Shyama Sastri

[RSR]

https://youtu.be/vD_NRM4Qe8U

Watch "From the archives |
MS Subbulakshmi |
Shyama Sastri Compositions" on YouTube

[nAdopAsaka]

A dESya rAga kSEtra ? -Why “jambukESwaram” is picked by both SyAmA SAStri and the Dikshitar for the exposition of dESya rAgas.

SyAmA SAStri’s dESya rAga purvi kalyAni kriti “ennEramum un nAmam” is to the akhilAndESwari of jambukESwaram.

This kriti is noted in post dated 12 Aug, 2023
https://www.rasikas.org/forums/viewtopi ... 60#p379960

Similarly in jambukESwaram, the Dikshitar gives the dESya rAga kritis yamunA kalyAni in “jambupatE” and jujAvanti in “akhilAndESwari rakSAmAm” .

The location of these 3 dESya rAga kritis in this one kSEtra is NOT a coincidence.

This post shows why.

Rivers and water in the Hindu consciousness

The mythical river “jambu” is said to flow from the mEru /kailASa peak. And so Siva is properly “jambupati” being also kailASanAtha.

Of course the river gangA is ALWAYS identified with “water” in the entire subcontinent..and also resides on the kailASanAtha’s forehead.

The Dikshitar and the water motif of jambukESwaram

Indeed the word “gangA” appears in the Dikshitars water-linga kriti “jambupatE” kriti…”ambudhi gangA kAvEri yamunA”..at ..what else…jambukESwaram. Notice that gangA is cited before even kAvEri.

And in the jujAvanti at this kSEtra “akhilandESwari rakSamAm”, the Dikshitar notes the water motif via the “jhar-jhar vAdya nAda”. And of course the water sound itself = kujanam (cooing/warbling etc) from which the rAga word jujAvanti derives.

Note for the fool/s and anyone else language-challenged…this is why the rAga word/choice is important….it protects the sanctity and identity of the vAggeyakAra from thieves and criminals.

Even in his non-dESya rAga kritis at jambukESwaram the Dikshitar maintains the water idea.

In the Arabhi rAga kriti “akhilAndESwaryai namastE” … the goddess is “sAgara mEkhalAyai” with the ocean as her girdle.

In the Suddha sAvEri “akhilAndESwarO” she is “akhandaika rasa pUrnO” – filled with the liquid of nectar

And in the bEgada “Sri mAtah” the goddess is the ardhanAri half as “jambupati sahita” where “jambu” is the mythical river emerging from the mEru peak.

SyAmA SAStri and the water motif at jambukESwaram

SyAmA SAStri also gives unmistakeable “water” = liquid mudras in ALLhis 5 jambukESwaram kritis

In the dESya raga purvi kalyAni “ennEramum un nAmam” he says “unuLLam karaiyavum nAn sollavO” – to melt the dEvis heart..melt obviously is the liquid or flowing image.

In the punnAgavarAli “ennEramum un pAda” he calls her “nI karuNaik-kaDal-allavO” = the ocean of compassion.

in the karnAtaka kApi he addresses the “akhilAndESwari” as “girvAni” where girVani is the synonym for sa-ras-wati and sa-ras-wati obviously implies “she who is full of rasa” = liquid = ambrosia etc.

In the gaulipantu “nannu brOva rAda” she is likewise “sa-rasa mrdu bhASiNi”

And in

In the sAvEri “Sankari Samkuru” she is “akhila bhuvana pOSini”

pOSanam/puSa/puSti derives from the nourishment typically associated also with rearing/nurturing/feeding …such as with a mothers milk.

The relevant question therefore is ..

Why is “jambukESwaram” being picked by both vAggeyakAras for the exposition of dESya rAga’s ?

The answer lies in the water aspect unique to jambukESwaram = the water-linga kSEtra.

Both jambu and the gangA are rivers in ‘dESya” regions.

But they are “imported” to the jambukESwara kSEtra through the legends around the water-linga Siva and the jambu-pati = Siva.

BOTH vAggeyakAras UNITE the distant dESya water icons (the rivers jambu and gangA) with their own vision of the deities local to jambukESwaram = the water-linga kSEtra, namely akhilAndESwari and jambupati.

Summary

The vAggeyakAras have embarked on a careful methodical pujA.

Their choices and words/ideas are wonderfully tailored to each kSEtra. Only a fool (or worse) can try to deny their choices.

Nothing the vAggeyakAras do is random or on a whim.

And everything they do enriches the nAda-upAsakas.

“ennEramum un nAmam” – SyAmA SAStris rAga purvi kalyAni

gAyatri girish
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8pRgog6mXQ

akhilAndESwari rakSamAm – the Dikshitars rAga jujAvanti

bombay jayaSri
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iP07j-5LLA

[nAdopAsaka]

The dEvis exquisite neck - bE-gala and man-gala of the “parAtpari parama pAvani bhavAni rAjarAjESwari” in SyAmA SAStris bEgada and kalyAni kritis

The combined names “parAtpari parama pAvani bhavAni rAjarAjESwari” appear in ONLY 2 kritis of SyAmA SAStri.

