Mysore Vasudevacharya - (1865-1961) Biography and Complete Works

Biography

Mysore Vasudevachar is perhaps the most important carntic composer of the 20th century

Vasudevachar was born in Mysore on 28th May, 1965. He was trained in Sanskrit by his maternal grand father after the early demise of his father. His intial musical training was from Veena Padmanabhayya of Mysore, but his musical lineage can be traced to Saint Tyagaraja through Manambuchavadi Venkatasubbayyar and Patnam Subramania Iyer. As a teenager, his fame reached the Maharaja of Mysore, who had him sent to Tiruvayyar to learn music under Patnam Subramanya Iyer. He learned music there and then returned to Mysore and was appointed astaana vidwan athe royal court. Towards the end of his life, he was invited by Rukmini Arundale to teach at Kalakshetra and came to Madras. Eventually he became the principal of the school of arts. His contemporaries at Kalakshetra included Tiger Varadachariar, Veena Krishnamachariar and Mazhavaraya-nendal Subbarama Bhagavatar.
He has more than 200 compositionsand published 150 himself, and now 140 are included in a set a set of 21 cassettes. His compositions include pada varnams, taana varnams, kritis, javalis, tillanas and ragamalikas, and he composed in both chaste Telugu and Sanskrit. He used common ragas and popularized ragas like abheri, behaag, and khamas (using kaakali Ni unlike Tyagaraja) with his famous compositions, but he also used unusual ragas like megharanjani, sunaadavinodini, pushpalatika, and sudda saalavi. His compositions were set in various talas. He is well known for the citta swaras he composed for his kritis. Mr.Ashok Madhav relates:
Around 1930's, Maharajapuram Vishwanatha Iyer rendered Vasudevacharya's kriti- 'Brochevarevarura' in Khamas with much polish in his concert. Vasudevacharya, who happened to be at the concert remarked to Vishwanatha Iyer "My composition like a simple girl was metamorphosed into a beautiful damsel. That is how well you beautified the composition with your embellishments". After a long and fruitful life he breathed his last in 17th May, 1961 at the age of 96.

Genre Carnatic: Krithi, Varna

Languages used: Telugu, Sanskrit, Kannada

Mudra: Vasudeva

Compositions:

Abhimanamutho Shanmukhapriya Triputa Krithi

Bala gopalam Bhairavi Adi Krithi

Bhaja manasa Mandari Misra Chapu Krithi

Bhaja manasa Saraswati Sankarabharanam Adi Krithi

Bhajana Seyarada Dharmavathi Rupaka Krithi

Bhajare re manasa Abheri Adi Krithi

Bhavayacham Hindusthani Behag Adi Krithi

Bhavayachyutham Purvikalyani Adi Krithi

Brocheva re varura Khamas Adi Krithi

Brovarada Sri Varunapriya Adi Krithi

Chintayesham Mayamalavagaula Rupaka Krithi

Dayaleka brathiki Sriranjini Adi Krithi

Dayalelemi Rama Simhendramadhyamam Adi Krithi

Deavaki Tanaya Vasudeva Pushpalatika Rupaka Krithi

Devadi deva Sunadavinodini Adi Krithi

Devi Rammame Vasantha Adi Krithi

Devikamalalaye Garudadhwani Adi Krithi

Enda nirdaya Latangi Triputa Krithi

Enta ninne varnimte Nattakurinji Triputa Krithi

Girija Ramana Gambhiranatta Adi Krithi

Guru Raghavendran Kambhoji Adi Krithi

Gurukripaleka Pushpalatika Rupaka Krithi

Hare paripahi Kedaram Adi Krithi

Idi niku nyayama Gamanasrama Misra Chapu Krithi

Idi Samayamu Natakapriya Rupaka Krithi

Indraparakelanayya Khamas Rupaka Krithi

Janardhanam Chakravakam Triputa Krithi

Kailasapathe Mecha Kalyani Adi Krithi

Kalaye Mama hridaye Hindustani Kapi Triputa Krithi

Kalinaruluku ni Mayamalavagaula Adi Krithi

Kanikaramuto Mecha Kalyani Adi Krithi

Karunapayonidhe Surutti Adi Krithi

Karunichi nannu Navarasa Kannada Rupaka Krithi

Karuninchu brovarada Bangala Adi Krithi

Kripathonu nannu Harikamboji Adi Krithi

Kurume kusulam Kamalamanohari Adi Krithi

Lambodaram Kambhoji Rupaka Krithi

Mahatmule ne telliya Rishabhapriya Adi Krithi

Mama hridaye Ritigaula Adi Krithi

Mamava mridajaye Vasantha Adi Krithi

Mamavasu Govinda Sama Rupaka Krithi

Manasa vachasa Begada Adi Krithi

Marachithivemo nannu Purvikalyani Rupaka Krithi

Marimari ahambahye Kambhoji Adi Krithi

Na chai vidaivakura Nattakurinji Rupaka Krithi

Namami vidyathnakara Dhanyasi Adi Krithi

Namosthuthe Mecha Kalyani Adi Krithi

Nannu brova pada Madhyamavathi Adi Krithi

Narayanam namata HanumaThodi Adi Krithi

Neekabhimanamu Kokilapriya Adi Krithi

Neekenduku dayaradu Simhendramadhyamam Adi Krithi

Nera mammithi Chakravakam Adi Krithi

Ni padamule Sarasangi Adi Krithi

Ni padamulu Nayaki Triputa Krithi

Nikeladayaradhu Kathanakuthuhalam Adi Krithi

Nimishamaina Srirama Sama Adi Krithi

Ninne nammithi Simhendramadhyamam Misra Chapu Krithi

Ninne nera nammini Bhairavi Rupaka Krithi

Ninne Saranamathi Dhenuka Adi Krithi

Ninnu nammuthu Nattakurinji Adi Krithi

Ninnu vinanannu Bhairavi Rupaka Krithi

Nive gatiyani Mecha Kalyani Adi Krithi

Pahi Krishna Hindusthani Behag Rupaka Krithi

Palayasu Padmanabha Hamsadhwani Rupaka Krithi

Palita bhuvana Bahudari Adi Krithi

Palu kavemina Devamanohari Adi Krithi

Para kelanayya Sama Adi Krithi

Paratpara Raghuvira HanumaThodi Adi Krithi

Pari pahi mam Dhanyasi Adi Krithi

Pari pahi mam Subhapanthuvarali Adi Krithi

Paripahi mam Kannada Adi Krithi

Paripahi mam Ramapriya Adi Krithi

Paripahimam Jaganmohini Adi Krithi

Parulanu vedine Nagasvaravali Adi Krithi

Pranamamayaham Gaula Adi Krithi

Pranamamyaham Ranjini Triputa Krithi

Pranamathasri Kaanada Adi Krithi

Pranatharthihara Chenchurutti Khanda Triputa Krithi

Prnamami Sri Keeravani Adi Krithi

Purushothama mam palava Saveri Adi Krithi

Rama nidaya Bhairavi Rupaka Krithi

Ramabhirama Madhyamavathi Adi Krithi

Ramam namamai Vakulabharanam Adi Krithi

Rara rajivalochana Mohana Adi Krithi

Rarayanipilichithe Kharaharapriya Adi Krithi

Samarakshana mam palaya Abhogi Rupaka Krithi

Sarada pahi mam Yadukulakambhoji Adi Krithi

Sive pahi Surutti Triputa Krithi

Sri Chamundeswari Bilahari Adi Krithi

Sri Harivallabha Udayaravichandrika Adi Krithi

Sri Mahalakshmi Paras Adi Krithi

Sri Purandara guruvaram Saraswati Manohari Adi Krithi

Sri Ramachandram Jhalavarali Adi Krithi

Sri Saraswathim Ataana Jhampa Krithi

Sri Vasudevasrikantha Devagandhari Rupaka Krithi

Srikarapahi Jayantasri Rupaka Krithi

Srikesava mam palaya Bhairavi Rupaka Krithi

Srivasudeva Ramapriya Rupaka Krithi

Taramu gadura Sahana Adi Krithi

Uramululosagi Sudha Saveri Adi Krithi

Vamanam anisam Nayaki Adi Krithi

Vanajakshi ninne Mandari Adi Krithi

Vande anisham Hamsadhwani Adi Krithi

Varalakshmi Gaurimanohari Rupaka Krithi

Vasudevam anaisham Kaanada Triputa Krithi

Venkateswara Yadava Megharanjini Adi Krithi

Mecha Kalyani Adi Tillana

Ragamalikas:

Asidhvi pravaraha kaschit muttusvami - Ragamalika/Adi

Asidhvi pravaraha kaschit shyama - Ragamalika/Adi

Ati vimala sugatram - Ragamalika/Tishra Dhruva

Omkara panjara - Ragamalika/Adi Shankara guruvara - ragamalika/Adi

Shri madhyadukula - Ragamalika/Mishra Mathya

Shri rama lakshmanaviva - Ragamalika/Adi

Shri ramachandra pada - Ragamalika/Adi

Shripatim brahma rudradi - Ragamalika/Adi

SADASIVA BRAHMENDRA (18th century)

The mystic saint that we want to talk about is Sadasiva-brahmendra. Regarding his time there is not enough evidence. It has to be some period of time between the middle of the sixteenth century and the middle of the eighteenth century. The reasons are as follows. The 57th pontiff of the Kanchi Kamakoti Mutt, namely Sri Paramasivendra Saraswathi (1538 –1586) had a pupil by name Ramanatha who later had a pupil by name Nallai Adhvari. This Adhvari acknowledges Sadasiva-brahmendra as his guru. A junior contemporary of Sri Paramasivendra saraswathi was Nilakanta-Dikshidar, grandson of the brother of the famous Advaita scholar-devotee Appayya Dikshidar (1520 – 1593). Appayya Dikshidar was a great scholar-teacher of advaita vedanta, hailing from Tamilnadu. He was the guiding spirit of a movement in which he organized the services of a large band of volunteers who could disseminate among the masses the philosophy of advaita and the worship of Lord Siva. Having mastered, at a very early age, all the knowledge available at the time in philosophy, rhetoric and literature, he wrote about a hundred works, of which only 60 are now extant, in philosophy, devotional poetry and literary and philsophical criticism. His poetical talent is transparent in all these works. He is said to have travelled widely, entering into philsophical disputations and controversies in many centres of learning, including Varanasi. He was so firm in his belief in advaita that he had no qualms in using his talent to the elucidation of other schools of thought like those of Vedanta-desikacharya of whom he was an admirer. His was a mighty intellect and he led a life of karma, bhakti and jnana, setting a model for posterity to follow.

This Nilakanta, the grandson of Appayya Dikshidar, was the chief minister of King Tirumalai-Nayak of Madurai. Nilakantha had a pupil Ramabhadra who had a pupil by name Venkatesa Dikshidar who later came to be known by the name Ayyaval of Tiruvisanallur. This Ayyaval and Sadasiva Brahmendra had been schoolmates. This much is known. On the other side we know that Sadasiva Brahmendra met the Tamil scholar-poet-devotee-philosopher Tayumanavar (1705 – 1742?) in 1738 A.D. Raghunatha Raya Tondaiman (Rajah of Pudukkottai) (1730-1769) subscribes to this meeting. These are the major factors for scholars coming to the almost unbelievable conclusion that Sadasiva perhaps lived for nearly 200 years. But if we know what kind of mystic and knower of brahman he was, we tend to feel that the improbable could have been possible. The Upanishadic maxim: brahmavid brahmaiva bhavati ( meaning, the knower of brahman is brahman), really applies to Sadasiva Brahmendra. It is only in mythology we come across such a brahma-vit - examples are: boy-sage Suka, and Sage jaDa-bharata - but in our own historical world, such examples are rarest of the rare. Sadasiva Brahmendra is one such.

