WRITTEN BY R. NANJAPPA                        

Post No. 8156

Date uploaded in London – – – 12 June 2020   

Contact – swami_48@yahoo.com

Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge; this is a non- commercial blog. Thanks for your great pictures.

SRI TYAGARAJA-33,         Tyagaraja Reveals a Secret

Is Tyagaraja pessimistic? He lived at a time (1767-1847) when Indian social life and religious traditions were beginning to fall  apart. European powers were controlling various pockets and competing among themselves, finally resulting in the triumph of the British.Nominal Mughal rule ended in Delhi, many native rulers were subjugated by the British.They were confined to the forts with a pension, while the British collected the revenue and controlled the affairs.  The South was divided among the remnants of Vijaynagar, Mahratta and Mysore kingdoms, with pockets of Muslim domination. Social life was in a flux, religious life in decline, political rule was unstable and economic life miserable for large  segments of people, and uncertain on the whole.

Even among such circumstances, Tanjore offered a ray of hope. Remarkable saintly personalities had risen there and shown people how to lead a life of devotion, even when they were not able to follow the traditional Hindu way. Everything was not lost, as yet.

Tyagaraja’s maternal grandfather was a man of some religious merit and literary accomplishments due to which he was well regarded in Tanjore court circles. Tyagaraja might have had exposure to the atmosphere of religious and literary activities there- he could observe both the bright and the darker sides, as reflected in his kritis. Tyagaraja’s kritis contain his observations on life and society as prevailing then. If one does not get a uniformly good picture, it is not because Tyagaraja was pessimistic, but society was such. Tyagaraja did not write a treatise on society, but his observations come incidentally in his exposition of the Bhakti path, using the medium of music for which he had a natural gift.

Far from being a pessimist, Tyagaraja celebrates the very fact of human birth!

Manava tanuvu durlabha manusu nenchi

paramananda monda                 ( dudukugala)

One should feel supremely happy that one obtained the rare human birth.

It is only through the human birth that it is possible to transcend the cycle of birth and death. Hence it represents an extremely rare opportunity to obtain the imperishable, immortal state using this mortal frame! It is only when people forget this and look upon the body as an instrument of worldly pleasure that they  get subject to worldly afflictions. Those who look upon the body as an instrument of dharma- sarira madhyam khalu dharma sadhanam- can take up the path of bhakti and derive ananda!

Santa janula kolla sammati yunte gaani

Inta kannananda memi O Rama Rama!

O Rama! If the mind gets immersed in the company of those devotees who are engaged in singing God’s names and praises, can there be greater happiness?

Geethathamu sangitanandamu 

Nee tavuna judara O manasa

O mind! Enjoy the meaning of the Gita and the pleasure of good sangita within yourself!

What he means is that happiness cannot be obtained from external sources but from a mind at peace. The mind will be at peace if one thinks of God in the heart. This is what Hanuman did and it is Hanuman’s example that Tyagaraja gives here. Hanuman is the greatest devotee of Rama.

Haridasulu vedale muchchata koni

Haridasulu vedale muchchata koni

Anandamaye dayalo

O the generous one! The sight of the devotees of God coming out on the street ( singing God’s names with sweet music) gives such great pleasure!

Modakara sarira metti

mukti margamu teliyani

vada tarkamela

Bhajana seyava manasa            (Bhajanaseyave)

 Oh mind! Having got this  human body which enables you to attain happiness, learn to seek the way for liberation. 

Why engage in arguments and counter-arguments which block such knowledge? Engage in bhajana of Rama.

So, Tyagaraja is quite appreciative of the fortune of having a human body, the possibility of attaining liberation through it and is also aware of the means- viz devotion to God. This also confers Ananda-delight. Indeed, our Sages have held that happiness or ananda is quite natural; it is not wrong for man to seek it, but his mistake is that he is seeking it in the wrong places! 

Tyagaraja shows us the right place and path.

It is true the world is full of problems and troubles. But why should we worry if we have devotion?

Samsarulaite nemayya siki

pincha vatamsu deduta nundaka

If people have always before their minds’ eye Krishna with the beautiful peacock feather in his crown, what if they are samsaris?

