References: Smt. Vidya Shankar’s Shyama Shastry compositions book Sri Shivkumar Kalyanaraman’s online Krithi archive
Pallavi:
Kaamakshi Anudinamu Maravakane Nee Paadamula Dikkanuchi Nammitin Sree Kanchi
Kaa maa kshi am
Ba kan chi
N , | ; ; || D , | ; ; || P , | ; dn ||
Kaa maa kshi am
S , | ; d n || s r g | m p m g || R , | ; N ||
Ba A nu di na mu Ma ra va ka ne - - Nee
S r | g m P || d n s | N d p || m G | R g r ||
Paa da mu la Di kka nu chu Nam mi ti ni Sree Kan- chi
Swara Sahityas
1. Kundaradana! Kuvalayanayanaa! Talli! Rakshinchu!
[Mother, your teeth resemble jasmine flower and your eyes are like the lotus. Please protect me.]
S r | n s R || , n r | s n d p || M , | ; P ||
Kun da ra da na! Ku va la ya na ya naa! Tal
D n | , S r ||
li! Ra kshin chu!
2. Kambugala! Niradachikuraa! Vidhuvadanaa! Maayamma!
[You have the conch like neck and your tresses are dark like rain bearing clouds.]
R g | r g S || , n g | r s R || , n r | s n D ||
Kam bu ga la! Ni ra da chi ku raa! Vi dhu va da naa!
, N | , G r ||
Maa yamma!
3. Kumbhakucha! Madamatta Gajagama Padmabhava Hari Shambu Nutapada!
Shankari! Neevunaa Chintala Veeveega Dircchamma! Vipudu
[Your face resembles the moon. Your bosom is shapely and your gait is like that of an elephant. Your feet are adored by Brahma, Vishnu and Siva! You are the auspicious Shankari, please solve my problems expeditiously. Mother, pray listen!]
G m | g r s r || N s | n s r g || M p | g r g m ||
Kum bha ku cha! Ma da ma tta Ga ja ga ma Pa dma bha va Ha ri
P d | m g r s || N s | N G || r G | M p d ||
Sham bu Nu ta pa da! Shan ka ri! Nee vu naa Chin ta la
N n | , d P || P m | , g r s ||
Vee vee ga Dir ccham ma! Vi pu du
4. Bhaktajana Kalpalatika! Karunaalaya! Sadayaa! Giritanaya!
Kaavavee Sharanaagatudugada ? Taamasamu Seeyaga Varamosagu
[You are the Kalpalata - the wish yielding creeper. You are the sanctuary of compassion, most benevolent one. Oh daughter of the (himalaya) mountains, please protect me. Have I not surrendered to you ? Bestow on me boons without delay]
M p | n d M || p d p | M g r || G m | P g m ||
Bha kta ja na Kal pa la ti ka! Ka ru naa la ya! Sa da
P - g | p m g r || N s | R n s || R n | s r g m ||
yaa! Gi ri ta na ya! Kaa va vee Sha ra naa ga tu du ga da ?
P d | n s P || s n d | p m g r ||
Taa ma sa mu See ya ka Va ra mo sa gu
5. Paatakamulanu Dircchi Ni Pada Bhakti Santatamiiyave
Paavanigadaa ? Moravinadaa ? Paraakelanamma ! Vinamma!
[Obiliterate my sins and give me devotion to worship your lotus feet for ever.
Are you not the Paavani - the purifier ? Don’t you hear my entreaties ? Why are you indifferent ? Pray listen, mother!]
P d | p m g r || G m | P m g || R g | M g r ||
Paa ta ka mu la nu Dir cchi Ni Pa da Bha kti San ta ta
N s | R ; || G m | g r S || , p m | g r S ||
Mi ya ve Paa va ni ga daa ? Mo ra vi na daa ?
, r s | , N d || P m | , g r s ||
Pa raa ke la nam ma ! Vi nam ma!
6. Kalushahaarini ! Sadaa Nataphala Daayaki Yani Birudu Bhuvilo
Galigina Dorayanuchu Vedamu Moralidagavini
[Oh the annihilator of wickedness; you are renowned for granting the desires of those devotees who throng your feet in supplication, and bestowing your benevolence to the people of the world. The Vedas to proclaim this verily.]
d p n | D p m || g R | g m p d || P , | ; m g ||
Ka lu sha haa ri ni ! Sa daa Na ta pha la Daa ya ki
m p m | g r g m || G , | ; r g || m g r | g s r n ||
Ya ni Bi ru du Bhu vi lo Ga li gi na Do ra ya nu chu
S , | ; g r || s n d | p m g r ||
Ve da mu Mo ra li da ga vi ni
7. Nee Pavana Nilayaa! Surasamudayaa! Kara Vidrutha Kuvalayaa!
Mada Danuja Vaarana Mrugeendrarcchita
Kalushadamanaghanaa! Aparimita Vaibhavamugala
Ni Smaranamadilo Dalachina Janaa Dulaku Bahu
Sampadalanicchevippudu Maakabhayamiyyave!
[You reside in the Kadamba forest encompassed by a host of celestials. You hold a lotus in your hand. You are to the arrogant demons, what the lion is to the intoxicated tusker. You burn to cinder the afflictions of your devotees. You confer opulance on those who meditate on your infinite glory. Now, is the time to grant me refuge.]
