Saint Thyagaraja as a Poet

 

    “A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful, which God has implanted in the human soul,” so said Goethe.  For those blessed with an ability to enjoy Carnatic music, Saint Thyagaraja’s compositions give an easy opportunity to engage in all these three recommended activities in one shot through active listening with understanding alone.

  Much has been written on Saint Thyagaraja, the most venerated composer of Carnatic music, with most authors emphasizing mainly the musical and devotional aspects of his work.  However, many of the Saint’s compositions also constitute poetry of the finest kind, exhibiting a high level of scholarship, literary merit, imagination, and imagery.  They abound also in beautiful rhymes, alliterations, and onomatopoeia.  Sri T.S. Parthasarathy is one of the few scholars to have taken a special effort, albeit in a very small section, to mention this aspect of Saint Thyagaraja, and here is a translation of a passage from his book in Tamil (“Srī Thyāgarāja kīrthanaigal,” Higginbothoms, 1967):

“Saint Thyagaraja, who composed nearly 675 compositions, shined also as a poet and creator of many musical dramas.   Among Carnatic composers, with the exception of Kshetragna, Swami Thyagaraja is the only one who deserves to be noted as a poet.   His compositions appear like poems set to tunes.”

Even though T.S. Elliot may assert, “Genuine poetry can communicate before it is understood” and although that statement is verily true for Thyagaraja kritis, we must, however, acknowledge that comprehension does add immeasurably to both communication and enjoyment.   So, please treat this as an invitation to move on to a higher level as a connoisseur if you are not already there.

     If you agree with Simonides of Ceos,  who described poetry as “painting with the gift of speech,” then Thyagaraja was indeed a deft painter - and especially so in describing  Rama.  Even his simple words like “Lāvanya rāma, ati lāvanya rāma” captivate us – one must especially listen to the beautiful way Sri D.K. Jayaraman used to sing this line.  The phrases Thyagaraja has picked to describe Rama, not only in that composition but elsewhere, such as “dina mani vamsa tilaka lāvanya” are particularly imaginative.  Survya vamsa, the lineage of Rama is, by itself, illustrious due to his ancestors like Ikshvaku, Bhagiratha, Raghu, Harischandra, and many others; note the specific choice dina mani (jewel of the day) for surya (the sun).  According to Thyagaraja, even to the adornment of the very crescent of that lineage, Rama adds even more glamor!  A special favorite of mine is the kriti “Sundarataradēham” (one with a handsome body) in Pantuvarāli and particularly its highly poetic anupallavi,  “kuntaratanamāpta kumuda sasāngam, kandarpa satakōti kāntimatī nishkalangam,” where Rama is described as one with teeth resembling beautiful jasmine buds, who makes his dear ones bloom as the moon does of the water-lily, and pure and lustrous like millions of Cupids rolled into one.  Yet another kriti demonstrating the prowess of Thyagaraja as a poet and also as a Sanskrit scholar is the one in Sāvēri, “Rāmam bhajēham;” the first stanza of its charanam goes as,

   “Sundaramukhamaravindanayanam,

   Agabrnda parvata purandaram,
   Anakasananandananutam ānanda jaladhi mahi

  Brnda   subhūshana vandita charitam”

(With a beautiful countenance and lotus like eyes; like an Indra in smashing mountains of sins; an ocean of happiness; worshipped by great sages like Sanandana and even by Shiva adorned with serpents.)  Imagine the clear and detailed picture in Thyagaraja’s mind that should have empowered him to make such a beautiful canvas of words, not only in this kriti, but in so many others.  A favorite set of lines in Telugu with beautiful alliterations noted by Sri T.S. Parthasarathy is also a favorite of mine and is from “Vandanamu Raghunandanā” in Sahānā:

“Sritamā nātō vātamā ne bhēdamā idi mōdamā

Srīrāmā hruchchāramā brovabāramā rāyabāramā rāmā”

Many of Thyagaraja’s compositions are filled with incredibly imaginative conversations with his Lord like the one above asking, “Oh one who gives wealth, is this a debate with me? Are you and I different? Does this give you pleasure? Oh, the one residing in the heart of Sita, am I a burden to you?  Do I have to send you a messenger?”  He also creates many an imagery that form some of the finest exercises in virtual reality to a discerning and imaginative listener, through phrases describing Rama such as “janakajā shringāra jalaja bhrngā” – the honey bee that hovers around the lovely lotus born to King Janaka - (in his composition “kshīrasāgara vihārā” best heard from Sri Balamuralikrishna) - and “srī nārada nāda sarasīruha bhrnga shubhānga” – the honey bee that hovers around the lotus  naada (tonal sound) of Sri Narada’s lute in his kriti “Sree Nāradanāda” (best heard from Sri Semmangudi Srinivasaier).  In fact, these two kritis are highly notable for the mellifluous words and phrases specifically chosen by the composer all through.

