Carnatic Compositions – The Essence and Embodiment-41

Carnatic Compositions – The Essence and Embodiment

– Aparna Munukutla Gunupudi 

Our intent for this essay is to highlight the great features of the language, emotion and melody (rAgam) of a krithi (song/composition) and also to provide the song for your listening pleasure.  Most of you may know these krithis, but when you discover the distinct features of a krithi, you may enjoy a new beauty or an attribute in the krithi.

Note: Krithi is defined as a song containing pallavi, anupallavi and charanam that have high musical value and can be sung elaborately with improvisations.  Whereas, Keerthana also has a pallavi, anupallavi and charanam but is sung in a single form or simpler pattern.

sree sAradambam bhaje
rAgam: Saramati
tAlam: Khanda Chapu
Composer: Jagadguru Sri Bharathi Theertha
Language: Sanskrit

Pallavi:

Sree sAradambam bhaje
Srita kalpavalli kArunya varanidhim kalikalmashagni

anuPallavi:

IndrAdi dEvAdya pAdAmbujAtam
Isitva mukhyAshta siddi pradAtrIm

caraNam :

OhApadhatItha mahAtyma yuktam
MohandhakAra apahasyabhidAnAm
Sri sankarAcharya samsEvitAnghrim
Sri srunga giryakhya pooryam vasantim

Sree vAgvibhootyadi daana praveeNam
Sree bhArati teertha hrudpadma vaasam

Meaning:

Sree sAradambam bhaje – praise goddess sree sAradamba
Srita kalpavalli – granter of wishes
kArunya – kind
Varanidhim – flowing treasure
Kalikalmashagni – fire to the impurities of the kali yuga

IndrAdi – Indra and other
dEva Adya – celestial bodies worship
pAdAmbujAtam – with lotus like feet
Isitva mukhya – essential for control of the mind & elements
Ashta siddi pradAtrIm – provider of eight siddhis/abilities

OhApadhatItha – beyond imagination
mahAtyma – powers
Yuktam – equipped
MohandhakAra – from the darkness of desires
apahAsyabhidAnAm – provider of the clarity
Sri sankarAcharya – Guru Sri SankarAchArya
samsEvitAnghrim – worshiped by him
Sri srunga giryakhya – Mount Sri Sringeri
Pooryam vasantim – town as her abode

Sree vagvibhootyadi – provider of speech
daana praveeNam – expert in bestowing
Sree bhArathi teertha – Guru Sree BhArathi teertha
Hrudpadma – heart like lotus
Vaasam – dwells

Summary:

Always praise goddess of SAradAmba, granter of wishes, whose treasure of kindness flows constantly and she is like a fire that burns up the impurities of this Kali era. Indra and other celestial bodies worship at her lotus feet and she provides the knowledge of eight essential abilities to attain long and fruitful life. She is equipped with powers that go beyond imagination and provides clarity from the darkness of the desires. She is worshiped by guru Sri SankarAchArya and she established mount Srungeri town as her abode. She is an expert in bestowing speech to people and she dwells in the lotus heart of guru Sri BhArathi Teertha.

          SAradAmba is the goddess of knowledge and with knowledge comes awareness and presence of mind. It is known that if one practices Ashta Siddhis/abilities, they are able to achieve good health, long life and control of mind, body and surroundings to lead a disciplined and fruitful life. The ashta siddhis are aNima (small), mahima (great), garima (heavy), laghima (light), prApti (gain), prAkAmya (desires), Isitva (devine) and vasitva (influence). Circumstantially, each of these abilities are very essential and play a pivotal role in our lives.

***

kAmAkSi srI varalakshmi
raagam: bilahari
taaLam: Adi
Composer: Muttuswami Dikshitar
Language: Sanskrit

pallavi

kAmAkshi srI varalakshmi srI kamalAkshi jayalakshmi srI

anupallavi

kAma janaka pUrNaphalE sakalE kAmitArtha dAyini srI phalE
kAmakalE vimalE kara kamakalE kAmakOTi bilaharinuta kamalE

caraNam

dinakara kOTi prakAsa kAyE dEdIpyamAna divya chAyE
vanajAsanAdi vandita mAyE vAmadEva parabrahma jAyE
manana dhyAna dhyAtrudhyEyE mahanIya sAmrAjya pradAyE
sanaka sanandanAdi priyagneye sadayE sarasa guruguha sahaye

Meaning:

Sri kAmAkshi – woman with eyes that grant the wishes
srI varalakshmi – woman that bestows boons
srI kamalAkshi – woman with eyes like lotus petals
Jayalakshmi – woman that provides victory.

kAma janaka – father of Manmatha, Lord Vishnu
pUrNaphalE – provider of complete success
sakalE – all encompassing
kAmitArtha dAyini – giver of things that you wish
srI phalE – giver of wealth
kAmakaLE – proficient in the art of desires
vimalE – pure/unblemished
kara kamakalE – holding lotuses in hand
kAmakOTi – many desires
Bilahariyuta – praised by hari
kamalE – kamala, synonym of Lakshmi

dinakara – Sun, holder of the day
kOTi prakAsa – shining with million rays
kAyE – body
dEdIpyamAna – effulgent with bright lamps
Divya chAyE – beautiful complexion
vanajAsanAdi – Brahma, one who sit in the lotus
Vandita – worshiped
mAyE – mAya
vAsudEva – Lord Vishnu
parabrahma jAyE – consort of
manana dhyAna – to meditate upon
dhyAtrudhyEyE – with a sole goal
mahanIya – great
sAmrAjya pradAyE – provider of kingdom
sanaka sanandanAdi – sages Sanaka, Sanandana and others
PriyagnEye – pleasantly dear to them
sadayE – abode
Sarasa – charming
guruguha – guruguha
Sahaye – helper

Summary:
KamAkshni is typically referred to goddess of power PArvati in Kanchipuram, however this song vividly refers to goddess of wealth Lakshmi, who has lotus petaled eyes that can bless. She can bestow boons, and victories. She brings complete success to lord Vishnu, the father of Manmatha and she is an all encompassing giver of things you desire and provides wealth. She is pure, proficient in the art of desires and holds lotuses in her hand. She fulfills millions of wishes and is praised by lord Vishnu. She has a body that shines like a million suns and a beautiful complexion that is illuminated by bright lamps. She is worshiped by lord Brahma and others and she is consort of lord Vishnu. She will bestow great kingdoms if you meditate upon her with a sole goal. She is dear to sages Sanaka, Sanandana and others and helps Guruguha with a charm!

