The Fifth Delight
Shri Raghavendra Gurusarvabhauma
37. An Unparalleled Veena Performance!
The time was four in the afternoon, and the Saraswati Mandir was packed with an unprecedented crowd. On the grand stage, both Gurus were seated in dignified splendor, while Kumarakrishnappa Nayaka occupied his royal seat. On the music stage in front, Venkatanatha, holding the Veena, sat alongside eminent accompanists. Surrounding them were musicians, artists, and scholars of music, all eagerly awaiting the performance.
Renowned musicians of the royal court—Veeraghavacharya, the master of flute; Mahashivayya, the Gotuvadyam expert; and Ramanatha Sharma, the famed Veena exponent—were seated as accompanists for Venkatanatha. Adding to the significance of the event, Shankarananda Pillai, the famous "Talabrahma" from Ramanad, one of the most celebrated mridangam players in South India, had been specially invited to perform. People whispered among themselves that this was a truly extraordinary gathering.
The brilliant young Venkatanatha took his Guru’s blessings before preparing to play the Veena. He gently ran his fingers over the strings, and a delicate, enchanting sound filled the hall, sending shivers of delight through the audience. He began by playing the ascending and descending swaras of Hamsadhwani Raga, demonstrating the rhythm with subtle finger movements in the air. Then, he commenced the concert with Purandaradasa’s composition,
"Gajavadana ninna aḍigaḷa namisuve,
Trijagavanditane, Gauritanaya."
The accompanists eagerly joined in, showcasing their own musical expertise. However, Shankarananda Pillai, the mridangam player, initially played with an air of indifference, as if doubting Venkatanatha’s abilities.
Next, Venkatanatha transitioned into a soulful Alapana in Arabhi Raga, playing with expansive, intricate patterns. His fingers moved like lightning over the Veena, bringing forth a mesmerizing melody that engulfed the audience in pure bliss. The sheer depth and brilliance of the raga left the spectators wide-eyed in astonishment.
As the Alapana concluded, he began singing Kanakadasa’s famous kriti,
"Adidēno Ranga adbhutadindali,
Kālingana phaṇiyolu."
He alternated between playing the Veena and singing in his melodious voice, creating an unparalleled musical experience. The accompanists struggled to keep up with his improvisations, failing to match his intricate swara patterns.
Suddenly, Venkatanatha unleashed a dazzling flurry of swift musical phrases, playing at an incomprehensible speed with astounding clarity. The once-arrogant Shankarananda Pillai, who had initially dismissed him, found himself unable to keep pace with Venkatanatha’s rhythm and faltered in his mridangam playing.
As he struggled, his pride melted away, replaced by a newfound respect and reverence for Venkatanatha. The keertana reached its climax, and as it concluded, the entire audience erupted into thunderous applause. The spectators, deeply moved by the performance, sat up with renewed enthusiasm, eager to witness more of this divine artistry.
Venkatanatha offered his silent salutations to Sri Vijayindra Guru with his eyes and, with a radiant smile, began the Hindola Raga Alapana. Sri Vijayindra’s face lit up with joy, his eyes glistening with tears. Expressing his immeasurable delight through his gaze, which shone like a cluster of lightning, he watched as Venkatanatha played. Seeing this, Venkatanatha’s body shivered with divine bliss, as if an extraordinary energy had surged through his very being.
With newfound enthusiasm, the Hindola raga flowed effortlessly from the Veena, its melodious and mesmerizing waves spreading joy through the hearts of the audience. The depth and complexity of the Alapana astonished even the most seasoned musicians, who marveled at how such intricate nuances could be brought forth on the Veena. The King of Madurai, completely captivated, was immersed in an ocean of ecstasy.
The Veena recital unfolded with unparalleled beauty and variety. Suddenly, from the instrument emerged a sound so novel, so divine, that no one had ever heard anything like it before. The intricate Gamakas, delicate Palakus, profound Moorchanas, and mesmerizing Tanavinyasas left the entire audience in stunned disbelief.
"What divine music is this? What extraordinary skill! What kind of mystical art is this?" the audience gasped in amazement, breaking into thunderous applause.
As the performance continued, Venkatanatha’s fingers danced across the Veena at three different tempos, releasing a radiance of celestial musical nectar. The accompanying artists, unable to match his brilliance, put down their instruments and folded their hands in reverence. The mridangam maestro, Shankarananda Pillai, who had initially dismissed Venkatanatha’s skills, found himself unable to keep pace and sat in speechless wonder.
