One is spellbound when one learns a composition of Muthuswami Dikshithar's. And there's this sense of joy when one can sing the kriti, being totally cognizant of its meaning.
Dikshithar's compositions are famous for their unique style, putting Sanskrit Grammar to complete use and most importantly, his habit of including the sthala purana and description of the deity he is singing on.
This has helped in tracing all the places he visited and also to understand about the deity he has sung about. In my opinion, these krithis can be sung as a part of daily worship
Ananda Natana Prakasam, sung on Lord Nataraja at Chidambaram is a typical Dikshithar composition. Set to Mishra Chapu Talam, and Raga Kedaram ( which according to me is a wonderful combo) singing this kriti is capable of transporting you to Chitsabha in the Chidambaram temple, irrespective of where you are.
I have presented here a brief interpretation of the kriti, as I understood it-
Pallavi
Ananda Natana Prakasam Chitsabhesham
Aashrayaami Shivakaama valleesham
Anu Pallavi
Bhaanu Koti Koti Sankaasham, Bhukti Mukti Prada Daharaakaasham
Deena Jana Samrakshanam Divya Patanjali Vyaaghrapaada Darshita Kunjikaabja Charanam
Charanam
Sheetaamshu Gangaadharam Neelakantharam
Shri Kedaaraadi Kshetra Aadharam
Bhootesham Shaardula Charmaambaram Chidambaram
Bhoo-Sura-Tri-Sahasra-Muneeshwaram Vishweshwara
Navaneeta Hrudayam Sadaya Guruguha Taatam Adyam Veda Vedyam
Veeta Raagina Aprameyaadvaita Prati Paadyam
Sangeetha Vaadya Vinoda Thaandava Jaata Bahutara Bheda Chodyam
Pallavi
Aananda Natana Prakasam- The effulgent one immersed in blissful dancing,
Chit-Sabhesham- The Lord of the Consciousness Sabha (Hall)*1
Aashrayaami Shiva-Kaama-Valleesham- I take refuge in the Lord of Shiva Kaama Valli *2
Anu Pallavi
Bhaanu-Koti Koti Sankaashaam-The lord, who is as effulgent as a million suns
Bhukti Mukti Prada Daharaakaasham -The lord, who is of the form of the ether*3, and he is the one who provides prosperity as well renunciation from the cycle of birth and death
Deena Jana Samrakshanam -The Lord who protects the distressed people
Divya-Patanjali Vyaaghrapaada Darshita Kunjikaabja Charanam -The Lord who revealed his divine lotus like feet to the sacred muni Patanjali and muni Vyaaghrapaada*4
Charanam
Sheetaamshu gangaadharam-The Lord who holds the Ganga, of soothing cold nature
Neelakantharam- The Lord whose throat is blue in colour
Sri Kedaaradi Kshetra Aadhaaram-The Lord, who is the basis for all the holy places beginning from Kedaara*5
Bhutesham- He who is the Lord of all living beings
Shaardula Charmaambaram-The lord who drapes himself with the skin of a tiger
Chidambaram-The lord whose residence is the Hall of Consciousness
Bhoo-sura Tri-sahasra-muneeshwaram- He, who is the Lord of the mortals, immortals and the three thousand ascetics*6
Vishweshwaram-He who is the Lord of all Universe
Navaneeta Hrudayam -The Lord, who has a heart that melts like butter
Sadhaya- Compassionate One,
Guruguha taatam - Father of Guruguha, *7
Adyam Veda Vedyam-The lord who is praised by the Vedas
Veeta Raagina -He who is capable of freeing his devotees from Desires,
Aprameya- the one who is not understandable,
Advaita Prati Paadyam- He who makes his devotees attain non-duality (advaita) or makes his devotees to be one with him
Sangeetha Vaadya Vinoda Thaandava Jaata Bahutara Bheda Chodyam-He who is the Impetus for the various arts on Music & musical instruments, born out of his distinct style of dancing*8
Notes:
*1: The Sannidhi of Lord Nataraja is called as the ChitSabha meaning the hall of consciouness. It is believed that the Lord resides as the soul of the Universe in Chidambaram. Its also called Kanaka Sabha because of the Golden Roof
*2: The Consort of Lord Nataraja in Chidambaram is called as Shivakaama sundari or Shivakaama valli, a manifestation of Goddess Parvati
*3: Out of the five Panchabhootha Sthala, attributed to Lord Shiva, Chidambaram is the sthala for Ether or Akaasha
*4: Patanjali, an incarnation of Adi Sesha and Vyaaghrapada were two saints who were granted boons after stringent penance, to have a vision of Lord Shiva, in the form of Nataraja. Hence they moved to Chidambaram to witness Lord Nataraja's cosmic dance
*5: Dikshithar indicates through this verse that this kriti is set in the Kedara Ragam
*6: Refers to the three thousand ascetics who witnessed Lord Nataraja's cosmic dance along with Patanjali and Vyaaghrapaada
*7: Guruguha is the mudra or signature of Dikshithar's, that he uses in each of his compositions
*8: Lord Nataraja uses the Damaru while dancing. The sounds that come out of the Damaru form the basis for Sanskrit Grammar as well as the science of music and musical instruments.Patanjali promotes Sanskrit Grammar with the grace of Lord Nataraja, whereas there are various treatises on music and musical instruments based on witness accounts of the Lord's dance. Hence Lord Nataraja is the inspiration behind the development of the sacred arts of music and dance
Dikshithar's compositions are famous for their unique style, putting Sanskrit Grammar to complete use and most importantly, his habit of including the sthala purana and description of the deity he is singing on.
