Guest guest Posted October 14, 2007 Report Share Posted October 14, 2007 Dear Mr.Shreeram, What is the difference between Navavarana Keerthanas and Navavarana Pujas? How many different types of Navavarana are there? Are the above two Navavaranas only meant for the initiated? Thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 14, 2007 Report Share Posted October 14, 2007 Dear Member, Simply put,Navavarna Keerthanas are as the name suggests somehting to do with music and Navavarna Puja is something to do with Srividya Worship. Avarana means graded petal formation of a lotus. The petal formation of a Lotus is graded in nature to ascend subtly as a spiral. "Avaranam" also means to ascend and thus, the petals are "ascended" thus to end in the mid-point of the Lotus to fall into the Necatarine bliss of Paradevatha at the Bindhu. Navavarna Krithis: There are many composers who have set Navavarna Krithis(Keerthanas) and among them Sri Muthuswamy Deekshithar's is most famous. The Kamalamba Navavarna Kritis by Sri Muthuswamy Dikshithar (1776-1836) are some of the most famous pieces of music in the Carnatic system of Indian classical music. They are treasures which embody not only the technical brilliance of the composer but also offer a peep into the advaitic school of Hindu philosophy and elements of Tantric rituals. They are very elaborate compositions which may be well compared with major symphonies in the Western system. These songs are set in praise of the Goddess Kamalamba who is enshrined in Tiruvarur in the Tanjore district of Tamil Nadu in South India. The Goddess is the reference to the Divine Mother of the universe, or the Supreme Consciousness. The lyrics and the descriptive details are loaded with the mystical symbolism of the Vedantic (advaita) tradition and the chakras of the human system are closely linked to the evolutionary aspects described in the compsitions that reflect the scholarly reach, musical depth and mystical significance of the composer. Musically, they are par excellence and the majestic sweep of well known ragas (melodic forms) like Todi, Kalyani, Kambhoji, Sankarabharam and Bhairavi are offset against haunting melodies in lesser known ragas like Punnagavarali, Ghanta and Ahiri. Dikshitar uses several talas (time measures) although Rupakam (3 beats) seems to be his favourite. Ata talam (14 beats) and Misra Jampa (10 beats) in the Kambhoji and Bhairavi pieces are rarely used because of the technical difficulty in executing these. An added element (which Dikshitar uses in his other group krities, like the Abhayamba and Nilotpalamba set) is the use of different case endings. The Dhyana (invocatory) kriti in Todi is in the vocative case, followed by the Anandabhairavi in the nominative, Kalyani in the accusative, Sankarabharanam in the instrumental, Kambhoji in the dative, Bhairavi in the ablative and so on. The ninth avarana kriti in Ahiri has all the cases; interestingly the raga itself has all the 22 notes in the octave. It is believed that such a fusion of all melodic and temporal elements in the same kriti is a musical way of expressing the advaitic ideal of "aham Brahmasmi" or complete union with the Absolute. Indeed the Ahiri composition is very unusual musically especially the pallavi which has a repeating and distinctive prose sections which are seamlessly put together. The set concludes with a short and sweet mangalam (auspicious conclusion) in Sri ragam set in Khanda Ekam (5 beat talam). The entire set consists therefore of the dhyanam (invocation), the nine avaranas, and the mangalam (conclusion), a total of 11 pieces. The 11 kritis are as follows: Kamalambike - Todi - Rupakam Kamalamba Samrakshathu - Anandabhairavi - Misra Chapu Kamalambaam Bhajare - Kalyani - Adi Sri Kamalambikayam - Shankarabharanam - Rupakam Kamalambikayai - Kambhoji - (Khanda) Ata Sri Kamalamba param - Bhairavi - Misra Jampa Kamalambikayaastava - Punnagavarali - Rupakam Sri Kamalambikayam - Sahana - Tisra Triputa Sri Kamalambike - Ghanta - Adi Sri Kamalamba Jayati - Ahiri - Rupakam Sri Kamalambike - Sri - Kanda Ekam The rendering of these Kritis are considered to be extremely challenging owing to the complexity of the words and the notations. The D.K. Pattamal and D.K. Jayaraman school are considered to be specialists in the rendering