Bhakthi of Saint ThyagarAjA to Lord KrishNA: NoukA charithram, the Power of SaraNAgathi (Unconditional Surrender )to the Lord.

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Dear BhakthAs: Saint ThyagarAja SwamigaL's intense

Bhakthi is well known and has been etched in many of

His Krithis. He was also a great student of PottaNNA Bhagavatham

and read from it every day. He composed two Operas (Geya Naatakams)

based on that BhAgavatham and took some poetic liberties

in the construction of the story .One of them is NoukA

charithram, which deals with the grava Bhangam of the Gopis ,

who thought Baala KrishNan was under their spell .KrishNan

teaches them a lesson and then blesses them in this fictional

story .The second one is PrahlAdha Bhakthi Vijayam.

Here is a write up about "NoukA Charithram " of

Saint ThyagarAjA .

 

V.Sadagopan

 

Introduction

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In the Carnatic Music tradition , Geya Natakams

(Musical dramas)have played an important role to grow

the devotion of the people . Great composers with

extraordinary gifts of (1) knowledge of the Puranams

and Vedanthic lore (2) scholarship in musical and

literary areas (3) skills in constructing Saahithyam

(4)gift of imagination to create insightful dialogs and

(5)natural talent to set the Saahithyams in appropriate

Ragas befitting the mood and feeling states (rasas)of

the different sections of the musical dramas have

blessed us with their outstanding works.

 

What is indeed a Geya Naatakam?

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There are two kinds of dramas(naatakams ) in the Carnatic

Music tradition ceelbrating Bhakthi: (1)Nritthya Naatakam and

(2)Geya Naatakam.

 

Both have different blends of poetry, music , dance and

Symbolism . Nritthya naatakam (dance drama) is the one ,

where the emphasis is on dance or nrittyam . Abhinayam and

foot work play equally important roles in Nritthya naatakam.

In Geya naatakam however , the dance part is incidental

and abhinayam as well as music parts have the dominant roles.

The nava rasaas permeate the geya naatakams .The exalted nature

of the music and bhakthi anubhavam permits the listeners

to enjoy the geya naatakams even if they do not have

the familiarity of the languages in which they are

written such as Sanskrit ( Krishna Leela Tarangini of

Naarayana Theerthar ), Telegu ( Prahladha Bhakthi Vijayam and

Nouka Charithram of Saint Thyagaraja) and Tamil (Nandanaar

charithram of Gopala Krishna Bharathi).Geya Naatakams are

set in a higher plane than the Yaksha ghaanam , which is

also a form of musical drama associated with Melattur school

of Bhaagaavtha Melams.

 

The Geya naatakams have a mixture of songs ; some are set in

krithi style and others in simpler melodic form ( viruttham

format). The raaagas used are mostly rakthi raagas except

occasional ghana raagas . Usually , the opening and the closing

raagam is the same ( Surutti raagam in Nouka charithram).

Poetry and prose passages (padhyams) are intermingled

in geya naatakams. Lofty themes from Puranams , Ithihaasams

(Raamaayanam and Maha Bharatham )and Bhagavath Githai are

interwoven to provide uplifting moral lessons .

 

The Raagas used in the Geya Naatakams

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We will illustrate the choice of raagas used by

Saint Thyagaraaja ( Nouka charithram ) here and cover

Prahlaadha Bhakthi Vijayam and Saint Sri Krishna Leela

Tarangini in subsequent articles.

 

Raagas used in Nouka charithram

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In Nouka charithram, Saint Thyagaraja used 13 raagams

for the 21 songs . Sourashtram and Punnagavarali are used

for 4 songs each , Ghanta and Surutti are used twice .

The remaining 9 raagams are used for one song each:

Pantuvarali, Yadhukula Khaambhoji , Saranga, Bhairavi ,

Saveri , Karnataka Kaapi , Devaghaandhaari , Varali and

Mohanam. These raagas depict important rasaas like

Sringaram , Veeram , Adhbhutham , Bhaayanakam( fear) ,

Haasyam and Bheebhatsam ( disgust).

 

Comments on selected raagams used

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(1)Punnagavarali : it is a janya raagam of Hanuma Thodi and is

known for karuna rasam .It is an ancient raagam used

in Odam paattus ( Teppa Uthsavams/float festivals of the deities ).

It is an alpa raagam , which does not permit elaborate

aalaapanais. The sancharam is from manthra kaakali

nishadham to madhya kaisiki nishadham.Four songs are

set in this raagam since Nouka charithram deals with

the daya (mercy ) aspects of Lord Krishna and his

compassion (Karunai) for those who seek His refuge.

 

(2)Souraashtram is a janya raagam of the 17th mela raagam ,

Soorya Kaantham and has been used to house four songs . This is

an ancient mangala raagam that can be sung at all times.

The Souraashtra krithi of Nouka charithram , "nee naama

roopa mulaku " is used at the end of concerts.

 

(3)Surutti is a janya raagam of the 28th mela kartha ,

Hari Khaambhoji and is yet another managala raagam

used twice in Nouka charithram by Thyagaraja Swamigal.

This raagam is known to generate Bhakthi and Sringaara

rasams .It is also a raagam that will not lend itself

to long aalapanais and can be sung at all times.

 

(4)Devaghaandari raagam is the janya raagam of the 29th mela

raagam , Dheera Sankaraabharanam . It is known for the VaLi

gamakam .Kampitha Rishabham and kampitha dhaivatham

are the sign marks of this raagam .It is known for generating

Veera and adhbhutha rasams ( valour and wonderment).

Saint Thyagaraja peformed aalapanai for this raagam for

eight days in a row to reveal its many facets , while he

was stayeing with his sishyan, Veenai Kuppaier at Madras.

 

(5)VaraLi is the 39th mela raagam and is also one of the Ghana

pancha raagams.It is another karuna rasa pradhaana raagam

which can be developed elaborately.The krithi "Inthukemi"

of Nouka charithram is set in Varali raagam .

 

The rest of the raagams-- pantuvarali , Yadhukula Khaambhoji ,

Saranga , Bhairavi , Saveri ,Karanataka kaapi , Ghanta and

Mohanam --are used by Thyagabrahmam to etch poems soaked in

one or other of the nava rasams to heighten our enjoyment

of this geya naatakam .

 

The story of Nouka Charithram

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This Geya naatakam deals with the humbling of the pride of Gopis

by Krishna during a boat excursion with them on the river Yamuna.

Gopis were very proud about their beauty and charm and concluded

that Krishna was fully under their charm . They were giddy

with pride and rowed themselves in the middle of the river ,

and sang there: "Evaru manaku samana?" ( Who is there equal

to us in the world today?). During the spell of their

pride , they began to slight the Lord and forgot His

divine nature .This song expressing their soundharya gharvam

is set in the powerful Devaghaandhaari raagam portraying

veera rasam and pride about their prowess to bring even

Krishna(Bhagavaan) under their sway.

 

The amused Lord using His powers of maaya created a powerful

storm with deafening thunder and blinding lightning in the middle

of their boat ride on the river Yamuna . Krishna reminded them of

their utter helplessness and the pride of Gopis disappeared.

They were frightened and wanted to get to the shore safely .

They appealed to the Lord of the universe to rescue them from

imminent disaster of drowning .Their appeals are housed in

Ghanta raagam and invokes the mood of sOkam that they were

experiencing about their folly caused by their haughtiness.

After few more tests about the humility of the Gopis , Krishna

makes them understand the importance of total (unconditional)

surrender to Him . The Gopis prayed with utmost devotion to Him

and appealed to Him again as their one and only rescuer.

Krishna then stopped the rain storm and peace prevailed.

The boat was found at the bank of the river, wherefrom they

started.The relieved gopis were now joyous and celebrated

His dayaa and kaarunyam and His vow to protect those ,

who seek the refuge of His lotus feet.They sprinkled

fragrant rose water on Him , decorated Him with kasthuri

tilakam ,dressed Him in peethaambharam , showered multicolored ,

fragrant flowers and performed mangala haarathi for Him in

a mood of gratefulness for the extraordinary bhaagyam of

His divine companionship and blessings. A mangalam sung by

them in surutti ragam concludes this magnificent geya naatakam.

Sri Balamurali Krishna has sung the entire nouka charithram

in a mellifluent manner and this recording is a delight to

listen to.

 

Mangala krithi : "Maakula munakihapara mosaki neeku Mangalam"

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In the pallavi of this krithi ,the joyous and thankful Gopis

say: " Auspiciousness to You Oh Lord ,who gave to us and our

kulam matchless riches in this and the other world (iha-para

sukham ). Subha mangalam to you! Jaya mangalam to you !"

Oh Lord with the majestic gait of an elephant in rut !

Oh ParamaathmA embodying limitless auspicious attributes !

Oh Lord who resides in our heart lotuses ! Oh Saranagatha

Vathsala Swamy , who responded to our prayers and rescued us!

Mangalam to You ! Subha Mangalam to You! Jaya managalam to You!"

 

V.Sadagopan