Form and substance, The importance of Hrudhaya Bhaavam

[Guest guest]

Dear BhakthAs : Sri Mani Varadarajan touched

upon an important point , when he described about

the DhaNdavath PraNAmam before reverd elders and

the Lord . He referred to the Bhaaavam behind such

prostrations that is essential .

 

Saint ThyagarAjA , an excellent student of the foibles

of the Human beings has referred to the importance

of the feeling behind observances instead of the ritualistic

performances in number of his krithis . During his own

upachArams to the Lord in his daily aarAdhanam ,

his conversation with Sri RamachnadrA was filled

with the delectable language of his heart filled

with prEma (parama) Bhakthi. I will refer to these

two items in this posting .First section is about

the varattu (formalastic without substance )observance .

 

Krithi Nadachi nadachi in Raagam Karahara PriyA

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Here the Saint asks: " If bathing often (in puNya theerthams),

fasting , closing one's eyes (during the japam ) etc.,

constitute all that is to be done , surely, there are

others, birds and animals , who will get first place

in heaven.

 

In support of these ideas , he elaborates in another krithi:

Balamu Kulamu in Raagam SaavEri

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"Crows and fish dive , does it become the regular

morning abolution ? Cranes close their eyes (while waiting

for their prey ).Does that become divie dhyAnam ?

Goats eat only leaves. Is that UpavAsA ?Birds soar

high, but do they compare with the Sun or the Moon

in their trajectories? Monkeys rsiding in the forests

do not become VaanaprasthAs and unclad children can not

be deemed as avadhUtha sanyAsis".

 

Darsanamu sEya naa taramA( NaarAyana GouLai Krithi)

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In a rare raagam , which has become obsolete today

due to the ascendance of KedAra GouLai , Saint ThyagarAjA

contrasts precisely the differnece between the real darsanam

of the Lord in the temple and going to a temple for the purpose

of His darsanam .

 

He says :" going to a temple ,gazing there at the gopurams ,

the sculptured pillars ,focusing on the dance of youthful

courtesans (in his time , the deva daasi system was prevalent ) ,

enjoying the rows of light , the wondeful vahanams on which

the Lord rides around the Raaja Veedhis , and looking at

the ladies who come to participate in the temple festivals

and in between talking loudly about some scandal or other

that is one thing ! Refraining from such activities and

enjoying the soundharyam of the Lord and reflecting on

Him with Bhakthi and seeking His protection is another thing ! "

 

Here Saint ThyagarAja is echoing the thoughts expressed

by KulasEkarA in one of his Mulundha Maalai slOkams:

 

" The Lord is all glorious , without the constant thought

of whose lotus feet , all recital of the scriptures (Vedams)

becomes a cryin the wilderness ; the observance of austerities

only exercises for slimming ; making gifts (dhAnams) etc., is

like oblation (havis) thrown on ashes; the bathing in holy

waters is like the proverbial elephant's bath ".

 

Following the bhakthi maargam and using his discriminating

intellect, Saint ThyagarAja concluded in his suddha BangaaaLA

raaga Krithi:

 

Raamabhakthi SaamrAjyamE, mAnavula kabbenO manasA

( Raama Bhakthi is the greatest kingdom one can

wish for and it is the Supreme BrahmAnandham

to attain. No words can explain this ; it has

to be known only by experience ).

 

Bhagavadh anubhavam of the Saint in his daily upachArams

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>From the first upachAram in the morning (viz).,

SuprabhAtham to the last upachAram for the day

(viz)., sayanOthsavam , his conversations with

the Lord were deeply mingled with his prEma

BhAshA . Some examples are:

 

mElukOvayyaa mamElukO RaamA ,

mElain aSitAsamEtha naabhAgyamA :(BhouLi Raagam )

 

Oh SitA RaamA ! Pray wake up to protect the universe !

It is already day break ! Please wakeup to partake of butter

and milk at the right temperature that I am holding in

my hand for You .

 

with longing to have the darsanam of the Lord , the saint

wakes the Lord tenderly .

 

UpachAramulanu chkOnavayya , UragarAja sayanan!(Bharavi Raagam ):

 

Oh SeshasAyee ! Pray , graciously accept my worship

and the shOdasOpuchArams !

 

Laali laaliyani uchEdharA VanamAli --( HarikAmbhOji)

 

Oh vanamAli ! gazing at Your dhivya soundharyam

with great affection , adiyEn rocks You in the swing

(Oonjal) addresing You as the Lord of Lords !

 

PhUlu paanpumIdha bhAga poorNa pavvaLimchu

Neelaghana shyAma harE Nirupama Raamayyaa mallE(Aahiri)

 

Oh perfect Lord! Pray, rest well on this bed of

Jasmine flowers that adiyEn has prepared for You

after partaking honey, sugared milk and ThAmbhUlam !

 

These are the krithis with bhakthi language of

the heart that we have to reflect upon , while

differnetiating between form and substance

in our saadhanAs .

 

Oppiliappan Koil V.Sadagopan