savior feet

[Guest guest]

Dear sri vaishNava perunthagaiyeer,

 

Many bhakthaas have given verses glorifying the holy feet of God.

Recently we also had a new meaning for the `adi' – feet linked

proverb – `adi udhavgiraarpOl aNNan thambi kooda udhava maattaargaL'.

Again here in this post, we are going to see a krithi, which

glorifies the feet of the lord. This time, it is a telugu krithi.

 

raagam: amrutha vaahini thaaLam: aadhi

composer: thyaagaraaja language: Telugu

pallavi:

sree raama paadhamaa nee krupa

jaalunE chiththaaniki raavE [sree raama paadhamaa]

 

meaning: hey, feet of sri raamaa, your sympathies [or mercy] on me is

enough, please come into [or enter into] my mind.

 

anupallavi:

vaarija bhava sanaka sanandhana

vaasavaadhi naaradhaadhulella poojinche [sree raama paadhamaa]

 

meaning: the lotus flower born brahma, his sons sanaka and

sanandhana, the dhEvendhran, the other son naaradha et al worship

you, hey, feet of sri raamaa --

 

charaNam:

dhaarini silayai thaapamu thaaLaka

vaaramu kanneerunu raalchaga

soora ahalyanu joochi brOchithivi aa reethi

dhanyu sEyavE thyaagaraaja bhaagyamaa [gEyamaa] – [sree raama

paadhamaa]

 

meaning: that ahalyaa, who was turned as stone, who was the patience

personified, could bear the heat [of her husband's curse] and shed

tears in that stone form for long time. You saved

that `brave' `stone' ahalya [by turning her back to human form]. In

the same way I am also saved, me, thyaagaraaja, has the credentials

to adore you, [sing] the feet of sri raama.

 

Note: the word gEyamaa is a paata bEdham -another version of krithi -

meaning singing.

 

Points or comments on the krithi:

1. About the raagam selection: The raagam is amrutha vaahini – `a

river of nectar', or an army of nectar. This is a smooth and joyous

raagam expressing happiness -`aanandham' – a raagam without much

twists and turns, and very matching for the situation given below.

 

2. Situation: VibheeshaNan, the noble brother of wicked raavaNan,

when standing in the sky, is anticipating the final nod from Sri

raama, for having accepted vibheeshaNan's surrender, since he is

coming from enemy camp. As such he is anxiously waiting in the sky

along with 4 of his companions.

 

It appears or becomes a `endless wait' for him, for, there is

considerable argument between raama, lakshmaNa and vaanara

congregation. The arguments are mostly against his induction and a

small quantum in favour, and is led by the vaanara king sugreevan,

assisted by his prince angadhan, and other seniors like nalan,

neelan, jaambhavaan, dhvividhan, maindhan, et al [about inducting

vibheeshaNan into the group of raama and lakshmaNa, or the army of

nectar].

 

VibheeshaNa is meanwhile thinking `hey raama – are you listening to

such talks well well - evari maata vinnaavO balee balee' [another

krithi of thyaagaraaja in raaga kaamboji, about this krithi, our

respected sri sadagopan swamy of USA wrote some time back].

 

3. Acceptance of his surrender is flow of nectar: Finally, the wise

hanumaan speaks. Sri raama also rules in favour of accepting

vibheeshaNan, he descends and falls at the feet of raamaa. At this

stage thyaagaraaja places this song as sung by vibheeshaNan about the

glory of raamaa's feet, which accepts his surrender. Hearing that he,

being accepted as a member of raamaa's team, the descending from sky

on a positive note, falling at the feet of raamaa are all joyous

matter for him or to put it in a different language – is all `river

like flow of nectar' - `amrutha vaahini' - to vibheeshaNa. As such

the raaga selection for this krithi is very apt.

 

Please note the sri thyaagaraaja has selected raagaas for his

krithis, which are simply beautiful and matching to the situation and

the predominant expression – `rasam' in the composition.

 

4. On the lyrics of krithi:

vaarija bhava is lotus born – brahma.

vaarija is lotus – the feet also appears as lotus. That `lotus feet'

is being worshipped – poojinche. Who all do that pooja? bhava –

sivan, vaasava – indhra, sanaka, sanandhana, naaradha, aadhulu ella.

So it is clear in one interpretation - it is brahma, indhra, sanaka

sanandhana naaradha. In another interpretation – the list includes

sivan also. That may be a specialty here. [inclusion of sivan in the

list is not mentioned in the translations or meaning given in books.]

 

Another specialty – vibheeshaNa says - how ahalya is rescued from the

thaapam – heat – aa reethi – in the same way let me be saved. In the

ahalaya episode – raama asked visvaamithra - what is this place – why

it appears so much deserted, a good look in this place also has the

appearance that somebody lived here for some time etc. But suddenly

from that stone ahalya came out. In the same way, why not save me?

 

For ahalya, no formal request to raama from her to save her, raama

has no knowledge on who is being saved, etc. VibheeshaNa thinks `why

not in same way of ahalya, in my case also? But what went just now as

I witnessed from above is a rigorous questioning and counters within

the team. I am worried what will happen for raama is listening to all

these arguments and counters - evari maata vinnaavO?'

 

5. Link to raamaayaNam: Dear bhakthaas, now you may ask "Is it

reflected in verses of raamaayaNam by sree vaalmeeki?" My answer

is "please wait till next post please".

 

Dhasan

Vasudevan m.g.