http://www.shivkumar.org/music/chetashree.htm
In this kriti, is the lyrics corrupted at srI rukmini dhAram? If one looks at the epithets/phrases, except this all others are relevant for a bAla (toddler) krishna or age neutral. Whereas rukmini dhAram is post bAla, yuvA or later? Or is there split the words and related to bAlakrishna meaning...
chetah srI bAlakrishnam - clarification needed
-
nAdopAsaka
- Posts: 965
- Joined: 20 Jul 2020, 17:05
Re: chetah srI bAlakrishnam - clarification needed
In the footsteps of nAdajyOti Mutthuswamy Dikshitar..
In post # 808, dated Jan 7, 2023 of the Mutthuswamy Dikshitar thread all 9 of the mannArgudi rAjagOpAla kritis are described, including their rAga choices.
It is of some note that in 1802, William Wordsworth writes the line “the child is the father of the man”...implying…the attributes of the adult depend on those acquired during early years.
The reference to “Sri rukmini” associated with bAlakrSna is not unique to the jujAvanti “CEta Sri bAlakrSnam”
In the khamAs kriti “santAna gOpAlakrSnam” (also at mannArgudi) the reference “Sri rukmini satyabhAma” appears.
Similarly in the sAvEri kriti "Sri rAjagOpAla", the krSna is also described as "bAla SrngArlilA" AND he is “SrIrukmiNI satyabhAmAshrita"
Likewise in the kuranji kriti , “SrI vENugOpAla SrI rukmiNI lOla", the krSna is also “dEvaki sukumAra dInajanamandAra gOvarddhanOddhAra gOpa yuvatI jAra” where symbols of the youth of the deity, are noted while also being "Sri rukmini lOla".
There is no age mis-match in the Dikshitars usage of the reference to “Sri rukmini” in these multiple bAlakrSna kritis.
Indeed, the question that arises is why is the rukmini dEvi singled out by the Dikshitar for her association with the young krSna.
The answer lies in another name specific to rukmini. = CiraYauvana !, as in..."forever young"..!
The worship of the child deity does not exclude worship of the adult deity who that child becomes and all his/her attributes.
The same can also be observed in the Dikshitars “bAla-subramanya” kritis (e.g. reference to “valli dEvasEnOpEta” in the bilahari).....
...and in the NINE kritis of the "bAlAmbikA navAvarana" - ( ALL NINE described in post # 804 of the Mutthuswamy Dikshitar thread dated Dec. 19, 2022)
Additionally, so-called child marriage customs of past times need not be invoked as part of this explanation.
In post # 808, dated Jan 7, 2023 of the Mutthuswamy Dikshitar thread all 9 of the mannArgudi rAjagOpAla kritis are described, including their rAga choices.
It is of some note that in 1802, William Wordsworth writes the line “the child is the father of the man”...implying…the attributes of the adult depend on those acquired during early years.
The reference to “Sri rukmini” associated with bAlakrSna is not unique to the jujAvanti “CEta Sri bAlakrSnam”
In the khamAs kriti “santAna gOpAlakrSnam” (also at mannArgudi) the reference “Sri rukmini satyabhAma” appears.
Similarly in the sAvEri kriti "Sri rAjagOpAla", the krSna is also described as "bAla SrngArlilA" AND he is “SrIrukmiNI satyabhAmAshrita"
Likewise in the kuranji kriti , “SrI vENugOpAla SrI rukmiNI lOla", the krSna is also “dEvaki sukumAra dInajanamandAra gOvarddhanOddhAra gOpa yuvatI jAra” where symbols of the youth of the deity, are noted while also being "Sri rukmini lOla".
There is no age mis-match in the Dikshitars usage of the reference to “Sri rukmini” in these multiple bAlakrSna kritis.
Indeed, the question that arises is why is the rukmini dEvi singled out by the Dikshitar for her association with the young krSna.
The answer lies in another name specific to rukmini. = CiraYauvana !, as in..."forever young"..!
The worship of the child deity does not exclude worship of the adult deity who that child becomes and all his/her attributes.
The same can also be observed in the Dikshitars “bAla-subramanya” kritis (e.g. reference to “valli dEvasEnOpEta” in the bilahari).....
