Thyagaraja - The Great Composer - Page 2

Nava Rasas and Proverbs in Thyagaraja compositions


Emotions: To justify his being hailed as one of the foremost poets of his time, Thyagaraja Swami has brilliantly captured all rasas in his compositions. Many people think that studying Swami's kritis means only listening to long faced and serious aphorisms and homilies. Few know that he has used Sringara (Romance), Soka (Sorrow), Saantha (Tranquil, Peace), and Haasya (Humor)with equal felicity.

Before him and indeed even after his time, Mukhari was used only for the sokha rasa; but Swami proved that this need not be so, by using Mukhari to produce Haasya or humor in the kriti, Chinthisthunaade Yamudu. The description of the dowwarika in the music drama, Prahlada Bhakthi Vijayam, is full of hasya. In the kriti, "Vasudevayani Vedalani" (Kalyani), while describing the entry of the dowarika, he says "Mati Matikini Meesamu duvvi, manmatha roopudu thanani krovvi, dati dati paduchuna" is hilarious. Translated, it shows the ridiculuous behavior of the Dwarapalaka. He is walking here and there, twirling his moustache, posing as if he is Manmata (the God of Love and Beauty), jumping here and there and talking and laughing to himself posing like a handsome guy.

One of the scholars studying the Nowka charithram, responding to the criticism of Thyagaraja by some purists about the excessively sringara rasa ra in this drama, says that Sri Swami has walked the razor edge in keeping strictly in ethical and moral values and his srungara rasa. Unlike Jayadeva, Thyagaraja did not step outside the canons of decency. Whatever the rasa employed, the ultimate objective is bakthi and rasas have been employed only to emphasis the need for Bhakthi.

Proverbs: Thyagaraja Swami also uses a number of proverbs in his compositions to emphasize the underlying meaning in his compositions. Here are two examples:

1. To test a pot of rice in order to find out if it is well cooked, he cites the familiar proverb in Tamil - "Oru paanai sothukku oru soru padham" - in the Mohanam kriti "Maati Maatiki". To know my sincerity, Rama, do you need me to plead again and again? Is not one sincere pleading adequate? Do experienced individuals test every rice before finding it is cooked? How many times do I need to plead to you before you would bless me?

2. "Rock the cradle and at the same time pinch the baby." In the Atana kriti, "Atla Baluguthu", he says, "Atla baluguthu, nitla baluguthu" "Thotla narbagula Noodhuvu mari mari Thosi natulu killudhuvu Srirama". You will talk one way and then you will talk the other way. What can I do? You will rock the cradle to make the child sleep and then you will also stealthily pinch the kid." These lyrics are not only examples of the humor employed by Thyagaraja Swami but also the utter devotion, bhakthi and the personal oneness that shows with his deity, Sri Rama.

3. "In an attempt to make an idol of Ganesha, we end up making the figure of a monkey." In the Evarito ne delpudu" (Manavagthi", Thyagaraja Swami says, "Gananadhu Jeya Goraka kaduva narudai dheeraka"; I am constantly doing bhajana in your name and yet I am turning out to be not saved and am ending up as something else. Rama, won't you save me?"

These are a few example of many such proverbs that Thyagaraja Swami uses in his kriti to bring forth his true emotions and purpose behind a composition.

Issued in 1961 in Commemoration by indian postal dept.

Thyagaraja was the greatest among the music composers of South India and one of the musical prodigies of all time. His works are of delicate spirituality, full of melodic beauty and in the highest sense, artistic. He exerted the greatest influence upon musical art in South India during the 18^th and 19^th centuries and revolutionized the very nature of Carnatic music. His songs are accepted today as the only adequate interpretation of classical Carnatic music from both the music and the sahitya points of view.

