DAY 1
INTRODUCTION
A group of nine k.rtis was
composed by shrI muttusvAmi dIkSItar on Goddess
nIlOtpalAmbA, the consort of Lord tyAgarAja
of the mammoth temple at tiruvArUr. All these k.rtis have a unique feature
--- they are all set in rAgams with names ending in the phrase “gauLa”,
so they are called “gauLAnta rAga k.rtis”.
These rAgams are respectively, nArAyaNagauLa, nArIrItigauLa,
kannaDagauLa, kEdAragauLa, gauLa, mAyAmALavagauLa, pUrvagauLa,
and chAyAgauLa, with the rAgam
nArIrItigauLa featured in two compositions. All these rAgams belong to the
shuddha madhyama mELams (in cakrams 3, 4 and 5), and the only mELa rAgam
appearing in this group is mAyAmALavagauLa. Eight of these k.rtis commence
with the eight vibhaktis
(declination) of the proper name “nIlOtpalAmbA/nIlOtpalAmbikA”, and the last
one begins with “shrInIlOtpalanAyikE”.
The k.rtis are:
-
nIlOtpalAmbA
jayati, nArAyaNagauLa (28), mishra cApu (parthamA vibhakti)
-
nIlOtpalAmbAm,
nArIrItigauLa (20), mishra cApu (dvitIyA vibhakti)
-
nIlOtpalAmbikayA, kannaDagauLa (22), Adi (tritIyA vibhakti)
-
nIlOtpalAmbikAyai, kEdAragauLa (28) Adi (caturthI vinhakti)
-
nilOtpalAmibikAyAH, gauLa (15) , rUpakam (pa~ncamI vibhakti)
-
nIlOtpalAmbikAyAH, mAyAmALavagauLa (15) mishra cApu (SaSThI vibhakti)
-
nIlOtpalAmbikAyAm, pUrvagauLa (29) rUpakam (saptamI vinhakti)
-
nIlOtpalAmbikE,
chAyAgauLa (15), rUpakam (saMbodhanA vibhakti)
-
shrI
nIlOtpalanAyikE, nArIrItigauLa (20), rUpakam (saMbodanA vibhakti)
The only k.rti
among these that is found in subbarAma dIkSitar’s sa”ngIta sampradAya
pradarshini is the last one, the nArIrItigauLa k.rti, “shrI
nIlOtpalanAyikE”. However, the lyrics of these nine k.rtis are
found in all standard books on dIkSitar compositions (TKG, Vina Sundaram Iyer,
K.N.Shrinivasan, etc). Since two among these k.rtis are set in the same rAgam
(nArIrItigauLa), and only one among these nine begin with “shrI”, some
musicologists believe that only first eight of them qualify to be in the
vibhakti series group, and the ninth is a separate composition in its own
right. Each one is set in one vibhakli, as is a regular practice by dIkSitar
in many of his group compositions. The prathamA vibhakti k.rti in
nArAyaNagauLa has the madhyamakAla sAhityam in a different vibhakti, which
prompts some to believe that it is a revert vibhakti k.rti (like the Ahiri
k.rti of the kamalAmbA series), and hence they hold the view that the set is
therefore incomplete, with prathamA vibhakti k.rti alone missing!.
In any case,
avoiding these issues and conjectures, all these k.rtis are beautiful, and
shower praise on goddess nIlOtpalAmba, so we attempt to present each one of
them with meaning, during the nine days of this navarAtri season 2004. Since
dIkSitar’s vocabulary is of a high order, and some sanskrit phrases he employs
do not have correct English equivalent, we must confess that our translations
will be only approximate, and we do not get into intricate details of the
shrIvidya philosophy, and tAntrik doctrines contained in these compositions.
The composer has
beautifully carved out the rAga mudra in eight of them. The kEdAragauLa k.rti,
alone has no rAga mudra. Mudras for nArAyaNagauLa, pUrvagauLa, and chAyAgauLa
are direct, where the composer praises nIlOtpalAmabA who is “pleased with (mOdinyam,
prakAshinyAm) this particular rAgam”. Raga mudra for gauLa, and rItigauLa
are used in a slightly altered form as “kauLa”, “rItikauLinIm”, and “rItigauravE”.
For the remaining two, the rAga mudra comes as the name of geographical
locations (mAyAmALavagauLAdidEsha, kAshIkannaDagauLadEsha), The usual
lyrical beauties, alliterations, and “prAsams” that are very typical of
dIkSitar’s k.rtis , are generously sprinkled in all these compositions.
Unlike the
kamalAmbA navAvaraNa series, this group does not contain any systematic
exposition of the shrIvidya/shrIcakra philosophy, even though slight
references are noticed here and there. While the kamalAmbA series starts with
a dhyAna k.rti, and ends in a ma”ngaLa k.rti (a total of eleven k.rtis), here
we do not have these two categories, and we only eight k.rtis one in each
vibhakti, and an extra k.rti in one of the earlier vibhaktis. Also, these
nIlOtpalAmbA k.rtis are not as popular as the kamalAmbA series. The rAgams
pUrvagauLa and chAyAgauLa are rare and difficult, and compositions are very
rare.
