The songs echo the Epic

LIKE THE Ramayana, the compositions of Sri Thyagaraja have given us spiritual guidance. Even if his songs do not take us to the spiritual level of his bhakti, listening to them serves as a training ground for dedicated sanctified living. All devotees of God - the Azhwars, Nayanmars, etc. - have used music as a vehicle to reach God. Then what is special about Sri Thyagaraja? Deep contemplation of his life makes one wonder whether he was primarily a spiritual mystic or a highly gifted vaggeyakara.

Why has Sri Thyagaraja chosen music to direct his life to Sri Rama's feet? He is always hailed as an avatar of Valmiki and that may give us a clue. The epic was sung by Kusa and Lava and the slokas of Valmiki are described by himself as:

Paada-baddo-akohara-samaha

Tantreelaya-samanvitaha

(Strung with words set to music with tala)

How did Kusa Lava sing? Says the Kaviya:

Hlaadayan-sarva-gaatraani

Manaamsi-hrudayaani cha

Srothraasraya-sukham

Geyam-thad-ubhow-Janasamsadhi

(They sang delighting the minds and hearts of the listeners, their music soft on the ear).

An avatar of Valmiki that Sri Thyagaraja was, he could not have chosen any other medium to sing the praises of Sri Rama than music.

If the recital of Kusa and Lava thrilled the minds, Sri Thyagaraja, addressing Sri Rama as ``Naada-Brahmaananda-roopa'' in the Mukhari song records his ecstasy as the rishis hearing Kusa Lava bringing lavished praise on them.

Naada-Brahmaananda-Roopa

Veda saaramow-Naamadeyamunu

Talachi-nantane-naa

Thanuvemo-Jallaneraa

(Embodiment of Sangita! the quintessence of the Vedas! Sri Rama! When I think of you, my whole body is thrilled with ecstasy)

So, taking a leaf from Valmiki, Sri Thyagaraja deliberately chose to channel his Rama bhakti through music.

One has to read his mind through his ecstatic expressions in his compositions. Himself being a bhakta siromani, he is guided by other noble souls (Endaro-mahaanubhavulu) His mind is reflected in what he has said about them. Such saints put faith in music as the sure bhakti marga and they were well-versed in music.

Patitapaavanudane-Paraat paruni

Kurinji-Paramaartamagu

Nijamaargamutonu-paadusunu...

Swara-layyadi-raagamula-teliyuvaree

Endaro mahaanubhavulu

(Those saints truly understanding the bhakti marga as conferring eternal bliss were experts in swara, laya and raga, through which they reached you)

That is the surest path to salvation in Sri Thyagaraja's calculation. No doubt he has composed innumerable songs expatiating the greatness of Sangita (``Sangita-gnanamu-bhakti- vina'' in Dhanyasi, ``Sogasuga-mridanga-talamu'' in Sriranjani and ``Mokshamugalada'' in Saramati, to mention a few) but the innermost desire in his heart was to sing in Sri Rama's presence as Lava and Kusa did.

In this respect he can be said to be somewhat jealous of Lakshmana recorded in the Karaharapriya kirtana ``Sowmitri- bhagyame- bhagyamu.'' In the charana of the piece he says:

Baaguga-vinda-maagamula

naalaapamu-seyaga

menu-pulaka rinchaga...

(Making alapana of many ragas with his body ecstatically thrilled...) That was the vision of Sri Thyagaraja of a scene when Lakshmana installing Sri Rama on a well-bedecked swing gently operates it singing as mentioned in the song.

Does Sri Thyagaraja stop with merely envying Lakshmana's fortune? He makes a direct request to Sri Rama in the Dhanyasi song ``Ramaabhi Rama''. In the charanam he explicitly places his heart's longing.

Bangaaru-meti-paanpupai

Bhaamaamani-Jaanaki

Sringariuchukoni

Cheluvonta-ninnugani

Ponguchumalle-virula

Poojinchuvela-Sri Hari

Sajgitamu-paadumanu

Swami-Thyagaraajunito

``On a golden swing with the well-bedecked Sita in ecstasy performing puja to you, Sri Hari! Why can you not command Sri Thyagaraja to sing?

If Lakshmana was satisfied with serving in the way mentioned in the Kriti ``Sowmitri-Bhagyame-bhagyamu'', Sri Thyagaraja goes a step further to make his request that both Sri Rama and Sita should hear him sing.

