Shyama Sastri

Carnatic composers (other than performing vidwans)
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nAdopAsaka
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Joined: 20 Jul 2020, 17:05

Re: Shyama Sastri

Post by nAdopAsaka »

SyAmA SaStri’s kritis in so-called deSya rAgas are very limited.

But although his forays into this arena are few and far-between, they are of consistent quality with the rest of his work.

He strangely remained unmoved by (or was oblivious to) the melodies of yamunA kalyAni or sindhuBhairavi or behAg or brindavana sArang or hamir-kalyAn.

By my count the extent of his deSya rAga kritis is 2-3 in Paras=paraju and 2 in Purvi-kalyAni.

It seems a bit odd that SyAmA SaStri would be enticed by Purvi kalyAni and not by yamunA kalyAni !!

One school of thought could be that he was “scared off” yamunA kalyAni by the likes of JambupatE and haridAsulu ?!
I discussed some aspects of his aversion for Mohana/bilahari in post # 244 of this thread.

Another line of thinking could be that yamunA kalyAni (despite the Dikshitar’s wonderfully solemn and formal water-linga kriti) in the context of the Devi as the Mother, might appear too informal, since it often carries a “pining” aspect, central of course to rAga yaman. This is visible for example in many of the mahArAjA’s kritis where the gopis long for the amorous celestial cowherd who frolics with abandon.

Purvi-kalyAni on the other hand , seems a bit more impersonal and perhaps fit SyAmA SaStri’s sense of propriety better. Even the tyAgarAja shows restraint in “gyAnamOsagarAda” for example.

Which brings us to the two crisp gems “enneramum un nAmam” and “ninnu vinA ga marI” which are in different languages but in the same tAla, SyAmA SaStri’s forte, miSra Capu..

In "ninnu vinA ga marI" SyAmA Sastri also laments his unfortunate situation of having to praise unworthy misers, which is a theme presented also by the Dikshitar in the hiranmayIm LalitA or the tyAgarAja in durmArgaCara ranjani or nidhi CAla sukhama kalyAni.

All three prove that certain types of mendicants !! can indeed be choosers.

"enneramum un nAmam" by a leading vidUSi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrXzuMD0dSE

"ninnu vinA ga marI" also by a leading vidUSi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFfCjxj6LKc

MSG is of course well qualified to make this deSya rAga shine with his violin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCqynRfUw5Q

nAdopAsaka
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Joined: 20 Jul 2020, 17:05

Re: Shyama Sastri (jaganmohini dayajuda manCi)

Post by nAdopAsaka »

SyAmA SAStrI makes up for no kritis in mela rAga mAyAmalavaGaula with splendid ones in its enchanting janyA rAgas, instead., such as Gaulipantu, paras and sAveri.

Another one is jaganmohini, where the bar is set high by the tyAgarAja’s more famous “Sobhillu saptaswara”

vidwAn Balaji Sankar shows how the misra Capu works in this gem

dayajuda manCi samayamide

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHdnmEFNzyI

nAdopAsaka
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Joined: 20 Jul 2020, 17:05

Re: SyAmA SAStrI (when the Devi is “sodari” and when the Devi is “janani” )

Post by nAdopAsaka »

when the Devi is “sodari” and when the Devi is “janani”

This auspicious Sunday, I take the names of Devi.

1. For SyAmA SAStri, the Devi is always and uniformly the Mother, aka ambA, amma, janani, talli etc.
2. His so-called mudra or signature is “SyAma-krSnA”, one aspect of the viSnu.

There can be no debate about these above two facts.

There is however an “apparent” quirk that surfaces in two of his famous “mAyammA” kritis.

This quirk has been mentioned in the past, but no satisfactory explanation seems to have been given that I am aware of (other than of course the easy way out i.e. suggesting either wrong text or mis-attribution).

I show below another way that it is possible to resolve this quirk , in a manner that keeps both text and authorship intact.

In fact I believe the explanation made reinforces that both these aspects are indeed intact.

First, the quirk.

In “mAyammA yani nE” the famous Ahiri, SyAmA SAStri presents his mudra (see item 2 listed above) using “SyAma-krSna sodari” .

Whereas in “mAyammA nannu brova” in nAta-kuranji he uses “SyAma-krSna janani”.

Recognizing that the deity being referred to in the mudra/signature is an aspect of viSnu (see item 1 listed above) some clarification is desirable, even imperative to some, on how this “ambA” is at once a “sodari” and a “janani” to this same viSnu.

Once we cast the problem in this manner, the spirit of enquiry leads us immediately to a BIG difference between the 2 kritis.

The Ahiri kriti is to the Meenakshi of Madurai whereas the nAta-kuranji kriti is to kAmAkSi / mahA tripurasundari of kAnCi.

In fact the nAta-kuranji kritis uses both the full words “mahA-tripurasundari” and “kAmAkSi”.

Indeed one unique version of Devi worshipped in kAnCi is exactly this transcendent Mother, (where she is the ”super-user” with overall admin. rights etc.) over the Trinity, including the viSnu and everything/everyone else.

So the usage “janani” in this particular kAnCi Devi kriti is accurate...quite literally the mother of god..

In contrast, at Madurai, the Devi is assuredly worshipped unambiguously as the sister of krSna, so the “sodari” title there is accurate.

If we ignore questions about veracity of the “brovu brovu” Keeravani, then the aspect of Devi as “sister” (at Madurai) triumphs over the usage of the descriptor “maha-tripurasundari” seen in this kriti. I note this kriti has been considered as mis-attributed by majority of records.

We can next examine ALL the other kAnCi sthala kritis of SyAmA SAStri, to see if he is consistent in using these exact words “SyAma-krSna janani” ONLY when he refers to Devi also as this super-entity “kAmAKSi/mahA-tripurasundari” with precisely those words.

We will discount in this examination the appearance of kritis of generic descriptors like “SyAma-krSna paripAlini” or SyAma-krSna nuta”

After having leafed through a well-dog-eared compendium, I am unable to find any example in these 15-16 kritis at kAnCi, which contradicts this consistency.

For example..

One observes in the Purvi kalyAni (ninnu vinA), or the 2 kAlyAnis (birAna varAliCi/nivE gati) or the kalgada (pArvati ninnu) or the nAta (pAhimAm) or the tOdi (nine namminAnu) or both the paras kritis or the CintAmani (devi brova) or the Svara-jatis (both yadukula K and bhairavi , where "kAmAkSi' appears, this usage of “sodari” but not of “mahA-tripurasundari”.

In other kritis like the mAnji (brovavamma), only “tripurasundari” appears alongside kAmAkSi, and therefore only “sodari” is used.

In yet another sAveri , durusuga krupa, where also both words “kAmAKSi” and “tripurasundari” appear, he avoids any contradiction by using “SyAma-krSna nuta”.

Conversely in the sAveri Sripati mukha, we again see the usage of “sodari” , since although “mahA-tripurasundari” appears , the word “kAmAkSi” does not.

I believe the above exercise and the conclusion reached is meaningful.

SyAmA SAStrI is a vAggeyakAra who is celebrated for distinguishing the many subtleties of tAla. He has also exposed unique features of older and rarer rAgas in highly innovative ways, but his adherence to classical principles is unquestionable.

This attention to detail expectedly permeates ALL aspects of the mental and spiritual process involved in the kriti worship and construction. It is impossible to think that he could be casual or allow an extraneous aspect of the idol/deity either deliberately or inadvertently to creep into his pujA. But the above exercise has made me, and hopefully, us, take the Devis names.

So,… with faith re-re-assured by the vAggeyakAras fidelity to the truth/svaram versus untruth/apa-svaram , whether for deity or rAga, we can reward ourselves with some excellent renditions of the mAyammA kritis..

the nAta-kuranji by vidUSi Gayatri V. (kriti starts at 15.2 minute)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnri6xI8078

the Ahiri by
Hyd. bros
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEQNUSKIqo0

A fine violin rendition by Vid. Ambi Sub.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpaCxfK9In8

vid. Bombay JayaShree
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ko5l1Dq1-k

Lakshman
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Joined: 10 Feb 2010, 18:52

Re: Shyama Sastri

Post by Lakshman »

In most books the mudra caraNa for the sAvEri song janani natajanapAlini, is missing.
Here it is for those who might be interested.

4: akhila bhuvanatraya mOhini purANi shyAmakrSNa sOdari
sakala lOka janani sarvANi ambuja nEtri harihayAdi mahEsha mahita kalAdhari
kambugaLa nIraja padayugaLE ati lalitE mangaLa pradakarE

nAdopAsaka
Posts: 878
Joined: 20 Jul 2020, 17:05

Re: Shyama Sastri

Post by nAdopAsaka »

Thank you.

As I noted in post # 253, the Mother at kAnCI is “Janani” to SyAma-SAStri and the whole world yet is still sister (sOdari) to ”SyAma-krsna”, since she is NOT described as the specific entity “kAmAkSi/maha-tripurasundari”.

I am curious whether it can be confirmed that both the notation and structure of this 4th charana matches that of the other 3 charanas, as given in the textbooks ? By my reading there appear to be fewer words in this charana compared to the other three.

I could not get a straight answer by listening..

Generally we hear either only 4th charana

as in KVN
at 2.40
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elQeaAgT3Xk

OR

1st charana

mAmbalam sisters
at 13.47
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lArWZ2PLGbQ

nAdopAsaka
Posts: 878
Joined: 20 Jul 2020, 17:05

Re: Shyama Sastri

Post by nAdopAsaka »

The scarcity of kritis in rAga SankarAbharana by SyAmA SAStri, (there are only two known), is made up by their quality, both drawing their inspiration straight from the eyes of the dEvI.

In dEvI mIna nEtri, compared to sarojadala nEtrI, he cites the dEvI also in each of the 3 charanas , as dEvI mahESvarI , dEvI bAlAmbikA and dEvI kAtyAyanI.

The repeated invocation may well be redundant, since the opening call to the Mother is itself overwhelming.

The vidUSI MS Sheela shows how this happens in exceptional fashion !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7NezxClqWE

nAdopAsaka
Posts: 878
Joined: 20 Jul 2020, 17:05

Re: Shyama Sastri

Post by nAdopAsaka »

Thankfully SyAmA SAStri did NOT muzzle himself for the rAga kAmbhOji (like he has done with mOhana and bilahari… see post # 244 of this same thread for a discussion of this rather unfortunate decision)

kAmbhOji is itself an ancient hymn of Sakti/Devi worship..and so obviously the Devi at Madurai could not be resisted !

For this kriti, “Devi ni pa-da sArasamulE”, SyAmA SAStri draws instead his inspiration from the feet of the minAkSamma.. (unlike the eyes/netri of the Sankarabharanams )

In fact the kriti starts with the svaras “pa-da mA”

The second charana begins with “kadamba kAnana mayUrI”, referring obviously to the kadamba forests of Madurai …this descriptor of course appears in many of the Madurai ksetra kritis of the Dikshitar offered to the madhurAmbA.

It becomes necessary (even urgent ?) to hear this kriti. The kriti provides a pointer in this regard..

Noticing that the second charana ends with the words “madhura vAni”…..and that the word "vAni" itself has roots in the sound derived from a veena or veena-like instrument…

Suitably the veena viDUSi gAyAtri adorns the great rAga and kriti with exceptional resonance

rAgam-tAnam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6sTSuvVFZg

kriti
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8rNnud_cS4

a decent vocal version is also available
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KIVoT8tIks

nAdopAsaka
Posts: 878
Joined: 20 Jul 2020, 17:05

Re: Shyama Sastri (ghana panchaka kritis !?)

Post by nAdopAsaka »

SyAmA SAStri's “near-miss” ghana panchaka set of kritis

SyAmA SAStri presents a near-miss ghana panchaka set spread across the major dEvi shrines.

It is a “near-miss” because although there is no kriti in rAga Gaula, there is one in riti-Gaula, which is sometimes considered in the Dwitiya ghana rAga set (along with kEdAram, sAranga-nAta, bauli and nArAyana-gaula)

karuNa jUDu ninnu nammina Sri rAga tanjAvur brhannAyaki

Here the tantalizing usage “gAna vinOdini ghana nibha vEni” appears which is suggestive of some awareness of the “ghana” rAga system.

pAlayAshu mAm paradEvatE Arabhi kanCi kAmakoti

pAhimAm shrI rAjarAjEshvari nATa kAnCi kAmakoti

there are 2 kritis in varAli

karuNa jUDavammA varAli tiruvaiyAru dharmasamvardhani

kAmAkSi amba bangAru varali tanjAvUr bangAru kAmakSi

and finally ..

the phantom gaula i.e. the riti-gaula from the Dwitiya ghana rAga set

ninnu vinA mari galadA riti-gaula tanjAvUr brhadAmbA

All this is merely an excuse to listen to the following excellent renditions

Sri rAga
vidUSI V. Sumitra
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otfveK6xrOQ

vidwAn NeyvEli S
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Adted-FayA0

Arabhi
vidUSi Amrita V
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JifMT80_vsY

ritigaula
DKP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msX9YTUvlzs

MDR
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joMaCoO1qgM

MSS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RP07YHrg_CE

CRama
Posts: 2939
Joined: 18 Nov 2009, 16:58

Re: Shyama Sastri

Post by CRama »

Because Thyagaraja has composed Pancharathnam it is not necessary that SS should also compose Pancharatnam and your grouping the songs with contrived arrangements.

And there are many disputes regarding ragams and composer himself. For instance, Ninuvina marigalada some people say it is in Abheri. MLV has sung in Abheri.

RSR
Posts: 3427
Joined: 11 Oct 2015, 23:31

Re: Shyama Sastri

Post by RSR »

p-259
------
@nAdopAsaka himself has mentioned
All this is merely an excuse to listen to the following excellent renditions


For this particular kruthi, Sri.V.Govindan's blog gives ReethiGowLa as the raagam and also Aaberi. ( according to some books- not specified).

Shyama Sastry being the senior, there is no question of his 'emulating' Thyagaraja Swami. 'Nadopasaka' is not implying any such thing. He is just trying to find major similarities among the four near contemporaries, namely,, SS, TS, Swathi and MD. These posts as they are analyzing the lyrics , are evidently based on extensive study. Some of his conjectures may seem improbable but seem very plausible. (especially, his note on the same raagams being chosen for a particular deity by both Thyagaraja and MD.
That was almost irrefutable. and illuminating.

One can take it or leave it.
-----
And Pancharathna grouping was not done by the composer . but by disciples. IIRC , the kruthis were chosen by HKMB. I may be wrong.
The holistic approach and perspective of Nadopasaka ,is refreshing and educative... Along with the blogs on the Trinity by sreenivasaraos and by Sri.V.Govindan, this series is unique.

Smt.MS, Smt.DKP and Sri.MDR are all using ReethiGowLa only.
Perhaps , GNB school follows some other source.

nAdopAsaka
Posts: 878
Joined: 20 Jul 2020, 17:05

Re: Shyama Sastri

Post by nAdopAsaka »

Perhaps it needs to be said again…The ghana rAgas (all 10) in the two sets of five, namely the Prathama ghana and Dwitiya ghana have existed long before the tyAgarAja.

The Prathama ghana set were “chosen” by the tyAgarAja, that is, he expressly "contrived" them to be the vehicle for his very detailed philosophical ideas now known as the ghana rAga panCaratna.

These rAgas themselves were eminently also suited to extensive improvisations for both vocal and vina….a fact recognized well before the tyAgarAja…in fact the title “ghanam” was conferred on some of the more talented exponents of exactly this type of improvisation…for example ghanam sinayya..who is from pre-tyAgarAja times, centuries before..

A contemporary of SyAmA SAStri (and another student of the famous vina vidwAn paCimiriyam Adiappaya), named “ghanam” krisna iyer is also known..who also had a unique vocal style.

We can therefore expect SyAmA SAStri to have been fully aware of all these 10 rAgas.

It has been noted in past that SyAmA SAStri has ignored mAyamAlavaGaula as well as some of its more well known janyas, like gaula.

But he has explored its other important janyas like sAveri, pharaj, lalitA, saurAStra , some quite extensively.

The Abheri being mentioned is definitely an aberration, most if not all the classical vidwAns and textbooks give “ninnu vina marigalada” as ritigaula. In fact GNB’s own composition in ritigaula “ninnu vErE gati” is modeled along these lines.

The appearance of SyAmA SAStri’s solitary riti-gaula kriti is what merits attention.

It highlights his aversion for the gaula rAga, while also showing that he pays tribute to the classical ghana rAga concept being picked instead from the Dwitiya ghana set and so worthy of expressing his deeper musical and other ideas.

I appreciate RSR's comments and perspective.

nAdopAsaka
Posts: 878
Joined: 20 Jul 2020, 17:05

Re: Shyama Sastri (the golden goddess at tanjAvUr, madurai and kAnCI).

Post by nAdopAsaka »

the golden goddess aka bangAru kAmakSi/minAkSi

It is perhaps not fully comprehended that SyAmA SAStri refers to the Goddess as “bangAru” (aka golden) at each of the 3 major kSetras of his orbit, namely tanjAvUr, madurai and kAnCi.

The “gold” motif is of course central to the ratha-kalpana of the mind that is embedded in the katha-upaniSad, and as the kArtasvara encrusted chariots of the mahAbhArata, noted also by the Dikshitar (see my asAveri related post in the Dikshitar thread)

bangAru kAmakSi of tanjAvUr

the tODi “ninne namminAnu” (several fine renditions are known over the decades, see the 2021 navarAtri kritis in swAti tirunAl thread of the forum)

or

the varAli “kAmAkSi bangAru kAmAkSi”

ranjani-gayatri sisters
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NB1xm_CGhjA

the bangAru bomma of madurai

the Ahiri mAyamma yani nE pilaCitE

or

the dhanyAsi minalOCana brova yOCana where "bangAru bomma" appears in the hardly-ever-heard charana # 1.

DKJ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmW0TWlx4-0

and finally

the bangAru bomma of kAnCi

the kalyAni nivE gatiyani

or

the classic nilAmbari where the kAnCi dEvi is described as "ekAmreSvara priya"

brova vamma bangAru bomma

veena ramana B
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3pQHa0XDcM

sikkil Gursharan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ski0jDEeG5w

thanks to artistes and upload agencies

nAdopAsaka
Posts: 878
Joined: 20 Jul 2020, 17:05

Re: Shyama Sastri (the bangAru minAkSi in the eyes of the Dikshitar)

Post by nAdopAsaka »

the bangAru minAkSi in the eyes of the Dikshitar

This post is to follow up the previous one on the bangAru minAkSi.

It is of interest (at least to the nAdopAsakas and perhaps only to the nAdopAsakas) that at madurai, the golden attribute of the goddess is also completely acknowledged by the Dikshitar.

For in the varAli “mAmava mInAkSI rAjamAtaNgi” the Dikshitar calls the madurai dEvi as “hEma-ratnAbharaNa-bhUSaNi” namely gold ornament bedecked.

And separately in the devakriya “madurAmbA samrakSatu” the Dikshitar describes this same madurai minAkSi as “hiranya kundala SobhAkari”, she with the golden earrings.

So, the term “bangAru bomma” for the madurai minAkSi noted in post # 262 of this thread is not just SyAmA SAStri applying some personal colloquial descriptor for affection but considerably more robust and likely of some antiquity.

There can be no more accurate and purer record than the very words ( and of course the music) of the great vAggeyakAras, who are themselves the messengers of the deities.

It is notable that the madurai minAkSi is celebrated by both SyAmA SAStri AND the Dikshitar with unique 9 kriti sets !
Both are considered Sri-vidyA exponents as well.

The navaratnamAlika of SyAmA SASTri at madurai is well known.

And post # 568 of the Mutthuswamy Dikshitar thread in this forum, shows clearly for the first time in 200 years, the madurAmbA navAvarana by the Dikshitar to this deity.

RSR
Posts: 3427
Joined: 11 Oct 2015, 23:31

Re: Shyama Sastri

Post by RSR »

Nice blog post on Shyama Sastry 's Kshetra Kruthis by SriramV
----
Brief , to the point. and informative.
--
https://sriramv.wordpress.com/2010/06/1 ... ma-sastry/
--
<excerpts)
The songs that Syama Sastry composed at various shrines that he travelled to are not discussed to the extent that those of Tyagaraja and Dikshitar are. There is a popular perception that he did not travel much. However, he appears to have travelled to Tiruvayyaru, Madurai, Kanchipuram, Pudukottai, Vaitheeswarankoil and Nagapattinam as evinced in his songs.

Kanchipuram held special significance for Syama Sastry.
1781, fearing an invasion by Hyder Ali and his son Tipu Sultan, the family moved into Tanjavur fort, where the ruler Tulaja welcomed them and constructed a shrine for the idol on West Main Street. The family gave up all ideas of moving back to Kanchipuram and settled in Tanjavur for good.

However, given that the Goddess had come from Kanchipuram, Syama Sastry in many of his songs addresses her as Kanchi Kamakshi.
“O Jagadamba” in Ananda Bhairavi is one such.
“Brovavamma” in the rare raga Manji is yet another song on Goddess Kamakshi.......
-
Tiruvayyaru, the sylvan village of five rivers is a short distance from Tanjavur and in Syama Sastry’s time was home to Tyagaraja.
. In Tiruvayyaru stands the twin-shrine of Panchanadeeswara and Dharmasamvardhini.

Syama Sastry gave us “Durusuga Krpajuchi” in Raga Saveri on the Goddess here. “Karunajudavamma” in Raga Varali, “Emani Migulavarnintu” in Raga Todi and “Palimpavamma” in Raga Mukhari are other songs on this shrine by Syama Sastry.
===================
In Tiruvanaikka near Tiruchirapalli stands the temple of Jambukeshwaram dedicated to Shiva- Jambukeshwara who is worshipped here as the primordial element – Water. The Goddess here is Akhilandeshvari, well known for the Sri Chakra vested in Her enormous earrings by Adi Sankara. Syama Sastry composed his “Sankari Samkuru” in Raga Saveri on the Goddess here. There are four other songs by him dedicated to the Goddess – “Akhilandeshvari” in Karnataka Kapi, “Enneramum Un Namam” in Purvikalyani, “Enneramum Un Pada Kamala” in Punnagavarali and “Nannu Brova Rada” in Gaulipantu. It is strange that this set of five has not yet been declared a Pancharatnam!
----
Madurai appears to have exerted an enormous fascination on Syama Sastry. It is said that no less than nine of his songs, known as the Navaratnamalika were dedicated to Goddess Meenakshi. “Devi Ni Pada Sarasa” in Raga Kamboji is one of them. Books on Syama Sastry kritis list another seven –
“Devi Minanetri” in Shankarabharanam,
“Nannu Brovu Lalita” in Lalita,
“Marivere Gati” in Ananda Bhairavi,
“Mayamma” in Ahiri,
“Minalochana” in Dhanyasi,
“Rave Parvatarajakumari” in Kalyani and
“Sarojadalanetri” in Shankarabharanam.
-----
Nagapattinam is a pilgrim centre that is less well known compared to the shrines written about above. It has a magnificent temple for Shiva-Kayarohanesa and Goddess Nilayatakshi. It is famed as a Vishnavite kshetra for its Saundararaja Perumal Temple. .
..
Syama Sastry’s tribute to Goddess Nilayatakshi is “Nilayatakshi Nive Jagat Sakshi” in Raga Mayamalavagaula. This is also sung in Raga Paraju. There are besides two others songs on the Goddess by him – “Nannu Brova Rada” in Raga Janaranjani and “Ninne Nammiti” in Raga Kedara Gaula.

Syama Sastry also appears to have visited Vaitheeswaran Koil. There is a song on Lord Muthukumaraswami set in Raga Begada.

From his song “Karunanidhi Ialo” in raga Todi we see that he must have also visited Puthukottai, for the song is dedicated to Brhannayaki. The fact that it specifically mentions that She is the consort of Gokarneshvara lends credence to the belief that this was composed in Pudukottai. Some other songs on Brhannayaki/Brhadamba by Syama Sastry are also ascribed to this shrine but in the absence of any internal evidence, they could be on the Goddess in the Big Temple in Tanjavur also.

---

nAdopAsaka
Posts: 878
Joined: 20 Jul 2020, 17:05

Re: Shyama Sastri

Post by nAdopAsaka »

Post # 247 on this thread, made last year, considered SyAmA SAStri’s three (3) gaulipantu kritis, in 3 different languages.

There has been the suggestion that each kriti was made with a different group of students (or skill-sets) in mind. A couple of other rAgas appear to have had similar treatment as well.

This post highlights the feature that the 3 different language kritis , all with the same rAga, address the dEvi shrines of two distinct locations.

2 of these are to the kAmAkSi at kAnCi i.e. “purahara jAyE”-sanskrit and “tarunamIdammA”-tamil.

The third “nannu brOva rAdA vEgamE nIvu”-telugu is to the akhilAndESwari of jambukESwaram whose long hair SyAmA SAStri calls “alikula vEni”, like swarms of bees in contrast to the Dikshitar who calls it “lamba-alaka” or long curls in his jujAvanti.

Each kriti has 3 charanams/stanzas. The third charanam of each shows how closely the lyrical idea has been mapped in each of the three different languages.

purahara jAyE 3rd stanza
kAma pItA gatE kaLyANi kAmAkSi , kAmita phaladE Sri lalitE
sOma mukhi purANi sundari kaumAri, SyAma krSNa sOdari SailarAja kumAri

tarunamidammA 3rd stanza
kAmita phalattai kaimEl taruvAyE, kaNpArttu rakSippateppOdum nIyE
sOma shEkharar pAdi sundarI kaumArI , SyAma krSNa sOdari SailarAja kumArI

nannu brOva rAda (at jambukESwaram) 3rd stanza
kAmita phalamiccE deivamu nIvEgadA, pAmara pAlinI bhavabhaya bhanjanI
sOma shEkhara priya bhAminI ranjanI, SyAma krSNa sOdari pArvatI bhavAnI

kAnCi and tiruvAnaikovil/jambukEswaram are separated by almost 250 km but, as is to be expected, many attributes of the dEvis at each location are common (mrdu-bhAsini, sOmaShekara , kAmita-phala etc. etc.)

Inspite of that the kritis maintain the key identities of each place e.g. Saila-rAjakumAri vs. the pArvati-bhavAni.
The interesting aspect is the rather deliberate thinking that has gone into offering the same rAga with similar structure but with different language at the two distinct shrines.

In fact if the ardhanAri (at kAnCi) is treated as unique, then each of the 3 languages used identifies with a different aspect of the goddess.

purahara jAyE
vijayalakshmi s.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4PJqZCvO1w

tarunamIdammA
GNB
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYJ4dTwcDXw

I haven’t found a rendition of “nannu brOva rAda”

I think All gaulipantu kritis must run the gauntlet thrown down by the great kSEtragna.

kuvalaya-AkSirO of kSEtragna
bAla-saraswati
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vz9SNdQdmh0

nAdopAsaka
Posts: 878
Joined: 20 Jul 2020, 17:05

Re: Shyama Sastri

Post by nAdopAsaka »

The rare rAga known as “kal-gada” aka “kAl-gada” has its origins in the word “kAl-gata” , the “march of time” and the related “kAli-kUta” or “the abode/realm of kAli”.

SyAmA SAStri applies BOTH aspects in his terrific “pArvati ninu nEra” particularly when he refers to the bhandA destroying form of the kAmAkSi tripurasundari as “bhaNDa daitya khaNDana” in the “never-heard” first charanam.

In this kriti, the kAli form of the kAmakOti kSEtra lalitA/tripurasundari operates and of course “time is up” for the bhandAsura !

SyAMA SAStri also invokes the deity to “not delay” further as in “parAkikanEla” and “jAlamEla”.

No surprise that the tyAgarAja also carries an idea of urgency in his own kalgada kriti, where he says “samayamu EmarakE manasA (idi) – the “time is now” to accept enlightenment !

Some fine renditions are available that illustrate the rAga and kritis from different singers

pArvati ninu nE - the SyAmA SAStri kalgada

Chertala RNS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UU1l2O6HvFk

Hyderabad Bros.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qr09ma-gy1Y

vidUSi pantula ramA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iA635QR-rJA

young vidwAn shyamakrishna
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZH79HxjvcQ

samayamu EmarakE – the tyAgarAja kalgada

R. SuryaprakAsh
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3t5D3krNQ94

rajeshnat
Posts: 9906
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: Shyama Sastri

Post by rajeshnat »

nAdopAsaka wrote: 07 Apr 2022, 21:17
samayamu EmarakE – the tyAgarAja kalgada

R. SuryaprakAsh
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3t5D3krNQ94
Nadopasaka,
I thought i knew all kirthis that this vidwan has sung. Did not know this to the best of my knowledge . Is there a difference in treatment of kalgada between how Syama Sastri or Thyagaraja has handled....

nAdopAsaka
Posts: 878
Joined: 20 Jul 2020, 17:05

Re: Shyama Sastri

Post by nAdopAsaka »

rAjeshnat , A good question, as always. It deserves a response.

I also appreciate the patient and careful interest.

I don’t have any definite answer, except following.

“pArvati ninu nE” is quite popular but the tyAgarAja kalgada kriti is not as widely sung, so maybe there have been less liberties taken with it.

Both the rAgas avoid only the madhyama (mA) which may contribute, since the mA is sort of ubiquitous
and traversing the scale around it could take some care.

Perhaps the scarcity of compositions , certainly for kalgada , less so for malayamArutam could also stem from this.

The vidwAn Chertala RNS (in the link above) indicates rather lucidly an intersection (of sorts) of kalgada with malayamArutam.

the rAga CintA-mani

At this time, it is relevant to note that the rAga CintA-mani, which (scale-wise) walks a tightrope avoiding "gA" on the way up and "nI" on the way down has also been ignored over time except by SS.

Once again, SyAmA SAStri with “dEvi brOva samaya-midE” pays homage ! to the sense of urgency and anxiety that is symbolized by the rAga name CintA-mani.

dEvi brOva – CintAmani

many thanks to artistes and upload agencies

A chaste version from rudrapatnam brothers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PtwnypFuag

a youthful unhurried rendition from the sisters anAhita-apurvA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9kJcsBspRU

nAdopAsaka
Posts: 878
Joined: 20 Jul 2020, 17:05

Re: Shyama Sastri

Post by nAdopAsaka »

SyAmA SAStri addresses the dEvi as "nAda-rupini" in the rather-less heard "nannu brOva rAda" in rAga janaranjani.

In contrast, for the tyAgarAja, the lord is "nAma-rupa", in his janaranjani "smaranE sukhamu" ! where the lord is realized by merely taking his name.

Given such insight on the rAga from these authorities , there is overwhelming reason to hear it.

The examples do not disappoint.

Excellent renditions are available and the nAda-upAsakas cup runs over.

Many thanks to artistes and upload agencies.

nannu brOva rAda - SyAmA SAStri

S venkatanAgarAjan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWQCMBbY8p0

violin mahAdEva S and rAjaShree
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FjSyWAMjZw

And the tyAgarAja triplet

smaranE sukhamu - tyAgarAja

RK Srikanthan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ny_gXY5Z8pY

N santAnagOpAlan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvmFJ1gmZAw

vidajAladura - tyAgarAja

KVN
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3b7WHVLi0gI

flute jayant
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymKBYXWzHLg

nAdAdinamAta -tyAgarAja, MSG , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=js3zU6uKVD4

nAdopAsaka
Posts: 878
Joined: 20 Jul 2020, 17:05

Re: Shyama SAStri- Resolving the paradox of SyAmA SAStri

Post by nAdopAsaka »

Resolving the paradox of SyAmA SAStri

SyAmA SAStri appears at first as the most “pedantic” of the great Hindu vAggeyakAras.

For example, his 3 swara-jatis and his 3 varnams to the kAnCi kAmAkSi are expressly designed for the student.

The choice of 3 is also emblematic of the Sri-vidyA upAsana/teaching, since 3 ( = tri = three ) of course is the key number of the goddess, for she is the triangle-dweller, the trikOna-vAsini of the Sri-Cakra.

(a fourth varna to the kAnCi varadarAja - in Anandabhairavi- is considered in the textbooks, but it does not appear to carry the SyAmakrSna mudra, and more tellingly, the language/tone is completely out-of-character with the normally chaste tone of SyAmA SAStri )

His kritis tailored in different languages for different student skill-sets are also clear evidence of an instruction-mindset. His carefully calibrated tAla innovations also suggest the technical focus of an intellectual with academic intent.

But all these positions are at 180 degree odds with other major features of the SyAmA SAStri kritis !

SyAmA SAStri’s aversion to “popular” mEla rAgas

SyAmA SAStri shows complete disaffection for the mEla-janya classification, which is a cornerstone in the instruction of rAgas and the swara scales.

The foremost example is his discarding the conventional teaching mEla rAga (# 15) mAyAmAlavagaula.

Indeed other major mEla rAgas nata-bhairavi, kharaharapriya and harikAmbOji (of the sampurna scheme) are also ignored.

In sharp contrast, rAgas considered as janyas of these mEla scales find expression in his kritis.
Particularly within mEla # 15 (mAyAmAlavagaula), where gaulipantu, paras, sAvEri and even jaganmOhini (e.g. post # 252) dominate.

Similarly the mEla rAga # 16 CakravAka is ignored but its so-called janya “kalgada” is presented.

SyAmA SAStri’s aversion to “popular” janya rAgas

SyAmA SAStri was obviously familiar with the word "gaula", since he has kritis in riti-gaula and kEdAra-gaula.

But as post # 258 noted, the rAga gaula, iconic of the prathama ghana panCa rAga set, is (almost wilfully) ignored in favor of the dwitiya ghana rAga riti-gaulA.

The aversion to mOhana and bilahari , (discussed in post # 244) seems almost pathological. So too the avoidance of hindOla and SahAnA.

These 5 “janya” rAgas are central to any students curriculum (now or then), to any vidwAns repertoire (now or then) , and of course figure prominently in the kritis of the tyAgarAja, the Dikshitar and the mahArAja.

Their rejection by SyAmA SAStri is therefore of some note.

Resolving the paradox of SyAmA SAStri

Faced with this apparent paradox, the question arises for the nAda-upAsaka..

Is there a “teaching/learning” behind this highly selective/limited set of rAgas and limited set of kritis deployed by SyAmA SAStri compared to the other vAggeyakAras ?

Indeed there is.

Can the paradox be resolved ?

Indeed it can be.

The deliberately limited range of the SyAmA SAStri collection suggests that for this vAggeyakAra, variety is secondary to sincerity of pujA.

When the music of the nAda-yOgis is understood as the worship it is, (instead of collections-of-swaras packaged as variations in air pressure by kutchEri vidwAns and the like) then there is no big rAga or small rAga and no mEla rAga or janya rAga.

nA manavini vinu I – saurAstra varnam

Here the choice of the caturAsra Ata tAla by SyAmA SAStri suggests a tribute to the 8 syllable mantra of the same name as the rAga (similar to post # 509 of the tyAgarAja thread ).


arundhati K
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUTNv6Lm5lY

amruta V
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYMoFTya4Ag

ambujam V
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaA8njLE_eE

RSR
Posts: 3427
Joined: 11 Oct 2015, 23:31

Re: Shyama Sastri

Post by RSR »

(a fourth varna to the kAnCi varadarAja - in Anandabhairavi- is considered in the textbooks, but it does not appear to carry the SyAmakrSna mudra, and more tellingly, the language/tone is completely out-of-character with the normally chaste tone of SyAmA SAStri )
Yes. Very likely to be a composition by his grandson (?)
------
"aversion" is too strong a word to be applied, just because, SS is not known to have used some well-known and popular raagams. For one thing, there may be a large number of compositions, yet to be traced. It is always a tricky issue to surmise, why a particular raagam is chosen by the Trinity for a particular kruthi. --just as trying to find why a raagam is called by that name. Why 'Todi'? why 'Paraju'?. MK and janys Raagams based on the ten HM Thats which are common to CM also , were rarely used by the Trinity , though GKB a contemporary had learned HM and used them but they were in opera. To this day, such HM-related raagams are still treated as fit fo thukkadas only.
Devi is sister to VishNu and Mother to us all. Shyama Krushna is to be read as VishNu depending on the context.

nAdopAsaka
Posts: 878
Joined: 20 Jul 2020, 17:05

Re: Shyama Sastri

Post by nAdopAsaka »

I think it is highly unlikely there are any unknown kritis of SyAmA SAStri.

The reasoning behind specific rAga names being assigned to particular collections of swaras is NOT necessarily mysterious. Several times religious and worship practices can be seen to govern the choices or logically lead to them.

The usage of the rAga (or rAga word) in a kriti CAN ALSO be properly tracked to the meaning of the rAga word within the kriti message, at least for the Dikshitar and in many cases for the tyAgarAja.

The rAga word name pharaj = paras , as visualized by the Dikshitar is the horse which is the vehicle of the Sukra deity that represents Venus, (the Friday kriti) , in the context of the planetary deities honored as the navagraha. Post # 500 of the Mutthuswamy Dikshitar gives details of the other graha vehicles so invoked.

In the Sukra kriti case the word/choice comes from the arabic “faras” = horse.

The “horse” implication extends also into the tyAgarAjas solitary paras kriti “varamaina nEtrOtsava munu kanukona tarani”, where the kriti itself is based on the arrival of the Sun (the tarani).

Traditionally the Sun rides a chariot drawn across the heavens by seven horses (e.g. the divyatara-sapta-aSva-rathinE noted in the Dikshitars suryamurtE kriti).

In the suryamurtE kriti however, the rAga choice is governed by the 8 syllable (surya) gAyatri mantra name “saura-aSta-ra”.

Similarly, the word tOdi is logically associated with the word “tOdah” implying the Sun (and therefore associated with practices that worship the Sun).

Its connection to some kriti choices can be related to the concept of “enlightenment” (in fact the Sun as motif for prakASa = light = wisdom is well-used in the kritis).

The Dikshitars tODi kriti “mahAganapatim vandE” is a good example where the kriti teaches that the ganapati is “ahantAdi-rahita”, or without ego.

In fact the classical name for tOdi is “hanumat-tOdi” and the connection between the hanumAna deity and the Sun is known in the scripture.

The scripture also gives descriptions of deities which translate to the rAgas and then to some kritis. e.g. the nose-ring nAsA-mani = nAsika-bhUSani of either the goddess or krSnA as visualized by the Dikshitar in BOTH his kritis in this rAga.

It is true that kutchEri vidwAns etc. choose certain rAgas for “tukkadas”.

In this context I note that the dESya rAga “yamunA kalyAni” merits the Dikshitars serious attention as the major water-linga kSEtra kriti (jambukESwaram) and is also glorious in the hands of the tyAgarAja as “haridAsulu vEdalu”.

pUrvi kalyAni is another dESya rAga example not relegated by the vAggeyakAras. It is the farewell anthem of the Dikshitar (post # 595 of the Mutthuswamy Dikshitar thread ) and used in the gyAnamOsaga-rAda masterpiece.

Indeed, SyAmA SAStri does full justice to pUrvi kalyAni in two languages..

ennEramum – pUrvi kalyAni

v SankaranArayana
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqIHnLQH-38

DKP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctIadyIac0w

ninnu vinA gA mari -pUrvi kalyAni

KVN
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ke6qAfT1t4

vid. sOwmyA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFfCjxj6LKc

nAdopAsaka
Posts: 878
Joined: 20 Jul 2020, 17:05

Re: Shyama Sastri (When madurai minAkSi takes the name lalitA – the lalitA and the mukhAri kritis of SyAmA SAStri )

Post by nAdopAsaka »

When madurai minAkSi takes the name lalitA – the lalitA and the mukhAri kritis of SyAmA SAStri

SyAmA SAStri uses the exalted name lalitA in kritis for the goddesses at different shrines including kAmAkSi and brhannAyaki.

But ONLY at madurai, he gives the minAkSi the lalitA rAga kriti.

nannu brOvu lalitA ends with the words "SyAmakrSnuni sOdari kaumAri umA mInAkSamma Sankari mahArAjni " referring also to the second name from the lalitA sahasranAma.

Perhaps in choosing rAga lalitA for minAkSi, SyAmA SAStri is deferring to the sequence in the lalitA sahasranAma.

Because in the 1000 names the dEvi as “mina lOCana” is number 18 whereas "kAmAkSi" is only number 62.

In SyAmA SAStris solitary mukhAri kriti too the minAkSi dEvi is addressed as "Sri lalitA" in the anupallavi
pAlimpavammA parama pAvanI bhavAnI SrI lalitA

The kriti carries the descriptor “madura vAni” as well as the reference “swayambhU nAtha taruni”.

Note that the Dikshitar in his kannada rAga kriti at madurai “pAlayamAm pArvatISa”
refers to “malayadhvaja pAndyarAja” as well as "SambhO sadAnanda swayambhU”

nannu brOvu lalitA – rAga lalitA

vAni R
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfT38P7JSIw

ramani flute
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0XGVMAom0I

pAlimpavammA paramapAvani – rAga mukhAri

ravikiran ensemble
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIBReOo8uwA

sAnthala r
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEIb7wKKfcw

nAdopAsaka
Posts: 878
Joined: 20 Jul 2020, 17:05

Re: Shyama Sastri (minAkSi as "kAma-pAlini" in “mina lOCana brOva yOCana” the dhana-yAsi to the “bangAru minAkSi” )

Post by nAdopAsaka »

minAkSi as "kAma-pAlini" in “mina lOCana brOva yOCana” the dhana-yAsi to the “bangAru minAkSi”

Siva/hara’s destruction of manmathA/Cupid, is depicted in sculptures at madurai.

And the goddess minAkSi rekindles this kAma, as she woos the sOmasundarESwara.

Indeed, kAma sanjivaOuSadha is the 84th name of the lalitA dEvi (from the 1000 names).

Both the Dikshitar and SyAmA SAStri give this name to madurai minAkSi.

She is “kAma sanjivaOuSadha” in “Sri madurAmbikayA” the (obviously !!) rOga harana 7th Cakra kriti in rAga athAna of the madurAmba navAvarana revealed in Post # 568 of the Mutthuswamy Dikshitar thread.

And she is "kAma pAlini" in “mina lOCana brOva yOCana”, the only dhanyAsi rAga kriti of SyAmA SAStri.

The lOCanA-yOCanA rhyme is also depicted in the famous darbAr kriti of the tyAgarAja.

yOCana is the colloquial version of the word yOjana, as in plan/intention.

Its usage here (and in the tyAgarAjas darbAr kriti ) is to point out that the deity needs to act, instead of merely "planning" to act.

The kriti also calls the minAkSi as “bangAru bomma”, the golden idol.

So, what is SyAmA SAStris “yOjana” ?

To invite the wealthy goddess = the bangAru minAkSi with the offering of “dhanyAsi” , where the root word is “dhana”.

Wonderful plan, it works !

Just like the rekindling of kAma ensures minAkSi unites with sOmasundarESwara.

The nAda-upAsaka revels in the vision of the vAggeyakAra.

The kriti and rAga deserves all forms of offering

mina lOCana brOva yOCana – rAga dhanyAsi

gAyatri V
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqE2rUf-fyA

bAla saraswati
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOkoxWtBakQ

flute ramani
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kj0FHLVMufk

violin nAgai SrirAm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c56r4D1rIDg

mandolin srinivas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIKLXcTkZIM

veena sunil pAlya
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzw7Eq1MmOg

kmrasika
Posts: 1258
Joined: 10 Mar 2006, 07:55

Re: Shyama Sastri

Post by kmrasika »

@nAdopAsaka : Kindly please ignore my ignorance🙏🏻, but is the mukhāri piece authenticated as SS's composition? Remember seeing the lyrics in a section with the heading entitled, "itara kīrtanāni" instead of the section with the heading bearing his name.

nAdopAsaka
Posts: 878
Joined: 20 Jul 2020, 17:05

Re: Shyama Sastri (The nava-rAga mAlA kritis to the minAKSi dEvi of madurai - 10 kritis in 9 rAgas)

Post by nAdopAsaka »

The nava-rAga mAlA to the minAkSi dEvi of madurai - 10 kritis in 9 rAgas

The question is a reasonable one and is appreciated.

Along with “janani nata jana pAlini” (the sAvEri to the kAnCi dEvi), “palimpavamma” does NOT carry the generic SyAmA SAStri mudra of “SyAma krSna” etc..

As I see it, it is possible to view the mukhAri kriti as one of the so-called nava-rAga set of SyAmA SAStri at madurai.

1. marivErEgati (Anandabhairavi)
2. rAvE parvatarAjakumAri (kalyAni)
3. sarOjadala netri(SankarAbharanam)
4. dEvi nipAda sArasa (kAmbOji)
5. nannu brOvu lalitA (lalitA)
6. dEvi minanEtri (SankarAbharanam)
7. mina lOCana (dhanyAsi)
8. pAlimpavamma (mukhAri)
9. mAyammA (Ahiri)
with
10. karuna judavamma (Sri-rAga) as the “mangala” kriti.

Indeed there is no other kriti by SyAmA SAStri in Sri raga which also (to me) indicates the "special" nature of this 10th kriti as the "mangalam" for this auspicious set.

As a known Sri-vidyA upAsaka, the non-appearance of rAga bhairavi for the dEvi, in a set by SyAmA SAStri might be considered a bit odd , although the word itself is covered in the first kriti of this set. But the gigantic swarajati at kAnCi covers this rAga fully. And the upAsaka takes the exalted name "lalitA" in the rAga choices.

