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Re: Question on Etula Brothuvo

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Sadagopan • August 22, 2002 


At 04:39 PM 8/22/02 -0000, you wrote:
>Pranams,
>I was recently listening to Tyagaraja's krithi, Etula Brothuvo, in
>chakravaakam; there is a referance to Ekantha Rama in that, this
>appeared to be an unusual adjective to me. Could anyone shed light on
>this adjective for Rama please?
>
>-Murali

Dear SrI Murali: 

This Krithi in Raagam Chakravaakam is in the mood of
Self-depreciation (aathma garhaNam ) and recall of 
his (Saint ThyagarAjA's) shortcomings (NaicchyAnusandhAnam).

The entire krithis Is:

Pallavi: yeDula brOthuvO teliya ? EKAANTHA RAAMAYYA !

Anupallavi: KaDa KaDa! naa charithamu karNa-kaDOramayyaa !

CharaNam: vaDDi gODDuDu reethi bakshimchi tirigithi
          puDDu lObhulanu pODDagai pOgaDithi
          dhushtulathO gooDi dhushkruthyamu salpi
          raDDujEsina ThyagarAjuni dayathO (YeDula)

Here ThyagarAja Swamy despairs about how SrI Ramachandran
is going to save him given the magnitude of his transgressions.
He states that his record of activities is a despicable one 
and is harsh for the ear of SrI Raamachandran to listen to. 
The Saint says that he has been roaming in the world like
a bull that has gone astray caring only for its feed . 
The Saint of ThiruvayyARu admits that he has earned
his living by flattering misers and has engaged in 
performing wicked deeds prohibited by SaasthrAs in
the company of wicked people. He cries out in pain
and states that he has suffered a lot by leading 
such a  miserable life and wonders how the Lod is going 
to save him from his miseries.

This moving (heart rending ) song has been made famous by
grat artists like VeeNai Emani Sankara Saasthri,AlatthUr
brothers and Semmangudi SrinivAsa Iyer in hte past and 
pulls the heart strings thru its naicchiya bhAvam.The Saint
is free from all these transgressions , but has all of us
in mind , when he has his intimate conversation with
the Lord.

The prayOgam , "yEkAntha Raamayya " is an endearing address
to the Lord . He addresses his UpaasanA Moorthy as 
" Oh RaamabhadrA ! My sole , intimate Lord ". 
He asserts his inseperable Bhaandhavyam to the Lord 
uRavu ozhikka ozhiyAthu in the words of AzhwArs))and hints
that he deserves to be saved inspite of all his transgressions.

yEkAntha Sevai is an important sEvai . Here the AarAdhakan
and AarAdhya Moorthy are alone together . There are no
distractions of parivAram . Lord Raamachandran has performed
his duties as the King, dispensed with Raaja Neethi and
has retired for the day to His inner chambers . He is
free from distractions of the day. Saint ThyagarAja addresses
his saviour at this opportune time , enjoys the Lord's beauty and
GuNams and for maximal effect appeals to Him for RakshaNam.

yEkAntha Sevai is when VeeNA is played and the Lord enjoys
it at SrIrangam prior to returning to His aasthAnam .These
are intimate , anubhavam-laden moments cherished by bhakthAs.
The great Raama BhakthA, Saint ThyagarAja, who also was a
great VaiNikA chose this moment of rare privacy to address
the Lord and seek His undivided attention.

>From morning (SuprabhAtham )till ardha Jaamam ( SayanOthsavam),
Saint ThyagrAjA performed Naadha KsumAnjali as a part of his
AarAdhanam for his dear Lord , Sri Raamachandran. During Thirumanjanam
and alankAram for the Lord , the Saint of ThiruvaaiyARu would have 
an EkAntha Sevai of his AarAdhana Moorthy and woud burst in to 
krithis like this one in ChakravAka Raagam driven by his mood of 
Naicchiyam or the one in VarALi ( Kana Kana RuchirA ) overcome by 
the beauty of the Lord .

The approach of the Lord in DarbhAr is the opposite of
approaching in yEkAntham as far as an initmate bhakthA of
the Lord is concerend . The Bhakthan will enjoy the Lord and 
His majesty in DarbhAr performing His royal duties , but ,
the Bhakthan's enjoyment of the Lord in yEkAtham is very 
dear and filled with Maadhurya BhAvam.

Saint ThyAgarAjaa's mood is similar to the mood of
another great Raama BhakthA , who gave us SrI Raama
KarNAmrutham:

SrI Raama mE Thvam hi pithA cha
MaathA SrI Raama mE Thvam hi suhruccha Bhandhu:
SrI Raama mE Thvam hi Gurusccha 
ghOshtI SrI Raama mE Thvam hi SamasthamEva  

--ThruthIyAsvAsa: SlOkam 105 , SrI Raama karNAmrutham

>From his concern about the story of his life becoming
karNa KaTOram for SrI Raamachandran , Saint ThyagarAja 
seeks the anugraham of yEkAntha Raamayyan to transform
his story in to that of SrI Raama KarNAmrutham.

With salutations to yEkAntha Raamayyan ,
Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan 

 


 




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