A Musical tribute to Sri RamachandrA

[Guest guest]

Dear BhakthAs :

 

Today is Sri Rama Navami. As the great poet Kamban

described ,

 

"vEy Punarpoosamum viNNuLOrkaLum

thooya kaRkatakamum yezhunthu thuLLavE

 

oru pahal ulaku yelAm udaratthuLL pothinthu

aru maRaikku uNarvu arum avanai anji

karu mukiR kozhundhu yezhil kaattum sOthiyai

thiRa uEap PAYANTHANAL thiRam koLL KOSALAI

 

(meaning ): In AyodhyA , the Punarvasu nakshthram

kown otherwise as vEy and the KaDaka Lagnam eulogized

by the DevAs for its sanctity jumped with joy over

the thought of the SoubhAgyam that was going to

come their way .

 

Then Queen KousalyA of auspicious attributes gave birth

to SarvEsvaran ( who held all the universe inside His stomach,

who is not fully understood even by the great VedAs , who had

the anjana mEni with the effulgence of the dark blue

rainy cloud) so that the inhabitants of this world

can gain all the wealth in this world and the other .

 

Next Bharathan was born as the son of Queen Kaikeyi

during Meena lagnam and Poosa Nakshathram . Queen Sumithrai

gave birth to Lakshmanan as the first of the twins soon after ;

at that time , Ayila Nakshathram and KaDaka lagnam were

in unison .After LakshmaNan's birth , Queen Sumithrai

gave birth to another male child known as Satrugnan

at the point in time , when Maga Nakshathram and

Simha Raasi were united .Rest is history that has been

sung by Adhi Kavi Valmiki Maharishi and his kali yuga

avathAram , Saint ThyagaraajA .

 

We will continue with the story of RaamAyaNA

celebrated by Saint ThyagarAjA and the most madhura

naamAs , which the Saint used to salute Sri Raamaa

as he went around the streets of ThiruvayyARu

during his unchivritthi and the krithis that he placed

at the feet of the Lord as NaamArchanams .

 

We will highlight the Hari KaambhOji janya Raaga

krithis breifly and include in this posting the

selected fragrant names that the Saint chose to

perform nithyAradhanam to Sri SithA LakshmaNa

Bharatha Satrugna Hanumath SamEtha Sri Raamachandran .

 

THE REMAINING HARI KAAMBHOJI JANYA RAAGA KRITHIS

*************************************************

08.Kedaaragoulaa ( karuNA jaladhi Daasarathi

kalyANa suguNa nidhi )

 

In this krithi , the Saint addresses the Lord

as the Ocean of Compassion and sharply questions the Lord

for being indifferent to him .Our sadhguru asks

in despair : " ParAthpara ! Taaraka nAma !

You will not lose Your patrimony , if you decide to

show Your DayA to me .My mind is getting agitated

over Your indiffernce .I can not bear it .Please

show mercy ".

 

09.KarnAtaka BehAg (nEnandhu vEdakudurA Sri Hari)

 

This krithi is in a mood of naicyaanusandhAnam.

He asks the Lord : " Sri Hari ! Where can I search for You

now that You have hidden Yourself from me ? I have been

a sinner and have been performing wicked deeds

and have pretended to be a great BhakthA . I am

suffering now . Where can I find You ?".

 

10.Kokhiladhvani ( koniyAte naayeta Daya velagu)

 

This krithi is in the mood of anger and rightful

indignation.Our sadhguru asks the Lord to explain

why He is bargaining with him as if he has not been

totally devoted to eulogising the Lord and singing

about Him ceaselessly . He reminds the Lord that

it is not just , since the Lord is aware that ThyagarAjA

has not sought any religion or paths other than

Him and Him ( Sri Raaman ) alone .

 

11.PrathApa VarALi ( VinanAsakoni)

 

This krithi records our Sadhguru's longing to

be near the Lord and hear the madhura sambhAshaNai

between the Lord and SitA pirAtti .The bard says:

Oh Lord ! When You and Your dear consort were

playing indoor games such as chathurangam ,

both of You were engaged in sweet conversations

with mutual understanding of each other's

mind as Yeka sEshi dampathis. AnjanEyA and BharathA

were fortunate to hear that conversation .

I would also like to feast my ears with that

loving conversation . Please bless me also

to hear it .

 

12.ChenchukAmbhOji( VararAga layaj~nulu )

 

Here the bard and BhakthA confides to the Lord

that self-satisfied people brag and deceive

the world by pretending that they are experts

in RaagA , layam , SvarasthAnams and subtle

mUrchanAs without knowing that Naadham , which emanates

from the body is the divine form of the most

sacred PraNavam .