Valmiki has given two major attributes to Sri Rama. ``Ramo- vigrahavan Dharmaha'' (Embodiment of Dharma) and ``Gaudaroeshu- bhuvi sreshtaha'' (the best in the world in the field of music.'') To practise dharma as Sri Rama did is to walk on a razor's edge. So Sri Thyagaraja seems to have chosen the easier one in the Valmiki tradition of composing the Ramayana to be sung. The composer put his firm faith in looking up to Sri Rama as a music-lover (as acknowledged in the Hamirkalyani song ``Maanamuleda''

``Gaana-muchi-teliyu-Kusa-Lava Janaka''.

This faith in Sri Rama being moved by bhakti music is referred to by Sri Thyagaraja in more than one song. Bemoaning what sin he had committed expressed in the kirtana, ``E-paapamu-jesitira'' in one of the charanams he pleads

Naada-roopudavani-ne

Srinaatha! Ninnu-nammitini

(Consort of Lakshmi! Having heard you are an embodiment of Naada, I firmly clung to you).

Perhaps he visualised the scene when Sri Rama became ecstatic when Kusa and Lava sang. To quote the Ramayana again, Sri Rama was seated on the throne with his brothers near Him and Sri Rama tells Lakshmana, Satruguna and Bharata

Srooyathaam-idam-aakhyaanam

Anayoho-Devavarchasoho

Ityuktva-sadrisow-thow-the

Gaayakow-thow-uvaachaha

Vichitraarta-padam-samyak

Gaayakow-samachodayath

(Let their recital from them, celestial-like, be heard. He encouraged them to sing the Ramayana.)

How did they sing?

Thow-chaapi-madhuram-raktane

Swanchintaayata-niswanam

Thantrilaya-vadatyartam

Visruthaartham-agaayatha

(With great elaboration, sweetly and tuned to the veena with well-kept tala, articulating clearly the noble words, Kusa and Lava sang)

It is as a sensitive expert of music that Sri Thyagaraja's image of Sri Rama is sung by him in many kirtanas. For instance, in the Aarabhi Kriti, ``Naa-moralanu-vini'', in the charanam he extols Sri Rama in these words.

Raaga-swara yuta

Prema-bhaktajana

Rakshana

(Protector of bhaktas worshipping you with music - raga, swara and devotion well-integrated)

And in confirming his unshaken faith that Sri Rama melts to the pleas of sangita practitioner. Sri Thyagaraja feels a sense of satisfaction expressed in the Vasanta song, ``Etla - Dorikitivo'' he surmises!

Etla-Dorikitivo...

Paada-mahimo

Peddala-aasirwada - phalamo

Suswarapu-Naada-phalamo

Thyagaraja-kadahara

(How have I got you? Is it the grace of your holy feet? Is it the fruit of the blessings of elderly people? Or is it the reward of the music upasana I do?)

Like Kusa and Lava he was supremely confident of gaining Sri Rama's grace. (``Nee Dayache'' song in Yadukula Kambhoji)

Naada-Brahmananda

Rasaakritigala

Nee-Dayache-Rama

Nityaanandu daiti

(Sri Rama! The quintessence of the bliss of music. By your grace I am blissful)

To cap this acknowledgement, he takes liberties to tell Rama

Vara-mridubhaasha

Suswaramaya-bhoosha

Vara-Thyagaraja

Vaag-Chelaavrita

(Soft-spoken, adorned with sweet notes, clad in the bhakti-laden sahityas of Thyagaraja)

The words of praise of Valmiki's epic by the great sages hearing it being sung applies to Sri Thyagaraja's songs.

Aho! Geethasya-maadhuryam

Slokaanam-cha-Viseshataha

Chira - nirurittani - ethat

Pratyakshamiva - darsitam

(How honeyed the slokas and their sentiment. How well the incidents are brought before the eyes)

The benediction on the parayana of Ramayana applies equally to Sri Thyagaraja's songs

Idam-pavitram-paapagnam

Punyam-Vedaischa-Sammitam

Yaha-pateth-Ramacharitam

Sarva-paapaihi-pramuchyate

(Whoever reads Ramacharita, equal to the Vedas, is relieved of all sins.)

The same can be said of the kirtanas of Sri Thyagaraja.

- SVK

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