SrI:
Dear Sri Raama BhakthAs:
Today is the sacred BaguLa Panchami day , when the annual AarAdhanam at
the BrundhAvanam ( Place of internment of the mortal remains) of Saint
ThyagarAja
takes place at Pancha Nadheeswara KshEthram ( ThiruvayyARu) , where
the Saint spent most of His life worshipping His Ishta Dhaivam , Sri SeethA
SamEtha Sri Raamachandran .
Book and CD ROM relese today at ThiruvayyARu
**************************************************************
At the BrundhAvanam of Saint ThyagarAja , a monograph that adiyEn
released in 1989 on the Gana Raaga Pancharathnams of Saint ThyagrAja
is being released to the public. The proceeds from the sale of this book and
Multimedia CD ROM containing the ghoshti rendering of Pancha Rathnams
from a previous year will be presented to the Sanskrit College of ThiruvayyARu
,
an organization , which has excelleced in training many scholars and AchAryAs
for the past 125 years .
adiyEn is grateful to Sri B.Sreenivas of Bangalore for taking the initative to
release the newer version of the monograph and release the Multi,edia
CD Rom version as well .Those interested in supporting the ThiruvayyARu
Sanskrit college are requested to contact Sri B.Sreenivas .
The Power of Raama Naama Japam
**********************************************
Thyagabrahmam recited 1,25,000 Raama NaamAs every day and in his
life time completed the japam of 96 crores of Raama NaamAs and as a result
had the bhAgyam of visualizing the Lord with His family at his house
at Thirumanjana Veethi of ThiruvayyARu more than once .
AarAdhanam of Sri Raamachandran
***********************************************
Thyagabrahmam's Naama KusumAnjali of Sri Raamachandran every day
from ThirupaLLiyezucchi (SuprabhAdham ) in the morning hours to SayanOthsavam
at night is well recorded in the ever-fragrant garlands strung together with
common and uncommon Raagas , which were created by Him as He sang
extempore before the Lord's sannidhi at His home .
Naadha NaivEdhyam with two kinds of Sangathis in Krithis
***************************************************************************
Saint ThyagarAjA's krithis were adorned with Raaga BhAva Sangathis
( NaajeevAdhaara in raaga Bilahari) or Saahithya BhAva Sangathis
( KaalaharaNa mElarA in Raaga Suddha SaavEri) .
In the Raaga BhAva Sangathi , Thyagabrahmam was immersed in the ocean of
bliss in bringing out the multi-facted and radiant aspects of " the nAdhAthma
forms of the Raaga". "Oh RangasAyee" in KaambhOdhi is another classic
instance of expression of Raaga BhAva Sangathis .
In the Saahithya BhAva Sangathi , " the finer and the delicate shades of
meaning impied in the Saahityam are powerfully portrayed by the sangathis
grafted on to the fundamental theme " of the Krithi . Thyagabrahmam was
deeply immersed in NaadhOpAsana at all times .
Thyagabrahmam's choice of RaagAs for Naadha NaivEdhyam
*******************************************************************************
His Raama Bhakthi was expressed in Krithis set in Ghana Raagams
some times ( Ghana Raaga Pancha Rathnam) or in popular Raagams or
Vichithra Raagams . He revealed " the melodic personalities" of
the vichithra rAgams as He sang before his Raama extempore .
Some of these Vichithra Raagams handled by Saint ThygarAja are
RasAvaLi (AparAdhamula) , Kalakanti (Sri Janaka TanayE) , BindumAlini
( Enta MUddhO) , KOkilavarALI ( SamukhAnu nilva) , JingaLa ( anaathudugAnu) ,
PoorNa shadjam( LaavaNya Raama) , ManOhari ( ParitApamu) , Manjari
( PattividuvarAdhu made famous by Semmangudi ) Kokiladhvani
( KOniyAdE made famous by Musiri ) , BahudhAri ( Brova bhaaramA RaghurAmA) ,
NaagasvarALi ( SrI PathE made famous by KVN ), Garuda dhvani ( Tatthvameruga
TaramA ) , Chandra JyOthi ( ( BaagayanayyA made famous by Bala Murali KrishNa)
,
Sruthi Ranjani ( yE dhAri sancharithu intorduced by Bala MuraLi KrishNa) ,
SupOshiNi
( RaminchuvArevarurA) and so many others. We will discuss some other Vichithra
Raagams used by Saint ThyagarAja later .
Saint ThyagarAja and Srimath RaamAyaNam
**********************************************************
On this sacred day , let us reflect on Saint ThyagarAja based on His deep study
of
Srimath RaamAyaNam .Every day , the Saint had PaarAyaNam of Srimath Vaalmiki
RaamAyaNam .He comes from a family of KaalakshEpa AdhikAris on Sri Vaaiki
BhagavAn's Aadhi Kaavyam . Sri RaamachandrA's sacred MahAthmyam and
anantha KalyANa GuNams inspired ThyagarAja SwamigaL from his childhood days
to be absorbed in Raama Bhakthi . As he gathered flowers for his father's daily
worship of Sri Raama , the boy's mind lingered over the Sundara Raaman
and His LaavaNyam and anugraha Balam . He developed MahA VisvAsam in
Raama as ParamAthma and as One in His form as NaadhAthmakan (Embodiment of
NaadhA ) can be approached easily through NaadhOpAsana to recieve His anugraham
.
