RaamAshta and other krithis of Dikshithar on Sri Ramachandra --Part 2

[Guest guest]

Navarathri Fifth day ( October 17 , 1996 )

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The compositions in the eight Vibakthis (cases )

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The significance of choosing different vibakthis

to salute the Lord can be understood by a study of

the slokam attributed to the grantha Karthaa of

Srimad NaarayaNeeyam , Sri NarayaNa Bhattadhiri of Kerala .

 

That composiiton of Sri NarayaNa Bhattadhiri,

constructed his the composition in the 8 vibakthis of Sanskrit ( Dative,

Possessive,

etc , which are deflections of a noun) . Let us refer to that verse

of Bhattadhiri , who included in one verse all the case terminations,

while addressing Lord Krishna :

 

KrishNO rakshathu maam charAchara guru :

KrishNam namasEh sadhA

KrishNEnaiva surakshitOhamasakruth

KrishNAya dhattam mana:

KrishNAdhEva samuthbhavO mama vibhO:

KrishNasya dAsOsmyaham

KrishNeh bhakthirasanchalAsthu Bhagavan

Hey KrishNa tubhyam Nama:

 

Sri Narayana Bhattadhiri salutes the Lord of GuruvAyur

in eight different ways :

 

May Lord KrishNa the Guru of the universe protect me!

I offer my salutations to KrishNa always.

I have been saved by KrishNA countless number of times .

My heart has been surrendered only to Him .

I am born out of Him (i-e) He is my father.

I stay as the servant of KrishNa .

May I be blessed with unwavering devotion to Him!

O Lord KrishNa ! My salutations are to You .

 

In this elegant and moving Prapatthi verse , Bhattadhiri

skillfully uses the 8 Vibakthis of Sanskrit one after

the other . There is a reason for using the individual

Vibakthis to address the Lord . Each is associated with

an aspect of Bhakthi that a devotee offers to the Lord as

revealed by the Narada Bhakthi Sutras and NarayaNa Bhattadhiri .

 

The moods of Bhaktha covered by the different Vibakthis are :

 

Nishkaamya Karmam( service without expectation of rewards ) ,

Daasyam ( servitude ) , Akinchanathvam

(state of Utter helplessness) , Bhagavad Gunaanubhavam,

Ishta Daivata Ananya Bhakthi ( Exclusive devotion to the chosen

form of deity ) , Dainyokthi ( Plaintive pleading ) ,

Maha Viswasam ( Utter trust in being saved by the Deity ),

Vandanam , Aathma Nivedanam (absolute Surrender ) ,

Vaatsalyam ( expression of Devotion/affection just as a child

has for its mother ) , Kanthaa sakthi ( Madhura Bhavam ) ,

Tanmaya Sakthi ( feeling of oneness with the Lord just as

ANdAL stated about her relationship to the Lord that can not

be cut asunder in all births ) and finally PallaNdu wishing

auspiciousness to the Lord in a state of deep caring .Although

the Lord does not need any protection , the Bhaktha prays that

no harm comes the Lord's way and sings for long life of the Lord

just as Periyaazhwaar in his pallandu did and Saint Thyagraja

sang through his Bhiravi Krithi , Raksha Bettare Dhoraku ,

Vakshasthalamuna velayu lakshmi Ramananuki Jaya

( Let us protect our Lord in whose chest shines Lakshmi ).

 

These are the moods or Sanchari Bhaavaas that we come across

in the Rammashtaka and other Krithis on Rama composed by

the Nadhopaasaka Sri Dikshitar in exquisite and chaste Sanskrit.

 

I will start with The Rama Kali raga krithi of Dikshithar first.

This ragam is a janyam of MAyA MaaLa GowlA in one tradition and

is considered a derivative of Kaasi RamakriyA ( KamaVardhini ).

Even the name of the ragam and its parentage is full of Symbolism

as hinted by Dikshitar's choice of this ragam for worshipping

Sri Rama in kali age and his prayer for the enhancement of his

desire ( kama ) for His lotus feet . The composition is a Kriyaa

towards attaing that vardhini aspect of Kama to the destroyer

of Kali dhoshams.

 

The Sahitya Vakhyams are as Follows :

 

PALLAVI OF THIS SAMASHTI KRITHI

 

RAAMA RAAMA KALI KALUSHAVIRAAMATARAABHRULLALAAMA

 

CHARANAM :

 

SRI MAHIJAA KAMA SUGUNA DHAAMA PARANDHAAMA

SHYAAMA MAAMAVA SIVA GURU GUHA SUDHRAAMA

VIBHUTA VINUTHA NAAMA

 

Dikshitar uses choice words to describe Sri Rama's

KalyANa guNaas here as they relate to Kali Yugam .

 

He says : O Ramaa who destroys effortlessly the amangaLams

that are natural to the age of Kali, when the cow of Dharma stands on

one leg only ! O Lord who is the first among all the kings ! O dear

consort of Sita Devi ! O the house/seat of all Kalyaana Gunaas !

O Lord with unsurpassed and ever increasing beauty (abhinava

Soundharyam ) ! O Supreme Being worshipped by Siva,

Guha , Indran and countless sages !

Please protect me !

 

Let us now understand the carefully selected words full of

meaning and alliteration in the different sections of the Saahityam .

 

" Rama , Kali Kalusha Viraama" portion of the krithi contains

the raga mudra . Kali Kalushas are the ills of Kali yugam.

He is the Viraaman or destroyer of those ills . Taara Bhruth refers to

His being the supreme king ( emperor / chakravarthi ) of the kings

of the earth .

 

Lalaama means sreshtan or Uttaman . He is the uttama adhikhaari

among the kings of this earth. Mahijaa denotes the daughter of Bhumi

Devi (i-e), Sita Devi . The salutations to Jaanaki RamaNan is " Sri Mahijaa

Kaama Suguna Dhaama ". Sudhraama is a title of Indraa . Dikshitar

celebrates the Naama Mahaatmyam of Sri Ramaa as that of

being hailed by the king of Devas, Indra and other Jnaanis .

 

Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan