Dikshithar"s Mahalakshmi Krithis--1

[Guest guest]

Dear Memebrs of the Bhakthi Group:

 

I will focus on the Desisimharavam Krithi

of Sri Dikshithar first.The Raga Desisimharavam

in the Dikshitar Sampradhaayam is known today

as Haimavathi . This is the 58th mela karthaa ragam.

 

Beisdes the Krithi on Mahalakshmi known as

" Hari Yuavatheem Haimavathim Aaraadhayaami satatam

Jananeem Sri ", Dikshithar has also composed two more krithis

in this Ragam:

 

1. Sri Kanthimathim Sankara Yuvathim Sri Guru Guha Jananim

Vandeham" on Thirunelveli AmbaaL, Sri Kanthimathi

2." Mathuraambhikaayaam Sadhaa Bhakthim Karomi "

on the Haalasya Nagara Nayaki.

 

The Krithi on Maha Lakshmi has Gaaandhaara Eduppu.

The one on Kanthimathi has Rishabha Eduppu and the

one on Mathurai Meenaakshi starts with the Panchama

svaram. There are Maantric significance for these choices,

which we will not go into here.

 

In the krithi "Hari Yuvatheem Haimavatheem " , the composer

celebrates Her as Naarasimhee , the consort of Bhagavan

Narasimhan. Therefore , he salutes her as " Nara Hari Hrudhya

Vaasini " in the Charana Vaakyam. As I indicated earlier this Krithi

is a samashti Krithi without Anupallavi.

 

He points out that Naarasimhee , the" Hari Yuvathi", is resplendent in

Her Nitya Yowanam or permanent Youthful beauty. The whole Krithi is

as follows:

 

Pallavi: Hari Yuvatheem Haimavatheem Aaraadhayaami Satatam

Akhila Loka Jananeem Sri (Hari Yuvatheem )

 

Charanam : Nara Hari Hrudhaya Vaasini Nama Rupa Prakaasini

Guru Guha Maanasa Ranjani Guninuta Niranjani

 

This maiden with everlasting Beauty is also revered by Lakshmi

Sahasra Naamam as" Baalaa Kumaree YUVATHI Karunaa

Bhaktha Vatsalaa ". It seems that Dikshitar adopted this

Naama from the Sahasra Naamam .

 

He placed the Raga Mudra in the Pallavi as Hari Yuvatheem

HAIMAVATHEEM ". Here he points out that She has the color of

Gold as celebrated by the Lakshmi Sahasra Naama passage:

" Visvambharaa HAIMAVATHI Samudrecchaa Vihaarini ".

 

In pallavi, he saluted Her " Akhila Loka Janani " tatvam in the

spirit of the Vedic text " Isvareem Sarva Bhoothaanam" Jananeem

Sarva Dehinaam " . Dikshitar acknowledged that he worships

Her always with the Sahityam words " Hari Yuvatheem Satatam

Aaraadhayaami. "

 

Dikshitar follows the cue of Lakshmi Sahasra Naamam again,

when He salutes Maha Lakshmi as " Nara Hari Hrudhaya Nivaasini ".

The Sahasra Naama passage corresponding to this Salutation is

" Vairochini NAARASIMHEE Jeemuthaa Subhadekshanaa ".

Swami Desikan salutes Naarasimhee , the consort of the

Adbhuta Kesari in Daya Satakam as follows:

 

DHAYEH VRUSHAGIREESITUR DHANUJA DIMPBHA DATTA STHANAA

SAROJA SADDHRUSAA DHRUSAA SAMUDHITAAKRUTHIRDHRUSYASEH

 

Here, Swami Desikan visualizes Maha Lakshmi standing as Dayaa Devi

in the eyes of Bhagavan Narasimhan and blessing Prahlaada with those

cool glances and feeding Her child with the milk of Jnanam and making

him happy.

 

The next of the salutation of Dikshitar is" Naama Rupa Prakaasini " .

He says that She is shining in a resplendent manner in the hearts

of Her devotees through the form of Her Naamas as they invoke Her

with these Naamaas. As the devotees invoke Her through the Lakshmi

Sahasra Nama paasage,

 

" PADMAANANEH PADMAKAREH SARVA LOKAIKA PUJITEH

SAANIDHYAM KURU MEH CHITTTEH VISHNU VAKSHASTHALA STHITEH ",

 

She enters the heart s of the devotees and shines there with Her splendor.

 

The last wo salutations of Dikshitar in the charanam are:

1.Guru Guha Maanasa Ranjani

2. Guni Jana Nuta Niranjani

 

Through Her Darsanam, She fills the heart of Her nephew ,

Guhan/Murugan , with indescribable Joy (Guru Guha Maanasa Ranjani).

 

Through the last salutation " Guni Jana Nuta Niranjani ", Dikshitar

acknowledges that She is of the Niranjana Svarupam that is worshipped

by Sadhu Janams. She is of blemishless nature and is worshipped by

people of pure minds. The pasage in Lakshmi Sahasra Naamam

elaborating Her Niranjana Svarupam is as follows:

 

MAHAA MAAYAA MAHAA NANDHAA BRAHMA NEETHIR NIRAASRAYAA

EKA SVARUPAA TRIVIDHAA SANKYAADHITAA NIRANJANAA

 

Thus Dikshitar chose Ragam Desi SIMHAARAVAM to remind one of the

garjanaa of Narasimha to celebrate Naarasimhi of the golden hue with

many excerpts from the Sahasra Naamam dedicated to Her.

 

In the next posting, I will cover the Dhanyasi Krithi " Mangala Devathayaa

Tvyaa Bhumaanithoham Sri " , which slautes Vara Lakshmi and will

describe the significance of Maaya Bhijam, which is the seed utterance

associated with Maha Lakshmi .

 

Our Thayaar Thiruvadigaleh Saranam

 

Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan