Value of OVK's contributions

keerthi · Post by **keerthi** » 30 May 2011, 21:34

P: veekṣhitōham dhanyōham
M K: vēgavara tanaya kamala nayanēna vidhi nuta hari pada vimala hrdayēna - iha (veekṣhitōham)

A: sākṣhi bhoota tapana sanga varēṇa
sarvadā shree rāma nāma smaraṇēna
MK: janaka sutā shishira vachana pātra chalita gagana vara sādhu mitrēṇa - iha (veekṣhitōham)

C: ātanka mukha vāli tanayādi atirava veeragaṇa ānata padēna
sādhaka viha sama tāraka pāṭhanēna dānava kula bheekara mukha varēṇa
M K: samudita madhuvana sanga tungēna dasharatha dvitanaya sankaṭa harēṇa
sumukha bhakti virachita vachanēna sulabha manōhara sukrta tapasēna - iha (veekṣhitōham)

1. vEga-vaha seems to be the more appropriate reading for the wind god, rather than vEga-vara. This is a [literal] synonym of Ashu-ga, another term for the wind [vide ghana-Agha-jImUta-Ashuga in tyagarAja's mALavi song]

2. It needn't be pAtrEna, which is also correct. A samAsa (compound) of two epithets is allowed, hence the whole phrase janaka-sutA...-mitrENa can be treated as one word, made up of two names.

3. It is a peculiarity of VenkaTasubba kavi that he has not always made a sandhi, when there is a samAsa, which is mandatory in classic sanskRt grammar. It may have been crafted that way by the vaggEyakAra for better comprehension, or the oral transmission may have been that way. The first line line of the carana has this feature in several places.

4. sādhaka viha sama tāraka pāṭhanēna - this is not clear.

5. Similarly - sanga-tungEna, which OVK seems to use a lot.

5. The usage of tApasEna is wrong. tapas is a sakArAnta noun and the third vibhakti/ instrumental case will be tapasA, either by itself, or in a compound.

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 30 May 2011, 22:14

Good analysis Keerthi!
I believe the sandhi was dissolved for the convenience of singing by those who took the notes. These lyrics have been retreived from the notes kept by the family over the years. Most certainly there will be transcription and grammatical errors.
I interpret
sākṣhi bhoota tapana sanga varēṇa
as by being the witness in the company of the blessed Sugriva (tapana = Sun clan)
Regarding 4, I read it as
sādhaka sama iha tāraka pāṭhanēna
Like the 'realized ones' expounding the glory of tAraka mantra (rAma naamam) in this world;
perhaps even referring to Hanuman expounding the greatness of Rama in the sadas right after the paTTabhishekam...

In regard to 5 we can interpret tapasaH as the sun though interrpretation is convoluted...

chitravina ravikiran · Post by **chitravina ravikiran** » 31 May 2011, 00:11

Similarly - sanga-tungEna, which OVK seems to use a lot.

Yes, it is one of his typical usages.

tunga: prominent , chief, lofty etc.

samudita madhuvana sanga tungēna = prominent among those who revelled in madhuvana. After Seeta was located by Anjaneya in Lanka, the vanaras had a feast there before meeting Rama. (This may not necessarily be taken literally as Anjaneya was the most prominent reveller... The incident is merely being referred to in a poetic manner.)

sādhaka viha sama tāraka pāṭhanēna - this is not clear

Sadhaka: Effective, productive, energising, magical etc...

Viha: Sky

sādhaka viha sama tāraka pāṭhanēna = one who is intent on the taraka nama, whose effectiveness/magic is as immense as the sky.

Most sandhis, as CML says are other's interpretations - sometimes for musical convenience. [In fact, in some of NKB's books, they have even made sandhis out of Raga and Tala - Sahana - Adi has been written as SahanAdi].

What is the take on - janaka sutā shishira vachana pātra chalita gagana vara sādhu mitrēṇa

I covered this earlier in post #96.
-------------------------------------------

P S: sandhi is a where most of us musicians tend to slip up. For instance, there are numerous sandhis in Tyagaraja swami's Jagadanandakaraka. But we singers have no qualms murdering it at will - so that we can continue to breath and survive. Even in aradhanas, we collectively draw our breath exactly at the wrong time... Just a few (out of several dozen) examples:

1. jagadA.....-------......nanda kAraka (Ananda)
2. paripUrNA.....-----.............nagha (anagha)
3. shubhakarA....--------....... nEka (anEka - jagadAnanda)

It is easier to educate smaller groups of artistes/students about not splitting phrases like this:
4. anurA .......---------......... garA garA jita (anurAga rAga rAjita)

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 31 May 2011, 00:28

I missed #96. Thanks for the clarifications.
Since these are written notes, are there more than one version of the same sahitya (probably in a different raga ?

chitravina ravikiran · Post by **chitravina ravikiran** » 31 May 2011, 04:58

Since these are written notes, are there more than one version of the same sahitya (probably in a different raga ?

Not to the best of my knowledge!

Here is another composition on Anjaneya in Madhyamavati. They may have to be checkedc for typos...

Madhyamavati Adi

P: bhakta bhAgadhEyA AnjanEyA
M K: bhAvita rAghava jAnaki dhoota pAvana tAraka nAma sannAda
pAlayamAm AnjanEyA

A: mukti sukha nAma lOla ati dheera
mOhana rAma pada sArasa vihAra
M K: mudita sadA hrdaya sadaya kAya jita sakala mAya sukrta anapAya (pAlayamAm)

C: naigama sArAmrta vachana - nata
shubhakara bhoosura hrdi ramaNa
ayi karuNArasa poorita nayana
alalita durjana bheekarAnana
M K: ati dhrtakara vara putra sucharitra amala pavitra raghurAma mitra (pAlayamAm)

Again, he uses a different name for the God of Wind - ati dhrtakara . Every section leads to the last line of the Pallavi. The MK in Pallavi has been inserted between two slower lines, which makes the musical movement colourful.

hamsaa · Post by **hamsaa** » 31 May 2011, 05:38

vEga-vaha seems to be the more appropriate reading for the wind god, rather than vEga-vara. This is a [literal] synonym of Ashu-ga, another term for the wind [vide ghana-Agha-jImUta-Ashuga in tyagarAja's mALavi song]

I feel vEga vara is not inappropriate either.

vEga meaning rapidity, quickness

vara meaning the best, valuable

The son who was very valuable and rapid/quick.

keerthi · Post by **keerthi** » 31 May 2011, 10:44

Come to think of it, sAkSI-bhUta-tapana-sanga-varENa , seems to point to how hanumAn made rAma and sugrIva take vows of lifelong friendship, in the presence of fire.

tatO hanUmAn samtyajya bhikSu-rUpam arindamaH || 4-5-13
kASThayOH svena rUpENa janayAmAsa pAvakam |
dIpyamAnam tatO vahnim puSpaiH abhyarcya satkRtam || 4-5-14
tayor madhyE tu suprItO nidadhau susamAhitaH |

Then the destroyer of enemies - Hanuman, discarding the guise of ascetic assumed his original monkey form, and on producing fire with two sticks then made it to glow. decorated, worshipped with flowers, then gladly and devoutly placed that fire in between Rama and Sugreeva.

The son who was very valuable and rapid/quick.

one who is intent on the taraka nama, whose effectiveness/magic is as immense as the sky.

While the plasticity of sanskRt allows for a lot of interpretation, I think there are satisfactory and not-so-satisfactory ones. If we're content with our attempt to try and explain away whatever lyric is available, no problem; but if we spend some time examining it critically, we can occasionally hit upon the more correct lyric.

There are other synonyms of vAyu like sadAgati, Ashuga that seem to support vEga-vaha-tanaya as a more natural reading, than 'the fast excellent son'.

sandhi - shubhakarA - nEka and -nurA gara gara jita aren't cases of disjointed sandhi. These are cases of padacchEda.

Examples like vraja-sundari-pada-pankaja-sama-anukampita from the nAttai song bhajanAmRta, are what I'm referring to. This sandhi-separation is again something that Venkatakavi has used a lot, and we must treat it as a particularity of the poet's version of the language.

chitravina ravikiran · Post by **chitravina ravikiran** » 31 May 2011, 15:45

shubhakarA - nEka and nurA gara gara jita aren't cases of disjointed sandhi. These are cases of padacchEda

Sorry, I should have typed it as: madahara+anuraga (in fact, the 1st and 5th charanams are replete with deergha sandhi).

shubhakara+anEka is a sandhi.

pada-pankaja-sama anukampita

I have noticed examples where this happens but in this case, sama+anukampita can be rendered as samAnukampita without affecting the tala/meter. But I often split many savarna deergha sandhis in songs of other composers too to:

(1) project each word since I relish the combination of words as much as the meaning (b) ensure that my disciples do not split words wrong (c) facilitate listeners follow meanings quicker even as they listen.

Again, those capable of projecting longer words clearly and those capable of holding breath longer don't have to split. I have told some of them to practice singing whole charanas in Pancharatna/Saptaratna in one breath. Even though they don't have to do it in concerts, it will give them good breath control to be able to choose the right time to breath.

Fast excellent son for vEga vara tanaya

Is not appropriate. vEga vaha is not incorrect. But vEga vara, as an equivalent of sadAgati is not inapt - just as ati dhrta kara putra in the Madhyamavati song I have posted. OVK and Trinity were creative in coming up with such synonyms, which may not exactly be in the rule book.

For example: brahmAnanda has been referred to as vAgIshAnanda by T (Ramaneepai - Kedaram) and as kamalajAnanda by MD (Kamalamba - Anandabhairavi) even though eternal bliss is considered by philosophers to be even beyond the 4-faced Brahma, Vishnu or Shiva.

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 31 May 2011, 20:28

Keerthi
That is a nice contextual explanation of the term sAkShibUta tapana sanga varENa.
The word tapana is doing double duty for fire as well as Sugriva (son of Surya)...

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 31 May 2011, 20:51

In the madhyamavati the words in pallavi should be 'AnjanEya' since they are in the vocative.
The long vowel is used in Tamil in the vocative but not in sanskrit. Perhaps some OVK songs in sanskrit have been influenced by Tamil grammar...

I am at a loss to see the similarity in meaning of vEga vara/vaha or Ashuga with ati dhrtakara.
Is it tvaritakara?

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 31 May 2011, 22:18

cmlover wrote:The word tapana is doing double duty for fire as well as Sugriva (son of Surya)...

Sri MDR in one of his compositions refers to this incident as 'arkka vamshattAn avan arkkat-tanaiyanODum agni sAkSikamAgavE Aruyir naNbanAna en'

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 31 May 2011, 23:27

...beautiful alliteration too!

chitravina ravikiran · Post by **chitravina ravikiran** » 01 Jun 2011, 07:35

I am at a loss to see the similarity in meaning of vEga vara/vaha or Ashuga with ati dhrtakara.
Is it tvaritakara?

This is fascinating indeed. I had instinctively associated dhrta with vEga. But after you posted, I asked myself why had I done so... tvarita is the normal word in Sanskrit for quick, expeditious etc.

It then dawned on me that OVK has intentionally used ati dhrta here - which does mean fast. But is not generally known to scholars outside the music circle. The concept of laya in music is divided into vilamba, madhyama and dhrta (slow, medium, fast), with extremes known as ati-vilamba and ati-dhrta. HM continues to use this. So,

ati dhrta kara vara putra as son of vAyu (vEga vara) is an intentional usage.

Sanskrit scholars have noticed OVK's ability to extend the frontiers of the language and come up with novel usages such as radanAmbara (to mean lips). I addressed this briefly in my book too.

keerthi · Post by **keerthi** » 01 Jun 2011, 08:43

The sanskRt word for fast is druta and not dhRta.

This is seen in the music terminology of vilambit(a) and drut(a) passages/ compositions. [As RK points out]

This in Tamizh land has been transformed to durita kAla, which is funny since durita means sin in sanskRt.

dhRta come from the root dhR/dhar which is only used in the sense of 'borne'.

Again, shouldn't it be druta-gama or druta-gati or druta-vaha instead of druta-vara? Same applies for vEga. vEga-vara and druta vara need a precedent atleast in terms of an equivalent.

radanAmbara isn't particularly novel, the cognate word radanac-chada for lips is found in the kOsha-s and has been used before.

cml,
tapana, while listed in epithets for the sun [aditya hrdayam and other stOtra-s], is never used to address the sun, as it then confounds the meaning as fire. Here, while the episode involves sugrIva, I'm not sure if tapana-sanga can be interpreted as referring to him.

chitravina ravikiran · Post by **chitravina ravikiran** » 01 Jun 2011, 09:21

The sanskRt word for fast is druta and not dhRta.

Perfectly correct. It should be written as druta - it is not dhrta (just an example of the kind of errors creeping in when one sees the words of a Sanskrit songs in Tamil and then re-writes in English). So the correct phrases in these two songs can be:

druta kara (not vara) - one who is very swift.
vEga vara - one of superior speed.

radanAmbara

- the word is not exactly novel... There are others who have used danta-vastra as well. I meant that this particular combination is not often seen.

About sAkShi bhUta tapana: Surya is considered to be sarva sAkShi (MD also uses sarvasAkShiNe in the navagraha krti, Surya moorte). So, the combo of sAkShri bhUta tapana could be more a direct reference to the sun...?

keerthi · Post by **keerthi** » 01 Jun 2011, 14:05

There are many references to the sun god as jagat-sakSin or vishwa-sakSin, but I felt that sAkSi must bear more directly on hanumAn, after all, the song is about him.

We will never really know the poet's intention, and can only examine the plausibility of our surmises.

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 01 Jun 2011, 23:50

Is the audio of the madhyamavati avalable?

hamsaa · Post by **hamsaa** » 02 Jun 2011, 09:57

Dear cml

The madhyamavati kriti, Bhakta Bhagadeya, has been featured as part of an album called "Divine Equations" that I got from Hema Rajagopalan, Chicago based dancer. You can contact them through this link

http://www.natya.com/contact

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 02 Jun 2011, 20:08

Thanks Hamsa
I'll try. The free availability of OVK kritis with audio is essential for it to be known well among the CM learners and practioners. At present OVK is still in the 'dark ages'. It is time to bring him into lime light through the concerted efforts of all CM afficianados. I find not too many good renderings at the sangitapriya site. The easy availability of the audio and the lyrics will encourage young CM learners to start rendering them in concerts for rasikas to appreciate OVK's greatness. Just a few only like
alaipAyuthe, thaaye yashoda, kuzhaloodi, asaindaaDum are known well among the rasika public but the rest are quite unknown let alone the sapta ratnas.. Perhaps a prominant site with lyrics and audios will help popularize OVK and may be we should strive for one under the leadership of RK....

chitravina ravikiran · Post by **chitravina ravikiran** » 04 Jun 2011, 08:51

Here is another short piece on Anjaneya. I have proofed it to an extent but please feel free to point out any other typos/etc.

The opening is striking and the while the first 2 sections contain dviteeyakshara, the charanam features antyakshara prasa.

Tōḍi Ādi

P. anjanānandāmbōdhi chandrā
anupama guṇavara jitēndra māmava
AP. sanjita bhava bhaya sāgara taraṇa
svāmi raghunātha charaṇa suramaṇa
C. shree karuṇālaya divya shareera
dēva tapana mukha sangāti shoora
āgama nava para vēdita veera
ānjanēya bhaktālankāra

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 04 Jun 2011, 19:25

jitEndra = conquered Indra does not fit him.
Is it jitEndriya = conquered passions
sangAti ???
Is it sanga + Adi = coflicts/battle etc,
Actually the composition appears like a sloppy patchwork of several disconnected adjectives.
There is no connective theme. Looks very pedestrian!
Is there a musically redeeming audio?
Is this really by OVK?

chitravina ravikiran · Post by **chitravina ravikiran** » 05 Jun 2011, 23:38

Is it jitEndriya = conquered passions

You are right, it should be jiTendriya.

sangAdi?

I would imagine the correct spelling to be sangata ('an alliance') or sangati (coming together, meeting, association) with the hot Sun God... Pls feel to correct!

Is there a musically redeeming audio?

I am in the process of learning the piece and intend to present it sometime soon.

There is no connective theme.

Most one-off devotional songs are with no particular theme. But looking at the theme of his other Anjaneya pieces, we do come across some of his usual references like the Sun God.

Is this really by OVK?

I got it along with his other Anjaneya compositions. The opening is original but the rest of the piece is definitely simpler than some of his other pieces. I will share a brilliant piece on Lord Shiva in my next post.

chitravina ravikiran · Post by **chitravina ravikiran** » 05 Jun 2011, 23:52

Kharaharapriya Adi

P: sundara naTarAjam shivakAma sundari hrdayEsham - santatam cintaya mAnasa rE

A: nandi dEva canDIshAdi nandita munijana hrdayOllAsam
indu shekhara kuTilAlaka vrta hayakara mukha para mandahAsam

MK: hiraNya maya nUpura pada kaTakArava maya kala kala nAda sahAsam
sharaNya jana manOlaya vilAsam sachidAnanda kanaka sabhEsham - sOma (sundara)

C: gnyAna bOdhana karAnguli gaNa nava nava calita vilAsam
nata patanjali pANini mana laharI krta suvilAsam
gAna maya gandharvAdi sEvita hAhAkAra naTanEsham
kaivalya vara dAyaka parama kAruNya chidambarEsham

MK: hara hara shankara gowrIsham dhrta kara mandAkini mouLIsham
sura vara sannuta lingEsham hrdi sundari chAyAnandEsham - niravadhika (sundara)

------------------
I have typed this from memory - so pls let me know if there are typos...

The treatment of Kharaharapriya by OVK is very bright and distinctive. He has composed other masterpieces such as Rasa keli vilasa and Champakaranya in this raga.

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 06 Jun 2011, 03:46

sangAdi shoora = expert in fights etc.,
sangata shoora = expert in making alliances
Later is good referring to his expert sponsoring the alliance between Rama and Surgriva.
Share wth us when you have mastered the kriti. Todi sounds good as a slow piece...

Will study the one on Siva with care...
So does this explode the myth that Kharaharapriya was unknown before Thyagaraja?
How does OVK handle the raga?

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 06 Jun 2011, 06:22

I am at loss interpreting
vRta hayakara mukha
I am sure it does not refer to hayagrIva
Does he refer to tumburu ?
Reference to pANini is intriguing. He is probably referring to PANini learning the Siva sutras!
mandAkini mouLIsham = ganga on the head
What is 'dhrta kara ' referring to?

Sounds quite OVK with unbeatable rhythmic sounds picturesquely describing the dance of Siva!The double MK is interesting...
Would love to hear the kharaharapriya rendering...

chitravina ravikiran · Post by **chitravina ravikiran** » 07 Jun 2011, 08:06

What is 'dhrta kara ' referring to?

My fault! It is dhrta mrga.

vRta hayakara mukha

Could it be: nata aya kara? - One who bestows good fortune to devotees.

mukha paramandahAsam is a separate phrase.

So does this explode the myth that Kharaharapriya was unknown before Thyagaraja?

Kharaharapriya is one of the earliest ragas known to man - T has composed numerous brilliant songs in it. Since MD and SS were not known to have employed it, the CM world thought it was unknown.

How does OVK handle the raga?

OVK's handling of Kharaharapriya is brilliant I have presented this piece in Carnatica's Album, Sahityaanubhava (taken from a live vocal concert with RKSK and Guruvayur Dorai sir). I have presented the grand rAsa kEli vilAsa in another vocal album (18 Steps - with Delhi Sundar, Aiyappan Venkataraman, T H Subhashchandran and Ganesh Kumar, produced by the SSVT, Washington folks) where the composer has inserted a short chittaswara in the middle of the charanam, as a part of the lyrics (but not as swarakshara).

hamsaa · Post by **hamsaa** » 07 Jun 2011, 10:36

indu shekhara kuTilAlaka vrta

could mean the moon that is hidden in the curly locks of Shiva

kuTilAlaka - curly locks

vrta - concealed

A similar description has been used by OVK in another beautiful composition in Tamil in Vasanta - neela malar

mOna ezhil kANa nANi vAnamadiyAnadanji moolanAdan shaDai pOnadO

I'll share the lyrics for this in a separate post

hamsaa · Post by **hamsaa** » 07 Jun 2011, 10:45

A tamil composition of OVK in Vasanta set to Adi talam

P: neela malar kOla tiru mEni kaNDu mOham koNDu nenjam niraivAnadE - atishaya

AP: shOlai tanil naTamADum tooya kuzhal ishai pADum
MK: sukhamurum asuNamum mahizha virittADum
iragu nizhalamarum ezhilukkezhilAna

C: vAnavillil kANuginra vaNNa vaNNa niramellAm vandu vandu sharaN puhundadO
mOna ezhil kAna nANi vAnamadiyAnadanji moolanAdan shaDai pOnadO
gAna mazhai pozhindiDa gandharuvar kinnararum mAnam anji maraindanarO

