Narayana Teertha was born in
South India in the region covered by the present-day
Andhra Pradesh. He lived in
Kaza, Guntur district near Mangalagiri. He belonged to Tallavarjula family. His birth name was Govinda Sastrulu. They eventually moved to
Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu. While there is significant dissention as to his exact time, historians place him between 1610 and 1745 AD. An extensive research done with the help of archives preserved in
Saraswati Mahal Library has helped place the time closer to 1650 AD – 1745 AD, and he reportedly lived a long life. He mastered music at a very early age and studied
Puranas,
Srimad Bhagavatam and other
Sanskrit works. He renounced family at a very early age and took on a life of a religious devotion. He went to Varanasi to spread his philosophy. Teertha was very well versed in Music and,
Natya Shastra, and a great scholar in
Sanskrit. He used at least 34 popular
ragas. He used Triputa, Adi, Rupaka, Chapu, Jampa, Matya, Vilamba, Eka and Ata . Many of the songs are structurally well set for direct use as nritya or natya padams. He carefully avoided complex usages and utilized easy expressions. His Gadyams and Padyams are exquisite in beauty. He used 17 different
Chandas or meters such as Anushtup, Arya, Indravajra, Bhujangaprayadam, Shardula vikriditam, Vasanta tilaka, Prithvi. He wrote 15 books and some of them are available in
Benares Hindu University and
Parijatapaharanam at Saraswathi Mahal in
Tanjore. He is also credited with composing two other operas,
Parijaa Apaharanam and
Haribhakti Sudharnavam. Narayana Teertha received divine blessings at
Varagur in Thanjavur District. His mukthi sthalam (place of eternity) is at Varagur. Although he lived in Varahur, Narayana Teertha attained Siddhi in 1745 at a nearby village called Thirupoonthuruthy under a huge mango tree, on the banks of
Kudamurutti River, on the Masi Sukla Ashtami, Guruvaram, Krithika Nakshatram day. It is said that he attained 'Jeeva Samadhi' (even while alive). A small shrine has been constructed on this hallowed spot, under the sprawling mango tree. ==Sri Krishna Leela Tarangini==