T.M.Krishna - 1 - sree nAthAdi guru guhO - mAyAmAlavagowLA - mArgazhi mahA utsavam 2008

Song: sree nAthAdi guru guhO
rAgam: mAyAmAlavagowLA
tALam:
Composer: Muthuswamy Dikshitar
Language: Sanskrit
Concert: mArgazhi mahA utsavam 2008

Violin: R.K.Sriram Kumar
Mridangam: K.Arun Prakash
Ghatam: Giridhar Uduppa

(courtesy: http://indianmusicfreak.blogspot.com/2008_06_01_archive.html )
This brilliant composition has a scintillating story behind it. As a young man, Sri Muthuswami Dikshitar went through rigorous training in vocal music and veena playing. He soon embarked on his first pilgrimage to Kashi along with his spiritual teacher, Sri Chidambaranatha Yogi. Prior to leaving Kashi, he entered the river Ganga and a veena fell onto his outstretched hands. This veena, which has 'Sri Ram' inscribed on it in Devanagari script, is still there in the house of Balaswamy Dikshitar, a descendant of Sri Muthuswami Dikshitar. On his way back from Kashi, Dikshitar stopped at Thiruttani, the abode of Lord Karthikeya. Here, it is said that Lord Subramanya appeared in front of Dikshitar, asked him to open his mouth and presented him with a piece of sugar candy. With this, Dikshitar burst forth the brilliant krithi "srI nAthAdi guruguhO". Since Guha (Lord Subramanya) came as Guru and initiated him into Sangeetha Kavitvam, Dikshitar uses guruguha as his mudra (signature) in all his compositions.

Apart from the beautiful rhythmic patterns and madhyama kaalam sahityas in the anupallavi and charanam, this krithi also conveys the essence of the raaga in the pallavi itself. For instance, the swarasthana of the opening line 'srI nAthAdi guruguhO jayati jayati' is 'S,,, ,,R, ,,G, ,,M, | P,D, N,S", ,,ND PMGR' which is the scale (arohanam/avarohanam) of mAyAmALavagowLa. Dikshitar also demonstrates both speeds (kAla pramANam) in this same line.

The krithi also illustrates how the same swarams can be sung in different ways. For instance, the two phrases 'srI nAthAdi' and 'nAnA prapancha' have the same swarasthana (SRGM) but are sung with different gamakams. Dikshitar is a master of rhythmic lyrics, as evident in all his krithis. Every line in the charanam here begins with 'mA' and is sung differently.

Following this first krithi, Muthuswami Dikshitar composed a series of krithis on Lord Subramanya, also known as the guruguha vibhakti krithis.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• mahotsavam
• urchavam
• mmu
• mm
• South
• Indian
• Classical
• Carnatic
• Muthuswami
• mayamalavagowlai
• guruguho
• mayamalavagaula

[ganyboy]

Good collection. Greatly appreciate the effort. For we people in US and outside in India its really very delightful to hear these at about the same time back in india.

Has Bombay Jayashree performed this year yet?

[carnaticopia]

She is not performing this year in the margazhi utsav.

[carnaticswas]

Carnaticopia.. Thanks a lot. What a great concert and deep music. We at our family look for your uploads with great expectation. More than me and my wife, my 11 year old is deeply moved and motivated by listening to these Marghazi uploads. It is enhancing and furthering her deep interest in carnatic music. As always thank you very much for taking time and effort to share these.

What a coherent and concerted display from the team. Great concert!!

[carnaticopia]

Thank you for the generous compliments, carnaticswas. Nice to know yourself and family are enjoying the concerts as much as I do recording them. The intriguing aspect of these uploads is that they are part of a permanent collection, and one can revisit and compare the artistes and song renditions over the years to come.

[mgchandrakanth]

This first composition of Dixithar has been not just musically but spiritually by vidwan Sri TMK. Listen 5 times and can appreciate inner meaning, by the way this is rendered Its an excellent exposition with very clear pronunciation, pace, with bhavapurna .Notice Vidwan TMK virtually closes his eyes while singing this composition, and I think he is feeling every letter, word, verse of the composition and takes the devotee/listener towards self actualization. Hail Vidwan TM Krishna for this.

[vegavahini]

What is the deal with the enunciation??

[schopenhauersring]

This has to be the most awesome version of the kriti I've heard so far. TMK is such a blessed artist.

[mariveregati]

It should be "divyaughAdi sakala dEha dharO" in the AP and not "dEva dharO"

[subbudhulipala]

Carnaticopia, thank you very much for this nice video. Sri Dikshitar's first kriti has been rendered very nicely by Sri T.M. Krishna. Very nice to hear.

[diogeneb]

I feel sorry for Giridhar Udupa. But what a waste! Such a talented ghatam artiste, but left with no opportunity to display his formidable skills amid TMK's chauka kaalam singing.

[lalitsub]

it's good to hear t m krishna reduce his pitch to C# finally.. it sounds nice and comfortable!

[carnaticswas]

Carnaticopia, you are welcome. As you said, being a permanent collection it certainly helps to revisit and listen. Honestly a great Service! . You would be pleasantly surprised to hear this. My 11 year old is a great admirer of the Ranjani Gayathri's Abhang, so the moment she saw your uploads, she watched that atleast over 6 times that night and in the last couple of weeks, she would have listened to "Bolava Vittala" over 20+ times. These recordings are helping her in a great way. Thanks

[reshamanarayan]

Thanks so much for the upload. I left India after hearing Unni the previous night and thought oh i am going to miss TMK and others like Kumaresh/ganesh etc...thanks to you i am not going to miss much..