The Master's first masterpiece
Sankaradeva's first composition, written on his very first day at school, is the poem karatala kamala kamala dala nayana . The unique thing about this poem is that it is composed entirely of consonants and contains no vowel other than the first. Extremely soft and melodious, this poem is also known as Komal Geet .
The Poem of the Lord
It is told by his biographers that Sankaradeva was placed together at school with much older students who were asked to compose a poem. He followed suit even though he had only learned the first vowel of the alphabet. The result was an exquisitely sweet poem dedicated to and describing the attributes of Lord Krishna, the lotus-eyed Lord, who is the dispeller of all fear and worldly affliction:
karatala kamala kamaladala nayana
bhavadava dahana gahana vana sayana [1]
napara napara para satarata gamaya
sabhaya mabhaya bhaya mamahara satataya [2]
kharatara varasara hatadasa vadana
khagachara nagadhara fanadhara sayana [3]
jagadagha mapahara bhavabhaya tarana
parapada layakara kamalaja nayana [4]
Thy palm is like the lotus. Thine eyes are like the lotus petals.
Thou art the consumer of worldly afflictions. Thou art the sleeper in deep forest.
Thou art omnipresent and inner soul of all.
Thou constantly removest my fear and vouchsafest my safety.
Thou art the wielder of large swift arrows. Thou art the destroyer of the ten-headed demon.
Thou art the rider of the bird (Garuda) and the uplifter of the mountain. Thou art the reposer on the hooded serpent (Ananta).
Thou art the dispeller of worldly sins. Thou art the saviour from earthly grief.
Thou art the giver of final beatitude. O lotus-eyed Lord (I pray thee).