Sri Kamalamba Jayati

Happy Navami everybody! These nine days have flown past, haven’t they? This Navaratri I have been featuring Dikshithar’s Navavarana kritis. It has been an intense nine days for me, reading about the philosophy, examining the ideas behind it and charting my own take-homes. Today we have arrived at the culmination point, the kriti dedicated to the ninth Avarana, सर्व आनन्दमय चक्र Sarva Anandamaya Chakra (Suffused with Complete Bliss). The presiding deity is Tripurasundari. Here reside Shiva and Shakti, unified as one and are represented by a bindu (dot). This bindu represents the sum total of all possibilities of the Universe.

In this celebratory kriti, Dikshithar says प्रीति युक्त मत् चित्तं विलयतु  ‘Intent upon Her love, let my mind dissolve’. If you have reached this stage of the Sri Yantra upasana, there is no more philosophy, no more logic, no more ritual, nothing but the merging of your mind into the absolute. So let us immerse ourselves in our own musical upasana as we let our minds seek Kamalamba.

This kriti is set to the deeply meditative raga Ahiri, perfect for quieting our minds. It is beautifully presented to us today by Sumithra Vasudev (from 7:16). What a lovely song, and what a lovely way to finish this series! May the Goddesses be with you!

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Footnote (Lyrics and Translation) :

Composer : Muthuswami Dikshithar
Raga : Ahiri
Language : Sanskrit

पल्लवि
श्री कमलाम्बा जयति अम्बा
श्री कमलाम्बा जयति जगदम्बा
श्री कमलाम्बा जयति शृङ्गार रस कदम्बा मदम्बा
श्री कमलाम्बा जयतिचिद्बिम्ब प्रतिबिम्बेन्दु बिम्बा
श्री कमलाम्बा जयति
(मध्यम काल साहित्यम्)
श्री पुर बिन्दु मध्यस्थ चिन्तामणि मन्दिरस्थ
शिवाकार मञ्च स्थित शिव कामेशाङ्कस्था

अनुपल्लवि
सूकराननाद्यर्चित महा त्रिपुर सुन्दरीं
राज राजेश्वरीं श्री-कर सर्वानन्द-मय –
चक्र वासिनीं सुवासिनीं चिन्तयेऽहम्
(मध्यम काल साहित्यम्)
दिवाकर शीत किरण पावकादि विकास-करया
भी-कर ताप-त्रयादि भेदन धुरीण-तरया
पाक रिपु प्रमुखादि प्रार्थित सु-कळेबरया
प्राकट्य परा-परया पालितो-दया-करया
चरणम्
श्री मात्रे नमस्ते चिन्मात्रे सेवित रमा हरीश विधात्रे
वामादि शक्ति पूजित पर देवतायाः सकलं जातम्
कामादि द्वादशभिरुपासित कादि हादि सादि मन्त्र रूपिण्याः
प्रेमास्पद शिव गुरु गुह जनन्यां प्रीति युक्त मच्चित्तं विलयतु
(मध्यम काल साहित्यम्)
ब्रह्म-मय प्रकाशिनी नाम रूप विमर्शिनी
काम कला प्रदर्शिनी सामरस्य निदर्शिनी

Transliteration

pallavi
shrI kamalAmbA jayati ambA
shrI kamalAmbA jayati jagadambA
shrI kamalAmbA jayati
shRngAra rasa kadambA madambA
shrI kamalAmbA jayati
chidbimba prati-bimbEndu bimbA
shrI kamalAmbA jayati
(madhyama kAla sAhityam)
shrI pura bindu madhyastha chintAmaNi mandirastha
shivAkAra mancha sthita shiva kAmEshAnkasthA

anupallavi
sUkarAnanAdyarchita mahA tripura sundarIm
rAja rAjESvarIm shrI-kara sarvAnanda-maya
chakra vAsinIm suvAsinIm chintayEham
(madhyama kAla sAhityam)
divAkara shIta kiraNa pAvakAdi vikAsa karayA
bhIkara tApa trayAdi bhEdana dhurINa tarayA
pAka ripu pramukhAdi prArthita sukaLEbarayA
prAkaTya parA-parayA pAlitO-dayA-karayA

charaNam
shrI mAtrE namastE chinmAtrE
sEvita ramA harIsha vidhAtrE
vAmAdi shakti pUjita para dEvatAyAH sakalam jAtam
kAmAdi dvAdashabhirupAsita –
kAdi hAdi sAdi mantra rUpiNyAH
prEmAspada shiva guru guha jananyAm –
prIti yukta maccittam vilayatu
(madhyama kAla sAhityam)
brahma maya prakAshinI nAma rUpa vimarshinI
kAma kalA pradarshinI sAmarasya nidarshinI

Translation

May Kamalamba be victorious (jayati)! O Mother (ambA)! May Kamalamba be victorious! O mother of the world (jagat ambA)! May Kamalamba be victorious (jayati)! My (mad) mother, who is the sum total (kadambA) of the pleasure of love (shRingAra rasa)! May Kamalamba be victorious! The image (bimbA) of the spark (indu) of reflection (pratibimba) of the form (bimba) of consciousness (chit)! May Kamalamba be victorious! She who resides (sthita) in the bindu (dot) in Sripura, in the middle (madhyastha) of Brahma’s (chintAmaNi) temple (mandira) (I think it implies our body, as it is the temple created by Brahma for the soul), sitting (sthita) on pedestal (mancha) which is the body (AkAra) of Shiva, situated (-stha) on the lap (anka) of Shiva, the Lord of Love (kAma Isha).

