NarayaNa Teertar – This learned author of the Krishna Leelaa Taarangini (meaning Wavy River of Krishna’s Wondrous Deeds) lived in the Tanjaavoor district in the 17th century, and his parents belonged to a village near Guntoor in Andhra PradEsh. He is believed an incarnation of JayadEva (author of Geeta GOvindam). He early became a scholar in Indian music and BharatanaaTyam. Once, while he was swimming across a stream he was about to be swept away by a current, but he prayed to God to save his life, offering to become a sanyaasi (hermit) with his prayers. He reached the bank safely and went home but did not tell his wife of the incident. However, his wife intuitively knew the vow he had taken and refused to go near him, so he confessed the truth and became a sanyaasi under the direction of Shivaraamananda Teertar, leaving home and visiting holy places. On his tour, he once developed a severe stomachache and prayed to Lord VenkaTEshwara for relief – the Lord told him to follow the first object he saw in the morning. In the morning, he first saw a boar, which led him to Varaahur and disappeared. NaaraayaNa Teertar settled down there and from then on served religion and music. His Krishna Leelaa Taarangini is used as a dance-drama, and his other songs bring out various emotions using a variety of raagams. He is famous for his use of jatis and his bhajan songs. It is said that he died in Tiruppoonturuti 3 years after the first perfomance of Krishna Leelaa Taarangini in Varaahur.
Mudras: Vara NaaraayaNa Teerta, Shiva NaaraayaNa Teerta, Yati NaaraayaNa Teerta, etc.
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