Ambiga Na Ninna Nambide - Purandaradasaru

aMbiga nA ninna naMbide jaga

daMbAramaNa ninna naMbide


My boatman (Ambiga) - please take me across the waters of the river safely to the other side. I am totally at your mercy and trust you completely. This is an allegorical reference to the life journey across the difficult and treacherous waters of the Samsara and the position of the Supreme Being in this journey. Note the expression of complete trust, helplessness as well as complete dependence that this simile indicates.


tuMbida harigOlaMbiga ada

koMbattu Chidra nODaMbiga

saMbramadiMda nInaMbiga ada

riMbu nODi naDenaMbiga


The boat being used is Thumbida or full (indicating that we are carrying our past karmas as great burden. The boat has 9 leaking places (9 chidra) - corresponding to the physical body . The boatman has to see the best way to move the boat - with its loads and its leakages - similarly the Supreme Being has to take noteof our karma burden and the functioning of our senses and limbs (Jnana and Karma Indriyas) which if uncontrolled tend to destory the body itself.


hoLiya bharava nODaMbiga adake

seLevu ghanavayya aMbiga

suLiyoLu muLugide aMbiga enna

seLedukoMDoyyo nInaMbiga


The river we are crossing is full of fast currents and if not traversed properly may make the boat go totally beyond control. If the boat gets caught in a whirlpool. there is no salvation. The boatman has to take us across the river dexterously avoiding all the dangers. Similarly, in our life's journey, the Supreme Being has to save us from getting into such situations where we lose control totally and drown - there are plenty of them. Sri Purandasaru clearly implying that our own determination unaided by divine will will not save us from calamity, even if we think that we know the dangers and try to avoid them. How ever strong we think we are, there will always be a situation which can go beyond us. It also reminds us of the stories we hear from

Puranas of Ajamila, Vishwamithra, Nahusha and others who slipped and fell from grace when they were exposed to certain situations.


Aru tereya nODaMbiga adu

mIri barutalide aMbiga

yAriMdalAgadu aMbiga ada ni

vArisi dATisO aMbiga


There are 6 waves, which seem to threaten to overwhelm the boat completely. No body except the skilled boatman can avoid them completely and save himself and us. The 6 waves are the six famous Arishadvarga - the enemies of the aspirant for Thathvajnana - Kama (desire), Krodha (anger), Lobha (greed), Moha (infatuation), Mada (intoxication - with power, beauty, strength etc.), Mathsarya (jealousy).

No one can completely avoid getting caught up by them. Only the grace of God can save us from them. If one knows how waves are negotiated by boats, they would understand the beauty of the simile. The boatman keeps the boat HEAD ON to ride the waves - with its prow always facing them. Similarly in life, we have to face up to the temptations offered by the senses and the consequent mental aberrations with our intellect always being aware that we have to negotiate these passing situations without losing our head. As we can also imagine, the skill of the boatman lies also in anticipating the waves - crest, and ebb currents etc to keep the boat on an even keel and to avoid the worst of them by steering the boat in sheltered passage - here we need the help of the almighty God, in whom we have full trust.


