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A Musical tribute to Sri RamachandrA :Hari KaambhOji Raaga Krithis: Part II

From the Bhakti List Archives

Sadagopan • March 18, 1999 


Dear Raama BhakthAs :

We will cover the meLa Raaga krithis first and then 
move on to Janya Raaga krithis next to enjoy the range of 
Bhagavath anubhavam of Sadhguru SwamigaL . The eleven Krithis 
in the 28th meLam are :

1.UnDEthi RaamudakadE 
2.YentharAni tanakentha pOni
3.Yenthuku Nirdhaya yevarunnArurA ?
4.DinamaNi Vamsa Tilaka LaavaNya
5.Sani thEdi dEvE oh manasA
6.Oka maaDa Oka BhANamu oka pathni vrathutE
7.Raama Nannu bhrOvarA
8.vallakA tanaka SeethA vallabhaa
9.VinathA sutha Vaahanutai
10.RarA PaNi Sayana Ravi Jaldhija Nayana
11.Laali Laaliyani 

We will cover the first four Krithis in 
this posting .

The greatness of Sadhguru SwamigaL has been 
highlighted by his primary disciple , Mahar nOnbu
Chaavadi Venakta Subbaiyar . In his DevaghAndhAri
Krithi , the disciple eulogized his Guru and cousin
this way and wondered :

Swaamiki Sari yevvarana vathsu 
svara raaga sudhA nidhi chandhrudE 

Vara SangIthamu Mokshadhamani yenchi
ParamAthmudaina Sri Raamuni Bhajinchina
( Swamiki Sari Yevvarana vathsu )

(Meaning ) : Who can equal Sadhguru SwamigaL ,
who is like the full Moon that made the ocean
of Svaram and Ragam rise up with joy ? Who can
equal Sri ThyagarAja SwamigaL , who knew very well
that Uttama SangItham is the ladder to Moksham 
and worshipped paramaathmA Sri Ramachandran by
seating Him first in his heart lotus (temple) ?  

Such is the purport of the Saint's Krithis . We will 
now focus on the Hari kaambhOji krithis one by one 
and then move on to the Janya Raaga Krithis .

1 .UNDEthi Raamudu krithi
**************************

This krithi starts with the Panchama yeduppu and is set 
in Roopaka TaaLam . Here , the saint converses with his
mind . He counsels his mind about Parabrahma Tattvam : 
" Oh my mind ! Sri Raamachandran is the only supreme God .
Please do not go astray by worshipping anya dhaivams 
forgetting this cardinal fact . The One seen as the glorious
effulgence in the center of the Soorya mandalam with limitless
rays is none other than Sri Raaman ( ChaNDa MaarthaNda Madhya
mandalamunu chelangu UNDEthi Raamudu ).He is the most auspicious
divya purushan who is beyond thriguNAs and MaayA ( taamasadhi 
GuNa Rahithudu DhArmAthmudu Sarva samudu KshEma karuDu 
TyAgarAja Chittha HithuDu ) . The saint's Sanskritized 
Sundara Telugu is easy to understand and flows striaght 
from the depth of his heart. 

His sthira Bhakthi to his Ishta Dhaivam has been
clearly stated in many of his krithis past his 
middle life , after he returned from Srirangam . 
We will quote a few passages from his krithis
that express his unalloyed devotion ( sthira Bhakthi )
to Sri RaamA . 

In his Janaranjani Krithi , ViDajAladhurA ; naa manasu 
vinurA , this Raama BhakthA says : " Listen , My Lord ! 
It is impossible for my mind to let go off Your sacred
and redeeming feet . 

In his VarALi krithi , " Dharanu nee Sari Dhaivamu 
gAnarA Raghuvara " , In all this universe , I have not 
come across any God , who is superior to You . Your 
sacred feet are the one and only object of my DhyAanm 
and Your dayA is my wealth as well as undiminishing bliss . 

In the MaaLavi Raaga Krithi , " nenarunchinAnu ;
anniDiki nidhAnDani nEnu ; needhupai " ,SwamigaL 
states with pathos that Sri Raaman is the sole 
upholder of everything in this universe and therefore 
he has fixed his mind on the Lord's holy feet .

