Friday, September 16, 2011
Sanyas - Renounced Order of Life
Legend has also embellished the story of his last days on earth. The kritis of this period have reference to a mood of calm and blissful resignation to the Divine Will. 'Vidajaladhura' (Janaranjani), mirrors such a mood, and it seems likely that allusions in such kritis, not understood in their delicacy and true import, gave rise to the accounts that Sri Rama ordained a further birth for his devotee, or that under the divine mandate Tyagaraja assumed the ochre robes of Sanyasa, by this re-birth both fulfilling the words of Sri Rama; and destroying further transmigration. Tyagaraja was initiated into Sanyasa before he died, in accordance with a tradition and practice largely in vogue at that period. A rare printed biography of the master in Tamil by a disciple of the Sishya Parampara informs us that he assumed the appropriate name of 'Nadha Brahmananda', as a Sanyasi.He Left thisWorl on Vaikunta Ekadasi.
Nannu paalimpa - BackGround
His disciple WalajapeT Tai Vekataramana Bhaagavatar brought a picture of Raama, walking all the way from WalajapeTTai to Tiruvaiyaar. Tyagaraaja sang "Nannu paalimpa," (You Brought Me Up)overwhelmed by this act.
Sage Haridas
Once a sage named Haridas asked him to recite the name of Raama 960 million times. which he also faithfully carried out in 21 years with rigorous chanting of 1,25,000 Namas every day.
After doing so, Tyaagaraaja went to offer his prayer when he heard a knock on his door. Raama, Seeta, and Hanumaan were entering his prayer room and he was blessed to see the coronation of Raama. Moved with wonder and devotion, he sang "Baalakanagamaya" (the anupallavi of the kritis "Ela nee dayaraadhu" and "Bhavanuta").
https://www.google.com/search?q=tyagaraja+96+crore
https://www.google.com/search?q=tyagaraja+96+crore
Nidhi Chala Sukhama - Background
Intensely pleased with Tyagaraja's song, Sonti Venkataramanayya told the king about the genius of Tyagaraja. The king sent an invitation, accompanied as was traditional with many rich gifts, to Thyagaraja, inviting him to grace the royal court. To the unworldly Tyagaraja, the prospect of wealth or fame was no incentive; he clearly had no inclination for a career life at court, which doubtless in that age, as in every other, entailed petty rivalries and jealousies. He rejected the kings invitation outright, composing another gem of a kriti, Nidhi Chala Sukhama (Does Wealth Give Immense Pleasure)on this occasion.The king realized his mistake and visited the saint-composer, who cured him of stomachache he was suffering from.
Angered at his rejection of the royal offer, Tyagaraja's brother took revenge by throwing his idols of Rama Pattabhisheka in the adjacent River Cauvery. Tyagaraja, unable to bear the separation with his Lord, made a pilgrimage to all the major temples in South India and composed many more songs in praise of those temple deities. He is said to have finally found the idols with the help of Rama himself.
Angered at his rejection of the royal offer, Tyagaraja's brother took revenge by throwing his idols of Rama Pattabhisheka in the adjacent River Cauvery. Tyagaraja, unable to bear the separation with his Lord, made a pilgrimage to all the major temples in South India and composed many more songs in praise of those temple deities. He is said to have finally found the idols with the help of Rama himself.
Nidhi Chala Sukhama - Background
Intensely pleased with Tyagaraja's song, Sonti Venkataramanayya told the king about the genius of Tyagaraja. The king sent an invitation, accompanied as was traditional with many rich gifts, to Thyagaraja, inviting him to grace the royal court. To the unworldly Tyagaraja, the prospect of wealth or fame was no incentive; he clearly had no inclination for a career life at court, which doubtless in that age, as in every other, entailed petty rivalries and jealousies. He rejected the kings invitation outright, composing another gem of a kriti, Nidhi Chala Sukhama (Does Wealth Give Immense Pleasure)on this occasion.The king realized his mistake and visited the saint-composer, who cured him of stomachache he was suffering from.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Spiritual Family / Kirti
Tyagaraja intimately feels that
- Sita and Rama are his parents,
- Anjaneya Lakshmana and others are his brothers,
- and all his devotees are his relatives.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Biography
Some disciples also took the trouble of documenting Tyagaraja’s life. The first two biographies were written by the father and son duo, Venkataramana Bhagavathar, and Krishnaswami Bhagavathar of Walajapet. Venkataramana Bhagavthar was born in 1781 and spent many years with Tyagaraja. He died in 1874. His son Krishnaswami was born in 1824, and he too spent some years with Tyagaraja. Both the father and the son wrote their biographical texts in Telugu, and all other accounts that were published subsequently have naturally relied a lot on these basic texts.
http://www.carnaticcorner.com/articles/walajapet.html
http://media.radiosai.org/Journals/Vol_04/01JAN06/tyagaraja.htm
http://www.carnaticcorner.com/articles/walajapet.html
Professor William J Jackson on Tyagaraja
Material for this article has been gathered from many sources, an important one being the wonderful book entitled Tyagaraja – Life and Lyrics by Professor William J Jackson, Professor of Religious Studies in Indiana University. Jackson’s book is a typical professional treatise, and it is amazing how detailed a study he has made of Tyagaraja, his music and his times. It is interesting to know that Jackson met Swami in 1970, learnt Telugu, was inspired by Swami’s Bhajans and from then on went to discover Tyagaraja. This is how he puts it:
Listening in 1971 to Sri Sathya Sai Baba, a great speaker of Telugu, inspired me to study this mellisonant tongue. Just as Italian has been favoured for librettos and is used for musical terminology by composers, Telugu, of all the South Indian languages, has been chosen by lyricists and musicologists of the South.
My spiritual guide, Sir Sathya Sai Baba, a great singer who has a unique far-reaching voice and who is the real Raja of Tyaga, - exemplar of renunciation – helped me find the confidence to reach for new possibilities and the patience to work until reaching completion. When I first encountered him in 1970, I knew nothing of India; he taught my wife and me many bhajans, and showed us the way to silence.
Remarks on Tyagaraja’s musical heritage, the famous Pancharatna Kritis, and the Aradhana festival are made separately.
Three Schools of Tyagaraja
During his life, Tyagaraja attracted many students and to each he imparted a “corpus of his compositions according to the student’s voice-quality and musical equipment”. It is to these students and in particular to three branches that we owe the legacy we now have. The three branches, or schools that emerged are those associated with the places Umayalpuram, Tillaistanam, and Walajapet.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Tirupati
Invitations from his disciples and admirers took Thyagaraja on a pilgrimage to Tirupati, but when he went to the temple, it was closed. In sadness, he sang "Teratiyagaraadaa"and the temple officials gathered round in admiration when they saw the dorr opening by itself and the screen falling aside. He sang "VenkaTEsha ninu sEvimpa"in his happiness at seeing the Lord.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)