The group of five kritis, known as the "Pancha Rathna" or five gems, in Nata, Gaula, Arabhi, Varali, and Sri Raga, is the most representative of Thyagaraja's art as a composer. He appears to have, in these kritis, consciously summed up his musical genius in a quintessential form. They are not stray pieces composed at random but constitute a deliberate scheme of melody, rhythms and words into which he has painstakingly fitted in every aspect of the classical forms in Carnatic music. The swaras come in waves with an originality and daring that are breathtaking. All the five are in the Adi tala but the "sarvalaghu" dances merrily both in the brisk and the sedate pieces. Thyagaraja's poetic gifts in Sanskrit and Telugu are also in full play and the kritis are literally poems set to music.

THE GHANA RAGAS

Various reasons have been advanced as to why these five ragas have been called "Ghana ragas." They were known as "Ghana raga panchakam" in the Vina sampradaya and it has been the practice for Vainikas to acquire expertise in playing tanam in them. One reason is that of the subtle sruti and prayogas of Carnatic music figure in them. Nata contains the Shatsruthi Rishbha and Shatsruti Dhaivata; Gaula has the Ekasruti Rishaba, which is lower then Suddha Rishabha; Arabhi contains the alpa prayogas of Gandhara and Nishada, and Varali has a particularly sharp prati madhyama known as the Varali Madhyama. Sriraga is considered to be an auspicious raga. From the ettugada swara development in the five kritis, it is clear that Thyagaraja was fully familiar with the Vina sampradaya and was perhaps a good Vainika himself. Venkatamukhi mentions eight ragas as Ghana ragas with the addition of Bauli, Malavasri, and Ritigowla. There is also a second series of Ghana Ragas comprising of Kedaram, Narayanagaula, and Salanganata.

THE ORDER OF PANCHARATHANA KRITIS

There is a rationale behind the order in which Thyagaraja has arranged the sahita of the Pancha rathna. "Jagadanandakaraka" follows the Thodyamangalam pattern in which the first song starts with "Jaya" and in wholly Sanksrit. Instead of "Janaki Ramana", we have "Janaki prana nayaka." The opening line stresses the Upanishadic truth that the Lord is the source of all joy, "Ananda" and the rest of the kriti is a beautiful namavali. The mudra of Thyagaraja is found in three places.

The remaining four kritis are in Sanskritized Telugu. In "Duduku gala" in Gaula, the composer passes into a mood of introspection and self-reproach. After the manner of the earlier saints, Thyagaraja exclaims, "Which Lord will save an incorrigible sinner like me?" Couched in chaste Telugu, the kriti proceeds to catalogue sins of commission and omission like the teaching of music to undeserving dancers, gallants, and women, wasting one's life in useless arguments and for acquiring wealth.

"Sadinchane" is a bold "ninde stuti" in which Thyagaraja accuses the Lord as being a cunning God who belied his own teachings and achieved his own ends. A unique feature of this kriti is that Thyagaraja alternates between Rama and Krishna, praising Rama for his virtues and reserving his sarcasm for Krishna. The charanam summarizes the Lord's advice to Thyagaraja, "do not grieve; but take the rough with the smooth."

In "Kana Kana Ruchira" in Varali, the composer proceeds to describe the divine beauty of the Lord which grows "more and more as one look at him." Thyagaraja cites a long list of witnesses who has feasted their eyes upon that divine splendor.

"Endaro Mahanubhavulu" in Sri raga comprises Thyagaraja's salutations to a galaxy of preceptors and purvacharyas of yore, who include nada yogis, mystics, bhagavatas and those who had mastered the mysteries of scriptures. This grand piece rounds off the Pancha ratna group on a soothing note and with a benediction. A continuous rendering of the group in chorus ushers in an atmosphere of peace, tranquility and devotional rapture.

