Sri Rama Katha article series 138: SRI RAMACHANDRA IN SRI ANNAMACHARYA SANKEERTHANAS

byUpayuktha -April 30, 2024

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- K. Rajasree

Sri Annmacharya, haridasa of Telugu literature world. He is contemporary to the Karnataka haridasaru Sri Sripadarajaru, Sri Purandaradasaru. He as an honor called as “PADAKAVITHA PITHAMAHA, SANKEERTHANACHARYA,DRAVIDAGAMA SARVABOWMA.”

He totally succumbs to the God Sri Venkateswara of Tirumala. He wrote 32000 snkeerthanas dedicated them to Lord Sri Venkateswara. He started writing songs in vernacular language from his childhood. From his 16th year onwards, honoring the Sri Srinivasa’s blessings , he started writing at least one sankeerthana every day and offered it to Srinivasa till his death. His songs are encrypted on copper plates and preserved in “Talapaka Ara” at Tirumala Venkateswara temple. We can see it now also.

Sri Annamacharya born to Sri Narayana Suri and Smt.Lakkamamba on Vyshaka sudda purima (09-05-1408) at Tallapaka village ,Rajempet Tq, Kadapa Dist. Sri Annamacharya believed to be Nandakamsa of Lord Venkteswara. 9th May of every year TTD celebrating Annamacharya jayanthi on 9th May of every year. He had his basic education from his parents. Sangeetha from mother and Panditya from father. He born in Nandavydika family. When he visited Tirumala during his early age, he was blessed with Thirunamalu and Vyshnava Mudras by Sri Ganavishnu a great saint lived at Thirumala. During his visits to holy places , he met Sri Shatagopapati (Matadipati of Ahobhila mutt) at Ahobilam. He preached vyshavism and visistadvitha Siddhanta.

The compositions of Sri Annamacharya can be classified as Adyathmika, srungara. The adyathimika krities can be further classified as Puranika, saranagathi, samagika. In puranika kritis he narrated Ramayana, Bhagavatha, Bharatha and Bhagavad-Gita. In this contest he composed songs on Sri Rama, Sri Krishna, Dasavatara, Sri Narasimha, Sri Hanumantha etc.

At present I am restricting to the songs on Sri Ramachandra. Out of 32000 songs composed by him only 12000 songs are published and are made available in Annamacharya Project web site. From the above songs I studied of 2000 songs. There are more than 50 songs on Sri Rama. First, I am narrating the most familiar song sung by Smt. M. S. Subba Lakshimi familiar singer of India.

దేవం భజే దివ్యప్రభావమ్ |

రావణాసురవైరి రణపుంగవమ్ ||

రాజవరశేఖరం రవికులసుధాకరం

ఆజానుబాహు నీలాభ్రకాయమ్ |

రాజారి కోదండ రాజ దీక్షాగురుం

రాజీవలోచనం రామచంద్రమ్ ||

నీలజీమూత సన్నిభశరీరం ఘనవి-

శాలవక్షం విమల జలజనాభమ్ |

తాలాహినగహరం ధర్మసంస్థాపనం

భూలలనాధిపం భోగిశయనమ్ ||

పంకజాసనవినుత పరమనారాయణం

శంకరార్జిత జనక చాపదళనమ్ |

లంకా విశోషణం లాలితవిభీషణం

వెంకటేశం సాధు విబుధ వినుతమ్ ||

"Daeva daevam (Raagam:dhannaasi ) (Taalam: )