hottu hOyitu nODaMbiga alli

mattaivarIrvaru aMbiga

ottinaDesu nODi aMbiga

enna satyalOkake oyyo aMbiga

sattvapathadoLagaMbiga parA

bhakti huTTanu hAki aMbiga

yuktidAyaka namma puraMdaraviThala

muktimaMTapakoyyo aMbiga


Now, in the last stanza, Sri Puranadaradasaru is giving the prescrition of our crossing the turbulent waters. We will use the oar of the Truth to propel the boat. Uninterrupted Bhakthi towards the Supreme Being is the path. With these the Supreme
Being will conduct us to our destination - Mukthi mantapa. One is reminded of the beautiful definition of Bhakthi given by Sri Teekacharya - Niranthara Prema pravaha -continous flow of love towards the divine, which is greater than any other emotional feelings that we have towards others. In the case of the boat analogy, it is the complete trust and placing one self in the hands of the skilled boatman. The statement that the oar in the analogy corresponds to Truth is also siginificant. All mental aberrations such as the Arishadvarga are products of ignorance about the true nature of things. We invest certain qualities like permanence, perfection, purity, and greatness in things and persons who do not really possess them. Proper reflection will convince us that such qualities can exist only in the Supreme Being Himself and if some semblance of such features appears else where, it is only temporarily given by Him. Once the true values of things and persons and the real source of our happiness is known - there is obviously no chance of being misled or tempted by the supreficial appearances. It should also be noted that the entire faith structure will be irrelevant if one accepts the concept of Advaita, where all the entities like the river, its currents, boat, boatman, waves, whirlpools, evotion etc. would all be unreal. Only a true Thathvavada believer would be able to accept the truth of this song

Bhagyada Lakshmi ಬಾರಮ್ಮ - Purandaradasaru

bhAgyada lakShmi= God of Wealth
bAramma = please come
nammamma = Mother god
nI = yourself
sau-bhAgyada lakShmi = god of wealth/health

hejjeya =footstep
mEle = upon
hejjeyanikkuta = putting steps on steps
gejjeya =Anklets (ornament of silver with tiny bells)
kAlina nAdava bIruta = giving musical sound of that tiny bells
sajjana sAdhu = worthy/holy or good men
pUjeya vELege = at the time of worship
majjige yoLagina = with in the butter-milk
beNNeyaMte = like butter

kanaka = Gold/Wealth
vRuShThiya = Rain/shower
kareyuta bare = bring (with shower of gold)
manakAmaneya = all the desires of
siddhiya tore = show the success in getting it
dinakara = Sun
kOTi = Crore
tEjadi = brightness
hoLeyuva = shining
janakarAyana = King Janaka (father of Janaki/Seetha)
kumAri = daughter
bAre/bEga = please come/early

saMKye illada = Unlimited (which u cannot mention with numerals)
bhAgyava = wealth
koTTu = by giving
kaMkaNakaiya = Hands with Bangles
tiruvuta bare = come with making sound of bangles
kuMkumAMkite = marked with vermilion
paMkajalOcane = eyes like lotus
veMkaTaramaNana = of Lord Venkataramana
biMkada rAni = coquetric queen

attittagalade = not moving out of a place
bhaktara maneyoLu = in devotee’s home
nitya mahOtsava = celebrations everyday
nitya sumaMgaLa = granting prosperous daily
satyava tOruta = showing truth (integrity)
sAdhu sajjanara = holy/worthy men’s
cittadi hoLeyuva = flashing in the minds of
putThaLi boMbe = doll icon


sakkare = sugar
tuppada = ghee
kAluve = stream
harisi = create (the stream of sugar and ghee)
shukravArada = on Friday
pUjeya vELege = exact time of worship (on Friday)
akkareyuLLa = affectionate of
aLagiri raMgana = Lord Ranga (who is owner of Alagiri hill)
cokka = flawless
puraMdara viThThalana = of purandara vittala
rANi = queen/wife

Acaravillada Nalige -Purandaradasaru

AcAravillada nAlige ninna nIca buddiya biDu nAlige
vicAravillade parara dUShisuvudake
cAcikoMDiruvaMta nAlige !

Tongue which is not having right behavior (good conduct)
Leave your wicked thinking
Always stretching out to blame others without any reason

prAtaHkAladoLeddu nAlige siri pati ennabArade nAlige
patita pAvana namma ratipati janakana
satatavu nuDi kaMDya nAlige !1!

Hey tongue, why don’t you call Shri Hari (siri-lakshmi
pati-husband) in the early morning after got up?

