stavyaH kOpi mahAn : verses on tyagarAja

[keerthi]

May I request for the critical text of these verses by Walajapet venkataramana bhagavatar, composed on tyAgarAja..?

srimAnasAmbuja..... sa tyAgarAjO guruH//

and

stavyaH kOpi mahAn raghUdvaha-kathA...... gAna-dhwanir-yasya vai//


Thanks.

[ksr]

Hi,
I have the text for these slokas.
Do you want these two only or the remaining slokas also?
-ksr

[keerthi]

Kindly post the whole set of 8? at your convenience. it will serve as a vauable resource for anyone else who ever searches for these verses.

I am specifically interested in the first two..

[ksr]

Dear friend,
Here are the first two verses. The rest will follow in due course.
Itrans notation has been employed, to facilitate easy conversion to Devanagari script when needed
I have also introduced hyphens liberally, to make translation easier


shrI-guru-stotrAShTakam |
shrI-mAnasAMbuja-saMbhavAnvaya-lasat-kAkalla- vaMshAgraNIH
nyAya-vyAkaraNa-pramANa-gati-vid- vidvajjanArAdhitaH |
sA~NgAdhIta-viloDIta-shrunishikhA-dugdhAbdhi-labdhAmR^ito
jyotirmArga-vidAM varo vijayate sat-tyAgarAjo guruH || 1

stavyaH ko.api mahAn raghUdvaha-kathA-pIyUSha-varShI ghano
rAmabrahma-mahA-mahIdhara-bhavaH sat-tyAgarajAhvayaH |
bIjaM bharga-mayUra-tANDava-vidher-vINAdhanuShyullasat-
tantrI-ri~NkhaNa-vidyutApasakR^ito gAnadhvanir-yasya vai || 2

**** ****

These two verses are in the shArdUlavikrIDita meter of sanskrit prosody. But there is a difficulty in the phrase "shrI mAnasAMbuja". It offends meter. I think it should be
shrImAnaMbuja....
But who am I to make the change in the printed text before me!

-ksr

[rshankar]

Keerthi/ksr,

Can you provide a translation as the verses are posted? Will help the rest of us understand these masterpieces. -Thanks!

[keerthi]

shrImAn! aMbuja-saMbhavAnvaya-lasat-kAkarla- vaMshAgraNiH!
nyAya-vyAkaraNa-pramANa-gati-vid vidvajjanArAdhitaH! |
sANgAdhIta-viloDIta-shruti-shikhA-dugdhAbdhi-labdhAmRto!
jyotir-mArga-vidAM varo! vijayate sat-tyAgarAjo guruH || 1 ||


ksr, i concur with you on the srImAnasambuja-srImAn ambuja thing.

I shall however,be audacious, go ahead and make the change, as it seems appropriate. I have also corrected some minor typo-s.

shrImAn! aMbuja-saMbhavAnvaya-lasat-kAkarla- vaMshAgraNiH!

The respectable(shrImAn) scion of the kAkarla clan(kAkarla- vaMshAgraNiH), foremost of the descendants(anvaya) of BrahmA, the lotus-born?(aMbuja-saMbhava)[1];

nyAya-vyAkaraNa-pramANa-gati-vid vidvajjanArAdhitaH!

The one, who is learned in nyAya (the doctrine of logic), vyAkaraNa (grammar) and the pramAna-s (sources of knowledge - pratyakSa, anumana shabda etc.) and their intricacies(gati-vid); and is revered by scholars(vidvajjanArAdhitaH);

sANgAdhIta-viloDIta-shruti-shikhA-dugdhAbdhi-labdhAmRto

He, who having read(adhIta) the Veda-s and their crest/essence {VEdAnta}(shruti-shikhA), along with the auxiliary disciplines(sa-anga), churned(viloDIta) the milk-ocean(dugdhAbdhi) of this knowledge, and got(labdha) the essence-ambrosia(amRthO) out of it;

jyotir-mArga-vidAM varo! vijayate sat-tyAgarAjo guruH

The best among those who know the illumined path(jyotir-mArga-vidAM varo)[2], he will be victorious(vijayate) forever, the great(sat) preceptor(guruH) tyagarAja(tyAgarAjo).