Himsadulella rosi hamsadula goodi

prasamsa jeyuchune proddu

kamsarini nammuvaru       …..samsaurlaite

Giving up  himsa completely, keeping company with holy people, engaged in singing/reciting the praises of the Lord, always having faith in Krishna who disposed of Kamsa-  what if they are samsaris?

Jnana vairagyamulu heenamai natti

bhava kananamuna dirgu manavulu sada

dhyanayoga yutulai nee namamu balguchu

nana karma phalamu daanamuseyuvaru…..samsaru

People who wander in the forest of samsara that is without substance-lacking in jnana and vairagya,if they take the path of dhyana, engage in nama sankirtan, and dedicate the fruits of their work to Bhagavan- what if they are samsaris?

Krurapu yochnala dooruchesi
tana daara putrula baricharakula jesi
saararoopuni padasaara yugalamula
saarasaareku manasaara bujinchuvaaru… samsara

Removing all cruel ideas from their mind, engaging their wives and children too in the service of the Lord, to engage heartily in always worshipping the lotus feet of the Lord, which are the essence of everything- what if such people are samsaris?

Bhagavadula goodi bhogamulella
Harike gaavimpuchunu veenagaanamulato
Aagamacharuni Sriragamuna baaduchu
Tyagarajanutuni baaguga nammuvaru….Samsaru

Gathering the company of fellow devotees, offering all the pleasures they have obtained to the Lord, engaged in praising the Lord in the  Sriraga to the accompaniment of sweet music of veena, placing full faith in the Lord worshipped by Tyagaraja- what if such people are samsaris?

Sri Tyagaraja is fantastic. Here he is giving us the essence of Gita’s teaching on devotion including the one in 9.30: even if a wicked person decides to worship God with undivided devotion, he should be regarded as good! He does turn righteous soon! And samsaris are not all or necessarily wicked- they may just not know the way- till they adopt devotion! Yes, life is full of distractions, diversions and troubles- but there is Bhagavan to look after us, if we turn to Him. We must have such faith to be saved.

For this we need association with saintly people. God should bless us with good buddhi..

Enduku peddala vale bhuddheeyavu
Endu podunayya Ramayya

O Rama! Why have you not blessed me with the kind of wisdom you have given to great holy people? 

Vedasastra tatvaarthamulu delisi
Bhedarahita Vedantamulu delisi
Nada vidya marmambulau delisi
Natha Tyagarajanuta nijamuka……enduku

Though I have learnt the inner meaning of Veda sastras, I have understood the Vedanta , beyond all the differences, I have known the secrets of Nada upasana- still Lord, why have you not blessed me with the kind of wisdom that great men have?

Here Tyagaraja makes it clear that whatever one may have learned, the saving wisdom comes from God, as a blessing! This links us directly with Gita,10.10&11:

Teshaam satata yuktaanaam
Bhajataam preeti purvakam
Dadaami buddhi yogam tam

Yena Mam upayayanti te

To them, ever steadfast and serving Me with affection,I  GIVE THAT BUDDHI YOGA by which they come to Me.

Teshaamevanukampartham
Ahamajnanajam tama:
Naasayaam atma bhavasto
Jnanadeepena bhasvata

Out of mere compassion for them, abiding in their hearts, I destroy the darkness born of ignorance by the luminous lamp of knowledge.

If such is the case, why should one worry?

Maakelara vicharamu
maruganna Sri Ramachandra 

What worry do I have? O Ramachandra, the father of Manmatha!

Jada goorchi naataka sutramunu
jagamella mechchaga karamuna nidi
gati tappakaadinchevu summee

You are keeping in your hands the strings connecting all the people as in a drama show with dolls,  making them  dance without faltering , drawing praise all round. What worry do I have ( when I understand you are there, behind everything?)

In fact there is another entity who is really worried!

Chintistunnade Yamudu

Santatamu sujanulella 
Sad bhajana jeyuda joochi

Lord Yama is immersed in thought, worried.

All the good people in the world are engaged in bhajan of the Lord. So Yama is thinking, worried.