          From the description, this song clearly is in praise of goddess Lakshmi. However, with minor changes, it can become in praise of pArvati. For example bilahari nuta means praised by Hari, means pArvati and if you change it to bilahari yuta, it means together with VishNu, means Lakshmi. Similarly, VAsudeva parabrahma jAye means consort of VAsudeva/VishNu, that is Lakshmi and vAmadeva parabrahma jAye means consort of Sankara, that is pArvati. Deekshitar has composed many gems and this krithi showcases his prowess on the language with added twist!

***

Siva nAmamA
Raagam: HamsanAdam
Taalam: Adi
Lyrics: Brahmasri sAmavEdam Shanmukha sarma

SivanAmamA nIku chEtulArA mrokki
SaraNanTino talli varakalpavalli

nA nAbhinunDi modalaina nAdapu tIga
nA gunDe kOvelanakhanDa divyajyoti
nA kanTha ghanTikanu nadiyinchu SabdamA
nA nAlkapai divya nartanala vAgdEvi

Srutula hrudayamu nIve gativi divyAksharavu
PanchAkshari jIvamA praNava tEjamA
iha paramulicci pOshinchu chintAmaNi
SaraNu vEDitinamma Sambhupada dAyani

nIvu tolagincagaligeTi pApamulanu
nEnu cEyagalEnu nijamidi ammarO!
sakala mantrAtmikA! shaNmukhuni prANamA
SAmba SankararUpa SabdamA! Vandanamamma

Meaning:

SivanAmamA – oh goddess with the siva name which means divine
nIkuchEtulArA mrokki – I bow to you with my both hands together
SaraNanTino talli – mother I have come under your rescue
Varakalpavalli – bestower of boons

nA nAbhinunDi – from my naval
modalaina – started
nAdapu tIga – the string of sound
nA gunDe – from my heart
kOvelanu – in the temple
akhanDa divyajyoti – is the ever burning grand lamp
nA kanTha ghanTikanu – from my voice
nadiyinchu SabdamA – sound was energized
nA nAlkapai – on my tongue
divya nartanala – beautifully dancing
vAgdEvi – goddess of speech

Srutula hrudayamu nIve – you are the essence of the tune
gativi divyAksharavu – you are the tempo for divine syllables
PanchAkshari jIvamaa – you are life for the panchakshari mantra
praNava tejamA – you shine with the energy
iha paramulicci – you provide worldly and spiritual gains
poshinchu chintAmaNi – protective and granter of wishes
SaraNu vEDitinamma – I am begging you to rescue me
Sambhupada dAyani – giver of divine path

nIvu tolaginca galigeTi – you are capable of removing
pApamulanu – sins
nenu ceyagalenu – but I have not committed such sins
Nijamidi ammarO – that is the truth, oh mother
sakala mantrAtmikA – you know all the mantras
shaNmukhuni prANamA – you are the life of ShaNmukha
SAmba SankararUpa – you are the form of sAmba Sankara
Sabdamaa – sound
Vandanamamma – my respects to you

Summary:
Oh goddess, your name means divinity! I bring my hands together to bow to you to plead to rescue me. You are the bestower of boons. Oh goddess of speech, a string of sound started from my navel, that was purified by the grand lamp at the temple of my heart, then it was energized in my vocal cords and finally danced on the tip of my tongue! You are the essence of the tune and the tempo for the divine syllables and you are the life for the panchakshari mantra “na ma: si va ya:”, you are the rays of energy and you provide worldly and spiritual benefits, protect and grant wishes! You are the giver of the divine path and I am begging you to protect me, oh goddess! Oh mother, you are capable of removing sins but I have not committed such sins and that is the truth! You are well versed in all the mantras, you are the life of ShaNmukha! Oh goddess, you are the form, fit and sound of SAamba Sankara and my respects to you! We wish you all a happy navaratri and to possess blessings of goddesses PArvati, Lakshmi and Saraswati to gain strength, wealth and knowledge!

The power of music is profound
The joy of music is sweet and sound
The awe of music is abound
Music makes the world go round

Sreelakshmi Kolavennu is an accomplished musician, composer and music director.  She has given a number of concerts in India as well as in the San Francisco bay area.  She has provided score and set music to many Kuchipudi dance ballets.  She also set music to many AnnamAchArya compositions.  She lives in the San Francisco bay area.

Vasantha Lakshmi Kolavennu is an accomplished physician and a musician.  She learned vocal music from her mother Sreelakshmi Kolavennu and violin from Sri Arvind Lakshmikanthan.  She has performed a number of solo concerts and provides vocal support to her mother in the San Francisco bay area.  She lives in the San Francisco bay area.

Venu Madhav Kolavennu is an engineer and an accomplished veena player.  He learned vocal music from his mother Sreelakshmi Kolavennu and veena from Sri Srikanth Chari.  He has performed a number of solo concerts and provides veena support to his mother in the San Francisco bay area.  He lives in the San Francisco bay area.

*****