Songs of divine splendour

RAMO VIGRAHAVAN Dharma (Rama is the embodiment of Dharma). This quote reflects in its own way the idea of deep bonding. In the minds of the music aficionado, this concept is probably reminiscent of the dexterous blend of Dhatu (musical settings) and Matu (words) in the composition of Muthuswami Dikshitar. This results in artefacts, which are at the same time profound, mesmerising and intellectually stimulating. His compositions stand out for its hallmark purity and truthfulness both in music and literary nuances, very much in consonance with the Dharma of a vaggeyakara.

Muthuswami Dikshitar, youngest of the famed trinity of Tiruvarur, was born in the saka year 1697 which corresponds to the year 1755 of the English calendar. It is also said that he was born under the Krittika star in the month of Phalguni. (March 15 - April 15). It is indeed surprising that his biographer-grandson Subbarama Dikshitar does not chronicle the star and the month, though he mentions them in relation to both Tyagaraja and Syama Sastri.

Dikshitar's musical lineage probably bore the seeds of his musical excellence. His father Ramaswami Dikshitar was a composer and musician of no mean merit. In addition he belonged to the sishya parampara of the path-breaking musicologist Venkatamakhin. Thus, early in his life Dikshitar picked up the threads of both the art and science of music. Knowledge blossomed into wisdom when the highly evolved Chidambaranatha yogi initiated him into the Sri Vidya cult. Fortified both with the para and apara vidya, Muthuswami set about weaving exquisite musical tapestries, the warp and the woof of which combined both the lakshana (theoretical) and lakshya (practical) aspects of music. His knowledge of Sanskrit grammar, alankaras, and other sastras provided their rich and multi-coloured hues and shades. Combined with his deep spiritual wisdom the fabrics were one fit for the Lord himself.

Raga, bhava and tala are the three pillars on which any musical edifice is raised. The compositions of Muthuswami Dikshitar while reflecting all three in ample measure undoubtedly excelled in raga music. The elephantine gait with which he spanned varied raga scales, in the process probing and revealing even its minutest details, is both baffling and awesome. In fact it would be no exaggeration to say that his composition, viewed without the lyrics shine as exemplary examples of raga music viz., Sri Rajagopala (Saveri), Balagopala (Bhairavi) among many others. Literally speaking too, for certain rare ragas like Mangalakaisiki, Kumudakriya, Chhaya Goula and so on, his compositions are probably the only definition we have regarding their lakshana (grammar).

Bhava - the emotional content in Dikshitar's music stems not so much from its lyrics as from its varna mettu. His lyrics eschewed the plaintive approach of Syama Sastri or the navavidha bhakti marga of Tyagaraja. The words of his songs were descriptive, laced with poetic excellence like prasa, (rhyming in the first, middle or last syllables) yati (using words in increasing or decreasing length to form beautiful patterns) and other alankaras. Their purport was sometimes metaphysical but rarely emotional. Nevertheless several of his songs tug at the heart- strings with their melodic and stately tunes, often lifting one even to the realms of spirituality.

The suladi sapta talas on which Dikshitar mounted his Navagraha kritis revealed his adeptness at this aspect of music as well. Incidentally reputed scholars consider the kritis on Rahu and Ketu to be spurious additions to the famed Vara kritis. The alacrity with which he juggled three kalams (time speeds) in quick succession in his Mayamalavagowla kriti and the profusion of madhyamakala sahityas in his other compositions revealed his supreme confidence over this facet.

Ekam sat; vipra bahudha vadanti. (Truth is one; scholars interpret it as many). Sankara's Advaita philosophy (monism) stresses an attributeless Brahman of which all deities are but manifestations. It was this religous background of Dikshitar that probably enabled him to sing on the different deities of the Hindu cosmogony with equal reverence. As T. L. Venkatrama Iyer rightly observed, ``the whole of his biography can be summed up as one continuous story of pilgrimages to temples.''

`Diksha asya sanjata iti Dikshita' (one who has taken initiation is a Dikshita). Muthuswami was both a Dikshitar by birth and an initiate of Sri Vidya Upasana. This cult centres round the worship of the Srichakra with its nine avarnas (enclosures). These nava-avarnas (nine enclosures) from the Bhupura (outermost chakra) to the Bindu (innermost chakra) have their own mantras, goddesses and other details. Being an ardent Devi upasaka, Dikshitar crafted each one of his navavarana kritis to such perfection and adherence to the sakta mode of worship that a perfect rendition of these is said to have the prescribed effect. In these as also in several other sets of kritis, Dikshitar has revealed his fascination for the nuances of Sanskrit grammar by employing sequentially the eight vibhaktis (case endings) for the different kritis.

A study of the musical wealth of Dikshitar reveals a master composer at work. The theoretical 72 mela scheme of Venkatamakhin took shape in his hands. He has composed in 70 of them and notably in all the 40 vivadi melas. The adroitness with which he wove the raga name and sometimes even the prabandha name into his compositions is astonishing. He was a pioneer in introducing the concept of Samashti charanams (fusion of anupallavi and charana) in his kritis. His compositions are replete with chittaswarams, solkattus, svaraksharas, karvais (long pregnant pauses), similes and metaphors.

He also contributed to the family tradition of composing exquisite ragamalikas. Ironically for all the richness of his music he himself voluntarily led a simple and almost penurious life. he was egalitarian in his outlook. This was reflected in the fact that he had disciples from all walks of life. Among them was the famed Thanjavur Quartette whom he graciously referred to as Bharata Sreshtas in recognition of their ingenious musical skills. The disciples in turn venerated him and it is noteworthy that Ponniah (one among the Quartette) composed nine kritis in praise of Dikshitar called the Nava ratna mala.

Dikshitar died in 1835 leaving a legacy of nearly 440 kritis. A life which spanned 60 years, the all too familiar ankita Guru Guha has, however, immortalised both the master and his music for all time to come.

LAKSHMI DEVANATH

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