The eternal appeal of Muthuswami Dikshitar’s compositions -OxBig News Network

The late 18th and early 19th centuries mark a golden dateline in the history of Carnatic music. The period witnessed the presence and the precious contributions of the illustrious Trinity of Carnatic music — Tyagaraja, Syama Sastri and Muthuswami Dikshitar.  

Dikshitar, the youngest of the Trinity, was born in 1775. This year marks his 250th birth anniversary. Born to Ramaswami Dikshitar and Subbamma in the temple town of Tiruvarur, he was named after Lord Muthukumaraswami of Vaitheeswaran kovil.  

At an early age, Muthuswami Dikshitar had mastered Vedic lore, treatises in Sanskrit, sangita shastra, astrology and medicine. 

When Ramaswami Dikshitar and his family stayed at Manali (near Chennai), under the patronage of Manali Venkatakrishna Mudaliar, that Muthuswami Dikshitar had the opportunity to accompany his spiritual guru Chidambaranatha to Kashi. This trip facilitated his intense spiritual practice and his acquaintance with the musical ambience of northern India.  

Back from Kashi, Dikshitar visited the Subrahmanya Swami temple at Tiruttani. It is said that the Lord appeared in the guise of an old man and put sugar candy into his mouth. It was then that he rendered his first musical creation in the raga Mayamalavagowla. Having considered Guha (Subrahmanya) as his guru, he adopted the mudra of Guruguha in his compositions. His first composition ‘Srinathadi Guruguho jayati’ is a wondrous amalgam of exquisite sahitya and sangita. The kriti is a tribute to the greatness of the guru. Musically, it incorporates, in a very subtle manner, glimpses of sarali varisai, janta varisai, alankarams and palindromic svara patterns.  

Following the first kriti, Dikshitar composed seven more in the vibhakti theme (the eight case endings of Sanskrit grammar). In all these eight compositions, known as the Guruguha Vibhakti kritis, he elucidates the characteristics of an ideal guru. Dikshitar was a staunch advocate of Adi Sankara’s Advaita Vedanta. He also followed Adi Sankara’s Shanmata ideology, the worship of six prominent godheads — Ganapati, Kumara, Shiva, Shakti, Vishnu, and Surya. Traveling extensively in the Dravida land, Dikshitar dedicated several compositions to these deities at many kshetras. 

Dikshitar mainly composed in Sanskrit with the exception of a few kritis in Telugu and Manipravalam. His compositions stand out for their lyrical excellence and musical flair. Significant details of each kshetra and its greatness are mentioned in his compositions. Prasa (alliteration) structures, Yati patterns, the interlacing of raga names, the inspirational takeaways from works of yore, the references from the esoteric to the tangible, along with the blissful unison with sangita make his compositions incredibly special.  

A large compendium of Dikshitar’s compositions is dedicated to Tyagaraja, Nilotpalamba, Kamalamba, Valmikeshvara, Achaleshvara, Hatakeshvara, Anandeshvara, Siddhishvara, the diverse forms of Ganapati and Sundaramurti Nayanar in the Tiruvarur temple. All these compositions are repositories of information about the Tiruvarur temple and its hallowed heritage.  

The compositions on Tyagesha possibly cover every significant detail about the temple and its hoary traditions. Apart from individual compositions on Tyagaraja, Dikshitar has dedicated a vibhakti series on the Lord of Tiruvarur. A magnificent sample of the compositions on Tyagaraja is the kriti ‘Tyagaraja Mahadhvajaroha’ in Sri raga. This grand composition describes the famous Vasanta utsavam of Tyagesha. In this kriti, Dikshitar mentions the important events of the utsavam such as the hoisting of the sanctified flag, performance of musical instruments such as the nagaswaram and the maddala, the different vahanas such as Bhuta, Gaja, Vrshabha and Kailasa, the asterism of Ashlesha during which the much acclaimed Azhi ther (car festival ) happens, the special krishnagandha tilakam that the Lord is adorned with, the exceptional darshanam of the Lord’s feet, an event that happens only once in an Ayana (solstice) and the famed theppam ( float festival). The contours of Sri raga are exquisitely crafted in this grand composition. An important phrase of svaras — p d n p m in this raga is employed only once in a composition as per the raga tradition that Dikshitar followed. The manner in which Dikshitar has combined this rule and has used the musical phrase as a svwarakshara segment for the word ‘Pada darshanam’ — an event that happens only once — is astounding.  

The sahitya and sangita of the compositions dedicated to the Nilotpalamba, the Pancha lingas and other deities in Tiruvarur are hugely enlightening.  

The magnum opus among Dikshitar compositions is the collection of the Kamalamba Navavarana krtis. Dedicated to Goddess Kamalambika in Tiruvarur, these compositions are also in the vibhakti theme. They impart the quintessential philosophy of Navavarana puja, the worship of the Goddess in the Sri Chakra. It is an elaborate pivotal ritual in the Srividya fold. The Sri Chakra is a consortium of nine sub chakras or avaranas. Each avarana is presided by specific devatas, chakreshvari and yogini. Dikshitar beautifully strings the salient features of this hallowed worship in these compositions.  