Growing up in a village on the banks of the Cauvery in Tamilnadu, Sadasiva was a most gifted student, much given to arguing and debating. After an early marriage and a spark of revelation on the day of his wife’s reaching puberty he renounced the world and performed a strenuous sAdhanA for eighteen years. One day he was taunted by his guru for his talkativeness. On that day he took a vow of silence and he kept it up for the rest of his life which he spent as a wandering naked (avadhUta) sannyasi. The songs he composed during the period of his discipleship are still very popular. In his wanderings, of which we have no complete record, he is said to have performed many miracles which were just an overflowing of the compassion he had for all humanity. He was one of the greatest of siddhas. His mind was always immersed in the Absolute brahman. His name is part of the folk-lore in all of South India. His major work is brahma-sUtra-vRtti, which is a scholarly but lucid commentary on the brahma-sUtras. He has thirteen other works to his credit - such as, yoga-sUtra-vRtti, also called yoga-sudhAkaram; jagad-guru-ratna-mAlotsava, a history of Kanchi Kamakoti mutt in 87 verses; advaita rasa-manjari in 45 verses; and others. His Atma-vidyA-vilAsam is a composition in 62 verses together forming a spiritual autobiography. The verses describe how a knower of brahman would behave and as far as the folklore and all the stories about Sadasiva-brahmendra go, the description fits him most suitably. He may be rightly called the Saintly Perfection of the Impersonal absolute.

Fully engrossed in the enjoyment of his own bliss, he remains in another world as it were; and as strikes his fancy, here he is engaged in thought, there he is singing and there he is dancing. Verse No.21

The sage shines supreme, silent and placid, with the ground under the tree as his resting place and with his palm as the begging bowl, wearing no clothes but only the jewel of non-attachment Verse No.35

Having dissolved the entire world (by right knowledge) and being under the power of the all-embracing substratum that survives such dissolution, he puts into his mouth by force of prArabdha-karma, the handful of food which comes to him Verse No.40

The yogi sees nothing, speaks nothing and hears nothing that is spoken. He remains steadfast in the incomparable region of bliss, immovable like a log of wood. Verse No.44

The great renouncer who knows the Truth of all the vedas wanders like an ignorant fool un-noticed, devoid of all sense of difference and seeing only Perfection everywhere and in all creatures. Verse No. 45

Embracing the Lady Equanimity and having been overpowered by Bliss he sleeps with his head for a pillow, with nothing for cover and with the bare ground for a bedding. Verse No.46

The sage rejects nothing considering it bad; nor does he accept anything, considering it good. Knowing that everything is the result of Ignorance, he remains unattached. Verse No.50

He does not think at all of what is past, nor does he care in his mind about the future. He does not even care who is in front of him, for He is the One Perfect Bliss in everything. Verse No.51

The king of renouncers rests alone, rooted in Self and enjoying the Inner Bliss; he rejects nothing that comes to him and never desires what does not come to him. Verse No.53

The great ascetic transcends the rules of caste and status shaking off from him the injunctions and prohibitions of the scriptures and he remains merely the perfect Knowledge-Bliss. Verse No.57

This was exactly how he himself lived. So it is very difficult to get any historical help from stories about him. He was such a mystic that any story could have fitted him. To sift fact from fancy is utterly impossible. However a few miracle-stories that have been catalogued by no less a person than the famous Sankaracharya of Sringeri himself may be cited, because we may trust the yogic capabilities of the Swami who must have had his own reasons to list them in the only written biography, composed by him, that we have of Sadasiva Brahmendra. Believe them or not, here are the stories.

On the river banks of the Cauvery in Mahadanapuram in Tiruchy District he was seen by a few kids. They requested him to take them to the religious fairs in Madurai, that time being the solar month of Leo when the Madurai temple has usually an annual festival. The sage perhaps felt an overflow of compassion for them. He asked them to close their eyes and in no time they were in Madurai (more than 100 miles away); they had their darsan of the Lord and the Goddess there, they feasted at the festivities and in due time before it was night they were back in Mahadanapuram on the same banks of the Cauvery. The parents of the children would not believe the stories but their graphic description of the Madurai festivities right to the last detail baffled them. They ran to the Cauvery banks to look for the sage but he was not there.

On the river bed of Kodumudi river Sadasiva Brahmendra was sitting in trance on the sands. Suddenly water flowed down the river in a flood and the river was flooded for the next few months. Spectators saw water submerge him as he was still sitting in his trance. He was given up as drowned. But three months later when the floods subsided he was still there in the same trance posture; he just rose up and walked away.

It was harvest season. He was seen ‘carelessly’ crossing the haystacks which have been piled up on the paddyfield. The warnings given to him to avoid the haystacks went unheeded. One of the men around raised his hatchet to hit him. But lo! the raised hand stayed right there. The sage was walking along as if nothing had happened. The rest of the spectators ran to him and pleaded that he save the man who had raised his hand to hit him. The sage looked back and the hand came down. The sage walked away.

Long after all these happened when almost people had forgotten the memories of his wandering in their lands, once the naked sannyasi was seen walking right through a muslim harem of a Nawab. As a brahma-jnani who sees nothing but brahman everywhere, he would not distinguish between the different human figures which cross his path nor would he be distracted by the sights or noises that his environment may present to him. It was in this state of trance that he was walking along. He, the naked sannyasi, walked straight into the harem, entering it at one end and walking out at the other all the while walking through a maze of inmates of the Nawab’s harem. The news reached the nawab, he had his men chase him, they cut off both his hands as he was walking along, the hands fell off and … still he was walking along silently as if nothing had happened. The nawab got scared, picked up the hands that had been severed, ran to the Sage and offered them in total remorse. The sage stopped his walking, the severed hands were restored to their place, the hands became normal and the sage walked away! There was no conversation.

It was Venkatesa AyyavaL, his classmate of old times, that broke his silence, maybe once or twice. During his discipleship days Sadasiva used to sing bhajans in a sweet voice. AyyavaL reminded him of those good old days and implored him to sing again for the benefit of the people who would certainly enjoy listening to his songs. Then came some wonderful songs, all of them having the theme of ‘The Experience of the Bliss of remaining in the Absolute brahman’ – brahmA-nubhavaM, brahma-saMsparzaM, brAhmI-sthiti as it is variously called in the Gita and elsewhere. Sadasiva-brahmendra’s songs are so delightfully full of this blissful divine experience that they are even now constantly rendered by musicians in concerts and public gatherings for a spiritual purpose; and when they are so rendered, no one will miss the elevating moods that they generate - even in those who do not understand the language, Sanskrit, in which it has been composed by the saint.

Musical Background:
His musical background is not known clearly. However, he was a great scholar who initially studied under Ramabhadra Dikshitar and later under the Sankaracharya of Kanchipuram. Region: He was born in Tiruvisainallur, near Kumbakonam, Tamilnadu.

Contribution: He wrote several devotional songs, which have a simple beauty that makes them appealing. His other works include Brahma Sutra Vruddhi, Atma Vidya Vilasam and Siva Manasika Puja keertanas.

Theme: His compositions contain high philosophical ideas, in addition to being devotional.

Language used: Sanskrit.

Signature: He used the mudras Paramahamsa or Hamsa.

Popular Compositions: Bhajare Gopalam (Hindolam), Pibare ramarasam (Yamankalyani), Bhajare Yadu Natham (Peelu) and so on.

Compositions :

manasa samchara re , brahmani manasa samchara re … (Hey mind, dwell on brahman … )

sarvam brahma-mayam, re re sarvam brahma-mayam … (Everything is brahman to the brim … )

khelati mama hrudaye rama … (Rama is sporting in my mind … )

piba re rama-rasam … (Drink the nectar of rAma, hey …. )

bruhi mukundeti … (Recite mukunda, speak of Him … )

cintha nasti kila … (they have no worries, …. )

are all very famous and each one of them is a capsule of the bliss of brahman that Sadasiva had enough to spare for others.

Appayya Dikshidar wrote siddhAnta-leSa-sangraha, which is the first reading for all students of advaita from his time It contains all the different dialectic thinking under one presentation in prose. But it is however a very elaborate book. Sadasiva Brahmendra epitomised this book in verse form in 212 verses and called it siddhAnta-kalpa-valli. This again became a little too much for readers. In the 20th century, Vasudeva brahmendra (who attained siddhi in 1931 A.D. and who was also a direct disciplic descendent of the famous Upanishad-brahma-yogin of the 18th century who wrote the commentaries for all the 108 upanishads) wrote a concise summary of the whole thing in prose, entitled SAstra-siddhanta-leSa-tAtparya-sangrahaH. Incidentally it is this Vasudeva-Brahmendra who was the guru of R. Visvanatha Sastri (1882-1956), the father and guru of this author. Humble prostrations to the Guru-paramparA.

BHADRACHALA RAMADAS (1620 - 1688)

Biography

Bhadrachala Ramadas - Popularly known as Bhakta Ramadas, he was born Gopanna to Linganna Mantri (a surname he kept as a result of one of his forebears being a minister at the court of a king) & Kadamba (sister of Madanna, a brahmin minister to TaniShah), in 1620 in Nelakondapalli, a small village in Khammam district, Andhra Pradesh. Since childhood, he imbibed his family's interest in spirituality and composed several keertanas on Raama. His devotion to Vaikunta Rama at the temple at Bhadrachalam, a small village in the middle of the jungle on the northern banks of the holy river Godhavary, earned him his name Bhadrachala Raamadaas. His guru was Raghunatha Bhattacharya.
During the reign of Abdul Hasan Tana Shah,(the nawab of the Qutub Shahi Dynasty at Golconda), Ramadas (Gopanna), thanks to his uncle Madanna, was appointed as a Tahsildar at Bhadrachalam, a pretty and picturesquely situated temple town on the Godavari river. Ramadas was always distracted and his intense love for Lord Rama compelled him to build a temple at Bhadrachalam. He collected money for the construction from the citizens, but didn't have enough. So he borrowed from the tax revenue of the nawab and gave his god a worthy abode, vowing to return the money. The nawab was furious and sentenced Ramadas to 12 years in prison. Raamadaas thus earned the name Bandekhana Raamadaas. Frustated at god's indifference to his pleadings, Ramadas composed some of the finest keertanas in his prison cell (reminding Raama of his services in Ishvaku Kula Tilaka).
It is said that Raama & Lakshmana in the guise of two youngsters paid up his dues and got his release papers. The golden coins paid by Raama are known as Ram Tanka coins .They can be seen even today. These coins have the Pattabhishekam scene on one side and the picture of another Rama Bhaktha, Hanuman, on the other side. The nawab was moved and recognized the greatness of Raamadaas and released him immediately and gave him land around Bhadraacalam to continue his dedicated service to Bhadrachala Raamamoorty. Raamadaas spent the rest of his life on these lands and composed further moving poems that were to inspire Tyagaraja: in ksheera saagara sayana in devagaandhaari, he says "Dhirudau Ramadasuni Bandhamu dirchinadi Vinnanura Rama?" (O Rama! I have heard how You obtained the release of the bold Ramadas from his prison life) ; in brindaavanalola in thodi, in kaligiyunde gada in keeravaani, in Emi dova balkuma in saaranga and in Prahlaada Bhakti Vijayam he says "kaliyugamuna vara bhadra calamuna nelakonna raamacandruni pada bhaktula kella varudanandagi velasina shree raamadaasu vinutintu madin" (I praise Sri Raamadaas, who shines in this world as the supreme devotee of Sri Raamacandra, who shines forth from his seat at Bhadraacalam in this kali Yuga).

Background: Named Gopanna by his parents Linganna and Kamalamba, he became known as Ramadas (Das meaning servant or slave), because of his deep devotion to Lord Rama.

Region: He belonged to Nalakondapalli, a small village Andhra Pradesh.