Then, seamlessly transitioning, Venkatanatha began playing a passage from Srimadhvacharya’s Dvadasha Stotra:
"Ananda Mukunda Aravindanayana,
Ananda Tirtha Parānanda Varada."
He played and sang in an exquisite, unheard-of rhythm, causing complete chaos for the accompanying mridangam player, who failed to recognize the time cycle. Even the great "Talabrahma" Pillai, known for his unmatched rhythmic mastery, sat confused and bewildered.
The court musicians and instrumentalists, witnessing his struggle, chuckled among themselves, realizing that Pillai’s arrogance had met its rightful defeat. His face turned pale, humiliated by his inability to follow Venkatanatha’s divine rhythm.
Realizing his predicament, Venkatanatha paused momentarily, graciously demonstrating the rhythmic structure with his fingers before continuing his performance. This act, however, deeply wounded Pillai’s pride. Until now, he had believed himself to be unmatched in all of South India, but today, his ego was shattered.
Overcome with remorse, he reflected, "This Veena player is no ordinary human! I made a grave mistake in underestimating such a divine artist."
Immediately, he stood up, bowed before Venkatanatha, and said,
"Great Master! Though young in age, you are truly a divine son of Goddess Saraswati, born of the celestial Gandharva lineage. Never before have I heard such profound, groundbreaking music. Please forgive my arrogance!"
The entire assembly erupted into resounding applause, celebrating the unparalleled victory of Venkatanatha.
Venkatanatha gently took Pillai’s hand and said, “Please, do not say such things. You are a great scholar, while I am still a mere student.” His words, filled with humility and grace, comforted the veteran musician. Witnessing Venkatanatha’s noble character and generosity, the entire audience rejoiced in admiration.
After completing the previous composition, Venkatanatha then began an Alapana in Shanmukhapriya Raga. He continued with Dasaraya’s composition:
"Dhavalagangeya Gangadhara Mahalinga,
Madhavana Torisayya Gurukulottunga."
His flawless execution captivated the audience, drawing them further into the realm of divine music.
Following this, he presented a composition in the rare raga ‘Vijayanagari’, composed by none other than Sri Vijayindra Tirtha himself. The lyrics described the moon’s defeat to the radiant beauty of Goddess Sita, leading it to hide in the night out of embarrassment. The audience, enchanted by the depth of poetry and melody, marveled at Venkatanatha’s ability to bring out intricate poetic embellishments like Upama, Roopaka, and Siddhavasookshma with effortless grace.
Then, as a final offering, Venkatanatha performed a majestic Ragamalika (melodic garland) rendition of a verse from ‘Alankara Manjari’, a literary masterpiece written by Sri Sudhindra Tirtha in praise of Vijayindra Tirtha. With perfect synchronization between his voice and the Veena, he sang:
"Sa jayati yati chandraḥ sāhati śāstra sāndraḥ |
Satata-galita-tandraḥ sadṛśāḥ śrījayīndraḥ ||
Jahi hi nija-jayāśā jāgrada-yāsa-leśāt |
Jada! yadadhinideśājñāta-harṣā digīśāḥ ||"
His stunning interpretation of Vijayindra Tirtha’s glory left the assembly in awe, and the entire hall resounded with applause, as scholars and musicians praised him with cries of “Sadhu! Sadhu!”
Sri Sudhindra Tirtha was overcome with divine bliss, his face radiating pride and joy.
At that moment, a four-year-old boy, who had been seated on the lap of Ramachandra Acharya, quietly slipped down from his father’s knee and, with childlike devotion, walked up to the stage where Venkatanatha was playing. Without hesitation, he folded his hands and sat before the Veena, listening intently with pure concentration.
The audience, captivated by the child’s devotion, watched in amazement. Ramachandra Acharya, smiling, walked over and gently picked up his son, carrying him back to his seat on the stage. Sri Vijayindra Tirtha, observing this scene, smiled knowingly, his eyes twinkling with joy.
As the performance neared its conclusion, Venkatanatha commenced a self-composed keertana in the Hindustani raga ‘Bahaar’, singing and playing with unparalleled mastery:
"Jaya jaya Śrī Vijayīndra yatīndra |
Jaya vidyā-sāmrājya mahendra |
Jaya Śrīmadhva-matāmbudhi-chandra |
Jaya narapati-nuta sadguṇa-sāndra ||
Chaturadhiko jvala-shatakṛti taraṇā |
Pratima chatuḥṣaṣṭi sukala nipuṇa ||
Vitatamahima paravādi-jayārjita |
Shata-jaya-patrārpita Śrīramaṇa."
