakh keerthans which is phenomenal”, he maintained.

Later “Sri Purandhara Dasu Prasasthi” has been awarded to five scholars including Sri P Haridasa Bhat, Smt Srimati Rao, Sri R Sridharan, Sri Vidwan Vagishachar and Sri KS Venkatesh for their expertise and research in Purandhara Dasa Padagalu.

Over 3000 Dasa bhajan artistes took part in this spiritual programme.

ISSUED BY TTDs PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER, TIRUPATI