I meditate upon (aham chintayE) on the great (mahA) Tripurasundari, the ruler of all rulers (rAja rAjeshwari), the respected one (suvAsinI), who is worshipped by (archita) by Varaha (sUkara), etc (Adi) (I don’t know what Anana means),  the one who causes prosperity (shrI kara), the one infused with (-maya) complete (sarva) bliss (Ananda). By She who causes (karayA) growth(vikAsa) to the sun (divAkara), moon (shItakiraNa), Agni (pAvaka) etc (Adi).  By She who is charged with (dhuriNa tarayA) relieving (bhEdana) fear (bhIkara), the three (traya) afflictions (tApa) (=physical, mental, supernatural). By She who has the beautiful su-) form (kaLEbara) worshipped by (prArthita) the chief (pramukha) enemy (ripu) of Paka (=Indra), etc (Adi). By she who is manifest (prAkatyA) as both past (para) and future (apara). By she who is compassionate (dayAkarayA) to those who cherish (pAlita) her.

Salutations (namastE) to the auspicious (shrI) mother (mAtR), the mother (mAtr) of consciousness (chit). The Goddess (ramA) Mother (vidhAtrI) worshipped (sEvita) by Vishnu (hari) and Shiva (Isha). The Shakti worshipped by (pUjita) by Vama etc (Adi), from whom was born (jAtam) all other (para) Gods (dEvata) (unsure about this). Honoured (upAsita) by the twelve (dvAdasha) like Cupid (manmatha) etc (Adi) (dont know what is abhi). The embodiment (rUpinI) of the mantras starting with ka, ha, sa, etc. The seat (Aspada) of love (prEma) of Shiva, the mother (janani) of Kartikeya (guruguha, also signature of composer). Intent (yukta) upon Her love (prIti), let my (mat) mind/consciousness (chittam) dissolve (vilayatu). She who shines (prkAshinI) suffused (-maya) by the Brahman, the ultimate consciousness. She is the imparter (vimarshinI) of all names (nAma) and forms (rUpa). She is displayer (pradarshinI) of the art (kalA) of love (kAma). She is the knower (nidarshinI) of essence (rasa) of Sama veda.

Sri Kamalambike Avava

Happy Ashtami everyone! We continue with the Navavarana kritis of Muthuswami Dikshithar, a series which I started last week from this post. Today’s song is devoted to the eighth Avarana, the triangle within which the bindu, representing the Goddess, resides. The three corners of the triangle are said to represent a number of different things – the three gunas (sattva, rajas, tamas), the three powers of the Goddess (inclination, knowledge and activity), the three dimensions of the soul (AtmA, antarAtmA, paramAtmA), the three processes of creation (sRshTi, sthiti, samhAra), the three shaktis (Rudra Shakti-Parvati, Vishnu Shakti-Lakshmi, Brahma Shakti-Saraswati) and a few other ideas as well. It is clear that there are many ideas in sets of three in Hindu thought!

The name of this eighth chakra is सर्व सिद्धि प्रद Sarva Siddhi Prada Chakra (That which gives all accomplishments) and the presiding deity is Tripuramba. Yesterday I suggested that all of us who are nor that spiritually adept examine the chakras to set ourselves long term spiritual self-improvement goals. I also suggested short-term measurable targets so that we can monitor our progress. Therefore today, prompted by the name of the Chakra, I ask ‘What gives us all accomplishments?’ .

The answer flashes easily. First there has to be a seed, a wish to accomplish. This is triggered by something deep within us, our souls. Next there is the growth of the plant, the slow gathering of knowledge and skills. This is controlled and directed by the mind. Then finally the tree bears the fruit of accomplishment which can only come with the blessings of the Divine. Unknowingly, I have landed on the AtmA-antarAtma-paramAtmA symbolism after all!

This chakra tells me to strengthen the soul-mind-God connection so that it can work as a unit in our physical or metaphysical improvement (long term goal). Let us examine ourselves for the seed of one accomplishment, however small, which will give us joy. Let us find an inspiration before the end of this year (short term target). Let us then diligently take action to accomplish it next year and pray that our actions will bear the fruit of accomplishment.

This kriti in honour of the eighth Avarana is set to raga Ghanta. This is presented to us by Amritha Murali.

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Footnote (Lyrics and Translation) :

Composer : Muthuswami Dikshithar
Raga : Ghanta
Language : Sanskrit

पल्लवि
श्री कमलाम्बिके अवाव शिवे कर धृत शुक शारिके

अनुपल्लवि
लोक पालिनि कपालिनि शूलिनि
लोक जननि भग मालिनि सकृद्
आलोकय मां सर्व सिद्धि-प्रदायिके
त्रिपुराम्बिके बालाम्बिके

चरणम्
सन्तप्त हेम सन्निभ देहे सदाऽखण्डैक रस प्रवाहे
सन्ताप हर त्रिकोण गेहे सकामेश्वरि शक्ति समूहे
सन्ततं मुक्ति घण्टा मणि घोषायमान कवाट द्वारे
अनन्त गुरु गुह विदिते कराङ्गुलि नखोदय विष्णु दशावतारे
(मध्यम काल साहित्यम्)
अन्तःकरणेक्षु कार्मुक शब्दादि पञ्च तन्मात्र विशिखाऽत्यन्त
राग पाश द्वेषाङ्कुश धर करेऽति रहस्य योगिनी परे