AUDIO RECORDINGS
Most of these
songs are rarely heard in concerts. In the past, Alathur Brothers and M. L.
Vasantakumari used to sing the kannaDagauLa piece, “nIlOtpalAmbikayA”.
M. Balamuralikrishna has rendered the nArIrItigauLa k.rti “shrI
nIlOtpalanAyikE” in a Sangeetha label audio cassette.
In a rare turn
of events, the New York based Engineer Dr. V. Sadagopan posted a letter in the
CMANA Newsletter Sangeetham, requesting for an audio rendition of these
k.rtis for his on-going study and research. Several months later, he was
surprised to receive in the mail, a recording of these compositions, sung by
Hema Ramanathan, in the typical Kallidaukkuricci style.
Perhaps this is
the first audio recording of all these compositions.
Recently, two
more recordings of the entire series are made available commercially,
respectively rendered by:
-
Kalavati
Balakrishnan, GuruguhA~njali (Audio cassette)
-
S. Sowmya,
Carnatica (Both CD & cassette)
GODDESS NILOTPALAMBA
Seven temples in the vicinity
of tiruvArUr are designated as sapta viTa”nka
kSEtrams of tyAgarAja (sOmAskanda),
and the foremost among them is the vIthiviTa”nka tyAgarAja
of the majestic tiruvArUr temple. The tyAgarAja shrine is located to the south
of the valmIkinAtha (p.rthvI li”ngam)
shrine within the same prAkAram. The consort of tyAgarAja is
nIlOtpalAmbA, the goddess of blue lotus. In
tEvAram songs, she is affectionately addressed in tamil as “alliyankOtai”.
The nIlOtpalAmbA shrine is located in the second prAkAram on the right side.
The unique feature is that here, nIlOtpalAmbA is depicted as blessing her
second son, skanda (subrahmaNya) with her hand on his forehead. The kamalAmbA
shrine is in the south east corner of the temple, a little away, and is
traditionally and ritually unconnected with the main shrine of tyAgarAja.
While kamalAmbA represents the “yOga shakti”,
nIlOtpalAmbA is supposed to represent the “bhOga shakti”
of the Lord. Hence, in these songs we find references to sh.r”ngAra rasa,
kAmakala tantra, and so forth. It is to be observed that dIkSitar never
associated kamalAmbA with tyAgarAja, and considered only nIlOtpalAmbA as the
consort of the deity.
A PLAN OF
TIRUVARUR TEMPLE WITH NILOTPALAMBA SHRINE CLEARLY MARKED CAN BE VIEWED AT:
http://sky.prohosting.com/~guruguha/arurplan.gif
We
commence the series with the k.rti in the first (prathamA) vibhakti
prathamA vibhakti k.rti
1.
nIlOtpalAmbA jayati
rAgam: nArAyaNagauLa (28)
tALam: mishra cApu
pallavi
nIlOtpalAmbA
jayati
nityashuddhashubhadAyikA shrI
anupallavi
mUlAj~nAnaharaguruguhajananI
phAlalocanI
purANI pannagaveNI natavANI
caraNam
shivakAmeshvarI sha"nkarI
sh.r"ngArarasakarI
pAshA"nkushadharI
paramadayAkarI
bhavaOgaharanipuNavaradAyinyAM
nArAyaNagauLa rAgamOdinyAM
bhuktimuktimaccittaM vilayatu
This k.rti is set in the prathmA
vibhakti (nominative case), except for the madhyamalAka sAhityam (last three
lines).
anvayam (word order) - (nityashuddashubhadAyaikA,
… … . , nIlOtpalAmbA jayati; maccittam bhavarOgaharananipuNavaradAyinyam , ….
… vilayatu. All the phrases in pallavi, anupallavi, and caraNam (except the
last three lines) in the prathamA vibhakti, qualify nIlOtpalAmbA. The last
three lines are set in saptamI vibhakti
Word for Word Meaning:
nIlOtpalAmbA
– Goddess nIlOtpalAmbA the goddess of the blue lotus. The phrase “utpala”
arises from the root “to burst open”. The blossom of the blue lotus has the
botanical name Nymphaea Caerulea.