...and in the NINE kritis of the "bAlAmbikA navAvarana" - ( ALL NINE described in post # 804 of the Mutthuswamy Dikshitar thread dated Dec. 19, 2022)
Additionally, so-called child marriage customs of past times need not be invoked as part of this explanation.
-
nAdopAsaka
- Posts: 965
- Joined: 20 Jul 2020, 17:05
Re: CEta SrI bAlakrSnam - The wondrous contrasting dual theme (dwijA) of the jujAvanti (aka dwijAvanti) kriti
The wondrous contrasting dual theme (dwijA) of the jujAvanti (aka dwijAvanti) kriti “CEta Sri bAlakrSnam”.
In the footsteps of nAdajyOti Mutthuswamy Dikshitar..
The kriti “CEta Sri bAlakrSnam” carries a message far beyond the mere swaras patterns it has been analysed for in the past century.
Not only is the rAga choice inspired by the inherent duality of the unique deity, every line of the kriti carries this imagery (as is explained below).
First the rAga choice.
How rAga jujAvanti/dwijA-vanti applies uniquely to the child krSnA ?
As a baby, the nanda-kiSOra is the birth-son of dEvaki (e.g. dEvaki nandana).
But in the everlasting legend, he is fostered by yaSOda , effectively his “second mother”. (e.g. yaSOda tanaya)
It is this duality that leads naturally to the word dwijA-vanti, which rAga name is considered the synonym of rAga jujAvanti.
dwijA carries the idea of dwi-jA = dual born or twice born, identifying with the dual nature of these two krSnA mothers, noted above.
Separately, the word “jujAvanti” itself can be derived from the word kujanam = kujAvanti (the sound of the kOkila) which is also the cooing of a young baby.
So in one stroke, with the rAga choice, the Dikshitar has captured the image of the iconic young , gurgling baby avatAra and its equally iconic “two” mothers !
The kriti itself carries the idea of duality further..as is seen in the contrasting ideas/images invoked by the choice of words in the pallavi , anupallavi and Carana.
pallavi
CEta SrI bAlakRSNam bhaja rE rE
The CHILD (deity) who must be meditated upon
by all
including ADULTS
cintitArthaprada CaranAravindam mukundam
The deity who HEARS the plea
versus
the deity whose FEET deliver the boon
anupallavi
nUtana nIrada sadRSa SarIram (nanda-kishOram) pIta vasana dharam
Complexion and Clothing
He with the Dark hue
versus
He with bright yellow clothing
kambu-kandharam giri-dharam
Sea and Mountain
He with the conch like neck – conch represents the sea-shell
versus
He who hold up the mountain – giridhara
pUtanAdi-samhAram puruSOttamAvatAram
Death and Birth
He who slays pUtana
versus
He who is born again as viSnu’s avatAra
SItala hRdaya vihAram SrI rukmiNi dAram
Cool versus Hot
He who resides in the cool passion of sages
versus
He with the hot passion of (spouse) rukmini
Carana
navanIta gandha vAhavadanam mRdugadanam
Breath and speech
He whose breath smells like butter
versus
He who has soft (like butter) speech
nalina patra nayanam vaTa patra Sayanam
Two kinds of patra/plants (nalina-patra & vata-patra)
He with Eyes like lotus
versus
He who rests on the (banyan) leaf
nava Campaka nAsikam atasI sumabhAsakam
Nose and smell
He who has the Campaka flower as his nose ornament
versus
He who smells like the atasi flower
natEndrAdi lOkapAlakam mRga-mada-tilakam
Both Inward and Outward ALL pervading nature
He who is worshipped from all 8 (cardinal) directions of the compass
Versus
He whose (strong musk= kasturi tilaka) scent spreads in all directions
navatulasI vanamAlam nAradAdi munijAlam
A circle of flowers and a circle of admirers
encircled by the garland of flowers
versus
encircled by web of nArada and munis
kuvalayAdi paripAlam guruguha nuta gOpAlam
Guardian of the worlds
versus
Guardian of cows
And this is the nAdayOgi whose pujA has been reduced to mere swara sounds/patterns, notation and techniques of air pressure variation, by lazy, unimaginative and ultimately corrupt villains.