Mudra: Bhadraadivaasa, Ramadas

Contribution: He composed in the keertana form (the precursor to the Kriti form) and his songs contain multiple Charanams. Tyagaraja seems to have been a great admirer of Ramadasa’s devotion to Rama and praises him in a few of his compositions. His language is very simple and music very pleasing. His works include Manache Sloka, Dasabodha and Sundara Kandam of Ramayana.

Theme: The theme was predominantly devotion.

Languages used: Mostly Telugu and occasionally Sanskrit.

Signature: He used several mudras like Bhadrachala, Bhadradri or Bhadragiri.

Popular Compositions: Emayyarama (Kambhoji), Rama dayajudave (Dhanyasi), Paluke bangara mayena (Anandabhairavi), Nannubrovu (Kalyani) etc. Other compositions are positive invocations, favored by traveling minstrels, including the Tondaiman rulers of Pudukottai in Tamil Nadu, who popularized his songs. Among his other accomplishments is the creation of the whole Ramayana story in the form of a prose-poem, a Choornika. Ramadas described himself in this way in the last verse of his Dasarathi Satakam: "Allana Linga Mantri Suthudu(son), Atreya Gothrudu, Adi Sakha , Kancherla Kulothbhavudu, Gopakavindrudu." Bhadraacala Raamadaas lived for 68 years.

Compositions:

alola tulasi - shankaraabharanam
adugu daati - mohanam
amma nannubrovave - saveri
antaa raamamayam - aananda bhairavi, kaamavardhani
bhajare shreeraamam - kalyani
caranamule nammiti - kapi
dasharatha raama - shankaraabharanam, kaapi
dheena dayaalo - bhairavi, kaapi
diname sudinamu - kaapi
E teeruga - naadanaamakriyaa
edanunnaado - naata kurinji
ee vela nannu - kamas
emayya raama - kaambhoji
ennagaanu raama bhajana - kamavardhani
ento mahaanubhaavudavu - shankaraabharanam
etiki dayaraaduraa - mukhaari
evaru dooshincinanemi - aananda bhairavi
garuDagamana raaraa - shurutti, kaamavardhani
hari hari raama raama - dhanyaasi
itaramu leruganayyaa - shankaraabharanam, naadanaamakriyaa
kaakutstha tilakudu - asaveri
kamalanayana vaasudeva - shenjurutti
mithilesha tanaya - kaambhoji
muchhataina naadavemiraa - huseni, naadanaamakriyaa
naa moraalakimpa - vasanta
narayana narayana - shankaraabharanam
nammina vaarini - dhanyaasi
nannu brovamani - kalyani
narahari deva - yaman kalyani
narulaara chedi - shankaraabharanam
O raama nee - yamunaa kalyani
O raghunandana - madyamavati
O raghuveera - kedara gowla
paahi maam raamaayante - yadukula kaambhoji
pahi raama prabho - madyamavati
paalayamaam shree - madyamaavati
paavana raama - dhanyaasi
paluke bangaara maayenaa - aananda bhairavi
raama daivashikhaamanee - thodi
raama raama bhadraacala - neelaambari, aahiri
raama raama raama - mukhaari
raama raama seetaaraama - aananda bhairavi
raama raama shreeraama - dhanyaasi
raama sudhaambudi - saveri, madyamavati
raamaa dayajoodave - dhanyaasi
raamaa naa manavi - aananda bhairavi, asaaveri
raamabhadra raaraa - shankaraabharanam
raamajogi mandu - vasanta, kamaas
raamakrsihna govinda - dhanyaasi
raaraa naavenna - kambhoji
rakshincamanu marokkeda - sahaanaa
seetaaraama seetaaraama - huseni
shree raama naamamu - naadanaamakriyaa
shree raamula - saveri
swaami nanu - shurutti
taraka mantramu - dhanyaasi
tagunayya dasharatha - shankaraabharanam

Shyama Shastri (1762-1827) - Biography and Complete Works

BIOGRAPHY

Shyama Shastri was the oldest of the Trinity of Carnatic music. He was a contemporary of the other two, Tyagaraja and Muthuswami Dikshitar, and was a personal friend of the former. He was born Venkatakrishna, in Tiruvarur (of Thanjavur district in Tamil Nadu) on April 26, 1762, into the scholarly and priestly Tamil Brahmin family of Viswanatha Iyer; a family not particularly interested in music. Though Shyama Shastri attained scholarship in Telugu and Sanskrit at a young age, he got no further than the elementary stages in music education, in spite of his melodious voice. When he was eighteen years old, his family moved to Tanjore.
Around then, his family got a chance to host a sanyasi (monk), sangitaswami, a master of dance and music, who was spending some four months in Tanjore. The sanyasi was quick to discover Shyama Shastri's keen intellect, melodious voice and musical talent and foresaw greatness in him. He obtained the father's consent to tutor the son in music and taught Shyama Shastri all aspects of raga, tala and swara prasthara-s. The teacher found that the student could absorb even the intricate details very quickly, all in a matter of four months or less. Sangitaswami presented Shyama Shastri with a few rare treatises on music and certified that the student had gained full knowledge on the theoretical aspects of music. He advised his student to seek the friendship of and listen to the music (but not learn anything from) one Pachimiriam Adiyappayya Ayya, a composer of the famous bhairavi ata tala varnam, viriboni, and a court musician in Tanjore. Shyama Shastri duly did as he was advised.
Over the years, Shyama Shastri became a well-known and respected musician, scholar and a composer. He was quite admired and respected by Tyagaraja and it appears that the two of them often held scholarly and lengthy discussions on their latest compositions. Shyama Shastri, like his father was the archaka (priest) in the Bangaru Kamakshi Temple in Tanjore. He was a very pious and genuine devotee of Goddess Kamakshi. He is believed to have lost consciousness of the outside world on several occasions as he prayed to the Goddess. On such occasions, he would sing his kriti-s extemporaneously. His father had the patronage of the Tanjore king. Hence, the family was financially comfortable.
Shyama Shastri had two sons, Panju Shastri and Subbaraya Shastri. The former became a priest and the latter was a versatile musician (and a disciple of Tyagaraja). Through Panju Shastri, the family tree grew and produced quite a few scholars. Shyama Shastri's great grandson was alive till the age of 94 and passed away only in 1950. Hence, many incidents of Shyama Shastri's life are known. He was reportedly a tall and a rather stout person with a fondness for betel leaves! Shyama Shastri, like Tyagaraja and Dikshitar, was well-versed in astrology. Like his great contemporaries, he too correctly predicted the time of his passing. He passed away on February 6, 1827, six days after, his devoted wife passed away.
Although he did not compose as many kriti-s as his two prolific contemporaries, Shyama Shastri's compositions are equally well known. It is said that he has composed about three hundred pieces in all. He did not have too many disciples to propagate his compositions, nor was the printing press an easy convenience during his time! More importantly, the scholarly nature of his compositions was not appealing to the layperson; they needed to be studied to be savoured. He composed in Telugu, Sanskrit and Tamil and mostly on Goddess Devi. He has composed kriti-s in, varnam-s and swarajati-s with the ankita/mudra (signature) 'Shyama Krishna'. He is said to be the architect of the swarajati musical form. His set of three famous swarajati-s is referred to as ratna trayam. These are in Bhairavi, Yadukulakambodhi and Todi.
Shyama Shastri's compositionsare usually in common raga-s, except for a few in raga-s such as Manji, Chintamani, Kalagada and Karnataka Kapi. His favourite raga-s seem to have been Saveri and Anandabhairavi, judging from the number of kriti-s composed in these raga-s. Anandabhairavi, an old raga that was frequently used in folk music, seemed to acquire a new stature after he composed masterpieces such as mariveregati, himachala tanaya, o jagadamba, pahi sri giriraja and even a couple of varnam-s in it. His rare originality was in swara sahitya compositions and the use of swarakshara. In other words, swara and sahitya having identical sounding syllables such as 'padasarara' corresponding to the swara-s pa da sa in the kriti, devi ni in Kambodhi. Though most of his compositions are on Goddess Kamakshi, he is said to have composed his navaratnamalika on Goddess Meenakshi of Madurai at the request of a person unknown to him. These include kriti-s such as saroja dala netri in Shankarabharanam, mayamma in Ahiri, meena lochana brova in Dhanyasi , etc. His Krithis usually have the pen-name ShyamaKrishna in the charanam of the song.
Shyama Shastri would perhaps stand out most for the "rhythmic beauties" employed in his kriti-s, such as the use of five-syllable words like sarasamukhi, varamosagu, kamalamukhi, etc. These correspond to the rhythmic phrase "ta dhin gi na thom". His kriti-s feature the abundant use of the misra chapu tala (4+3). He also features dual rhythms as in sankari samkuru in raga saveri, with the inherent rhythm of rupakam and a suggestive rhythm of adi tala. "Shyama Shastri had a rhythmical frame of mind and he was always swimming in the ethereal regions of rhythm and tala prasthara.

Musical Background: Syama Sastri did not come from a family of musicians, but was taught some music by his uncle. Despite being groomed to be a priest, he had plenty of interest and talent in music. He was taught by an ascetic, Sangeeta Swami, about the intricacies of raga and tala.

Region: Syama Sastri was born in Tiruvarur, Tanjavur district, but lived in Tanjavur. He did not travel much.

Contributions

Rhythmic aspects: Some of Syama Sastri’s songs are very rich in rhythmic conception. Though he composed in talas like
Adi, Triputa, Roopaka, etc., he specialised in Misra Chapu, where he not only used the normal pattern (3+4), but also
the reverse (4+3), called the Viloma Chapu. His use of different gatis like Tisra and Misra in his compositions show his
prowess in Laya. There is an interesting incident, which is a testimony to his strength in Laya. He was once challenged by Bobbili
Kesavayya to sing a Pallavi in Simhanandana tala (the longest tala with 128 beats per cycle). To everyone's amazement,
he not only sang it but also composed a new Pallavi in Sarabhanandana tala (79 beats per cycle).

Theme: His compositions were totally devotional in nature, mostly in praise of Goddess Kamakshi of Kanchipuram.

Languages used: Predominantly Telugu; a few in Sanskrit and Tamil.

Signature: Syama Sastri used the mudra, Syamakrishna.

Popular kritis: Kamakshi (Bhairavi), Himadrisute (Kalyani), Sankari Sankuru (Saveri) etc.

Compositions: Shyama Shastri is credited with about 300 songs, of which only about 60 - 70 are available today. He
composed a group of nine kritis known as Navaratnamalika (garland of nine gems) in praise of Goddess Meenakshi of
Madurai temple. He has composed three peerless Swarajatis, collectively known as the Ratnatrayam. He has also
composed a few Varnams, not to mention other compositions in rare ragas, like Chintamani (his own discovery),
Kalagada etc. His favourite raga seems to be Anandabhairavi, in which he has excelled himself.

