By Ashok Madhav

The bhakti movement was infused with musical fervour by many saint -musicians all over India over the centuries. Notable among them - Purandara Dasa and Tyagaraja played key roles during their lives. Both of them belonged to the line of saint-musicians, who influenced the masses for their moral and spiritual upliftment through the medium of their musical compositions. Their reformist zeal to set bhakti in its proper perspective, devoid of sham and meaningless rituals, was frequently stressed in their kritis. The spiritual and philosophical contents of their kritis are often compared to the Upanishads.

While Purandara Dasa was instrumental in laying the foundations of Carnatic music, Tyagaraja took it to the peak of its perfection. It is not surprising that these two musical stalwarts are featured more often than other musical personalities in many discussions of Carnatic music.

Purandara Dasa (1484-1564) enjoyed the privileges and comforts in his youth and middle age. However, he realised the tawdry selfishness of people and the world around him, prompting him to give up all his wealth and physical comforts and devote himself to a life of high ideals of philosophy and spirituality. After his tutelage from his guru Vyasa Raya, Purandara Dasa devoted the second half of his life to composing songs praising Lord Krishna- the deity of Pandharpur. He, thus, became Purandara Dasa - a devotee or servant of the Supreme Lord.

Purandara Dasa was a great bhakta, musician and composer. His kritis are set in simple words that exude bhakti, common sense, and philosophy and have universal appeal. He adopted 'Malavagowla' (later changed to 'Mayamalavagowla') to enable beginners to learn the basics of Carnatic music. He introduced musical forms like sarali, janta varisas, hecchu and taggu stayis, alankaras, and geetas. He introduced simple lessons (pillari geethams) in ragas like Malahari and Shudda Saveri. He also systematised Suladi Sapta talas. He is credited to have composed several thousands of kritis. Unfortunately, only a fraction of his total output of kritis is available.

It is incredible that even four centuries later, Purandara Dasa's teaching models have been handed down to us with no variation! His immense contributions to music have earned him recognition as the Sangeeta Pitamaha - the grandsire of Carnatic music.

Tyagaraja (1767-1847) was born of modest means but eschewed all material comforts even as a youth and devoted himself to the worship of Lord Rama. He had his musical training from Sonti Venkataramanayya. The music of Purandara Dasa influenced Tyagaraja. Tyagaraja has paid tribute to Purandara Dasa in his Prahlada Bhakti Vijayam. His unswerving devotion to Rama is demonstrated through emotional outpourings in many of his kritis. His compositions are simple but laden with bhakti and philosophy, which caught the appeal of many music lovers. He was also instrumental in developing several new ragas, which were used in his compositions. One outstanding feature of Tyagaraja's kritis is its inherent scope for adding sangatis eg, Dorakuna itu vanti (Bilahari) and Dharani telusu (Shudda Saveri).

Similarity in their thought process

While these musical geniuses (Purandara Dasa and Tyagaraja) lived almost three centuries apart, comparing their lives, I find their contributions to music and philosophical thoughts interesting. There are several parallels in their lives. Both Purandara Dasa and Tyagaraja were pious, saintly and great devotees of Krishna and Rama respectively. The lyrics of their kritis were simple but with high philosophical and spiritual contents. Both were musical prodigies who disliked royal patronages and gifts. They abhorred 'narastuthi' or praising of mortals. Purandara Dasa was not enamoured of the royal bounty and wealth of the King of Vijayanagar.

Similarly, Tyagaraja refused invitations from the Tanjavur Maharaja and other Kings of Travancore and Mysore. Both have commented on their feelings in musical forms and idioms. In Purandara Dasa's kriti 'Namma bhagya doddado,Nimma bhagya doddado', he feels more blessed because of the Lord's protection than the King, who has just material possessions. In another kriti,'Antarangadalli Hariya kaanadava, Purandara Dasa reiterates the same concept Narara sevisa bedavo endendigu. At the same time, Tyagaraja says in his Nidhi chala sukhama, Ramuni sannidhi seva sukhama, that he does not need anybody's blessings but Rama's.

Purandara Dasa and Tyagaraja have also expressed their thoughts and feelings on other aspects of life. Regarding music, what Purandara Dasa has said in Talabeku takka mela beku, Tyagaraja has echoed similar ideas in his Sogasuga mrudanga talamu – outlining the basic details of an ideal kriti. The words Sakala tirtha yaatreya maadidante nikhila punyada phalavu in Purandara Dasa's Smarane onde saalade have parallel expressions in Tyagaraja's Dhyaaname varamaina Ganga snaanamu (Plunging in holy waters will not purify from the sins of deceit). To focus one's mind on the devotion to the Lord, the words used by Purandara Dasa and Tyagaraja in their kritis are almost identical. Purandara Dasa says Manava nilisuvudu balu kashta, and Tyagaraja's lyrics are Manasu nilpa shakti leka pothe (Controlling one's mind for worship is hard). Purandara Dasa's Sakala graha bala neene and Tyagarja's Graha bala memi are close in their contents (strength from divine protection is better than those from all planets). Similarly, Dasa's Dwaitavu sukhava and Tyagaraja's Dwaitamu sukhama are alike in their philosophical content (the decision to follow Dvaitha or Advaitha for bliss).

There are several examples where the thoughts of these stalwarts run very similar. The contributions of these two vaggeyakaras are enormous in terms of the voluminous number and different types of compositions. Their rich legacy to Carnatic music continues to captivate and fascinate music lovers worldwide and will carry through for many centuries more.

(The author is a composer and connoisseur of music)