It is impossible (at least for the nAda-upAsaka) to treat the Dikshitars kritis as mere “songs”.
CEta Sri bAlakrSnam – rAga jujAvanti
MSS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fnmfVr9rMI
flute A nAdig
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZJckYjzBcY
In the footsteps of nAdajyOti Mutthuswamy Dikshitar..
The kriti “CEta Sri bAlakrSnam” carries a message far beyond the mere swaras patterns it has been analysed for in the past century.
Not only is the rAga choice inspired by the inherent duality of the unique deity, every line of the kriti carries this imagery (as is explained below).
First the rAga choice.
How rAga jujAvanti/dwijA-vanti applies uniquely to the child krSnA ?
As a baby, the nanda-kiSOra is the birth-son of dEvaki (e.g. dEvaki nandana).
But in the everlasting legend, he is fostered by yaSOda , effectively his “second mother”. (e.g. yaSOda tanaya)
It is this duality that leads naturally to the word dwijA-vanti, which rAga name is considered the synonym of rAga jujAvanti.
dwijA carries the idea of dwi-jA = dual born or twice born, identifying with the dual nature of these two krSnA mothers, noted above.
Separately, the word “jujAvanti” itself can be derived from the word kujanam = kujAvanti (the sound of the kOkila) which is also the cooing of a young baby.
So in one stroke, with the rAga choice, the Dikshitar has captured the image of the iconic young , gurgling baby avatAra and its equally iconic “two” mothers !
The kriti itself carries the idea of duality further..as is seen in the contrasting ideas/images invoked by the choice of words in the pallavi , anupallavi and Carana.
pallavi
CEta SrI bAlakRSNam bhaja rE rE
The CHILD (deity) who must be meditated upon
by all
including ADULTS
cintitArthaprada CaranAravindam mukundam
The deity who HEARS the plea
versus
the deity whose FEET deliver the boon
anupallavi
nUtana nIrada sadRSa SarIram (nanda-kishOram) pIta vasana dharam
Complexion and Clothing
He with the Dark hue
versus
He with bright yellow clothing
kambu-kandharam giri-dharam
Sea and Mountain
He with the conch like neck – conch represents the sea-shell
versus
He who hold up the mountain – giridhara
pUtanAdi-samhAram puruSOttamAvatAram
Death and Birth
He who slays pUtana
versus
He who is born again as viSnu’s avatAra
SItala hRdaya vihAram SrI rukmiNi dAram
Cool versus Hot
He who resides in the cool passion of sages
versus
He with the hot passion of (spouse) rukmini
Carana
navanIta gandha vAhavadanam mRdugadanam
Breath and speech
He whose breath smells like butter
versus
He who has soft (like butter) speech
nalina patra nayanam vaTa patra Sayanam
Two kinds of patra/plants (nalina-patra & vata-patra)
He with Eyes like lotus
versus
He who rests on the (banyan) leaf
nava Campaka nAsikam atasI sumabhAsakam
Nose and smell
He who has the Campaka flower as his nose ornament
versus
He who smells like the atasi flower
natEndrAdi lOkapAlakam mRga-mada-tilakam
Both Inward and Outward ALL pervading nature
He who is worshipped from all 8 (cardinal) directions of the compass
Versus
He whose (strong musk= kasturi tilaka) scent spreads in all directions
navatulasI vanamAlam nAradAdi munijAlam
A circle of flowers and a circle of admirers
encircled by the garland of flowers
versus
encircled by web of nArada and munis
kuvalayAdi paripAlam guruguha nuta gOpAlam
Guardian of the worlds
versus
Guardian of cows
And this is the nAdayOgi whose pujA has been reduced to mere swara sounds/patterns, notation and techniques of air pressure variation, by lazy, unimaginative and ultimately corrupt villains.
It is impossible (at least for the nAda-upAsaka) to treat the Dikshitars kritis as mere “songs”.
CEta Sri bAlakrSnam – rAga jujAvanti
MSS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fnmfVr9rMI
flute A nAdig
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZJckYjzBcY