If I Need To See Someone Poem by Ravikumar C.P.

If I Need To See Someone



Kannada composition by Purandara Dasa
English Translation by C.P. Ravikumar

If I need to see someone, I shall see my Master
If I need to sing praises, they shall be of my Master
If I need to to beg someone, my Master I shall beg
If I need to trouble someone, my Master will be the one
It is to my Master that I shall bare myself, my penury, my emptiness,
I shall approach the feet of my Master, Vithala of Purandara,
And live.

POET'S NOTES ABOUT THE POEM
Purandara Dasa, a saint poet who lived in the 15th century, is considered the father of Carnatic Music. His compositions evoke devotion (Bhakti) . He was a devotee of Vithala (Vishnu) of (the temple in) Purandara. No recital of Carnatic music is complete without singing a composition of Purandara Dasa! Read more about the Kannada poet Purandara Dasa here

The word 'Dasa' means a servant or a slave. Every Dasa poet considers himself to be a slave of God, whom he refers to as his Master, the supreme being. A Hari Dasa considers himself to be a servant of Lord Vishnu. Vishnu has a thousand names and the Dasa poets refer to him in a thousand different ways. Vishnu is married to Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. The Dasa poets were singing poets - they roamed from home to home singing about Hari. They subsisted on the alms that the devotees offered. Sometimes, the Dasa poets were put into a difficult position when a person of authority, such as a King, demanded their attention. It is conceivable that Purandaradasa was compelled to sing in the court of a king or a landlord, against the saint's wishes. Whom should the poet acknowledge as his Master? What will be the consequences of taking a decision, one way or another? The first composition in this post may have been written when the poet was in such a dilemma. The poet boldly declares his answer.
COMMENTS OF THE POEM
READ THIS POEM IN OTHER LANGUAGES
Close
Error Success