A Rare Konkani Manuscript 

 

Introduction 

This rare Konkani lithograph manuscript, dated  1904 was printed in Mangalore. It contains devotional songs in Konkani in the glory of popular Hindu deities. Many compositions of  Purandaradasa are translated into Konkani.

The introduction traces the genealogy of the author back some two hundred years.

Venkatesh Prabhu  of Kashyap gotra Kumble of Goud Saraswat nation came to the town of Mulki about two hundred years ago. His second son was named Ananth Prabhu, who had a son by the name of Vasudev Prabhu. Vasudev  was a poet, and the name of his fourth son was Mukund Prabhu. Mukund Prabhu's fourth son Laksham Prabhu became an ascetic and assumed the name of Narayan Teerth.

Narayan Teerth could sing, but not write. These poems were sung by him. This is the history behind this collection.

1904.