Transliteration

pallavi
shrI kamalAmbikE avAva shivE kara dhRta shuka shArikE

anupallavi
lOka pAlini kapAlini shUlini lOka janani bhaga mAlini sakRd-
AlOkaya mAm sarva siddhi pradAyikE tripurAmbikE bAlAmbikE

charaNam
santapta hEma sannibha dEhE sadAkhaNDaika rasa pravAhE
santApa hara trikONa gEhE sakAmEshvari shakti samUhE
santataM mukti ghaNTA maNi ghOshAyamAna kavATa dvArE
ananta guru guha viditE karAnguli nakhOdaya vishNu dashAvatArE
(madhyama kAla sAhityam)
antaHkaraNEkshu kArmuka shabdAdi pancha tanmAtra vishikhAtyanta
rAga pAsha dvEshAnkusha dhara karEti rahasya yOginI parE

Translation

(sourced from guruhuha.com temporarily. I will do a word for word translation as soon as possible)

Kamalambika protect me, protect me.The auspicious one! The one who holds the parrot and the maina-bird* in her hands.

The protector of her worlds, the bearer of the trident. The consort of the bearer of the skull. The mother of the worlds. The one who is the garland of sweetness. Glance at me. The giver of all powers! The one known as tripurambika and balambika.

The one whose body is splendorous like molten gold, the one who always is an everflowing bliss, the one who dewells in the triangle with kAmeshwari and other shakthis.The one whose gate from which the bell of mukti beckons one to salvation. The one known to the eternal guruguha; the one who produced the 10 incarnations of Vishnu out of her 10 finger-nails. The one who resides in the mind, as the form which holds a sugarcane, the 5 tanmatras as the arrows, desire as the noose, hatred as the goad; The secret yoga power.

Sri Kamalambikayam

Happy Saptami to all of you! I started this series of posts on Prathami, trying to follow and understand Dikshithar’s Navavarana kritis which are based on the worship of Sri Yantra. Over the last seven days, I have read many texts and tried to understand Avarana after Avarana, giving you a summary in my posts. The texts all seem so complicated and convoluted! Yesterday I gave up, considering this quite beyond me. It is a veritable mountain of ideas in which I am quite lost.

Yet mountains too are climbed just one step at a time. So my question to myself today is simply this : what steps can I take today so that one day, in some future life, I will finally be upon the right path? Can we set measurable and achievable targets? Focusing only on the names of the Avaranas, I propose the following :

1. Bhupuram : Trilokya Mohana Chakra, the outermost layer. Tied to the earth, as the name Bhupuram suggests, I prefer to think of it as the physical preparatory layer. Mountain climbers train, acclimatize. Olympians practice. Those on the quest of the Goddess should surely start with training their bodies and minds with discipline, yoga and meditation (long term goal). Let us all try and do yoga at least twice a week and meditate at least once a week (short term target).
2. Sarvasa Paripooraka Chakra , the chakra where all desires are fulfilled. Is it ever possible to fulfil all desires? Isn’t the wish to fulfil all desires itself a desire? Desires come from discontent, if we remove discontent from out lives, all our desires will be fulfilled, will they not? So for me, the lesson of this chakra is to learn to be content (long term goal). Every morning, let us thank God for just one thing which makes us content with our lives; let us count our blessings (short term target).
3.  Sarva Samkhsobhana Chakra, the chakra which agitates all. The law of inertia states that ‘An object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.’ If we want to be different, we have to start doing something different! ‘Shake it up’ says this chakra to me, ‘start seeing the world with different eyes, the eyes of those on a quest’ (long term goal). Every month, let us teach ourselves one new thing in the spiritual realm from any religion of the world (short term target).
4. Sarva Saubhagya Dayaka Chakra, the chakra which bestows all prosperity. What if we are not meant to be the receivers but instead are the providers? What is prosperity – health, wealth, happiness? We cannot provide physical health to others, but we can provide mental health by being loving, supportive, understanding and accepting. We cannot provide everyone with wealth but we can try and be generous and charitable (long term goals). We cannot make everyone happy but let us try and bring a little smile to someone, somewhere every single day – be it a text to a friend, a small charitable act, a lovingly cooked meal..anything (short term target).
5. Sarvartha Saadhaka Chakra, the chakra which is the accomplisher of all objectives. Our schooling, our work, our life all tells us to set objectives and work towards achieving it. Let me tell you my experience : this is a whirlpool from which you will never emerge. Every objective achieved only paves the way for the next objective; it is an unending cycle. It tells me one thing very clearly – the objectives I am setting are wrong ones, they breed dissatisfaction, not satisfaction. So the lesson from this chakra is to set our objectives for those things which will bring us long time joy (long term goal). Let us think for the rest of this year and make a list of those things which will give us long term happiness (short term target).
6. Sarva Rakshakara Chakra, the all protecting chakra. Protecting what? I ask myself. What is worth protecting in me? What is not already tainted? This is a hard question for it seems that all that is good within me has already been soiled by this life.  The lesson for me from this chakra is to protect diligently all that is worth protecting in all of us – honesty, honour, charitability, kindness, patience, gentleness, peacefulness, nobility etc..(long term goal). To do that, we must first go through mentally of all we have done by which we have let ourselves down and then forgive ourselves for those things (short term target).So we come to today’s Avaranam :

7. Sarva Rogahara Chakra, the chakra which removes all diseases. ‘What is it which is diseased within me?’ I ask myself. Life sets the rot within us, does it not? Let us all examine ourselves, determining that which has started to rot in us and then heal ourselves, with kindness, with patience, but with determination as well (long term goal). Every third month, let us stop one bad habit, behaviour, or thought pattern which leads to the disease in our body, mind or soul (short term target).