Of course each of these 5 names comes from the lalitA sahasranAma, as shown here
parAtpari - # 809 (= parAtpara)
parama # 618
pAvani from # 619 (= pAvanAkriti)
bhavAni - # 112
rAjarAjESWari - # 684

The kritis are
1. dayAnidhE mAmava – rAga bEgada (a varnam)
"dayAnidhe mAmava" carries the interesting reference to the “kamaniya kanda”, the dEvis’s exquisite neck.

Why does the reference to the neck/throat imply the bEgada rAga !!?

Because bEgada = bE-gala…AND NOT just from the syllables (as in kan-nada = kan-nala/kam-nala)...

Indeed, the Dikshitar uses this image of the neck/throat for both the dEvi and the (long-trunked) ganapati in Sri mAtah & vallabhAnAyakasya.

2. Sankari Sankari – rAga kalyAni

This kriti gives the rAga mudra overtly.

And of course, "Sankari" itself is synonym for the welfare-giver = kalyAni !!

Noticeably this kriti makes reference to gala = neck, not once but 3 times…with the ending words !!
man-galam jaya-mangalam Subha-mangalam

And fittingly man-gala is also a synonym for welfare = kalyAni !

dayAnidhE mAmava – rAga bEgada

arCana/Arati
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXsV0fLW0VI

mani K
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7IHIBY8MKY

G SrividyA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3UD1aaYemY

Sankari Sankari – rAga kalyAni

pantulA r
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfrclMeHIO8

[RSR]

Shyaama Saastry is unique among the TRINITY. I find that ALL the 70 kruthis by him are on Mother Goddess Paarvathi only. ( if I am not mistaken).
.
He sang about the Mother Goddess mostly at Tanjore Kamakshi temple,
Naagapatnam, Puthukkottai, Madurai, Kanchipuram., Trichi, and Thiruvaiyaaru.
.
He has not given us any kruthi on Saraswathy or Lakshmi .
.
While Thyaagaraaja swami has sung on other deities besides his Raama, SS
has sung on Paarvathi Devi only, exclusively.
.
So, the lone kruthi on varadhararaaja of kaanchi is most likely , not composed by him.
.

[RSR]

"O Jagadamba -

Anandhabhairavi -

M. S. Subbulakshmi"
.
https://youtu.be/SPUUup2VKfs?si=o17fcRvdH4B3XevI
.
Very rare 78 RPM record possibly prior to 1938,
.
Thanks to
Vintage voices of South India.
...

[nAdopAsaka]

sAmi ninnE – Why SyAma SAStris kriti to muddukumAra is in rAga bEgala at the man-gala graha kSEtra of vAithiSwaran kOvil

As usual this recent poster is poorly informed yet eager to display his ignorance.

vaithiSwaran kOvil is home to subramanya as “muddukumAra”.

It is also home to the man-gala navagraha (see the angArakam kriti of the Dikshitar).

kumAra and bhUmi-kUmAra (skanda and Mars)

The kambu-gala (exquisite long neck) of the mangala graha is noted in the angArakam kriti.

But the kambu-gala is also an icon of the skanda deity …

Why ?

Because the peacock is the vAhana of the skanda = SikhivAhana and the peacock has an exquisite neck

And when SyAmA SAStris calls the deity = sAmi ninnE nammiti rA rArA muddukumArA
...this skanda arrives riding this peacock described by SyAmA SAStri as “su-nila-kanthA vAha"

The long necked peacock lends its name to the rAga as the word bEgala for bEgada...(fools should note ..this is used also by the Dikshitar as rAga mudra).

For his ONLY kriti to a deity other than dEvi, it is easy to see why the SyAmA SAStri has quite deliberately picked his rAga choice. The interesting phrase “pAmaru nEnu pogada” appears in the first Carana as well.

when written as "(muddu-kumAra) sAmi ninnE nammiti rA rArA muddukumArA" the starting address echoes "the kumAraswAminam" start of the Dikshitar kriti to the same deity.

sAmi ninnE nammiti rA rArA muddukumArA – rAga bEgada

MS sheela
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqejWQQP610

[RSR]

"O Jagadamba -

Anandhabhairavi -


Gist

O Mother of Universe! O Mother!
O Moon faced! O Lotus Eyed! O Virtuous! O Mother kAmAkshi sporting crescent!
O Mother who bore me! O Mother anna pUrNa with pleasing countenance who bestows boons! O Foremost in getting rid the fears of unfortunate people!
O Daughter of Himalaya! O Mother! O Mother who enjoys music! O Queen Consort of Siva!
O kAmAkshi of kAncIpura! O Mother! O Mother extolled by vishNu – SyAma kRshNa! O dEvi who grants good fame! O Mother!
O Dear Consort of Siva! O parA Sakti!

Please protect me quickly.

You are refuge for people in this World. Further,
You are the One extolled by kings gloriously.

Is it justified to show this much of unconcern towards me?
Am I not the One who has trusted You?
You nourish the entire Worlds. Is protecting me alone so difficult?

Heeding to my plea, made in Your sannidhi, please protect me quickly.

Why this tarrying?
I am unable to forbear.
Did I, becoming wavering minded, trust other Gods than You, for the sake of protection?
I do not find anywhere that kind of (Your) virtue which has been extolled by Siva.
I trusted You – this statement is true.