Soolapaasa dharabhata
jaalamula joochi mari mee
kolahalamu ludige
kaalamaayene yanuchu  chintistunnade

Addressing his messengers, with the sula and pasa string, he says: “the time has come for your celebrations to stop”, and is immersed in worried thoughts.

Vaaridhi soshimpa jeyu
krura kumbhajuni reeti
Ghora narakadu lanase
Taraka namamunu dalachi….chintis

Just as Sage Agastya drank up the oceans, people have taken to Tarakanama which will destroy all the terrible hells. So Yama has become worried and thoughtful
Daari teliyaleka tirige-
vaaralaina chalunante
Saaramani Tyagaraju
Sankirtanamu baaderanuchu ….chintistunnade

If it is thought that it is enough for Yamaloka to have those people who are wandering without knowing the proper way, they too are singing the meritorious Kirtans composed by Tyagaraja! So Yama is worried!

This is a splendid, magnificent , glorious crown to the fantastic kirtans of Sri Tyagaraja. This is one of the rare moments when Tyagaraja has revealed a supreme secret without any self-consciousness.That his Kirtanas- Saaramani Sankirtanamu: the sankirtans  which contain the essence!- can keep Yama away and thus ward of the fear of the people! As we saw in an earlier posting, Tyagaraja claimed no credit for his kirtanas. He said that they were taught to him by Sri Rama Himself. And in that context, he stated that they confer the prosperity of this world and also Liberation:

“Bhukti mukti kalgu nani kirtanamula 
bodhinchina….Dasarati nee runamu deerpa
na tarama                     (Dasarti-Todi)

O son of Dasarata! Is it possible for me to repay my debt to you, who taught me (bodinchina) the excellent kirtanas (nani kirtanamu) which give both worldly prosperity (bhukti) and Liberation (Mukti)?

Tyagaraja stated there the reason why Rama gave these kirtanas to Tyagaraja:

Bhaktileni kavijaala varenyulu
bhaava merugaloni kalalojani

Thinking that the poets, who merely excel in composing poetry (kavi jaala varenyulu) do not know the inner meaning or true import (bhaavamerugaloni) because they lack bhakti (bhaktileni)

See how carefully Tyagaraja is using his words. He is not indulging in superlatives or hyperbole. He says plainly that Rama taught him the kirtanas, that they give us bhukti and mukti. When they can give mukti, does it not mean  that they can ward of the fear of Yama?
Such is the benefit Sadguru Sri Tyagaraja Swami has conferred on us, totally undeserving people. We now see why he is Sadguru. 

Nee Nama Rupamulaku nitya jaya Mangalam.

WRITTEN BY R. NANJAPPA                        

Post No. 8149

Date uploaded in London – – – 11 June 2020   

Contact – swami_48@yahoo.com

Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge; this is a non- commercial blog. Thanks for your great pictures.

SRI TYAGARAJA-32,    Dealing with the World

World experienced in different ways

 As   Sadguru, Tyagaraja is not interested in theories or merely cursing  the darkness. He lights a candle and shows the way.

People experience the world in varied ways. This is because each one comes with his unique load of karma, and set of vasanas acquired through many births.  The world offers each one appropriate experiences- usually as a mixture of pain and pleasure, success and failure, fulfilment and frustration,etc. No matter whether one is rich or poor, educated or uneducated, urban or rural, in a primitive or highly advanced society, these are the ways life is experienced by every one.

Transience of the world

 Behind this , and common to all, there is only one fact- the fact of birth and death. What we call life is like a river between these two banks. It is said that we do  not step into the same river twice- for water keeps flowing out, and it is not into the same water that we step into every time! Life too is like that- each day looks like another , but one  after another the seconds, minutes, hours, days roll away, snatching away our life in tiny installments. We are not even aware. Sankara sang:

Dinaya minyau sayam prata:
Sisira vasantau punaraayata:
Kala: kreedati gachchat aayu:
Day and night, evening and morning, winter and spring keep coming. Time thus plays with us. Life is vanishing.
Dana jana yauvan- 
Harti nimeshaat kaalas sarvam.
Wealth, retinue, youth- Time snatches away everything as if in a trice.