Nadhasudha (duration:04:51.6)
Rag: Arobi Tal: Rupakam
Composer: Thyagaraja

http://carnaticsongs.com/realcontent56/track3.ram

http://carnaticsongs.com/realcontent/track3.ram

The Musical Genius

By



Dr. R. Krishnaswami


The Musical Plays or Operas

Saint Thyagaraja's contribution to music includes, in addition to his composition, the Uthsava Sampradaya kirtanas and the Divyanama kirtanas. These two are examples of classical Carnatic music in their pristine purity. Not folk music, but common classical music is the substance of these compositions.



Saint Thyagaraja also created two musical plays, commonly called operas. However, I call them music plays as neither Geya Nataka nor opera seems correct and appropriate. Prahlada Bhakthi Vijaya, a play without Hiranya Kasipu or Narasimha, has some 48 songs and over 120 padyams. It has in addition, invocative, descriptive and introductory gadyas, choornikas, and other forms of prose passages of great merit. Nowka Charitha, the other play is equally fascinating and once again a creation without any basis derived from Bhagavatham. This play has 21 songs and many padyas and gadya passages. Swami's poetic genius is brought out vividly in these plays and the language he has used in some of the lengthy passages highlight this opinion.



Magnum Opus

Some scholars believe we have inherited only the less important natakas of the Swami and that the magnum opus is missing or are available only in fragments, awaiting some scholar to put the pieces together. In support of this view, they mention that in 1876, a printing license was issued to a Loka Narayana Sastrulu of Wallajahpet, to print "Seetha Rama Vijayam" by one Thyagaraja Brahmam of Tiruvayaru. They cite the kritit Eppaniko in Asaveri, where the saint refers to his desire to write the Ramayana in song and ask whether after such a statement, he would have failed to carry out what he considered his mission. One scholar in urging researchers to look for and put together the songs to make the sampoorna Ramayana drama suggests, that Ma Janaki was sung in the drama by Janaka; Rara Seetha Ramani Manohara by Soorpanaka; Sri Rama Padama by Gauthama and so on. Of course, there is nothing more than belief to justify this view. Prof. Sambamurthi, who made great efforts to locate the press in Choolai, Madras, mentioned in the printing license gave it up in despair. He however, suggested that Ma Janaki in Khamboji and Vanaja Nayana in Kedara Gowla were songs from Seetharama Vijayam, the songs representing "Sambandhi Kelikka" or benign taunting of the sambandhis by groups belonging to both sides.



While the bulk of the songs are in praise of Rama and a few on other deities, there are numerous songs on ethics and morals, worldly wisdom, mental control etc. One important group of songs is those based on his study of the Sangita Sastras and his practice of Nadopasana. Some composers have made passing reference to the occult and mystic aspect of nada, sangita, and swara, but it is only the Sadguru Thyagaraja Swami, who has left nearly 25 songs on the origin (divine) structure and purpose of music and how the knowledge of Sangita could by itself offer liberation from bondage of the cycle of birth and death. As Mr. T. S. Parthasarathi says, arranging these kritis in the order of their subject matter, one can create a text book on the subject of Nada upasana, Sangita upasana, and attaining moksha in this life itself. A discussion of these kritis is matter enough for a separate paper, and so I shall content myself with briefly mentioning some of the songs and their appropriateness. Such a list would include songs such as: Nadopasana, Mokshamau Galada, Seethavara, Sangita Sastra Gnanamu, Sobhillu Sapthaswara, Nada Thanumanism and Swara Raga Sudharasa.



The importance of these and other songs and how Sri Thyagaraja Swami used his compositions to energize our inner spiritual forces and attain moksha

Thyagaraja Swami –

His Contributions to Raga Lakshana and Musicology

by

Dr. R. Krishnaswami

Thyagaraja Swami had made significant contributions to raga lakshana, raga lakshya, and raga swaroopa, or in general, to the development of musicology. A support for this claim is provided to us by Sri A. Vasudeva Sastry of the Saraswathi Mahal Library, in a book titled "Ragas". The Ragas study examines the manuscripts of Sahaji, who died in 1710, about sixty years before Swami was born. After analyzing the work of Sahaji and all the materials available on raga lakshanas, Sri Vasudeva Sastri concludes that thirty of the 72 melakarta ragas were given a raga swarupa and acquired their ranking solely from Saint Thyagaraja Swami giving them these qualities. Quoting from Madikeswara Samhita, a work on srutis of which only extracts are now available, Sastry points out that 12 swara moorchanas were in existence and Swami used it to give Karaharapriya great charm in his composition, Rama Nee Samana mevaru. Quoting the sangatis of this composition in great detail, Sri Vasudeva Sastry points out that the "closed curve" melodic effect which can be got by the vadi-samvadi usage.



As it is believed, Swami created many new ragas. Many scholars however believe that he activated or unearthed many ragas which has been labeled and were lying dormant because their lakshanas or characteristics were not defined in clear terms. However, the fact that only one composition exists in a certain ragas and these compositions have been composed in these ragas only Sri Thyagaraja Swami lends credence to the claim that ragas like Pratapa Varali, Nabhomani, Jaya Narayani and many others, were Swami's creations.



Similarly, sangatis or usages that enrich the musical context of a kriti, are mostly found in Swami's compositions. Although some scholars point out that sangatis are as old as music itself and were known under the name prayaogas. However, since they became widely used only through the kritis of Swami, it will not be wrong to assume that sangatis were Swami's innovations. He used sangatis to bring out the raga bhava or their fundamental characteristics.



Mrs. Vidya, in an excellent paper presented to the centenary session of the Madras Music Academy (Swami's death centenary), has used a number of examples to illustrate how Swami used sangatis to highlight the use of right srutis. He used these also in kritis intended for children so that they can learn the sruti values early and by understanding the proper imitation of the instrument or voice teaching them. Let me point out one example provided by Mrs. Vidya. In the kriti, Mariadagadura (Sankarabharanam), she points to the numerous sangatis used in the pallavi and shows how the tri-sruti gandhara of Sankarabharanam is deftly handled by Swami. Both Sankarabharana and Kalyani have the same gandharas in their structure but Kalyani use the Chatursruthi and the note clings to the Madhyama. She also points out how the sahitya splits perfectly into the right tisra syllables and how the visesha prayoga, Sa Da, Pa in the sangatis just preceding the complete avaroha brings out the bhava.



Mrs. Vidya also says that by using a deerga daivata, Swami has skillfully managed to bring out the raga bhava of Kambhjoji in Evari Mata, although he uses only the swaras common to Sankarabharanam and Khamboji. The commencement of the charana of this song also brings out the value of Khamboji's deerga daivata prayogam.



Often, when using a new raga, Swami employs the arohana and avarohana in the opening phrase itself. For example in Binna Shadjam, raga derived from the ninth mela, Dhenuka, the opening words Sari Varilona, fit in with Sa Ri Ga Ri Pa Ma Pa Da Sa Da Pa Ma Ri Ga Ri Sa. The opening phrase in Evaraina lera peddalu (Raga: Siddha Sena), the notes are Sa Ga Ri Ga Ma. Take Bahudari, is there a more appropriate characteristic phrase than Pa Da Ni Pa Ma Ga?



When employing vivadi swaras, Swamiji makes sure that the vivadis occur in the opening phrase itself, e.g. Paramatmudu in Vagadheeswari; Evare Ramayya in Gangeya Bhushani. Even for an ancient and well known raga like Bhairavi, he uses common swaras to great effect. For example, in the short rupaka tala kriti, Upacharama Jese Varu, he opens with Ri Ma Ga without the slightest trace of Karaharapriya. The chatsruthi rishabha of Karaharapriya is aligned to the Madhyama, a fact so well demonstrated. Karaharapriya and Hari Kambhoji are Swami's gifts to Carnatic music. The Tana Sampradaya Kirtanas and indeed even the simple rhythmic ones teach the ease with which all or most of Swami's songs fall into the sarva laghu ,in addition to demonstrating the scope of the raga alapana, swara singing paddathi and neraval. Koluvayyunnade in Bhairavi and Kori Sevimparare in Karaharapriya are examples.



