rangapuravihAra-bRndAvana sAranga

I have taken up a new oath this week and that is to listen to atleast one concert a day :). What could more enlightening and invigorating than listening to some great musicians. I also found out that a combination of heavy workload and fever could be devastating, mentally and physically. At the end of the day, all I need is some good food, good music and good rest. The absence of the first and second factors seem to have a heavy influence on the third. It makes me mentally tired and so I get a good amount of "sleep" but not good rest. Anyway..I hope to bring all of this to an end very soon :).

I will now take up the beautiful masterpiece in bRndAvana sAranga, "rangapuravihAra" composed by the nAdhajyOthi at the enchanting shrIrangam kSEtra. As I had mentioned in one of my earlier posts, in almost all of the rAgAs which dIkshithar adopted to carnatic music, he has composed one krithi keeping the hindustAni style intact (ammaDi) and one krithi sketching out the adapted carnatic version (maDi). In the case of bRndAvana sAranga, dIkshithar's soundararAjam (refer to earlier blogs for explanation on this gem) is the maDi version while rangapuravihAra seems to be the ammaDi, hindustAni variant. The rUpaka tALam flows brilliantly in this krithi, pretty much in sync with the lapping waters of the kAveri. As is the case with most rasikAs, I always attribute this krithi to MS amma. Her mellifluous voice and the melodious gamakAs she employs are truly mind blowing. Moving on to the krithi now,

Pallavi:
ranga pura vihAra jaya kOdanDa-rAmAvatAra raghUvIra shrI

Meaning:
dIkshithar directly addresses the Lord "Lord RanganAtha!!The one who resides ("vihAra") at rangapura, victory ("jaya") unto thee. The one who incarnated ("avatAra") as bow ("kodanDa") wielding Lord Rama. The warrior ("vIra") of the raghu dynasty."

What a beautiful start to the krithi. One of those starts which definitely has a bang attached to it. The "R S" beginning for the krithi is haunting to say the least. And look at how beautifully dIkshithar loops the shrI at the end of the pallavi to the ranga beginning thereby giving the kSEtram. The incomprehensible beauty this line of the pallavi exudes will reverberate forever. The "psnrnsp; mnpmrs" phrase at "rAma;avatara" oozes with rAga chAya. It is because of krithis like this that I tend to become too biased and make statements like dIkshithar is the one who defined classical music best. Anyway, moving on,

Anupallavi:
angaja janaka dEva bRndAvana sArangEndra varada ramAntaranga
shyAmaLAnga vihanga turanga sadayApAnga satsanga

Meaning:
dIkshithar continues to describe the Lord with references to mythology as "The father ("janaka") of Cupid ("angaja"). The one who protected the celestials ("dEva") and Gajendra, the Lord of Elephants ("sArangEndra") in the forest ("bRndAvana"). The one who grants boons ("varada") and the beloved one ("antaranga"-intimate) of Goddess Lakshmi ("ramA")".

The beautiful madhyamakAla sAhityam continues "The one with the bluish-black ("shyamaLa") body ("anga"). The one who has the divine Garuda ("vihanga") as his vehicle ("turanga"). The one who is full of mercy and compassion ("sadayApAnga") and the one who is always in the company of noble-minded men ("satsanga").

The hindustAni face of the rAga is clearly brought in the first line of the anupallavi with the "rPnmp" phrase at "angaja" followed by the "SsnpsNS" phrase at "janaka dEva". The "P R" take off at bR"ndA"vana makes one's hair stand up and this is where the goosebumps really start getting too much to handle. Similar to "soundararAjam", dIkshithar once again uses the reference to Lord gajendra to bring in the rAga mudra. The madhyamakAlam in the anupallavi is one of my all time favourites. dIkshithar explores the complementary phrases in this rAga which goes as "PSnRs;NP;MnpmR;SRnS" at "shyAmala;anga;vihanga;turanga".

Throughout this krithi, one can see the simplicity in the structure and usage of sanskrit grammar which is very simple to understand. Further, the absence of any yogic or vedantic references makes this krithi a demonstration of beauty and bhakthi straight from the heart of the bhakta in dIkshithar. He does not intend on bringing in any science here. It is a plain description of the Lord and the rasika can easily relate to a heart pouring out with pure bhakthi and surrender, captured completely by dIkshithar. The charanam continues in that same tone set by the pallavi and anupallavi,

Charanam:
pankajApta kula jala nidhi sOma
vara pankaja mukha paTTAbirAma
pada pankaja jita kAma raghurAma
vAmAnka gata sItA varavEsha
SEshAnka Sayana bhakta santOsha
EnAnka ravi nayana mRdu-tara bhAsha
akaLanka-darpaNa kapOla viSEsha muni-
sankata haraNa gOvinda vEnkata ramana mukunda
sankarSana mUla kanda shankara guruguhAnanda

Meaning:
dIkshithar beautifully describes the Lord as "the one who rose as the moon ("sOma") in the ocean ("jalanidhi") dynasty ("kula") of the sun ("pankajApta"-friend of the lotus). The revered one ("vara") with a lotus-like ("pankaja") face ("mukha") and the one who was coronated as king ("paTTAbhirAma"). The one with the lotus-like ("pankaja") feet ("pada") who surpasses ("jita") the beauty of the cupid ("kAma") as Lord Rama of the raghu clan; the one who beautifully appears ("vEsha") with the revered ("vara") sItA seated gracefully on His left lap ("vAmAnka gata"). The one who reclines on ("shayana") AdiSEsha, the serpent and the one who delights and pleases ("santOsha") His devotees ("bhakta"). The one who has the sun and the moon ("EnAnka ravi") as His eyes ("nayana") and the soft-spoken one ("mRdu-tara bhAsha"). The one who has cheeks ("kapOla") that shine like a blemishless ("a-kaLanka") mirror ("darpaNa"). He is Govinda, the one who destroyed ("haraNa") all the troubles ("sankata") for the munIs. The one known by many names like vEnkataramaNa and mukunda. The one who bestows auspiciousness ("sankarshana") in His primordial form ("mUla kanda"). The one who delights ("Ananda") Lord Shiva ("shankara") and Lord guruguha".

What an amazing charaNam ;(. Just beautiful. dIkshithar plays with the word "pankaja" in the first few lines of the charaNam. And see how he maintains the prAsam throughout the krithi right from the first word (r"anga") to the last word (sh"anka"ra). That is why I keep saying that he is He!! Genius ;(. I actually am deeply emotional now thinking about this charaNam and have nothing more to say. I am just at a complete loss of words sitting here with tears in my eyes and goosebumps on my skin. I am not even equipped or qualified enough to talk about the charaNam and hence I stop right here. Musically, there are too many beautiful phrases in the charaNam for me to point out and it would end up as more like "notations for the entire charaNam" kind. Hence I feel it is better for the rasika to listen and experience personally. Just amazing how big a genius he should have been. ;( Anyway..life has to go on. If you have not already, I would highly advise watching Ranjani and Gayathri render this beautiful krithi on youtube; one of the purest renditions of this krithi I have heard.

I will take up yet another of my favorite krithi about which I have been wanting to write for a long time now, "sArasa daLa nayanA" in khamAs which happens to be one of the very first dIkshithar krithis I listened to :). As I sign off, I am listening to SSI taking mukhAri to a whole new level in the famous airport concert . I would rate this concert as one of the very best I have heard in my whole life. Please listen to it if have not already. shrI gurubhyO namah:

shrI abhayAmbA- shrI rAgam

In the past 3 or 4 days, I seem to have developed a sudden passion for varNams. Though I have always loved them, I have not sat down and learnt a varNam in a long time now. So, I started (and finished) learning the majestic chauka kAla varNam in shrIranjani from the Sangeetha sampradAya pradarshini. Whats unique about this varNam is the starcast, so to speak :). Ramaswami dIkshithar composed the pallavi, anupallavi, muktAyi swarams, charaNam and first of the chitta swarams while the second, third and the last chitta swarams were composed by ShyAmA shAstri, chinnaswAmi dIkshithar and the great nAdhajyOthi respectively. One of the most wonderful things I noticed as I learnt this varNam was the rapid pace at which I was able to easily learn it. I realized that I have actually developed some decent musical skills in the past year or so thanks to some wonderful friends :).

As work continues to be hectic, I am trying my best to find solace in music. I finally found time to update my resume and have started applying for jobs in Bangalore. Hopefully I get some good interviews and come back to India very soon :). I will now take up the tenth and the final krithi of the abhayAmbA vibhakthi series. The maNgaLa krithi in shrI rAgam, shrI abhayAmbA set to Adi tALam is a beautiful maNipravALa (multi-lingual) masterpiece in which dIkshithar shows his command over 3 of the most beautiful languages ever; sanskrit, telugu and tamil. The way he fuses the 3 languages while still highlighting the rhyme scheme and the prAsam is just mind-blowing. Since I do not know telugu, please pardon me if I interpret anything incorrectly.

Pallavi:
shrI abhayAmbA ninnu cintincina vAriki
cintai kavalai ellAM tIrum ammA

Meaning:
dIkshithar sings- "Oh auspicious ("shrI") mother ("ammA") abhayAmbA, for the people ("vAriki") who think ("cintincina") of you ("ninnu"), all ("ellAM") their mental ("cintai") worries ("kavalai") will be eliminated ("tIrum")."

To completely appreciate this krithi, one must definitely listen to DKJ's version. The different sangathis and the clarity with which he sings this krithi is something to be experienced. dIkshithar starts this krithi off with the tAra sthAyi rishabham. All the krithis that start off in the tAra sthAyi are simply shtudly; "karikaLabamukham" in sAvEri for example :). The "R;SNPNS" phrase at "shrI abhayAmbA" and the "pRsR" phrase at "ellAM" are special phrases which embellish the pallavi. dIkshithar beautifully brings out the rAga mudra with the first word of the krithi itself. Moving on to the anupallavi,

Anupallavi:
hE abhayakarE varE Ishwari kR.patOnu-
endannai rakshikka idhu nalla samayam ammA

Meaning:
dIkshithar addresses the Goddess as "the one who bears the abhaya ("protection") and the vara ("boon bestowing") mudras in her hands ("karE"), the Goddess ("Ishwari"). This ("idhu") is the right time ("nalla samayam") for you, my mother ("ammA") to come and protect ("rakshikka") me ("endannai") showing your compassion ("kR.patOnu")."

Just like the shrI maNgaLa krithi in the kamalAmbA series, dIkshithar keeps it very simple in this krithi also. He does not bring in any vedantic or purAnic references. He simply prays to the Goddess, praises her compassion and seeks her blessings. The "SRNS; PNMP; PDNPM; RMRS; RMPNS" at "endhanai; rakshikka; idhu nalla; samayam; ammA" acts as a perfect ending for the anupallavi leading to the rishabam take-off for the pallavi. Apart from that, there is nothing much to explain and so I move on to the charaNam

CharaNam:
nI atyadbhuta Subha guNamulu vini-
nIvE dikkani nEra nammiti
nIrajAkshi nijarUpasAkshi
nityAnanda guruguha kaTAkshi rakshi

Meaning:
dIkshithar sings "Hearing of your ("nI") miraculous ("atyadbhuta") and good qualities ("Subha guNamulu"), I trusted ("nEra nammiti") that you ("nIvE") are my refuge ("dikkani"). You are the lotus-eyed ("nIrajAkshi") one and the witness to the true form ("nijarUpasAkshi"). You are the one who graces ("kaTAkshi") the eternally blissful ("nityAnanda") guruguha. Please protect me ("rakshi")."

In the charaNam, dIkshithar shows the bhaktha inside him. He goes into a mode of surrender and requests the Goddess to be his saviour. He brings in a few advaita fundas here by referring to Her as "the witness to the true form" implying that the Goddess bears witness to the true supreme soul which the jIvAtma realizes at the supreme level of consciousness. The madhyamakAla sAhityam just gallops along beautifully and gives that vaibhava and maNgaLa mood to end the krithi and hence the majestic abhayAmbA series.

