Kanaka Dasa

There is folklore behind this popular quotation. Kanakadaasa's Master Vyaasatirtha (ವ್ಯಾಸತೀರ್ಥ) once posed a question:

 Who among the scholars present in the convention could attain salvation (Moksha). 

Kanakadaasa firmly answered in the negative about himself as well as his master. Scholars in the convention were seriously agitated by his firm replies; they felt that Kanakadaasa must be haughtily inconsiderate to deny salvation to his own master let alone the remaining scholars. When asked about his own chance7s, he affirms:

 ನಾನು ಹೋದರೆ ಹೋದೇನು (If "I'm" gone, I may go) 

adding to . His master who could discern the real wisdom behind Kanakadaasa's affirmation asked him to elaborate. He made a Pun giving different literal and philosophical meanings. Though it seemed on the surface that Kanakadaasa claimed that he alone may attain salvation, he had in fact put forth a thoughtful message, that no matter the level of one's scholarly prowess, one cannot achieve anything until the ego is eliminated.

Kanakadasa has a special association with Udupi as he was the disciple of Vyasatirtha Swamiji.[5] On the request of Vyasaraya Swamiji of Vyasaraja Matt he had come to Udupi. But it was an era when discrimination on the basis of caste was at its peak.[6] The priests would not let him enter the temple as he was from a "lower" caste though Vyaasaraaya Swamiji asked them to let Kanakadaasa into the temple.[7] Kanakadaasa was outside the temple meditating on Krishna, his Lord, and singing songs in praise of Sri Krishna. He did this for weeks, camping outside the temple, cooking his own food. Though distraught over being prevented from entering the temple, he composed poems in praise of Lord Krishna and composed Kirthanas (Poems) which are relevant even today. He sings about how all humans being equal, as everyone is born the same way physically, everyone shares the same water and sees the same sun helping life on earth. Hindu temples and the deity in the temples always face east. In Udupi, though, Lord Krishna, in deity form, faces west. It is believed that something unnatural must have happened when Kanakadasa was outside the temple for days waiting to be allowed to go into the temple and see the. It is believed that during those days, when Kanakadaasa was not allowed to have darshan of Lord Krishna, he poured his heart out singing kirthanas for his dear Lord. Miraculously, the deity of Lord Krishna turned around to face west. Through a crack in the outer walls of the temple, Kanakadaasa the ardent devotee of Sri Krishna was able to see his Lord. This left the orthodox community flabbergasted why something like that had happened. Ever since, Sri Krishna's deity has been facing west, though the main entrance is east-facing. The miracle remains. Today that window (commonly called "Kanakana Kindi") stands as a tribute to Kanakadaasa. Devotees who visit Udupi's Sri Krishna temple, try to have a darshan of Lord Krishna through this small window seeking to re-live the ecstasy where Kanakadaasa had when granting the divine ‘darshan’. It is a memorial to Kanakadaas, and also testimony to the eclectic Hindu belief that devotion, poetry, and sainthood are above caste and creed and certainly above rigidly maintained orthodoxy.[8] It is said that Kanakadasa lived in a hut in this place in front of the “gopura”. Later, a small shrine was built in his memory and it came to be known as “Kanakana Kindi” or “Kanakana Mandira”.

Although many saints such as Purandaradaasa and Vijayadaasa visited Udupi and were devotees of Lord Krishna, it is Kanakadaasa's association with Lord Krishna, that conveys a deeper meaning.[9]

1. Nalacharithre (ನಳಚರಿತ್ರೆ)
2. Haribhakthisara (ಹರಿಭಕ್ತಿಸಾರ)
3. Nrisimhastava (ನೃಸಿಂಹಸ್ತವ)
4. Ramadhanyacharithre (ರಾಮಧಾನ್ಯಚರಿತೆ), a rare work on class struggle
5. Mohanatarangini (ಮೋಹನತರಂಗಿಣಿ)

Kanakadasa wrote about two hundred forty Karnataka Music compositions (Kirtane, Ugabhogas, padas, and mundiges or philosophical songs)[10] besides five major works. His compositions are published in many languages. For example, about 100 songs in Kannada[11] and 60 songs in English[12] are published in popular books.

His writings were unique in style. In Ramadhanyacharitre, an allegory on the conflict between the socially strong and weak castes and classes, presented as an argument between two foodgrains, rice and ragi, is a most creative literary piece with a powerful social message, In the work, rice represents the socially powerful and ragi (millet) represents the working people. The two grains come before Rama to argue their case and establish their superiority. In the end, Rama sends both of them to prison for six months. At the end of the period, rice has turned rotten while the hardy ragi survive, earning Rama's blessings. This shows the intelligence of Kanakadasa in trying to reform society. He was blunt in criticizing those who opposed the good practices. In one of his compositions, he says,"Eternal hell is for those who criticize noblemen, for those who condemn teachings of jagadguru...".

• Nalacharitre (Story of Nala)
• Haribhaktisara (crux of Krishna devotion)
• Nrisimhastava (compositions in praise of Lord Narasimha)
• Ramadhanyacharite (story of ragi millet) and an epic
• Mohanatarangini (Krishna-river).

Kanakadasa rationalized bhakti (devotion) by giving worldly similes. His writing has an intimate touch that identifies the reader with the poet himself. His two famous compositions in the translation are given below. One condemns the caste system in a refined poetic way and the other wonders at the colorful and baffling creation of God Almighty in childlike wonder.

His Nalacharite is based on the famous love-story of Nala and Damayanti, which appears in Mahabharata. Though a great devotee of Lord Krishna, Kanakadasa gives his own interpretation. Nala who is in love with Damayanti exercises restraint in the svayamvara (choosing bride/bridegroom) ceremony to win over Damayanti by allowing Indra and other gods a chance to win over her. When he loses everything in a dice-game and gets exiled to the forest, stubbornly followed by Damayanti, he deserts her in sleep, hoping that she may go back to her parents and have a better life. He later drives king Rituparna to the second svayamvara of Damayanti, to see his wife married to a suitable person and be happy! Lord Krishna appears only once casually to rescue the caravan in which the hapless Damayanti was traveling and was attacked by wild elephants.

Nrisimhastava is a work dealing with the glory of god Narasimha (half human and half lion).

Kanakadasa's Ramadhanyacharite has quite an unconventional theme. It is about a battle of words between ragi (millet) and rice, each claiming superiority. They go to lord Rama for justice. With the help of the sages, Rama proves the superiority of ragi over rice. Ragi becomes blessed by absorbing the qualities of Raghava, another epithet of Rama. It is interpreted as poverty and humility being upheld by the poet above material wealth. Even today, Ragi is the food of the poor, having high nutritional value compared to rice, especially for people with diabetes because of its low sugar content.

Mohanatarangini, although a kavya (a poem in classical style) written with all conventional eighteen descriptions, deals with eroticism. Pleasure-based eroticism of Shri Krishna with the consorts. The eroticism between Aniruddha and Usha forms the main theme.

It excels in depicting contemporary life. The description of Shri Krishna's Dwaravati (Dwaraka) is very similar to that of Vijayanagara, under Krishnadevaraya as noticed by foreign travelers. The market place with colorful stalls with various commodities, well-demarcated lanes brimming with craftsmen, clients and merchants, royal garden parties and glory of the palace find their place in Mohanatarangini. It echoes the contemporary Portuguese travelers' accounts. A drinking bout of men and women of the working-class is very picturesque. The reader feels as if Kanakadasa is providing a commentary of a live event. It is for such unconventional and down-to-earth descriptions as also for social awareness that the great poet-saint has become immortal.