of these compositions. It requires years of training to render them to perfection. Sri Muthuswamy Dikshitar was a great Devi Upasaka and was well versed in all aspects of Sri Vidya Upasana. Out of his devotion to Sri Kamalamba, (one of the 64 Sakti Peethams in India), the celebrated deity at the famous Tyagaraja Temple in Tiruvarur and his compassion for all bhaktas, Sri Muthuswamy Dikshitar composed the Kamalamba Navavarana kritis, expounding in each of the nine kritis, the details of the each avarana of the Sri Chakra, including the devatas and the yoginis. Singing these kritis with devotion, sraddha and understanding would be the easy way to Sri Vidya Upasana. The details of Chakras covered are as follows: (1) The first Avaranam is Bhoopuram and the Chakram is Trailokyamohana chakra `enchants the three worlds';The yogini is Prakata, the mental state of the aspirant is Jagrata, Chakra Iswari is Tripura and the Saktis are 28 that include the ten starting with Anima, the eight starting with Brahmya and the ten Mudra Saktis. [ANANDABHAIRAVI: Kamalamba Samrakshatu] (2) The second Avaranam is Shodasa Dalam, and the Chakram is Sarvasaparipuraka chakra, `fulfills all expectations'; The yogini is Gupta Yogini. The mental state is Swapna, the Chakra Iswari is Tripurasi and the Saktis are the sixteen starting with Kamakarshini. [KALYANI: Kamalambam Bhajare] (3) The third Avaranam is Ashtha Dalam; The Chakram is Sarvasamkshobana chakra, `agitates all'; the Yogini is Gupta Tara Yogini. The mental state is Sushupti, the Chakra Iswari is Tripura Sundari and the Saktis are the eight starting with Ananga Kusuma. [sHANKARABHARANAM: Sri Kamalambikayaa Katakshitoham] (4) The fourth Avaranam is Chaturdasaram; the Chakram is Sarvasaubhagyadayaka chakra, `grants excellence'; the Yogini is Sampradaya Yogini. The mental state is Iswara Vicharam, Chakra Iswari is Tripura Vasini and the Saktis are the fourteen starting with Samkshobhini. [KAMBHOJI: Kamalambikaayai Kanakamshukayai] (5) The fifth Avaranam is Bahirdasaram; the Chakram is Sarvarthasadhakachakra, is the `accomplisher of all'; the Yogini is Kulotteerna yogini. The mental state is Guroopa Sadanam; the Chakra Iswari is Tripura Sri and the Saktis are the ten starting with Sarva Siddhi Prada. [bHAIRAVI: Sri Kamalambikayaha Param Nahi re re chitta] (6) The sixth Avaranam is Antardasaram; the Chakram is Sarvaraksakara chakra, `protects all'; the Yogini is Nigarbha Yogini. The mental state is Upadesam; the Chakra Iswari is Tripura Malini and the Saktis are the ten starting with Sarvagnya. [PUNNAGAVARALI: Kamalambikayastava Bhaktoham] (7) The Seventh Avaranam is Asthakonam; the Chakram is Sarvarogahara chakra, `cures all ills'; the Yogini is Rahasya Yogini. The mental state is Mananam; the chakra Iswari is Tripura Siddhaa and the Saktis are the eight, starting with Vashini. [sAHANA: Sri Kamalambikayam Bhaktim Karomi] (8) The eighth Avaranam is Trikonam; the Chakram is Sarvasiddhiprada chakra, `grants all perfection'; the Yogini is Ati Rahasya Yogini. The mental state is Nitidhyasanam; the Chakra Iswari is Tripuramba and the Saktis are the three starting with Kameshwari. [GHANTA: Sri Kamalambike Avaava] (9) The ninth Avaranam is the Bindu and the highest Chakram is Sarvanandamaya chakra , `replete with bliss'. The mental state is Savikalpa Samadhi; the Chakra Iswari is Maha Tripura Sundari and the Shakti is Maha Tripura Sundai, the very personification of Para Brahman. [AHIRI: Sri Kamalamba Jayati] ----------------- Navavarna Puja: These 9 Avaranas of the Sri Yantra have various presiding Devis. They are the Devi's Parivara (retinue/Family) of total 108. In the Srichakra pooja they are systematically worshipped one by one with their names and mantras. The presiding Deity of Srichakra, Devi, is Known as Lalita Tripura Sundari Rajarajeshwari Parabhattarika Devi. Yours yogically, Shreeram Balijepalli Rajarajeshwari_Kalpataru , "srirajarajeswaridevikrupa" <srirajarajeswaridevikrupa wrote:>> Dear Mr.Shreeram,> > What is the difference between Navavarana Keerthanas and Navavarana > Pujas?> > How many different types of Navavarana are there?> > Are the above two Navavaranas only meant for the initiated?> > Thank you> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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