 

13.ChAyAtarangiNi ( Ithara dhaivamuluvalla ilanu

soukhyamA Raama )

 

This is another Krithi expressing the ananya Bhakthi

of the Saint of ThiruvaiyyARu. He explains his position

to Sri RaamA : " Is it possible to gain happiness

through the worship of Gods other than You ? Without

rancor towards other faiths , my mind is firmly anchored

in You wiht indescribable love . Whether You choose to

protect me or abandon me, I have placed my entire trust in You .

Please treat me as Yours . This is the appropriate moment .

 

14.Navaraskannada ( ninnu vinA maa ma dhenthu nilvathE Hari Hari)

 

This krithi reminds us of Thirumangai Mannan's

ThirupullANi paasuram : " yellOrum yenn tannai yEsilum

pEsidinum , PullANi EmperumAn poy kEttirunthEnE ".

In that spirit , the Vaalmiki avatharar says:

" Sri Hari ! My mind refuses to dwell on anything

other than You . My eyes are fully bewitched by Your

soundharyam ; my ears are ringing with Your kathAmrutham ;

my tongue and mouth feel blessed only by reciting Your

Taaraka nAmam ;Wherever I see, I see only Your beautiful

form ; to me , even Your harsh , distasteful and deceitful

words have become relishable .Verily , Thou art

the phalan of all of my tapas ,DhyAnam and AarAdhanam .

 

15.NAARAYANI ( RaamA neevE ghAni)

 

In the mood of DhainyOkthi , Sadhguru swaamigaL

begs the Lord to cheer him up with the assurances

of protection . Who else is there to protect me?

Bhaktha BhAgadhEya ! Naaga Sayana! Muni Yaaga Paalana !

SaakEthapura VihAra ! ThAtha vachana Paala ! Sundara-

vadhana ! Paavana! Oh Keeper of Your father's promise!

Please bless me . There is no one else to protect me !

 

16.NAARAYANAgoulaa (kathalE vaadu Raamudu )

 

Here, the bard is in the rapturous state of

arising from the reflection on the limitless

mahimai of the Lord .He salutes the Lord as

Adhi madhyAntha rahithan , Jagath KaaraNan ,

Sarva VyApi and the adhi bheejam of the chethanams

and achEthanams . He has an answer to the MaayA vaadhins

here with the statement that the creation of

the Lord is not some thing to be dismissed as

Maayaa and this world and its entities arose

from the sankalpam of the Lord and are very real .

 

17.Naatta Kurinji ( Kuvalaya DaLa NayanA )

 

In this long krithis with eight charaNams

set in the mood of amarsha rOsha rOshOkthi ,

the saint protests to the Lord about His

indifference : " I have been deeply in

love with You. You wont cast Your glance my way !

What kind of behavior is that ? Have You forgotten me

or is it that You are a God devoid of glory

as a Bhaktha Rakshakan ?I have been singing

constantly that You are the supreme among

Gods . I have totally renounced the temptations

of the world . If You do not have daya for me ,

wont You earn a bad name that You are not a SaraNAgatha

rakshakan ? Give me wisdom and stand by me and accept

my worship .

 

18.Bangalaa ( SaakshilE tanuthsu SaadhimpakE )

 

This is another krithi protesting the Lord's neglect.

Here the sage of ThiruvaiyAARu takes the Lord to task:

" Oh my dear One ! They say that You declared that You

will protect without fail all those , who sought

refuge in You . Please do not try to say that there

was no human witness to the above statement of Yours

referring to Your SaraNAgatha RakshaNa vratham .If You

do so ,the people of the world will laugh at You .

Saakshi lEdhanuchu saadhimpakE , Sathyasantha Sadhbhaktha

paalaka ! " Only the great BhakthAs can get away with

the Lord thru such protestations questioning His veracity.

 

19.YadhukulakAmbhOji( daya sevayyaa sadhaya RaamachandrA )

 

SitA Svayamvaram and the Lord claiming Her hand

by winning the contest of chording the Siva Dhanus is

the subject of this krithi in a mood of Tanmayathvam.

The saint visulaizes himself as the Naayaki of the Lord

and asks the Lord : " Assure me my Lord , Your grace

and a small portion of joy , SitA Devi had , when You

arrived at the svayamvara mantapam and chased away

Her worries by bending and breaking the mighty bow of

Sivaa . Vouchsafe to ThyagarAja Naayaki the protection

that You gave to SitA DEvi by tying the Maangalya sUthram

around her neck after winning Her hand in the contest ".

 

20.RavichandrikA (Niravdhi sukhadha nirmala roopa )

 

This whole krithi seeking the rakshaNam of the Lord

is full of moving naamArchanai. " Niravathi sukhadha

( One who confers limitless bliss! ),niramla rUpa! ,

maragatha MaNi nipa dEha !( One who has the tejas

like an eamerald gem ), Sri MaNi lOla ,

Sritha jana Paala ! bheema ParAkrama!

