Why a poem?

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ಕವಿಯಲ್ಲ, ವಿಜ್ಞಾನಿಯಲ್ಲ, ಬರಿ ತಾರಾಡಿ
ಅವನರವಿಗೆಟುಕುವವೊಲೊಂದಾತ್ಮ ನಯವ
ಹವಣಿಸಿದನಿದನು ಪಾಮರಜನದ ಮಾತಿನಲಿ
ಕವನ ನೆನಪಿಗೆ ಸುಲಭ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ

Why the verses form over the prose form? Simple logic: poems, and words written in common man's language, are easier to remember! Despite DVG's sincere intent, the current degeneration of knowledge of Kannada in Kannadigas makes it hard for most of us to understand the true essence of the kaggas. So, its no surprise to find 100s of Kannada translations for Kagga available in the market. But DVG, as said before, chooses each word carefully and it could not have been any more concise than this.

In this verse too, DVG extends his humble nature by claiming that he is neither a poet (we know that he was one of the best), nor a scientist (we will see his scientific thought process in his anologies, he is nothing less than a social/psychological scientist/philosopher). He says that he writes from what his intellect can reach, but as we read through the kaggas we will see how far reaching his insights are. If it was his mere speculation then they could have been tainted by limitations, but its not just the speculations or silent contemplations that is in use, but a beautiful, dutiful marriage of a well lived personal experiences and Vedic wisdom.

From here on, DVG gets inquisitive and asks numerous questions that all the great saint and thinkers seem to have asked before. An advertisement during our primary school days would capture his style: "the greatest of this man is his simplicity". The questions raised are simple, precise, in-depth, and most importantly sincere because he is not asking anybody else but the self. I would think that he places himself in the stance of Arjuna, and his experience + vedic wisdom in the place of Krishna. So, if there is anything like ಆತ್ಮಸಾಕ್ಷಾತ್ಕಾರ (self-realization), it could be this.

Shri KrishNaarpaNam!