Gopala Daasa Part 1

The Quartet

While there have been an impressive line of Hari Daasas, it is said that none can equal the greatness of the divine Quartet… Purandara Daasa, Vijaya Daasa, Gopala Daasa and Jagannatha Daasa. While even the best of Daasa Sahitya can be questioned or debated, no scholar however erudite, doubts or raises a question about the teachings of this quartet.

Bhaganna (1722-1762), as Gopala Daasa was called, was one among four brothers. Later in life, the three brothers (Dasappa, Seenappa and Rangappa) became Hari Daasas too.

Bhaganna was an amsha of Ganesha and a “bramhachaari”. He was a well-known astrologer. His childhood was spent in poverty, but in adult life, astrology was a fair means of livelihood. Born in Mosarakallu, in Raichur district, he moved to Gadhwal, and finally moved to Adoni to be with his friend, the Dewan, Panganaamada Thimmanna.

One day, Vijaya Daasaru walked upto him and said, “Pack up your stuff and follow me.” Bhaganna unhesitatingly did so. Thus, Bhaganna went on to become Gopala Daasa, the foremost disciple of Vijaya Daasa.

Bhakthiyalli Bhaganna

Vijaya Daasaru’s chief disciples were Bhaganna or Gopala Daasa, his foster son Mohanna or Mohana Daasa and (Panganaamada) Thimmanna or Venugopala Vittala Daasa.

A famous phrase that is used to describe these three disciples is, Bhakthiyalli Bhaganna, Yukthiyalli Mohanna and Shakthiyalli Thimmanna.

Bhaganna was a brilliant boy, able to master scriptures in two years what took others at least ten years. As a young adult, he undertook a severe penance of “Gayathri mantra” and an oath of silence. Envious cousins who tried to hurt Bhaganna ended up hurt, themselves. Finally, Goddess Gayathri showered her grace on Bhaganna and he was able to see the past three lives of people.

A change of fortune and a change of heart

When young Bhaganna moved to Gadhwal, both the people and the king were amazed at his poetic prowess and deep spiritual knowledge. The king granted tracts of land to Bhaganna. Later the family moved to a place called Uthanuru. Bhaganna composed devotional songs with the ankitha, “Venkata Krishna”. It is said that Krishna, moved by Bhaganna’s bhakthi, danced to his songs.

People came in hordes to know their fortune and in turn Bhaganna’s fortune increased multi fold. Having experienced acute poverty in childhood, he was extremely generous with his new found wealth. On the contrary, his mother Venkamma, began to hoard. Once, when Bhaganna hosted a huge lunch, there was an additional requirement of rice. Venkamma declared that there was no rice at home. Somehow rice was acquired and lunch was served. The next day Bhaganna showed Venkamma her cache of rice. To her horror, the rice was worm infested and inedible. This incident cured Venkamma of her parsimony.