[1] ambuja-sambhavAnvaya - translates to descendants of Brahma - it could be a generic reference to tyAgarAja being a brAhmin, or may refer to his descent from a gOtra named after one of the saptaRSi-s - bhAradwaja gOtra (saptarSi-s being the mind-born sons of Brahma).

There is some minor anomaly regarding tyAgarAja's gotra, and whether girirAjabrahmam was his maternal or paternal ancestor. The girirAja kavi of SarabhOji's court may not have been tyAgarAja's paternal Grandfather GirirAja-braHmAm.
For those interested in the historical details :

http://www.tamilartsacademy.com/journal ... ticle8.htm


[2] jyotirmArga could refer to the knowledge of the archirAdi mArga, the path taken by souls while they transmigrate, as expounded in the sArIrika sUtra-s.

Corrections are welcome.

[rshankar]

Thanks Keerthi - educational as usual! Can pramANa also be interpretted as 'proof'?

[keerthi]

pramAna can be read as proof..
and jyOtir-mArga also means the shAstra of astrology - jyOtiShya.

will try the other verse later..

[keerthi]

stavyaH ko+api mahAn raghUdvaha-kathA-pIyUSha-varShI ghano
rAmabrahma-mahA-mahIdhara-bhavaH sat-tyAgarajAhvayaH |
bIjaM bharga-mayUra-tANDava-vidher-vINAdhanuShyullasat-
tantrI-riNkhaNa-vidyutApasakRto gAnadhvanir-yasya vai ||


anvaya – sat-tyAgarajAhvyah kOpi mahAn, raghUdvaha-katha-pIyUSa-varSI-ghanO, rAmabrahma-mahA-mahidhara-bhavaH,yasya gana-dhvaniH bharga-mayUra-tANDava-vidheH bIjaM, vINA-dhanuSyullasad tantri-rinkhaNa-vidyutApa-sakRto vai (asti/rAjatE)


sat-tyAgarajAhvyah kOpi mahAn = that great soul named TyAgarAja,

raghUdvaha-katha-pIyUSa-varSI-ghanO = the cloud the showers the nectarine accounts of the best of the raghu-s[1]

rAmabrahma-mahA-mahidhara-bhavaH = born to the saintly rAmabrahma, great like a mountain

yasya gana-dhvaniH = whose music

bharga-mayUra-tANDava-vidheH bIjaM = contains the essence of Siva’s mayura-tandava,

vINA-dhanuSyullasad tantri-rinkhaNa-vidyutApa-sakRto vai (asti/rAjatE) = accompanied by the strains of the vINA and the tanpura, as if illuminated by lightning.


Comments: Here TyAgarAja is likened to a cloud that rains down the ambrosial music, born to the mountain that is rAmabrahma; and his music is said to encapsulate the grace (lAsya) and rhythm(laya) of the variety of siva’s dance known as the mayUra-tANDava. Also, accompanied by the occasional strumming of the tantri (tambUra) which resemble flashes by lightning, the rain imagery is enhanced.

[1] udvaha = best, superior; raghUdvaha = raghUttama = rAma.


I am puzzled by the vidyutApasakRtO phrase, and am grateful for any light on it.

[cmlover]

yasya gAna dhvaniH sakRtaH vINA-dhanuShi-ullasat-tantrI-riNkhaNa- vidyut-Apa vai
yasya gAna dhvaniH = whose sound of music
sakRtaH = (as) well made
vINA-dhanuShi-ullasat-tantrI-riNkhaNa- vidyut-Apa = obtained (Apa) in the bow (dhanuSh) (of) vINA's sparkling (ullasat) string's 'rInkaaram' (tantrI riNkhaNa) (like)lightning-flashes(vidyut)
vai = (is) indeed

udvaha = also means borne (by raghu as the ancestor)

What a beautiful colourful lyric! Reminds me of kALidAsa!

