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

From the Bhakti List Archives

Sadagopan • March 19, 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 ( Hari KaambhOji )are :

**1.UnDEthi Raamudu 
**2.YentharAni tanakentha pOni
**3.Yenthuku Nirdhaya yevarunnArurA ?
**4.DinamaNi Vamsa Tilaka LaavaNya

5.ThSani thOdi 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 Jaladhija Nayana
11.Laali Laaliyani 

We  covered the first four Krithis (**)in 
the previous posting .In this posting , we
will cover the many moods of Bhakthi that 
gave birth to the extraordinary krithis 
of this Raama BhakthA .It will be useful to summarize 
the sthAyi-Bhaavams of this Raama ChaithanyA , 
while he composed these and other krithis .

Dr.V.Raghavan has covered this topic extensively
in his classic monograph entitled " The Spiritual
Heritage of ThyagarAjA ". I will briefly summarize
his analysis here for reference . The many moods of 
Bhakthi , Bhagavaht anubhavams and higher states of
devotion have been exquisitely analyzed by Dr.Raghavan.

The sanchAri BhAvAs ( the Moods of Bhakthi ) experienced by 
Saint ThyagarAjA fall into the following twelve major categories ,
which are echoes of AzhwAr's Bhakthi-soaked Paasurams :

(1) Autsukyam -Deep desire for the Lord's
sannidhi (constant company ), darsanam( seeing Him and 
receiving His kataaksham ), kirtanam ( Singing about
His glories ), SravaNam ( Hearing about His anantha 
kalyANa guNams and adhbhutha leelAs ), SambhAshaNam 
( Conversing with the Lord )and sevanam and Daasyam
( serving Him in every way ).

(2)NirvEdham ( Experiencing a State of despondency 
over past mistakes that prevented him from receiving
the blessings of the Lord due to other preoccupations ).

(3) Athma GarhaNam and NaicchAnusandhAnam ( Self-depreciation
and recall of his own shortcomings , which put a distance
between himself and the Lord ).

(4) Dhainyam and DhainyOkthi ( plaintive and heart rending
appeals to and pleading with the Lord to bless him ).

(5) Amarsha rOsam and rOshOkthi ( Anger ,remonstrance at 
the neglect of the Lord and expression of his grievance ).

(6) Vitarkam ( Doubt over the Lord's willingness to
come to his rescue and concomitant cogitation ).

(7) SraddhA and MahA VisvAsam ( Total Faith in the Lord 
that He will accept the saraNAgathi ). Krutaj~nathA 
( expression of gratitude for the Lord's blessings) 
can also be included here .

(8) narma sthuthi , prArthanA and rOshOkthi ( Taking 
liberty with the Lord in a playful mood ; it could be
praise , prayer or remonstrance expressed in a playful
mood ).

(9) Sva-yOgya kathanam ( Appealing to the Lord for 
showering His mercy through reminding HIm about his 
special credentials and claims in an assertive way ).

(10)Bhaktha shOdhanam ( Undergoing immense pains
from the trials and tribulations arising from 
separation from the Lord and experiencing sorrow
over these trials and tribulations ).

(11)Maanasa SambhOdhanam ( Exhortations to his mind 
to be patient and not to lose faith and asking it to 
remember the Lord's infinite mercy ).

(12)MangaLAsAsanam ( Pronouncing blessings on 
the Lord Himself in a high state of devotion ,
Just as PeriyAzhwAr did through his PallANDu ).

Through the divine sangItham , Saint ThyagarAja ,
a garbha Bhaagavathaa experienced all these states
and moods of Bhakthi and addressed Sri RaamachandrA
seated on the gem-bedecked throne created out of 
OmkAra Naadham and placed at His sacred feet 
Raaga-Rathna MaalikAs of infinite fragrance 
and variety .

Later in his life , when he adopted the naamam 
of "Naadha Bhramam " as he entered sanyAsAsramam ,
he seems to remind us of the Yaj~navalkya smruthi 
Passage :

VeeNA Vaadhana tattvaJ~na:
Sruthi jaathi visAradha: 
TaaLaj~nasccha apraayAsEna
Moksha Maargam niyacchathi 

(Meaning ): He who knows the truth of VeeNA
music , he who is an expert in Sruthis of
music and their varieties , and has a clear 
mastery of TaaLAs also , reaches effortlessly
the path of salvation .

We can map all the krithis of Saint ThyagarAjA 
into one or other SanchAri BhAvAs . For instance ,
the Hari KambhOji Krithi , " UNDEdhi Raamudu -"
is an expression of his ananya Bhakthi , SraddhA
and mahA VisvAsam . In this krithi , he firmly
states : " There is RaamA , the One God. He is the soul
of all dharmAs . He bestows welfare and looks evenly
upon all ". 

The second Hari KambhOji krithi that we discussed
in the earlier posting ( YentharAni tana kentha pOni),
belongs to the authsukhyam (longing) for the Lord's
sannidhi(constant company ).Here as the Raama Bhaktha ,
the bard says : " Whatever may come to me , whatever may
go away from me , I will never allow myself to be 
separated from You ". 

The third Hari KambhOji krithi discussed earlier was 
" Yendhuku nirdhaya yevarunnArurA ? ". This belongs to 
the Dhainya and DhainyOkthi mood ( plaintive appeals in
a mood of desperation ). Here , the saint cries out :
" Parama PaavanA ! ParimaLApaghana! Inakula Chandhana !
IndhunibhAnana ! Why wont You show DayA for me? Who else 
is there for me in this world ? I am forlorn .
Pray banish my distress ! 

The fourth Hari kaambhOji Krithi discussed
in the previous posting was " DinamaNi Vamsa Tilaka 
LaavaNyA , Dheena saraNyA ".This krithi also arose 
out of dhainyam and hence belongs to the category 
of DhainyOkthi . Here , the Saint pleads with pathos : 
" Oh Refugee for the helpless ! Pray , give Your 
most serious consideration to my appeal and protect me 
with affection . Why do You hold back ? Who else is
there to save me ? You are everything to me ".

In all his krithis , the bard articulated the siddhAntham ,
" Raama yEva dhaivatham " as in the Balahmsa raaga krithi 
and elaborated it further in Krithis like " nee Vanti
Dhaivamu nEgAna " set in Bhairavi : " Oh RaamachandrA !
After much reflection , I have come to the conclusion that
it is impossible for me to find another God like You .
There is none equal to or grater than You . If one wants
to speak, he should speak about You; if one wants to sing ,
he should sing about You; if one wants to praise , he should
praise You alone ; if one wants to associate with anyone ,
he should seek Your company alone". RaamA was the bard's 
life breath and sarvasvam . 

In the subsequent postings , we will continue with the other
Hari KaambhOji krithis of this illustrious Raama BhakthA .

Sri Raamachandra ParabrahmaNE Nama:
Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan