Pancha Ratna Keertanais

[thineshan54321]

Hi can someone please help me teach the structure of panccharatna keerthanais by the great thayagarajah. it doesnt follow the usual pattern of palaavi, saranam etc.

[RR]

According to wikipedia,

"They are actually set in the style of a Ragam Tanam Pallavi (RTP) with the charanas (stanzas) substituting for the kalpana swaras (improvisatory passages) in the pallavi section of the RTP."

"A particularly difficult musical challenge has been taken up successfully by Tyagaraja in three of these compositions. The raga Nata has a particularly distinctive use of the 'dhaivatam' note or swara. Tyagaraja has avoided the 'dhaivatam' completely in the first pancharatna kriti without losing the swarupa of Nata ragam. Similarly 'gandharam' is an accidental note of some beauty in Gaula. Tyagaraja avoids this too (except in one instance) without losing the character of the raga. Finally, he avoids the accidental 'dhaivatam' in Sri ragam, again a note that is present in some very characteristic sancharas of this raga. It requires musicality of a very high order to do something like this not once but three times in very common and much loved ragas like these."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pancharatna_Kritis

[Meera-ssg]

[tscii:d50f874a72] http://www.raaga.com/channels/carnatic/album/CL00503.html

Here the link for nithyashree's rendition of pancharathna kruthis.

Refer the link below for lyrics and meaning

http://www.ecse.rpi.edu/homepages/shivkuma/music/dudukugala-new.htm


Duduku gala Nannetho ra - Koduku brochu raa entho
Who is there to save this great sinner?


Kaduthur vishaya krushtudai kadiya kadiyaru nindaaru
My sins are mounting every moment by my enticement to the evil deeds

SharaNam.

shree vanithaa hruth kumudhaapja vaang manasa kochara
The moon to the lotus heart of Lakshmi. You are beyond comprehension of the mind and speech.


sakala bhoothathmula endhu neeve undaaga mathileka poyina
I am a sinner who lost the sense to understand your omnipresence in all the living things

siruthaprayamulanate bhajanaamrudha rasa viheena kudharkkudaina
I am a sinner who slayed people without rhyme or reason and did not obtain the nectar of your worship in the young age

paradhanamula koraku norulamadi karaka baliki kadupu nimpa thiriginatti
I am a sinner who went astray and repeatedly hurt people’s feelings for the sake of coveting their wealth.

thana madhni bhuvini soukyapu-jeevaname yanuchu sada dhinamulu gadipe
I am a sinner who whiled away the time thinking that everything happening in this materialistic world is happy living

Theliyani nadavida sudrulu vanithalu
svavasa-mouthaku upathEsimchii santha-silli
swara-layambu-lerungakanu silaathmulai subhathulaku samaanamanu
I preached to charm and obtain the attention of hypocrites who do not have wisdom, mean people who sought call girls and prostitutes.
I was happy doing so feeling proud and egoistic that I am equal to any great follower of god without even having the capacity of understanding the swara or laya.

Drushtiki saarambhagu lalanaa sadanaa arphaka sena mithadhana adulanu
devaadhi-deva neranammithini gaakanupadaabja bhajanambu marachina
I was carried away by outward appearances,
women, land, property, children, servants and wealth
thinking that these were permanent.
Moreover, I have sinned by forgetting to worship your lotus feet.

Chakkani mukha kamalambunanu sadaa naa-madhilo smaranalekanee
dur-mada antha janulakori parithapamulache thagili nogili durvishaya duraasalanu royaleka sathathama
aparaadhinai chapala chitthudaina
God’s face did not dwell in my mind. I sought egoistic men. I did not shun evil thoughts. I was tormented by them.

Maanavathanu durlabham anuchu enchi paramaanandam ondha leka
mada mathsara kaama lobha mohulaku dhaasudai- mosapothi kaaka
mothati kulajudakuchu bhuvini kshudrula panulusalpuchunundini kaaka
naraadha mulanu kori saara heena madamulanu saadhimpa thaaru-maaru
I forgot to appreciate the great value of having got this rare opportunity of human birth.
I was slave to carnal desire and other evil thoughts.
Though I have been born in the highest Brahmin class,
I have been performing functions, which are very unbecoming of my class.
I have continuously sinned.

saathula sathulakai konnaallu asthikai suthulakai konnallu dhana thadulakai thirigithi
naiya thiagaraaja aptha ituvanti
Oh my god! I have been a sinner who has gone astray in search of women, children and wealth at various stages of my life.


Just reading the lyrics alone is enough to make our heart weigh. Thought provoking. If thyagaraja himself says he is a sinner! alas! where do we stand?!?! May be its time for all of us to retrack our lives and analyse how to chisel ourselves into better human.


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