N r | s r - n r || N d | p d m p || G r | s r n s ||
Nee Pa va na Ni la yaa! Su ra sa mu da yaa! Ka ra Vi dru tha
r g m | P m p || s n d | P m g || r S | N d n ||
Ku va la yaa! Ma da Da nu ja Vaa ra na Mru geen dra rcchi ta
s r g | m p m g || R , | ; n s || r g m | P s r ||
Ka lu sha da ha na gha naa! A pa ri mi ta Vai bha va
g m p | D m p || g r g | M p m || p d n | S p d ||
mu ga la Ni Sma ra na ma di lo Da la chi na Ja naa Du la
n s r | G m g || r S | N d p || g R | ; s n ||
ku Ba hu Sam pa da la ni cche vi ppu du Maa ka bha
d P | ; g r ||
ya mi yya ve!
8. Syamakrishna Sahodhari Sivashankari Parameshwari Hariharadulaku Ni Mahimalu Ganimpa Tarama ? Sutudamma! Abhimaanamu Leda, Naapai Devi ? Paraakeelane Brovave Ipudu Sri Bhairavi
[Sister of Syamakrishna! Sivashankari - the enchanter of Shiva! The supreme suzerain ! Are vishnu, shiva and others capable of reckoning your infinite glory ? I am your son, have you no affection for me ? Devi, why this apathy ? Please protect me now, Sri Bhairavi!]
S g | R s r || S r | N d m || P d | N d n ||
Sya ma kri shna Sa ho dha ri Si va shan ka ri Pa ra
S , | ; g r || s r s | N d p || m G | m g r s ||
me shwa ri Ha ri ha ra du la ku Ni Ma hi ma lu
n S | ; r g || m P | g m G || R , | ; s n ||
Ga nim pa Ta ra ma ? Su tu da mma! A bhi
S , | ; p m || P , | D N || S , | R G ||
maa na mu Le da, Naa pai De vi ?
m G | R g r || S r | N d p || m G | R g r ||
Pa raa kee la ne Bro va ve I pu du Sri Bhai ra vi
Comments
In the second charanam, Sri Shyama Shastry continues his in depth description of the Goddess. He concludes this charanam with the lyrics, “Maayamma”, meaning “My mother”. The swarams used for this word are “N, G r”. This is a powerful Bhairavi prayogam and the gamakams that are given to the N and G help accentuate the utmost devotion of the composer to Goddess Kamakshi who he considered as his mother.
The third charanam very beautifully starts in G rendered with gamakams. He describes the Goddess as one whose feet are adored by Padma Bhava (One who is born of the lotus, a reference to Lord Brahma), Hari (Lord Vishnu) and Shambu (Lord Shiva). The composer has expansively explored different shades of the madhyamam in this charanam, from a delicate throbbing gamakam for the words “Padma bhava” (M ; P G R) to a higher gamakam ending in P for the words “Hari” ( G M) and “Shambu nuta” ( P; D M G)
In the fourth charanam, the Goddess is describes as “Kalpalathika”, a wish yielding creeper. Sri Shastry implores the Goddess to bestow boons upon him without delay (“taamasamu”). There is a very beautiful “jaaru” or curve that links the higher octave S to P when the words “Taamasamu seyaka” (P ; D N S P) are rendered. This is yet another example of an outstanding Bhairavi phrase in this composition which makes it a lesson in this raagam for every aspiring musician.
The fifth charanam begins with a commanding swaraksharam (i.e., the syllable or aksharam is the same as the swaram or note). The beginning lyrics, “Paataka mulanu” fall on “P ; D P M G R”. The composer asks some rhetoric questions with each question ending sequentially with the same musical notes thus providing a beautiful cascading effect. “Paavanigadaa?” meaning “Are you not the purest one?” (G; M G R S) and “Moravinadaa ?” meaning “Are you deaf to my entreaties?” ( P M G R S).
In the sixth charanam, there is a very unusual link from the S in the Madhyama sthayi (middle octave) to the G in the Taara sthayi (higher octave) for the lyrics “Vedamu” meaning “the vedas” (S, G R). This once again highlights the masterful creativity and genius of Sri Shyama Shastry.
The seventh charanam once again abounds in swaraksharams. Some examples are: Nee Pavana (N ; R S R) and Mada Danuja (M P S N D). This charanam is expansive and explores the higher octave with some mesmerizing sancharams such as G ; M G R S which bring out the beauty of Bhairavi in the higher notes.
The eight charanam begins with the mudra of the composer when he describes Goddess Kamakshi as “Shyama Krishna Sahodari” (sister of Krishna). It very aptly ends with the raga name. The composer launches into an inspired torrent of names for the Goddess such as Siva Shankari (consort of Siva), Parameshwari (supreme Goddess) and Sri Bhairavi (a fierce aspect of the Goddess). The music for the lyrics “Abhimaanamu leda, Naapai Devi ? (Oh Goddess, don’t you have affection for me?) very seamlessly moves from the madhyama sthaayi to the taara sthaayi with the swarams being S N S ,; P M P,; D , N; S, R; G.
i really enjoy each and every bit of this raga as well as he composition. this adds to few of shyama shastri's compositions that i have learnt... in fact i would rate it higher than Viriboni varnam in terms of raga beauty and raga usage...
Hats off to "Shyama krishna"