    The king of mellifluousness was equally capable of other types of usage of the language as we see in some other compositions.  Thus, if one listens to the words in the kriti “Sarasasāmadāna,” one experiences an entirely different Thyagaraja, now picking harder consonants appropriate to describe a valorous king who will not hesitate to escalate force as needed.  The imagery he can create also does not stop at the beautiful and can transgress into the most morbid, as for example in the descripton “prānamulēnivāniki bhangāru pāku jūtti, ani vajra bhūshanamuramandu petturīti” in the kriti “Bhakthibhikshamīyavē” wherein he asserts that without devotion, the ability to give great discourses on religion is only equal to a gold head gear and diamond necklace on the chest adorned on a corpse.

     If you were touched by the self-deprecation and humility of the great poet Milton as exemplified in his sonnet, “When I consider how my light is spent,” be assured that there are many compositions of even the self assured Thyagaraja that will touch your heart even more.  An example is the kriti “Entuku pethalā” where the same poet who eloquently demonstrates his grip on philosophy and devotion in “Dvaitamu sukhamā, advaitamu sukhamā” grieves for the grant of wisdom by his Lord – despite his knowing the scriptures (vēda sāstra tatvārtamu telisi) and knowing the mystery of tones and sound (nāda vidyā marmambulu telisi).  Yet, he is not conceited and cries that he knows not the right path in teliyalēru rāmā bhaktimārgamu.

    Among poets, those who can glorify the simplest pleasures of life that most are given to enjoy and bring back in  our‘mind’s eye’ some of the precious moments of their own past joys are even more special.  They are the literary equivalent of the Norman Rockwells who can make one marvel at a canvas of even simple scenes.   Thyagaraja is one of them.  In that regard, a favorite composition for me is “Srī rāma jaya rāma” in Yadukulakambōji.  Musically, it is one of the finest (the best rendition I have heard is by Sri T.K. Govinda Rao in the style of his own guru Musiri Subrahmanya Iyer).  In this, Thyagaraja asks what all penance did various people, starting all the way from Kousalya and Dasaratha to Sita, do to enjoy Rama in various ways. (I can’t but wonder if that is what inspired Papanasam Sivan’s ‘Enna tavam cheitanai.’)  Each couplet in it is a gem, and let me cite just a pair.  Ask yourself what dad, when hearing the lines “Dasaratudi srīrāma rā rāyini piluvamuni, tapamēmi jēseno teliyā” (what penance did Dasarata do to be able to beseech you ‘Come, come, Sri Rama’),  will fail to be reminded of the first time he called his little toddler to walk up to him?  Or who will fail to recall his own joy at the wedding of his daughter, when listening to the lines “Tana tanaya nosaki kanulāra kanajanakundu, tapamēmi jēsenō teliyā” (I don’t know what penance Janaka did to have the pleasure of seeing his daughter’s hand being taken by Rama)?  If words can do a dance, Thyagaraja’s compositions indeed do and display all types of human emotions without any visual aid, just through words and sound.

    I will conclude this brief foray into Saint Thyagaraja’s poetry by recalling some lines from his kriti “Paripālaya” in Rītigowla.  What does a mendicant like Thyagaraja, with no possessions other than his Lord’s idol, have to offer to his Lord?  The poignancy of this poem is also filled with so much imagination and imagery all through.  Here are some example lines: “tanuvē nīkuvaina sadanamoura, raghunātha” (may my very body be a seat for you); (“harināma smaranambulu viruloura raghunātha” (may my utterances of the name of Hari be flowers for you); “nē jēyusu pūjaphalamu bhōjanamavu raghunāthā” (the fruits of my prayers are my offerings to you).  Everytime, a priest or a devotee creates a decoration with those simple things like flowers and fruits, I cannot but be reminded of this wonderful poem that probably was intended to reinforce in our own minds the great teaching of the Lord in Bhagavad Gita that all He desires from his devotees are simple things like flowers, fruits, and holy water, and most importantly total devotion.  Saint Thyagaraja was not just a poet, but a poet inspired by his deep devotion and pouring out in simple words the highest of truths in a way they are woven into the best of poetry.

=========

This article was written for the 2017 souvenir of the Indian Fine Arts Association of San Diego.  Dr. V. Ramaswami is a past President of the Carnatic Music Association of North America (CMANA) and the author of the book, “Innovation by India for India, the Need and the Challenge.”  A set of ten compositions of his in Sanskrit, Hindi and Tamil, rendered as a collection called “Swaraabharanam” by Sri Sikkil Gurucharan, Sri V. Sanjeev, and Sri J. Vaidyanathan, is being released.  All proceeds of that project are dedicated to the support of Kanavagam, an orphanage in Tamilnadu for destitute children; kindly support this charity.

--> -->