Other examples of where Swami had used sangatis to bring out the raga bhava 'include: Najeevadhara, Chetulara Srungaramu, Thappi Brathiki Brova Tharama; in these compositions, the sangatis are in the passage containing the message of the kriti. In the Pratapa Varali song, Vinanasa Koniyannanu, the phrase Da Pa Sa is used for Aa Aa in words to emphasize that Swami wants to not only have sweet words, but to also as he says "Madhuramaina Palukulu," the sweet words that Vathathmaju (Anjayaney) and Bharatha heard.



The compositions of Sri Thyagaraja Swami make the largest contribution to our knowledge of Carnatic music today. In volume and variety, no other composer has given us so much material covering so wide a range of ragas, their lakshanas, that allows singing even by those with limited voice range and limited music knowledge. Examples are: Jaya Jaya Sri Raghu Rama, in Mangala Kaisiki which any one can sing (even little children), Naa Jeevadhara, Endhu Daakinado, and Mari Mari Ninne, that demand excellent voice qualities and sangita gnana or musical knowledge.

On Knowledge

R. Krishnaswami
and
R. Sriram
About knowledge, Thyagaraja Swami says that it is not worth acquiring knowledge which does not improve the quality of man. A very well read man who has not benefited from his erudition and knowledge is an ass that carries a load of books. Humility and vinaya is essential for spiritual progress.

About which path to tread for enlightenment, he says that all paths of discipline, humility, love of God and environment lead to salvation. The replacement of the six enemies which haunt us are: desire, hatred, miserliness, attachment to ephemeral values, egotism, and acquisitiveness. The six gunas that we must acquire are: sama or equanimity; dharma or self control; titiksha or willingness to bear suffering; uparati or looking away from evil; sradha or dedication; and samadhana or satisfaction. These six gunas help us attain liberation from bondage. The happiness one person derives from taking one kind of food is no better or worse than the happiness of another person eating another kind of food.

All schools of philosophy are good, provided the fundamental qualities of genuine love and dedication, compassion and understanding are practiced. This thought is expressed in Anuragamuleni in Saraswathi. In this kriti, Thyagaraja Swami says that you can acquire all the knowledge in the world. But, if an individual does not have bhakthi, he would not develop good qualities. the peIn "Endaro Mahanubhavalu" Swami mentions the different ways of attaining liberation. "Bhagawata, Ramayana, Geethathi, Sruthi Sastra Puranabu mamula Sivadhi Shanmathamula Gootamula Muppadhi Mukkodi Surandarangamula Bhavamula Neriki Bhavaraga Layadhi Sowkyamulche Jiravuyal Kaliki Niravadhi Sugathmulai". Freely translated, it says that there are several ways to attain knowledge and linberation. By learning the Bhagavatham, Ramayanam, Bhagawath Geetha, the Srutis, and Puranas; by finding out the secrets hidden in the six religions (shanmatha); by finding the inner meaning from the Devas and so on. But, the easiest way to obtain knowledge is bhakthi and sangeetha.

He explains why he chose Rama Nama as Taraka mantram for japam in his kriti, "Saaramegani Anya Marga Vicharamatike" (Panthuvarali). In this kriti, he refers to Sivas advise to Parvathi (familiar to all those who recite Vishnu Sahasharanamam) that by reciting Rama's name thrice, one may attain the benefit of repeating the hymns a thousand times. In the Thodi kriti, Endu DAginado (Rama! Where are you hiding?), he says, "that it has become the practice and play of the Lord to hide himself before saving his devotees and wonders where he is hiding today to save Thyagaraja. Perhaps, he hid behind the seven trees to help and save Sugriva. Perhaps, he hid himself in an iron pillar to save Prahalada (Prahladhu goraku kambamulo palanundagaledha).