MK: tEn aruvi pOl oLirum un vadana teenchuvaiyil viLaiyaDum makaramena

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 07 Jun 2011, 19:18

Resolved the mystery of 'sangāti shoora' courtesy of our DRS (Dr. ShrIkaanth)
sangAtishUra = sanga (conflict/battle) + atishUra (exceedingly brave)
This is a bahuvrIhicompound meaning 'one who is exceedingly brave in battle = AnjanEya',
atishUra is an avyayIbhAva compound..
The vigraha will be
sangE atyayEna shUratvam iti

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 07 Jun 2011, 19:26

hamsa
indu shekhara kuTilAlaka vrta
Your explanation is nice and appropriate..
Then the next may be 'bhayakara mukha' or 'abhayakara mukha'....

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 07 Jun 2011, 19:32

What is the interpretation of
MK: sukhamurum asuNamum mahizha virittADum
iragu nizhalamarum ezhilukkezhilAna

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 07 Jun 2011, 21:19

My interprettation: In the pallavi, the composer says, "as I behold (kaNDu) the beauty (kOla) of the nilOtpalam (nIla malar)-like complexion (tiru mEni), I am intoxicated (mOham koNDu) and my heart (nejam) is overjoyed (niraivAnadE)."
In the AP (if we link everything back to the pallavi) he continues and says, "in the garden (SOlai tanil), as the exemplary/blemishless (tUya) flute (kuzhal) brings forth (pADum) music (iSai), in the happiness induced by which (sukhamurum), even the mythical creature called asuNam (asuNamum)[1] expresses delight (magizha), as the peacock dances (naTamADum) with its expansively unfolded (virittADum) feathers (iragu), the complexion of the Lord who is sitting (amara) in the shade (nizhal), rivals the beauty (of the blue in the peacock's tail feathers)...."

[1] AFAIK, asuNam is a creature who is affected extraordinarily by music. Sri Ravikiran, Hamsa, Rajani, or Keerthi may be in a position to explain more.

Another interseting thing about this vasantA composition is that Sri OVK refers to Siva as mUlanAthar. Typically, it is vishNu who is refered to as AdimUlam*.

* Pardon a digression, but the epithet AdimUlam always conjures up the image of Smt. MSS as mIrA singing 'yAnai anru Adi mUlamE yenru OlamiDavum ODi vandanayE', in the song, 'arangA un mahimaiyai arindavar yAr?'

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 07 Jun 2011, 21:23

cmlover wrote:'bhayakara mukha'

could be bhayankara mukha, because typically Siva is described as one with a fearsome appearance (in the naTESa kauttuvam, the descriptor used is 'rUpa bhayaMkara')

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 07 Jun 2011, 22:15

Good work Shankar!
I was stumped by asuNam and now checked with my Tamil lexicon. You are quite right!
bhayakRu = terrify --> bhayakara is quite legal as is bhayamkara of course..

Pratyaksham Bala · Post by **Pratyaksham Bala** » 07 Jun 2011, 22:27

rshankar wrote:Another interseting thing about this vasantA composition is that Sri OVK refers to Siva as mUlanAthar. Typically, it is vishNu who is refered to as AdimUlam*.

The chief deity of tiruppaRRuRai (tiruppalaturai) Shiva temple is called Sri Moolanathar.
There is another Sri Moolanathar (Shiva) temple in Tenkarai, Madurai District.
One more Sri Moolanathar (Shiva) temple is located at Bahoor, near Pondicherry ...

Pratyaksham Bala · Post by **Pratyaksham Bala** » 07 Jun 2011, 22:42

Tamil Lexicon:-
"அசுணம் acuNam -- A creature believed to be so susceptible to harmony that when it is fascinated by notes of music, a sudden loud beat of the drum causes its instantaneous death."

Suji Ram · Post by **Suji Ram** » 07 Jun 2011, 23:56

Pratyaksham Bala wrote:Tamil Lexicon:-
"அசுணம் acuNam -- A creature believed to be so susceptible to harmony that when it is fascinated by notes of music, a sudden loud beat of the drum causes its instantaneous death."

Could it be a bird(s)? In the book "The forgotten Empire-Vijayanagara", I remember reading this-During Navaratri festival in the kingdom (500 y ago) loud drum beats and sounds of trumpets caused birds to fall dead from the sky.
And recently we heard birds falling dead after New year's eve from firecrackers(?).

hamsaa · Post by **hamsaa** » 08 Jun 2011, 09:53

lovely interpretation of asuNam and the whole song, rshankar.