It does not take a philosopher like Sankara to point out these basic facts. Sometimes, even our celluloid poets hit on this truth, and bring it out in their own effective and popular way:

Subah aati hai, sham jaati hai
Subah aati hai, sham jaati hai, yuhin
Waqt chaltahi rehtahai rukhta nahin
Ek phal mein ye aage nikal jaata hai
Aadmi theek se dekh paate nahin
Aur parde pe manzar badal jaate hain
Ek baar chale jaate hain jo din-raat,subah-sham
Woh phir nahi aate, woh phir nahi aate

Zindagi ke safar mein guzar jaata hai jo makam
Woh phir nahi aate, woh phir nahin aate.
  ( Anand Bakshi)

Morning comes, evening fades away
Morning comes, evening fades away
Time keeps moving, doesn’t ever stop
In a second time moves forward
Man is not able to perceive things correctly
This veil- it changes one’s vision
The day-night, the morning-evening
      that once goes away
It never comes back, it never comes back. 

Life is a journey. On it, whatever destination is once passed by- it never comes back, it never comes back.

Let us not dismiss this as a mere film song, but ponder on the facts stated- and enjoy the way it has been conveyed in superb poetry. Life passes by in seconds, we are not even aware. Generally,we never stop to introspect unless we face a problem or reverse; even then we do not examine the quality of our life(style), but blame other things and only seek  relief,remedies and instant solutions. Often we find that we get into problems with the best of intentions and decisions, as Louise Hay pointed out. Children get out of control; even the CEO is not able to force his way; health fails; investments lose value. We do not realise these are universal- happened to everyone, everywhere, at all times- for this is the nature of the world. The old Latin saying had it: Sic transit gloria mundi: thus passes away the glory of the world. Thomas Gray wrote in his elegy: “Paths of glory lead but to the grave”. These are not words of useless people in sour-grape situations, but reflections of thoughtful people in very sober, enlightened moments. Which empire has lasted for ever? Which dynasty has lasted really long and stuck to its old roots? Rama was the very embodiment of Dharma, but descendants of his dynasty are supposed to have fought on the side of Kauravas in the Mahabharata war! Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal Emperor was imprisoned at Mandalay and bemoaned:

Umr-e daraaz se maang ke laye char din

Do arzoo mein gaye, do intezar mein

Hai kitna badnasib Zafar dafn ke liye

Do gaz zamin bhi na mili koo-e-yaar mein.

I had requested for a long life of four days.

Two passed by in pining, two in waiting.

How unlucky is Zafar! for burial

Even two yards of land were not to be had

In the land of his beloved.

Thus ended the great Mughal empire. Vijaynagar and Mahratta rules, glorious for a time, also faded away .  Time plays with and snatches away everything. So, Sankara said: Ma kuru dana jana yauvana karvam: don’t get puffed up about wealth, retinue, youth.

Two weapons: Viveka & Vairagya

All this is not to make us depressed, but realistic. Nothing is permanent here. Everything is like a shadow or puppet show or dream. It is the job of the Sages and Saints to remind us of this fact at all times.

Sri Ramakrishna used to talk of smearing the hands with oil before cutting the jack fruit. Likewise, to deal with the world, we have to adopt two essentials: viveka and vairagya- discrimination and detachment. The first is to realise the distinction between the permanent and the impermanent, the real and the unreal; the second is to stop getting attached to the impermanent.

World is Real!

Care: True  Vedantins hold the world to be ‘unreal’ only in the very technical sense that it is not permanent. They do not mean that it does not exist. Unfortunately the word maya has been used indiscriminately, senselessly and translated atrociously as illusion. This has resulted in many people treating the world as if it did not exist and matter, leading to an all-round deterioration in the quality of life and society. 

Just imagine what would happen if all honest people shunned trade and commerce or even politics, thinking that there is lot of dishonesty and corruption there. Then, they will all become the exclusive preserve of totally dishonest people- as politics has already become. On the other hand, is there any field in the modern day which is totally free of dishonesty and corruption- be it judiciary, medical profession, education, police, even religious institutions and temple administration? 