Now this kind of practical steps sit much more easily with me than talk of worshipping hundreds of shaktis and yoginis with mantras and puja vidhi! Dikshithar’s kriti in honour of the seventh chakra is set to raga Sahana. It is presented today by Sikkil Gurucharan, an excellent young artist.

 

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Footnote (Lyrics and Translation) :

Composer : Muthuwami Dikshithar
Raga : Sahana
Language : Sanskrit

पल्लवि
श्री कमलाम्बिकायां भक्तिं करोमि
श्रित कल्प वाटिकायां चण्डिकायां जगदम्बिकायाम्

अनुपल्लवि
राका चन्द्र वदनायां राजीव नयनायां
पाकारि नुत चरणायां आकाशादि किरणायाम्
ह्रींकार विपिन हरिण्यां ह्रींकार सु-शरीरिण्यां
ह्रींकार तरु मञ्जर्यां ह्रींकारेश्वर्यां गौर्याम्

चरणम्
शरीर त्रय विलक्षण सुख-तर स्वात्मानुभोगिन्यां
विरिञ्चि हरीशान हरि-हय वेदित रहस्य योगिन्याम्
परादि वाग्देवता रूप वशिन्यादि विभागिन्यां
चरात्मक सर्व रोग हर निरामय राज योगिन्याम्
(मध्यम काल साहित्यम्)
कर धृत वीणा वादिन्यां कमला नगर विनोदिन्यां
सुर नर मुनि जन मोदिन्यां गुरु गुह वर प्रसादिन्याम्

Transliteration

pallavi
shrI kamalAmbikAyAm bhaktim karOmi
shrita kalpa vATikAyAm chaNDikAyAm jagadambikAyAm

anupallavi
rAkA chandra vadanAyAm rAjIva nayanAyAm
pAkAri nuta charaNAyAm AkAshAdi kiraNAyAm
hrImkAra vipina hariNyAm hrImkAra susharIriNyAm
hrImkAra taru manjaryAm hrImkArEshvaryAm gauryAm

charaNam
sharIra traya vilakshaNa sukha-tara svAtmAnubhOginyAm
virinchi harIshAna hari-haya vEdita rahasya yOginyAm
parAdi vAgdEvatA rUpa vashinyAdi vibhAginyAm
charAtmaka sarva rOga hara nirAmaya rAja yOginyAm
(madhyama kAla sAhityam)
kara dhRta vINA vAdinyAm kamalA nagara vinOdinyAm
sura nara muni jana mOdinyAm guru guha vara prasAdinyAm

Translation

I give my devotion (bhaktim karOmi) to Kamalambika, to Her who is a a garden (vAtikA) of wish-giving trees (kalpa) to her worshippers (shrita), to Her who is Chandika (a rudra form of the Goddess), to Her who is the mother (ambikA) of the world (jagat).

To Her with a face (vadana) like the full moon (rAkAchandra), whose eyes (nayana) are like the lotus (rAjIva), whose feet (charaNa) are worshipped (nuta) by the enemy (ari) of the demon pAka (=Indra), who radiates (kiranAy) the skies (AkAsha) etc (Adi), who is the doe (hariNi) in the forest (vipina) of the sound hRIm, whose noble (prefix su) body (sharIra) is the embodiment of the sound hRIm, who is like the cluster of blossoms (manjara) of the tree (taru) called hRIm, who is the Goddess (IshvarI) of the sound hRIm, who is fair-skinned Goddess (gaurI).

To Her who enjoys (anubhOga) her own (svAtma) blissful self (sukha tara) which is manifold (vilakshaNa) and beyond (implied) the three (traya) bod-states (sharIra) (the causal, the subtle and the gross), who is the secret (rahasya) Yogini known (vEdita) to Brahma (virinchi), Shiva (Isha) Vishnu (hari) and Hayagreeva (harihaya), who is the embodiment (rUpa) of the deity (dEvata) of speech (vAk), who is differentiated (vibhAga) as Vashinis (deities of the 8-triangles, representing alphabets, pa ra etc (Adi)), who is the Raja Yogini who  removes (hara) all (sarva) communicable (chara-Atmaka, moving nature)diseases (rOga) causing good health (nirAmaya) , who plays (vAda) the Veena she holds (dhRta) her hands (kara), who takes pleasure (vinOda) in the Lotus-city (kamalA nagara), who delights (mOdin) the Gods (sura), men (nara) and sages (muni jana), who graces (prasAda) Kartikeya (guruguha, also signature of composer) with boons (vara).

Kamalambikayah

Happy Shashti to all of you! I continue my posts on Dikshithar’s Navavarana kritis (Nine Enclosures) and we have come to the sixth one today. As we unfold one Avaranam (Enclosure) after another, it is clear that each one is one further step in reaching the state of oneness with the Supreme Consciousness which resides in the centre. A true worship is not just revering this chakra, but in exploring the meaning of each consecutive state and training our minds to reach that state. It is all so complicated! So what of us ‘normal’ people with limited abilities? Are we to just blindly worship the symbol without any follow through? Are we to resign ourselves to the fact the we are just not capable?

Here, Dikshithar comes to help with the very first line of today’s kriti. He addresses Kamalambika as sangIta rasika, She who loves music and says that he, Dikshithar, is Her devotee. It is only that one sentence that I cling today, telling myself that surely She who loves music will be present every time I play this beautiful song…

The sixth Avarana is called the सर्व रक्षाकर चक्र Sarva Rakshakara Chakra (All Protecting Chakra). Let us forget meaning, let us forget prescribed forms of worship, let us forget everything except that She who loves music IS music itself, that our love for music is in fact a worship it itself. This kriti is set to Raga Punnagavarali and is presented to us today by K.Gayatri.

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Footnote (Lyrics and Translation) :

Composer : Muthuswami Dikshithar
Raga : Punnagavarali
Language : Sanskrit

पल्लवि
कमलाम्बिकायास्तव भक्तोऽहं
शङ्कर्याः श्रीकर्याः सङ्गीत रसिकायाः श्री

अनुपल्लवि
सुम शरेक्षु कोदण्ड पाशाङ्कुश पाण्याः
अति मधुर-तर वाण्याः शर्वाण्याः कल्याण्याः
रमणीय पुन्नाग वराळि विजित वेण्याः श्री

चरणम्
दश कलात्मक वह्नि स्वरूप प्रकाशान्तर्दशार सर्व रक्षाकर चक्रेश्वर्याः
त्रि दशादि नुत क च वर्ग द्वय मय सर्वज्ञादि दश शक्ति समेत मालिनी चक्रेश्वर्याः
त्रिदश विंशद्वर्ण गर्भिणी कुण्डलिन्याः दश मुद्रा समाराधित कौळिन्याः
(मध्यम काल साहित्यम्)
दश रथादि नुत गुरु गुह जनक शिव बोधिन्याः दश करण वृत्ति मरीचि निगर्भ योगिन्याः श्री

Transliteration

pallavi
kamalAmbikAyAstava bhaktOham
shankaryAH SrI-karyAH sangIta rasikAyAH shrI

anupallavi
suma sharEkshu kOdaNDa pAshAnkusha pANyAH
ati madhura tara vANyAH sharvANyAH kalyANyAH
ramaNIya punnAga varALi vijita vENyAH shrI

charaNam
daSa kalAtmaka vahni svarUpa prakAshAntardashAra sarva rakshA-kara chakrEshvaryAH
tridashAdi nuta ka cha varga dvay maya sarvajnAdi dasha shakti samEta mAlinI chakrESvaryAH
tridasha vimshadvarNa garbhiNI kuNDalinyAH dasha mudrA samArAdhita kauLinyAH
(madhyama kAla sAhityam)
dasha rathAdi nuta guru guha janaka shiva bOdhinyAH
daSa karaNa vRtti marIci nigarbha yOginyAH shrI

Translation

Note : As I did not have time to do the translation, this is as available on Guruguha.org  I will do a word by word translation as soon as I am able.

I am a devotee of you, kamalambika. The auspicious, the harbinger of prosperity, the connoisseur of music.

The one who holds bow of sugarcane, arrow of flowers, the noose and goad, the one with the sweetest voice, the consort of sharva; the auspicious, the one whose tresses are blacker than the bees in the punnaga trees.

The controller of the Sarvarakshakara chakra with ten petals ; The controller of the Malini chakra which has the ten shaktis beginning with Sarvagna the shakti represented by the ka series & ca series and praised by the devas;
the one who is kundalini which is embodied in the 50 letters; The kaulini devi worshipped with the 10 mudras, the perceptor of shiva – the father of guruguha; The one adored by dasharatha; the one who has taken the form of yogini power who holds in herself hearing and all activities of the 10 indriyas

Sri Kamalambayah

In the Bhagavat Gita, it says :

The One who is able to withdraw his senses from sense objects, as the tortoise draws its limbs within the shell, is firmly fixed in perfect consciousness.

To achieve self-realisation and attain divine consciousness, says Lord Krishna, one needs to control one’s senses. We are advised to abandon the desire for all kinds of sense gratification. What are these senses that the Bhagavat Gita talks of?

Continuing on my series of posts on the Navavarana kritis, we come to today’s kriti in honour of the fifth Avarana of the Sri Chakra. To start from the first of these posts, click here. This Avaranam is seen in the form of ten triangles and is called the सर्वार्थ साधक चक्र Sarvartha Sadhaka Chakra (Accomplisher of Everything). It is presided by Tripurasri and the Kula Yoginis.  These ten triangles are said to the represent the five Pranas (life force, vitality) -Prana, Apana, Samana, Udana, Vyana and the five Upapranas (auxiliary pranas) – Naga, Krkara, Kurma, Devadatta, Dhanajaya. Between them they regulate the functioning of the body.