Let us hear all of them!

Thanks keerthi for the appropriate contextual interpretaions...

[ksr]

Excellent translations!
1)Please add in the anvaya of verse2:
stavyaH = praiseworthy
2) ambujasambhavAnvaya:
This may also refer to the appendage of "brahma" to the names of Tyagaraja's forefathers
(and his own!)
-ksr

[keerthi]

I totally agree with your observations, ksr..

Particularly, your interpretation of ambujasambhavAnvaya is excellent..

It never occurred to me that it could refer to the familial habit of appending brahma to their names.


If you post the remaining verses, we could try and do the whole set..

[cmlover]

While 'brahmam' may have been a family appendage it was also a very selective appendage given in honour. The grandfather Girirajabrahmam was a highly renowned poet known as Girirajakavi. His father was equally renowned and honoured by the king and was Ramabrahmam. Thyagaraja himself was plain Thyagaraja till he completed his 960 million Rama japa whence he came to be known as Thyagabrahmam. On the other hand his elder brother Panchapakesan remained simply Jalpesan!

[ksr]

Re; ambujasambhvAnvaya;
The word brahma in sanskrit means 'supreme', and the word brahmA refers to the Creator.
This word brahma in Tamil is always rounded off as brahmam, as this language does not seem to permit akAranta male names ( In Telugu I think they permit both brahma and brahmamu)
Thus the appendage brahmam is not just a family name, but conveys, as Sri cmlover so ably pointed out, some great accomplishment on the part of the person carrying it.
Still the interpretation that Tyagaraja hails from an illustrious lineage is correct.
Poets take the liberty of confusing brahma with brahmA.
As an example, supeme bliss is brahmAnanda (brahma + Ananda) But Dikshitar would deliberately split this into brahmA+ Ananda, and go on to refer to it as kamalaja + Ananda!
Much on the same lines, I think, our author refers to brahmAnvaya (lineage of Greats) as aMbujasaMbhavAnvaya.(lineage of the Creator)

Here are the other 6 verses of the aShTakam:
Some of the phrases baffle me, and I have indicated them with a *

vyAso naigama-darchayA* mR^idu-girA valmIka-janmA muniH
vairAgye shuka eva bhakti-viShaye prahlAda eva svayam |
brahmA nArada eva chApratimayoH sAhitya-sa~NgItayoH
yo rAmAmR^ita- pAna-nirjita-shivastaM tyAgarAjaM bhaje || 3 ||

yo vAnishaM sva-guNa-jAla-gR^ihIta-hamsa-
vaMshottamam vahati mAnavavaj~narAnai* |
yasyApriyaM priyamapi spR^ishate na chetaH
taM tyAgarAja-guru-varyamahaM nato.asmi || 4 ||

yasya smR^itiH kali-malaM harati prajAnAM
saMdarshanaM cha tanute hari-bhakti-yogam |
niHshreyasAya jayate bhuvi yatkaTAkShaH
tat -tyagarajagurureva sadA gatirme || 5 ||

sarvAtmanA jayati mUrtamamUrtamasya
kShemAya yattadamR^itaM kR^ipayA jane.asmin |
brahmaiva yasya vapuShA(a)vatatAra bhUmau
sattyAgarajagurureva parA gatirme || 6 ||

brahma brahmAdi-durj~neyaM nija-tattva- vivakShayA |
svebhyo yadAtmanA jaj~ne tyAgarAjaH sa me gatiH || 7 ||

loke kushIlava-gaNAH kati vA na santi
kiM tairasatk-R^iti-ratairapi gAna-shauNDaiH |
yastyAgarAja -kavirAja-vacho.amR^itAni
pAsyatyaharnishamaho bata tasya bhAgyam || 8 ||