This shows the lovely imagination and scholarship of OVK that opens up avenues for intellectual discussions amongst rasikas too.

cml,

I think it should be aya kara - meaning one who bestows good fortune, as Shri Ravikiran had pointed out in post # 126. I know this song and bhayakara, bhayankara or abhayakara does not seem to fit into the meter in that line. Perhaps Shri Ravikiran can throw more light on this !!

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 08 Jun 2011, 18:39

Yes Hamsa
ayakara fits good. OVK appears to use expressions not seen elsewhere. His depth of knowledge in sanakrit (and Tamil) is commendable and we should think twice before messing with his lyrics. Unfortunately the lyrics come to us from manuscripts written much later mostly by folks not having good language skills. I would like to know whether the 'NKB notes' were written by him or by his predecessors (at least some). Linguistically more vedic sanskrit was prevalant 250 years ago which are no longer current. I would like to know whether there are quotations from vedas in his compositions. I am sure RK will share more and more of these lyrics in original as he uncovers them...

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 08 Jun 2011, 18:48

The reference to 'அசுணம்' is intriguing. Is that a Tamil (or even Telugu) word and if so what is the etymology.
Can PB delve deeper and check other references. Probably it will help us get a fix on the timeline of OVK!

keerthi · Post by **keerthi** » 09 Jun 2011, 01:27

1. In the tODi kRti anjanAnandAmbOdhi-candraM -

- The anupallavi must begin sancita-bhava-bhaya etc.It isn't sanjita. taraNa seems problematic tAraNa would seem appropriate, but that would cripple the prAsa.

- jitEndra can be taken as a dEsya influence leading to a truncation of jitEndriya to jitEndra. It is a coomon enough term(while ungrammatical), used as a name in north India. Our trying to patch it up will spoil the prAsa with candra.

- tapana-mukha-sanga - agnimukha is a term for the dEva-s [since agni serves as the mouth/ portal for them to recieve their havirbhAga-s]. tapana is a synonym. tapanamukha-sanga can be read as one who associates with the gods.

The other interpretations don't account for tapana.

2. sundara-naTarAja -

indu shekhara kuTilAlaka vrta

could mean the moon that is hidden in the curly locks of Shiva

hamsaa,

samAsa-s (compounds) that have the noun (vishESya) before the adjective (vishESaNa) aren't common in SanskRt, and its family of languages. This is seen in languages like french though.. the international system of units is called 'Système international d'unités'.

3. asunaM,

rshankar,

never heard of this beast, but there are accounts in the hill folk of the North East, and in Himachal of how the kastura deer can be hypnotised by flute/drum music. This is recorded in kAvyas too.

I studied this poem which laments the use of music as a poaching tool. St. Cecilia is the patron of music.

http://www.poetrylibrary.edu.au/poets/h ... us-0559004

4. hayakara- mukha-para..etc

While trying to interpret manuscripts and single source texts, we can't just try and fit in a suitable word with the right metric frame or number of syllables. It is important to consider the scripts used for the language of composing, as well as the script used to record the text, and then, good, sensitive editors get insights like na and va being similar in handwritten codices in dEvanAgari. Similarly a ka- ca - ku - ta conflation is possible if the tamizh script is used.

I say this respectfully, but aya/bhaya/haya -kara seem like unrestrained speculations.

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 09 Jun 2011, 07:17

Keerthi that is a very powerful poem. Although disturbing, I am glad you shared. But this asuNam, as far as I know, is a mythical beast (possibly of the same ilk of hippogriffs and thestrals)....

Pratyaksham Bala · Post by **Pratyaksham Bala** » 09 Jun 2011, 08:10

cmlover:

In kambarAmAyaNam - kitkinda kANDam, there is reference to ashuNam:
அசுணம் துயில்வுறும் ஏமகூடம் எனும் மலை

In naTRiNai (244):-
வண்டின் நயவரும் தீம் குரல்
மணம் நாறு சிலம்பின் அசுணம் ஓர்க்கும்

In aganAnURu (88):-
யானைக் கவுண்மலி பிழிதரு காமர் கடாஅம்
இருஞ்சிறைத் தொழுதி ஆர்ப்ப, யாழ்செத்து,
இருங்கல் விடர்அளை அசுணம் ஓர்க்கும்
.

chitravina ravikiran · Post by **chitravina ravikiran** » 09 Jun 2011, 09:13

Fascinating stuff from all of you about asuNam, including the Kamba Ramayana reference.

jitEndra: Our trying to patch it up will spoil the prAsa with candra.

