{{Short description|16th century Malayalam devotional poem}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}} {{Use Indian English|date=September 2019}} thumb|right|100px|Poonthanam Nambudiri
'''Jnanappana''' is a devotional poem written by the 16th century Malayalam poet Poonthanam. This poem written as a devotional prayer to Guruvayoorappan is considered as an important work in Malayalam literature.<ref>Medieval Indian Literature: An Anthology By K. Ayyappapanicker</ref> Written in simple Malayalam, the Jnanappana was Poonthanam's magnum opus and is an important work of Bhakti literature from Kerala and is revered for its poetic merit and intensity of devotion.<ref>{{cite news|title=Garland of ragas|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/article660942.ece|newspaper=The Hindu|date=11 December 2009}}</ref>
==About== Jnanappana can be considered as the Bhagavad Gita of Malayali Hindus. This is a ''darshanika kavyam'' or philosophical poem expressed in simple Malayalam for ordinary people. The Jnanappana is noted for its literary quality, the use of simple phrases, its philosophical strength and reflects Poonthanam's deep bhakti to Guruvayoorappan. Jnanappana consists of 360 lines of verse written in the ''pana'' metre of Malayalam poetry.<ref>{{cite news|title=Jnanappana's English translation released in Ernakulam|url=http://www.thehindu.com/arts/books/article3678080.ece?homepage=true|newspaper=The Hindu|date=24 July 2012}}</ref> The Jnanappana is noted for its use of opposing images through which Poonthanam draws out the cosmic acts of Krishna through the web of karma.<ref>{{cite news|title=For verse or for worse|url=http://www.thehindu.com/arts/books/article28865.ece|newspaper=The Hindu|date=4 October 2009}}</ref>
In the Jnanappana, Poonthanam Namboothiri, an ardent devotee of Shri Guruvayurappan, transforms his unbearable sorrow from his infant son's death into a ''yogavishesham''. He used this sad experience to build his Bhakti soudham or house of devotion and opens it for all devotees for all time. The line "''unnikrishnan manasil kalikumbol, unnikal mattu venamo makkalai''" (When the baby Krishna plays in one's mind, does one need one's own children?) expresses the poet's grief at the death of his child and his deep devotion to Guruvayurappan even in that grief-stricken state. Even though the language is very simple, Jnanappana, or song of wisdom deals within it with the essence of the Srimad Bhagavatam, Bhagavad Gita, Bhajagovindam, Viveka Chudamani and Narayaneeyam.<ref name="thehindu">{{cite news|title=To lovers of Krishna, in Tamil|url=http://www.thehindu.com/arts/books/article3657486.ece#|newspaper=The Hindu|date=20 July 2012}}</ref> According to legend, Poonthanam's humility and unflinching devotion prompted Guruvayoorappan to prefer the poem to Poonthanam's contemporary and literary rival Melpathur Narayana Bhattathiri's ‘Narayaneeyam’.
The devotional hymn ‘''Kandu Kandangirikkum Janangale''’ is from the Jnanappana.<ref name="thehindu" />
Jnanappana has been transcreated into English by poet cum writer Dr Gopi Kottoor, the book "Poonthanam's Hymns Gynapana - The Fountain Of God" is published by Writer's workshop Calcutta.<ref>{{cite web|title= Transcreating Poonthanam | date=August 2002|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/lf/2002/08/27/stories/2002082701850200.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140306093949/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/lf/2002/08/27/stories/2002082701850200.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2014-03-06 |newspaper= The Hindu |access-date= 2007-08-25}}</ref>
==See also== *Narayaniyam
==Notes== <references/>
==External links== * [http://malayalamsongslyrics.com/lyrics_new/lyrics.php?id=961 Njanappana - Full Lyrics] * [http://luthar.com/njanappaana-1/ Njanappana - Translation and Commentary - Part 1], [http://luthar.com/njanappaana-2/ 2], [http://luthar.com/njanappaana-3/ 3], [http://luthar.com/njanappaana-4th/ 4], [https://web.archive.org/web/20091202233126/http://luthar.com/njanappaana-5/ 5], [http://luthar.com/njanappaana-6/ 6], [https://luthar.com/2010/03/16/njanapaana-7/ 7] * [http://vivekitam.wordpress.com/2011/03/05/njanappana-and-its-importance/ Njanappana and its importance] * {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20100905042811/http://www.vaikhari.org/downloads.html Vaikhari Digital Archive - Works of Poonthanam including Complete Jnanappana in Malayalam PDF]}} * [http://devaragam.com/vbscript/MusicNew.aspx?MovieId=1656 Song] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080220125617/http://www.devaragam.com/vbscript/MusicNew.aspx?MovieId=1656 |date=20 February 2008 }}
{{Malayalam Literature |state=collapsed}}
Category:Indian poems Category:Poems in Malayalam Category:16th-century poems