The ten triangles are alternatively said to represent the five Jnana Indriyas (Organs of Perception) Chakshu (eyes), Karna (Ears), GhrAna (Nose), Jihva (Tongue) and Tvach (Skin) and the five Karma Indriyas (Organs of Action) – Vak (organ of speech), Pani (hands), Pada (feet), Upashtam (reproduction), Payu or Guda (excretion). I have chosen to focus on this second representation. Though the Sri Chakra is worshipped directly, I would rather look for meaning and understanding. It seems to me that each enclosure is like a layer one needs to unravel before being able to approach the central bindu which represents the Goddess. And one of the steps of this quest is the control of the senses.

To present this song, we have the very young duo of Anahita Ravindran & Apoorva Ravindran.  This is set to raga Bhairavi.

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Footnote (Lyrics and Translation) :

Composer : Muthuswami Dikshithar
Raga : Bhairavi
Language : Sanskrit

पल्लवि
श्री कमलाम्बायःपरं नहिरे रे चित्त
क्षित्यादि शिवान्त तत्व स्वरूपिण्याः

अनुपल्लवि
श्री कण्ठ विष्णु विरिञ्चादि जनयित्र्याः
शिवात्मक विश्व कर्त्र्याः कारयित्र्याः
श्रीकर बहिर्दशार चक्र स्थित्याः
सेवित भैरवी भार्गवी भारत्याः

चरणम्
नाद-मय सूक्ष्म रूप सर्व सिद्धि प्रदादि दश शक्त्याराधित मूर्तेः
श्रोत्रादि दश करणात्मक कुळ कौळिकादि बहु विधोपासित कीर्तेः
अभेद नित्य शुद्ध बुद्ध मुक्त सच्चिदानन्द-मय परमाद्वैत स्फूर्तेः
आदि मध्यान्त रहिताप्रमेय गुरु गुह मोदित सर्वार्थ साधक पूर्तेः
(मध्यम काल साहित्यम्)
मूलादि नवाधार व्यावृत्त दश ध्वनि भेदज्ञ योगि बृन्द संरक्षण्याः
अनादि मायाऽविद्या कार्य कारण विनोद करण पटु-तर कटाक्ष वीक्षण्याः

Transliteration

pallavi
SrI kamalAmbAyaH paraM nahirE rE chitta
kshityAdi shivAnta tatva svarUpiNyAH

anupallavi
shrI kaNTha vishNu virinchAdi janayitryAH
shivAtmaka vishva kartryAH kArayitryAH
shrI-kara bahirdashAra chakra sthityAH
sEvita bhairavI bhArgavI bhAratyAH

charaNam
nAdamaya sUkshma rUpa sarva siddhi –
pradAdi dasha shaktyArAdhita mUrtEH
shrOtrAdi dasha karaNAtmaka kuLa –
kauLikAdi bahu vidhOpAsita kIrtEH
abhEda nitya shuddha buddha mukta –
sachchidAnanda maya paramAdvaita sphUrtEH
Adi madhyAnta rahitApramEya
guru guha mOdita sarvArtha sAdhaka pUrtEH
(madhyama kAla sAhityam)
mUlAdi navAdhAra vyAvRtta dasha dhvani –
bhEdajna yOgi bRnda saMrakshaNyAH
anAdi mAyAQvidyA kArya kAraNa vinOda –
karaNa paTu-tara kaTAksha vIkshaNyAH

Translation

Note: I did not have the time to translate myself as I do normally. This is the explanation as published in The Hindu. I will do the translation in the coming weeks.

The word Sadhaka denotes accomplishment. It can also mean ‘aspirant’. The tone and complexity of the compositions gently builds with each Avaranam. Dikshitar brands all his compositions with references to his deity – Kamalamba. In Shree Kamalaambikaayaa, in Bhairavi raagam, he reaches a threshold in his worship and his devotion for the goddess.

The composition begins and ends with the phrase – There is nothing and none beside Kamalambika. The rest is mere detail and metaphor.

She who is sound in essence, whose body is garmented with the lustre of Advaitha wisdom, the supreme lustre of Satchidananda, free from Maya, free from difference, and imperishable. She who is who is certainly approachable by the Sadhanas, whose powerful side-glance will dispel cause and effect. A fascinating concept – the “sidelong glance of the goddess”. Even in the depths of esotery, the poet can’t let go of his aesthetics.

Kamalambam Bhajare

So tell me, when you see a strange esoteric diagram and are told that each layer of it is guarded by so many deities, do you secretly think that this is all weird mumbo-jumbo? Do you tell yourself that yes, there may well be a God, but all these strange tantric ideas are not quite your thing? That you are too scientific or practical minded to think that the Goddess is in a bindu surrounded by nine layers in a diagram, each layer guarded by many more deities?

I am, of course, talking of the Sri Chakram that I referred to in my first post for Navaratri yesterday. The thing is, I quite sympathise with you if you find it a bit difficult to relate to.  I too am of a scientific bent with a questioning, logical and rational way of thinking, with a mind which is often taken aback at some concepts and ideas which are well within these diverse set of beliefs which we call Hinduism.  But let me offer you something to think about today. I present to you the PluChakram below where there are seven Avaranams (enclosures) guarded by 94 gupta (secretive) devis who are forever moving.  At the centre are 94 Shaktis, matched by 150 Shivas. When separated, they become their rudra or angry form capable of destroying the earth. Well, what do you think? Am I talking mumbo-jumbo? Not really. This is just the structure of Plutonium (reference) described with a bit of artistic license! I am, of course, talking of electrons and orbits, of protons and neutrons and nuclear energy.  Is it any less of a truth just because it is thus presented? I just want to make the point that the Sri Chakra too is a diagram representing a powerful force. Perhaps we don’t understand it too well but that doesn’t mean we should reject it either.