Commencing with a dhyana kriti in the raga Tiodi, the nine kritis that follow are set in ragas Anandabhairavi, Kalyani, Shankarabharanam, Kamboji, Bhairavi, Punnagavarali, Sahana, Ghanta and Ahiri. These kritis, following the vibhakti theme, are dedicated to each avarana of the Sri Chakra. Dikshitar mentions the vital details connected with each avarana such as the names of the avarana, its chakreshvari, yogini and the set of devatas. The ninth avarana is represented by the bindu (dot) denoting the Goddess as the Supreme Brahman and the unison of Shiva and Shakti. The Ahiri kriti is dedicated to the bindu. Dikshitar incorporates all the eight vibhaktis in the same composition, suggesting the all-pervading nature of the Goddess. This crest jewel of the Navavarana series shines as the nucleus of Srividya upasana and its lofty ideals. The series ends with a mangala kriti in Sri raga. In unison with the majesty of the music, these compositions remain unmatched.  

Dikshitar has composed seven kritis that are dedicated to the grahas or planets that govern the seven days of the week. Set in the Suladi Sapta talas, these kritis are packed with vital astrological details. Apart from these talas, he also composed in rare talas such as Khanda Triputa and Khanda Eka.  

The Shaiva traditions describe Shiva as an embodiment of the Pancha Bhutas. Dikshitar has dedicated five compositions to Lord Shiva enshrined as the elements at these five Kshetras namely Kanchipuram, Tiruvanaikkaval, Tiruvannamalai, Sri Kalahasti and Chidambaram.  

Myriad forms of Ganapati are described in the puranas. Dikshitar has dedicated compositions to few of these forms. The iconography given in the dhyana shloka matches perfectly with the description portrayed in the kriti. ‘Hastivadanaya’ in Navaroju, ‘Panchamatanga mukha’ in Malahari and Ucchishta ganapatau in Ramakriya are classic examples.  

Word usages in Dikshitar’s compositions seem most appropriate in the context that they appear in. For example, the word namostute is used in the kriti on Surya, in line with the fact that Surya is one who is pleased with namaskara. Similarly, in ‘Jambupate’, the kriti pertaining to the water element amongst the Pancha hutas, most words, including the raga name (Yamuna Kalyani), have a subtle connection to the element. ‘Hiranmayim Lakshmim’ in Lalita and ‘Chandram bhaja manasa’ in Asaveri are inspired by the Sri Sukta and the Purusha Sukta, respectively. Quotes from the Bhavanopanishad, the Lalita Sahasranama, the Lalita Trishati and the Saundaryalahari are seen in many compositions of Dikshitar.

The madhyama kala passages in Dikshitar’s kritis are an exclusive value addition. Sprightly in nature, these passages add much to the beauty of the composition. Many Dikshitar krtis have just the pallavi and the anupallavi. The charanam part does not exist in these short compositions. This is a rare construct of the kriti form.  

Weaving in raga names into the sahitya is an enjoyable trademark of Dikshitar’s creations. Raga names such as Mahuri (tvamahurishadayah) in the kriti ‘Mamava Raghuvira’ and Tanukirti (cintayamyatanukirtim) in thekriti ‘Cidambara Natarajamurtim’ are spectacular illustrations.  

The Ragamalikas Purnachandra bimba vijaya vadane, a composition of six ragas and the monumental Chaturdasha Ragamalika, a composition of 14 ragas are invaluable treasures. The lyrical and musical edifice of the Chaturdasha Ragamalika makes it an enchanting masterpiece.  

It is particularly important to know about the raga tradition that Dikshitar followed. After Venkatamakhin devised the formula for deriving the 72 parent scales, we find that two major systems of raga classifications, with their own sets of prerequisites, emerged. One system charted out the 72 parent scales or melas, with the rule of the parent raga having all the seven swaras, but not necessarily in a linear order. In this system the melas were known as the Raganga ragas. In the other system, it was mandatory that the mela raga had all the seven notes in a linear fashion. The scales in this system are called the Melakarta ragas. 

Dikshitar followed the Raganga raga parampara with diligence. Thus, his compositions display the flavours of raga as per the Raganga raga parampara.  

Being a vainika, Dikshitar’s music reflects the bani of the veena. Intricate gamakas, janta swaras, long drawn jarus, swift madhyama kala passages and chitta swaras mark the character of his music.  

An interesting collective is the Nottuswarams. Dikshitar had the opportunity to listen to the music of the British bands. He composed charming Sanskrit sahityams for these captivating Irish and English tunes, including ‘Santatam pahi mam sangita shyamale’, the sahitya for the melody of the British national anthem.  

In his later years, when hit by penury, Dikshitar, in his fervent prayer to Goddess Lakshmi, rendered ‘Hiranmayim Lakshmim’ in raga Lalita. When the difficulties phased out, he composed ‘Mangaladevataya’ in Dhanyasi as an expression of gratitude. 

Enroute to Ettayapuram for his brother Baluswami’s wedding, Dikshitar was distressed to see the crops withering due to drought. It was then, in an earnest imploration to Goddess Amrteshvari, he composed the kriti ‘Anandamrtakarshini’ in the raga Amrtavarshini. When he was teaching it to his disciple Subrahmanya Ayya, there was an instantaneous downpour. 

Dikshitar’s last moments came in the year 1835, during his stay at Ettayapuram. On the auspicious day of Tula Krishna Chaturdashi, the day of Deepavali, while immersed in the music of the line ‘Minalochani pashamochani’ from his Gamakakriya kriti, ‘Minakshi me mudam dehi’, he passed into the ages, bequeathing to humanity a priceless treasure trove of sangita and sahitya.