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 "Some
are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness
thrust upon them" said the bard. Saint Thyagaraja was born
great. We call it an avathara – and not a mere birth. What is an
Avathara? Ava in Sanskrit means, to come down. For example,
Arohana and Avarohana.
Sometimes God comes down in human form and sometimes, He sends
great men to the earth for the elevation of humanity. Saint
Thyagaraja was one such extraordinary divine personality born to
teach humanity the path of salvation through Music and
Ramabakthi. His contribution to the cultural growth in south
India is unique. He was a practical philosopher and dedicated
his entire life to the practice of NADOPASANA. He had composed
thousands of Kritis in various ragas. He proved that one could
attain salvation through Rama Bhakti.
Saint Thyagarajar was born in Tiruvarur in
the then unified Thanjavur District on 27th Chaitra, Srvajit, a
Sukla Saptami corresponding to 4th May, 1767 according to one
tradition and 1759 according to another. He was named after the
presiding deity (Lord Thyagaraja) of that temple town. The name
THYAGA-RAJA means the 'King of Renunciation'. Thyagarajar was
born as the third son of Ramabrahmam whose family profession was
story telling (Katha Kalashepem). Ramabrahmam was a
distinguished exponent of Ramayana who was patronised by the
King of Thanjavur. His mother was Seethamma, the daughter of the
asthana vidwan Veena Kalahastayya.
soon after the birth of Thyagaraja, the
family shifted to Thiruvaiyaru. The king of Tanjavur had gifted
a house to him in this village and here Thyagaraja not only
spent the major part of his life but also attained samadhi.
Saint Thyagaraja completed the study of Sanskrit and Telugu and
mastered Valmiki Ramayanam and other religious literature. His
mother had a collection of the Songs of Purandaradasa and taught
them to her son. He was thus introduced to the Sangita Pitamaha
at a very early age and worishipped him as his adiguru. His
interest and involvement in music could not escape the notice of
his father who put him under the tutelage of the court musician
Sonti Venkataramanayya at the age of 16. Thyagaraja absorbed all
that the guru could teach him within a year. After that he was
on his own, perfecting his technique by immersing himself in the
study of musicology from various treatises. Since from the age
of 17, he started singing small kritis. He also showed a flair
for composing music and while in his teens composed his first
song Namo Namo Raghavaya in Desikatodi and inscribed it on the
walls of the house. He studied NARADIAM a treatise on music
which he got from Naradamuni himself, it is said.
In 1787, when Thyagaraja was 21 his father
Ramabrahmam passed away. When Ramabrahmam was in his deathbed,
Thyagaraja expressed his desire to have a darsan of Lord Ram.
His father advised him to repeat ramanama one crore times. Any
other son would have been stunned by this tall order. Not
Thyagaraja. He told his father he would do so and have the
Darsan of the Lord! In 1787 at his age of 21, he got spiritual
initiation into "Rama Shadakshari" mantra from a saint called
Ramakrishnananda. In 1789, when he was 23 years old, his wife,
Parvathi passed away. He married her sister Kamala in 1790. He
had a daughter Seethalakshmi.
Once, on hearing about Thyagaraja, King
Sarabhoji II invited him to the palace to sing before him and
also offered him the position of samasthana vidwan at the
durbar. But Thyagaraja, who was very clear about his mission in
life, refused and declined the offer. Thyagaraja's reputation as
an outstanding musician and composer was due to his desire to
compose only to serve Rama and not any human being.
It is said that Lord Rama appeared before him
in his dream and offered him Moksha after 10 days. Next day he
revealed this to his disciples and relatives during 'Egadesi
Bhajanai'. The Saint took to Sanyasa on on the ninth day when he
felt the premonition of his approaching end to his mortal life
and called himself Nadha Brahmanandar. He attained Siddhi on the
Pushya Bahula Panchami day in the year Parabhava 1847 A.D.
(6-1-1847). His mortal remains were interred at a spot on the
left bank of the river Cauvery at Thiruvaiyaru with the honor
and religious rites due to a Sanyasi. A brindavan consisting of
a conventional brick structure and Thulasi plant was put up.
Every year musicians from every part of India
and even from abroad pay musical homage to the Saint at his
samadhi in Thiruvaiyaru.
HR
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