This has helped in tracing all the places he visited and also to understand about the deity he has sung about. In my opinion, these krithis can be sung as a part of daily worship
Ananda Natana Prakasam, sung on Lord Nataraja at Chidambaram is a typical Dikshithar composition. Set to Mishra Chapu Talam, and Raga Kedaram ( which according to me is a wonderful combo) singing this kriti is capable of transporting you to Chitsabha in the Chidambaram temple, irrespective of where you are.
I have presented here a brief interpretation of the kriti, as I understood it-
Pallavi
Ananda Natana Prakasam Chitsabhesham
Aashrayaami Shivakaama valleesham
Anu Pallavi
Bhaanu Koti Koti Sankaasham, Bhukti Mukti Prada Daharaakaasham
Deena Jana Samrakshanam Divya Patanjali Vyaaghrapaada Darshita Kunjikaabja Charanam
Charanam
Sheetaamshu Gangaadharam Neelakantharam
Shri Kedaaraadi Kshetra Aadharam
Bhootesham Shaardula Charmaambaram Chidambaram
Bhoo-Sura-Tri-Sahasra-Muneeshwaram Vishweshwara
Navaneeta Hrudayam Sadaya Guruguha Taatam Adyam Veda Vedyam
Veeta Raagina Aprameyaadvaita Prati Paadyam
Sangeetha Vaadya Vinoda Thaandava Jaata Bahutara Bheda Chodyam
Pallavi
Aananda Natana Prakasam- The effulgent one immersed in blissful dancing,
Chit-Sabhesham- The Lord of the Consciousness Sabha (Hall)*1
Aashrayaami Shiva-Kaama-Valleesham- I take refuge in the Lord of Shiva Kaama Valli *2
Anu Pallavi
Bhaanu-Koti Koti Sankaashaam-The lord, who is as effulgent as a million suns
Bhukti Mukti Prada Daharaakaasham -The lord, who is of the form of the ether*3, and he is the one who provides prosperity as well renunciation from the cycle of birth and death
Deena Jana Samrakshanam -The Lord who protects the distressed people
Divya-Patanjali Vyaaghrapaada Darshita Kunjikaabja Charanam -The Lord who revealed his divine lotus like feet to the sacred muni Patanjali and muni Vyaaghrapaada*4
Charanam
Sheetaamshu gangaadharam-The Lord who holds the Ganga, of soothing cold nature
Neelakantharam- The Lord whose throat is blue in colour
Sri Kedaaradi Kshetra Aadhaaram-The Lord, who is the basis for all the holy places beginning from Kedaara*5
Bhutesham- He who is the Lord of all living beings
Shaardula Charmaambaram-The lord who drapes himself with the skin of a tiger
Chidambaram-The lord whose residence is the Hall of Consciousness
Bhoo-sura Tri-sahasra-muneeshwaram- He, who is the Lord of the mortals, immortals and the three thousand ascetics*6
Vishweshwaram-He who is the Lord of all Universe
Navaneeta Hrudayam -The Lord, who has a heart that melts like butter
Sadhaya- Compassionate One,
Guruguha taatam - Father of Guruguha, *7
Adyam Veda Vedyam-The lord who is praised by the Vedas
Veeta Raagina -He who is capable of freeing his devotees from Desires,
Aprameya- the one who is not understandable,
Advaita Prati Paadyam- He who makes his devotees attain non-duality (advaita) or makes his devotees to be one with him
Sangeetha Vaadya Vinoda Thaandava Jaata Bahutara Bheda Chodyam-He who is the Impetus for the various arts on Music & musical instruments, born out of his distinct style of dancing*8
Notes:
*1: The Sannidhi of Lord Nataraja is called as the ChitSabha meaning the hall of consciouness. It is believed that the Lord resides as the soul of the Universe in Chidambaram. Its also called Kanaka Sabha because of the Golden Roof
*2: The Consort of Lord Nataraja in Chidambaram is called as Shivakaama sundari or Shivakaama valli, a manifestation of Goddess Parvati
*3: Out of the five Panchabhootha Sthala, attributed to Lord Shiva, Chidambaram is the sthala for Ether or Akaasha
*4: Patanjali, an incarnation of Adi Sesha and Vyaaghrapada were two saints who were granted boons after stringent penance, to have a vision of Lord Shiva, in the form of Nataraja. Hence they moved to Chidambaram to witness Lord Nataraja's cosmic dance
*5: Dikshithar indicates through this verse that this kriti is set in the Kedara Ragam
*6: Refers to the three thousand ascetics who witnessed Lord Nataraja's cosmic dance along with Patanjali and Vyaaghrapaada
*7: Guruguha is the mudra or signature of Dikshithar's, that he uses in each of his compositions
*8: Lord Nataraja uses the Damaru while dancing. The sounds that come out of the Damaru form the basis for Sanskrit Grammar as well as the science of music and musical instruments.Patanjali promotes Sanskrit Grammar with the grace of Lord Nataraja, whereas there are various treatises on music and musical instruments based on witness accounts of the Lord's dance. Hence Lord Nataraja is the inspiration behind the development of the sacred arts of music and dance
Excellent description. I just read through your article listening to the amazing rendition of the same kriti by DKJ. Waiting to read on the other panchabhuta kritis.
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