Bhakta Ramadas& His Bhakti/Music legacy: Part 2

[Guest guest]

The Bhagavad anubhavam of Bhadrachala Ramadas

poured forth from his heart and lips in the form of many krithis and

Divyanamas. They are mostly in Telugu with the exception

of two in Sanskrit. The simple language used for these

Bhakti-laden songs captured the minds of paamaraas and

Pandithaas .

 

Professor P.Sambhamoorthy, the great musicologst has

classified Ramadas krithis into three categories:

 

1.Those composed before his incarceration

2.Those composed during his incarceration

3.Songs composed after his release

 

He can be outspoken in his conversations with Rama

like Thirumangai in his Madals .Saint Thyagaraja adopted

this style in his anubhavam of Sri Rama. The song "Ishvaku

Kula Tilaka" referred to by Rajiv is an example of such a mood.

Another example of this type of plain talk is provided in his

Kambhoji krithi ,"Adarana Leni ":

 

Ennaga Sabari Yengili Bhakshanamu

Chesinathi Vyabichari Nivu

Ninnu Nammagarraadu ! Ninnu Daiva

Manaraadu ! Nijamu na mata Devuda ".

 

At other times, he will beg tenderly for Rama to appear

before him(Ramararaa Sita --Anandhabhairavi) ,

Oh Rama Ni Nama Memi Ruchira --Purvikalyani). He will

say in one Krithi , "Takkuvemi Manaku (Surykaantam Ragam )"

and explain: "What do we need, When Rama is at our side? "

in a mood of Maha Viswasam, an anga of Saranagathi.

 

Elsewhere, he will appeal to Sita Devi to come to his rescue

and speak to Her Lord as an expression of Her Purushakaaram.

Two such songs are Ramachandrulu Naapai(Asaaveri) and

Nanu Brovamani Cheppaveh (Kalyani). Sri Balamurali"s soulful

rendering of these two Krithis in a 1977 recording are moving.

He begs Sita Devi this way: " O Mother, My mother! When You are alone

with your Lord and my Father after the day"s events, Please

speak to him on my behalf and create a compassionate mood in Him.

Please Remind Him of my sufferings and and ask Him to cast

His merciful glances at me. Thru another Krithi , he will experience

Karpanyam (another anga of Saranagathi) and will say "I do not know

in which way you are going to come to my rescue. O Paramatma!

How can I succeed in swimming in these Samsaric Ocean without

your help? (Ea Theeruga Nanu Daya Choochedavo -Mayamalava Gowlam ).

Using Madhyamavati ragam, he will cry his heart out for the protection

by Rama (Pahi rama Prabho )>.

 

Examples of some other Krithis reflecting his moods of Bhakthi

(Sanchaari Bhaavas) are:

 

1.Nirveda and Dainyokthi(Despondency and Plaintive pleading):

In Paluke Bangaramayena(Anandhabhairavi), He asks the Lord:

" O Rama! Why wont you speak to me? I wont forget the chanting

of your Taraka Nama even in my sleep". He is said to have received the

Taraka Nama Upadesam from Bhaktha Kabir Das ,

another great Rama Bhaktha in his dream .Kabir Das preceded

Ramadas by two hundred Years. After receiving his Upadesam ,

Ramadas sung his Danyaasi Krithi " Taraka Mantramu " , where he

proudly announced that He has been blessed and that he has

found his salvation. He made his first trip to Bhadrachalam by

boat and at one bend of the river caught his first glimpse of the

Lord"s temple on the Badra Hill and sang with ecstacy "Idhigo

Bhadradri " in Varali Ragam. At this temple, Sri Rama has Sita

seated on his left thigh and carries chakram in the left hand and

sankham on his right hand. Lakshmana stands by in vigil

to serve His brother. Ramadas landed from the boat and

offered his profound salutations to Sri Rama and sang in

Suryakantam " Takkuvemi Manaku". Like Swami Desikan , he

expressed here his Vairagyam and said " What else do I need ,

when Ramachandra is at our side?" He sang Pallandu

to the Lord like Periyaazhwaar in his Kurunji raga krithi,

"Ramachandrayya " and hailed " O Rama living in the heart

of your devotee Ramadas, May ALL auspiciousness befall You."

 

The Bhagavad Anubhavam and the Bhakti Prakaaras (Forms

of Devotion ) of this great Rama Bhaktha set an example to

other great Rama Bhakthas like Saint Thyagaraja.

 

Sri Hanumat Lakshmana Sametha Sitarama

Parabrahmaneh Nama:

 

Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan

Panguni Krishna Paksha Visakam.

Sankatahara Chathurthi Dinam.