I agree. This is where the contextual knowledge (rather than only textual) knowledge is so important. For instance, a lexicon like even Monier Williams does not talk about the metamorphosis of such words.

sancita-bhava-bhaya etc. It isn't sanjita

Yes, we see sancita even in several compositions such as GNB's Ranjani niranjani. But is there a meaning difference between the two words or does sanjita become sancita?

tAraNa would seem appropriate, but that would cripple the prAsa.

But isn't the prAsa on the 2nd syllable here - anjana and sancita? Even were it to be antyakshara in AP, wouldn't the 'Na' alone be considered?

hayakara- mukha-para etc:

The books of NKB and students have said hayakara (though it's written in Tamil).

It is important to consider the scripts used for the language of composing, as well as the script used to record the text,

I completely agree. I have frequently waded through such typo/transliteration-related issues. Sometimes, it is as simple as an individual's handwriting/hearing if someone writes it during class/recording, even when the script of composing and documenting are the same.

keerthi · Post by **keerthi** » 09 Jun 2011, 09:56

Yes, we see sancita even in several compositions such as GNB's Ranjani niranjani. But is there a meaning difference between the two words or does sanjita become sancita?

The correct word in sanskRt is sancita. sanjita is a result of the Tamizh influence. Using another example from the GNB song - cancalamu becomes sanjalamu, which is prevalent but wrong.

But isn't the prAsa on the 2nd syllable here - anjana and sancita? Even were it to be antyakshara in AP, wouldn't the 'Na' alone be considered?

anjanA and sancita is the dvitIyAkSara-prAsa. ramaNa and taraNa represent the ant(y)a-prAsa. Here it isn't so much prAsa as we conventionally understand it, as much as metric consonance - as used by OVK in words like muraLIdhara and murabhIkara and musalAdhara.

srikant1987 · Post by **srikant1987** » 09 Jun 2011, 10:40

as used by OVK in words like muraLIdhara and murabhIkara and musalAdhara.

So it is muraLI and not muralI?

bkishore · Post by **bkishore** » 09 Jun 2011, 14:02

Some songs on Anjaneya have also been found out. One is in Vasantha "Pavanakumara" and another one in Madhyamavathi "Baktha Baagadeya Anjaneya".
Oottukadu Venkata Kavi has composed songs on Tiruvallikeni Lord ParthaSarathy "Parthasarathy Paramadhayanidhi", "Allikeni karaiyinile", "Gathiyaaha Vendum", on Lord Surya "Padmini Vallabha ", on Goddess Saraswathi of Koothanur "Sarasija Bhava Jaye"

Is there any audio availabe for these?pl share
bk_7in@yahoo.com

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 09 Jun 2011, 20:25

keerthi
Using your interpretation how can we explain
dēva tapana mukha sanga in the context of AnjanEya

I interpret as independantly
tapana mukha = firy red face (atipATalAnanam)

sanjita can be correct meaning 'well conquered'
sanjita bhava bhaya = one who has expertly conquered the fear of rebirth = chiranjIvi
Next line 'sAgara taraNa' is separate meaning his crossing the ocean...

The books of NKB and students have said hayakara (though it's written in Tamil).

based on this I surmise it is 'bhayakara' in tamil script where the grantha letter for 'bha' was written originally which indeed resembles 'ha' in Tamil. Check
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grantha_script

I agree with keerthi that we should try to interpret the lyrics as it is before our guessing variations.

I woudl appreciate RK telling us about the 'age and authorship' of the notes.
Are there more than one set of notes?
Are there any musical (swara notations in the notes}?

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 09 Jun 2011, 20:31

PB
Thanks for the research..
asuNam appears to be old Tamil word used in ancient Tamil. Shows OVK's familiarity with old Tamil literature. The word must have been used among scholars during OVK's time and then fallen into disrepute..
Old Tamil refers to asunam as either an animal (mA) or as a bird (puL). OVK appears to subscribe to the latter view...

Singer_USA · Post by **Singer_USA** » 11 Jun 2011, 01:17