As I complete this krithi, I feel extremely blessed and fortunate to have been able to cover the kamalAmbA navAvarNams and the abhayAmbA vibhakthi krithis, two grand series' of masterpieces composed by the great nAdhajyOthi. This ardent devotee will now resign with a sense of satisfaction :).

In my next post, I am going to take up a krithi which I have been waiting a long time to write about, one of my favourite krithis which never fails to bring a tear to my eye, the magnum opus, "rangapuravihAra" in brindAvana sAranga. Probably I should not be taking up Brindu right after shrI rAgam, but I guess the similarities make it all the more reason for me to take it up right away :). Hopefully I will find time to post this krithi tomorrow. Till then, keep rocking..I must admit that eventhough Work sucks, Life is still beautiful :D :D.

dAkSayaNi-tODi

My first post in April and it is already the 21st :(. Work, work and more work ;(. This seems to be the excuse that I am constantly giving for not being able to blog. Well, that unfortunately has been the case the whole of this year and I expect this to continue for a few more months :(. Still, I somehow squeezed in time to have music sessions on the weekends (though not as regularly as before :( ). I managed to learn two krithis that I have been wanting to learn for a long time now; one being rangapuravihAra, perhaps the more popular masterpiece of dIkshithar's in brindAvana sArangA and the other krithi being madhurAmbikAyAm in dEsisimhAravam (hEmavathi for all practical purposes). Thanks to the wonderful satsangam I have been blessed with, I am able to keep myself completely drowned in this blissful ocean :).

I managed a short but sweet trip to Sunnyvale, California to meet up with Ashwin, Aditya and Sudherssen, some cherished friends (read: brothers) from Ann Arbor. We spent a fun-riddled 2 days together. I also got a chance to meet my sweet little friend, MLKMA Aishwarya Chandiramouli. Though I did not spend as much time with her as I would have liked, it was so peaceful and serene just to meet her :). Round Rock has never looked more barren and bleak :(. I am really looking forward to jetting out of here and I cant wait to go home to my amma and anna.

Anyway, I will now take up "dAkshAyaNi abhayAmbikE", a majestic krithi in tODi composed exclusively in the sambOdhana vibhakthi where dIkshithar directly addresses the Goddess as "hE abhayAmbikE". The highlight of this krithi is the soul-stirring mandira sthAyi deivatham start for the pallavi, thereby making "dA"kshAyaNi a swarAkshara beginning. dIkshithar presents an absolutely different shade of tODi in this krithi. By comparing with the nishAda start of kamalAmbikE, this mandira sthAyi deivatham beginning shows the versatility of this genius. The krithi on the whole is an extremely simple set up but it still oozes with rAga bhAva and amrita rasa.

Pallavi:
dAkSayaNi abhayAmbikE
varadAbhayahastE namastE shrI

Meaning:
dIkshithar addresses the Goddess in the pallavi- "Oh abhayAmbA, the daughter of King dAkshA, the one who bears the mudrAs of abhaya ("protection") and varada ("boon-granting"). Prostrations unto you ("namastE") Oh auspicious one ("shrI")".

As I mentioned earlier, the mandira sthAyi deivatham with which the krithi begins is mesmerizing to say the least. The rishabam at dAkshAya"Ni" followed by "GDP" phrase at "abha"yAmbikE completely makes the rasika to surrender. dIkshithar employs a madhyamakAlam in the pallavi itself at "namastE" which descends as "DNS,SNDPMGRS" thereby looping back to first line with the beautiful "S D" prayOgam. This is one of those krithis in which dIkshithar clearly portrays the meditative essence of this entire set of abhayAmbA vibhakthi krithis. Because of the grandeur of this tODi, many musicologists still argue that this krithi should be the dhyAna krithi of this series (similar to the tODi dhyAna krithi of the kamalAmbA navAvarNams). Moving on to the anupallavi,

Anupallavi:
dIkSAsantuSTamAnase dInAvanahastasArase
kAMkSitArthapradAyini kAmatantravidhAyini
sAkSirUpaprakAshini samastajagadvilAsini
Meaning:
dIkshithar describes the Goddess as "the one who's mind ("mAnase") is pleased ("santuSTa") by initiation ("dIkSa") and the one whose lotus-like ("sArase") hands ("hasta") protects the destitute and the needy ("dInavana")." In the madhyamakAla sAhitya, dIkshithar continues to describe the Goddess as "the one who grants("pradAyini") all the wishes of devotees ("kAmkshitArtha") and the one who displays ("vidhAyini") the primary essence of all creation, the tantra of desire ("kAma"). She is the one who shines forth ("prakAshini") as a witness ("sAkSirUpa") to this game of birth and death in this playpen called the world and she is the one who pervades ("vilAsini") the entire universe ("samastajagad")."

dIkshithar clearly shows that he is a shrI vidyA upAsakA by bringing in the topic of initiation ("dIkSa") and in the words "kAmatantravidAyini". In shrI vidyA, kAmatantra or kAmakalA represents the inner heart of the bindu (the third eye") and symbolizes that for creation, the sperm and the egg must unite. Musically, the "SNDp; GM PGRS" phrase at "samastajagadhvilAsini" is absolutely divine and it once again loops back with the "S D" prayOgam while merging with the pallavi. Vedavalli maami's rendition of this part of the anupallavi is a must hear. Moving on to the charaNam now,

CharaNam:
sakalaniSkaLasvarUpatejase sakalalokas.rSTikaraNabhrAjase
sakalabhaktasaMrakSaNayashase sakalayogimanorUpatatvatapase
prabalaguruguhodaye pa~ncAnanah.rdAlaye
bharatamataN^gAdinute bhAratIshapUjite

Meaning:
dIkshithar describes the dEvi as "the one who displays the true powerful form ("svarUpatejase") established as the undivided absolute state of brahman ("sakalaniSkaLa"). The one who glitters and shines ("bhrAjase") through all Her creations ("s.rSTikaraNa") in all the worlds ("sakalaloka"). The one is famous ("yashase") for protecting ("saMrakSaNa") all ("sakala") Her devotees ("bhakta"). The one who is the embodiment ("rUpa") of penance ("tatvatapase") in every ("sakala") yogi's mind ("mano")."
In the madhyamakAla sAhitya, dIkshithar continues to describe the Goddess as "the one who is the source ("udaye") of the mighty ("prabala") guruguha. The one who resides ("Alaye") in the heart ("h.rda") of Lord Shiva, the five-faced one ("panchAnana"). The one who was praised ("nute") by great sages like Bharata and matanga and the one who was worshipped ("pUjite") by Lord Brahma, the husband of Goddess Saraswathi ("bhAratIsha")."

