Sri Sathya Sai On: The Immortal Devotional Compositions of Thyagaraja

Sri Thyagaraja (1767-1847)

This practice (Swami referring to practice of Bhajans /community singing) gathered momentum over the years and in 1798, the great South Indian Saint-composer Tyagaraja invested Bhajans with Raga and Tala (musical form and rhythm). Since then Bhajans have acquired national vogue in all parts of the country.

…When Bhajans were first introduced in villages, Tyagaraja began with the song, “Come, all ye blessed ones, come, and let us join in singing the glory of Sri Rama”. He also said that when they have Kodandapani (Rama with the Kodanda bow) on their side, they need not fear Dandapani (Yama, the Lord of Death).

- “The Immortal Bhaktas”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 19, October 8, 1986, Prasanthi Nilayam

The ancient sages had a vision of the Supreme Lord Vishnu reclining on the Ksheerasagara (Ocean of Milk) and adored Him in that form. This was how Saint Tyagaraja described the Lord in his famous song beginning with the words, “Ksheerasagara Shayana!” (Oh Lord reclining on the Ocean of Milk). (Swami sang some lines from the song). What is this Ocean of Milk? Is it anywhere on earth? On this mundane world with its material concerns, you cannot perceive this Ocean of Milk. Nevertheless, it exists. Where? In every human heart; in this heart, Lord Sriman Narayana is resting.

- “Acquire Friendship of God”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 28, July 11, 1995, Prasanthi Nilayam

Several great souls took birth in this land of Bharat. Saint Tyagaraja in one of his famous Kirtans sang, “Endaro Mahanubhavulu, Andariki Vandanamulu…” (There are several great souls, I prostrate before all of them).  A great saint, Tyagaraja himself exhibited such humility. He was a great composer too.

…When sublime feelings spring forth from the depths of one’s own heart, they express themselves as great devotional poetry.

- “Love and Morality —The Need of the Hour”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 35, December 25, 2002, Prasanthi Nilayam

Sant Tyagaraja sang in one of his immortal Kirtanas, “Cheemalo Brahmalo Siva Kesavaadulalo Prema Meeravelasi Unde Birudhu Vahinchina Rama Nannu Brovara” (Oh Rama, in Your pure and unsullied form of love, You indwell all beings from an ant to Brahma as also in Shiva and Keshava. Please be my protector too). Unable to realise this truth, people kill the ant that crawls on their bodies. The same people will worship the ant if it appears as an embodiment of Divinity. Thus, the feelings make all the difference.

 - “Repose Faith in Your Conscience “, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 40, January 15, 2007, Prasanthi Nilayam

Great singer-saints like Tyagaraja made sweet offerings to God in the form of Kirtanas suffused with Bhava (feeling), Raga (tune) and Thala (beat) and won His grace. There is so much sweetness in such devotional songs. God’s grace can surely be obtained by such devotional singing. You cannot win the grace of God by empty rhetoric. It is only through devotional singing suffused with Bhava, Raga and Thala, that divinity can be attained. God will be moved by such Sankirtan.

- “The Lord Accepts Only a Pure Heart”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 37, September 6, 2004, Prasanthi Nilayam

An artist's creation of Rama-Sita wedding

Tyagaraja grew ecstatic when he sang about Rama and His various attributes and glories. (Swami sang mellifluously Tyagaraja’s song beginning with the words, “Rama! Kodanda Rama! Rama! Pattabhirama! (“Rama! You stand by the word You have given. For me, You are the only wealth. Your song is the only song. Your path is the only path. Rama! You are Sitapati (the consort of Sita). You are the Gati (the goal). I bow to You. I surrender to You, Oh Rama. Rama! Your name is supreme. Rama! Thoughts of You are enough. Rama! I am Yours. Please speak to me”).

- “The Perennial Message of the Rama Story”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 30, April 16, 1997, Brindavan

Guna Sankirtana applies to the kind of Bhajan in which the devotee recites the auspicious qualities of the Divine, experiences oneness with the Divine, and acquires the Godly qualities. Tyagaraja had recourse to this type of singing. In one of his Kirtanas, he exclaimed, “Oh Lord! You are beyond all words. Is it possible for even Brahma or other Gods to extol your glorious exploits? I am waiting for your grace. Hearken to my entreaties. You restored to the preceptor, his son, whom the Lord of Death had taken away. You conquered the God of Love. You liberated from prison Vasudeva and Devaki. You protected Draupadi when she appealed to you in despair. You were the guardian of the Pandavas. You relieved Kuchela of his poverty. You saved 16,000 damsels from subjection.” In this manner, Tyagaraja recounted the great qualities of God in his songs.

…In the rendering of Tyagaraja’s songs, the failure to observe the meaning of the words of the song has produced bizarre results. Tyagaraja’s songs are in Telugu. Tamil musicians, who are experts in music, rendering Tyagaraja’s songs have often mangled the words of the songs and made them meaningless. In one of his songs, Tyagaraja sang, “Ne Pogadakunte Neekemi Kodhavu Rama?” (If I do not praise you, what do you lose Oh Rama?). A Tamil musician sang the song in such a manner that it meant, “If I eat Pakodas, what do you lose?” It is essential to ensure that the meaning of the words, the emotional feeling of the composer and the melody of the song are all brought out in rendering the songs during Nagar Sankirtan and in Bhajans. Where one does not understand the meanings of the words, he should get the meaning from those who know.

