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[Editor's
Note: Sangita Kala Acharya Sri. T. S. Parthasarathy, eminent
musicologist, researcher and writer is one of the senior most scholars in
the field of Music and related arts. He was also the Secretary of the
Music Academy, Chennai for many years. He is a source of guidance to all
musicians and a respected authority on music theory and history. Carnatica
is deeply honored to have his permission to reproduce a selection of his
scholarly articles on Music and Dance published over the years in various
journals]
There
is perhaps no other classic in the vast religious literature of India that
has the same hold upon popular imagination as the Ramayana. While the
Sanskrit original of Valmiki stands in a class by itself as an ‘epic-pareil’,
poets in the other Indian languages appear to have vied with each other in
exploring the rich fields of the ‘Adi Kavi’, to return there from laden
with a plentiful harvest of the best and noblest thoughts in literature.
Several poets in Indian languages like Kambar (Tamil), Kumara Valmiki
(Kannada), Krittivasa (Bengali), Ezhuttachan (Malayalam) and Bhanu Bhakt
Acharya (Nepali) became Mahakavis by writing their own versions of the
Ramayana. There are Buddhist and Jain versions of the epic and a recent
survey made by a Sanskrit scholar showed that nearly 300 poets in India
have drawn upon the Ramayana theme for writing Kavyas, plays, champus,
poems and prose works.
Tyagaraja’s Ramayana Background
Early in
life, Tyagaraja came into contact with the literary beauties and philosophical
teachings of the Valmiki Ramayana. A copy of his horoscope contains a remark
that his father, Rama Brahmam, was an expert in expounding the Ramayana
(Ramayana prasanga nipunulu). His proficiency had been recognized by ruler
Tuljaji. According to the Walajapet version of Tyagaraja’s life, Rama Brahmam
had initiation into the Rama Taraka Mantra from the head of Marudanallur Math
and he in turn, gave initiation to Tyagaraja after the latter was invested
with the holy thread. The same account also mentions that while yet a boy,
Tyagaraja received a further initiation into the ‘Shadaskhari’ (Six-lettered)
mantra of Rama from a saint called Ramakrishnananda (whom Tyagaraja salutes by
a verse in “Nowka Charitram”). Nevertheless, Tyagaraja had soaked himself in
the inspiration of the Ramayana early in his life and was a confirmed devotee
of Rama, owing allegiance to no other Godhead, when he embarked on his mission
as a music composer.
Tyagaraja
has not composed any single work which can be called his Ramayana but dozens
of his kritis contain references to incidents in Ramayana from the Bala Kanda
to the Yudha Kanda. He is stated to have composed a music drama called
‘Sitarama Vijayam’ based on the Uttara Kanda but no copy of it is traceable
now. The other two operas of his viz. ‘Prahlada Bhakti Vijayam’ and ‘Nowka
Charitram’ are on non-Ramayana themes. From his kriti ‘E Paniko
(Asaveri) it is clear that he decided to sing the praises of Rama on the lines
of Valmiki and other poets. In this song he asks Rama ‘are you wondering why I
have taken this birth in this world? This should be known to you by now,
Valmiki and others have sung your praises, but will that quench my thirst?”
Tyagaraja appears to have studied other versions of the epic like the Adhyatma
Ramayana; Sangraha Ramayana, etc. He has taken some ideas from them for
introduction in his kritis.
Rama
the Supreme Lord
It is
possible to arrange the kritis of Tyagaraja dealing with incidents from the
Ramayana in the order of the Kandas. But before doing so, one should remember
that Tyagaraja does not deal with Rama as an incarnation of Vishnu who walked
this earth for re-establishing Dhrama; but as the Eternal, Supreme Lord of the
universe whose name was current even before the incarnation of Rama. The
spiritual initiation he received early in life from Ramakrishnananda led a
unitive experience that lodged itself firmly at the very core of his being. In
‘Vadera’ (Pantuvarali) he exclaims: ‘ This Rama of the solar race, the consort
of Sita ,is none else than the same Supreme Being whose name Lord Siva
whispered into the ears of the mortals for getting them eternal salvation’,
His query in the kriti ‘Itara Daivamulu (Surati) ‘Can I get any good out of
the other gods? Rama’ might even smack of his slighting the other Gods of the
Hindu Pantheon. But Tyagaraja’s faith that Rama was the Para Brahman, above
the functional trio. Brahma, Vishnu and Siva, was unshakable and he has
affirmed this in many kritis like ‘Enduni’ (Durbar) and ‘Manasa Sri (Isamanohari).
Bala
Kanda
Yet in
his kritis he deals with the many incidents in the Valmiki and other Ramayanas
as they are found and often gives a refreshingly new and original twist to
them. Posing the question why he was born in this mortal world, he asks, in
the kriti ‘Elavatara’ (Mukhari): Was it for waging battles with the demons or
for ruling Ayodhya? Was it for meeting Thy devotees or for saving the poor,
suffering mortals of this world? Or was it for the blessing this Tyagaraja who
has composed hundreds of songs in Thy praise in a variety of ragas?”