Therefore ThyagarAjA performed Naadha KusumAnjali with choice RaagAs and
left behind for us soul stirring KeerthanAs drenched with Raama Bhakthi .
RaamAyaNams other than Srimath VaalmIki RaamAyaNam as a source book
**************************************************************************************************
ThyagarAjA was not only blessed with a deep knowledge of VaalmIki RaamAyaNam
but he was also familiar with Tulasi Das and Kambar's version of RaamAyaNam .
He
chose many sweet incidents from these sources to delineate the divine beauty
and
the limitless auspicious attributes ( anantha KlayANa guNams ) of Lord
Raamachandra ,
and SithA Piratti ; he also saluted those who were blessed to serve the Lord
such as
LakshmaNa Swamy , AnjanEya and Sabari . He was also familiar with Aanandha
RaamAyaNam .
Late Professor Sambhamoorthy (1901-1973 C.E) has saluted ThyagarAja SwamigaL
as a "Sahaja VaaggEyakArar " ( Born Composer ) and as one" who reached
HimAlayan
heights in the realm of pure melody ". The Saint is said to have 1,25,000
Raama NaamAs
per day and in his life time had 96 crores of Raama Naama Japam , which led to
his
physical visualization of the Lord with His family at his home more than once .
Technical and Rhetorical specialties in the Saint's Krithis
****************************************************************************
RaagAs: He performed Nadha NaivEdhyam to His UpAsanA Moorthy , Raamachandra
not only in old , well established raagAs but he also created new raagaas like
DEvAmrutha VarshiNi , Garudadhvani , Chenju KaambhOdhi , Gambheera VaaNi ,
BahudhAri , Saaramathi , UmAbharaNam , Phala Ranjani and others . He sang
extempore
before His AarAdhana Moorthy and conducted elaborate Raama Navami Uthsavam
every year at His house. Many of the Krithis were born during those occasions .
The RaagAs of the rare krithis were determined later by sihyAs and rasikAs ,
when they sang them back to their great teacher later. He lived on this earth
from
4th May 1767 C.E. and reached His Lord's sacred feet on the BaguLa Panchami
day in January 1847 C.E .Today , we have approximately 1,000 of his Krithis
available to us althought he is said to have composed many thousands .
SvarAksharis: The svara aksharam (solfa Letter ) is part of the words fornd
in Saahithyam : Maarubhalgaset in Sri Ranjani starts with Ma or Madhyama Svaram
.
Ni Bhgakthi BhAgya Sudha set in Jaya ManOhari Raagam starts with nishAdham .
There are many such instances assembled by Professor SaambhamUrthy :
Sangitha Jn~Anamu in DhanyAsi starting with Shadjam, ParidhApum in ManOhari
starting with Panchamam, Ni dhaya Raadha in Vasantha Bhairavi starting with
NishAdham and Sri Raama Paadama in AmruthavAhini having Panchama /Dhaivatha/
Madhyama svarams connected with the word "paadhama "
Literary Excellences: Professor SaambhamUrthy cites SabdhAlankArams , anuprAsa ,
antyaprAsa, Yamakams (Suddha and Bhinna Yamakams) , apt UpamAs (Similies )
and other forms of poetic excellence .
Adhisaya RasOkthis : Thyaagabrahmam's skills in portrayal of single or multiple
RasAs in the same Raaga or using one RasA as the main RasA and the other as
auxillary ( Upa) RasA has been well discussed . Some times , there is the Rasa
Mudhra
as in the krithi , "Saantamu lEkA ". SringAra, adhbhutha , Vira rasams are
woven into
the RaagAs chosen fr the krithis ( Veera Rasam and RaagAs like Naattai, AtANA
and Deva GaandhAri ).
The portrayal of Raama as Naadha Brahmam , SaraNAgatha Rakshakan , ParamAthmA ,
one of unmatched eloquence and smooth speech , authority on Raaja Needhi ,
abode of all KalyANA guNams have been extensively studied by scholars .
Saint ThyagarAja had many talented SishyAs like VeeNai Kuppaiyer , TillaisTanam
Raama IyengAr , UmayALpuram KrishNa and Sundara BhAgavathars , WaalAjapet
VenkataramaNayyA and others , who in turn passed on this divine treasures to
the next generation of SishyAs .
ThyAga Brahmam's Final Days : On a Dasami day ( 27th of Deecember , 1846
Thygabrahmam had a dream in which Raama appeared and assured that He will
take his bhakthan to His Supreme abode as recorded in the SahAna Krithi ,
" Giripainela " . On the EkAdasi day ( 28th DEc , 1846), the trsaditional
EkAdasi
Bhajanai was special , where Saint THyagarAja announced that He will join
His Lord's sacred feet on Pushya BaguLa Panchami day ( 6th January , 1847) .
On the 5th of January , Saint ThyagarAja elected to become a SanyAsi
( TuriyAsramam) to gurantee that there will be no more births and was
given the naamam of "NaadhabrahmAnandhA ). On the predicted day of
6th January , NaadhabrahmAnanandhA attained siddhi . Right in front of
all the assembled sishyAs and devotees , a bright jyOthi broke out of His
head and entered the sacred feet of His AarAdhana Moorthy . It was a miracle
that was witnessed by all in that ghOshti . Saint was embraced by the Lord
and taken to Sri Vaikuntam .
Professor Sambhamoorthy is an authority on
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