In the VegavAhini raaga krithi , " Challaga nAthO 
balkumi Raama !",Sadhguru endearingly addresses the Lord 
as " Saarasa Vadhana ! Saadhu SanthrANa ! NikhilAdhAra !", 
and begs the Lord to whisper a few gentle words to 
him . Swami says that his heart is irresistably 
attached to his Lord , Sri Raamachandhran . 
His sthira bhakthi flows in this krithi like
a VegavAhini river rushing down the mountains . 

In the BegadA raaga krithi , "NeevErA Kuladhanamu 
Santhathamu -nee vErA Jeevanamu " ,he firmly declares
that Sri Ramabhadran is his family wealth just as 
Swami Desikan declared ," Asthi mE Hasthi sailAgrE
Vasthu pathAmaham dhanam ". You will forever be my 
life . Raaghava ! SarvOnnadha !SvaprakAsa ! JaanakIsa !
You are my entire occupation and preoccupation .It 
is my fault that I have not known this untill now.
Pray forgive me and bless me . Oh My Lord RamachandrA ! 

This single minded bhakthi to Lord goads sadhguru
SwamigaL to address Sri Raama as " DharmAthmudu , 
Sarva samudu (soulabhyam ) and ThyagarAja 
chittha hithuDu " in "UNDEnthi Raamudu " krithi.
In this hariKaambhOji krithi , he ends up counseling his 
mind not to go astray with the thought that 
there is some other God , who is superior 
to Sri Raamabhadhran . 

Krithi 2 In Hari KaambhOji : YentharAni tanakentha pOni--
********************************************************

In this krithi , Sadhguru Swami states firmly that 
whatever be his lot in life , good or bad , he will
not leave the proximity of Sri RaamA . He explains why 
next . AagamOtthamA ! Did n't Paramasivan stand by
Your side serving You as HanumAn during Your avathAram
as RaamA ? Did n't AdhisEshA serve You day and night 
standing next to You as LakshmaNA ? Did n't the greatest of
sages, VasishtA stay close to You as Your AchAryan ? 
Did n't DevAs take the roles of Monkeys and Bears 
to be close to You and serve You? Taking these as
examples , I will not leave Your proximity , whatever 
happens to me . This Krithi starts with NishAdha eduppu
and is set in Aadhi TaaLam .

Krithi 3 : Yenthuku Nirdhaya yevarunnArurA ?
*******************************************

This krithi is set in panchama Eduppu and Aadhi TaaLam .
He addresses Sri RaamA as " Indhu nipAnana , Ina kula 
chandana , Parama Paavana ! ParimaLApagana ! "( Oh Lord
who has the facial beauty reminding one of Full Moon !
Oh Lord , who is like a wish-fulfilling chandana
tree of Deva Lokam ! Oh most sacred One !
Oh sarva gandha! ) ; after this endearing salutations ,
Swami describes to Sri RaamA his helpless state :
" nE paradEsi paapavE ghAsi , yenthuku nirdhaya 
YevarunnArurA ? " ( Oh Lord ,who treats Your enemies 
and friends in the same manner ! I am living in this 
karma BhUmi away from Your auspicious company and 
I feel like a ParadEsi (foreigner ) here . Please 
have mercy on me and remove my sorrows . I have no one 
except You ! Please do not be heartless ! Please do
not forsake me !

Krithi 4 : DinamaNi Vamsa Tilaka LaavaNya ! Dheena SaraNya!
************************************************************

In this krithi rendered movingly by SangItha Kalanidhis
MaharAjapuram santhAnam and Srimathi DKP , Sadhguru
SwamigaL salutes the most beautiful Tilakm of Soorya-
Vamsam,Sri Raamachandran and rcognizes Him as the refuge 
for the meek and helpless ones . He goes on to ask
Sri RaamA a few questions : NirikAra GuNa Nirmala ! 
Kara dhrutha parvatha ! ThyAgaraja Sarvasva ! Who 
is there to protect me , if You abnadon me ? Why 
are You so haughty , when You can not come to my
rescue ? You have the most powerful hand that lifted 
the mighty Govardhana Giri in Your avathAram as
KrishNan . For some one of such demonstrated 
prowess , would it be too difficult to give Your
hand and lift adiyEn from my misery ? 

How can Sri RaamA ignore such a plea ?

Sri Raamachandra parabrahamaNE Nama:
Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchArii Sadagopan