It is noticeable that most of the madurai nava-rAgas match the Dikshitars kamalAmbA navAvarana choices, including the mangala rAga in Sri.

The use of SankarAbharanam twice is to depict two aspects of the eyes of the minAkSi , the mina netri and the sarOjadala nEtri. (notably this rAga is not used anywhere else by SyAmA SAStri or his descendants).

And because of this, the rAga count is still 9 as in nava-rAga, although there are 10 kritis.

In general, SyAmA SAStri uses 3 Caranams.

It seems to me quite likely the third Caranam of this kriti (carrying his name/mudra) is missing.

It is relevant to note the mukhAri of subbarAya SAStri in the above context. Its existence reasonably suggests awareness of the rAga mukhari to the father, unlike say bilahari or mOhana, which the family has avoided completely.

Emani nE ni mahimA - subbarAya SAStri rAga mukhAri

Alatur bros. (mellifluous..)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXCZN_-TUOw

nAdopAsaka
Posts: 878
Joined: 20 Jul 2020, 17:05

Re: Shyama Sastri (The head-to-toe pujA of SyAmA SAStri to dEvi minAkSi )

Post by nAdopAsaka »

The head-to-toe pujA of SyAmA SAStri to minAkSi – from “sarOjadala nEtri” and “dEvi minA netri” to “dEvi ni pada sArasamu”

More than a thousand years ago, the upAsaka Adi Sankara in his SoundaryaLahari places the Ajna Cakra between the eye (brows) of the dEvi (stanza 9) and the entire Sri-yantra below her lotus feet (stanza 14).

To all Sri-vidyA upAsakas the goddess is both Siva’s ornament (Abharana) and she quells Siva’s agitation (kAma).

Is it any wonder that both the Dikshitar and SyAmA SAStri adore the eyes and feet of the goddess using the rAgas SankarAbharanam and kAmbOji ?

The Dikshitar in his celebrated navAvarana seeks the sideways glance of the tiruvArUr kamalAmbA, in the third Cakra SankarAbharanam kriti “”Sri kamalAmbikayA katAkSitOham

and

follows it by asking for the boon of her lotus feet in the fourth Cakra kAmbOji kriti “kamalAmbikAyai” saying
sakala saubhAgya dAya kAmbOja CaranAyai !

Indeed, for SyAmA SAStri , the head-to-toe pujA to the minAkSi is so thorough and complete that he does NOT use these rAgas again.

dEvi minA nEtri – rAga SankarAbharanam

t viSwanAthan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYj6hAn1yms

sarOjadala nEtri – rAga SankarAbharanam

MDR
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIjXJ_Wh4C4

dEvi ni pada sArasamu – rAga kAmbOji

veena gAyatri
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8rNnud_cS4

K SrilakSmi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Av3doR0pRH0

nAdopAsaka
Posts: 878
Joined: 20 Jul 2020, 17:05

Re: Shyama Sastri (The Om and the hriM , the “other” bhairavis of SyAmA SAStri to the kAnCi kAmAkSi )

Post by nAdopAsaka »

The Om and the hriM , the “other” bhairavis of SyAmA SAStri to the kAnCi kAmAkSi , the Om-kAri “sari EvarammA” and the hrIM-kAri "pArvati janani"

The colossal swarajati “ambA kAmAkSi” dominates the landscape of bhairavi as well as the landscape at kAnCi.

But the inspiration of rAga bhairavi extends through SyAmA SAStri’s vision to 2 other exceptional compositions also at kAnCi.

Each of the 3 compositions, the swara-jati, the gitam and the kriti are in different tAla.

They ALSO indicate a progression not only of musical ideas but esoteric ideas of the Sri-vidyA.

Why esoteric ?

(ambA) pArvati janani – the gitam

Because in the gitam, the kAnCi devi is specifically given the name “hriM-kAra rupini”,- she who is of the form of the syllable hriM.

hriM is the bija-mantra of the goddess.

And she also takes the exalted name “rAja-rAjESwari”, in each of the 3 stanzas (notably “rAja-rAjESwari” is not uttered in the swara-jati)

Why esoteric ?

sari EvarammA ambA

Because In this kriti, the kAnCi dEvi is specifically given the name OmkAri, she who is of the form of the syllable Om, the pranava mantra.

As OmkAri the dEvi is invested also with Sivas properties, representing Sakti of the Siva-Sakti union.

No wonder ONLY this bhairavi carries the exalted name “lalitA” !

And she is also “rAja-rAjESwari” as well as “mahA-bhairavi”.

Whatever ( corrupt) musicologists may say and whatever (deluded) vidwAns/vidUSis may sing, the true purpose of the music in nAda-upAsana is ONLY to take the names of the dEvi.

And now it becomes imperative to hear this pujA.

(ambA) pArvati janani – the gitam – rAga bhairavi

vEdavalli
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozGih-oEH0Q

sari EvarammA ambA – rAga bhairavi

veena jayanti
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnpoD24fwc4

nEdunUri K
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdLVup2qQT0

nAdopAsaka
Posts: 878
Joined: 20 Jul 2020, 17:05

Re: Shyama Sastri (karuna judu ninnu nammina – Why the SrirAga kriti to the brihannAyaki of tanjAvUr)

Post by nAdopAsaka »

karuna judu ninnu nammina – Why the SrirAga kriti only to the brihannAyaki of tanjAvUr

As noted in last few posts here, SyAmA SAStri gives the rAga lalitA only to the minAkSi and the rAga bhairavi only to the kAmAkSi.

In their vast comprehension of balance and “Sruti”, the vAggeyakAras are always in tune with the nuance of Sabda/word meaning.

And so the offering of SrirAga at the brihad-kSEtra.

Why ?

Because the word “Sri” is synonymous with grandeur and majesty befitting the “grand” goddess of tanjAvUr, the brihannAyaki of the brihad-kSEtra.

Notice too the SrirAga applied to grand dignitaries, the "mahA-anubhavis" by the tyAgarAja in his panCaratna...or to the mighty banner of Siva over tiruvArUr in the Dikshitars "tyAgarAja mahA-dhwajAroha"

The nAda-upAsakas assert beyond a shred of doubt…the pujA always comes first and dictates the nAda-yOgis rAga choices and words…the musicology and technicalities are merely secondary artifacts...

karuna judu ninnu nammina – SrirAga

vOlEti V
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrAxyiwTzcA

kauSik R
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UsRr_2c0oA

mAmbalam sisters
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JyYhbZjib4

nAdopAsaka
Posts: 878
Joined: 20 Jul 2020, 17:05

Re: Shyama Sastri (“pAlayASu mAm paradEvatE” – the first sound (= OmkAri) kAmAkSi and the Adi Sankaras kAmAkSi stOtra )

Post by nAdopAsaka »

“pAlayASu mAm paradEvatE” – the first sound (= OmkAri) kAmAkSi- How SyAmA SAStri’s only kriti in rAga Arabhi derives from the kAmAkSi stOtra

In stanza 2 of the kAmAkSi stOtra the Adi Sankara describes the kAmAkSi dEvi as decorated with ornaments and blazing with radiance.

As in

“suruCirĀlank-Ara-bh-uSojvalAm”

Which conceals the word “Arabh”.

Is it any wonder that the only SyAmA SAStri kriti in rAga Arabhi “pAlayASu mAm paradEvatE”..is to the kAmAkSi dEvi..

There can be no question that the kAmakOti pitha and the kAmAkSi dEVi are first in the SyAmA SAStris pujA.

Indeed the relationship of the kAmAkSi stOtra and the word meaning Arabhi (= Arambhana = beginning = start = first ) is also seen in a later stanza.

Why ?

Because in stanza 5 of this stOtra the Adi Sankara says the kAmAkSi dEvi is…

OmkAra-anganna dipikAm upaniSat prasAda pArvatim

She is ...…"Of the form of the first sound , the OmkAra, and illuminates the mountain with the scripture"

The OmkAra , (the udgita of the sAmagAna) has already been shown as the reason for the Dikshitars “AdipuriSwaram” Arabhi kriti at Adipuri (tiruvOtriyUr) in post # 747, MutthuswAmy Dikshitar thread, dated Apr 30, 2022)

the nAda-sampradAya, that river of truth, sound and light flows on.

“pAlayASu mAM paradEvatE” – rAga Arabhi

sundaravalli
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quv3VDVI0lY

sAkEtarAman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5_HUnLvl4M

nAdopAsaka
Posts: 878
Joined: 20 Jul 2020, 17:05

Re: Shyama Sastri (kA & mA – the eyes of kAmAkSi and the sa-to-pa DROP at the start of the yadukula kAmbOji swarajati)

Post by nAdopAsaka »

kA-to-mA – the eyes of kAmAkSi and the sa-to-pa DROP at the start of SyAmA krSna’s yadukula kAmbOji swara-jati versus div-to-AA - the sa-to-dhA JUMP at the start of the Dikshitars yadukula kAmbOji navagraha kriti

Large DROPS or JUMPS in swara transitions are not common in kritis but when used, they can set up vital rAga aspects.

In this post , 2 yadukula kAmbOji kritis of the 2 vAggeyakAras are shown to have this feature, RIGHT OUT OF THE STARTING GATE.

A curious relationship with the sAhitya in each case also emerges..

SyAmA SAStri’s swarajati “kAmAkSI ni pada yugamu”

There is only one kriti in the rAga yadukula kAmbOji by SyAmA SAStri.

With a mudra like “SyAmA krSna”, perhaps more could have been done in this rAga by this vAggeyakAra, (krSna being of course synonymous with yadukula)

But SyAmA SAStri appears quirky this way, e.g. he ignores bilahari and mOhana, so why not just one kriti in yadukula kAmbOji.

Be that as it may…the kriti is the “kAmAkSi ni pada yugamu” swara-jati, a rather comprehensive construction.

The pallavi has the intriguing LARGE DROP right at the start …the sa to lower pa for the kA mA phrase…

At first it seems as if the vAggeyakAra is ensuring he is clearing the throat for the coming exercise of the swara-jati.

But then the significance of the 2 syllables appears…

The kAmAkSi dEvi is considered to have her 2 eyes as the 2 goddesses SAradA and ramA (see for e.g. “SAradA ramA nayanE” of the Dikshitars “nirajAkSi kAmAkSi” hindOla).

The syllable kA is associated with SArada (she is consort of brahma who is considered the guru for the ka-di Sri vidyA).

SArada = saraswati = vAgdEvi, the goddess of sound and speech , the THROAT goddess

The throat is generally at face level.

Similarly ramA = lakSmi = the EARTH goddess

So the phrase kA-mA is mapped (logically) starting with kA for the throat-level Sadja which then immediately DROPS to mA for the earth level panCama.

The Dikshitars navagraha kriti “div-AA-kara tanujam”

The Dikshitar goes further..

His navagraha kriti “div-AA-kara tanujam” – addressing the son of suryA = Sani = saturn, immediately JUMPS from the lower Sadja to the upper dhA…a huge jump !

Here the image is of sun-light that instantly illuminates and floods the earth with light, as the sun dawns…div-AA-kara is of course the day-maker…"div" being this light and "AA", the coming/arrival = AA-gama.

So the phrase div-AA is mapped (again logically) with “div” at the sa = face-level Sadja, which then immediately JUMPS to the syllable AA at the dhA (upper dhaivata) , representing the sun in the sky.