Do call him continuously one who capable of removing all
Sins and father of Manmatha

(Patita pAvana-one who capable of removing all sins
Ratipati-Manmatha, janaka–father
Satata-continuous, nuDi-tell/remember)

cADi hELalu bEDa nAlige ninna bEDikoMbenu nAlige
rUDigoDeya shrIrAmana nAmava pADutaliru kaMDya nAlige

hariya smaraNe mADu nAlige nara hariya bhajisu kaMDya nAlige
varada puraMdara viThalarAyana caraNa kamalava nene nAlige !2!

Request you tongue don’t make back biting
Chant the name of Shri Rama who is the lord of universe
(rUDi-custome/tradition (universe), oDeya-Lord)

Chant the name of shri hari and sing hymns of shri Vishnu (nara hari) always remember the lotus feet of shri purandhara vithala

Sakala Graha Bala Nine Sarasijaksha- Purandaradasaru

sakala graha bala nInE sarasijAkshA |p|
nikhila rakshaka nIne vishwavyApakanE |a|


O Lord with eyes resembling lotus, you are the one who has powers of all grahAs (planets), and protects the entire universe. (which means there is no meaning if we pray shani/rAhu/kEtu etc without praying shri hari).



ravi candra budha nInE rAhu kEtuvu nIne
kavi guru shaniyu mangaLanu nInE
divarAthriyu nIne nava vidhAnavu nIne
bhavarOgahara nIne bEshajanu nInE |1|



You are sun, moon, venus, or comets, saturn, or any other planet. You are day or night, you are the nine vidhAnAs (6 vedAngAs, mImAmsa, nyAya, vyAkaraNa), you are the physician who can cure 'bhava' disease (which makes us take birth in this world).


pakshmAsavu nIne parva kAlavu nIne
nakshatra yOga tithi karaNa nIne
akshayavAgi draupatiya mAnakAyda
pakshivAhana nIne rakshakanu nInE |2|


You are the pakshamAsa (the month which is suitable to give tarpaNa to our forfothers), you are the parva kAla (eclipse), you are good times or inauspicious times, you, the one who protected draupadi by giving infinite saree, are the one who has garuDa as your vehicle and protects everyone.



rutu vatsaravu nIne pruthivigAdiyu nInE
kratu hOma yagna sadgatiyu nInE
jitavAgiyennoDeya purandara viTalane
shrutige silukada apratima mahima nInE |3|



You are rutu vatsara, ugAdi (year begining), all kinds of hOmas, and yagnas, you are the one to be reached (mOksha), O my Lord, purandara viTala, you are the one who is beyond even the vEdAs (the one who cannot be known just by vEdAs either).

Narayana Ninna Namada - Purandaradasaru

nArAyaNA ninna nAmada smaraNeya sArAmrtavenna nAligege barali

O God Narayana, make me to chant (smaraNeya) the sweet essence (sArAmRuta)
of your (ninna) name (nAmada) on my toungue (nAligege barali)


kUDuvAgali nintADuvAgali matte hADuvAgali haridAguvAgali
khOTi vinOdadi nOdade nA balu mADida pApa biTTOTi hOgO hAge

Relieve (biTToDi hOgO hAMge) me (nA) of all (balu) my sins (pApa) which I have committed (mADida) while sitting (kUDuvAgali), standing/talking (niMtADuvAgali),
singing (hADuvAgali), running/walking (haridADuvAgali), recreating (KODi vinOdadi)


UrigE hOgali UroLagirali kAraNArtangaLella kAdirali
vArija nAbha nara sArathi sannuta sAri sArigE nA bEsaradhAge

Whether I am in the village (UroLagirali) or out (horagirali) of village (Urige), let all the work (kAraNArthaMgaLella) be pending (kAdirali), Narayana (vArija nAbha-husband of Lakshmi) Krishna (narasArathi-who led the chariot of Arjuna), let me chant your name now and then (sArisArige), without any boredom (bEsaradAMge)


hasividdAgali hasivilladAgali rasakasi irali haruSirali
vasudEvAtmaka shishupAlakSaya asurAntaka ninna hesaru mareyadhAgE

