Dikshitar's Panchabhootha kritis
The Panchabhootha sthalam are five temples of Lord Shiva in South India, where Lord Shiva is believed to have taken the form of each of the Pancha bhoothas, or the five elements of the world, namely,air ,water, fire, earth and space.
There are many stories associated with how the Lord came to assume these forms in each temple, but the fact is that these temples are regarded amongst the most sacred temples of Lord Shiva in India to this day.
These temples are at Sri Kalahasthi (Andhra Pradesh), Chidambaram, Tiruvannamalai, Kanchipuram and Tiruanaikkaval in Tamil Nadu. At Sri Kalahasthi, Lord Shiva is believed to represent the element air or vayu, at Chidambaram, Lord Shiva represents space, ether or akash, at Kanchipuram, earth or prithvi, at Thiruanaikkaval, water or appu and in Tiruvannamalai, fire or agni, tejo or jyoti.
Muthuswamy Dikshitar, the youngest of the trinity of the greatest Carnatic composers, was also the most learned and the one who had travelled the most among the three composers. And when Dikshitar visited these Panchabhootha sthala temples, he composed five wonderful kritis, which besides being extremely rich in devotion to Lord Shiva, are sublime compositions of unsurpassed melody and lyrical beauty. But not just that, these five compositions clearly emphasise on the specific aspect of Lord Shiva in each of the five panchabhootha sthalams. Appropriately, these five kritis are called Panchabhootha kritis or Panchalinga kritis.
These five Panchalinga kritis are to Lord Shiva what Sri Tyagaraja's Pancharatna Kritis are to Lord Rama. They are:
1. Sri Kalahasthisha in Raga Husseini set to Khanda chapu or Jhampa talam, in praise of the diety at Sri Kalahasthi.
2. Ananda natana prakasam in Raga Kedaram set to Misra chapu talam, in praise of the diety at Chidambaram.
3. Chintayamam in Raga Bhairavi set to Roopaka talam, in praise of the diety at Kanchipuram.
4. Jambupathe in Raga Yaman Kalyani set to Tisra Eka talam, in praise of the diety at Tiruanaikkaval.
5. Arunachalanatham in Raga Saranga set to Roopaka talam, in praise of the diety at Tiruvannamalai.
The lyrics of these songs contain many play on words in Sanskrit with references to the name of the corresponding Panchabhootha sthalam, the particular element or aspect of Lord Shiva at this sthalam, and many references to stories of Lord Shiva with regards to this sthalam.
I do have to confess a very special liking for Ananda natana prakasam and Jambupathe among the five, but all five of them bear testimony to the fact that, purely in terms of the variety and depth of knowledge in music, the Vedas, the scriptures and lyrical melody, Muthuswami Dikshitar was the greatest Carnatic composer ever. Kudos to Guruguha!
There are many stories associated with how the Lord came to assume these forms in each temple, but the fact is that these temples are regarded amongst the most sacred temples of Lord Shiva in India to this day.
These temples are at Sri Kalahasthi (Andhra Pradesh), Chidambaram, Tiruvannamalai, Kanchipuram and Tiruanaikkaval in Tamil Nadu. At Sri Kalahasthi, Lord Shiva is believed to represent the element air or vayu, at Chidambaram, Lord Shiva represents space, ether or akash, at Kanchipuram, earth or prithvi, at Thiruanaikkaval, water or appu and in Tiruvannamalai, fire or agni, tejo or jyoti.
Muthuswamy Dikshitar, the youngest of the trinity of the greatest Carnatic composers, was also the most learned and the one who had travelled the most among the three composers. And when Dikshitar visited these Panchabhootha sthala temples, he composed five wonderful kritis, which besides being extremely rich in devotion to Lord Shiva, are sublime compositions of unsurpassed melody and lyrical beauty. But not just that, these five compositions clearly emphasise on the specific aspect of Lord Shiva in each of the five panchabhootha sthalams. Appropriately, these five kritis are called Panchabhootha kritis or Panchalinga kritis.
These five Panchalinga kritis are to Lord Shiva what Sri Tyagaraja's Pancharatna Kritis are to Lord Rama. They are:
1. Sri Kalahasthisha in Raga Husseini set to Khanda chapu or Jhampa talam, in praise of the diety at Sri Kalahasthi.
2. Ananda natana prakasam in Raga Kedaram set to Misra chapu talam, in praise of the diety at Chidambaram.
3. Chintayamam in Raga Bhairavi set to Roopaka talam, in praise of the diety at Kanchipuram.
4. Jambupathe in Raga Yaman Kalyani set to Tisra Eka talam, in praise of the diety at Tiruanaikkaval.
5. Arunachalanatham in Raga Saranga set to Roopaka talam, in praise of the diety at Tiruvannamalai.
The lyrics of these songs contain many play on words in Sanskrit with references to the name of the corresponding Panchabhootha sthalam, the particular element or aspect of Lord Shiva at this sthalam, and many references to stories of Lord Shiva with regards to this sthalam.
I do have to confess a very special liking for Ananda natana prakasam and Jambupathe among the five, but all five of them bear testimony to the fact that, purely in terms of the variety and depth of knowledge in music, the Vedas, the scriptures and lyrical melody, Muthuswami Dikshitar was the greatest Carnatic composer ever. Kudos to Guruguha!
posted by Srihari at
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