ThyagarAja Vinutha ! maamava ".Simple padhams

and elegant mood of Bhakthi are housed here .

 

21.Raagapanjaram ( VaradhA navanIthAsA paahi)

 

This krithi in the UpAnga Raagam of Raaga Panjaram

is another example of lilting chandhams . This is addressed

to the boon-granting ,navanItha priyan, KrishNan .

His invocation to the varadhan to appear before him (yEhi)

is filled with Bhakthi .DhAnava Madha naasA yEhi

(Oh Lord who quells the pride of asurAs ! please

come before me ! ). Oh Lord with the majestic gait

of an elephant in rut ! please appear before me ! Suma

Saradha ! Aasaa rahitha ! Kara dhAsana! yEhi ! Paahi !

What a splendidly phrased invitation !

 

22.SahAnA ( dEhi tava padha bhakthim VaidEhi pathitha paavani)

 

This is a prayer to SitA pirAtti to bless him

with parama bhakthi for Her blessed feet .

Oh Divine Consort of RaamA ! The entire universe is

Your form .You are the cause of my good fortune.

You protect those who seek refuge in You .

Oh Devi ! You have permanent residence in

the heart lotus of ThyagarAjA !

 

23.Sarasvathi ManOhari ( yenthavEdukOntu Raagava bhantha mElarA )

 

This is a krithi asserting the Saint's

MahA VisvAsam in the Lord as his protector.

" Chala nammithini , Saaravabhouma " are the words

of the Bhakthan . Believing with joy that

the greatest bliss consists of finding You in my heart lotus ,

I have reposed my total faith and trust in YOU .

Please do not tarry to come to me ! How long should I

pray to You to appear before me ?

 

24.SaamA (santhamu leka soukayamu lEthu)

 

The flute genius late T.R.Mahaalingam renderd

this beautiful krithi in 1987 in the most moving manner.

The saint advises us in this krithi : " Without tranquility ,

there is no happiness for anyone , whether he is a Vedantin ,

who has controlled his senses.Without quietitude , there is

no happiness for one even if he has a lovely family ,

huge estate , rich tapas , Veda-Saasthra paandithyam or

Bhagavatha reputation .

 

25.Suddha SaavEri ( KaalharaNamElarA HarE Sri SeethArAmA )

 

In this emotion-soaked krithi ,the Saint asks SitA Raaman

the reason for His delay in blessing him .He says:

" Oh Lord known as the embodiment of ThyAgam ! Who else

is there to save me ? I have wandered day in and day out

and finding refuge nowhere , I have sought Your sacred

feet and performed Prapatthi . I have sought and held

Your holy feet from my very birth . KaalharaNamElarA ? HarE !

SithA RaamA ! Suguna jaala ! karuNAlavAla ! ".

 

26.SupOshiNi ( raminthsuvArevurA RaghUtthama ninu vinA )

 

This krithi is in celebration of the Naama

MahAthmyam of the Lord . Here the bard confesses :

Oh RaghUttamA ! Who else is there among

the beings of this Universe, who can transport one

to the height of bliss except You ? Even the rsplendent

DevAs do not comprehend the secret significance of

Your holy name , nor secure the Isvaryam of bliss

arising from the recitation of Your Taaraka Naamam .

 

27.Surati( GeethArthamu SangIthAnandhamu)

 

This krithi is in the form of a conversation

with his mind. The Saint states : Oh My foolish

mind ! Behold ! here in Raama NaamA , You have

the full significance of the Bhagavadh GitA ( VedAnthA )

and the nectarine bliss of Music .This secret is well

known to HanumAn, who constantly worships the holy feet of

SitApathi , the antharyAmi of SivA , Sun , Time et al ."

 

28.SvaravarALi ( PrArabhdhamitlunDukA )

 

This is a krithi dealing with the mood of NirvEdham .

ThyagarAja SwamigaL blames his past karmAs interfering

with the acquisition of the Lord's grace and states that

there is no point in blaming others . He continues : " Those

whom I help do me harm. When I show mercy to others , they level

unfounded charges aainst me. Fickle-minded people

who put on the garb of BhakthAs become my enemies ".

 

NirvEdham is essential before one can climb the ladder

of Bhakthi towards the goal of Prapatthi

and gaining the fruit of Moksham thereafter

by conducting the true life of a PrapannA .

Swami Desikan has set a whole chapter full

of Nirvedham in PaadhukhA Sahasram to emphasize

this cardinal point .

 

On this Sri Raam aNavami day , it is my parama

bhAgyam to place at the lotus feet of Janaki Vallabhan

these thoughts celebrating the glory of His Parama BhakthA,

Saint ThyagarAja SwamigaL.

 

Raama , Raama , Raama .

Daasan , VaradAchAri SadagOpan

Subhamasthu. Saanthrasthu .