Compositions Of Shyama Shastri (1762-1827)

These compositions are ordered by Ragam classified by mela. These are fllowed by the song title, specific janya ragam,
and the talam. If you are looking for a particular song in this massive list, I can offer you two suggestions: 1)Hit
CTRL+F or go to the edit menu and select find on your browser and enter the contexts you would like to search for

Melakartas

8. HanumatodiEmani Migula - Todi - Adi Karunanidhi Ilalo - Todi - Rupakam Ninne Namminanu - Todi - Mishra Capu Rave Himagiri Kumari (Svarajati) - Todi - Adi Mina Locana Brova - Dhanyasi - Mishra Capu Enneramum - Punnagavarali - Adi Kanaka Shaila Viharini - Punnagavarali - Adi Brova Samayamu - Punnagavarali - Adi

13. GayakapriyaParvati Ninnu Nera - Kalgada - Tishra Gati Adi

14. VakulabharanamMayammayani Ne - Ahiri - Adi

15. MayamalavagaulaTarunam Idamma - Gaulipantu - Adi Nannu Brovarada - Gaulipantu - Mishra Capu Purahara Jaye - Gaulipantu - Mishra Capu Dayajuda - Jaganmohini - Mishra Capu Kamaksi Karunakataksi - Pharaj - Triputa Triloka Mata Nannu - Pharaj - Mishra Capu Santatam Ennai Raksippai (Gitam) - Pharaj - Adi Nannu Brova - Vasanta - Eka Janani Natajana - Saveri - Adi Durusuga Krpa Juci - Saveri - Adi Sarasaksi (Gitam) - Saveri - Triputa Shahnkari Shamkuru Candramukhi - Saveri - Tishra Gati Adi Shri Patimukha Viracita - Saveri - Adi Rave Mayamma Bahngaru - Saveri - Adi Sarva Sakhi (Gitam) - Saveri - Triputa Nilayataksi - Saveri-Mayamalavagaula-Pharaj - Triputa

17. SuryakantamNannu Brovu Lalita - Lalita - Mishra (Viloma) Capu Namanavini (Varnam) - Saurastram - Caturashra Ata

20. NathabhairaviAdinamunihnci - Anandabhairavi - Triputa O Jagadamba - Anandabhairavi - Adi Pahi Shri Girirajasute - Anandabhairavi - Rupakam Marivere Gati - Anandabhairavi - Triputa Mahilo Amba - Anandabhairavi - Adi Samini Rammanave (Varnam) - Anandabhairavi - Ata Himacala Tanayu - Anandabhairavi - Viloma Capu Bahngaru Kamaksi - Anandabhairavi - Adi Ninnu Namminanu (Pada Varnam) - Anandabhairavi - Adi Sara Saksi I Vela - Anandabhairavi - Ata Kamaksi Amba (Svarajati) - Bhairavi - Mishra Capu Parvati Janani (Gitam) - Bhairavi - Khanda Matya Sari Evaramma - Bhairavi - Jhampa Vanita Ninne (Tana Varnam) - Bhairavi - Adi Brovavamma - Mahnji - Mishra Capu

21. KiravaniBrovumu Manine - Kiravani - Adi

22. KharaharapriyaAkhilandeshvari - Karnataka Kapi - Adi Kamaksi Lokasaksi - Madhyamavati - Triputa Palihncu Kamaksi Pavani - Madhyamavati - Adi Brhannayaki - Madhyamavati - Tishra Matya Palimpavamma Parama Pavani - Mukhari - Adi Ninnu Vina Mari Galada - Ritigaula - Rupakam (Tishra Nadai Adi) Karunajuda Ninnu - Shri - Mishra Capu

28. HarikambhojiDevi Ni Pada Sarasamule - Kambhoji - Adi Ninne Nammiti - Kedaragaula - Adi Parakela Nannu - Kedaragaula - Adi Mayamma Nannu Brova - Natakurahnji - Adi Kamaksi Nipadayugamu (Svarajati) - Yadukulakambhoji - Mishra Capu

29. DhirashahnkarabharanamDevi Mina Netri - Shahnkarabharanam - Adi Saroja Dala Netri - Shahnkarabharanam - Adi Nannu Karunihnci Brovu - Shahnkarabharanam - Rupakam Palayashumam - Arabhi - Triputa Nannu Brovarada - Janarahnjani - Triputa Brovavamma - Nilambari - Triputa Ninnu Vina - Bilahari - Jhampa Kamaksi Natovada - Begada - Adi Dayanidhe Mamava (Varnam) - Begada - Adi Sami Ninne - Begada - Adi

36. CalanataPahi Mam Shri Rajarajeshvari - Nata - Rupakam

39. JhalavaraliKarunajudavamma - Varali - Mishra Capu Kamaksi Bahngaru - Varali - Triputa

53. GamanashramaEnneramum - Purvikalyani - Triputa Ninnuvinaga - Purvikalyani - Deshadi, Mishra Nadai

56. ShanmukhapriyaDevi Brova Samayamide - Cintamani - Adi

65. MecakalyaniTalli Ninnu Nera - Kalyani - Mishra Capu Devi Nannu Brova - Kalyani - Jhampa Nive Gatiyani - Kalyani - Tishra Matya Paramukhamenamma - Kalyani - Triputa Birana Varalicci - Kalyani - Tishra Nadai Adi Rave Parvata Rajakumari - Kalyani - Jhampa Shahnkari Shahnkari - Kalyani - Ata Shri Kamaksi - Kalyani - Adi Himadri Sute Pahimam - Kalyani - Tishra Nadai Adi

MUTHUSWAMI DIKSHITAR (1775 - 1835) - BIOGRAPHY AND COMPLETE WORKS

Muttusvami Dikshitar (1775-1835) - The youngest of the Carnatic Musical Trinity was born in 1776, brought up with 2 brothers and a sister with great care and acquiring proficiency in both music and Sanskrit. His family moved to Manali, where he became a disciple of Cidambaranaata Yogi and went to Varanaasi. For 5 years he stayed there and learned Hindustani music, especially the Dhrupad style of music. After his guru died, he returned to the south and came to the holy shrine of Tiruttani to pray and meditate before Lord Subramanya. One day the Lord appeared to him, asked him to open his mouth, placed a piece of sugar candy in his mouth, and disappeared. After this, Dikshitar began composing beautiful kritis. The first piece he sang was "ShreenataDi guruguhO jayati jayati." Then he went to Kaanceepuram and sang songs in praise of Ekaambaratanaata and Kaamaakshi. He visited various temples to compose songs, from the TaamrapaaNi River (Shree kaantimateem) and Rameshwaram (Raamanaatham bhajEham) to Kaasi (Kaasi visaalakshi). Then he returned to Tiruvaaroor, where he gathered disciples and taught them his composition. His brothers became proficient at rendering his compositions as well and went to Madurai to teach these songs. Once, because of poverty, Dikshitar did not have the means to make his offerings to the deity. His disciple, the famous dancer Kamalam, offered to pledge her jewels and raise the money. He refused and composed "Tyaagaraajam bhajarE," trusting in God. Soon 2 cartloads of food and articles reached his house as a gift from the manager of the choultry. After the death of his brother Cinnaswaami, his brother Baalaswaami left and was made a Samastaana Vidwaan at ETTayapuram in 1824. Dikshitar left to meet his suriving brother, and on the way fervently sang "Aanandaamruta" in amritavarshini, seeing the dry condition of the land. Apparently, there was a heavy downpour soon afterward. Dikshitar met his brother and attended his marriage as well. Then he returned to Tiuvaaroor. His group kritis include the navagraha kritis in praise of the 7 principal planets and the Kamalaambaa navaavarana kritis - 9 songs in praise of the deity of Tiruvaaroor. He also composed small kritis with SamaashTi caraNams (which include both Anupallavi and CaraNam). 461 songs in 191 raagams are available today. He used characteristic phrases of raagam and was a master of rhyme. He often chose a slow tempo. In 1835 he went to ETTaiyapuram to attend a marriage in the royal family and stayed there. "Meenaakshi mE mudam" is supposed to be one of his last compositions, created in Madurai on his way to ETTaiyapuram, where he passed away on October 21, 1835

Early years

Consistent with the education of Brahmin boys of that time, Muttuswami learnt the Vedas, Sanskrit and other important religious texts. He also obtained his preliminary musical education from his father. While he was still in his teens, his father sent him on a pilgrimage with a wandering monk named Chidambaranatha Yogi, to gain musical and philosophical knowledgde. Over the course of this pilgrimage, he visited many places in North India, and acquired a broad outlook that is reflected in many of his compositions. During their stay in Kashi (Varanasi), his guru Chidambarantha Yogi, presented him with a unique Vina, and passed away shortly thereafter. The Samadhi of Chidambaranatha Yogi can still be seen in the Hanuman Ghat area in Varanasi.
Muttuswami Dikshitar attained mastery over the Vina instrument, and the influence of Vina playing is evident in his compositions. He composed his first song "Sri nathadhi guruguho" in the Raga Maya-malava-gowla, in the temple of Tiruttani (near present day Chennai). The song was in praise of his Guru, but also in praise of the Lord Subramanya, who is identified with the concept of a "teacher" or guru in the Hindu theology.

Contribution

Muthuswami Dikshitar, it is said, composed his first kriti after having a vision of Lord Subramanya, his favourite deity. He composed the Vara kritis, which are seven in number, one for each day of the week. These are set to the Sooladi Sapta talas. Drawing inspiration from Oothukadu Venkata Kavi, he also composed the Navavarana kritis in praise of Devi (Kamalamba), one for each of the nine days of the Navaratri festival. Being a widely travelled man, he composed several songs in many Hindustani ragas. His songs are normally slow in tempo and bring out the depth and beauty of the raga using ornamentation (gamakas). He also used what is known as Madhyamakala (medium tempo) Sahitya very effectively in his compositions.

Theme

That he was a much-travelled man is reflected in his compositions. Most of them contain descriptions about famous temples and their chief deities. There are also several others based on Vedas, Upanishads, Tantra, etc.

Languages used
Mostly Sanskrit and a few in Telugu. He has also composed Manipravala kritis, which is a mixture of two or more languages.

Signature: His signature or mudra is Guruguha, which is another name for Lord Subramanya.

Mudra: Guruguha

Popular kritis: Vatapi Ganapatim (Hamsadhwani), Annapoorne (Sama), Kanjadalayatakshi (Kamalamanohari) and so on.

Compositions Of Muthuswamy Dikshitar (1776-1827)

These compositions are ordered by Ragam classified by mela. These are followed by the song title, specific janya ragam, and the talam. If you are looking for a particular song in this massive list, I can offer you two suggestions: 1)Hit CTRL+F or go to the edit menu and select find on your browser and enter the contexts you would like to search for.

Melakartas:

1. Kanakambari - Kanakahngi

Kanakambari Karunyamrta Lahari - Kanakambari - Rupakam Akhilandeshvaro Raksatu - Shuddha Saveri - Rupakam
Ekamreshanayike - Shuddha Saveri - Adi
Muraharena Mukundea - Shuddhamukhari - Rupakam

2. Phenadyuti - Ratnangi

Shri Daksinamurtimisham - Phenadyuti - Adi

3. Ganasamavarali - Ganamurti

Brhadishvaro Raksatumam - Ganasamavarali - Rupakam Parameshvarena - Purvavarali - Adi
Matsyavatara Mamava - Bhinnapahngamam -Adi

4. Bhanumati - Vanaspati

Guruguhasvamini - Bhanumati - Khanda Triputa Talam
Brhadamba Madamba - Bhanumati - Adi

5. Manorahnjani - Manavati
Balambike Pahi - Manorahnjani - Matyam

6. Tanukirti - Tanarupi Cidambara Natarajamurtim - Tanukirti - Mishra Capu

7. Senagrani - Senavati
Jhnanambike Palaya Mam - Senagrani - Tishra Ekam

8. Janatodi - HanumatodiTodi - Rupakam Todi - Rupakam Mahaganapatim Vande - Todi - Rupakam Palaya Mam Brhadishvari - Todi - Rupakam Ramacandraya - Todi - Mishra Capu Vedaranyeshvaraya - Todi - Adi Shri Krsnam Bhaja Manasa - Todi - Adi Shri Subrahmanyo Mam Raksatu - Todi - Adi Kumarasvaminam - Asaveri - Adi Candram Bhaja Manasa - Asaveri - Caturashra Matyam Ganalole - Nagavarali - Mishra Capu Ehi Annapurne- Punnagavarali - Adi Kamalambikayastava Bhaktoham - Punnagavarali - Rupakam