In each case, the unique start, leads to a fantastic kriti, as expected.

The nAda-upAsaka revels in the gifts of the vAggeyakAras.

kAmAkSi ni pada yugamu – rAga yadukula kAmbOji – SyAmA SAStri

Apart from the pallavi, there are 11 separate verses of each just a line, in this swara-jati.
The ArOhana of yadukula kAmbOji omits the niSada, taking the notes s, R, G, M, P, D, S
(of course it has the characteristic vakra features M, G, M, and P, D, S)
Interestingly the 11 lines start with the swaras in the sequence shown (s being the lower Sadja)
s, s, R, G, M, P, P, P, D, D, S, uniformly ascending according to the ArOhana scale.

RK Murthy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZXM1CKni9Y

divAAkara tanujam – rAga yadukula kAmbOji – the Dikshitar

SSI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRhk81mKvjY

triCUr bros.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Be-NtOxQvKo

RSR
Posts: 3427
Joined: 11 Oct 2015, 23:31

Re: Shyama Sastri

Post by RSR »

A passage from srs blog
Akhilandeshvari
Of these, the Kriti dedicated to Devi Akhilandeshvari– ‘Shankari Shamkuru-Chandra mukhi- Akhilandeshvar-Shambhavi- Sarasijabhava vandite- Gauri-Amba’(15- Saveri , Adi-Tisra-gati)- is indeed a masterpiece, a magnificent work of Art, which is very often sung in the Musical concerts.

The Kriti composed in highly lyrical Sanskrit is adorned with most delightful phrases for describing the beauty, virtues and splendor of the loveliest Devi; and, for addressing her with a range of suggestive names: Kalyani; Hara-nayike; Jagaj-janani; Bhavani; Bale; and Sundari etc.

The Kriti also praises the Devi through her countless virtues and powers, as: Sankata-harini; Ripu-vidarini; Sada-nata-phaladayike; Jagad-avanollasini; Angaja-ripu-toshini; Akhila-bhuvana-poshini; Mangala prade; Mardani; Marala-sannibha gamani; Sama-gana-lole; and, Sadarti- bhanjana-shile

It is a simple prayer followed by many phrases, invoking the blessings of the Goddess. There is joy, compassion, eagerness (Uthsukatha) and a sense of fulfilment (Dhanyata-bhava) in the Sahitya and in the Music as well. iunlike in some other Kritis, there is here neither sadness; nor pleading to the Mother to protect and rescue him from the miseries of life. He is requesting the Devi to grant happiness and wellbeing to all (Shamkuru).
......

My note (RSR)
Shyama sastry was not sad for any mundane reason. He was comfortably settled in a simple life.
I think, the yearning of a devotee in any faith, is the craving for recurrence of the divine experience, they once had, again and again. No prayer for any material gain but a response from the beloved deity.
The first mystical experience might have been SUBJECTIVE but nevertheless genuine and real for the experiencer.
Why dont we all have even a single such miraculous mystic experience?
But did we really try?
SS perhaps had some blissful experiene when his beloved idol, spoke to him.
If only we had any such miraculous encounter with the UNIVERSAL which, mystics say appear to you in the form as desired by the devotee, we will all be mad with craving for the divine merger of consciousness and vision.
For all appearances, we become like madmen, indifferent to everthing.
The essential thing is total Faith.
..
Drug culture and homelessness and mass self hypnotism is not the same.

nAdopAsaka
Posts: 878
Joined: 20 Jul 2020, 17:05

Re: Shyama Sastri (Why the “dharmasamvardhani” sAvEri kriti “durusuga krupA” of tiruvaiyAru also refers to “kAmAkSi” ?)

Post by nAdopAsaka »

Why the “dharmasamvardhani” sAvEri kriti “durusuga krupA” of tiruvaiyAru also refers to “kAmAkSi” ?

The bangAru kAmAkSi of tanjAvUr that is linked to the kAnCi kAmAkSi is well known in the kriti of SyAmA SAStri (e.g. the varAli etc).

But it is NOT widely known (or not known at all) that in his sAvEri kriti at tiruvaiyAru = “durusuga krupA juCi”, SyAmA SAStri also uses the name “kAmAkSi”.

tiruvaiyAru is NOT the same as the tanjAvUr site. But it is only about 10 km north.

SyAmA SAStris second stanza in “durusuga krupA” gives SIMULTANEOUSLY the reference to kAmAkSi AS WELL AS the = “nEnEccata gati gAna kAnu” = a desperate search for refuge.

The search is for both the harassed kAmAkSi idol of kAnCi AS WELL AS the upAsaka since he uniquely says “EmO mana muna kalata jendi”. ..translated as “having some indescribable mental anxiety

There can be little doubt that the kAmAkSi idol fleeing from kAnCi (fleeing from some equally desperate "sects") passes thru the dharmasamvardhani shrine at tiruvaiyAru BEFORE it reaches its final shelter in tanjAvUr….barely ~10 km due south.

Portions of the kriti are extracted here so that the EXACT words are clearly visible (and not obscured by translations, which invariably lose context and essence)

durusugA krpa jUci santatamarOga drdha SarIramuga salupu nanu

anupallavi
parama pAvani krpAvani vinuta pada sarOja pranatArti haru rAni
parAku dharma samvardhani bahu parAkamala gunA tripura sundarI

2nd stanza extract (which will never be heard in any kutChEri)

EmO kalata jEndi manamuna, nI mahimalella cevulAraga vini, I manasulOni veta dIrCutaku
vEla bahu nipunavani, kAmAkSI nIvE vErevaru

durusuga krupA juCi – rAga sAvEri

RK Murthy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fK9HISdaJk

S. rAjam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BckXkWv2F04

priya sisters
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDSCkVxNUWo

RSR
Posts: 3427
Joined: 11 Oct 2015, 23:31

Re: Shyama Sastri

Post by RSR »

An excerpt from article in carnatica
....
At PudukOTTai, while ShyAmA ShAstri was singing in praise of Goddess B.rhannAyaki, an old man in the temple went into a devotional rapture and asked him to go to Madhurai and compose nine songs in praise of Goddess mInAkSi After composing seven songs on mInAkSi, ShyAmA ShAstri reverted back to singing in praise of his family Goddess Ba”ngAru KAmAkSi. That night, the same person appeared in his dreams and reminded him that to fulfil his commitment, he is supposed to compose two more songs on mInAkSi. ShyAmA shAstri realized his lapsed and completed the group of nine songs.
On this occasion, ShyAmA ShAstri received a great welcome and many valuable presents from the people of Madhurai. It is said that when he rendered the song “mAyammA’ in Ahiri, the devotes were deeply moved, and one listener spontaneously offered him a silk shawl that was already adorning DEvi’s idol, as a fitting gift, indeed an appropriate blessing from DEvi. Yet another person offered him an expensive tambUra in appreciation of his talents.
. After intense search, I am only able to locate eight of them from available books. These eight songs are:

1. mInalOcanA brOva
dhanyAsi – mishra capu

2. sarOjadaLanEtrI – sha”nkarAbharaNam – Adi

3. dEvI mInanEtrI
sha”nkarAbharaNam – Adi

4. marivErE
Anandabhairavi – mishra cApu

5. dEvI nIdu pAdasarasamulE – kAMbhOji – Adi
.
6. mAyammA –
Ahiri – Adi
.
7. nanubrOva lalitA –
lalita – mishra cApu
.
8. rAvE parvatarAja kumAri -
kalyANi- Adi

RSR
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Re: Shyama Sastri

Post by RSR »

rAvE parvatarAja kumAri
Translation by Sri.V.Govindan
Shyamakrushna vaibavam blogspot
...
பல்லவி
வாராயம்மா, மலையரசன் மகளே!
தேவீ! என்னைக் காப்பதற்கு, வெகு விரைவாக (வாராயம்மா)

அனுபல்லவி
நீயே கதியென நம்பியிருந்தேன் அன்றோ?
நான் முறைகளிட்டுக்கொண்டிருக்க, சொல்வாயம்மா, எமது தாயே!

சரணம் 1
தீரன், முருகன் தொழும் திருவடியினளே!
கார் குழலியே! மூவுலகினை யீன்றவள் நீயன்றோ?
நாரதர் முதலானோர் போற்றும் நற்சரிதத்தினளே!
உதார குணவதியே! உனது திருவடித் தாமரைகளே சரணமென்றேன்.

சரணம் 2
அங்கயற் கண்ணியே! கிருபை காட்டுவாயம்மா.
எளியோரைக் காப்பவளெனும் விருது, உனக்குத் தகும்.
அசுரர் பகைவருக்கு மகிழ்வளிப்பவளே! பழம்பொருளே! அபய
தானம் தருவாயம்மா. சியாம கிருஷ்ணன் சோதரியே!
.......
அங்கயற் கண்ணி - மதுரை மீனாட்சி

nAdopAsaka
Posts: 878
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SyAmA SAStris jaganmOhini kriti to the brhadambA & the “akhanda sAmrAjya” of the COlas brhat kSEtra

Post by nAdopAsaka »

SyAmA SAStris jaganmOhini kriti to the brhadambA & the “akhanda sAmrAjya” of the COlas brhat kSEtra

The rAga jaganmOhini is un-usually dominated by the tyAgarAjas “SObhillu sapta swara”.

But SyAmA SAStris “dayajuda manCi samayamidE” with its miSra cApu tAla reveals another side of the rAga.

In addition, SyAmA SAStri picks the capital of the COla dynasty (the tanjavUr brhat kSEtra) as the venue for this kriti to the brhadambA.

Why else would he specifically use the words “akhanda sAmrAjya” in this kriti.(appearing in the never-to-be-heard second stanza).

And the choice of rAga “jagan-mOhini” for the COlas vast, indivisible empires (= akhanda sAmrAjya) capital site is also natural.

P: dayajUDa manci samayamidE vEvEgamE vacci
A: jayamOsagE SankarI nIvu janani gadA brhadambA
C1: kanakAngi nI pada kamalamE dikkani namminAnu nEnu sanaka sanandana vandita, caranA sArasa nEtri nIvugadA
C2: saphalamanyu dIrcy akhanda sAmrAjya mIyavE kapatamu sEyakanE, nigamanuvitA kAmita dAyaki nIvugadA
C3: SyAmakrSna sOdari kaumArI sakalAgama pUjitE dEvI nI mahimalu pogada taramA nI samAnamendugAnanE


As usual, ALL the insipid translations of the last 200 years miss the sensitive connections established by the vAggeyakAra with their surroundings and are unaware of their choices of words and rAgas.

dayajuda manCi - rAga jaganmOhini

bAlAji s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHdnmEFNzyI

sugandhi K
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoSkAlZCUiM

RSR
Posts: 3427
Joined: 11 Oct 2015, 23:31

Re: Shyama Sastri

Post by RSR »

https://youtu.be/oGusHEPe_5M

AIR .Program
T.k.GOVINDARAO lecture on
SHYAAMA SAASTRI

RSR
Posts: 3427
Joined: 11 Oct 2015, 23:31

Re: Shyama Sastri

Post by RSR »

https://youtu.be/tWLbDYERBHo
Shyama Sastry swarajathis
Smt.MS Subbulakshmi
Rathna thrayam
Upload by kalavathi

RSR
Posts: 3427
Joined: 11 Oct 2015, 23:31

Re: Shyama Sastri

Post by RSR »

Compositions of Shyama Shastri (1762-1827)

http://www.medieval.org/music/world/car ... hyama.html


The following list has been built mainly from the source Compositions of Shyama Shastri by Sangeetha Kalanidhi T. K. Govinda Rao, published in Chennai 1997. Small adjustments to the list were made from that source, based on previous versions. This stage was completed in 1999.