jayati
– is
victorious, triumphant
nityashuddhashubhadAyikA -
(who is) eternal (nitya) pure
(shuddha), and bestows (dAyikA) on her devotees all auspiciousness (shubha)
shrI –
glorious, radiant, beautiful
(usually used as a honorific prefix for dEvi)
mUlAj~nAnaharaguruguhajananI
– (who is) the mother (janani)
of guruguha (subrahmaNya), the dispeller (hara) of basic/root (mUla)
ignorance (aj~nAna)
phAlalocanI –
(who is) the one with a (third) eye (lOcana) on her forehead (phAla)
purANI
- (who is)
ancient, or premordial
pannagaveNI –
(who has) hair tresses (vENi) resembling a (black) serpant (pannaga)
natavANI –
(who is) worshipped (nata) by goddess of speech, sarasvati (vAnI)
shivakAmeshvarI –
(who is) the goddess, very dear to Lord shiva
sha"nkarI
- the one who bestows auspiciousness (shaM = ma”ngaLam)
sh.r"ngArarasakarI –
(who is) the creator of erotic sentiments (sh.r”ngAra rasa)
pAshA"nkushadharI –
who bears a noose (pAsha) and a goad (a”nkusha)
paramadayAkarI –
(who is) extremely (parama) compassionate
Here the
vibhakti changes:
bhavarOgaharanipuNavaradAyinyAM –
(in the one) who is adept
I(nipuNa) in granting the boon (vara) of freedom from the cycle of birth and
death (bhava rOga hara)
nArAyaNagauLa rAgamOdinyAM –
(in the one) who is
delighted with the nArAyaNagauLa rAgam
bhuktimukti –
enjoyment, and release from bondage
maccittaM –
my (mat) mind (cittam)
vilayatu –
be fixed in, dwell in, dissolved in, immersed in
Free
Translation:
Goddess
nIlOtpalAmbA, goddess of blue lotus, who is radiant, eternally pure, and who
always bestows auspiciousness on her devotees, is triumphant.
(who) -- is the mother of guruguha (subrahmaNya),
dispels the root of all ignorance, has the third eye on her forehead, is the
premordial one, has serpent-like black tresses, and is the one worshipped by
sarasvati, the goddess of speech.
(who) is the one dear to Lord shiva, who is
auspicious, and is the cause of erotic sentiments, who bears a noose and a
goad, the ever compassionate.
To attain enjoyment, and liberation, let my mind
be immersed in her, who is pleased with the rAgam nArAyaNagauLa, and , the one
who is adept in granting boons of freedom from the life-death cycle.
NOTES
The rAga mudra
is constructed in a direct fashion without juggling words. In the phrase "guruguha
jananyAm” , dIkSItar not only presents his own mudra (signature), but perhaps
refers to the fact that in the sanctum sanctorum of the nIlOtpalAmbA
shrine, there is an idol of an attendant, next to her idol, holding Lord
subrahmaNya, and goddess blesses him by placeing her hand on his head. The
fact that Goddess sarasvati and lakSmi worshiping Goddess Parvati can be found
in various k.rtis of dIkSitar, For example:
shrIramA sarasvatI sEvitAM shri lalitAmbAm bhAvayE
(nAsAmaNi)
In this group
itself, on many occasions, dIkSitar refers to lakSmi and sarasvati attending
on pArvati.
rAgam nArAyaNagauLa
rAgam nArAyaNagauLa is a
janyam of meLam 28, harikAmbhOji
ArohaNAm: s r m p n d n S
avarOhaNam:
S n d p m g r g r s
svarams featured are:
catushruti ri, antara ga, shuddha ma, kaishiki ni.
A shADAva – sampUrNa rAgam
with vakra sa~ncAram in both ArOhaNam and avarOhaNam; The note Ga is omitted
in the ArOhaNam; Ni and ma are chAya svarams; ri is both jIva and nyAsa
svaram; A madhyama kAla pradhAna rAgam, suitable for tAnam singing; A
scholarly ragam that was once very popular, but these days rarely heard in
concert platforms; An
auspicious ghana rAgam that belongs to the dvitIya (second set) ghana
pa~ncakam.
VE”nkatamakhi defines
nArAyaNagauLa (upA”nga janyam No. 6), under the asaMpUrNa mElam
“harikEdAragaULA” (ri gu ma pa dha ni) as:
syAnnArAyaNa gauLastu saMpUrNO nigrhAnvitaH |
ArOhE ga dha varjashca vinyAsat vidyatE kvacit ||
mUrccana
ArOhaNam: r m p n d n s
avarOhaNam:
n d p m g r g r s
In addition to a lakSya
gItam by vE”nkatamakhi, a sa~ncAri by subbarAma dIkSitar, and the k.rti, “shrI
rAmam” by muttusvAmi dIkSitar, the book “sa”ngIta sampradAya
pradarshini” gives an unusual “kaivAra prabandham” in maTya tALam, by
vE”nkatamakhi.
Selected Compositions:
kaivara prabandham, maTya
tALam (vE”nkatamakhi)
maguva ninne kOri, ata
tALam, tANa varNam (vINa kuppayyar)
shrI rAmam ravikulabdhisOmam (muttusvAmi
dIkSitar)
kadalEvADu (tyAgarAja)
Next: Day 2 - nIlOtpalAmbAm (nArIrItigauLa)
>>