Whether I am hungry (hasididdAgali) or without hungry (hasivilladAgali)
being upset (kasivisiyirali) or in happy mood (haruShavirali)
vasudEvAtmaka (son of Vasudeva) shishupAlakShaya (who killed Shishupala)
asurAMtaka (who killed all demons) let me chant your (ninna) name (hesaru) without forgetting (mareyadAMge)


kaSTadallirali utkrSTadallirali eSTAdare matikeTTirali
krSna krSNa endu shiSyaru pELuva aSTAkSara mahA mantrada nAmava

Whether I am in hardship (kaShTadallirali) or in excellent position (utkRuShTadallirali) or in the state of senseless (eShTadarU matigeTTirali)
let me chant the eight letter (aShTAkShara) sacred word (mahAmaMtrava) of Krishna Krishna, the learned people (shiShTaru) are saying (pELuva)


kanasiLoLAgali kanavaLikAgali manasu koTTirali munidirali
janakajApati ninna caraNa kamalavanu manasiLoLage omme nenesikoLLO hAge

Whether in dreams (kanasinoLAgali) or perturbed (kaLavaLakAgali)
or in the state of calm (manasugoTTirali) or in bad temper (munidirali)
Sree Rama (janakajApati - husband of Sita who born to Janaka maharaja) make me to remember (nenesikoLLo hAMge) your (ninna) lotus (kamalavanu) feet (caraNa) atleast once (omme) in my mind (manasinoLage)


jvara bandAgali caLi bandAgali maraLi maraLi mattE naDuguvAgAgali
hari nArAyaNa durita nivAraNanendu iruLu hagalu ninna smarane mareyadhAge

Whether in fever (jvara baMdAgali), or cold (caLi baMdAgali)
or shivering (naDuguvAgali) again and again (maraLi maraLi)
HarinArAyaNa, remover (nivAraNaneMdu) of all agonies (durita)
make me remember (smaraNe) you (ninna) day (hagalu) and night (iruLu) without forgetting (mareyadAMge)


santata hari ninna sAsira nAmavu antarangada oLagirisi
entO purandara viTTala rAyane antya kAladalli cintisOhAgE

Let me place (oLagirisi) your (ninna) thousand (sAsira) names (nAmava)
always (saMtata) in my heart (aMtaraMgada) Hari Purandaravittala,
make me think (ciMtiso hAMge) of you at the last moments (aMtya kAladali)

Nee Mayeyolago- Kanakadasaru

nee maayeyoLago, ninnoLu maayeyo
nee dEhadhoLago, ninnoLu dEhavo ||


Are you a creature of illusion? or illusion your creation?
Are you a part of the body? Or is the body a part of you?



bayalu aalayadoLago, aalayavu bayaloLago
bayalu aalayaveraDu nayanadoLago
nayana buddhiyoLago, buddhi nayanadoLago
nayana buddhigaLeraDu ninnoLago hariye||1||


Is space within the house? Or the house within space?
Or are both space and the house within the seeing eye?
Is the eye within the mind? Or the mind within the eye?
Or are both the eye and the mind within you?


saviyu sakkareyoLago, sakkareyu saviyoLago
saviyu sakkareyaraDu jihveyoLago
jihve manasinoLago, manasu jihveyoLago
jihve manasugaLeraDu ninnoLago hariye||2||

Does sweetness lie in sugar, or sugar in sweetness?
Or do both sweetness and sugar lie in the tongue?
Is the tongue within the mind? Or the mind within the tongue?
Or are both the tongue and the mind within you?


kusumadoLu gandhavo, gandhadoLu kusumavo
kusuma gandhagaLeraDu aaghraaNadoLago
asamabhava kaagineleyaadi kEshavarAya
usuralennaLavalla ella ninnoLago hariye||3||


Does fragrance lie in the flower? Or the flower in fragrance?
Or do both the flower and fragrance lie in the nostrils?
I cannot say, O Lord Adikeshava of Kaginele,
O! peerless one, are all things within you alone?

