Guru Parampara Of Dikshitar
Govinda Dikshitar
He was the minister of the Kings , Chellappa
Naik, Acyuta and Raghunatha
Naiks who ruled Tanjavur. He was a Hoysala Brahmin, a scholar in Telegu, Kannada and
Sanskrit.
It
was he who started the Samskruta pata shala where Tyagaraja is supposed
to have studied. It is said that he composed the sangIta sudha and published
it in the name of Raghunatha Naik.It contains 15 melas and 50 ragas.He created
the vii.na called the raghunatha vii.na.He lived in the village of Patteeshwaram
near Kumbakonam. His wife was Nagammal. He had 8 sons and a daughter.Among his
sons , Yajnanarayana Dikshitar and Venkateshwara Dikshitar or Venkatamakhin were
famous for their scholarship.One son who was a vainika and the daughter died
young.
Yajnanayarayana Dikshitar was an eminent scholar and describes
Raghunatha's rule in his Sahitya Ratnakara.There is a portrait sculpture of
Govinda Dikshitar and his wife in a mandapa at the Patteeshwaram temple in
Kumbakonam.In the Mannargudi Rajagopalaswami Temple we find another pillar
situated in the mahamantapa along with the image of the Nayak king.The icon of
Govinda Dikshitar is also seen at the Kumbeshwarar Temple in Kumbakonam.
Venka.ta Makhin ( 1635/1660
AD)
He was one of the 8 sons of Govinda Dikshitar.
Neelakanta Dikshitar, the
minister of Tirumalai Naik of Madurai was his disciple. A profound scholar
that he was he learnt sanskrit from his brother YagnaNarayana and learnt
music under Tanappacharya, the son of Honnayya, in praise of whom he composed
the giitam, "Gandharva Janatha" (Arabhi).Subbarama Dikshitar
says he was also known by the name Venkatamantri.He wrote the caturda.n.diprakaa"sika.He
also composed twenty-four ashtapadis on Lord Tyagaraja , the presiding
deity at Tiruvarur.
There are some legends and and anecdotes
connected to his life.Venka.tamakhin is said to have freed himself from thieves
by singing "Hare niipidakantaka dhushpradesa" (Lalita).He is
also said to have freed the people from the orders of the ruler to get the conch
and the wheel branded on their body by singing, "s"ankhacakranganathyacara
re"(riitigaula).He composed lakshya giitas and prabhandas.
Venka.ta
Vaidhyanatha Dikshitar or MudduVenka.tamakhin
He was the maternal grandson of
Venkatamakhin. He lived in Madhyarjuna
(Tiruvidaimarudhur).Ramaswamy Dikshitar learnt from him. He was also called
Muddu VenkataMakhin.It is said that he compiled the anubandham or the
appendix of the Caturda.n.diprakaa"sika which contains the names and
grammar of the 72 me.las and their janyas.
Virabhadrayya
He was the earliest known composer of svarajatis.He seems to have
lived in the first half of 18th Century. He composed "EmAyalADira" in huseni
and "mo.di seya meragaadani" in mohana raaga. Ramaswami Dikshitar learnt
under him.
Article on Virabhadrayya
Ramaswami Dikshitar