- “Purify the World by Sankeerthana”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 25, March 3, 1992, Prasanthi Nilayam

Sant Tyagaraja sang his immortal Kirtan, “Endaro Mahanubhaavulu (Many are the great souls)”. In fact, it is only because of such noble souls that the country of Bharat (India) has been able to exist peacefully.

- “Cast Off Body Attachment to Develop Atmic Consciousness”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 36, July 13, 2003, Prasanthi Nilayam

Who can determine what the nature of Divinity is? None can do it. The nature of the Divine can be determined only by the Divine and not by anybody else. Tyagaraja recognized this truth in his song, “Oh Lord! How can anyone decide what You are?” Tyagaraja went on to derive the name ‘Rama’ from the two letters ‘Ra’ and ‘Ma’ in the two Mantras associated with Vishnu and Shiva (The two mantras are: Namo Narayanaya and Namah Shivaya). 

The two Mantras, without the syllables ‘Ra’ and ‘Ma’, become meaningless. ‘Ra’ and ‘Ma’ are thus the life-giving letters in the two Mantras.

- “Potency of Rama’s Name”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 31,  April 5, 1998, Brindavan

Attachment to sensory pleasure has to be discarded in preference to the more lasting joy of inner contemplation. Tyagaraja had discovered that joy. He gave expression to that joy in moving musical notes, in simple sincere words in songs that bring tears to the eye and thrills to the heart. The Raja who is the President of this festival (Swami referring to the festival in honour of Saint Tyagaraja), comes from Tamil Nadu and the Telugu language in which Tyagaraja sang is strange to him. Yet, he is profoundly affected by the music; he loves the Kritis (songs) very much. Knowing the meaning of the songs and the context which begot them so spontaneously and so sweetly from the sublime devotion of Tyagaraja will make you imbibe the spirit better; the language in which he sang is the language of the seeker, the Sadhaka, the straggling Sadhak, and very rarely, the satisfied sage. You can easily learn that language, the language of the Sadhaka. Do not keep away from it because it is not the language to which you are accustomed.

- “Inner Progress”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 02, April 5, 1962, Tirupati

The only reason for their coming (Swami referring to the presence of thousands of devotees in Puttaparthi) is the attraction of the Divine love. It was this which impelled Tyagaraja to sing (Swami sang the Telugu song ‘Lekhana Ninnu Juttukunnaaru’ in His own mellifluous voice, filling the entire gathering with ecstasy).

Is it not because you had the bliss-conferring Chintamani,

Oh Rama, that all of them gathered round you,

With their hearts in unison to experience perennial joy

From the Source of all Prosperity,

From the Ocean of Compassion

And the embodiment of Intelligence

That you are, with no equal?

- “Ways of the Divine”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 20, November 23, 1987, Prasanthi Nilayam

Tyagaraja sang, “Thelisi Rama Chinthana Cheyave Manasa” (Oh Mind! Meditate on Rama with the full knowledge of what He represents).

- “Faith in the Goal”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 15, October 3, 1981, Prasanthi Nilayam

Tyagaraja sang, “Birds, big and small, before nightfall seeks the tree where they can rest. I hold Your Feet in my grasp; save me, O Rama”.

...Tyagaraja revelled in the Ananda that poetry, music and scholarship can confer but since the Ananda that learning can confer (Vidyaananda) was liable to weaken, he considered it only as a particle or foretaste of the Brahmaananda he sought most the Ananda derivable from the Universal Eternal Delight, the Nirguna Ananda Brahman, That Ananda is man’s reality, for, man is God.

- “Perpetual Bliss”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 16, November 23, 1983, Prasanthi Nilayam

Lord Krishna cures Kubja

Kubja, a short woman with a hunchback was assigned the task of carrying perfumes to King Kamsa. On seeing her, Krishna asked, “Oh dwarf lady, what are you carrying?” She replied that she was carrying the perfumes to Kamsa, as he was very fond of them. Krishna went near her, deftly stepped on her feet and with His hands under her chin lifted up. Kubja, who was short with a hunch on her back, became straight and good-looking. These Leelas (miracles) were well expounded by Tyagaraja; “You are beyond all description and human comprehension. Is it possible to estimate Your glory and splendour even to Brahma? We have been waiting for Your grace. Oh Lord! Listen to my agony and redeem me. You are the one who brought back to life the dead son of Your preceptor. You are the one who suppressed the serpent Kaliya, freed Vasudeva and Devaki and saved Draupadi from humiliation. You fulfilled Kuchela’s desires, You made ugly-looking Kubja beautiful. You protected the Pandavas and protected the 16,000 Gopikas. You are beyond all description and human comprehension.”

 - “Sacrifice is My Enjoyment”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 34, August 11, 2001, Prasanthi Nilayam

The Atma does not change, no one can transform it. Its nature is hidden by various veils of ignorance, such as those which Tyagaraja prayed Lord Venkatesha to pull apart, in the famous song, “Thera Teeyaga Rada”.

- “The Click of the Camera”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 01, November 23, 1960, Prasanthi Nilayam

Source: Sai Vani: Avatar on Mahapurushas