So we come to today’s kriti, in honour of the second Avaranam, a lotus shaped enclosure with 16 petals called the सर्वाशा परिपूरक चक्र Sarvasha Paripooraka Chakra (the fulfiller of all desires). The presiding deity is Tripureshi and there are 16 Devis who rule this Avarana. Dikshithar’s kriti in honour of this Avarana is set to the very beautiful Kalyani raga. Presenting this kriti is the young Sriranjani Santhanagopalan (from 8:57).

I would also like to present U.Srinivas’s beautiful rendition in his memory; his loss weighs heavily on my heart.

Alternate link : Click here

 

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Footnote (Lyrics and Translation) :

Composer : Muthuswami Dikshithar
Raga : Kalyani
Language : Sanskrit

पल्लवि
कमलाम्बां भजरे रे मानस कल्पित माया कार्यं त्यज रे

अनुपल्लवि
कमला वाणी सेवित पार्श्वां कम्बु जय ग्रीवां नत देवां
कमला पुर सदनां मृदु गदनां कमनीय रदनां कमल वदनाम्

चरणम्
सर्वाशा परिपूरक चक्र स्वामिनीं परमशिव कामिनीं
दुर्वासार्चित गुप्त योगिनीं दुःख ध्वंसिनीं हंसिनीम्
निर्वाण निज सुख प्रदायिनीं नित्य कल्याणीं कात्यायनीं
शर्वाणीं मधुप विजय वेणीं सद् गुरु गुह जननीं निरञ्जनीम्
(मध्यम काल साहित्यम्)
गर्वित भण्डासुर भञ्जनीं कामाकर्षिण्यादि रञ्जनीं
निर्विशेष चैतन्य रूपिणीं उर्वी तत्वादि स्वरूपिणीं

Transliteration

pallavi
kamalAmbAM bhajarE rE mAnasa kalpita mAyA kAryaM tyaja rE

anupallavi
kamalA vANI sEvita pArshvAm kambu jayagrIvAm nata dEvAm
kamalA pura sadanAm mRdu gadanAm kamanIya radanAm kamala vadanAm

charaNam
sarvAshA paripUraka chakra svAminIm parama shiva kAminIm
durvAsArchita gupta yOginIm du.Hkha dhvamsinIm hamsinIm
nirvANa nija sukha pradAyinIm nitya kalyANIm kAtyAyanIm
sharvANIm madhupa vijaya vENIm sad guru guha jananIm niranjanIm
(madhyama kAla sAhityam)
garvita bhaNDAsura bhanjanIm kAmAkarshiNyAdi ranjanIm
nirvishEsha chaitanya rUpiNIm urvI tatvAdi svarUpiNIm

Translation

Worship (bhajarE) Goddess Kamalamba and abandon (tjajarE) all that is the imaginary (kalpita) result (kAryam) of illusion (mAya) , O Mind (mAnasa)!

She is paid homage to (sEVita) by Lakshmi (kamalA) and Saraswati (vEnI) beside her (pArshvam).  The beauty (implied) of her neck (grIvAm) surpasses (jaya) that of a conch (kambu). She is bowed to (nata) by the Devas. She resides (sadanAm) in Kamalapura, the lotus-city.  Her speech (gadanaAm) is gentle(mRdu). She has beautiful (kamanIya) teeth (radanAm). Her face (vadanAm) is like a lotus (kamala).

She is the mistress (svAminIm) of the Chakra which fulfills all desires (sarVasha paripUraka chakra). She is beloved to (kAminIm) to supreme (parama) Lord Shiva. She is the secret (gupta) Yogini worshipped by (archita) by Sage Durvasa. She is the destroyer (dhvamsinIm) of sorrow (duhkha). She contains the universal soul (hamsinIm). She is the bestower (pradAyinIm) of true (nija) bliss (sukha) in the form of salvation (nirvAna). She is the ever (nitya) auspicious one (kalyAnIm). She is also Katyayani (the sixth form of Durga born as the daughter of Sage Katyayana) amd Sharvani (consort of sharva=Shiva). Her (vEnI) is darker than (vijaya=conquers) the colour (implied) of bees (madhupa). She is the mother (jananI) of the good (sad) Lord Guruguha (Kartikeya, also signature of composer). She is the unblemished one (niranjanI).

She is one who destroyed (bhanjanI) of the egoistic (garvita) demon (asura) Bhanda. She delights (ranjanI) deities such as (Adi) Kamakarshini. She is the embodiment (rUpinI) of the absolute (nirvisEsha) consciousness (chaitanya). She is the manifestation (svarUpinI) of heaven &earth (urvI), reality (tatva) etc (Adi).

Kamalamba Samrakshatu

Let me start by wishing you all a very Happy Navaratri! May the Goddesses be with you!

Navaratri is celebrated with so many different religious and social rituals, isn’t it? I remember in particular the many musical presentations – of varying quality to be sure – that I have listened to in front of golus. So if I celebrate Navartri with a musical presentation in this blog, it seems very appropriate, doesn’t it? This year I shall be featuring the famous Navavarana kritis of Muthuswami Dikshithar. I shall be featuring the performances featured by The Hindu in 2012.

As this is the first of the nine posts, I will give you a small introduction to the kritis being featured. The नव आवरण (nava-AvaraNa) or the ‘Nine Enclosures’ kritis are in honour of the Goddess Kamalambika of Tiruvarur. These are arguably the most important sets of compositions by Muthuswami Dikshithar. These kritis are laced with the tantric knowledge of Sri Vidya upasana into which Dikshithar had been initiated by the yogi and tantrik Chidambaranatha. In his youth, he had accompanied the yogi to Kashi and other teerthas and stayed with him for a number of years.

The worship of Sri Vidya is a deeply mystical and esoteric form of worship. The Goddess is worshipped in the form of Lalita Tripurasundari (The Beautiful One of the Three Realms).  She is represented in the form of a mystical diagram called the Sri Chakra or Sri Yantra where she resides in the centre as a bindu or dot. She is enclosed in a series of nine concentric layers formed by squares, lotuses and triangles which are called Avaranas. Each Avarana is guarded by a presiding deity and other attendant deities. Dikshithar’s kritis are in honour of each of these Avaranas.

The first Avarana is called Bhupura (earth) and consists of the three outermost lines which are in the form of squares with ‘entrances’. It is also called the त्रैलोक्य मोहन चक्र Trailokya Mohana Chakra (That which enchants the three realms).  These lines are guarded by Devis who bestow worshippers with both worldly and spiritual wealth. Our song today is in honour of this Avarana and is set to raga Ananda Bhairavi. It is presented by Vidya Kalyanaraman (starting at 06:31).

 

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Footnote (Lyrics and Translation) :

Composer : Muthuswami Dikshithar
Raga : Ananda Bhairavi
Language : Sanskrit

पल्लवि
कमलाम्बा संरक्षतु मां हृत्कमला नगर निवासिनी अम्ब

अनुपल्लवि
सुमनसाराधिताब्ज मुखी सुन्दर मनःप्रियकर सखी
कमलजानन्द बोध सुखी कान्ता तार पञ्जर शुकी

चरणम्
त्रिपुरादि चक्रेश्वरी अणिमादि सिद्धीश्वरी
नित्य कामेश्वरी क्षिति पुर त्रैलोक्य मोहन चक्रवर्तिनी
प्रकट योगिनी सुर रिपु महिषासुरादि मर्दिनी
निगम पुराणादि संवेदिनी
(मध्यम काल साहित्यम्)
त्रिपुरेशी गुरु गुह जननी त्रिपुर भञ्जन रञ्जनी
मधु रिपु सहोदरी तलोदरी त्रिपुर सुन्दरी महेश्वरी

Transliteration

pallavi
kamalAmbA saMrakshatu mAM hRtkamalA nagara nivAsinI amba

anupallavi
sumanasArAdhitAbja mukhI sundara manaH priyakara sakhI
kamalajAnanda bOdha sukhI kAntA tAra panjara shukI

charaNam
tripurAdi chakrEshvarI aNimAdi siddhIshvarI
nitya kAmEshvarI kshiti pura trailOkya mOhana chakravartinI
prakaTa yOginI sura ripu mahishAsurAdi mardinI
nigama purANAdi samvEdinI
(madhyama kAla sAhityam)
tripurEshI guru guha jananI tripura bhanjana ranjanI
madhu ripu sahOdarI talOdarI tripura sundarI mahEshvarI

Translation

O Mother (amba) kamalAmbA who resides (nivAsini) in the lotus-city (kamalA-nagara) of the heart (hRt), protect (samrakshatu) me (mAm)!

She is the lotus-faced One (abja mukhI) who is worshipped (ArAdhita) by the pure-minded (sumanasa). She is the companion (sakhI) who pleases (priyakara) the mind of Lord Sundareshwara (sundara). She is the happy One (sukhI) who has the knowledge (bOdha) of the Bliss of Brahman (kamalajA=Brahma, Anada=Bliss). She is the lovely parrot(kantA shukhI) who lives in the cage (panjara) of Omkara (tAra).

She is the Goddess (IshvarI) of the chakra beginning with (Adi) Tripura. She is the Goddess (IshvarI) of the siddhis beginning with aNimA. She is the deities such as Nitya Kamaleshvari (the deities of this chakra). She is inherent in (vartinI) in the Trailokya Mohana Chakra, the entire earth (kshitipura). She is the manifest (prakaTa) yoginI. She is the slayer (mardinI) of Buffalo-demon (mahisha asura), the enemy (ripu) of the Devas (sura). She has the perception (samvedinI) of the sacred literature (nigama), epics (purAna) etc (Adi). She is the Goddess (IshI) of the three realms (tripura). She is the mother (jananI) of Guruguha (Kartikeya, also signature of composer). She is the One who pleases (ranjani) the destroyer of the three realms (tripura bhanjana). She is the sister (sahOdari) of the enemy (ripu) of Madhu (=Vishnu). She is slender-waisted (talOdari = abdomen (udara) the size of a palm of a hand (tala)). She is the great (mahA) Goddess (IshvarI) Tripurasundari.

(Notation is available here : http://meerascarnatic.blogspot.com/2016/03/navavarnam-anandha-bhairavi.html)