pa|| dEvadEvaM BajE divya praBAvaM | rAvaNAsuravairi raGu puMgavaM ||

ca|| rAjavara SEKaraM ravikula sudhAkaraM | AjAnu bAhuM nIlABra kAyaM |

rAjAri kOdaMDa rAjadIkShA guruM | rAjIva lOcanaM rAmacaMdraM ||

ca|| nIlajImUta sanniBa SarIraM Gana vi- | SAla vakShasaM vimala jalaja nABaM |

kAlAhi naga haraM dharma saMsthApanaM | BU lalanAdhipaM BOgaSayanaM ||

ca|| paMkajAsana vinuta parama nArAyaNaM | SaMka rArjita janaka cApa daLanaM |

laMkA viSOShaNaM lAlita viBIShaNaM | vEMkaTESaM sAdhu vibudha vinutaM ||

Above song is very familiar one to kannadigas also. The song is familiar as it is released the CD and Casset first time by TTD. First, I am narrating the bava of the above song. In this song Sri Annamacharya attributes so many Phrases explaining the performance of Sri Rama and advises mankind to worship the supreme God (Devadeva).He, then narrates the structural, phenomenal, ethical features of Sri Rama and highlights them why he is supreme why should we worship him.

All Gods and Goddess worships him as he was lord of Gods with divine radiance and power. He is monster enemy of Ravana and excels in the war. He is moon in Ravi kulam means he spreads peace, pleasure, happiness in Raghu vamsa. He is the pinnacle of the best kings. Idle king among the kings ,it shows that he posses all the qualities of best king.

When describing the physical structure he describes as Azanubhahum( lengthy hands which helps to excel in war) brad chest again character feature of yodha, having complexion of blue cloud, lotus like eyes ( when we see the lotus flower, we will get pleasure) in total his appearance itself gives pleasure to us.

He is honest, virtuous by his deeds. .He wielded Parasurama’s best bow. He easily break the Shankara’s unwieldy bow. He married Sita. He is worshiped by Brahma; he has lotus in his umbilicus. He punished Ravana for his adharma and patronized Vibhishana (brother of Ravana) for his virtuous nature and practicing religious principles.

He has Garuda (destroyer of snakes) as vahana in one hand and on the other He sleeps on snake itself(sheshasayana).

At the end he says that worship Sri Venkateswara (devadeva of Kaliyuga) who has been worshiped by Saadu, Santha, Vibhudha.

In the same manner he composed number of songs narrating Sri Rama, A few are.

1. రాజీవ నేత్రాయ రాఘవాయ నమో |

సౌజన్య నిలయాయ జానకీశాయ ||

rAjIva nEtrAya rAGavAya namO |

saujanya nilayAya jAnakISAya ||"

He begins the song praising Rama as Rajeevnetra and Sowjanya Nilaya describing his stature and swabhva then he describes the deeds of Sri Rama as Thataka samhara, Pasupathi dhanur bana bhanjana, Ravana samhara, mahavaradhi bandana, Ayodya puri vasa namo and it ends by pranamams to Venkateswara.

2. రామభద్ర రఘువీర రవివంశతిలక నీ- | నామమే కామధేనువు నమో నమో ||

In the above he states that rama as Ayodyapuravasa and describes him as Kamadenu.

3. రాముడు రాఘవుడు రవికులు డితడు

భూమిజకు పతియైన పురుష నిధానము

In this song he praises him as Raghukula thilaka, Bhumija pathi, born after performing Putrakamesti yaga, veda vijnana nidhi.

4. ఇదె శిరసు మాణిక్యమిచ్చి పంపె నీకు నాకె |

అదనెరిగి థెచితిని అవతరించవయ్యా ||

This song is composed describing Sri Anjaneya handing over Siromani to Rama and explaining the position of Sita Lanka. He requests Rama to Punish Ravana get rid of her from that vulnerable situation.

5. "సిగ్గరి పెండ్లి కూతుర సీతమ్మ

దగ్గరి సింగారబొమ్మ తలవంచకమ్మా"

This song highlights the Sita Rama kalyanam.

Like so many songs are composed praising Sri Rama’s qualities, exemplary deeds, dharma parirakshana , vali samhara, Vibhishana mytri, etc. All the songs are composed from Rama’s birth to pattabhishekam. He has not composed the later part of Ramayana. Present day cinema songs also composed by extracting words from above songs. We always remember Sri Annamacharya for his great compositions.