The assembly, lost in divine ecstasy, celebrated Venkatanatha’s extraordinary talent, as his music echoed through the sacred halls, immortalizing his name in the annals of time.
As Venkatanatha completed the composition in praise of Sri Vijayindra Tirtha, the assembly of scholars exclaimed "Sadhu! Sadhu!" in admiration. He then began an elaborate Alapana in Kambhoji Raga, allowing its majestic waves of melody to flow seamlessly. The audience felt as if they were being transported to the celestial realm of the Gandharvas.
Suddenly, a cascade of unheard-of melodic phrases emerged from his Veena, leaving the listeners in sheer wonder. As the raga’s divine presence enveloped the hall, Venkatanatha commenced the Pallavi, singing:
"Sāruvē ninnadu padavē |
Śrī Sudhīndra Parantapanē."
From the depths of his heart, a river of devotion surged forth, sanctifying the very space in which he played. Every word he sang carried the essence of humility, reverence, and deep devotion, blending effortlessly with the exquisite tones of his Veena.
Watching this divine performance, Sri Vijayindra Tirtha turned to Sri Sudhindra Tirtha with a knowing smile. Sudhindra Tirtha, overwhelmed with emotion, shed tears of joy.
Meanwhile, King Kumarakrishnappa Nayaka had completely forgotten all worldly matters, lost in the celestial nectar of Venkatanatha’s music. With folded hands, he sat motionless, immersed in divine ecstasy.
The brilliant rhythmic patterns, the astonishingly intricate swaras, and the unprecedented musical grandeur left the entire audience in awe, as they clapped in euphoric appreciation. At this moment, after three continuous hours of mesmerizing music, Venkatanatha concluded the Pallavi.
For the finale, he sang the auspicious Mangalam:
"Maṅgalaṁ Mūlarāmāya Lokanāthāya Viṣṇavē |
Maṅgalaṁ Śrīramādēvai Maṅgalaṁ Vāyusūnavē ||"
Sung in Madhyamavati Raga and blending into Shree Raga, the concluding piece filled the air with divine serenity. As the last note resonated, Venkatanatha bowed to both Gurus, feeling deeply fulfilled.
The royal musicians and instrumentalists of the court unanimously praised Venkatanatha’s Veena mastery, acknowledging his unparalleled genius.
King Kumarakrishnappa Nayaka, addressing the assembly, extolled Venkatanatha’s brilliance:
"Never before have I heard such Veena playing! He does not perform in public, for he reserves his music only for the divine and his Gurus. Today, by the grace of our revered Gurus, we have had the fortune of listening to this extraordinary scholar’s divine music. There is no musician in all of South India today who can match his genius.
The younger Guru, Sri Sudhindra Tirtha, rightly honored him with the title ‘Sakala Kala Vallabha’. Now, from the royal court, we shall further honor him. From today onward, let him be recognized as ‘Vainika Chakravarti’—The Emperor of Veena Music!"
At these words, the entire assembly erupted into resounding applause, cheering in jubilation.
The King then offered gifts as a mark of his highest admiration, presenting them to Sri Vijayindra and Sri Sudhindra Tirtha to bestow upon Venkatanatha. These included:
A golden crown (Suvarna Simhalalata Kadaga)
A priceless pearl necklace (Muktamala)
A royal silk garment (Pitambara)
Gold coins (Suvarna Naanya)
With great reverence, Venkatanatha bowed before the revered Gurus as they blessed him wholeheartedly.
Additionally, the King honored all the accompanying musicians, ensuring they received due recognition.
As the event concluded, Sri Vijayindra and Sri Sudhindra Tirtha once again offered their deepest blessings to Venkatanatha, recognizing him as a divine gift to the world of music and Vedantic scholarship.
After the event concluded, the Vidwat Sabha’s closing ceremony was held, where both revered Gurus delivered their final discourses. Following this, the Maharaja generously honored all the scholars who had participated in the Sabha, ensuring their happiness and satisfaction.
With formal salutations and offerings of gratitude, the Deepavali Maha Abhisheka and the grand Vidwat Sabha celebrations came to a magnificent close.
As per the command of Sri Vijayindra Tirtha, the Upanayana (sacred thread ceremony) of Venkatanarayana, son of Lakshminarasimha Acharya, was conducted with great splendor at the expense of Srimatha. The Gurus themselves bestowed their divine blessings and initiated the young Brahmachari with sacred knowledge (Guru Upadesha).
Before departing, Gururaja Acharya expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the revered Gurus, sought their final blessings, and took their leave with utmost reverence.