SERIES - 5

As the elevator went down from the third floor to the ground, Advait and Mythreyi were

recollecting the sangatis of 'teliyalēru rāma bhakti mārgamunu' in the rāgam Dhēnuka, which

they had just learnt in the music class. 

"What a beautiful composition", sighed Mythreyi. 

“No wonder Tyāgarāja stands out among his contemporaries as a musician who embodied intense spiritual devotion through his compositions, thereby earning himself a revered place among India’s musician-saints”, said Advait.

 “Well said Vaithu, While the need for bhakti in music is often questioned in today’s time, don’t you think the answer is served on a platter in the form of these musical compositions? Take for instance the caraṇam of the composition we just learnt. Tyāgarāja deplores that,

vēga lēci nīṭa munigi bhūti pūsi

veḷanenci veliki slāghanīyulai

bāga paikamārjana lōlulairē

kāni tyāgarāja vinuta

Getting up early in the morning or taking bath, smearing oneself with sacred ashes on their body or performing japa by counting fingers, posing to be praise-worthy, one becomes totally committed to and lost in the process of making money and therefore does not know what the path of bhakti is."

"That’s right, Mythu, hehehe…. Just like how I am lost most of the time trying to solve sudoku puzzles, often forgetting that I was woken up early by my mom to finish my school lessons and practice music!"

“How does your morning look like, Mythu?” asked Advait. 

“Ah! Mine? Don’t even ask, I have to be at school by 6:45 every morning as part of the Run Club activities. So, my mornings pretty much start by 4:30 AM with an hour of music practice and then get ready and leave to school.

“Thank God! Unlike you, I don’t have to compete with Sūrya Dēva that early in the morning. Coming back to our discussion on bhakti, I was practicing this Sāvēri kṛti in the morning,

balamu kulamu ēla rāma bhakti kāraṇamu

velayu sakala siddhul(e)lla veṇṭa vaccu kāni mēnu

Have you listened to it, Mythu?” asked Advait. 

"Tyāgarāja questions, of what use is bodily strength and lineage when all the siddhis would flow by itself with real devotion."

As they were nearing their usual hang out spot, pulling out his phone from the pocket, Advait played the recording of Dr S Ramanathan. Waiting for their turn at the over-crowded pani poori counter, they spent the next few minutes listening to the kṛti. As the caraṇam approached, the music faded amidst the honking scooters, yaking crowd and the shouting vendors. 

“Here is the link, Mythu, give it a listen when you have some leisure” said Advait.

"There are five caraṇams and in each one of them Tyāgarāja draws example from nature to condemn rituals sans bhakti. In the first chanranam, he says,

nīṭa kāki mīnu munuga niratam(u)daya snānamā

tēṭa kanulu konga kūrca dēva dēva dhyānamā

Just because the crow and fish take dip in the water every day, can it be considered as morning ablution? Can a stork that focuses its eye to find its prey be considered as meditating?

patramulanu mēyu mēka balamaina upāsamā

Is a grass grazing goat considered to be devoutly fasting?" quips Tyāgarāja, giving many such examples in the other caraṇams. 

“Interesting! I will listen to it as soon as I go home”, said Mythreyi. 

"You know what, Vaithu? There are many compositions such as this, where the saint  strongly condemns rituals that are devoid of bhakti. In the Pallavi of one of his compositions in Punnāgavarāḷi,

evaru teliyanu poyyedaru

vivaramu lēni pūjalu jēsedaru

he laments as to how people haven’t understood what true bhakti is, and go about doing pooja without any real understanding."

Advait said, “Exactly! Just as we do our trigonometry lessons in math, not knowing where to apply it in real life!”

As she struggled to push a big poori into her mouth, it broke ,water dripping down her elbow and staining her pastel kurti. Mythu burst out laughing, 

"Certainly, Vaithu! Any act done without devotion becomes a mere ritual, even eating pani poori, hope I master it someday!”

”Jokes apart, Being Sunday, I relaxed a bit this morning. 'appa rāma bhakti entō gopparā mā' by

Sri T N Seshagopalan played on the radio. Later at the breakfast table, my thatha expounded

the striking analogy used by the composer, making sure to distract me from the monotony of

eating upma. 

“That’s interesting Mythu, even though I have heard this kriti many a times, I do

not know its meaning. Tell me more about it, please! By the way, do you still listen to radio? It sounds so ancient.” said Advait. 

“Oh! Arangisai has been a part of our morning routine ever since I can remember,” smiled Mythreyi.

Quickly scanning the QR code to pay off the bill, Mythreyi said in a hurried tone, “Let’s get going. I have my math homework to finish. Okay, so my thatha explained the Pallavi in which Tyāgarāja compares our eyelids, to rāma-bhakti: Just as our eyelids protect our eyes involuntarily, similarly, rāma-bhakti ceases the endless distractions in the minds of the devotees”.

“You got to sprint, vaithu! We are getting late. Don’t walk like a snail” said Mythreyi.

“Alright alright! Don’t you think? despite the fact that bhakti came naturally to him, with utmost devotion and humility this man sings, a composition like 'bhakti biccam iyyavē bhāvukamagu sātvīka' in shankarabharanam where he seeks alms of auspicious, pure and desire-less devotion. Isn’t this composition a testament to his deep devotion and unwavering commitment to the path of bhakti?”

“Definitely, one of Sri K V Narayanaswami’s rendition of this kriti is my favorite. I can keep listening to it on loop. But, if the saint himself is seeking alms for desire-less devotion, then what do mortals like us do?”

“Of course he answers you through his other compostions! It is up to us to look for it. Mythu, do you remember the kriti we learnt for last vijayadasami?”

“Ofcourse, I do, 'Bhaktuni chāritramu vinavē', right?” said Mythreyi.

“Yes, in this Bēgaḍa composition Tyāgarāja talks of the qualities that a devotee must possess. The one who disowns his sensual pleasures shall alone seek the Supreme is what he says”, said Advait.

“Haha, true, but I can’t even give up my pani poori cravings. Has he not mentioned in 'ūrakē kalgunā rāmuni bhakti' that devotion towards rama cannot arise sponteniously?” said Mythreyi, as they halted to finish their conversation before parting ways.

“The sahāna kṛti, right?” asked Advait. "The bhagavatam mentions nava-vidha bhakti,

kīrtana being one of them. That is a solace for music students like us.”

“That’s interesting Vaithu, what is nava-vidha bhakti?” asked Mythreyi.

“Hahahah…. I will let you mull over it until we meet next”, laughed Adavit.

“This isn’t fair! Come on, tell me now”, pleaded Mythreyi. Advait guffawed as he took a right

turn towards his apartment, 

“Go do your maths homework, buh byeeee… take care Mythu.”

Walking down the lane towards her house, Mythreyi shouted back,

“byeeeeee…..”.