9. Dhunibhinnasadjam - DhenukaCidambareshvam - Dhunibhinnasadjam - Adi Shri Guruguhamurte - Udayaravicandrika - Rupakam Sadacaleshvaram Bhavaye - Bhupalam - Adi Mohananataragapriye Lalite - Mohananata - Adi

10. Natabharanam - NatakapriyaVishvanatham Bhajeham - Natabharanam - Adi

11. Kokilaravam - KokilapriyaKodandaramam - Kokilaravam - Adi

12. RupavatiShri Krsnam Bhajare - Rupavati - Tishra Ekam

13. Geyahejjajji - GayakapriyaRamacandrabhaktam - Geyahejjajji - Adi

14. Vativasantabhairavi - VakulabharanamPrasannavehnkatesham - Vativasantabhairavi - Triputa Brhadishvarim Bhajare - Lalitapahncamam - Adi

15. MayamalavagaulaNilotpalambikayastava - Mayamalavagaula - Mishra Capu Shri Nathadi Guruguho Jayati - Mayamalavagaula - Adi Shri Ganeshatparam - Ardradeshi - Jhampa Agastishvaram - Lalita - Mishra Capu Hiranmayim Laksmim - Lalita - Rupakam Renukadevi - Kannada Bahngala - Mishra Jhampa Gunijanadi - Gujjari - Adi Rajarajendra - Gundakriya - Triputa Tyagaraja Palaya - Gaula - Adi Nilotpalambikayah Param - Gaula - Rupakam Mahisasuramardini - Gaula - Khanda Capu Shri Mahaganapati- Gaula - Mishra Capu Krsnananda Mukundamurare - Gaulipantu - Mishra Capu Gauri Girirajakumari - Gauri - Rupakam Shri Minaksi Gauri - Gauri - Rupakam Nilotpalambike - Chayagaula - Rupakam Sarasvatya Bhagavatya Samraksitoham - Chayagaula - Mishra Capu Namaste Paradevate - Devarahnji - Tishra Ekam Sundaramurtim Ashrayami - Takka - Rupakam Nilakanthaya - Nadanamakriya - Mishra Capu Pratyahngirabhagavatim - Nadanamakriya - Mishra Capu Shri Guruna Palitosmi- Padi - Rupakam Cintaye Mahalihnga - Pharaj - Adi Madhuramba Jayati - Pharaj - Mishra Capu Mahalihngeshvaram - Pharaj - Adi Shri Shukrabhagavantam- Pharaj - Khanda Ata Sadhujanacitta Sarasijodayam - Purnapahncamam - Triputa Shri Guruguhasya Dasoham - Purvi - Mishra Capu Shri Parvatiparameshvarau Vande- Bauli - Adi Shri Bhargavi - Mahngalakaishiki - Mishra Capu Pahncamatahngamukha Ganapatina - Malahari - Rupakam Vighineshvaram - Malahari - Adi Vasudevamupasmahe - Malavapahncamam - Rupakam Maruvakadi Malini Sulini - Maruva - Adi Mahngaladevate Paradevate - Margadeshi - Adi Vehnkateshvara Yadava Bhupatim - Megharahnjani - Rupakam Govindarajena Raksitoham - Mecabauli - Rupakam Rama Rama - Ramakali - Rupakam Sharavanabhava - Revagupti - Rupakam Sadavinathasadare - Revagupti - Rupakam Nilakantha - Vasanta - Rupakam Brhadambikayai - Vasanta - Mishra Capu Marakatalihngam - Vasanta - Adi Ramacandram Bhavayami - Vasanta - Rupakam Hariharaputram- Vasanta - Khanda Ekam Avyajakarunakataksi - Salahnganata - Tishra Triputa Karikalabhamukham- Saveri - Rupakam Shri Rajagopala - Saveri - Adi Gokarneshvara - Saurastram - Adi Varalaksmim - Saurastram - Adi Suryamurte Namostute- Saurastram - Caturashra Dhruvam

16. Toyavegavahini - CakravakamKailasanatham - Vegavahini - Adi Gajananayutam - Vegavahini - Caturashra Ekam Varahim Vaisnavim - Vegavahini - Mishra Capu Vinayaka Vihna - Vegavahini - Rupakam Vinapustakadharinim - Vegavahini - Khanda Ekam

17. Chayavati - SuryakantamChayavatim Anandavallim - Chayavati - Adi

18. Jayashuddhamalavi - HatakambariNaraharimashrayami - Jayashuddhamalavi - Triputa

19. Jhahnkarabhramari - JhahnkaradhvaniHimacalakumarim Bhaje - Jhahnkarabhramari - Rupakam

20. Nariritigaula - NatabhairaviNilotpalambam- Nariritigaula - Mishra Capu Shri Nilotpalanayike - Nariritigaula - Rupakam Abhayamba Nayaka Harisayaka - Anandabhairavi - Adi Anandeshvarena - Anandabhairavi - Mishra Capu Kamalamba Samraksatu Mam- Anandabhairavi - Mishra Capu Tyagarajayogavaibhavam - Anandabhairavi - Rupakam Dandayudhapanim - Anandabhairavi - Rupakam Paradevate - Anandabhairavi - Adi Manasa Guruguha - Anandabhairavi - Rupakam Sami Ni - Anandabhairavi - Adi Vinabheri- Abheri - Adi Kusumakara - Ahiri - Adi Shri Kamalamba Jayati- Ahiri - Rupakam Balakrsnam - Gopikavasantam - Adi Shri Kamalambike Avava - Ghanta - Adi Shri Mahngalambikam - Ghanta - Jhampa Paradevata Brhatkucamba - Dhanyashi - Adi Mahngaladevataya - Dhanyashi - Rupakam Mayuranatham - Dhanyashi - Mishra Capu Ramacandradanyam - Dhanyashi - Khanda Capu Vedapurishvaram - Dhanyashi - Adi Shri Rahnganathaya - Dhanyashi - Rupakam Navaratna Vilasa Vaibhava - Navaratnavilasam - Adi Nagagandhari - Nagagandhari - Adi Sarasijanabha Sodari- Nagagandhari - Rupakam Aryam Abhayambam Bhajare - Bhairavi - Khanda Jati Ata Cintaya Makanda - Bhairavi - Rupakam Trilocanamohinim - Bhairavi - Adi Devi Jagadishvari - Bhairavi - Rupakam Balagopala - Bhairavi - Adi Lalitambikayai - Bhairavi - Mishra Capu Shri Kamalambikayah Param Nahi Re- Bhairavi - Mishra Jhampa Ramacandrena - Mahnji - Rupakam Shri Sarasvati Hite - Mahnji - Adi Candrasekharam- Margahindolam - Adi Margahindolaraga - Margahindolam - Adi Ekamranathaya - Mukhari - Rupakam Govindarajam - Mukhari - Mishra Capu Pahi Mam Ratnacalanayaka - Mukhari - Adi Govarddhana Girisham - Hindolam - Rupakam Nirajaksi Kamaksi - Hindolam - Rupakam Sarasvati Vidhiyuvati- Hindolam - Rupakam Tyagaraja - Hindolam - Rupakam Santana Ramasvaminam- Hindolavasantam - Adi

21. Kiranavali - KiravaniPahncabhutakiranavalim - Kiranavali - Khanda Ekam Shri Vehnkatesham - Kalyanavasantam

22. Shri Raga - KharaharapriyaKameshvarena - Shri - Adi Tyagaraja Mahadhvajaroha - Shri - Adi Shri Abhayamba - Shri - Adi Shri Kamalambike- Shri - Khanda Ekam Shri Muladharacakravinayaka - Shri - Adi Shri Varalaksmi - Shri - Rupakam Shri Laksmivaraham- Abhogi - Adi Nilotpalambikaya - Kannadagaula - Adi Balambikayah - Kanada (Kapi) - Adi Vishveshvaro Raksatu - Kanada (Kapi) - Adi Virahanumate Namo- Kapi - Rupakam Vehnkatacalapate - Kapi - Adi Shri Maharahnji (Manipravalam) - Kapi - Khanda Ekam Kayarohanesham- Devagandharam - Rupakam Pahncashatpitharupini- Devagandharam - Adi Tripurasundari - Devamanohari - Adi Bharati Mathisna - Devamanohari - Rupakam Mahadevena - Devamanohari - Adi Varahim - Devamanohari - Triputa Tyagarajadanyam - Darbar - Adi Halasyanatham - Darbar - Adi Palaya Mam Brhadishvara - Nayaki - Rupakam Pranatartiharam - Nayaki - Adi Rahnganayakam Bhavayeham- Nayaki - Adi Rahngapuravihara - Brndavana Sarahnga - Rupakam Saundararajam Ashraye - Brndavana Sarahnga - Rupakam Svaminathena - Brndavana Sarahnga - Adi Kalabhairavam - Bhairavam - Rupakam Mamava Pattabhirama - Manirahngu - Mishra Capu Dharmasamvardhani- Madhyamavati - Rupakam Pannagashayana - Madhyamavati - Adi Mahatripurasundari - Madhyamavati - Rupakam Shri Rajarajeshvarim - Madhyamavati - Rupakam Kanakasabhapatim - Malavashri - Adi Mahngalambayai Namaste - Malavashri - Jhampa Mahalaksmi Karunarasalahari - Madhavamanohari - Adi Gananayakam Bhajeham Bhaje - Rudrapriya - Adi Tyagesham Bhajare - Rudrapriya - Adi Parashaktim - Rudrapriya - Adi Rudrakopa - Rudrapriya - Rupakam Shivakayarohaneshaya - Rudrapriya - Rupakam Shri Tyagarajasya - Rudrapriya - Mishra Capu Shri Parthasarathina - Shuddha Dhanyashi - Rupakam Subrahmanyena Raksitoham - Shuddha Dhanyashi - Adi Kamaksi Mam Pahi - Shuddhadeshi - Rupakam Ni Sati Daivamu (Telugu Daru) - Shrirahnjani - Rupakam Parvatarajakumari - Shrirahnjani - Adi Balambikaya - Shrirahnjani - Caturashra Ekam Shri Dum Durge - Shrirahnjani - Khanda Ekam Shri Ramacandro - Shrirahnjani - Mishra Capu Abhayambayam Bhaktim Karomi - Sahana - Triputa Ishanadi Shivakaramahnce - Sahana - Rupakam Ramakrsnena - Sahana - Adi Shri Kamalambikayam Bhaktim Karomi - Sahana - Tishra Triputa Tyagarajena - Salagabhairavi - Adi Saindhaviragapriye - Saindhavi - Adi Paradevate Bhaktapujite - Huseni - Adi Shri Kalahastisha - Huseni - Khanda Capu