Vedavalli maami and kalpagam maami seem to present extremely different facets of this krithi. While the former's rendition is pretty fast paced suggesting a madhyamakAla krithi, kalpagam maami's version seems to establish the grandeur a lot more stronger. Her slow, chouka kAla rendition of the krithi adds a grand flavour to this masterpiece. dIkshithar once again establishes advaita fundas in the first line of the charaNam.

One more thing to note in this krithi is that the tAra sthAyi prayOgams are very sparingly used. dIkshithar seems to emphasize that the beauty of the rAgam and the meditative phase he is trying to portray is based out of the madhya and the mandira sthAyis. As I complete this post, I sincerely hope that I will get some time in the next few days to take up "shrI abhayAmba" and complete this set. I am suddenly in the grasp of dwijAvanti now, listening to SSI's beautiful swarams for cEtaH shrI. I guess I will loop the krithi and go to sleep listening to it. All of you have a wonderful week ahead and I will surely meet you all once again before this week is over :). Till then, Godspeed!!

abhayAmbAyAm-sahAnA

The past weekend, I felt really homesick after a long time. I had some random dreams of lying in my mother's lap and listening to anna sing a beautifully sahAnA ;(..how I long for those days. Eating good food, listening to good music, enjoying the comforts of being at home and being showered with love..what more could a human being ask for :(. Anyway, on a more cheerful note, the music session we had yesterday was pure bliss. The star of the day was our gumbal's baby, shAmbhavi, the cute kid with an amazing voice and a heart filled with warmth :). Her renditions of mAnji and sucharitra have completely consumed me since yesterday..just amazing..thanks a lot GB!!! >:D<. In this post, I will continue to explore the majestic abhayAmbA vibhakthi krithis by taking up "abhayAmbAyam" in sahAnA set to tripuTa tALam composed entirely in the sapthami vibhakthi (seventh/locative case) by the great nAdhajyOthi. With the masterpiece kEdAram krithi I discussed in the previous post, I guess dIkshithar reached the pinnacle of his meditative trance and decided that he will keep the last three of the abhyAmbA krithis relatively simple. This beautiful krithi in sahAnA (perhaps my most favourite rAga ever) is a short samASTi charaNam (the only one in this vibhakthi series) in which dIkshithar still manages to grasp the rAga by the throat and bring it to life :) . dIkshithar addresses the Goddess in various forms in this krithi thereby giving all of us a chance to sing the name of the Goddess and thereby gain some puNyam. The antyAkshara prAsam adds to the grace and completely mesmerizes the rasika. Moving on to the krithi, Pallavi:
abhayAmbAyAM bhaktiM karomi
saccidAnandarUpAyAM svasvarUpAyAM shrI

Meaning:
dIkshithar sings "I offer my devotion ("bhaktiM karomi") to Goddess abhayAmbA, the one who is an embodiment ("rUpAyAm") of truth/existence-consciousness/knowledge-happiness/bliss ("sat-chit-Ananda"). She is the auspicious one ("shrI") with the form of the unified, supreme self ("svasvarUpAyAM")."

The "PMG" start to the krithi straight away brings sahAnA's core essence of shringAra rasa to the forefront. He follows this up with the "PMD; N;S" phrase at "bhaktiM karomi" and hence more or less covers the entire scale of the rAga in one line :). dIkshithar brings in vEdAnta in the pallavi itself by referring to the Goddess as the unified, supreme self. Moving on to the samASTi charaNam,

charaNam:
vibhavAdivitaraNanipuNamantriNyAM
vijayakAraNanipuNataradaNDinyAm
viyadAdibhUtakiraNamAlinyAM
vikalpaharaNanipuNashUlinyAm
abhedapratipAditAyAM AdiguruguhaveditAyAM
sabheshamoditanaTanAyAM sAyujyapradacaraNAyAm

Meaning:
dIkshithar praises the Goddess in many names in the charaNam. He addresses her as "mantriNi, the one who is an expert ("nipuNa") in bestowing ("vitaraNa") many riches and powers ("vibhava")"; as "daNDini, the one who is adept ("nipuNatara") in granting the causes/skills required ("kAraNa") for victory ("vijaya")"; as "mAlini, the one who is an embodiment of the five elements ("bhutakiraNa") beginning with the sky ("viyat")" and as "shUlini, the one who is an expert ("nipuNa") in destroying ("haraNa") confusions and difficulties ("vikalpa")."

dIkshithar beautifully slips into the madhyamakAla sAhityam here. He describes the Goddess as "the one who is completely understood ("pratipAditAyAm") by a clear mind without any distinctions ("abheda") and the one realized ("vEditAyAm") by guruguha." He finishes the krithi sweetly by describing the Goddess as "the one whose dance ("naTanAyAm") delights ("modita") Lord Shiva, the Lord of the dance court ("sabEsha") and she is the one whose feet ("charaNAyAm") bestow ("prada") sAyujya mukthi on her devotees."

The subtle sahAnA is handled very delicately in this krithi by dIkshithar. The " SPM; NDPM DNS" at "abhEdapratipAditAyAm" is one of my most favourite lines in sahAna ever :). dIkshithar once again clearly emphasizes in this krithi that by surrendering to the dEvi, one will be bestowed with all siddhis and happiness and finally given salvation, thereby bringing a purpose in living. I am planning to visit the mAyUranAtha temple in this november. When I go there, this will perhaps be the first krithi I sing there :). Somehow I am not finding any flow to write today. :( I think this is by far the worst post till date on this blog. My mind is a little troubled I guess..I will surely make it up in my next post, in which I will handle "dAkshAyaNi abhayAmbikE", the amazing krithi in tODi. All of you have a wonderful weekend :). shrI gurubhyO namah:

ambikAyAH abhayAmbikAyAH-kEdAram

I wanted to finish the abhyAmbA vibhakthi krithis by this weekend, but unfortunately, work has been very interesting and hectic and hence I have not been able to blog for a couple of weeks now :(. Hopefully I will be able to post the last 4 krithis (including this blog) in the coming week and finish the series off before the next weekend. But I must confess that some new things at work have completely engrossed my mind for the past few days and I have made some really wonderful progress. :). Musically, I have been consumed by kannada gOwLa thanks to thalaivar's masterpiece, "nIlOtpalAmbikayA" rendered beautifully by Vedavalli maami. If you have not heard this krithi, please do so immediately. It is perhaps the most mind-blowing kannada gOwLa ever composed.

I will now take up "ambikAyAH abhayAmbikAyAH", perhaps the most grandest composition among the abhayAmbA vibhakthi krithis in kEdAram set to Adi tALam. This krithi is composed extensively in the shashTi vibhakthi (sixth/genitive/possessive case). In this krithi, dIkshithar completely exploits the beauty of this rAgam. In the pallavi itself, dIkshithar brings the essence of this rAga to the forefront. But more than the musical aspect, I would say that it is the grammatical brilliance displayed in this krithi which overshadows musical beauty. The adhyakshara and antyakshara prAsams in the anupallavi build-up to the 86 syllable word in the charaNam which runs for 5 lines. And the esoteric yogic and tAntric references in the charaNam are way beyond description. A careful rasika will be able to completely imagine the highly meditative state of surrender and devotion dIkshithar must have been in when he composed this amazing krithi. As always, I will make yet another humble attempt and try to explain this great work of a genius. If there are any mistakes, please pardon me and correct me. If the explanation is incomplete, please post your comments and help me learn. Moving on to the krithi now,

Pallavi:
ambikAyAH abhayAmbikAyAH tava dAso.ahaM AdijagadambikAyAH

Meaning:
dIkshithar sings " I am the servant ("dAso.ahaM") of you ("tava"), Goddess ambikA, the one who provides shelter ("abhayAmbikayAH") and the one who is the primordial mother of the universe ("AdijagadambikAyAH")."

The "PMGP" start for the krithi wakes the rasika up and issues a clear command to get ready for a treat. The typical "PSNP, MGR; SSMG;R" kEdAram phrase at "tava dAso.ahaM" brings out the beauty of this rAgam in its entirety. The pallavi ends with a small madhyamakAla sAhityam. Other than that, there is nothing much to explain here..yet another simple pallavi which provides infinite scope for improvization.

Anupallavi:
shambarAriharishashikuberapramukhopAsitanavayoginyAH sAMkhyatArakamanaskarAjayoginyAH shivabhoginyAH bimbapratibimbarUpiNyAH bindumaNDalavAsinyAH svarUpiNyAH

Meaning:
dIkshithar describes the Goddess as "the one who is an embodiment of the nine yoginIs ("navayoginyAH") who are worshipped ("upAsita") by great/significant Gods ("pramukha:") like cupid ("enemy of Lord Shiva-shambarAri"), Lord Vishnu ("hari"), the moon ("shashi") and kubera. The one who is beyond the 3 stages of enquiry ("sAMkhya") of the mind ("manaska") leading to liberation ("tAraka") and the one who is established in rAja yOga. The one who delights ("bhoginyAH") Lord Shiva. The one who is of the form ("rUpiNyAH") of the light, image ("bimba") and reflection ("pratibimba"). The one who dwells ("vAsinyAH") in the bindu maNDala and the one who manifests as her"self" ("svarUpiNyAH")."

What an amazing anupallavi. The anupallavi of this krithi itself shows what a masterpiece this is. dIkshithar directly jumps into the yogic and tAntric stuff. For a yogi, dIkshithar depicts the Goddess as the ideal source of light who is beyond all doubts and questions a human mind could ask. dIkshithar follows this up by describing Her as the one who delights shivA. Apart from taking the direct meaning of the dEvi being the consort of Lord shivA, one can also interpret this description of the Goddess as "the one who delights the still mind of the yOgi, the still soul, shivA. To consolidate this, dIkshithar brings in direct advaita vedanta by describing Her as the source ("paramAtmA") as well as the reflection ("jIvAtmA"). dIkshithar finishes the anupallavi by describing Her as the one who resides in the bindu maNDala. The bindu maNDala or third eye is a five pointed star at the seat of the eyebrows. It is supposed to be a blue dot (hence the name bindu) and dIkshithar once again emphasizes that surrender to Goddess abhayAmbikA is a sure step towards jIvana mukthi.

The greatness of this anupallavi, in addition to all the esoteric meanings as explained above, is that it sets a wonderful platform on which dIkshithar builds perhaps the magnum opus of all charaNams ever composed by dIkshithar in terms of grammatical mastery. The charaNam is a monstrous display of dIkshithar's skill in handling meter, grammar, musical succinctness, esoteric vedAntic references and what not. I once again salute him and pray to him to give me the strength to try to interpret this complex charanam.

Charanam:
yamaniyamAdyaSTAN^gayogaviSayAdinigrahakaraNa- mUlAdhAramaNipUrakAdyabjabhedanasphurakuNDalinI- sahasradaLabrahmarandhrasthakamalAntargatashivasammeLana- gaLitaparamAm.rtabindusecanasamujj.rmbhita- nADImukhavikAsakaraNanijAnubhUtiyoginyAH amoghavarashivasArUpyAnandAnubhavapradAyinyAH aprameyaguruguhAdijananyAH brahmAdipa~ncakakAriNyAH

Meaning:
dIkshithar beautifully describes the ways in which one can truly realize and experience the existence of ("nijAnubhUti") the Goddess as the yogini ("yoginyAH"). dIkshitar sings "by contemplating and practicing ("nigrahakaraNa") the essence of ("vishaya")eight fold path of yoga ("aSTAN^gayoga") beginning with yama, niyamA (self-restraint and penance); by awakening the kundaliNi ("coiled snake") and making it pierce through ("bhedana") the quivering ("sphura") chakras/lotuses ("abja") starting with mUlAdhAra and maNipura and going all the way upto the brahmarandra seated at the sahasrAra, the thousand petalled lotus ("sahasra dala kamala) and thereby bringing about a great harmony, causing union ("sammeLaNa") with shiva which causes the oozing flow ("galita") of eternal ambrosia ("paramAmr.ta") which makes the third eye ("bindu") to become resplendent ("secana") and make the energy engulf ("samujrambita") the nerve centers ("nADimukha") and enervating ("vikAsa karaNa") them, thereby making the yOgi experience the truth ("nija") and realizing the divine existence of ("anubhUti") the Goddess as the yogini."; thus ending the 86 syllabled word..perhaps the biggest ever word written in sanskrit.