Subsequently, the doctoral thesis on Shyama Shastri compositions by Y. Saradhambal was consulted. This resulted in the addition of the kriti nannukaruNiHnci, the adjustment of the raga for ninnuvinA marigaladA, the tala for taruNamidammA, and the marking of numerous items as questionable. Due both to style and chronology, Dr. Y. Saradhambal believes these items to be inauthentic, although most have appeared in more than one modern source. This step occurred in 2008.

Previous listing information was taken from Alphabetical Index of Karnatak Songs by Lakshman Ragde, with extensive information from Raganidhi by B. Subba Rao, and clarifications from other sources and rmic readers.

Errors in this list should now be minimal or nonexistent, perhaps consisting of typographical errors on my part. However, there remain some controversial points, as illustrated by the second paragraph above. Melakarta assignments are taken from T. K. Govinda Rao when needed. Talas are somewhat more haphazard, reflecting the fact that Shyama Sastri compositions frequently use unusual talas, some of which will now be performed in modern talas in one way or another, or have their pulses divided in different ways.

Hopefully this list will prove useful. It has been created laboriously over the course of several years. Now that more authoritative sources are available, it becomes possible to present it with some confidence.





This list will be ordered by rAga, first by mELakarta and then alphabetically (Sanskrit alphabet). In some cases mELakarta assignments are controversial.

There is now an alphabetical list by song title, with only naive Romanization.

mELakartas:
8. hanumatODi

Emani migula - tODi/Adi
karuNAnidhi ilalO - tODi/tishra gati Adi
ninne namminAnu - tODi/mishra cApu
rAvE himagirikumAri (svarajati) - tODi/Adi

mAyammA yani nE - Ahiri/Adi

mInalOcanA brOvayOcanA - dhanyAsi/mishra cApu

ennEramuM un pAdakamaladhyAnaM - punnAgavarALi/tripuTa

kanakashaila vihAriNi - punnAgavarALi/Adi
brOva samayamidE dEvI - punnAgavarALi/Adi
.
13. gAyakapriya
pArvatI ninnu nE - kalgaDa/tishra gati Adi

15. mAyAmALavagauLa
taruNamidammA ennai rakSikka - gauLipantu/cApu
nannu brOvarAdA vEgamE nIvu - gauLipantu/mishra cApu
? puraharajAyE pAlaya mAM - gauLipantu/mishra cApu
dayajUDa maHnci - jaganmOhini/mishra cApu
trilOkamAtA nannubrOvu - pharaj/mishra cApu
nIlAyatAkSI nIvE - pharaj/tripuTa
? kAmAkSi karuNAkaTAkSi (gItam) - pharaj/tripuTa
? santataM ennai rakSippAi (gItam) - pharaj/Adi
nannu brOvu lalitA - lalita/mishra (vilOma) cApu
janani natajanaparipAlini - sAvEri/Adi
durusugA kRpajUci - sAvEri/Adi
shaHNkari shaMkuru candramukhi - sAvEri/tishra gati Adi
shrIpatimukha viracita - sAvEri/Adi
? sArasAkSi sadA (gItam) - sAvEri/tripuTa

17. sUryakAntaM
? nAmanavini vinu (varNam) - saurASTraM/caturashra aTa

20. naThabhairavi
O jagadamba nanu - Anandabhairavi/Adi

pAhi shrI girirAjasutE - Anandabhairavi/rUpakaM

mari vE rE gati - Anandabhairavi/mishra cApu

sAmini rammanavE (varNam) - Anandabhairavi/aTa

himAcalatanaya brOcuTakidi - Anandabhairavi/vilOma cApu

? AdinamuniHnci pOgaDi - Anandabhairavi/tripuTa

? mahilO ambA - Anandabhairavi/Adi

kAmAkSi anudinamu (svarajati) - bhairavi/mishra cApu

sari yevarammA - bhairavi/khaNDa jhampa

? pArvati janani (gItam) - bhairavi/khaNDa maThyaM

brOvavammA tAmasamElEbirAnabrOvavammA - mAHnji/mishra cApu
pAlimpavammA paramapAvanI - mukhAri/Adi

22. kharaharapriya
ninnuvinA marigaladA - AbhEri/rUpakaM (tishra naDai Adi)

akhilANDEshvari durusuga - karNATaka kApi/Adi

pAliHncu kAmAkSi pAvanI - madhyamAvati/Adi

? kAmAkSi lOkasAkSiNI (gItam) - madhyamAvati/tripuTa

? bRhannAyakI nannu - madhyamAvati/tishra maThyaM

karuNajUDa ninnunammina - shrI/mishra cApu

28. harikAmbhOji
dEvI nI pAdasArasamulE - kAmbhOji/Adi

parAkEla nannu - kEdAragauLa/Adi

? ninnE nammiti - kEdAragauLa/Adi

mAyammA nannubrOvavammA - nATakuraHnji/Adi

kAmAkSi nI pAdayugamu (svarajati) - yadukulakAmbhOji/mishra cApu


29. dhIrashaHNkarAbharaNaM
dEvi mIna nEtri - shaHNkarAbharaNaM/Adi

nannukaruNiHnci - shaHNkarAbharaNaM/rUpakaM

sarOjadaLanEtri himagiriputri - shaHNkarAbharaNaM/Adi

? pAlayAshu mAM paradEvatE - Arabhi/tripuTa

nannu brOvarAdA O jagadambA - janaraHnjani/tripuTa

? brOva vammA baHNgAru - nIlAmbari/mishra cApu

dayAnidhE mAmava (varNam) - bEgaDa/Adi

sAmi ninne nammitirArA - bEgaDa/Adi

? kAmAkSi nAtO vAdA - bEgaDa/Adi

36. calanATa
? pahi mAM shrI rAjarAjEshvari - nATa/rUpakaM


39. jhAlavarALi
karuNajUDavammA vinammA - varALi/mishra cApu

kAmAkSi baHNgAru - varALi/mishra cApu

53. gamanashrama
ninnuvinaga mari - pUrvikalyANi/dEshAdi, mishra naDai

? ennEramuM un nAmam - pUrvikalyANi/mishra cApu

56. SaNmukhapriya
dEvI brOva samayamidE - cintAmaNi/Adi


65. mecakalyANi
talli ninnu nera - kalyANi/mishra cApu

birAna varAlicci - kalyANi/tishra naDai Adi

shaHNkari shaHNkari - kalyANi/aTa

himAdrisutE pAhimAM - kalyANi/tishra naDai Adi

? dEvI nannu brOvavammA - kalyANi/jhampa

? nIvE gatiyani (varNam) - kalyANi/tishra maThyaM

? parAmukhamEnammA pArvatiyammA - kalyANi/tripuTa

? rAvE parvatarAjakumArI - kalyANi/jhampa

? shrI kAmAkSi kAvavE - kalyANi/Adi

....
Misattributions
These items are sometimes attributed to Shyama Sastry, but have never been verified in any way, and are not listed by T. K. Govinda Rao. I have not received corrected attributions, however. The order is the same as above, without the headings.

rAvE mAyamma baHNgAru - sAvEri/Adi
nannu brOva - vasanta/EkaM - listed by Rangaramanuja Iyengar

baHNgAru kAmAkSi - Anandabhairavi/Adi - Shuddhananda Bharati

ninnu namminAnu (pada varNam) - Anandabhairavi/Adi
sArasAkSi I vELa - Anandabhairavi/aTa
brOvumu mAninE - kIravANi/Adi - listed by Maharajapuram Santhanam

ninnu vina - bilahari/jhampa

Maintained by
T. M. McComb

RSR
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Re: Shyama Sastri

Post by RSR »

https://youtu.be/EgazngFD000

Watch "DK Pattammal -
taruNam IdammA ennai -
gauLipantu -
syAmA sAstri" on YouTube
...
http://syamakrishnavaibhavam.blogspot.c ... -raga.html
..
This is a kruthi in thamizh
..


In this Tamil kRti ‘taruNamidammA’ – rAga gauLipantu (tALa Adi), SrI SyAmA Sastry prays to Mother .

pallavi
1taruNam-id(a)mmA ennai rakshikka

anupallavi
karuNA nidhi(y)Agiya kAmAkshi rakshikka (taruNam)

caraNam 1
anudinamum endan vAkkil un nAmam
adu(v)allAl 2maTr(o)nrum-illaiyE en nEmam
manak-kavalaiyait-tIrkka 3maru daivam-
enakk(u)NDO unnaip-pArkka irangik-kaN-pArkka (taruNam)

caraNam 2
Adi Sakti(y)enru pEr-eDuttAyE
akhilamum vardhikka avatarittAyE
cAtakam pOl-unnai 4SaraNam pukundEn-ennai-
Adarikkap-pinnai yAr-uNDu sol(l)annaiyE (taruNam)

caraNam 3
kAmita phalattaik-kai-mEl taruvAyE
kaN-pArttu rakshippad(e)ppOdum nIyE
sOma Sekharar pAdi sundarI kaumArI
5SyAma kRshNan sOdarI Saila rAja kumArI (taruNam)

Gist

O Mother!
O kAmAkshi who is Ocean of Compassion!
O sundarI who is half of Siva! O kaumArI! O Sister of vishNu – SyAma kRshNan! O Daughter of himavAn!

This is opportune moment to protect me.

Daily, Your name is in my tongue; there is no duty for me other than that.
Is there any God better than You for me to relieve my worry?

Haven’t You got a name as Adi Sakti?
Didn’t You incarnate so that this Universe may flourish?
I sought refuge in You like a cAtaka bird thirsting for water.
Tell me, who else is there to support me?

Don’t You readily grant desired objects?
You are the one who should always show grace and protect me.


This is opportune moment to condescend and show grace on me.

RSR
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Joined: 11 Oct 2015, 23:31

Re: Shyama Sastri

Post by RSR »

https://youtu.be/-ssfXVichVs

Watch "DK Pattammal-
Karunanidhi Ilalo -
Todi - Shyama Sastri
...
Gist

O My Mother!
O Mother whose feet are red like early morning cloud! O Refuge of celestials and sages! O Mother SrI bRhan-nAyaki who bestows countless wishes!
O Enjoyer of music! O My Mother!
O Protector of ignorant! O Mother whose speech is very tender and soft! O Mother whose braid is dark like rain-cloud! O Sister of vishNu – SyAma kRshNa! O Queen of Lord gOkarNESvara!

I prayed to You that You are Ocean of compassion in this World;
therefore, I sought Your refuge.

Is it possible to describe as to how much Your amazing Greatness are!
If You delay like this to protect me, I shall not forbear even half a minute.

Are You not the Sanctifier?
I trusted Your feet alone to be my refuge.
http://syamakrishnavaibhavam.blogspot.c ... ry_26.html

In the kRti ‘karuNA nidhi ilalO’ – rAga tODi (tALa Adi), SrI SyAmA Sastry prays to Mother bRhannAyaki at tiru-gOkarNaM near Pudukkottai (Tamil Nadu).

nAdopAsaka
Posts: 878
Joined: 20 Jul 2020, 17:05

Re: Shyama Sastri (The Aharanam = offering of the Ahiri kriti “mAyamma yani nE” to the bangAru minAkSi )

Post by nAdopAsaka »

The Aharanam = offering of the Ahiri kriti “mAyamma yani nE” to the bangAru minAkSi

brief/unfortunate asurA moment

The thoughtless reproduction of “translations” seen here especially by those who deny the value and meaning of words of the vAggeyakAras is an unmistakeable sign of confusion and inconsistency, hallmarks of failed ideologies and beliefs.

