The first composition:
Tyagaraja was 13 years old. He approached his father Rama Brahmam and said, "Father, I have composed this song. I would like to sing it for you." He then proceeded to sing "Namo namo Raghavaaya" in the raaga Deshya Todi. (Deshya Todi is listed as Todi with no rishabha in the arohanam. It is a shaadava (6 notes in ascent), sampoorna (7-notes in descent) raaga. What is heard today as Deshya Todi sounds a lot like Sindhu Bhairavi. We can safely say that this is an uncommon raaga). Rama Brahmam was truly stunned. "You composed it, Tyagu!?" Rama Brahmam fumbled for words. "Yes Father," Tyagaraja replied humbly.
Rama Brahmam felt that young Tyagaraja's composition had to be assessed by Sonti Venkataramanaiyya, the court musician of King Sarfoji of Thanjavur.
Tyagaraja's times:
Thanjavur was ruled by the Marathas during Tyagaraja's time. History says that the Maratha king Venkoji, Shivaji's half-brother was the first Maratha King who ruled Thanjavur starting 1674. The most celebrated Maratha king associated with Tyagaraja's life was Serfoji II, also called Sarabhoji (or 'Saraboja mannar' in Tamil) who ruled Thanjavur from 1798 to 1832.
Tyagaraja himself was born in 1767 to Rama Brahmam and Seetamma at Tiruvarur, Thanjavur district. The family moved to Tiruvaiyyaru soon after Tyagaraja was born.
Sonti Venkataramanaiyya at King Sarfoji's court was no ordinary musician. He was a disciple of the renowned Venkatamakhin. It was Venkatamakhin who systematized raagas in Carnatic music into 72 melakartas ("parent" scales with all 7 notes in ascent and descent). Raagas with fewer notes were hung from these melakarta raagas as "janya (child) raagas". Carnatic music was now organized much like the Periodic Table in Chemistry! His creation ensured that every student of Carnatic Music would spend hours over this meticulous classification- wide-eyed and excited. "Saaramati raaga? It has to be a Natabhairavi janya!" gushes an avid present-day music enthusiast.
It was a Rama Navami evening. As darkness descended, Sonti Venkataramanaiyya ended the veena recital. He looked up to see Rama Brahmam and young Tyagaraja. Rama Brahmam said, "Venkataramanaiyya garu, my son Tyagu has composed a song. I would like you to listen to it and give your comments." Needless to say, Sonti Venkataramanaiyya was completely floored by Tyagaraja's composition. He knew this was no ordinary child. He took Tyagaraja under his wing. Much like Lord Krishna, the jagadguru, who studied as a humble student under Rishi Sandeepany, Tyagaraja, the musical prodigy had formal training under Sonti Venkataramanaiyya.
Tyagaraja's gurus:
In addition to his innate genius, Tyagaraja was influenced by Purandara Dasa. We learn that Seetamma, his mother, used to sing Dasa's Devara-naamaas to Tyagaraja. Tyagaraja acknowledges Purandara Dasa in his musical opera, Prahlada Bhakti Vijayam as his "maanaseeka guru".
According to one version of the story, Rama Brahmam and Tyagaraja approached Venkatamakhin himself and Tyagaraja learnt from the master. The veracity of this story is not confirmed. We can safely say that Venkatamakhin's pioneering work with its endless possibilities of creating new janya raagas was available to Tyagaraja.
Sonti Venkataramanaiyya was of course directly involved in grooming Tyagaraja.
A sanyasi named Ramakrishnananda blessed Tyagaraja and gave him a japa (chant) to invoke Sage Narada, the celestial saint-musician. Tyagaraja pays homage to Ramakrishnananda in his musical opera, Nauka Charitram.
Tyagaraja was deeply indebted to Sage Narada. As per tradition, Narada appeared before Tyagaraja and gifted him with a musical treatise "Swaraarnava" (Swara-musical notes, arnava-ocean... 'Ocean of Notes'). Narada's blessings transformed Tyagaraja. He scaled new heights as a musician and a composer and changed the Carnatic Music landscape forever.
He composed a set of five kritis dedicated to Sage Narada known as "Narada Pancharatnam". We will take up this topic in the next post.
Tyagaraja was well versed in the Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas and of course Itihasas like Ramayana and Mahabharata as he acknowledges in one of his kritis. He was also adept in Telugu, Sanskrit and tarka-shastra (logic) as seen in his compositions. In keeping with those times where all subjects had to be learnt under a teacher, Tyagaraja must have definitely had gurus for these subjects too.
Rama Brahmam himself was a great devotee of Lord Rama. As an incident later in Tyagaraja's life demonstrates, the contribution of Rama Brahmam in moulding his son was immense.
Would like to end this post with some notes on Tyagaraja's famous composition on "Guru Mahima" (greatness of a teacher)- 'Guruleka Etuvanti' set to the raaga Gauri Manohari.
Guruleka Etuvanti:
In this kriti, Tyagaraja talks about the following vedantic topics in a nutshell:
1. The basic human problem: Hrd-roga (ignorance)
2. Its manifestation: deha-abhimaanam ('notion' that "I am the body only")
3. Problems by extension....
4. Isn't it enough to lead a life of values?
5. The solution: tatva gnana (wisdom) gained from a guru
Pallavi:
Guruleka Etuvanti Guniki Teliyaga Bodu
Anupallavi:
Karukaina Hrdroga Gahanamuna Gottanu Sad- (guru)
Charanam:
Tanuvu Suta Dhana Daara Dayaadi Baandha vulu
Janiyinchi Chedarujaa Lini Karunato
Manasunantaka Cheyu Mandanuchu
Tatva Bodhana Jesi Kaapaadu Tyaagaraajaapthudagu
Running meaning:
Re-arranging the phrases in the kriti for a better flow:
Hrd roga:
Tyagaraja uses the expression "hrd-roga" (literally heart-disease!) in the anu-pallavi to point out the "basic human problem". Mundaka Upanishad uses a similar term- "hrdaya granthi" (literally 'knot in the heart'). Both these terms stand for "ignorance" (agnyaana) in the 'mind'. Scripture takes the 'mind's locus to be in the 'heart' and uses the terms 'heart' and 'mind' synonymously.
And what is this "ignorance" that we are referring to here? These are technical terms in scripture with verbose answers. To keep it simple, as per Vedanta, all our problems are due to "ignorance" of our essential nature. Essentially, each one of us is perfectly complete and truly divine, but due to ignorance of this knowledge, we suffer from a "notional problem" that "all is not well with us" ! Hence, the only remedy required is to surrender to a guru and have the "problem of ignorance" corrected with the balm of knowledge. As simple as that!
Tanuvu:
The charanam begins with "tanuvu" (body). As per Vedanta, the notion "I am the body" (deha-abhimaana) is first expression of agynaana. Once I succumb to this notion, I inherit all problems. I don't have a problem if my car has a scratch. I am detached from my car- I own it, but I stand separate from it. But I am traumatized when I see the first streak of white hair on my head or a new wrinkle on my forehead! I am not able to stand apart from the body (or the mind) as an observer... like I did for the car. Once deha-abhimaana sets in, mortality (janiyinchi chedaru... birth and death) confronts us. We open the flood-gates for a host of other problems as he elaborates in the next phrase:
Problems caused by Suta Dhana Daara Daayaadi Baandhavulu:
Suta-son (children in general), Dhana-money, Daara-spouse, Daayaadi- relatives, baandhavulu- friends. Whether it is things, situations or relationships, everything is related only through the body (tanuvu). Once I take myself as the body, I inherit problems in other spheres as well. Son affects me, spouse affects me, financial insecurity bugs me and so on.
The message here is not to give up these relationships. The focus here is to ensure that I don't over-magnify their problems and consequently suffer with a deep rooted feeling "I am the body and by extension, everything else connected to it".
Isn't it enough to lead a life of values?
The pallavi begins with an interesting assertion- even if a person is virtuous and lives a life of values (etuvanti guniki), he cannot succeed without a guru's grace (and consequent wisdom). We are often asked this question- "Isn't living a good life enough? Why do we need a guru and scriptural study?" Tyagaraja says that a life of values is not an end in itself. It has to culminate in a guru's grace.
Tyagaraja tows Lord Krishna's line.... in the Geeta (Chapter 13). Krishna enumerates a set of values- amaanitvam (absence of pride), ahimsa (non injury) and several common place values as essential virtues to be imbibed. However, he ends the list with the last two values- "adhyaatma gnyaana nityatvam (regular scriptural study, under the guidance of a qualified guru) and "tatva-gnyaanaartha darshanam" (gaining a holistic vision- tatva gnyaanam i.e. wisdom). Without a life of values, gaining wisdom is impossible, and without gaining widsom, a life of values is incomplete...
It is this tatva gnyaana that Tyagaraja also borrows here.
How does a Guru help:
Tyagaraja puts it directly. A guru helps by teaching- tatva bodhana jesi. Teaching about "tatva"- the Truth about myself, about my relationship with the world and with God. Through this teaching, the guru reveals my essential nature as full and complete and solves all problems once and for all.
And why does a Guru struggle so much to communicate the wisdom to the student? After all, the guru has nothing to gain. Tyagaraja says "karunato", due to the Guru's innate compassion. We can recall Adi Shankara's phrase for a Guru's compassion- ahetuka dayaa sindhu (ocean of compassion, with absolutely no motive).
Tatva gnyaana is the medicine (mandanuchu) for the disease of samsara. We can recollect from the Dakshinamurty Stotram of Adi Shankara, "bhishaje (doctor) bhava roginaam (for the disease of samsara)"
Why Gauri Manohari raaga:
Gauri is another name for Parvati. Where did Parvati serve as a teacher of tatva gnyaana ? In Kena Upanishad- there is a famous story of Uma (Parvati) as the teacher who taught this vidya to the Devas and started the brahma-vidya teaching tradition.
In that context, Uma was described as "bahu shobhamaanaam" (captivating, dazzling). The epithet 'Manohari" here also has the same meaning and describes Gauri- what we mean by the present-day usage- "mindblowing"!
Alternately.......
Gauri also stands for the colour 'white'. Wisdom can be symolized as "white" because... knowledge arises in a peaceful mind, a mind with satva guna. (satvaat sanjaayate gnyaanam- Geeta). It is well known that "satva" is "white", "rajas" is "red" and "tamas" is "black" in scriptural literature.
Manohari- One who loots/removes (hari) the mind (manah)... of what ? Of ignorance (that we saw earlier).
Taken together, Gauri Manohari stands for "wisdom" gained by removing the basic human problem- the problem of ignorance.
Thus, Tyagaraja has aptly chosen the raaga in keeping with the message of the Upanishads.
In this context, we can remember all allied Guru mahima stotras- Guru Geeta as well as verses from the Katha Upanishad glorifying the teacher- aashcharyo-vaktaa (rare indeed is that teacher who can communicate this tatva), ananya-prokte gatir atra naasti- when taught by a qualified Guru, the student effortlessly gains the wisdom, in spite of himself!
Check out these links:
1. The kriti rendered by Sri Vidyabhushana
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OS-mWBOQkD4
2. Artiste: Vijay Siva. The anu-pallavi is missing in this recording :(
Tyagaraja was 13 years old. He approached his father Rama Brahmam and said, "Father, I have composed this song. I would like to sing it for you." He then proceeded to sing "Namo namo Raghavaaya" in the raaga Deshya Todi. (Deshya Todi is listed as Todi with no rishabha in the arohanam. It is a shaadava (6 notes in ascent), sampoorna (7-notes in descent) raaga. What is heard today as Deshya Todi sounds a lot like Sindhu Bhairavi. We can safely say that this is an uncommon raaga). Rama Brahmam was truly stunned. "You composed it, Tyagu!?" Rama Brahmam fumbled for words. "Yes Father," Tyagaraja replied humbly.
Rama Brahmam felt that young Tyagaraja's composition had to be assessed by Sonti Venkataramanaiyya, the court musician of King Sarfoji of Thanjavur.
Tyagaraja's times:
Thanjavur was ruled by the Marathas during Tyagaraja's time. History says that the Maratha king Venkoji, Shivaji's half-brother was the first Maratha King who ruled Thanjavur starting 1674. The most celebrated Maratha king associated with Tyagaraja's life was Serfoji II, also called Sarabhoji (or 'Saraboja mannar' in Tamil) who ruled Thanjavur from 1798 to 1832.
Tyagaraja himself was born in 1767 to Rama Brahmam and Seetamma at Tiruvarur, Thanjavur district. The family moved to Tiruvaiyyaru soon after Tyagaraja was born.
Sonti Venkataramanaiyya at King Sarfoji's court was no ordinary musician. He was a disciple of the renowned Venkatamakhin. It was Venkatamakhin who systematized raagas in Carnatic music into 72 melakartas ("parent" scales with all 7 notes in ascent and descent). Raagas with fewer notes were hung from these melakarta raagas as "janya (child) raagas". Carnatic music was now organized much like the Periodic Table in Chemistry! His creation ensured that every student of Carnatic Music would spend hours over this meticulous classification- wide-eyed and excited. "Saaramati raaga? It has to be a Natabhairavi janya!" gushes an avid present-day music enthusiast.
It was a Rama Navami evening. As darkness descended, Sonti Venkataramanaiyya ended the veena recital. He looked up to see Rama Brahmam and young Tyagaraja. Rama Brahmam said, "Venkataramanaiyya garu, my son Tyagu has composed a song. I would like you to listen to it and give your comments." Needless to say, Sonti Venkataramanaiyya was completely floored by Tyagaraja's composition. He knew this was no ordinary child. He took Tyagaraja under his wing. Much like Lord Krishna, the jagadguru, who studied as a humble student under Rishi Sandeepany, Tyagaraja, the musical prodigy had formal training under Sonti Venkataramanaiyya.
Tyagaraja's gurus:
In addition to his innate genius, Tyagaraja was influenced by Purandara Dasa. We learn that Seetamma, his mother, used to sing Dasa's Devara-naamaas to Tyagaraja. Tyagaraja acknowledges Purandara Dasa in his musical opera, Prahlada Bhakti Vijayam as his "maanaseeka guru".
According to one version of the story, Rama Brahmam and Tyagaraja approached Venkatamakhin himself and Tyagaraja learnt from the master. The veracity of this story is not confirmed. We can safely say that Venkatamakhin's pioneering work with its endless possibilities of creating new janya raagas was available to Tyagaraja.
Sonti Venkataramanaiyya was of course directly involved in grooming Tyagaraja.
A sanyasi named Ramakrishnananda blessed Tyagaraja and gave him a japa (chant) to invoke Sage Narada, the celestial saint-musician. Tyagaraja pays homage to Ramakrishnananda in his musical opera, Nauka Charitram.
Tyagaraja was deeply indebted to Sage Narada. As per tradition, Narada appeared before Tyagaraja and gifted him with a musical treatise "Swaraarnava" (Swara-musical notes, arnava-ocean... 'Ocean of Notes'). Narada's blessings transformed Tyagaraja. He scaled new heights as a musician and a composer and changed the Carnatic Music landscape forever.
He composed a set of five kritis dedicated to Sage Narada known as "Narada Pancharatnam". We will take up this topic in the next post.
Tyagaraja was well versed in the Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas and of course Itihasas like Ramayana and Mahabharata as he acknowledges in one of his kritis. He was also adept in Telugu, Sanskrit and tarka-shastra (logic) as seen in his compositions. In keeping with those times where all subjects had to be learnt under a teacher, Tyagaraja must have definitely had gurus for these subjects too.
Rama Brahmam himself was a great devotee of Lord Rama. As an incident later in Tyagaraja's life demonstrates, the contribution of Rama Brahmam in moulding his son was immense.
Would like to end this post with some notes on Tyagaraja's famous composition on "Guru Mahima" (greatness of a teacher)- 'Guruleka Etuvanti' set to the raaga Gauri Manohari.
Guruleka Etuvanti:
In this kriti, Tyagaraja talks about the following vedantic topics in a nutshell:
1. The basic human problem: Hrd-roga (ignorance)
2. Its manifestation: deha-abhimaanam ('notion' that "I am the body only")
3. Problems by extension....
4. Isn't it enough to lead a life of values?
5. The solution: tatva gnana (wisdom) gained from a guru
Pallavi:
Guruleka Etuvanti Guniki Teliyaga Bodu
Anupallavi:
Karukaina Hrdroga Gahanamuna Gottanu Sad- (guru)
Charanam:
Tanuvu Suta Dhana Daara Dayaadi Baandha vulu
Janiyinchi Chedarujaa Lini Karunato
Manasunantaka Cheyu Mandanuchu
Tatva Bodhana Jesi Kaapaadu Tyaagaraajaapthudagu
Running meaning:
Pallavi:
No one, however virtuous he may be, without the grace of a Guru will know! (sentence incomplete)
Anupallavi:
how to cut through the forest of mental ills (samsara)
Charanam:
It is the Guru, who is Tyagaraja's well-wisher, who out of compassion imparts the knowledge of the Truth, which is the medicine that cures one of the sorrows caused by the cycle of birth and death and the associated problems due to offspring, wealth, spouse, relatives and friends.
Re-arranging the phrases in the kriti for a better flow:
Hrd roga:
Tyagaraja uses the expression "hrd-roga" (literally heart-disease!) in the anu-pallavi to point out the "basic human problem". Mundaka Upanishad uses a similar term- "hrdaya granthi" (literally 'knot in the heart'). Both these terms stand for "ignorance" (agnyaana) in the 'mind'. Scripture takes the 'mind's locus to be in the 'heart' and uses the terms 'heart' and 'mind' synonymously.
And what is this "ignorance" that we are referring to here? These are technical terms in scripture with verbose answers. To keep it simple, as per Vedanta, all our problems are due to "ignorance" of our essential nature. Essentially, each one of us is perfectly complete and truly divine, but due to ignorance of this knowledge, we suffer from a "notional problem" that "all is not well with us" ! Hence, the only remedy required is to surrender to a guru and have the "problem of ignorance" corrected with the balm of knowledge. As simple as that!
Tanuvu:
The charanam begins with "tanuvu" (body). As per Vedanta, the notion "I am the body" (deha-abhimaana) is first expression of agynaana. Once I succumb to this notion, I inherit all problems. I don't have a problem if my car has a scratch. I am detached from my car- I own it, but I stand separate from it. But I am traumatized when I see the first streak of white hair on my head or a new wrinkle on my forehead! I am not able to stand apart from the body (or the mind) as an observer... like I did for the car. Once deha-abhimaana sets in, mortality (janiyinchi chedaru... birth and death) confronts us. We open the flood-gates for a host of other problems as he elaborates in the next phrase:
Problems caused by Suta Dhana Daara Daayaadi Baandhavulu:
Suta-son (children in general), Dhana-money, Daara-spouse, Daayaadi- relatives, baandhavulu- friends. Whether it is things, situations or relationships, everything is related only through the body (tanuvu). Once I take myself as the body, I inherit problems in other spheres as well. Son affects me, spouse affects me, financial insecurity bugs me and so on.
The message here is not to give up these relationships. The focus here is to ensure that I don't over-magnify their problems and consequently suffer with a deep rooted feeling "I am the body and by extension, everything else connected to it".
Isn't it enough to lead a life of values?
The pallavi begins with an interesting assertion- even if a person is virtuous and lives a life of values (etuvanti guniki), he cannot succeed without a guru's grace (and consequent wisdom). We are often asked this question- "Isn't living a good life enough? Why do we need a guru and scriptural study?" Tyagaraja says that a life of values is not an end in itself. It has to culminate in a guru's grace.
Tyagaraja tows Lord Krishna's line.... in the Geeta (Chapter 13). Krishna enumerates a set of values- amaanitvam (absence of pride), ahimsa (non injury) and several common place values as essential virtues to be imbibed. However, he ends the list with the last two values- "adhyaatma gnyaana nityatvam (regular scriptural study, under the guidance of a qualified guru) and "tatva-gnyaanaartha darshanam" (gaining a holistic vision- tatva gnyaanam i.e. wisdom). Without a life of values, gaining wisdom is impossible, and without gaining widsom, a life of values is incomplete...
It is this tatva gnyaana that Tyagaraja also borrows here.
How does a Guru help:
Tyagaraja puts it directly. A guru helps by teaching- tatva bodhana jesi. Teaching about "tatva"- the Truth about myself, about my relationship with the world and with God. Through this teaching, the guru reveals my essential nature as full and complete and solves all problems once and for all.
And why does a Guru struggle so much to communicate the wisdom to the student? After all, the guru has nothing to gain. Tyagaraja says "karunato", due to the Guru's innate compassion. We can recall Adi Shankara's phrase for a Guru's compassion- ahetuka dayaa sindhu (ocean of compassion, with absolutely no motive).
Tatva gnyaana is the medicine (mandanuchu) for the disease of samsara. We can recollect from the Dakshinamurty Stotram of Adi Shankara, "bhishaje (doctor) bhava roginaam (for the disease of samsara)"
Why Gauri Manohari raaga:
Gauri is another name for Parvati. Where did Parvati serve as a teacher of tatva gnyaana ? In Kena Upanishad- there is a famous story of Uma (Parvati) as the teacher who taught this vidya to the Devas and started the brahma-vidya teaching tradition.
In that context, Uma was described as "bahu shobhamaanaam" (captivating, dazzling). The epithet 'Manohari" here also has the same meaning and describes Gauri- what we mean by the present-day usage- "mindblowing"!
Alternately.......
Gauri also stands for the colour 'white'. Wisdom can be symolized as "white" because... knowledge arises in a peaceful mind, a mind with satva guna. (satvaat sanjaayate gnyaanam- Geeta). It is well known that "satva" is "white", "rajas" is "red" and "tamas" is "black" in scriptural literature.
Manohari- One who loots/removes (hari) the mind (manah)... of what ? Of ignorance (that we saw earlier).
Taken together, Gauri Manohari stands for "wisdom" gained by removing the basic human problem- the problem of ignorance.
Thus, Tyagaraja has aptly chosen the raaga in keeping with the message of the Upanishads.
In this context, we can remember all allied Guru mahima stotras- Guru Geeta as well as verses from the Katha Upanishad glorifying the teacher- aashcharyo-vaktaa (rare indeed is that teacher who can communicate this tatva), ananya-prokte gatir atra naasti- when taught by a qualified Guru, the student effortlessly gains the wisdom, in spite of himself!
Check out these links:
1. The kriti rendered by Sri Vidyabhushana
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OS-mWBOQkD4
2. Artiste: Vijay Siva. The anu-pallavi is missing in this recording :(
3. Raga GauriManohari on the violin. Artiste: Ambi Subramaniam. If you are new to Carnatic music, this is the link for you! Beautiful!
4. There are very few kritis in GauriManohari. In 1965, the Tamil film "Tiruvilaiyaadal" made this raaga hugely popular with this song "Paattum Naane". As the musician G.S. Mani observes, GauriManohari is a raaga used "to make a statement". In this piece, Lord Shiva as it were... makes a statement- "I am the song (paattum naane), I am the feeling in it (bhaavamum naane)!" Nicely sung... though the visuals are really amusing when seen now!!
GauriManohari is a sampurna raaga (all 7 notes in ascent and descent). It corresponds to melakarta number 23. Its "pratimadhyam counterpart" is the melakarta raaga (23 + 36 = 59) Dharmavati. (Dharmavati (Madhuvanti in Hindustani) has the same notes as GauriManohari except for a different "madhyama note"). Hence, it is likely that they sound alike at times.
yet another well reasearched, well analysed, well presented piece of work.Spiritual essence in the compositions of Thyagraraja makes them 'devine' and 'immortal'. The meaning of the compositions, if unfolded, will make the compositions shine forth in brilliance. A listener with this knowledge will get not only 'indriya sukham'but also 'nitya sukham'.
ReplyDeleteappa
Thank you, so much. Very well written. 'Manoharam'!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Chitra for your kind words!
DeleteThank you, so much. Very well written. 'Manoharam'!!
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for enlightening us. Now tears roll out when I listen to this song so impregnated with meaning. Namaskarams Sir. _/\_
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot! I am so glad you liked it!
ReplyDeleteVery interesting and informative article on Saint Thyaga Brahmam and carnatic music. Thank you for posting and look forward to more such good ones.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your kind comments! Really appreciate it!
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