23. Gaurivelavali - GaurimanohariKaumari Gauri Velavali - Gaurivelavali - Adi Parashakti Ishvari - Gaurivelavali - Adi

24. Viravasantam - VarunapriyaEkamranathaya - Viravasantam - Rupakam Viravasanta Tyagaraja - Viravasantam - Adi

25. Sharavati - MararahnjaniSharavatitata - Sharavati - Rupakam

26. Tarahngini - CarukeshiPalaya Mam Parameshvari - Tarahngini - Rupakam Maye Tvam Yahi - Tarahngini - Adi

27. Saurasena - SarasahngiSaurasenesham Vallisham - Saurasena - Adi

28. Harikedaragaula - HarikambhojiAbhayamba Nayaka Varadayaka - Kedaragaula - Adi Abhayambaya Anyam Na Jane - Kedaragaula - Jhampa Nilakantham Bhajeham - Kedaragaula - Rupakam Nilotpalambikayai - Kedaragaula - Adi Balambikayah - Kedaragaula - Rupakam Tyagarajo - Atana - Rupakam Brahaspate Tarapate - Atana - Tishra Triputa Mahalihngeshvaraya - Athana - Adi Vamahngastitaya - Athana - Khanda Ekam Shri Daksinamurtim - Athana - Khanda Ekam Shri Madhurambikaya - Athana - Mishra Capu Shri Vaidyanatham - Athana - Adi Herambaya - Athana - Rupakam Brhannayaki - Andhali - Adi Ananta Balakrsna - Ishamanohari - Adi Jagadishamanohari - Ishamanohari - Rupakam Shri Gananatham - Ishamanohari - Rupakam Giticakrarathastitayai - Kannada - Mishra Capu Palaya Mam Parvatisha - Kannada - Rupakam Shri Matrbhutam - Kannada - Mishra Capu Dandanathaya - Kamas - Adi Shri Svaminathaya - Kamas - Khanda Capu Sadanane - Kamas - Adi Santanagopalakrsnam - Kamas - Rupakam Sarasadalanayana - Kamas - Triputa Enta Ninne Dhelupudura - Kamas - Tishra Ekam Kamalambikayai Kanakamshukayai - Kambhoji - Khanda Ata Kashi Vishveshvara Ehi - Kambhoji - Ata Kailasanathena - Kambhoji - Mishra Capu Gopalakrsnaya Namaste - Kambhoji - Adi Marakatavallim Manasa - Kambhoji - Adi Shri Valmikalihngam - Kambhoji - Ata Shri Subrahmanyaya Namaste - Kambhoji - Rupakam Sambasadashivaya - Kambhoji - Adi Sarasvati Chayatarahngini - Chayatarahngini - Adi Gahnge Mam Pahi - Juhnjuthi - Khanda Ekam Gajamba Nayako - Juhnjuthi - Mishra Capu Ganesha Kumara - Juhnjuthi - Caturashra Ekam Akhilandeshvari - Jujavanti - Adi Cetas Shri Balakrsnam Bhajare- Jujavanti - Rupakam Shrirama - Jujavanti - Rupakam Madhuramba Samraksatu - Devakriya - Adi Lalitambikam - Devakriya - Adi Shri Guruguha Tarayasumam- Devakriya - Rupakam Shri Vatukanatha - Devakriya - Mishra Capu Sandhya Devim - Devakriya - Adi Mahaganapate Palayasu - Natanarayani - Adi Gajadishadanyam - Natakurahnji - Mishra Capu Parvatikumaram - Natakurahnji - Rupakam Balambikayai - Natakurahnji - Rupakam Budham Ashrayami- Natakurahnji - Mishra Jhampa Shivakamipatim - Natakurahnji - Adi Nilotpalamba Jayati - Narayanagaula - Mishra Capu Shri Ramam Ravikulabdhi - Narayanagaula - Adi Guruguhadanyam - Balahamsa - Jhampa Mamava Raghuvira - Mahuri - Mishra Capu Abhayambikayai Ashvarudhayai- Yadukulakambhoji - Rupakam (2 Kalai) Tyagarajam Bhajare - Yadukulakambhoji - Mishra Capu Divakaratanujam Shanaishcaram- Yadukulakambhoji - Caturashra Ekam Annapurne Vishalaksi - Sama - Adi Guruguhaya - Sama - Adi Tripurasundari - Sama - Rupakam Parvatavardhani - Sama - Adi Ahngarakam Ashrayami Aham- Surati - Rupakam Govindarajaya Namaste - Surati - Rupakam Balakucambike - Surati - Rupakam Balasubrahmanyam - Surati - Adi Lalitaparameshvari - Surati - Adi Shri Vahncanatha - Surati - Adi Shri Vehnkatagirisham - Surati - Adi

29. DhirashahnkarabharanamAksayalihngavibho - Shahnkarabharanam - Mishra Capu Gajananaya Namaste - Shahnkarabharanam - Rupakam Girijayajaya Abhayamibikaya - Shahnkarabharanam - Adi Tarakeshvara - Shahnkarabharanam - Adi Daksinamurte - Shahnkarabharanam - Mishra Jhampa Nagalihngam Bhajeham - Shahnkarabharanam - Adi Pavanatmajam - Shahnkarabharanam - Adi Brhadishvaraya - Shahnkarabharanam - Adi Shri Kamalambikaya Kataksitoham- Shahnkarabharanam - Rupakam Shri Venugopalam - Shahnkarabharanam - Rupakam Sadashivamupasmahe - Shahnkarabharanam - Adi Sundareshvaraya - Shahnkarabharanam - Rupakam Shahnkarabharanam Nottusvara: Ahnjaneyam - Tishra Ekam Kamalasana - Caturashra Ekam Kahncisham - Tishra Ekam Guruguha Sarasija - Caturashra Ekam Guruguhapadapahnkaja - Tishra Ekam Gurumurte - Rupakam Cintayeham Sada - Caturashra Ekam Jagadisha - Caturashra Ekam Dasharathe - Tishra Ekam Dinabandho - Tishra Ekam Pahnkajamukha - Tishra Ekam Paradevata - Tishram Paradevate - Rupakam Parvatipate - Caturashra Ekam Pahi Durge - Caturashra Ekam Pahi Mam - Tishra Ekam Pitavarnam - Tishra Ekam Maye Citkale - Tishra Ekam Mucukundavarada - Tishra Ekam Rajivalocanam - Tishra Ekam Rama Janardana - Tishra Ekam Ramacandram - Caturashra Ekam Vande Minaksi - Caturashra Ekam Varadaraja Pahi - Tishra Ekam Varashivabalam - Caturashra Ekam Vagdevi - Caturashra Ekam Shaktisahita - Tishra Ekam Shahnkaravara - Rupakam Shaurividhi Nute - Caturashra Ekam Shyamale Minaksi - Caturashra Ekam Shri Shahnkara - Tishram Sakalasuravinuta - Caturashra Ekam Sadashiva Jaye - Caturashra Ekam Santatam Govindarajam - Tishra Ekam Santatam Pahimam - Tishra Ekam Santanasaubhagya - Tishra Ekam Samaganapriye - Caturashra Ekam Subrahmanyam - Caturashra Ekam Somaskandam - Tishra Ekam He Maye - Tishra Ekam Akhilandeshvaryai - Arabhi - Adi Adipurishvaram - Arabhi - Adi Ganarajena - Arabhi - Mishra Capu Gaurishaya Namaste - Arabhi - Triputa Marakoti Koti Lavanya - Arabhi - Jhampa Shivakameshvaram - Arabhi - Adi Shri Sarasvati Namostute - Arabhi - Rupakam Shvetaranyeshvaram - Arabhi - Adi Shri Venugopala - Kurahnji - Jhampa Ambikaya Abhayambikaya- Kedaram - Adi Anandanatanaprakasham - Kedaram - Mishra Capu Cidambara Natarajam - Kedaram - Adi Kumbheshvaraya - Kedaram - Rupakam Ksitijaramanam - Devagandhari - Adi Vadanyeshvaram - Devagandhari - Adi Shalivatishvaram - Devagandhari - Adi Shri Minambikayah - Devagandhari - Rupakam Amba Nilayataksi - Nilambari - Adi Tyagarajam Bhajeham - Nilambari - Rupakam Nilahngam - Nilambari - Khanda Ekam Siddhishvaraya - Nilambari - Mishra Capu Hastivadanaya Namastubhyam - Navaroj - Mishra Capu Brhadishvaram Bhajare - Nagadhvani - Adi Shahnkaranarayanam - Narayanadeshaksi - Adi Mahisasuramardinim - Narayani - Mishra Capu Shahnkhacakragadha Panim - Purnacandrika - Rupakam Shri Rajarajeshvari - Purnacandrika - Adi Shri Rahnganathamupasmahe - Purnacandrika - Adi Nilotpalambikayam - Purvagaula - Rupakam Ekadantam Bhajeham - Bilahari - Mishra Capu Kamaksi Varalaksmi - Bilahari - Adi Shri Balasubrahmanyagaccha - Bilahari - Mishra Capu Shri Madhurapuriviharini - Bilahari - Rupakam Shri Sambashivam - Bilahari - Adi Hatakeshvara - Bilahari - Rupakam Tyagarajaya Namaste - Begada - Rupakam Madhurambayah - Begada - Mishra Capu Vallabhanayakasya Bhakto - Begada - Rupakam Shri Matah Shivavamahnge - Begada - Adi Somasundareshvaram - Shuddhavasantam - Adi Sarasvati Manohari Shahnkari - Sarasvatimanohari - Adi Parvatipatim - Hamsadhvani - Adi Vatapi Ganapatim Bhajeham - Hamsadhvani - Adi

30. Nagabharanam - NaganandiniNagabharanam - Nagabharanam - Adi Pranatartiharaya - Samanta - Adi Vishvanathena - Samanta - Adi

31. Kalavati - YagapriyaKalavati Kamalasana Yuvati - Kalavati - Adi

32. Ragacudamani - RagavardhaniShvetaganapatim - Ragacudamani - Triputa

33. Gahngatarahngini - GahngeyabhusaniVaradaraja Vava Vahncitadhika - Gahngatarahngini - Rupakam Kahnjadalayataksi Kamaksi Kamalamanohari Tripurasundari - Manohari - Adi Shahnkaramabhiramimanoharam - Manohari - Rupakam

34. Bhogachayanata - VagadishvariBhogachayanatakapriye - Bhogachayanata - Adi

35. Shailadeshaksi - ShuliniShailarajakumari - Shailadeshaksi - Adi Shri Shulinim Shri Tapalini - Shailadeshaksi - Adi

36. Calanata - CalanataParameshvara Jagadishvara - Calanata - Adi Pavanatmajagaccha - Calanata - Jhampa Mahaganapatim Manasa Smarami - Calanata - Caturashra Ekam Svaminatha Paripalayasumam - Calanata - Adi Sakala Sadanakela - Nata

37. Saugandini - SalagamKamakotipithavasini - Saugandini - Adi

38. Jaganmohini - JalarnavamShri Vidya Rajagopalam - Jaganmohini - Tishra Ekam

39. Dhalivarali - JhalavaraliMamava Minaksi - Varali - Mishra Capu Lambodaraya - Varali - Khanda Capu Shesacalanayakam - Varali - Rupakam

40. Nabhomani - NavanitamNabhomani Candrahni Nayanam - Nabhomani - Mishra Capu Shri Nathasodarim - Nabhomani - Rupakam

41. Kumbhini - PavaniSaccidanandamaya - Kumbhini - Adi

42. Ravikriya - RaghupriyaHimagirikumari Ishvari - Ravikriya - Adi

43. Girvani - GavambodhiNamonamaste Girvani - Girvani - Mishra Capu

44. Bhavani - BhavapriyaJayati Shiva Bhavani - Bhavani - Rupakam

45. Shivapantuvarali - ShubhapantuvaraliPashupatishvaram - Shivapantuvarali - Adi Shri Satyanarayanam - Shivapantuvarali - Rupakam Sadashivena - Sindhuramakriya - Adi Bhagavatishvaram - Shubhapantuvarali - Adi

46. Stavarajam - SadvidhamarginiMadhurambam Bhajare - Stavarajam - Adi Stavarajadinuta - Stavarajam - Mishra Capu

47. Sauviram - SuvarnahngiSarasa Sauvira - Sauviram - Adi

48. Jivantika - DivyamaniBrhadishakataksena - Jivantika - Rupakam

49. Dhavalahngam - DhavalambariShrhngaradi - Dhavalahngam - Khanda Ekam

50. Namadeshi - NamanarayaniNarmada Kaveri Nilaiye - Namadeshi - Mishra Capu

51. Kashiramakriya - KamavardhiniUccista Ganapatau - Kashiramakriya - Adi Margasahayashvaram - Kashiramakriya - Mishra Capu Ramanatham Bhajeham - Kashiramakriya - Rupakam Vishalaksim Vishveshim - Kashiramakriya - Triputa Shri Sundararajam - Kashiramakriya - Adi Senapate - Kashiramakriya - Adi Arddhanarishvaram - Kumudakriya - Rupakam

52. Ramamanohari - RamapriyaMatahngi Shriraja - Ramamanohari - Rupakam Shrhngarashaktyayudha - Ramamanohari - Jhampa Smaramyaham Sada Rahum - Ramamanohari - Rupakam

53. Gamakakriya - GamanashramaEkamranatham - Gamakakriya - Adi Kashi Vishalaksim - Gamakakriya - Rupakam Tiruvatishvaram - Gamakakriya - Rupakam Navaratnamalinim - Gamakakriya - Khanda Ekam Minaksi Me Mudam Dehi - Gamakakriya - Adi

54. Vamshavati - VishvambariBhaktavatsalam - Vamshavati - Adi Vamshavati - Vamshavati - Adi

55. Shyamalam - ShyamalahngiShyamalahngi - Shyamalam - Adi

56. Camaram - ShanmukhapriyaEkamreshanayakim - Camaram - Adi Sadashraye Abhayambike - Camaram - Rupakam Siddhivinayakam Anisham- Camaram - Rupakam Mahasuram Ketumaham<- Camaram/Rupakam

57. Sumadyuti - SimhendramadhyamamKamaksi Kamakoti Pithavasini - Sumadyuti - Rupakam Nilacalanatham - Sumadyuti - Adi Pamarajanapalini - Sumadyuti - Rupakam Shaileshvaram - Sumadyuti - Adi

58. Deshisimharavam - HemavatiMadhurambikayam - Deshisimharavam - Rupakam Shri Kantimatim - Deshisimharavam - Adi Hariyuvatim Haimavatim - Deshisimharavam - Rupakam

59. Dhamavati - DharmavatiParandhamavati Yuvati- Dhamavati - Rupakam Ramacandrasya - Dhamavati - Adi

60. Nisadam - NitimatiNisadadi Deshadhipatinuta - Nisadam - Mishra Capu

61. Kuntalam - KantamaniShri Sugandhikuntalambike - Kuntalam - Rupakam

62. Ratipriya - RishabhapriyaMararatipriyam Bhaktipriyam - Ratipriya - Adi

63. Gitapriya - LatahngiSadhujanavinutam - Gitapriya - Triputa

64. Bhusavati - VacaspatiAbhiramim - Bhusavati - Rupakam Parvatishvarena - Bhusavati - Adi Bhusavatim - Bhusavati - Rupakam

65. Shantakalyani - MecakalyaniAbhayamba Jagadamba Raksatu - Kalyani - Adi (2 Kalai) Kamalambam Bhajare - Kalyani - Adi Kamaksim Kalyanim - Kalyani - Rupakam Kumbheshvaraya - Kalyani - Mishra Capu Kumbheshvarena Samraksitoham - Kalyani - Adi Ganapate - Kalyani - Rupakam Jhnanaprasunambike - Kalyani - Rupakam Brahmavidyambike - Kalyani - Adi Bhajare Re Citta - Kalyani - Mishra Capu Shivakameshvarim Cintayeham - Kalyani - Adi Shri Mahngalambike - Kalyani - Ata Shri Madhurambike - Kalyani - Khanda Capu Kadambaripriyayai - Mohanam - Mishra Capu Gopika Manoharam - Mohanam - Rupakam Narasimha Agaccha - Mohanam - Mishra Capu Nagalihngam Namami - Mohanam - Adi Pahi Mam Parvati - Mohanam - Rupakam Raktaganapatim - Mohanam - Adi Rajagopalam - Mohanam - Rupakam Jambupate - Yamunakalyani - Rupakam Nandagopala Mukundagokul - Yamunakalyani - Adi Paramashivatmajam - Yamunakalyani - Adi Arunacalanatham - Sarahnga - Rupakam Tyagaraje Krtyakrtyam - Sarahnga - Jhampa Varadarajamupasmahe - Sarahnga - Rupakam Sarahngaragapriye - Sarahnga - Mishra Capu Parimalarahnganatham - Hamirkalyani - Rupakam Puraharanandana - Hamirkalyani - Adi

66. Caturahngini - CitrambariEkamranatheshvarena - Caturahngini - Adi Guruguha Bhavantarahnginim - Caturahngini - Mishra Capu Anandamrtakarsini Amrtavarsini - Amrtavarsini - Adi Himagirikumari - Amrtavarsini - Adi

67. Santanamahnjari - SucaritramSantanamahnjari - Santanamahnjari - Adi

68. Jyoti Raga - JyotisvarupiniParamjyotismati Parvati - Jyoti - Adi Rame Bharatapalita - Jyoti - Khanda Capu

69. Dhautapahncamam - DhatuvardhaniMatahngi Marakatahngi - Dhautapahncamam - Rupakam

70. Nasamani - NasikabhusaniShri Krsno Mam Raksatu - Nasamani - Rupakam Shri Rama Sarasvatisevitam - Nasamani - Adi

71. Kusumakaram - KosalamKusumakarashobhita - Kusumakaram - Rupakam

72. Rasamahnjari - RasikapriyaShrhngararasamahnjarim - Rasamahnjari - Rupakam

Origins of Carnatic Music

Origins of Carnatic Music

It is thought that Carnatic Music originated from the Vedas (the most important Hindu scriptures), although it is very difficult to pin point a time within history that Carnatic Music began to develop into the form we know today. The Sama-Veda (one of the four volumes of the Holy Scriptures the others being: the Rig-Veda, the Yajur-Veda and the Artharva-Veda) is thought to have laid the foundations for Indian music for it is within this volume that many of the hymns and prayers in the Rig-Veda were set to musical tunes. The seven swara system in Carnatic music is also Vedic in origin.
In line with most other aspects of Indian culture it is also thought that there are many divine origins in Carnatic Music. Carnatic Music is very much associated with Hinduism (the dominant religion in India) with many songs praising a God or Goddess. Some Gods and Goddesses are also linked to certain instruments e.g. Krishna and the flute and Saraswathi and the veena. Many literary epics such as the Mahabharata and the Ramayana also contain references to Carnatic Music. Perhaps most significantly, the Yajnavalkya Smriti (one of the three main Smritis, written by sage Yajnavalkya of Mithila) says:

"Veena vadhana tathvangna sruti, jathi, visartha talanjaaprayasena moksha margam niyachathi"

("The one who is well versed in veena, one who has the knowledge of srutis and one who is adept in tala, attains salvation without doubt.")

Many aspects of Carnatic music are also thought to be derived from Ancient Tamil Music. Pann (the melodic mode which has been used by Tamil people since Ancient times) is thought to be the precursor to the raga system that is found today in Carnatic Music. The rhythmic meters found in Thirupugzh, for example, bear a resemblance to talas that are used today. Tamil works like Silappadikaram, Tolkappiam and other Sangam literature works give old Dravidian names for the seven notes in the octave, and describe how new scales can be developed by the modal shift of tonic (shifting the reference Shadja) from an existing scale.

Tala System for Carnatic Music

Tala System for Carnatic Music

In the following :
a. The blue ANGAS are the major ANGAS (The Classical 108 talas)

b. The red ANGAS are the popular ANGAS (Sapta Suladi Talas)

c. In the literature the symbols are placed one above the other. Here for convenience, the symbols are grouped together in the paranthesis.

For the laghu a subscript indicates the jati (3,4,5,7,9). In the following it is omitted. All laghus are 4-jati unless indicated otherwise.

d. An alternate tala count is the "matra" which has a unit of 1 corresponding to the chaturasa-jati laghu.




Anga Symbol Aksharakala Mode of Counting Anudrutam U 1 1

beat Druta O 2 1 beat +

Visarijitam (wave of hand)
Druta-virama (OU) 3

Laghu (Chatursa-jati) 4 1 beat + 3 finger count

Laghu-virama (U) 5

Laghu-Laghudruta (O) 6

Laghu-druta-virama (OU) 7

Guru 8 8 A beat followed by circular movement of the right hand in the clockwise directions with closed

Guru-virama (8U) 9

Guru-druta (8O) 10

Guru-druta-virama (8OU) 11

Plutam (8) 12 1 beat + kryshya (waving right hand from right to left) to + 1 sarpini(waving the right hand from left to right) - 4 aksharakalas

Pluta-virana (8U) 13 Pluta-druta

Pluta-druta (8O) 14

Pluta-druta-virama (8OU) 15

Kakapadam + 16 1 beat + patakam(lifting the right hand) + kryshya + sarpini - each of 4 aksharakalas)


Based on the above : Sarabhandana tala - first ascribed to Syama Sastri - has 24 ANGAS and79 aksharakalas as follows : ( The construction below is only for clarity - theangas follow one another) 8 O O U (U) O O O U (O) (OU) (U) O U O U O (U) O (OU) (O) Simhanandana tala : It is the 37 th of the classical 108 talas. It isthe longest tala and does not use any sub-angas. Of the major six the anudrutamis omitted. Maha Vaidyanatha Iyer and Patnam Subramania Iyer are the primarycomposers in this tala. It has 18 angas and 128 aksharakalas as follows: 8 8 (8) 8 O O 8 8 (8) (8) 8 +

(Ref: Prof. P.Sambamurthy)

Swaras in Carnatic Music

Swaras in Carnatic Music

The Basic Swaras

There are seven basic notes in Carnatic music:
Shadjam (Sa),
Rishabam (Ri),
Gandharam (Ga),
Madhyamam (Ma),
Panchamam (Pa),
Dhaivatham (Da) and
Nishadam (Ni).
Sa is the basic note and the rest of the notes are successively higher to the basic Sa. This gives an ascending scale of seven notes. Once the seventh note or the higher Sa is reached, the notes begin to descend in frequency from Sa to Ni to Da and so on by the same interval.
These seven notes or swaras are not specific to Carnatic Music but are also common to Hindustani, Western, and other systems of music.
In Carnatic music and Hindustani music, we call the seven swaras as Sa, Ri, Ga, Ma, Pa, Da, and Ni and in Western Music, the same seven swaras or notes are called doh, ray, me, fa, soh, lah, te respectively.

Octave

Converting the Seven Swaras to twelve Swaras (or sixteen swaras)

What is an octave?

An octave is doubling the pitch of a swara by a factor of 2.
Take a look at a keyboard. You will notice the C key. In Carnatic music, the C key is called one kattai or a pitch of one. In a keyboard, the C key is followed by D, E, F, G, A, and B keys. The B key is again followed by another C key. That is, the range between a lower C to the next high is one octave. The range that begins from the next C until the next higher B is reached is Octave 2 and so on.
In Western Music, the interval between two keys or frequencies between two keys (.e.g. D and E) are of fixed intervals.
However, in Carnatic music, the intervals between two keys are not absolute intervals but relative intervals or nominal intervals.
In the keyboard, there are black keys in between the white keys that represent pitches (e.g. C, D, etc.) These black keys represent half piches or frequencies between two swaras or notes (e.g. between C and D). In a keyboard, there are five white keys in between the seven black keys that represent the primary notes. The twele notes are formed when we add the seven primary notes to the five half-notes or in-between frequency notes.
The twelve divisions are common both to Carnatic music and Western music.

Carnatic Swaras and Western Notes -A Comparison

Carnatic Swara Name

Notes in the Western System

1
Sa or Shadja
C

2
Suddha Rishabha
D flat

3
Chatussruti Rishabha
D

4
Sadharana Gandhara
E flat

5
Antara Gandhara
E

6
Suddha Madhyama
F

7
Prati Madhyma
F sharp

8
Panchama or Pa
G

9
Suddha Daivata
A flat

10
Chatussruti Dhaivata
A

11
Kaisiki Nishadha
B flat

12
Kakali Nishadia
B

• Please note that the swaras Sa and Pa do not admit variations and are called fixed notes or achala swaras.