Back to more important issues..

It is of interest that the madurai minAkSi is celebrated by both SyAmA SAStri AND the Dikshitar with unique 9 kriti sets, emerging from the Sri vidyA upAsana.

Indeed BOTh vAggeyakAras see her as “bangAru” minAkSi !

See for example on the Dikshitars golden minAkSi
https://www.rasikas.org/forums/viewtopi ... 68#p373668

And the bangAru minakSi is known from the SyAmA SAStris dhana-yAsi “mina-lOCana” where the “dhana” is symbolic of this golden aspect as well.
https://www.rasikas.org/forums/viewtopi ... 29#p378829.

The rAga Ahiri and its meaning as Aharanam = offering

It has already been show how the rAga Ahiri is the final offering = Aharanam as the sarva-Anandamaya Cakra of the kamalAmbA navAvarana of the Dikshitar. See post #795 on the Mutthuswamy Dikshithar thread “The sarva-Anandamaya Cakra Ahiri, the kamalAmbA navAvarana and the mahAvAkyas” dated Oct. 8, 2022.
https://www.rasikas.org/forums/viewtopi ... 23#p377723

the SyAmA SAStris ONLY Ahiri rAga kriti is to the bangAru minAkSi
The specific “bangAru bomma” descriptor for the madurai minAkSi appears also in his Ahiri rAga kriti “mAyammA yani nE pilaCitE”.

Here Ahiri is exactly the Aharana, the offering made by SyAmA SAStri, as he calls the goddess = “pilaCitE”.

Like the Dikshitar , the Ahiri rAga is the FINAL = ninth kriti in SyAmA SAStris 9 kriti set at madurai described here.

The rAga choices (like the Dikshitar) are linked to the Cakras.

1. marivErEgati (Anandabhairavi)
2. rAvE parvatarAjakumAri (kalyAni)
3. sarOjadala netri(SankarAbharanam)
4. dEvi nipAda sArasa (kAmbOji)
5. nannu brOvu lalitA (lalitA)
6. dEvi minanEtri (SankarAbharanam)
7. mina lOCana (dhanyAsi)
8. pAlimpavamma (mukhAri)
9. mAyammA (Ahiri)

None of these foolish translations is able to see the totality of the pujA of the nAdayOgis.

Those alienated by the languages (and a lack of comprehension of WORDS) should find other avenues.

mAyamma yani nE – rAga Ahiri

lalit S
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RabqxjhXRuw

RSR
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Joined: 11 Oct 2015, 23:31

Re: Shyama Sastri

Post by RSR »

We are familiar with the classic monograph by Ravi-sri brothers on the life and compositions of Sri.MD.
Just now, came to know that the brothers had written a similar monograph in sangeetham.com, on Shyama Sastry also.
Stumbled upon the article based on that in the nice site given below.

http://periscope-narada.blogspot.com/20 ... -1762.html

Thamizh kritis:
While most of his kritis are in Telugu or Sanskrit, he also wrote 5 kritis in Thamizh (Contrary to popular thinking the mother tongue of ShyAma ShAstri was Thamizh).
They are
(1)ennEramum un namam (pUrvikalyANi)---
http://periscope-narada.blogspot.com/20 ... namam.html

(2) ennEramum un pAda kamalam (punnAgavarALi)---
http://periscope-narada.blogspot.com/20 ... malam.html,

(3) parAmukham EnammA (kalyANi)--http://inikkumtamizhisai.blogspot.com/2 ... sic24.html,

(4) taruNam IdammA (gauLipantu)---http://periscope-narada.blogspot.com/20 ... damma.html, and

(5) santhatham ennai rakshippAy (paras)---
https://periscope-narada.blogspot.com/2 ... ippay.html





Listen to “O JagadambA..” kriti by K V Narayanaswami (Anandabhairavi) here


Listen to MLV singing “pAlinchu kAmakshi” (madhyamAvati) here


Listen to “himAdri sutE pahimAm” (kalyANi) by Nedunuri Krishnamurthy here


Listen to M S Subbulakshmi sing “sarOja daLa nEtri” (SankarAbharaNam) here
https://youtu.be/i4upTNIvBHQ


Listen to D K Pattammal sing “karuNa jUDa vammA”( varALi) here
https://youtu.be/kStrFM5nFm4


Listen to Maharajapuram Santhanam sing “shankari shankuru..” (sAveri) here


Listen to Hyderabad Brothers sing “taruNam IdammA” (gauLipantu) here


Listen to Voleti Venkateswarulu sing “kAmakshi anudinamu svarajati” (bhairavi) here

All are youtube links
Last edited by RSR on 12 Aug 2023, 03:53, edited 3 times in total.

RSR
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Joined: 11 Oct 2015, 23:31

Re: Shyama Sastri

Post by RSR »

is an unmistakeable sign of confusion and inconsistency, hallmarks of failed ideologies and beliefs.
..Really? Not at all.

Subramanya Barathy, knew a dozen languges
He was a deeply theistic poet.
He was against casteism and untouchability.
He was genuinely secular and has written an essay on Nabikal Naayakam.
He has written a poem on Resurrection of Jesus.

He wrote sympathetically on the Bolshevik revolution, Lenin and Trotsky.
He said that communism is a natural growth from Bible.

He was a music composer also. Besides being a poet.
He ridiculed puranic absurdities.
.
A complete revolutionary intellectual. And activist.
.
There is absolutely no confusion in following the ideology of Bharathi.
He was not a frog in the well..'koopa mandookam'.

RSR
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Joined: 11 Oct 2015, 23:31

Re: Shyama Sastri

Post by RSR »

Some audio clips of the kritis of ShyAma ShAstri rendered by various musicians
https://vishnuvasudev-63314.medium.com/ ... f4ca68ee28

[

nAdopAsaka
Posts: 878
Joined: 20 Jul 2020, 17:05

Re: Shyama Sastri (Why do the dESya rAga kritis of SyAmA SAStri appear in multiple languages ? )

Post by nAdopAsaka »

Why do the dESya rAga kritis of SyAmA SAStri appear in multiple languages ?

It is the vAggeyakAras choices (made in their WORDS and rAgas ) that reveal their intentions and motivations.

Not comprehending these choices, (for whatever reasons) is a complete disgrace.

It is as bad as rendering the kritis in some-other-rAgas, as has been done even by several so-called senior vidwAns..shame on ALL of them.

None of the insipid translations/compendiums of the past 200 years (parroted mindlessly nowadays) are able to ask the key questions that shed light on the vAggeyakAras intent.

This is why the MANY navAvaranas of the Dikshitar or the MANY panCa bhUta sets of the tyAgarAja (as well as many other features of these vAggeyakAras) have been submerged for 200 years..…until now....that is.

It is also why the following is unrecognized about SyAmA SAStri…

Why do the dESya rAga kritis of SyAmA SAStri appear in multiple languages ?

It is somewhat well-known (though perhaps not to some fools) that SyAmA SAStri matches each of his Tamil language kritis with at least one kriti in a different language.

For e.g. In kalyAni there are 8 other kritis + one in Tamil.

The complete list is shown here so no one can hide from it.

pUrvi kalyAni (one other kriti)
ennEramum un nAmam ------------- ninnu vinAga mari
paraju (3 other kritis)
santatam ennai rakSimpa --------------- trilOkamAta/kAmAkSi/nilAyatAkSi
punnAgavarAli (2 other kritis)
ennEramum un pada ------------------brOva samayamidE/kanakaSaila vihArini
gaulipantu (2 other kritis)
tarunamidamma ----------------puraharajayE/nanu brOva rAda
kalyAni (8 other kalyAni kritis)
parAmukham ------------------ 8 other kalyAni kritis including birAna varAlici and talli ninnu nEra

The fact that BOTH the dESya rAga choices of SyAmA SAStri (pUrvi kalyAni and paraju) appear in this list is remarkable.

Why ?

Because it shows the intent of the vAggeyakAra to explore in multiple languages the (ONLY 2) dESya rAgas he uses !

It can fairly be concluded (through his many tAla innovations for example) that SyAmA SAStri was SOMEWHAT of an “experimenter”.

“SOMEWHAT” because this is the same SyAmA SAStri who “studiously” avoids iconic “karnAtaka” rAgas like bilahari/mOhana/SahAna/hindOla, see post dated 30 Jun 2022- Resolving the paradox of SyAmA SAStri

linked here
https://www.rasikas.org/forums/viewtopi ... 52#p376752

or post dated 15 Mar 2021 linked here
https://www.rasikas.org/forums/viewtopi ... 93#p370093

The use of “different language” kritis (for the “imported” rAga = dESya rAga, a rAga that itself belongs to a “different place”), is a challenge that this vAggeyakAra decided to take up.

And SyAmA SAStris unique grip on words, ideas and rhythms has allowed him to more-than-meet the challenge.

It should also be pointed out that there are ZERO Tamil language kritis by either the son or the grand-son of SyAmA SAStri. (i.e..subbarAya SAStri/annaswAmy SAStri). Of course, a distortionist/fool is free to say that such kritis are “lost’.

Thanks to rasikas forum founders and managers for providing the platform where the essential truths of the supreme nAdayOgis can be shown.

ennEramum un nAmam – rAga purvi kalyAni

v SankaranArayanan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqIHnLQH-38

santatam ennai – rAga paraju

sumitra V
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CV-mn_5lO98

RSR
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Re: Shyama Sastri

Post by RSR »

Shyama Sastry composed Sanskrit kruthis also. The contention may not apply to those kruthis.
Shyama sastry was a tamil smartha brahmjn and his mother.tongue was thamizh only. He spoke thamizh at home.
Why he chose Telugu for most of his compositions is rather a puzzle.

RSR
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Joined: 11 Oct 2015, 23:31

Re: Shyama Sastri

Post by RSR »


nAdopAsaka
Posts: 878
Joined: 20 Jul 2020, 17:05

“ennEramum un pAda” - The "Tamil" language kriti where SyAmA SAStri rejects his own mother in favor of the goddess

Post by nAdopAsaka »

“ennEramum un pAda” - The "Tamil" language kriti where SyAmA SAStri rejects his own mother in favor of the goddess

The vAggeyakAra is not a vAggeyakAra simply because he is born in this-or-that community.

For all these pathetic translations being parroted, one should actually read and try to understand the kritis.

Unless of course the words have no bearing on the music (yet another MONUMENTALLY foolish notion advanced on these very threads)

No !.. the nAdayOgis are supreme individuals/sAdhus.

They only belong to the nAda-sampradAya.

SyAmA SAStri himself says “ he knows no other mother” other than the goddess ( to akhilAndESwari in anupallavi of the punnAgavarAli kriti “ennEramum un pAda”.)

anupallavi
sonda maindan nAn allavO
annai pinnai-undO enakku
akhilAndESwari Siva SankarI


Rejecting ones own birth mother is the true sAdhus hallmark.

ennEramum un pAda – rAga punnAgavarAli

ambujam group
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4LxlLAVlQU

RSR
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Re: Shyama Sastri

Post by RSR »

One should not take the words too literally.
'Janani, janma bhoomischa swargathapi gariyasi'.
..
We can see that Shyama Sastry has chosen 95 % non-vivadi parent scales and janya raagams derived from such parent scales.
What is more remarkable, these parent scales are shared by HM also!
..

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