Thimmappa Nayaka (Kanaka), the chieftain of a fort, wishes to marry a beautiful lass (Krishnakumari), much to the chagrin of his opponent, Uday Kumar. In a riveting battle scene, Kanaka is on the verge of losing when Lord Krishna appears and asks him to surrender himself to divine grace. A high-tempered man, Kanaka refuses and continues fighting. As fate would have it, he is mortally wounded and later healed by Sri Krishna. Surrendering himself to the divinity, Kanaka becomes a Dasa [servant] to the Lord. With his unflinching devotion and dedication, he gets the trust of a Guru. Inspired by his Guru to visit the historic Udupi Sri Krishna Temple, Kanaka goes there, only to be denied entry because of his caste. He is charged with defying law and is punished. Hearing his cries and a swan song, Lord Krishna's stone idol turns around, and the wall breaks down and offers Darshana to Kanaka. This leads to the formation of Kanakana Kindi. An awestruck society accepts him as a true Saint. He spends his life singing praises of the Lord and composing poems on Him, including Mohana Tharangini, Rama Dhyaana Charitre.
—Girish