[cmlover]

vyAso naigama-darchayA* mR^idu-girA valmIka-janmA muniH
vairAgye shuka eva bhakti-viShaye prahlAda eva svayam |
brahmA nArada eva chApratimayoH sAhitya-sa~NgItayoH
yo rAmAmR^ita- pAna-nirjita-shivastaM tyAgarAjaM bhaje || 3 ||

I shall attempt the third with the kind permission of keerthi..
naigama dar*sha*yA vyAsaH = (He is) vyAsa in veda (nigama) in introspective outlook
mR^idu girA vAlmIki janmA muniH= with (his) smooth expressions he is the reincarnation (janmA) of vAlmIki sage
vairAgye shuka eva = in vairAgya (detachment from material pleasures) he is shuka like
bhakti-viShaye prahlAda eva svayam = himself is like prahlAda in bhakti matters
apratimayoH sAhitya-sa~NgItayoH brahmA nArada eva cha = unparalleled in literature and music like brahmA and nArada
rAmAmR^ita- pAna-nirjita-shivaH = auspicious by drinking the conquering nectar of rAma (naamA)
yO tyAgarAjam taM bhajE = that Thyagaraja I venerate

All the comparisons are very apt and one can write pages justifying each of them!
Thanks ksr...

[keerthi]

Could it be naigama-carcayA..?


Also, could the meaning of rAmAmRta- pAna-nirjita-shivaH be, 'One who has surpassed/won even Lord Shiva in enjoyment of rAma-nAma'..??

[cmlover]

It can be equally carcaya since it appears to be a printer's devil!
I loved your superb interpretation of rAmAmRta- pAna-nirjita-shivaH which elevates the poem to a higher level! Conjures majestic images of Thyagaraja competing with Siva at varaNaasi chanting the taaraka naaama. Excellent!

[rshankar]

'keerthi' superb interpretation!!
CML - the 'winning' over Siva may refer to the fact that Siva (as told to pArvati) considers 'sahasra nAma tat (rAma nAma) tulyam....', making the rAma nAma the best among vishNu's names, while tyAgarAja went one step further and said 'rAma nI samAnamu evaru rA', making rAma the best in the pantheon!

[cmlover]

good comparison!
also Thyagaraja = Siva's namesake who was conquered by rAma naama!
Accoordingly one can say Thyagaraja (Siva) was overcome by drinking the nectar of rAma (naama).
(refer to his shatakOTi chanting of rAma naama..)

[keerthi]

The next instalment :

yo vAnishaM sva-guNa-jAla-gRhIta-hamsa-
vaMshottamam vahati mAnavavajnarAnai* |
yasyApriyaM priyamapi spRshate na chEtaH
taM tyAgarAja-guru-varyamahaM nato+asmi || 4 ||

anvayaM – almost follows the sequence of the verse.

yO vA anishaM – Who, always
sva-guNa-jAla – by dint of his virtues,
gRhIta-hamsa-vaMshottamam – belonged to an excellent line of ascetics [1]
vahati – bears/ keeps up
manavavat dharAyAm? – a life like that of ordinary mortals,[2]
yasya apriyaM priyam api – For whom, like and dislike,
spRshate na chEtah – aren’t perceived even, by the mind,
taM tyAgarAja-guru-varyam – To such a teacher par excellence, tyAgarAja,
ahaM nato asmi - I make reverences.

‘Who, by merit of his virtues, was inducted into the fold of the best of samnyAsins, but kept up an appearance like that of all men; whose consciousness is untouched by like and dislike, to that exalted teacher, TyAgarAja, I pay obeisance.’

[1] – The word hamsa like simha, vRshabha, maNi etc is often used to indicate the superlative or the best in a group. (rAjasimha, suraRSabha, narImaNi etc.) but the use of uttama in the same compound rules out the interpretation of hamsa to mean the same. Hence, I take it to mean a samnyAsin.

[2] manavavad-dharAyAM is my interpolation based on the metre. The original text is corrupt. other suggestions??

