Sri Tyagaraja |
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Saint Purandaradas is considered as the grandfather of Carnatic Music. Sri Tyagaraja, along with Muthuswami Dikshitar and Syama Sastri are considered as the "Trinity of Carnatic Music." Sri Tyagaraja has composed more than 800 songs in his long devoted life to Lord Rama, most of them written in his Mother tongue Telugu, but a few in Sanskrit, including the masterpiece "Jagadanandakaraka" composed of 108 names describing Lord Rama's attributes. But, his songs are well loved in Tamil Nadu, the seat of South Indian (Carnatic) Music scholarship and performance.
Sri Tyagaraja was born in Tiruvaiyaru, near Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu on May 4, 1767. His parents were Smarta Telugu Brahmins, who had moved to Tamil Country during the Vijayanagar period (early 1600's). Tyagaraja's father Rama Brahmam taught him to worship Rama daily and initiated him in Rama taraka mantra. Even as a boy, Tyagaraja composed his first song on Rama, Namo Namo Raghavaya when he was only 13 years old. Sri Tyagaraja continued to recite the Rama Nama every day and had many darsans of Sri Rama, which inspired him to write songs on his beloved Lord, Sri Rama.
At 18 years of age, Tyagaraja married Parvati, who died when he was only 23. He then married Kamalamba (sister of Parvati). They had a daughter named Sitamahalakshmi, through whom he had a grandson, who died progeniless. Thus we do not have any descendant of Saint Tyagaraja. But, his tradition is kept alive by his musical disciples and their followers.
Being a great devotee of Lord Rama, the only things that mattered to Tyagaraja were Music and Bhakti. In fact, they were
synonymous to him. "Is there a sacred path than music and bhakti?". "O Mind, salute
the gods of the seven notes". "The knowledge of music, O Mind, leads to bliss
of Union with the Lord". Music was to him the meditation on the Primordial
Sound:
"I bow to Sankara, the embodiment of Nada, with my body and mind. To Him, the essence of blissful Samaveda, the best of the vedas, I bow. To Him who delights in the seven swaras born of His five faces I bow".
Sri Tyagaraja had the highest reverence for great bhakthas like Prahlada, Dhruva, Hanuman and Narada. Sri Tyagaraja's life is an illustration to the dictum that music and devotion combined make the best path to the understanding of the Supreme Brahman.
"O Rama! Parrot residing in the cage of Pranava sound- AUM
Your varied forms are Siva, Brahma and Vishnu
You destroyed the demon Ravana, the father of Indrajit
O compassionate, You are the beloved of Crescencrested Siva
You protect those seek refuge in You and delight those with good minds
O Changeless One! You are the essence of Vedas !"
"Jagadanandakaraka' - Purana purusa nruvaratma"
"O! Primordial Person, yuvaraja, dear to those who love You
Demon destroyer of Khara, Viradha and Ravana
One who bewildered the pure sage Parasurama
O! Changeless Rama, adored by Tyagaraja
Cause of the bliss of Cosmos! Jai! Janaki's Life-breath!"
"O! Greatest of the Raghu race!
Can't You come and confer Your grace on me,
knowing fully my sorrow of separation from seeing Your nectar, smiling face?
O! Lord who held Govardan mountain with your finger tip!
O! Supreme Soul who guard the universe!
To whom else can I plead
Don't be averse to me. I cannot bear it.
Accept me, You who are worshipped by Tyagaraja."
"Namo Namo Raghavaya - Desikatodi raga"
"Glory be to Rama forever! glory to be Raghava!
The teacher of Wishing Tree of faithful creatures, Brahma, Siva and all gods
Protector of Gajentra, the elephant king
Lord whom Tyagaraja is always worshiping
Glory, glory to Rama, forever glory to Raghava!"
"Ika gavalasina"
"What more do you want, O Mind !
Why are you not happy? When the Lord of the Universe has rested in your heart?
what more do you want, O Mind?"
1. "Tyagaraja: Life and Lyrics", Dr. William Jackson, Professor of Religious Studies, Indiana University, Oxford India Publications, 1991.
2. "Sacred Songs of India", V.K. Subramanian, Abhinav Publications, 1996.
3. "Illustrious Rama Bhaktas", J.R. Kamath, Kalyana-Kalpataru, India, 1996.
4. Article from The Hindu: Sri Tyagaraja - The Path of Dhyana
5. Sri. V. Sadagopan's articles in Sri Vaishnava Bhakti Archives.
Photo Credit: Mohan's Hindu Image Gallery
times since Dec. 11, 1997.