Kindly protect me quickly.

I am unsteady minded.
As a result of some earlier (meritorious) deeds, I beheld

Kindly protect me quickly.

I am unsteady minded.
As a result of some earlier (meritorious) deeds, I beheld You.
I surrender whole heartedly.
Please turn, a little, Your glance in my direction.

Forgiving me and tolerating my transgressions, please protect me quickly.

Please listen to my appeal.

Please grant me boons and protect me quickly so that I do not seek and extol those evil-some rich who do not know decencies.

[RSR]

Yes.
I had not noticed SS kruthi in vaittheeswaran koil.
My error.
On chcking up the list ,over 70 of 75 kruthis are on Mother Goddess Parvathi.
Pogada -> begada? It used to be byaakadai ?
I had pointedly rejected the kruthi on kaanchi varadaraja as that of SS.

[nAdopAsaka]

dEvi brOva samayamidE - SyAmA SAStri’s urgent distress call in ..what else..the rAga CintA-mani

As the “wish-fulfilling jewel”, the CintA-mani is an icon of Hindu “thought”..

For the always-meditating vAggeyakAras, wishes are not about acquiring things etc.

There is a deeper anxiety…the “CintA” related to finding oneself.

CintA /anxiety is also a vyAdha = pain or distress.

Indeed this “vyAdha” translates to the usage “vEta” as in “nA vEta-lu dirCi” in the only kriti of SyAmA SAStri in rAga CintA-mani.

And he emphasizes the urgency …. “ati vEgamE vacci - nA veta-lu dirCi “ in “dEvi brOva samayamidE”….come quick !

Can anyone say that the rAga name itself has not influenced the nature of this kriti ?

No !

There is a movement afoot again to dilute the Words and the origins/motivations of the vAggeyakAras (due to ignorance
laziness or whatever pitiful insecurity) seen even on these threads..

But all these detractors will always be beaten back by the nAda-sampradAya…..as they have been a millenia ago, and they will be now and forever.

dEvi brOva samayamidhe - rAga CintAmani

rk murthy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yK0mB7RQphI

aiSwariya v (very nicely illustrates the less heard Carana)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDdR_dV0sl0

gottuvAdyam ravikiran
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwTHqYWvUmc

[RSR]

My question was about the rationale for the nomenclature of raagams. Why was this raagam known by the name 'chinthamaNi' ?
..
This has nothing whatever about 'why' a composer chose the raagam for a particular composition.
.
I hope that the honesty of the question
permeates through thick boneheads.
.
Shyaama saastry had composed a large number of kruthis in Aanandhabairavi. Is it possible to hunt for some chance word in each kruthi, to link it with the raagam name?
.
Thyaagaraaja swami has given us more than 20 kruthis in Todi. Can any one discover or invent irrelevant 'mudras' in each kruthi ? Did either SS or Thyaagaraaja ever bother about inserting any raaga mudra in their composition?

It is said that Thyaagaraaja swami just taught the kruthis to his disciples and never spoke about the raagams. And many raagam names were given by one of his disciples.
.
The first generation of his disciples just sang the kruthis. It was not committed to printing. It was a pureky oral tradition.
.
How then could the Bard have bothered about raaga mudras?
.
Are we not treating the mystics like them as just a prosody-conscious composers?
.
Even without all 'ardha' baked irrelevant ramblings to attribute raagamudra attempt to mystic composers, the CM world has venerated Sathguru and Shyaama SAastry.
.
They are respected for their MUSIC, their theme of pure devotion, their moral values and their contribution to the world of CM..
.
All preconceived , pretentious , purposeless and pedantic wordplay comedy, just does dis-service to the above two inspired and devoted composers.
.
One can be a genuine rasika of MUSIC of these almost saintly personalities without contrived contortions of word jugglery.

Genuine followers concentrate on MUSIC and THEME. and much less on words.
.

[nAdopAsaka]

No one (except a fool) can say that the rAga "CintA-mani" is NOT about the anxiety of SyAmA SAStri, when the words used in his kriti are comprehended.

The vAggeyakAras are exactly vAk-gEya-kAras…i.e. giving song to Word = vAk. The rAgas are their pujA offering...not technical exercises in scales

The historical origin of a rAga name is secondary...even though many names can be related to various pujA practices etc.

It is the kritis of the vAggeyakAras (when understood) which give the essential meaning to the name, beyond its scale.

Anyone who doesn’t understand these basic facts and tries to dilute/deny the value of the words need not listen to the kritis.

nannu brOvu lalitA – rAga lalitA

ranjani-gAyatri
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVpEm5HSMyY

[RSR]

https://youtu.be/L36VbMtBRUA?si=AMM-FoXZIM3E9Eya

DK Pattammal -
.
kAmAkSi lOkasAkSiNi


madhyamAvati -

[RSR]

gItam 1
kAmAkshi lOka sAkshiNI
kAma-ari manO-hAriNI
kAmAkshi kanci kAmAkshi
pAhi mAm pAhi mAm (bangAru) pAhi

gItam 2
pankaja daLa lOcanE umE
sankaTa bhaya mOcanE SivE
kunjara sama gamanE ramaNE
manjuLa tama nayanE hariNi

gItam 3
bhaNDa daitya khaNDana paNDitE
aNDaja hari girISa maNDitE
puNDarIka mRdu pada yugaLE
maNDala sthitE lalitE varadE

gItam 4
kAma kOTi pITha vAsinI
kAmita-artha Subha phala dAyikE
sAma gAna Sruti sammOdini
SyAma kRshNa pAlita janani
....
கீதம் 1
காமாட்சீ! உலக சாட்சியே!
காமன் பகைவன் உள்ளம் கவர்பவளே!
காமாட்சீ! காஞ்சி காமாட்சீ!
காப்பாயென்னை. காப்பாயென்னை. (பங்காரு) காப்பாய்.

