The formal structure of the song itself as conceived by the composer
has fitted well with its lofty contents.
The very choice of 14 ragas is symbolic of the 14 worlds.In Hindu cosmology
these regions are comprised of
6 above the earth namely bhuvah,[the space between the earth and sun
inhabited by sages] , svah[Indra's heaven above the sun or between it and
the polar star],mahah [a region above the polar star inhabited by Brahma's
sons Sanatkumara and others], tapah[inhabited by deified vairagins]and
Satya or Brahma loka[The abode of Brahma the transition to which exempts
one from birth].The worlds below the earth are ,in the order of their descent
-atala,vitala,sutala,rasatala,talatala,mahatala and patala.As seen above
the six upper regions are the abode of the Gods and hence represent a state
of non-material existence.
The first part of the song consisting of the Pallavi and Anupallavi is built up with six ragas,the second part constitutes the carana with eight ragas.In this manner the arrangement of the ragas seem to represent respectively the two distinct types of worlds of non-material and material existence.
Secondly all these worlds are not only created by the Lord of
the universe but also finally merged into him.This idea
is beautifully conveyed in the manner in which th two viloma sahityas
are organised in the reversal sequence at the
end of the anupallavi and charana.Thus the first has the six ragas
mohana to shri as opposed to the order of shri to
mohana as found in the pallavi and anupallavi.The second viloma sahitya
has in the order bhupala to shri consisting of all the 14 ragas in a retrograde
scheme.In this manner the concept of a cyclic universe and the phenomenon
of creation itself from its prematerialistic state are both implied.
Extracts from the souvenir of guruguha gana vidyala calcutta, by
Dr.S.S.Janaki
caturdasha rAgamAlika of Muttuswami Dikshitar
One cannot miss the unique symmetry pervading the entire structure of the ragamalika.The pallavi is set to two ragas.the anupallavi is set to double this number of ragas or 4 ragas and the caranam it double the number of ragas of the anupallavi or eight ragas- makinfg fourtheen ragas in all.The two ragas in the pallavi are shri and arabhi.the four ragas in the anupallavi are gauri,nata,gaula and mohanam.The eight ragas in the caranam are sama,lalita,bhairavam,saranga,shankarabharanam, kammbhoji,devakriya, and bhupalam.
It can thus be see that out of the six ragas in the pallavi and anupallavi
four are gahana ragas with the exception of
varali which does not find a place even in the caranam.Infact the only
pratimadhyama raga among the group of
fourteen is saranga which is the 4th raga in the caranam.It is a point
of interest that out of the 14 ragas that go to make up this ragamalika
as many as six viz. shri,gauri,nata,sama,bhairavam and sarnaga are the
same as employed by king Shahaji in his caturdasharaga malika beginning
with the words satata gaurivara.
....
In the first part comprising the six ragas starting from shri and ending with mohanam the sahitya is 2 avartas each in the first four ragas and the last raga [mohanam] but only 11/2 avartas in the case of the first raga [gaula].In case of the first four ragas part of the sahitya in the second avarta is set in madhyamakala.The svarasahityam which is absent in the first raga [shri] has been designed in the laghu for the second,third and fourth ragas[arabi,gauri and nata] and it then alternates between drutam and laghu being set in drutam for the fifth raga[gaula] and laghu for the sixth raga[mohanam].Thereafter half avarta sahityas in the same six ragas in the reverse order [vilomakrama] are included ending in the initial raga shri.
Similarly in the second part comprising the eight ragas staring from sama and ending in bhupalam the sahitya is two avartas each in the first four ragas and the last raga[bhupalam] but only 11/2 avartas in case of the fifth,sixth,and seventh ragas.Incase of the first four ragas part of sahitya in the second avarta is set in madhyamakala while in the case of the last four ragas the entire sahitya is in madhyamakala.The svarasahityam has been designed in the laghu inthe first four ragas and it then alternates between drutam and laghu,being set in drutam for the fifth and seventh ragas and in laghu for the sixth and eighth ragas.Thereafter half avarta sahityam in the same ragas in the reverse order[viloma krama] are included ending in the first raga of this section,sama.From here the viloma krama sahitya of the first part [pallavi and anupallavi] is continued verbatim culminating in the initial shriraga.This completes a full cycle or circle from the initial shri raga to the final bhupalam[anuloma krama] and all the way back again in the reverse direction [viloma krama] to the initial shriraga.
This concept of cycle is of great esoteric significance in the philosophical concept of the relationship between man and cosmos.The use of cyclic or circular sahitya [in anuloma and viloma krama] for this composition is thus a maste stroke of Dikshitar's genius.
This also eminently benefits the concept of a ragamalika being worn
as a garland by Lord Vishvanatha.
Extracts from the souvenir of guruguha gana vidyala calcutta, by
Dr.Gauri Kuppuswami and Dr.M.Hariharan