Likewise, if good people think the world is illusion and behave as  if it is evil or did not matter, the whole society would suffer. This is how India fell,from the days of Buddha, treating the world as maya! This is not the meaning of viveka and vairagya. It is to exercise an element of caution in dealing with things of the world, not to deny them.

Tyagaraja’s position

Sri Tyagaraja advocates viveka and vairagya. There is something in life we cannot fathom, cannot control. We have to accept and reconcile.

Raanidi raadu surasurulakaina
Ponidhi podu bhusurulakaina

Devendruniki sudehamu purva
Devulla kamruta mabhaavame gaani
Aa vanachara baadhalaa munulake gaani…Sri Rama

O Rama!
Even for the Devas and Asuras, what is not to come will never come. Even for the Brahmins, what is not to go will not go.
Devendra will never get back his (old) good body. The Asuras will never get back the Amruta (which they once missed).

The Rishis/Munis living in the forests will never be free of the troubles from the Rakshasas.

This should make us ponder. Things did change as the puranas describe, but the old position was not totally restored.. Rama came and cleared the Dandaka forest of the menace of the rakshasas, but the rakshasas were not totally annihilated.  Those doing tapas or penance in its modern variants still face obstruction! Certain features of the world are just part of the world- the way it is. No wonder it is called ‘misra lokam’- the mixed place.

Prapanchamuna gala sukhamu
manchuvale nanuchu mati 
nenchitini            (Nadupai)

I thought that all the pleasures of the world are like the dew(will clear away soon, ie not permanent)

The transience of wealth, youth, the body- this is the most basic theme in all serious Hindu religious instruction .Tyagaraja deals with it in an exclusive kriti.
Enduko baaga teliyadu
Andagaada Sri Rama eetanu-

vasthiramani ee kali maanavula…enduko

Sri Rama! How is it that these people of the Kali Age do not know for certain that this body is not permanent?

Gattiga raallanu gattina gruhamula
mattu mitamu lenatti parijanulu
chuttukonta  nija chuttaala korula
pattula katidulaku

Bettaleka tama potta saaku
konnatti dehamula rattu sanchulanu
gattina danamula pettela todanu
betti poyye mattu kanungoni      enduko

They build strong houses with stone and keep countless servants  and are surrounded by a large number of relatives and guests; (but) they do not like to feed them all well, but only fill their bellies well; they fill double bags with money  and fill them in boxes. But they leave all this here when they die. Our people see all this but still they do not realise that the body is transient. Alas!

Kallalaadi kadupu pallamu nimputa

Kallalaadi kadupu pallamu nimputa
kellavaari dhanamella jerchukoni
pallavadharula nella gani sunaka
pillalavale dirigi
Olla rogamulu lollaga dagala
tolli paikamulu mella jaara janu-
lella doora baramella baara bhuvi
mallu butti phamella ganungoni ……Enduko

Just to fill the pit that is their belly, they resort to lies and take away others’  money; they follow behind young women, like dogs; they are troubled by many an illness and the accumulated money disappears slowly; people speak ill of them; possibility of better worlds hereafter fully gone, they die and are reborn again. Our people know all this, but still they do not realise that the body is not permanent. Alas!

Vanchakula anusarinchina yalamata
inchukaina sairinchaleka tama
sanchita karmamulanchu delisi
verenchuvaarala joochi
Manchuvale pratipalinchu sampata
lanchu gorakanu manchi Tyagaraju
anchitamuga bhujinchinutinchu
prapanchanaduni bhajinchuda manuchu….enduko

People associate themselves with cheats, bring troubles upon themselves and are unable to bear them; why do they not realise that it is all due to their accumulated old karma- as wise people do?

Why (still) they do not learn to worship the Lord of the Universe, whom Tyagaraja adores, giving up desires for material possessions, treating them like dew, which is impermanent?

Once we realise that the world is transient, (Viveka) our scale of values will change. We will focus on the real/permanent aspects (vairagya).

With viveka and vairagya, devotion to God is the way to cross the ocean of samsara. This is the firm message of Tyagaraja, the Sadguru.. He does not hide behind fancy theories or subtleties of philosophy. Leave them to the idlers.

To be continued………………………….