* * * * *
yasya smRitiH kali-malaM harati prajAnAM
saMdarshanaM cha tanute hari-bhakti-yogam |
niHshreyasAya jayate bhuvi yatkaTAkShaH
tat -tyagarajagurureva sadA gatirme || 5 ||

yasya smRtiH– whose mere remembrance,
prajAnAM kali-malam harati - removes the sins of people,
sandarshanaM ca – the sight of whom,
hari-bhakti-yOgam tanutE – instills devotion,(in the minds of onlookers).
Yad kaTAkSAH - whose merciful glances,
niHshreyasAya – For liberation
jayate bhuvi – are the most successful.
tat –tyagarajagurureva – that TyAgarAja guru, alone,
sadA gatirme – is my eternal refuge.


cmlover, could you look up darC in the dhatu-pATha, (which I believe you have access to). If such a verb exists, the original text may be right. darshA as an AkAranta strIlinga word is unencountered, and if the verb darC doesn't fit, carca may be our best bet.

[PUNARVASU]

keerthi, CML, it is a pleasure to read the translation of this beautiful tribute to the saint; Thanks for taking pains and translating for us.
In the seventh verse, are two lines missing?

[rshankar]

Keerthi - beautiful!!

[cmlover]

Keerthi
could not find a darc in the dhAtu pATha or more properly 'd^Ric' which with the 'ya' pratyayam will yield 'darcaya'. I feel darshaya is more appropriate since 'naigama darshan' means 'vedic vision' which iis quite appropriate here since Thyyagaraja is closeted with the vedic seers the foremost being vyAsa himself!

Couple of comments on the 4th verse.
I agree with your interprtation of the use of the 'hamsa' term. But in my opinion it is deeper and more poetic.
'hamsa' is the ajapA gAyatri. Hence 'hamsa vaMshOttamam' may indicate an excellent (uttamam) brahmin family (hamsavaMsha).
'mAnavavajnarAnai' is definitely riddled with typos and grammatical errors. For once it has to be narANai due tio rabbai. It can be corrected using any appropriate guess as you have done.
My guess is 'mAnavavat+jarANi' whence
'vahati manavavajjarANi' means 'bears like a mortal the infirmities (which are part of human life)'.

I will spend some time on the fifth later as I am in a rush today as coincidentally we are celebrating the Thyagaraja Day at Ottawa and I am one of the main organizers.
These lyrics are indeed an inspiration and thanks to you and ksr for bringing it to our attention!

[PUNARVASU]

Thought this link will be of relevance here.
Date:01/12/2006 URL: 2006/12/01/stories/2006120100280500.htm

[keerthi]

In the seventh verse, are two lines missing?

Nope, it is in the anuSTuBH/ shlOka metre (like most of the rAmAyana/ mahabhArata? bhagavad gIta) which had only 8 syllables per quarter, and hence could fit into two lines.. it is complete.

The last instalment. It may need some tweaking from more qualified minds.. A lot of conjecture has gone into it..


sarvAtmanA jayati mUrtamamUrtamasya
kShemAya yattadamRtaM kRpayA jane.asmin |
brahmaiva yasya vapuShA(a)vatatAra bhUmau
sattyAgarajagurureva parA gatirme || 6 ||


Asya mUrtaM amUrtaM (ca) sarvAtmanA jayati; asmin janE kRpayA kSEmAya yat tad AmRtaM brahma Eva yasya vapuSA bhUmau avatatAra, sa tyAgarAja-guruH Eva parA gatir mE.

The one who reigns victorious[jayati], immanent in all beings[sarvAtmanA], in overt and covert forms[mUrtaM amUrtaM]; the immortal Brahman[AmRtaM brahma], who out of mercy on us[asmin janE kRpayA ], manifested on this earth[bhUmau avatatAra], for our welfare[kSEmAya]; that tyAgarAja guru[sa tyAgarAja-guruH Eva] is my ultimate refuge. [parA gatir mE]

The immortal Brahman, pervading all beings in evident and discreet ways; who out of mercy on us, manifested on this earth, for our well being; that tyAgarAja guru alone is my succour.