கீதம் 2
தாமரை யிதழ்க் கண்ணீ! உமையே!
சங்கடம், பயத்தினின்று விடுவிப்பவளே! சிவையே!
களிறு நிகர் நடையினளே! இனியவளே!
பெண்மான் நிகர், அழகு மிகு கண்களினளே!
கீதம் 3
பண்டாசுரனை வதைத்த, வல்லவளே!
அண்டத்திலுதித்தோன், அரி, மலையீசன் ஆகியோர் போற்றுபவளே! (ஆகியோரை அணிபவளே!)
தாமரை நிகர், மிருதுவான திருவடி யிணையினளே!
மண்டலத்துறையும், லலிதையே! வரமருள்பவளே!

கீதம் 4
காம கோடி பீடத்திலுறைபவளே!
விரும்பிய பொருட்களின், நற்பயன் அருள்பவளே!
சாம கானத்தின், சுருதியில் மகிழ்பவளே!
சியாம கிருஷ்ணனைப் பேணும், ஈன்றவளே!

[nAdopAsaka]

“sOmaSEkhara pAdi sundari" - Why SyAmA SAStris kriti on the ardhanAri at madurai is in rAga gaulipantu – tarunam idammA

Foolishness and untruth go hand in hand. And they are compounded by a lack of imagination, lack of curiosity, illiteracy and lack of respect for the vAk-gEyakAras.

The word gaulipantu derives from the word gauripantha.

gauri-pa is Siva (= gauri-nAtha)....same as gO-pa, pa the suffix has this meaning of protector.

The rAga name gaulipantu = “gauripantha” carries BOTH the names gauri and gauri-pa , united as one .

The choice of this rAga by SyAmA SAStri for depicting the ardhanAri of madurai in this particular kriti is NOT A COINCIDENCE. As he says in the kriti ““sOmaSEkhara pAdi sundari kaumAri”.

There is no need to listen to the vAggeyakAras if one is opposed to their ideas/imagery.

tarunam idammA – rAga gaulipantu

Hyd bros.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kQtN7QCV2A

OST
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEqO1ufqvU0

[RSR]

The temple is known as Meenakshi temple only. Unlike most of the sivan and devi temples, there is no lingam.
The siva here is in full bridegroom attire.

Madhyamaavathi is a very ajspicious and serene raagam. Thyaagaraja swami's venkaresa ninnu , vinayakuni and many kruthis on the glory of Raama are in madhyamavathi. See the geetham just before your obsession with 50%. It is in madhyamavathi,
Do not try to shoe-horn 50-50 into everything.
Has it ever struck you that SS has not sung a single kruthi on Siva?

[nAdopAsaka]

Sri kAmAkSi kAvavE – kAmAri vAmAnka kAlikA , the ardhanAri of kAnCi who is also kAlikA/durgA

On the occasion of dEvi navarAtri , the kAmAkSi stOtra of Adi Sankara is relevant.

Why ?

Because it describes BOTH the ardhanAri at kAnCi (as “kAmAri vAmAnka” in stanza 10) and her destroyer aspect (kAlikA in stanza 1)

कान्तां कञ्जदलेक्षणां कलिमलप्रध्वंसिनीं कालिकाम् - 1
kAntAm kanjadalEkSAnam kalimalapradhvamsinim kAlikAm
कान्ता कामदुघा करीन्द्रगमना कामारिवामाङ्कगा - 10
kAntA kAma-dudhA kariidra gamanA kAmAri vAmAnkA
(where the Siva is “kAma-ari” = kAma-dahana)

No further evidence is needed for the validity of the ardhanAri at kAnCi (no nonsense from twisted histories, fake images, garishly painted over shrines and other worthless references from language challenged etc etc)

Indeed 3 generations of SAStri’s (who were ALL kAnCi arCakas) describe the “vAma bhAga kAmAkSi” ardhanAri.

How?

Along with SyAmA SAStris “sOmaSEkhara pAdi sundari kaumAri” in his rAga gaulipantu kriti “tarunamidammA” both his son and grand-son preserve the icon in their own kritis.

subbarAya SAStri calls her “pannagAbharan-arAni = which conceals the word “pannagAbharan-ara-ani" (where ara is this half = ardha) in his tOdi kriti “nannu brOCutaku”
And
annAswAmi SAStri calls her “EkAmrESwara vAma bhAgasthE” in his kriti “vAnCita varadE paradEvatE”, in ..what else..... “madhyama-AvAti” rAga.