AnaMda AnaMda matte paramAnaMda---------Vijayadasaru

"vijayarAyara pAda nijavAgi naMbalu ajana pita tAne olivA"

"The father of Brahma will automatically bestow grace on one who trusts in
the feet of VijayarAya completely and absolutely."

This is what Mohanadasaru, the spiritual son of Vijayadasaru has to say. Mohanadasaru was cured of dire diseases during his infancy and was brought up by Vijayadasaru with the milk that was used to do abhisheka to the Lord, with the teertha and prasada that was offered to the Lord.

Here give below is the Dasarapada of Vijayadasaru:

AnaMda AnaMda matte paramAnaMda
AnaMdana kaMda Oliye EnaMdadde vedavriMda

Once the jiva becomes aware of the Lord supremacy and control, he/she experiences bliss and more bliss. Then later he/she experiences the maximum bliss that can be experienced by himself/herself. This is the state of moksha which is been explained in Vedas.

A modalu shakaraMtha A mahA varNagalella
swAmiyAda vishnuvina nAmaveMdu aritavarige ----1

The entire aksharas which are eternal and are the origin of all knowledge are the names of Lord Vishnu. The entire range of sounds including all vowels, consonants and their deergas and rasvas are all the names of the Lord. Every name, every sound is the name of the Lord.

jala kAshTa shaila gaganana nela pAvaka vayutaru
plala pushpa balligaLalli hari vyAptaneMaritavarige ----2

The pancha maha bhootas which are the basic components of all jada objects on earth. The water,the forest, the mountain, the clouds, the earth, the fire, the wind, fruits, flowers, creepers and everything one sees points to the vividness of the Lord's creation and going deeper the great benevolence of the Lord in creating such a variety,not for Himself as He is swaramaNa and is completely blissful by Himself.

tAro bAro bEro sAro mAro harO Ero hOro
sero yaro toro embudu preraraNe yeMdaritavarige ----3

A person comes, a person brings something, a person is heaped with responsibility, a person climbs to the top of one's career, one's business, or reaches spiritual heights etc, one gives a lot of gifts to another, one person shows something to another. All these occur only because the Lord instigated these actions and placed the persons who gave, as well as the persons who take, the place where the give and take takes place, the time where it takes place etc. The same is true for going to places. Every thing falls into place like the jigsaw puzzle because the Lord's will controls everything and His will is omnipresent and omnipotent. If one recognizes this then there is nothing but pure bliss for the soul. Why?

pOpudu barutippudu matte kOpashAMta mADuvudu
roopalAvaMyavu hariya vyAparaveMdaritavarige ----4

Going and coming means moving about to different places is all Hari's vyApAra. Based on the prarabdha karma, yogyatha etc the Lord decides who should be where at what time and places them accordingly. If we observe our present position , it is the result of many many choices that were taken right through childhood. These choices if they had not been directed and controlled then the outcome would not be as the
Lord wants it to be. So He definitely decides on each and every choice and moves the jivas accordingly.

madhva shAstra pravachana muddu krishnana darshuna
shuddha vijayaviTTalana poMdi koMDaDuvarige ----5

"Bliss, bliss and more bliss is sure to be bestowed on one who listens and understands to the exposition of the philosophy of Sri Madhvacharya ..They finally see Lord Krishna and continue to serve the Lord Vijayavittala with great bhakthi and devotion even in moksha, knowing Him to be the purest of the pure." The word muddu shows the extent of vatsalya of Vijayadasaru for this form of the Lord. Krishna
....the name initiates a chain of thoughts of the bala leelas of the Lord as described in the Bhagavatam and inspires the devotee to feel vatsalya bhava of devotion.