* * * *

brahma brahmAdi-durj~neyaM nija-tattva- vivakShayA |
svebhyo yadAtmanA jaj~ne tyAgarAjaH sa me gatiH || 7 ||



brahma (the supreme being) as tyAgarAja who voluntarily (AtmanA) enlightened(jajnE) his own people(svEbhyO) the principle which is incomprehensible even for chaturmukha brahma (brahmAdi durjnEyam [tattvam] ) through exposition of His own self(nija-tattva- vivakShayA) (the Brahman that was innate in him); that tyAgarAja is my liberator (gatiH).

The Supreme Being (brahma) who as tyAgarAja, chose to enlighten his votaries, about the Absolute, which is out of the grasp of the creator(brahma II) even, by expounding the greatness of brahma (I) out of his own volition, that tyAgarAja is my sole support.


* * * *


loke kushIlava-gaNAH kati vA na santi
kiM tair-asatkRti-ratair api gAna-shauNDaiH |
yastyAgarAja -kavirAja-vacho.amRtAni
pAsyatyaharnisham aho bata tasya bhAgyam || 8 ||

Anvaya – almost identical to verse.

In this world, (lOkE) is there a dearth of (kati vA na santi) songsters like kusha and lava (kushIlava-gaNAH )? What if (kim) those musicians (gAna-shauNDaiH) aren’t interested in singing good poems/songs (a-sat-kRti-rataiH)? For him/her(yO) who drinks(pAsyati) the word-nectar of the king of poesy- tyAgarAja (tyAgarAja -kavirAja-vacho+amRtAni); indeed he/she is fortunate (ahO bata! tasya bhAgyaM).

Even in our times there are many singers of unearthly talent, like lava and kusha. Even if the great musicians are disinterested in singing the good compositions, Fortunate indeed are those who get to hear the nectarine poetry of tyAgarAja.

* * * *

Comments : In this rather convoluted verse of praise, WVB probably refers to his contemporary musicians, who very talented, but did not pay attention to bhAva or poetry in their music, (court music was largely manodharma-oriented, with elaborate pallavis, laya-vyavaharaM etc.)

This whole set of hagiographical verses, in all likelihood was composed by WVB after tyAgarAja’s demise, in homage; or at least after tyAgarAja took to sanyAsa. The poem has an advaitic bend, and WVB identifies his guru with the Absolute brahman.

[cmlover]

Dear Keerthi
You have done a great job interpreting the shlokas very appropriately.
I only differ with you on the interpretation of the final one which is a beautiful 'nindAstuti'

Let me try:

aho bata tasya bhAgyam = Alas! pity the luck of that one
yaH pAsyati aharnisham tyAgarAja -kavirAja-vacho.amRtAni = who perceives nectar day and night in the verses of Poet Laurate Thyagaraja
lOkE kim kushIlava-gaNAH taiH asat-kriti-gAna-shauNDaiH api rataiH kati na vA santi
What! Are there not some in this world ( kim lOkE kati vA na santi) (folks) who are music-inebriated (gAna-shauNDai) with their(*) unholy-compositions (tair-asat-kriti) of the crowd of kusha-lava (kushIlava-gaNAH) ?

* refers to the composition and music of KuSa-lava

In other words
Fie on those folks who are addicted to the unholy music and compositions of the gang of KuSa Lava.
(Likewise) Pity on those folks who perceive nectar day and night in the verses of Poet Laurate Thyagaraja!

What a beautiful nindAstuti!
(DanDin would not have missed it in his KAvyAlankAra if this was available in his times though anachronistically

[venkatpv]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3FSps6sAP4
Prof. SRJ singing vyaso naigama carcaya in suratti.

[smala]

......we are celebrating the Thyagaraja Day at Ottawa and I am one of the main organizers. ....

Please share some pictures.

[cmlover]

Will try to oblige when I get some pics to be posted.
It went very well with lots of kids singing Thyagaraja kritis superbly and participating with enthusiasm on the pancaratna...