Clearly the family/trinity of dEvi arCakas of kAnCi, sees the ardhanAri as an important aspect of the kAmAkSi dEvi, (not as just some “ardha stuff” or “ardha rubbish” as profaned here repeatedly by perverts).

Another kriti of SyAmA SAStri “Sri kAmAkSi kAvavE” in rAga kalyAni gives the kAlikA descriptor along with the ardhanAri in (the word ara = half is concealed in the construct ara-ani)

sOmaSEkharun-ara-ani purAnI SyAmaLAmbikE kALikE

The parade of truth continues unabated.

Sri kAmAkSi kAvavE – rAga kalyAni

bhArati r
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSdvufCDw1M

[RSR]

https://syamakrishnavaibhavam.blogspot. ... -raga.html
..
பல்லவி
தங்க மலை உறைபவளே! ஸ்ரீ
காம கோடி பாலையே! நற்பண்பினளே!

அனுபல்லவி
மலரோன், அரி போற்றும், தேவீ!
மலை மகளே! லலிதையே! எவ்வமயமும்
(உன்னைப்) போற்றும் என்னைக் காப்பாய், சங்கரன்
மனைவி, சதியே! மஹா திரிபுர சுந்தரீ!

சரணம் 1
சங்குக் கழுத்தினளே! தாமரை நிகர் வதனத்தினளே!
களிறு அரசன் நடையினளே! (சிந்தா) மணி வீட்டிலிருப்பவளே!
காமனை எரித்தோனுக்கு மகிழ்வளிப்பவளே! சிவ
சங்கரீ! எவ்வமயும் இன்-சொல்லினளே!

சரணம் 2
சண்ட, முண்டர்களை வதைத்த திறமைசாலியே! கரும்புத்
துண்டுக் கோதண்டம் அலங்கரிக்கும், கைகளினளே!
புண்டரீக நயனன் அர்ச்சிக்கும், திருவடியுடைய,
திரிபுரத்தினில் உறையும், சிவையே! அரனுக்கு இனியவளே!

சரணம் 3
சியாமளா! அம்பிகையே! பிறவிக்கடல் கடத்துவிப்பவளே!
சியாம கிருஷ்ணனைப் பேணும், ஈன்றவளே!
விரும்பிய பொருட்பயனருளும்,
காமாட்சீ! அனைத்துலக சாட்சியே!
..
https://youtu.be/ZbTtTF_v_nU?si=LLATBWJno9oimpJo
.
"Kanakasaila
M.S. Subbulakshmi
Syama Sastri
Navratri Special Song

[nAdopAsaka]

sangita rasikE natapriyE – the nAta kriti to rAjarAjESwari

On the occasion of dEvi navarAtri , the kriti pAhimAm SrI rAjarAjESwari is of interest.

Why ?

Because ONLY “pAhimAm sri rAjrAjEswari” uses both the words "SAradE .and "simhAsanArUdhE"...…and the names durga, saraswati, bhArati or vAgadhiswari Do NOT appear anywhere in SyAmA Sastris kritis.

The goddess of this kriti is also “sangIta rasikE nata-priyE” which gives both the rAga mudra (nata) as well as the reason for the rAga choice.

pAhi mAm Sri rAjarAjEswari - rAga nAta

manjula s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ox6_bNAJTJE

[nAdopAsaka]

dEvi as saha-udara (twin) with viSnu - the mudra “SyAmakrSna sOdari” and the 280th name of the lalitA sahasranAma = padmanAbha sahOdari

One of the most deliberate acts of the vAggeyakAras is the placement of their mudra = signature.

The signature/mudra identifies the worshipper….and is yet another stamp of their individuality…despite the grasping scoundrels within even their own families and so-called descendants, trying to create confusion, misattribution and corruption. Shame on all these criminals.

Unlike his contemporaries, SyAmA SAStri invokes his own name in his mudra , using the word “SyAma”.

About half of his kritis carry the “SyAmakrSna sOdari” (or the “SyAmakrSna sahOdari”) mudra….. sahOdari is the more formal usage of “sOdari” and appears in 4 kritis.

In the scriptures/legends, pArvati/minAkSi etc is considered twin with padmanAbha ….for example at madurai the sundararAja of the azhagar hill gives away minAkSi to the sOmasundareSwara.

Similarly the twin pairs of saraswati/Siva and lakSmi/brahma are known.

This “twin” aspect is acknowledged as “saha-udara”, sharing the womb.

Indeed “padmanAbha sahOdari” is the 280th name from the lalitA sahasranAma.

The dEvi upAsaka SyAmA SAStri has combined his own name with this exalted name of the goddess to deliver his mudra in about half his kritis.

It is of some interest that in only 2 kritis , the word “sOdari” appears independently.
In both these cases, the vAggeyakAra mudra avoids the “sOdari” word.

parAkEla nannu – kEdAragaula – murAri sOdari - SyAmakrSna nuta
sari EvvarammA – bhairavi – mAdhava sOdari - SyAmakrSna paripAlini

In only one kriti the word “sahOdari” appears by itself…however, here the mudra is given with the sOdari phrase.
Sripati mukha – sAvEri - hari-sahOdari - SyAmakrSna sOdari

All of which is sufficient reason to listen to these kritis.

parAkEla nannu – rAga kEdAragaula

rk murthy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWzQY7gYmhg

veena jayanti
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYs5sJZXH8E

sari EvvarammA – rAga bhairavi

savita n
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppEqvOiW3Tg

veena jayanti
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnpoD24fwc4

Sripati mukha – rAga sAvEri

amrita v
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCBSdjdRmik

sreeram b
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oH7GfeVhfLw

[nAdopAsaka]

Why does SyAmA SAStri address madurai minAkSi as bAlAmbikA but has no kritis to the bAlAmbikA of vaidyanAtha kSEtra = vaithiSwaran kOvil ?

This post is about Names.

Names ? What’s in a name ? Indeed, for many, names (like roses) are for tombstones.

But for the vAggeyakAras, Names are central to nAma sankirtana.

In the kritis, a name is a unique identifier of a kSEtra or an icon. Its usage (always proper) maintains Sruti , as in truth..anything else is apa-Sruti = untruth.

For example, the iconic name kamalAmbA cannot be confused with brhannAyaki or gyAnaprasunAmbikA or abhayAmbA or nilAyatAkSi.

In this context, vaithiSwaran kOvil presents a small puzzle, in how SyAmA SAStri reacts to this major kSEtra.
Why ?
Beause it is of some interest, at least to the nAda-upAsaka/s, that the dEvi upAsaka SyAmA SAStri has NO kritis to the “bAlAmbikA” dEvi of vaithiSwaran kOvil.

Instead...SyAmA SAStri, whose given name is “venkata-subrahmanya” gives ONLY the subrahmanya of vaithiSwaran kOvil the bEgada kriti “sAmi ninnE nammiti rA rArA muddukumArA”.

Post dated Sep 25, 2023 on this thread gives some details of this bEgada kriti, in which the “vaidyanAtha” kSEtra mudra appears unambiguously as “SyAmakrSnanuta vaidyESu nIlakantha vAhana”

https://www.rasikas.org/forums/viewtopi ... 57#p380257

There is only this one kriti at vaithiSwaran kOvil by SyAmA SAStri.

Some explanation is required for this odd situation. The resolution comes from observing the Dikshitar in this same kSEtra.

How ? Why ?

Because in sharp contrast to SyAmA SAStri…the Dikshitar constructs a complete and consistent bAlAmbikA navAvarana at vaithiSwaran kOvil.

All NINE kritis of this "bAlAmbikA navAvarana" are revealed in post # 804 of the Mutthuswamy Dikshitar thread dated Dec. 19, 2022, including the Cakra/icon basis for each rAga choice, culminating in the magnificent 9th sarva-Anandamaya Cakra kalyAni, “bhajarE rE Cita”
see

https://www.rasikas.org/forums/viewtopi ... 83#p378283

Based on these facts and contrasts….3 questions arise….all of which are addressed here..

1. Why does the “dEvi upAsaka” SyAmA SAStri have no kritis to the balAmbikA of vaithiSwaran kOvil kSEtra, who is celebrated so thoroughly by the other dEvi upAsaka , the Dikshitar ?

Answer: SyAmA SAStri simply could not gild the lily ! SyAmA SAStri did not want to gild the lily !

There is no question that the Dikshitars navAvarana (linked above) is the LAST word on the bAlAmbikA dEvi at vaithiSwaran kOvil.

In fact, “bhajarE rE Cita” in rAga kalyAni summarizes the “panCadaSAkSari” mantra of the Sri-vidyA in the famous Carana line “Sri vAg bhava kutA jAta..”, extolling the bAlA paramESwari.

SyAmA SAStri , also a supreme SrividyA and dEvi upAsaka was aware of this majestic navAvarana set by the Dikshitar and clearly did not think there was anything more to be added.

A sign of a truly ego-less sAdhu and nAdayOgi !

Along similar lines, SyAmA SAStri’s avoidance of any kritis in rAgas mOhana or sahAna or bilahari or gaulA or mAyAmAlavagaula…is attributable to his awareness of the dominant kritis of his illustrious contemporaries in these rAgas…

In this regard see post dated Mar 15 2021
https://www.rasikas.org/forums/viewtopi ... 93#p370093
or post dated Jun 30, 2022
https://www.rasikas.org/forums/viewtopi ... 52#p376752

2. Why is the kriti to subrahmanya at vaithiSwaran kOvil appropriate for SyAmA SAStri ?

“sAmi ninne” - the kriti to “subrahmanya” by venkata-subrahmanya (the “given name” of SyAmA SAStri) in bE-gala at the man-gala graha (angAraka) kSEtra acknowledges the deity for whom SyAmA SAStri is named, along with the other important kSEtra deity = muthukumAraswAmy.

Notably, angAraka = mangala as “bhUmi kumAra” also shares a common basis with subrahmanya who is also bhUmi/pArvati kumAra.

The kriti also makes the interesting reference bhUmilo nisAti dEivam Evadu - Who on earth is a deity like you ?...indicating the dominant nature of subrahmanya at vaithiSwaran kOvil.

Indeed subrahmanya at vaidyanAtha kSEtra = vaithiSwaran kOvil is considered equal to Siva as a healer.

