Dear Rasikas,
Two days ago, I got a few minutes with a lovely book of essays, "Sangeeta Samaya" by Vidwan S.Krishnamurthy (grandson of Mysore Vasudevacharya). I was very happy to read the chapter on Wodeyar's compositions. I decided to share excerpts with you all, and so here goes my attempt at translation. I of course link the original Kannada text I scanned, here:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/gdwf0vp02i9ui ... itions.pdf
I will do the translation in three parts. First Part:
A Time for Music
Author: S. Krishnamurthy
Publisher: DVK Murthy, Mysore 2002
An Adept King Composer – Jayachamaraja Wodeyar
What inspired the king to get into composing was a confluence of several qualities in him – his incomparable devotion, his special love for Sanskrit, knowledge of Tantrashastra, Mantrashastra, a keen interest in subjects of Vedanta, extensive competency in music, and an attitude of service without recompense. One day, after seeking the blessings of my grandfather (Mysore Vasudevacharya, his guru), he began this mammoth task. Once the sahitya or lyric of the composition would be ready, there would be a discussion of what raga would best bring out the mood and feeling of the lyric, which tala would be appropriate, what should be the musical idiom/syntax, how should the nade (rhythmical progression) be- a discussion that he would hold with my grandfather. As was the practice, I would notate the swaras of the song in Western notation and present it to him. The king would then play and study the song on the piano with that notation. By this time, the king was also quite familiar with the Carnatic system of swara notation and so I would present the song in that form as well. He would then ask me to sing the song and listen to it. He would then discuss his reactions with grandfather. Thus would the song be finalised and then be passed on to musicians.
As per tradition, the task of Maharaja’s compositions began with the prayer to Vighneshwara (Ganesha). “SrimahAgaNapatiM bhajEhaM” in Athana raga took shape on 17th August 1945. From then, the compositional exercise continued till 19 Dec. 1947 and the song that took shape that day was “SriranganAtha pAhimAM kRupAlaya” in Kalyanavasantha. All together 94 compositions with the mudra “srIvidyA” were created by the Maharaja.
Wodeyar was a SrIvidyA upAsaka(follower/practitioner). Hence his mudra “srIvidyA””. The tradition of SrIvidyA worship is very ancient. The yantra (mystic design) of “SrIchakra”, Panchadashi or Shodashi mantra (mystic prayer), the rituals connected with “srIvidyA”, are the three components of this worship. “srIvidyA” practitioners are rare. But those who have faith in “SrIchakra” are many. They have faith that having even one “SrIchakra” symbol in the house would confer wish fulfilment, even if it is not worshipped with discipline. There is traditional belief that Adi Shankara installed the SrIchakra in Tirupati temple and hence its effect has made the goddess Lakshmi reign with such flourish there.
SrIchakra has 9 triangles, and hence is called ‘navayonatmaka” symbol. Of these, four are Shiva chakras, five are Shakti chakras. The mystic union of Shiva and Shakti is the inner truth, the core of “srIvidyA” worship. These nine trangles/chakras symbolise the cosmic processes of creation, sustenance, and destruction. The compositions of Wodeyar contain in full measure the details of “srIvidyA” and “SrIchakra” worship and rituals.