In
‘Srirama Jayarama’ (yadhukulakambhoji) he sings that he is jealous of Kousalya
who ‘could imprint a kiss on the shining cheeks of Rama as a child’ and of
Dasaratha’ who could call him affectionately as Rama, my son’. But the
luckiest of them all was Viswamitra who had the unique privilege of gloating (uppongu)
over the fact that the Lord himself walked behind him! In the Puranas,
Visawamitra is well known for performing severe penance and then losing all
power in the end for some trifling reason. Tyagaraja avers that this time
Viswamitra’s penance was rewarding. In Valmiki, Viswamitra specially asks
Dasaratha to send him his “heroic eldest son with side-locks on his temples (Kakapaksha
dharma suram jyestam),the idea must have caught Tyagaraja’s imagination and in
his sparkling kriti ‘Alakalalla”(Madhamavati) he wonders ‘How did the Royal
Sage (Viswamitra) rejoice seeing Rama’s locks wave from side to side when he
killed Maricha and later broke Siva’s mighty bow at a mere signal from
Viswamitra’s eyes?”
The
Ahalya incident is cited in several kriti’s as an example of the efficiency of
a contact with Ram’s feet. “Sri Ramapadama” (Amrutavarshini) and “Nee pada
pankaja” (Begada) interpret the incident in different ways. After the arrival
of Rama in Mithila, Tyagaraja in kriti ‘Daya Seyavayya’ (Yadukulakhambhoji)
introduces an imaginary scene in which Sita sees Rama walking in the street
below her window with Viswamitra and Lakshmana and wonders whether this
youngish looking prince can bend the formidable bow of Siva which had defied
mighty heroes in the past. This is comparable to a similar imaginary scene in
Arunachala Kavi’s ‘Rama Natakam ‘ in which Rama observes Sita in her place and
sings the song “Aaro ivar Aro “ (Bhairavi). Tyagaraja marvels at Janaka’s luck
in being able to wash Rama’s feet with milk and giving his daughter Sita as
Rama’s consort.
Ayodhya Kanda
In
Valmiki Ramayana the Ayodhya Kanda opens with King Dasaratha’s preparations
to have Rama crowned as the ‘Yuvaraja’ and their ultimate failure due to the
machinations of Kaikeyi “of what avail is human Ingenuity?” asks Tyagaraja
in the kriti ‘ Manasa Manasamarthyamu’(Vardhini) “The lord rides the chariot
called this Universe and gets things done or undone. “Vasistha and others (All
adepts in astrology) fixed the date for Rama’s coronation but the Lord cast
his magic net on Kaikeyi and foiled the attempt.”
The kriti
‘Chinna Nade’ (Kalanidhi) fits in excellently as Sita’s request to Rama to
take her along to the forest. Rama does not yield at first and relents only
after a sharp rebuke from her.” Alas! My father has managed to get, as his
son-in-law a woman in the garb of a man” (Jamataram prapya striyam purusha
vigraham).In the kriti ‘Ramachandra ni daya’ (surati) Tyagaraja refers to this
incident and asks Rama,”Are you angry with me because Sita called you a woman
that day? (Adadanna rosamo)”.
In the
forest, Rama sets up a temporary camp at Chitrakuta where the Kakasura
incident takes place. Tyagaraja refers to Kakasura in no less than five kritis
as an example of Rama’s unbounded mercy which saves even an offender from
punishment.” All the gods trembled at the very mention of Rama’s arrow chasing
the Kakasura and advised him to seek refuge in Rama himself” he says in
‘Saranu saranu” (Madyamavati). “The bit of straw that Rama released on the
crow became a Brahmastra (‘Srikanta’-Bhavapriya) but in the end took only one
of his eyes as a token of punishment. (E Ramuni-Vakulabharanam).
Tyagaraja
sums up the Paduka incident in a very attractive kriti’Sandehamu’ (Ramapriva).”Pray
clear this doubt Rama!” asks he “Are thy feet in Vaikuntha revered by Nanda
and others, superior or Thy sandals which Bharata worshipped at Nandigrama?”
Tyagaraja’s conclusion in that the latter are superior because”When the sages
meditated on Thy domain. But Thy sandals worshipped by Bharata gave thee to
this world”.
Aranya
Kanda
Rama
later moves into Dandakaranya and spends ten out of his self-imposed
banishment there in response to the prayer made by the sages to quell the
demons harassing them. Did he suffer the rigours of jungle life? Tyagaraja’s
answer is ‘No’ and he gives the credit for it to Sita in the kriti
‘Sariyevvare’ (Sriranjani), a magnificent tribute to her. “Who is your equal
in your devotion to your husband? Realizing that Rama would face privations in
the jungle, you provided him with royal comforts wherever he moved”.
Some
kritis refer to the killing of Khara, Viradha, etc. and then the Surpanaka
incident, In ‘Adigi Sukhamu’ (Madhyamavati) full of witty sarcasm, he asks”
Who-ever got any good by approaching you? Surpanaka asked for your love and
lost her nose instead.”
After
Sita’s abduction by Ravana, the brothers Rama and Lakshmana go in search of
her and in course of time they encounter Sabari on the banks of the Pampa
river. In one of the most moving pieces composed by him ‘Entani ne’ (Mukhari),
which defies the translator’s art, Tyagaraja pays his homage to the woman from
the hunter clan”whose good fortune surpassed that of many wives of the sages
of the forest. She had the unique privilege of feasting her eyes on the divine
form of the Lord, offering him the sweet fruits she had collected, worshipping
his feet to her heart’s content and attaining freedom from the cycle of births
and deaths.
Read Part II
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