Narahari Tīrtha

Biography

A direct disciple in the Madhwa lineage, Narahari Tīrtha is traditionally credited with composing the earliest surviving Kannada devaranāma, "Hariye Idu Sariye." The original composition is no longer extant, but the tradition marks him as a pioneer who opened the door for Kannada as a vehicle of Hari bhakti — a path later saints would walk with extraordinary literary richness.