Navaratri 2002 Update

LalitopAkhyAna kritis of Dikshitar

 

An upAkhyAna is a subordinate story or an episode.In the brahmanda purana the episode that deals with the marriage of the Goddess  with Kameshwara – the aspect of Shiva, followed by her pattabhisheka, and a list of events culminating in the vanquishing of Bandasura is known as Lalitopakhyana. Kallidaikurichi VedantaBhagavatar was the first to prepare and perform a harikatha nirUpaNam on this.The description given in the Sundaram Iyer publications were written with the assistance of Vedanta Bhagavatar’s student Kallidaikurichi Shri.Mahadeva Iyer.

The themes and the kritis as per the K Sundaram Iyer book

The theme starts with the pilgrimage and penance of Agastya and Hayagriva appearing and describing to him the story of Lalitambika. Hayagriva is an aspect of Vishnu who is traditionally associated with the imparting of divine knowledge.On Agastya’s request he describes the story of Lalita Tripura Sundari.

The theme begins with the devas with Brahma and Vishnu paying obeisance to Shakti followed by her marriage with Shiva and the pattabhisheka.
It then proceeds with her reigning from the Simhasana and her patnapravesha.After that Narada and the Devas request her to protect them from the travails caused by the evil Bandasura.She then collects her army of shaktis and marches forward and finally Bandasura is slayed.Let us now take a closer look at some of the kritis.

1.kAmeshvareNa- shrI

This kriti dedicated to Shiva as Kameshvara celebrates the marriage of Lalita TripuraSundari and her being known as kAmeshvari.
Dikshitar paints an exquisite picture of the pleasing divine couple in a ratnamantapa.They are surrounded by devotees – bhaktas and bhagavatas “bhAgavata pramukhAdi nutEna ” and all the celestials are present to witness the divine event.

Vishnu as the brother of Shakti performed the kanyakapradhana ceremony.Dikshitar mentions this as “kamalesha krta kanyakAdhAnena” .The pANigrahaNa ceremony or the ritual of holding the hand of the bride by the groom is also performed.This is mentioned by the lines “kAmeshvarI pANigrahaNena”.This is followed by other rituals like the lAja homa – An offering of puffed rice to the agni and this is followed by pradakshina or circumambulation around the sacred fire “varalAja homAdi pradakshina”. They are then showered with flowers and gold, “vasu mishrita puSpa varSitENa”.

Pallavi :
kAmeshvareNa samrakshitoham gaNapati guru guhAdi kAraNena
Anupallavi:
kamaleshakrta kanyakAdAnena karuNAmrta rasapravAhena kAmeshvarI
pANigrhaNena kAmAdi mukti yashaskena
Caranam :
aruNa kiraNa koTiprakAshena aNimAdhyashTaishvaryapradena bherIvINAdi
gAnalolena bhAgavatapramukhAdi nutena
varalAja homAdi pradakshiNa vasumishrita pushpa varshitena
purANapurushapuruhUtAdipUjita ratnamaNTapasthita mudena

kAmeshvareNa – By kAmeshvara
samrakshitoham – I am protected
kAraNena – (By) the cause of
gaNapati guruguhAdi – gaNapati, guruguha etc

kamaleshakrta kanyakadhAnena  - (By) The one who had the kanyaka pradhana ceremony performed by Brahma, Lord of Kamala or Lakshmi
karuNAmrta rasapravAhena - (By) The one who is the ocean of compassion
kAmEshvarI pANigrahaNEna  -(By) The one who accepted the hand of kAmeshvari as part of the pANigrahaNa or holding
of the hand wedding ceremony.
kAmAdi mukti yashaskENa - (By) The one who is famed for being free  from kAma

aruNa kiraNa kOTi prakAshEna – (By) the one who shines like crores of  suns.
aNimAdyaSTaishvarya pradEna  - (By) the one bestows anima and other aishvaryas
bhErIvINAdi gAna lOlEna - (By) the one who enjoys the music of beri and veena
bhAgavata pramukhAdi nutEna  -(By) the one who is surrounded by prominent devotees
varalAja hOmAdi pradakSiNa vasu mishrita puSpa varSitENa – (By ) the one who performed the laja homa ritual and had showers of gold and flowers
purANa puruSa puruhUtAdi pUjita ratnamaNTapasthita mudEna - (By ) the one who was worshipped by Vishnu,Indra and stands in a bejeweled pavilion

2.ShrI mahArAjni – karnAtaka kApi

This is another kriti whose authenticity is often disputed.This describes the Lalita Tripura Sundari being seated on  the bejeweled simhasana, along with her consort KAmeshvara.This is mentioned as “kAmeshvaravAmANgaste”.The purpose of  her manifestation in the yuddha bhumi with her army of forces or shaktisena ie ”vidhavidhashaktikaLuTan veDaliyuddharaNgamulo” to put an end to the daityas or the demons is also mentioned

3.kusumakara vimanaruDam – Ahiri

Brahma after the abhisheka creates a chariot named Kusumakara that speeds along on the sky and the earth as the wind.
The divine mother and Kameshwara after the pattabhishekha enter the city in this vimana.This is known as the patnapravesha.
Dikshitar celebrates this in the Ahiri kriti.He says that he prays to the one who is mounted on the chariot kusumAkara and one who has
sparkling white teeth like the kunda (mullai) flower.The one who causes bliss to Kameshvara and the one who bestows auspiciousness to her devotees.She is seated on a pitha with eight angled chakra ie “vasukONa dashAra pIThasthitAm” and has eyes like the lotus and her entry into the city is wondrous “vicitra vIthipravEshavEsham”.An interesting aspect of this kriti is that he refers to the temple vimana in Tiruvarur which is also known as kusumAkara.There too the divine couple are seated in a simhasana which Dikshitar refers to in other kritis as “simhAsanapate”

Pallavi:
kusumAkaravimAnArUDhAm kundamukuLa radanAm vandEham
Anupallavi:
bhAsamAna kAmEshvarAnandAm bhaktajanAdi maHNgalapradAm vasukONa dashAra pIThasthitAm vAri jalOcanAm paradEvatAm
Charanam:
vAsudEvanuta vIthiviTankAm vANIsha vandita varashAkAm vAsavAdi guruguha santOSAm vicitra vIthipravEshavEsham

kusumAkara vimAnArUDhAm – The one who mounts the chariot named kusumakara
kundamukula radanAM – The one who has beautiful white teeth like the mullai flower
vandehaM – I worship
bhAsamAna kAmeshvarAnandAM – The one who brings joy to the effulgent kAmeshvara
bhaktajanAdi mangalapradAM  - The one who bestows auspiciousness on her devotees
vasukoNa dashAra pIthasthitAm – The one who resides in the eight angled pItha
vArijalOcanAM – The lotus-eyed
paradevatAM – The great goddess
vAsudEvanuta vIthiviTankAm  - The consort of veethivitanka the Lord of Arur worshipped by Vishnu
vANIsha vandita varashAkAm – The one green-hued one worshipped by Brahma (in her manifestation as shAkambari)
vAsavAdi guruguha santOSAm – The one who causes happiness to guha the guru of Indra and others.
vicitra vIthipravEshavEsham – The one who has a wondrous entry into the city