Notably, in the Dikshitars asAvEri kriti to the kumAraswAmi of this same vaidyanAtha kSEtra “kumAraswAminam guruguham” the phrase appears “Artti bhanjanam” signifiying the skanda = kumAra also as destroyer of disease = Artti.

And finally..madurai minAkSi as bAla-ambikA

3. Why does SyAmA SAStri address the minAkSi of madurai as bAlAmbA/bAlAmbikA?

this name bAlambA/bAlAmbikA appears in his 2 madurai kritis

dEvi minAnEtri – rAga SankarAbharanam
and
mAyamma yani nE – rAga Ahiri

A key legend of madurai is that minAkSi the “daughter of the mountain”, = giri-tanayA, is given away by her brother , the azhagar viSnu to sOmasundarESwara (during Citirai).,where the idols end up in the vaigai river.

The child = bAla , becomes the full fledged goddess only upon this union, presided over by her brother, viSnu.

Until this celestial bonding, minAkSi is giri-tanayA = giri-sutA…whether as the daughter of the celestial mAtanga or the daughter of earth-bound pAndya rAja

Even the Dikshitar describes this minAkSi child as ‘pAndya rAja tanayA’ (see minAkSi mEmudam dEhi) or “mAtanga tanayA” in multiple kritis.

Summary
1. SyAmA SAStri’s lack of dEvi kritis at vaithiSwaran kOvil is reasonably explained by the dominant nature of the Dikshitars bAlAmbikA navAvarana at this kSEtra.

All other explanations are inadequate for why such a supreme dEvi upAsaka passes up the dEvi even though he visits the vaithISwaran kSEtra.

2. sAmi ninnE - SyAmA SAStri's only kriti to the subrahmanya of the angAraka kSEtra acknowledges the relationship of bhUmi kumAra (Mars) to kumAra/skanda.

Notably his own given name is “venkata-subrahmanya” identifying him with this subrahmanya = muthukumAra

3. The usage bAlambikA for the minAkSi at madurai as coined by SyAmA SAStri is proper and well aligned with the kSEtra legend, of the young girl/daughter, waiting to be given away by her brother, the azhagar viSnu to sOmasundarESwara.

Verily is madurai minAkSi also the bAla-ambikA….the Child is the Mother of the Woman

Conclusion

The choices, words and ideas of the vAggeyakAras deserve and demand careful inspection and introspection.

They cannot be swept under a dusty carpet of swaras and narcissistic kutChEri exercises, corrupt musicologists and ignorant technical performers.

The force that “puts the candy in the mouth of the vAggeyakAra” will not be denied.

dEvi minA nEtri – rAga SankarAbharanam

gOkul C
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbaD-jwRFfU

TNS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHWlMKHdUfU

t viSwanAthan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYj6hAn1yms

mAyammA yani nE – rAga Ahiri

jayanti veena
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSdoIeX7drY

aiSwariya S
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Xu0jxXrdCA

violin vaikom padma
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5_T1QZUF3U

sAmi ninne nammiti rA rA muddukumArA - rAga bEgada

ms sheela
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqejWQQP610

[sam]

"Shyama Sastri Popular Krithis By M. S. Subbulakshmi | Ninnu Vina | Durusuga | Carnatic Music"

..
https://youtu.be/HaIfjlPFnrE?si=AD66dxODJSympOby.

1
Ninnu vina..
Ritigowla
..
2
Saroja dhala Nethri
Sankarabharanam
.
3
Kanaka saila viharini
Punnaagavaraali
.
4
Palinthsu kamaakshi
Madhyamaavathi

5.
Durusuga
Saveri
.

[sam]

Rave Himagiri
by
MS Subbulaksmi
in the year
1956"


.https://youtu.be/PKyCvrykqqo?si=1BoC7Sw9mxT7nwRV
.
.
Please note the year. Rare recording as we not get to hear her renditions from 1951 to 1956

[nAdopAsaka]

Why rAgas bhairavi, tOdi & yadukula kAmbOji for SyAmA SAStri 3 swara-jatis – Verse 32 of soundaryalahari & the panCadaSAkSari mantra

What’s in a name ?

Names are for tombstones..(like roses) unless you belong to the nAda-sampradAya, the Hindu musical tradition of Sruti and truth.

And it becomes incumbent on the nAda-upAsaka to understand the Word choices of the nAdayOgis.

Accordingly, the question arises..

How and Why does SyAmA SAStri pick ONLY the rAgas named bhairavi, tOdi and yadukula kAmbOji for his 3 swara-jatis ?

First the How !

Verse 32 of the soundarya lahari gives the (encoded) description of the panCadaSAkSari mantra.

It consists of 3 families (kUta)
kA-di kUta Sivah Saktih kAmah kSitir ---bhairavi
hA-di kUta ravih Sithakiranah smaro hamsa Sakra ---tOdi
sA-di kUta para-mara-harayah ----yadukula kAmbOji

SyAmA SAStri has selected the 3 rAgas whose names display one each of the 3 sub-mantras !

kA-di kUta Sivah Saktih kAmah kSitir ---bhairavi

At kAnCi, Sakti is united/conjoined with Siva as prthvi with bhairavi (see the Cintaya mA Dikshitar bhairavi kriti giving the "prthvi lingam bhairavi prasangam" also).

Both Sakti and kSiti (prthvi) appear in the kA-di kUta.

Therefore the rAga name bhairavi is the natural choice to represent the kA-di kUta.

hA-di kUta ravih Sithakiranah smaro hamsa Sakras ---tOdi

ravi is the icon for the Sun . And the word tOdi derives from tOda-ha indicating the insistent Sun that travels across the sky and generates all action

See the extensive examples from BOTH the Dikshitar and the tyAgarAja associating their tOdi kritis with unmistakeable aspects of the Sun

See 20 plus references for the tyAgarAja..

The tOdi rAga mudras in the tyAgarAjas kritis

23 posts between Post dated Nov 15, 2023 to Nov 26,2023
https://www.rasikas.org/forums/viewtopi ... 23#p380723
to
https://www.rasikas.org/forums/viewtopi ... 48#p380848

or see the post dated Nov 18, 2023 titled
The surya mudra in ALL 8 of the Dikshitars tOdi kritis

https://www.rasikas.org/forums/viewtopi ... 72#p380772

rAga tOdi represents the hA-di kUta

sA-di kUta para-mara-harayah ----yadukula kAmbOji

mara as kAma generates “kAmbOji” and viSnu as haraya generates the “yadukula” .
and so..quite naturally

rAga yadukula kAmbOji emerges from the sA-di kUta

and now MORE IMPORTANTLY the Why ?

To understand why SyAmA SAStri made the above choices one requires a little background (or maybe a lot depending on who you are)

First … the dEvi and the number 3

The dEvi’s iconic number is 3 ….tripura sundari … trayambaka-mOdini, she is for each eye of the Siva etc etc..trikOnagha – of the sacred triangles etc. etc

Indeed, in his soundaryalahari stanza # 69 the Adi Sankara describes the 3 lines on the throat of the goddess that associate dEvi with the 3 aspects of music

galE rEkhas tri-srO gati gamaka gitaika nipunE

Indeed when dEvi is also considered as “trikuta varayA” of the 3 families (vAg-bhava, kAmarAja-kuta and Sakti kuta) it becomes impossible to think of any number other than 3 for the number of swara-jatis !

How can we be ABSOLUTELY sure of this ??

Read on to get a clue.

2. What is a swara-jati ?

It is necessary to comprehend what a swarajati is.

The swarajatis of SyAmA SAStri compared to his kritis, first carry phrases comprising only swara-syllables followed by the phrases that use Words.

The intent is to first lay bare the swara-skeleton , i.e. the syllables = the swara-akSaras, then supply the Words that complete the pujA.

It can be said

swara-akSara plus Sabda = swara-jati

And now we come to the key aspect..

3. The soundaryalahari Verse 32 describes the panCadaSAkSari mantra, using Words (= Sabda) that conceal the bija-akSaras.

i.e. Each word of the soundaryalahari verse denotes an iconic letter/sound corresponding to a bija-akSara (seed syllable)

It can be said
bija-akSara + Sabda = Verse 32

there is a one to one mapping/analogy between

bija-akSara ------------- swara-akSara
Sabda in Verse 32 ---------Sabda in swara-jati

Therefore it can be asserted....SyAmA SAStri has created his swara-jatis analogous with the 3 mantra-jatis within Verse 32 of the soundaryalahari

The 3 mantra-jatis (in Verse 32) are analogous to 3 swara-jatis

The rAgas chosen allow EACH kUta to be represented by one swara-jati.

The analysis shown above has to be true because NO ONE has the imagination to make it up !

Summary

Although SyAmA SAStri is less prone to using mudras , compared to the Dikshitar or the tyAgarAja, many of his kritis do carry these “signatures”.

And as discovered with the names of the rAgas of the swarajatis, there can be little doubt the above pathway guided by the soundaryalahari Verse 32 and panCadaSAkSari mantra is the path followed.

Now the goddess is fully announced.

No one can say anymore the rAga choice for the swarajatis is random.
Or provide some other explanation for the choices.

The nAda-upAsaka thanks the rasikas forum managers and founders for the platform to bring forward the truths of the Hindu vAggeyakAras.

satyam Eva jayatE

rAvE himagiri kumAri – rAga tOdi

online guru
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vS257rXkrIA

bombay jayaSri
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJ5lOOFiwEI

amba kAmAkSi – rAga bhairavi

flute sruti sAgar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_858DESUVNA

veena saranya m
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62NEBiE4TsM

iyer sisters
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEuoi6UTxKQ

kAmAkSi nee pada – rAga yadukula kambOji
mandolin srinivAs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIA1icmqFnE

sankari k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuK0wmCm3XM

[sam]

"MS Subbulakshmi-

tarunamidamma-

gaulipantu-aadi-

https://youtu.be/j4Uv0iyPrNM?si=8UaCtcXzjzZIyWdH

..

[sam]

Talli Ninnu Nera Namminanu-

Kalyani-

Shyama Shastri-
DK Pattamal"

https://youtu.be/njpfY6yNVRg?si=hVq-TRk4f-uTH6tR

[sam]

Shyama Sastry's Swarajathis & Krithis ​​​|

Bombay Sisters


https://youtu.be/ZcWY372cycQ?si=oWILxHr9QRuFu5YK