• The notes with Suddha in their names -- Suddha Rishabha and Suddha Madhyama - refer to the lowest pitch of the corresponding note - the Rishabha or Ri and Madhyama or Ma, respectively.

• These twelve swaras become sixteen swaras with the addition of four more swaras called Vivadi (or tainted) swaras. These additional swaras occupy the same nominal swarasthana or frequency position as some of the swaras from the group of twelve swaras. In other words, the sixteen swaras are formed basically by calling the same swara by two different names.. Depending on the a raga scale used, a swaram may be called by a different name (e.g. Shatsruti Rishaba is the new name given to Sadharana Gandhara; Suddha Gandhara is the new name given to Chatussruti Dhaivata; Shatsruthi Dhaivata is the new name for Kaisiki Nishada; and Suddha Nishada is the new name for Chatussruti Dhaivata).

Source: South Indian Music by Prof. P. Sambamurthy

Swaras and Swarasthanas

Swaras and Swarasthanas

There are seven swaras in Carnatic music, namely, Shadjam (Sa), Rishabam (Ri), Gandharam (Ga), Madhyamam (Ma), Panchamam (Pa), Dhaivatham (Da) and Nishadam (Ni). There is some theoretical basis for why there is an odd number (seven) of swaras and we will deal with this subsequently. For simplicity, let us fix the Sa at one kattai and place the remaining swaras at the successive white keys. This provides us with a scale or a raga (in this case, containing all the seven swaras). As mentioned previously, ancient Vedic chants have but three swaras and somewhat later forms of music (Indian as well as other forms, eg. Chinese) use five swaras - eg. the Sa, Ri, Ga, Pa and Da of the scale we just created. Our present system is based on seven swaras, and perhaps, a few thousand years from now, the human race will advance to a point of discriminating scales of more swaras (unlikely). The seven swaras are mythologically associated with the sounds produced by certain animals and the names of the swaras are related to the names of these animals. The name Madhyamam appears to be related to the central or madhya location in the seven notes and Panchamam is most probably derived from the number five, denoting the position of the note.
We observed earlier that doubling the pitch of a swara by a factor of two results in going up in pitch by one octave. Thus, doubling the pitch of Sa (say Sa1) results in another Sa (Sa2) which is one octave higher than our original Sa. A further doubling produces Sa3 which is one octave higher than Sa2 and two octaves above Sa1. Three times the original Sa produces the Pa located between Sa2 and Sa3. In other words, the pitch of the swara Pa is one and half times the pitch of the Sa below it (and three fourths the pitch of the Sa above it). Now we come to an important limitation of the keyboard - the way the octave is divided into the twelve swara sthanas. Since it is based on current western music norms, the division is done on a logarithmic basis (which is just a more technical way of saying that the pitch values of the successive swara sthanas form a geometric progression). An octave is a factor of two and there are twelve intervals in it. If we make all the intervals equal to a multiplicative factor x, then the pitch corresponding to any key will be x times the pitch of the key (white or black) immediately to the left of it. Extending the procedure we arrive at what the value of x should be. The thirteenth swara sthana results in an octave, or, stated mathematically, x12=2. Then, we have x to be the twelfth root of two or a factor of approximately 1.06. Using this logarthmic division procedure, Pa (the 8th swara sthana) corresponds not to a ratio of 1.5 but 1.498. Though the discrepancy is very small, a well trained ear (eg. professional musician) can pick out this difference.
Carnatic music is based not on logarithmic division but on rational division. An octave is based on the ratio 1:2; Pa is located through the ratio 2:3; similar definitions exist for all the twelve swara sthanas. A few centuries ago, Western classical music too was based on rational division (the resulting scale was called as the natural scale), but this has given way to the equally tempered (also called chromatic) scale produced by logarithmic division. The difference is subtle, but quite important. The rational division claim is supported by the fact that tuning of instruments (for example, in setting the frets of veena) is performed mostly by the ear and not by reference to standards. Further, the swara sthanas of Carnatic music define only nominal locations for the swaras. Depending on the raga in which the swara is used, it manifests a deviation from the nominal sthana. Actually, the deviation from the nominal sthana depends on the swara phrase in which the swara occurs; thus, a single swara in a given raga can appear at different deviations from its nominal sthana when occuring along with various other swaras of the same raga. In a general sense, this deviation is called gamaka. Gamaka can refer to a constant deviation from the nominal swara sthana or a time dependent deviation or the path taken in reaching the nominal swara etc. Truly, gamaka is the life blood of Carnatic music and the raga system. Ragas are defined more by the gamakas and the way in which certain swara phrases (chain of swaras) are used than by the mere presence or absence of certain swaras. Thus, playing the keys corresponding to the swara sthanas of a certain raga will not reproduce the true character of the raga but only provide a general idea of what it sounds like. This is the reason why purists object to the use of keyboard instruments in Carnatic music - the lack of gamaka, which leads to a mutilation of the raga swaroopa. The use of gamaka also implies that the method used for defining nominal swara sthanas (rational or logarithmic division) is not too critical as long the correct raga swaroopam can be accommodated.
In the past, Hindustani music also had complex gamaka schemes, but the acceptance of the Harmonium has caused their virtual disappearance and only a few of the gamakas remain in use. The result is that the current form of Hindustani music has lost some of its traditional character - perhaps forever. Carnatic music is one of the very few musical forms in the world that have not lost their traditional character due to the influence of western culture. On the contrary, Carnatic music has enhanced its traditional character by borrowing good things from other systems of music. The introduction of the violin is a very good example of a positive influence. The instrument and its playing techniques have been successfully adapted to fit in with the rest of the system. This adaptation is so complete that the present day listener can hardly imagine a concert without a violin accompanying the singer.
The seven basic swaras occupy various swara sthanas and produce a total of sixteen swaras that form the basis of the raga scheme. It should be emphasized that the swara sthanas are nominal and in actual usage, depending on the raga, the swara is not fixed at any one sthana but appears at various locations around a nominal swara sthana in different swara phrases. The Shadja and Panchama swaras are like the foundations upon which the rest of the melody is constructed. So, these occupy fixed sthanas. This is denoted by naming these swaras as Prakruthi swaras (all the other swaras are grouped under Vikruthi swaras). Further, these two swaras are usually employed without any gamakas. In order to identify the sthanas of the various swaras, let us number the twelve sthanas. The names of the swaras and the swara sthanas they occupy are given in the following table.
The numbering used above allows one to easily locate the swaras on fretted string instruments (veena, mandolin etc.). One simply counts up the frets till the desired swara is reached. For example, if a Sa is played on a particular fret, to get a Prati Madhyamam, one simply moves up 6 frets on the same string (moving six steps from 1 results in 7, the number denoting the Prati Madhyamam). The Ra-Ri-Ru notation exists chiefly for convenience and is not used very widely. In conformance with that practice, this document will point out when the notation is being used. In the absence of such an indication, Ra should be taken to imply not Suddha Rishabam but a generic Rishabam. The following keyboard diagrams show the locations of the swaras for one kattai and four and a half kattai reference pitch using the ra-ri-ru notation. A similar indication can be easily made up for fretted string instruments simply by using the swara sthana table and counting up the frets starting from Sa.
The use of sixteen swara names has led to some people describing an octave as being divided into more than twelve swara sthanas (as many as twenty two). But, as the table and keyboard diagrams show, there are only twelve sthanas and certain pairs of swaras occupy the same nominal swara sthana (eg. Chatusruthi Rishabam and Suddha Gandharam). In an earlier era (or for that matter, in contemporary Hindustani music), the duplicate name swaras were not used i.e. each swara sthanam was associated with one and only one swaram. The swaras of the octave then read (in Ra-Ri-Ru notation) Sa - Ra - Ri - Gi - Gu - Ma - Mi - Pa - Da - Di - Ni - Nu - Sa. The remaining swaras, Ru, Ga, Du and Na, were considered to be tainted ('Dhosham') and their use was to be avoided. These four swaras are called as Vivadi swaras and their use is now generally accepted. The occurrence of combinations of swaras gives rise to melodies which can then be classified on the basis of the swaras that are used. This leads to the scheme of ragas which is our next topic of discussion.

==================================== ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## Ra Ru Mi Da Du ## Gi ## ## Ni __ __ __ __ __ Sa Ri Gu Ma Pa Di Nu Ga Na ____________________________Swaras for one kattai reference pitch
========================================================= ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## Ri ## ## Di ## ## ## Sa Ga Gu Pa Na ## __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ Ru Du Ra Gi Ma Mi Da Ni Nu ____________________________________________Swaras for four and half kattai reference pitch

Raganubhava: Melodic Aspects

Raganubhava

Indian music evolved on melodic lines and has reached points of tremendous sophistication, which are unsurpassed in the world even today. Melodic aspects are the main anchor points of Indian music but it is balanced with the rhythmic aspects in an admirable manner. Carnatic music believes in the maxim "Srutir mata, layah pita" (Melody is Mother, Rhythm is Father). The implication is that music is created only out of the union of the two. All the aspects of raga, melody and aesthetics have been dealt with here.

Carnatic music is a melody-based system. The stress is on successive combination of notes unlike some systems, where one comes across the concept of harmony. Harmony involves rendering more than one note at a time. The melodic aspects of Carnatic music are very easy to understand as they are very systematic in their development from the simple to sophisticated. Melody in the context of Carnatic music may be explained as, "The production of any musical tone or succession of such tones or semitones, with definite frequencies, within certain parameters, whether rendered independently or in conjunction with rhythm and / or lyrics".

Nada

In Carnatic music the term Nada has found a special place. It refers to sounds that are pleasing to the ears, as opposed to noise. Nada, according to ancient Vedic texts, Upanishad and Purana, is the easiest path to elevate oneself and attain salvation. This in turn, is the core of Hindu philosophy. Tyagaraja and such other great composers echo the same sentiments in many of their compositions like Nadasudharasam, Nadatanumanisam etc., besides prescribing the scientific production of musical sound (e.g., Sobhillu Saptaswara).
There is another school of thought that believes that music itself is divine and that the perfect synchronisation of the performer with the musical sound, Nada (the practice of which is called Nadopasana), is the real divine bliss.

Pitch

For sound to fall in the category of the musical, the vibrations have to be regular. Thus, evenly spaced vibrations whose frequency determines the 'highness' or 'lowness' of the sounds create musical tones. This factor is called Pitch. We come across people talking about 'high-pitched screams' or 'low-moaning sounds'. Similarly they can distinguish between high and low frequency notes when they hear music.
In Carnatic music, Pitch is of central concern. Every individual has a natural pitch, a level or range at which he can produce notes of best quality with ease. Generally, male voices are lower in pitch than female voices. The marked difference in voice quality among men, women and children is due to the size of the vocal chords, the kind of breathing and the physical make-up of the resonant cavities. Talking of tonal comfort, at the natural pitch level of an individual the vocal chords are in a relaxed and almost flaccid condition. In the case of instruments, the fundamental pitch is fixed based on the length, construction and timbre of the instrument.
The fundamental key to pitch selection is the basic tonic note, Sa, called the Adhara Shadja. Every other note is in relation to this note, unlike the Western classical system. This becomes the fixed pitch and is called the Sruti. Maintaining this fundamental pitch throughout is of utmost importance. This has been beautifully encapsulated in the Sanskrit maxim, "Srutir mata" which accords pitch the status of Mother.
When the frequency of any note is exactly doubled, a . In Carnatic music, a range of three octaves is generally used. They are called the Mandra, Madhya and Tara Sthayi, referring to the lower, middle and higher octaves respectively.
Many music systems have divided an octave into twelve parts or notes. The melodic interval between two successive notes is called a semitone and that between alternate notes is referred to as tone. One can imagine a semitone to be half a step and tone to be one whole step.