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Poonthanam Nambudiri (1547–1640AD) was a famous poet and a devotee of
Guruvayurappan 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 ...
, who lived in Keezhattoor in what is now
Malappuram district Malappuram (), is one of the List of districts of Kerala, 14 districts in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kerala, with a coastline of . It is the most populous district of Kerala, which is home to around 13% of the to ...
,
Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...
, India. He is remembered for his masterpiece, ''
Jnanappana Jnanappana is a devotional poem written by the 16th century Malayalam poet Poonthanam. This poem written as a devotional prayer to Guruvayoorappan is considered as an important work in Malayalam literature. Written in simple Malayalam, the Jnana ...
'' which means "the song of divine wisdom" in
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 ...
. His other chief poems in Malayalam are ''Bhasha Karnamritam'' and ''Kumaraharanam'' or ''Santanagopalam Pana''. His other works include ''Raghaviyam'', ''Vishnuvilasam'' and ''Sitaraghavam'' in Sanskrit and ''Vishnugeeta'' and ''Panchatantram'' in modern Malayalam. Many hymns and prayer songs which are still popular in Kerala have been attributed to Poonthanam.


Early life

Poonthanam was born in 1547 in the month of masi on the day of Aswini, at Keezhattoor, near
Perinthalmanna Perinthalmanna is a major town and municipality in Malappuram district, Kerala, India. It serves as the headquarters of the Perinthalmanna taluk, and a block and a Revenue Division by the same name. It was formerly the headquarters of Valluvana ...
in Malapuram district, into a
Namboodiri The Nambudiri (), also transliterated as Nampoothiri, Nambūdiri, Namboodiri, Nampoothiri, and Nampūtiri, are a Malayali Brahmin caste, native to what is now the state of Kerala, India, where they constituted part of the traditional feudal e ...
Brahmin Brahmin (; sa, ब्राह्मण, brāhmaṇa) is a varna as well as a caste within Hindu society. The Brahmins are designated as the priestly class as they serve as priests (purohit, pandit, or pujari) and religious teachers (guru ...
family. He married at 20, but for a long time, they had no children. He began to propitiate the Lord of
Guruvayur Guruvayur () is a municipal temple town in Thrissur District, of Kerala State in India. It is a suburban town of Thrissur city, located from Thrissur towards the north-west. It houses the Guruvayur Shri Krishna Temple. It is located at ...
by reciting the ‘ anthana Gopalam and a son was born. He called for a celebration and everybody known was invited, but the child died an hour before the Annaprasanam ceremony. Grief-stricken, Poonthanam sought refuge at
Guruvayur Guruvayur () is a municipal temple town in Thrissur District, of Kerala State in India. It is a suburban town of Thrissur city, located from Thrissur towards the north-west. It houses the Guruvayur Shri Krishna Temple. It is located at ...
and started praying with the puranic story of Kumaraharanam. The heartbroken Poonthanam, it is said, was consoled by Guruvayurappan himself, who lay down on his lap, for a moment, as a child. He considered
Lord 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 of ...
as his son and achieved enlightenment. In the Jnanappana he writes: "While little Krishna is dancing in our hearts, do we need little ones of our own?". Poonthanam spent the rest of his life reading the
Bhagavatham 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 ...
and singing the Lord's glories in simple
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 ...
. His magnum opus, the Jnanappana, was composed during this period. His house, the ''Poonthanam Illam'' is now under the Guruvayur Devaswom.


Poonthanam and Melpathur

He was a contemporary of Melpathur Narayana Bhattathiri, another famous poet from
Athavanad Athavanad is a village in the Tirur Taluk, in the Malappuram District of the state of Kerala, India. The town lies on the National Highway 17, between Kuttippuram and Valanchery. Puthanathani is the main town of the Athavanad village and th ...
. Melpathur, the author of the Sanskrit work ''
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 ...
'', was a famed scholar who out of pride refused Poonthanam's request to read his ''Jnanappana'', a work in Malayalam. Legend has it that Guruvayurappan, impressed by Poonthanam's humility and devotion preferred his works to those of Bhattathiri's and once even rebuked Bhattathiri for ignoring Poonthanam's ''Santhanagopala Paana'' saying he preferred Poonthanam’s genuine
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 ...
to Bhattathiri’s .


