Jnanappana is a devotional poem written by the 16th century

Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 22 scheduled languages of India. Malayalam was des ...

poet

Poonthanam Poonthanam Nambudiri (1547–1640AD) was a famous poet and a devotee of Guruvayurappan, who lived in Keezhattoor in what is now Malappuram district, Kerala, India. He is remembered for his masterpiece, ''Jnanappana'' which means "the song ...

. This poem written as a devotional prayer to

Guruvayoorappan Guruvayurappan ( ml, ഗുരുവായൂരപ്പന്‍, (transliterated guruvāyūrappan)) also often rendered Guruvayoorappan, is a form of Vishnu worshipped mainly in Kerala. He is the presiding deity of the Guruvayur temple, w ...

is considered as an important work in Malayalam literature. Written in simple Malayalam, the Jnanappana was Poonthanam's magnum opus and is an important work of Bhakti literature from Kerala and is revered for its poetic merit and intensity of devotion.

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Jnanappana can be considered as the

Bhagavad Gita The Bhagavad Gita (; sa, श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता, lit=The Song by God, translit=śrīmadbhagavadgītā;), often referred to as the Gita (), is a 700- verse Hindu scripture that is part of the epic ''Mahabharata'' (c ...

Malayali The Malayali people () (also spelt Malayalee and also known by the demonym Keralite) are a Dravidian peoples, Dravidian ethnolinguistic group originating from the present-day state of Kerala in India, occupying its southwestern Malabar coast. ...

Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

s. This is a ''darshanika kavyam'' or philosophical poem expressed in simple Malayalam for ordinary people. The Jnanappana is noted for its literary quality, the use of simple phrases, its philosophical strength and reflects Poonthanam's deep bhakti to Guruvayoorappan. Jnanappana consists of 360 lines of verse written in the ''pana'' metre of Malayalam poetry. The Jnanappana is noted for its use of opposing images through which Poonthanam draws out the cosmic acts of Krishna through the web of karma. In the Jnanappana,

Poonthanam Namboothiri Poonthanam Nambudiri (1547–1640AD) was a famous poet and a devotee of Guruvayurappan, who lived in Keezhattoor in what is now Malappuram district, Kerala, India. He is remembered for his masterpiece, '' Jnanappana'' which means "the son ...

, an ardent devotee of Shri Guruvayurappan, transforms his unbearable sorrow from his infant son's death into a ''yogavishesham''. He used this sad experience to build his

Bhakti ''Bhakti'' ( sa, भक्ति) literally means "attachment, participation, fondness for, homage, faith, love, devotion, worship, purity".See Monier-Williams, ''Sanskrit Dictionary'', 1899. It was originally used in Hinduism, referring to d ...

soudham or house of devotion and opens it for all devotees for all time. The line "''unnikrishnan manasil kalikumbol,unnikal mattu venamo makkalai''" (When the baby

Krishna Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is one ...

plays in one's mind, does one need one's own children?) expresses the poet's grief at the death of his child and his deep devotion to Guruvayurappan even in that grief-stricken state. Even though the language is very simple, Jnanappana, or song of wisdom deals within it with the essence of the

Srimad Bhagavatam The ''Bhagavata Purana'' ( sa, भागवतपुराण; ), also known as the ''Srimad Bhagavatam'', ''Srimad Bhagavata Mahapurana'' or simply ''Bhagavata'', is one of Hinduism's eighteen great Puranas (''Mahapuranas''). Composed in Sa ...

, Bhagavad Gita, Bhajagovindam,

Viveka Chudamani The ''Vivekachudamani'' (; IAST: ) is an introductory treatise within the Advaita Vedanta tradition of Hinduism, traditionally attributed to Adi Shankara of the eighth century, though this attribution has been questioned and mostly rejected b ...

and

Narayaneeyam ''Narayaniyam'' is a medieval-era Sanskrit text, comprising a summary study in poetic form of the ''Bhāgavata Purana''. It was composed by Melputhur Narayana Bhattathiri, (1560–1666 AD) one of the celebrated Sanskrit poets in Kerala. Even thou ...

. According to legend, Poonthanam's humility and unflinching devotion prompted Guruvayoorappan to prefer the poem to Poonthanam's contemporary and literary rival Melpathur Narayana Bhattathiri's ‘Narayaneeyam’. The devotional hymn ‘''Kandu Kandangirikkum Janangale''’ is from the Jnanappana. Jnanappana has been transcreated into English by poet cum writer Dr

Gopi Kottoor use both this parameter and , birth_date to display the person's date of birth, date of death, and age at death) --> , death_place = , death_cause = , body_discovered = , resting_place = , resting_place_coordinates ...

, the book "Poonthanam's Hymns Gynapana - The Fountain Of God" is published by Writer's workshop Calcutta.

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External links

Njanappana - Full Lyrics

Njanappana - Translation and Commentary - Part 1234567

Njanappana and its importance

* ttp://devaragam.com/vbscript/MusicNew.aspx?MovieId=1656 Song {{Malayalam Literature , state=collapsed Indian poems Malayalam-language poems 16th-century poems

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