dIkshithar ends the charaNam by continuing to describe the dEvi as "the one who bestows ("pradAyiNyAH") the rare and immeasurable boon ("amOghavara") of experience of bliss ("Ananda anubhava") by merging and identifying the soul with Lord Shiva ("shivasArUpya"). The mother of ("jananyAH") the immeasurable ("apramEya") guruguha and the cause of the 5-fold acts ("panchaka-kArinyAH") beginning with brahma."

What an amazing charaNam :O :O. I completely surrender to dIkshithar. One can very clearly see the deep meditative state he must have reached and must have been marinating in to express in such great detail, the purpose of a human being and the spiritual progress he should make. dIkshithar explains the essence of the propagation of the kundaliNi through the chakras in the astral body and how one can achieve this by meditating on the Goddess. And how beautifully he explains the dynamics of this practice, enunciating the way and the end result..opening of the 2 million nerves of the body and experiencing the bliss of merging with "the one", the supreme light. And to put such vEdanta in a musical form with unimaginable meter shows the greatness and the genius of the musical yogi, the great nAdhajyOthi. I salute and lie prostrate at the feet of him, shrI guruguhasya dAso.aham.

There is nothing more to write about this krithi. My mind has gone blank because of the exhaustive charaNam and I am vibrating with pure bliss listening to shrI vijay shivA's rendition of this krithi. I have not discussed the musical aspects of this krithi owing to the sheer volume of explanations which would add more complexity to the already convoluted composition. I leave it to the rasika who (I hope) should have been able to understand the krithi better after reading this blog, to listen and appreciate this masterpiece..trust me, it will add more beauty and value to your life..just listen to it.

I will next take up the beautiful "abhayAmbAyAm" composed in sahAna. I am hoping to find time today and tommorrow and finish this krithi and probably the next one, thereby leaving me with only the maNgaLa krithi to write about inorder to complete the set. Signing off with a deep sense of surrender to dIkshithar, shrI gurubhyO namah:

abhayAmbikAyAH-kEdAragOwLa

I once again apologize for the delay in posting this krithi. The last few weeks have been very hectic. Office work has been getting a little too heavy for poor me. On the weekends, music sessions take the entire morning and afternoon and ofcourse I have the other chores to do. So, its been konjam crazy, the past few weeks. Last weekend, my dear friend and college junior, Harsha Nagarajan came to Austin to give a concert. It was wonderful to meet him after such a long time. The concert (needless to say) was awesome. The beautiful shankArabharaNam main still rings in my ears. Dr. BhattachArya, a professor in Texas A&M university also came along with Harsha and he performed on the sarode. The soul stirring kIrvANi and jOg he played were just too much to take.

These days, I have started to sit down, sing and properly practice. Hopefully I will be a decent enough singer to sing thalaivar krithis. The 15 years or so I have wasted since childhood have to be made up. There is nothing beyond human effort and as SK and I always recall, we should draw inspiration from Paramahansa Yogananda's words of wisdom- "You must not let your life run in the ordinary way; do something that nobody else has done, something that will dazzle the world. Show that God's creative principle works in you." What an amazing thing to say.

Anyway, continuing with the abhayAmbA vibhakthi krithis, I will take up the mellifluous "abhayAmbikAyAH" in rAgA kEdAragOwLa composed exclusively in the panchami vibhakthi (fifth/ablative case). This krithi, in my humble opinion is perhaps the best ever kEdAragOwLa composed. The beauty, scope and depth of the rAga is beautifully brought out and completely exploited by dIkshithar. The entire krithi (especially the charaNam) is rich in tAntrik references and vedantic allusions. The pallavi itself is a comprehensive display of the rAgam.

Pallavi:

abhayAmbikAyAH anyam na jAnE
ajHnAnadhmAnE aparOksha jHnAnE

Meaning:

dIkshithar sings "I know ("jAnE") of none other ("anyam na") than Goddess abhayAmbikA, the one who removes ("dhmAnE") all ignorance ("ajHnAna") and the personification of limitless ("aparOksha") knowledge ("jHnAnE")."

The pallavi brings out the majestic as well as the gentle natures of this beautiful rAgam. The "S S rsndp" start at "abhayAmbi"kAyAH straight away takes you to seventh heaven and promises no return :). And the highlight of this krithi is the mind-blowing "S ndp" phrase at "anyam". The chill it sends down my spine each time I listen to it or sing it is just indescribable. "S ndp-mgr" phrase at "ajHnAnadhmAnE" and "nd, dp, mg, rmpnsr" at "aparOksha jHnAnE" are the final nails in the coffin. There is absolutely nothing more to do in kEdAragOwLa..dIkshithar takes the entire juice out of the rAgam in the pallavi, in one stroke..just amazing. If you are reading this blog without having listened to the krithi, please immediately rush to the website and listen to this masterpiece..thats all I can say.

The anupallavi ofcourse has to live up to the billing after such an explosive start, which it more than does :).

Anupallavi:

ibharAjagatyAh IshvaryAh jagatyAh
nabhOmaNi gatyAh nAdalayagatyAh

Meaning:

dIkshithar describes the Goddess as "the one who has the majestic ("rAja") gait ("gatyAh") of an elephant ("ibha") and the supreme Goddess ("IshvaryAh") of the universe ("jagatyAh"). In the madhyamakAla sAhityam, dIkshithar sings "She is the one who makes the sun ("nabhOmaNi"-star/gem of the sky) shine ("gatyAh") and the one who is embodiment ("gatyAh") of sound ("nAda") and beats ("laya")."

Look at the prAsam in these few lines of the anupallavi. dIkshithar plays around with different meanings for the same word "gatyAh". True to the sAhityams, the krithi itself just gallops along with that majestic gait. The "r R mg, rsndp" phrase at "nabhOmaNi gatyAh" and "P mgr, rmpns" phrase at "nAdalaya gatyAh" to finish the anupallavi and beautifully take off at the pallavi once again shows how well dIkshithar has handled this rAgam. He literally toys around with all the different sangathis and creates that magical effect as usual. How carefully he has woven the thread..look at that "rmpns" ending for the anupallavi (a proper ArOhaNam) culminating in the pallavi. One is reminded of John keats' words- "Beauty is truth, truth beauty"..what else can I say. I shut up and move on to the charaNam

charaNam:

bAlAdi nAmadhEya prakAshinyAh
kAlAdI tatvAnta prakAshinyAh
mUlAdi dvAdashAnta prakAshinyAh
sthUlAdi maunAnta prakAshinyAh
trailOkya mUlA prakRtyAh svashaktyAh
sAlOka sAmIpya sArUpya muktyAh
mAlinImantra mAlAdi tantrOktyAh
shUlinI guruguha svAnubhava gatyAh

Meaning:
dIkshithar sings of the Goddess as "The one who shines ("prakAshinyAh") in various manifestations like ("nAmadEya") bAla, etc. The one who shines forth ("prakAshinyAh") as the philosophy ("tatva"), beginning with time ("kAla"). The one who radiates ("prakAshinyAh") from the twelve ("dvAdasha") nerve centers ("anta-inner parts") starting with mUla ("mUlAdi"). The one who manifests as ("prakAshinyAh") various forms starting from the gross ("sthUlAdi") and ending with the esoteric/subtle ("maunAnta")."

The galloping madhyamAkAla sAhityam unfolds where in he describes the Goddess as "The one who is the primordial force ("mUlaprakrutyah") responsible for the creation of the three worlds ("trilOkya") and the self-propelling force ("svashaktyAh"). The one who gives all the four types of liberations ("muktyAh"), namely, sAlOkya, sAmIpya, sArUpya and sAyujya. The one who is the essence of ("uktyAh") of tantric works like mAlini and mantamAlA. The one who bears the trident ("shUliNi") and the one who is the self experience ("svAnubhava") of guruguha."

What an amazing charaNam..look at the prAsam ;(. dIkshithar's references to tAntric philosophy and vEdAntAs are perfectly showcased in the charaNam. He refers to the dEvi as the one who transcends everything from the gross physical plane to the subtle astral and the esoteric causal planes. For the yogi, She is the one who resides in the 12 nerve centers of the body, starting with mUlAdhAra chakra at the base of the spine and extending upto the sahasrAra, the thousand petaled lotus at the top of the head. Thus, by pleasing the Goddess and praying to Her, one can meditate on Her and make the kundalini move up the spine thereby reopening the nerve passages from these chakras and hence attaining supreme consciousness.

dIkshithar gives the Goddess the ultimate compliment by saying that She is the one who gives the four types of liberation, sAlOkya mukthi (Being in the same plane of God consciousness-Co-located with the Lord), sAmipya mukthi (Being close to or near God consciousness-Being in the vicinity of God), sArUpya mukthi (Attaining the same form as the parabrahman) and sAyujya mukthi (union with the Lord, this is the final stage of liberation). It has taken me five lines to (in)completely sketch one word of dIkshithar..such is the depth, profoundness and brilliance of this genius.

Musically, the charaNam starts off with the "r R" phrase which is overflowing with beauty. The "S ndp" phrase at "kAlAdi" and the "r M m g R" phrase at "tatvAnta" brings the rasikA to life and kills him/her once again..such is the beauty. The "p m pN S r r" at "mUlAdidvAdasha" is perhaps one of the best ever take-offs composed by dIkshithar. By this stage of the krithi, the rasikA is sure to have given up on life and closed his/her eyes, peacefully floating in the ocean of bliss. The madhyamakAla sAhityam literally flows to give that crescendo effect. The "gr rmp" ending to the charaNam leading to the "R S rsndp" take-off at the start of the pallavi completes the masterpiece, making this krithi, perhaps my most favourite krithi of the abhayAmba series. Such beauty and bliss is impossible to describe and it must be experienced by every human being with an ear for carnatic music.

I am now listening to the recording of varadarAja avAva in gangAtaraNgini (33rd mELa) in which SK and I completely gave up and went gA gA. I suddenly become extremely senti as I close this post listening to this recording. If it was not for the satsangam of friends like SK, hari and many more, my life would have continued along less meaningful paths. Anyway, I will next take up "ambikAyAh abhayAmbikAyAh" in kedAram, perhaps the studdest gem among this set of krithis. Till then, keep listening and as usual drown in the ocean of nectar :). shrI gurubhyO namah:

abhayAmbikAyai-yadukulakAmbhOji

It has been a really nice, peaceful day today. I finally filed my tax returns for the previous year. I had a really nice session with Bala sir today morning. There wasn't much music but it was filled with nice arattai :). Since I dont have much to write about life in general over the past 24 hours, I am going to directly dive into the krithi.

Continuing with the abhayAmbA series, I am going to discuss the beautiful yadukulakAmbhOji krithi, "abhayAmbikAyai ashwArUDAyai" composed excluively in the chaturthi vibhakthi (fourth/dative case). dIkshithar shows his mastery over the 28th and the 29th mElakarthas by taking up rAgAs like shankarAbharaNam, yadukulakAmbhOji (referred to as YK from now on), kEdAragOwLa and kEdAram one after the other for these consecutive vibhakthis. According to me, this is the highlight of these compositions. If you have any doubts, whatsoever distinguishing these rAgams, then these krithis are your answer. There are a few common phrases between these rAgAs and dIkshithar has handled them so beautifully that you will never feel uncomfortable singing/playing them. This krithi is comparable to divAkara tanujam, that amazing YK masterpiece in the navagraha set and it probes the beauty of the rAga in a very similar fashion. The pallavi starts off as:

Pallavi:
abhayAmbikAyai ashwArUDhAyai
abhayavarapradAyai namastE namastE

Meaning:
dIkshithar begins with a cute salutation to the Goddess "I prostrate before you again and again ("namastE namastE"), Oh Goddess abhayAmbikA, the one who is seated on a horse as the form of ashwarUDhA and the one who displays the abhaya (protection/fearlessness) and varada (boons granting) mudrAs."

dIkshithar starts off with the beautiful YK phrase "M P D". The "P D S D " phrase at "ashwArUDhAyai is a complete knock out punch. The swarAksharam combining the mandra sthAyi "dha" at pra"dA"yai is a stroke of genius. The two namastEs cover the typical "P D S" and "M P D P MGRS" phrases. So, basically, YK is murdered and brought back to life in the pallavi itself..just amazing. The pallavi sets the tone for the krithi. None of the words are complex to understand or interpret and thats how the entire krithi is structured. Moving on to the anupallavi,

Anupallavi:
subhagAkArAyai suruciranaTanabhEdAyai
shobhitaradanAyai SuddhamAnasAyai
hiraNyamaNikundalAyai himAcalasadanAyai

Meaning:
dIkshithar describes the beautiful appearance of the dEvi in these lines. He sings "You are the one who has a pleasant ("subhaga") form ("AkArA") and the one who exhibits beautiful ("su+ruchira") variations ("bhEdAyai") in your dance ("naTana"). You are the one with glittering ("shobhita") teeth ("radanAyai") and the one with a pure ("Suddha") mind ("mAnasAyai"). You are the one who wears a gem studded ("maNi") golden ("hiraNya") ear ring ("kundalAyai") and the one who has her abode ("sadanAyai") in the himAlayAs ("himAcala")."

To fully appreciate these beautiful lines, we must go back to the main theme behind the story of abhayAmbA and how she danced as a peahen with Lord Shiva who came down as a peacock. dIkshithar preserves this theme by describing the Goddess's beauty and Her dancing skills. dIkshithar talks about the physical beauty as well as the pure mind of the Goddess. I once again cannot comprehend the greatness of dIkshithar's soul to have been able to visualize the Goddess so beautifully and comprehensively.

Musically, the "S R Pmgm" phrase to kick off the anupallavi is amazing followed by the "D N D P" phrase at "suruchira". The swarAkshara usage of deivatham for words like pa"dA"yai, bhE"dA"yai etc is to be taken for granted in this entire krithi..just mind-blowing. The krithi for the first time goes to the tAra sthAyi with the " S R Pmgm" phrase at "shObita" thereby establishing similarity with the first line of anupallavi. The typical phrases of "M P D P" at "Suddha" adds to the beauty of the krithi and "S R MM GM PP" at "hiraNyamaNi" totally knocks you off the floor. The madhyamakAla sAhityam does not change the sowkhyam in the krithi whatsoever. The first time I heard the anupallavi, my head was spinning and there were goosebumps as usual. Outstanding brilliance. In this krithi, dIkshithar for a change keeps the caraNam pretty simple without much in-depth yOgic stuff.

caraNam:
sakala-mantra-yantra-rUpAyai sakalAyai
candraSEkara-priyAyai pancamakarAyai
gUDhagulphAyai guruguhaswarUpAyai
garvabhaNDakhaNDAyai gamapadAdinutapadAyai
kAvEritIrAyai kamalESasEvitAyai

Meaning:
The caraNam is pretty easy to interpret. dIkshithar describes the Goddess as "The one who exists in all ("sakala") the forms ("rUpAyai") of mantra and yantra. The all knowledgable one ("sakalAyai") and the beloved ("priyAyai") of Lord Shiva ("candraSEkara"-the one who wears the moon). The one whose path of worship consists of the pancamakara-matya etc. The one who has well-turned,beautiful ("gUDha") ankles ("gulphAyai") and the one who is the real form ("swarUpAyai") of the teacher ("guru") who removes the ignorance from the caves ("guha") of the heart of the devotees. The one who destroyed ("khaNDAyai") the pride ("garva") of the demon bhaNDAsura and the one, who's feet ("padAyai") are worshipped by the gama padAs etc. of the agama shAstrAs. The one who resides on the banks ("tIrAyai") of kAvEri and the one who is attended ("sEvitAyai") by Lord viSNu, the Lord of Goddess Lakshmi ("kamalESa")."

dIkshithar has adopted the KISS strategy-Keep It Straight and Simple. The caraNam has no exorbitant or explosive words but at the same time, it is beautiful and exclusively exquisite. The plain "S G R M" nalinakAnti-ish phrase at "sakala" and the "P S N D P" Anandabhairavi-ish phrase at "pancama"karAyai are what one would call as the complete exploitation of a rAga. At this point, a rasikA just closes his/her eyes and totally surrenders.

But, if you think this is the pinnacle of dIkshithar's brilliance in this krithi, you have to wait till the madhyamakAla sAhityam. Perhaps the best ever showcase of swarAkshara usage ever is found in this krithi at "ga ma pa dA" di nu ta "pa dA" yai in the madhyamakAla sAhityam. This is where I completely gave up while listening to this krithi. Tears just rolled down my cheeks..what kind of an insanely human brain can ever compose such a thing..This is perhaps a place where dIkshithar scores one over God Himself..perhaps a classic example of the creation overshadowing the creator. Just amazing. I still roll on the floor helplessly when I listen to this phrase. My brain has now stopped working as I listen to the krithi once again while typing these lines..this is just too much to take for a mere mortal like me. I have nothing more to say about this masterpiece. I kindly request everyone to please listen to the krithi at http://www.sangeethapriya.org/~dikshithar (kalpagam maami's version) and experience the bliss I am unable to put in words here. Enjoy the goosebumps :) :).

I apologize for finishing this post abruptly like this..I have nothing more to say as I enter a pensive mood of surrender. I will take up the spectacular kEdAragOwLa krithi "abhayAmbikAyAH" in my next post. This krithi is perhaps my most favourite in the abhayAmbA series simply because of a single phrase which kills me every time I think about it. Till then, enjoy the brilliant YK and please continue to share your thoughts and comments as you have always done :). Thanks a lot!! Romba senti I have become :'(. shrI gurubhyO namah:!!