Purandaradasa (1484 AD – 1565 AD) was a Vaishnava poet,
saint, social reformer and a renowned composer of Carnatic music. His life
story is the journey of a miserly wealthy merchant to renowned saint poet. As
per history, Purandaradasa was in the beginning a wealthy and miserly merchant.
His was known then as Srinivasa Nayak.
Srinivasa Nayak had attained the title of Navakoti Narayana
as his wealth was worth 90 million (9 crores).
One day, a poor Brahmin approached Srinivasa Nayak and
requested him financial help to conduct the sacred thread ceremony of his son. Srinivasa
Nayak refused to help the poor man, despite his several pleas.
In despair, the poor man approached Saraswati, wife of
Srinivas Nayak. She was a pious and devout wife. She helped the poor man by
giving him her nose stud.
The poor man took the nose stud to the ornament shop of Srinivasa
Nayak to sell it to raise the money required for thread ceremony.
Srinivasa Nayak recognized the nose stud and he took it from
the poor man and locked it safely.
He returned home and asked his wife for the nose stud.
Not knowing how to explain, she told it was in the jewel box
and with prayers looked into the jewel box. To the surprise of his wife, the
nose stud was there in the jewel box.
Seeing it, Srinivasa rushed back to his shop only to find
the ornament missing from his safe.
This miracle transformed Srinivasa Nayak completely and he
became a devotee of Vishnu.
Srinivasa gave away all his wealth, became a student of Vyasatirtha and eventually became the
wandering poet saint known as Purandaradasa, travelling far and wide singing the
praises of Vishnu and his avatars.