Works

The chief poems of Poonthanam are ''Jnanappana'', ''Bhasha Karnamritam'' and ''Kumaraharanam'' or ''Santanagopalam Pana''. ''Jnanappana'' (transliteration: The Song of Divine Wisdom) is a veritable storehouse of transcendental knowledge which is firmly rooted in the experiences of this world. In a language, absolutely free from regionalism and dialectal influences, unadorned with excessive rhetorical features, through a series of concrete pictures taken from contemporary life, the poet is able to drive home his perception of the short lived nature of the ephemeral aspects of life. His religious meditations flow uncluttered and unencumbered with irrelevant matter. ''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 - The Fountain Of God" is published by Writer's Workshop, Calcutta. ''Bhasha Karnamritam'' is a devotional work intended to create devotion to
Lord 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 of ...
in the readers. ''Santanagopalam Pana'' tells the story of a Brahmin father who lost all his children and sought the help of the Pandava prince
Arjuna Arjuna (Sanskrit: अर्जुन, ), also known as Partha and Dhananjaya, is a character in several ancient Hindu texts, and specifically one of the major characters of the Indian epic Mahabharata. In the epic, he is the third among Panda ...
. Arjuna proudly offered to help him preserve his next child alive, but he was unable to keep his word. The Brahmin abuses Arjuna to his great anguish and in his wounded pride he decides to commit suicide by leaping into flames. Krishna out of love for Arjuna, intervenes at the last moment and takes him to
Vaikuntha Vaikuntha ( sa, वैकुण्ठ, lit=without anxiety, translit=Vaikuṇṭha), also called Vishnuloka (), and Tirunatu (Tirunāṭu) in Tamil, is the abode of Vishnu, the supreme deity in the Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism,Gavin Flood, An ...
from where they recover all the lost children of the Brahmin. Krishna's infinite love for his devotees is thus the central theme, but the poem also makes its appeal because of its down-to-earth realism and unmistakable touch of authenticity.


Bhakti

Poonthanam preached ''Namasmaranam'', or the constant remembrance of the Lord's name, as the only way to reach Him. He emphasised the futility of material existence and advocated instead service to the Lord through the
Nama japa In Sikhism, Nām Japō (Gurmukhi ਨਾਮ ਜਪੋ), also known as Naam Japna or Naam Simran, refers to the meditation or contemplation of the various Names of God (or qualities of God), especially the chanting of the word "Waheguru" ('Wonderf ...
, or recitation of the names of the Lord, as the path to
moksha ''Moksha'' (; sa, मोक्ष, '), also called ''vimoksha'', ''vimukti'' and ''mukti'', is a term in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism for various forms of emancipation, enlightenment, liberation, and release. In its soteriology, ...
. At the end of each verse of the Jnanappana, the nama japa of ‘Krishna Krishna Mukunda Janardhana,’ stresses Poonthanam's emphasis on
nama sankeerthanam Nama Japam or Nama Sankeertanam is the ''japa'' (repetition) or '' Sankirtana'' of ''nama'' (name) of the Almighty. The devotee chooses '' Ishta-deva'' or ''Ishta devata'' (Sanskrit ', literally "cherished divinity" from ''iṣṭa'' "desired, l ...
. 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 - The Fountain Of God" is published by Writer's Workshop, Calcutta. Over a period of time , Poonthaanam has acquired the status of most sought after commentator of the scriptures in Guruvaayoor Temple. He was also like a VIP in any of the Forums. In the regular feast held in the temple, Poonthaanam was accorded the most prominent seat meant for the VIP. One day certain other important dignitary had arrived in the temple. The authorities concerned asked Poonthaanam to vacate the main seat for accommodating the guest. Hesitatingly, Poonthaanam made way. However, thereupon happened one more incorporeal proclamation from the sanctum sanctorum:" Poonthaanam need not stay in the temple any more with unfriendly people as I have decided to come to your house. I will visit your house (on such and such date) and stay there for ever". Poonthaanam obeyed the divine command and proceeded to his house. On the destined day he was seen extending hospitality to the invisible guest at his house- apparently the visit by God. He constructed a temple to install the lord on the "left" side of the house and it had come to be known as the left side temple during his times.This temple is now known by the name Edathupuram Poonthanam Sree Krishna temple.The main deity here is believed to be the representation of Guruvayurappan. For those who could not visit Guruvayur temple due to health or personal reasons can visit this temple instead.


Death

According to legend, Poonthanam left this world in his body in 1640. When he announced his departure for his Lord's abode, he invited anyone who wanted to join him, which all the villagers declined. Ultimately, only a maid who had been nursing his ailing wife joined him on this journey.


See also

*
Guruvayurappan 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 ...
* Melpathur Narayana Bhattathiri


References


External links

* http://www.celextel.org/stotras/other/jnanapana.html * http://india.deepthi.com/who-is-who-kerala/poonthanam.html
Poonthanam Day in Guruvayur
{{Malayalam Literature , state=collapsed 1547 births 1640 deaths People from Malappuram district Hindu poets Malayalam-language writers Bhakti movement