Forever MS

Design: RK

Blessed with a rich and resonant voice, she struck an immediate rapport with the audience. Coming straight from the heart, her Mellifluous and Sublime music transported the scholar and commoner alike. The aesthetic experience was equivalent to experiencing the Brahman. Soaked in spirituality, her music reached the rasikas effortlessly.

An artiste extraordinaire, MS’ timeless and priceless music and the saintly aura was enhanced every moment of her life kaaya-vaacha-manasa and of course through her divine music.

Yet, she was so humble that her body language conveyed that all this was the Grace of God; not of her making. In his composition, “Shanthamuleka” in Sama raga, Sri Thyagaraja has pleasingly delivered the essence of Shantha rasa, which we can so easily associate with MS.

To quote Rajaji, “The way of devotion is not different from the way of knowledge or Jnana.  When intelligence matures and lodges securely in the mind, it becomes wisdom.  When wisdom is integrated with life, and issues out in action, it becomes Bhakti.  Knowledge, when it becomes fully mature, is Bhakti…”

The Bhakti-filled renditions of MS can make even a bitter truth in Bhaja Govindam seem very sweet. Not only did she possess true devotion but she could make her listeners experience what true Bhakti was.

What did MS say about her music? She knew that Sangeetha was the Sanmarga to attain divine communion. “If i have done something in this respect, it is entirely due to the Grace of the Almighty who has chosen my humble self as a tool” she said receiving the Ramon Magsaysay award.

On a personal note, I still remember MS telling  me, “Atmartha Sangeetha is the supreme form of singing. First you should love your music, only then will others love it.”

It is a different experience to see a performer on stage and off stage. Most of them are inaccessible. But there are few exceptions like MS. I had seen her during Kacheris, read articles and heard elders in the house describe her as a very humble and down to earth person. But I was fortunate to have seen her off stage at such close distance. As we were driving back, the feeling was yet to sink in that I had spent priceless moments with a legend. Listening to the stereo which was playing MS’s Bhavayami Gopalabalam…. I realized that because MS conveyed the meaning of devotion that the audience came to her. And came in millions.

Forever MS!

Yours truly gets absorbed into MS’ Sankarabharanam, Khamboji and Todi renditions.

***

Posts related to MS Subbulakshmi on RwB.

Mukunda Mala Pravachana by KS Narayanacharya

Design: RK

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Aside: This is the 500th post here.

J for Jaswant, J for Jinnah

Cartoon: RK

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Shankar Rao: The Unsung Hero

Pics: PS Prakruthi

This is the story of a very inspirational 98 year old Indian World War II and army veteran whom I met in Bengaluru. He led an amazingly difficult life but was still a very cheerful and happy person. His story is truly uplifting and touched everyone he met.

by PS Prakruthi

In the month of May 2008, I made another cherished trip to India. Unlike other trips where I would mostly spend time in my grandmother’s home, talk and laugh with my relatives and friends, explore the local areas and tour the famous sites of the South, during this trip my family and I went to see the awe-inspiring Himalayas. Having lived and grown up in the U.S., to touch the soil of the Rishis and visit Vyasa’s cave, see the origin of the Saraswati River, and visit the very last village at the Indian border was overwhelming that cannot be articulated. I felt at peace and rejuvenated. Later, I went back for a few days to Bengaluru, to Vyalikaval extension, 4th main road. What more could this visit have in store?

Down the road, adjacent to my grandparents’ home is an old nondescript house. Among all the bustle and clatter of busy the 2nd main road, living alone, not in the nondescript house, but in its 10ft x 10ft shed, was a quiet and elderly gentleman. This man sat serenely in a small chair with a japa mala in one hand quietly doing japa. The shed was extremely austere, but the gentleman, looking younger than his 98 years, always wore a tranquil smile. He carried a worn pocket-sized copy of the Bhagavad Gita in Sanskrit with him always. If you happened to notice him, and took time to ask, he would tell you his compelling and unbelievable life story.

Born on May 5, 1910, in what was known as British Malaya, he had a peaceful existence until he was 12 years old. Without warning, his parents were tragically killed in their home by a bomb. A war was going on then and bombings had become commonplace. The young child had been to school and came home to find his parents killed and his home destroyed. This horrific incident sent him into shock and he had to be taken care of by a neighbour. His mind had erased the memory of who he was and he could not recall his name or that of his family and life. While he was thus recuperating, the British came in and without a hint took him away to serve in the British army. At the age of 12 he lost his parents, his home and his freedom.

“The Britishers asked me my name and when I told them that I did not remember, they gave me one,” he said on the day I met him in 2008, sitting behind a desk beside a picture of Shirdi Sai Baba. “So, they said ‘OK, from now on you will be called Shankar Rao,’”. Ripped from the only family and home he ever knew, Shankar Rao at the age of 12 was put to work in the British military. He had to live and move with the British army soldiers, wherever they were encamped and engage whomever they battled with. Rao said that he and other Indian children were used as workers to help in the battlefields, helping to load ammunition and to be at the service of the British soldiers during battles.

When he turned 14, Rao was then forced to fight in the British army. He fought in battles of wars that he knew little of much less why he was fighting. He fought in Burma; he describes how, as a child soldier, he walked with other children soldiers from Singapore to Thailand and from Burma to Manipur to Assam. In Burma and Thailand he fought under the command of Lord Wavell, the Field Marshall for his unit. When they had reached Assam by foot, the British took the Indian soldiers to Kabul and then Kandahar. Then the British decided that he would fight for them in Europe during World War II.

Having survived the battles in Asia he was sent to fight in the Middle East, then onward to Tunisia, Africa, and finally, to the Italian warfront. Rao recalled how the British, Americans, and Russians had pushed the German forces back. He vividly remembered the Indian freedom fighters who were being held in the Andaman Islands being released. Among them was Subhash Chandra Bose, who was the leader of the Indian freedom forces. Rao animatedly described that he witnessed many of the unspeakable horrors that were prevalent in World War II. He sadly stated that there was so much blood and destruction that he had witnessed unceasingly since his childhood and now in the worldwide conflict that he became seriously ill. He was weak and in need of serious recuperation, his mind once again had come under the constant onslaught of violence. In 1944, with the war coming to a frenzied end, he was finally sent back to India with barely any strength, his body and mind exhausted and broken. He spent the next three months recuperating in the General Hospital in Delhi. Mercifully perhaps, some of the atrocities he had once again witnessed in the long war were erased from his memory.

I asked Rao how he was treated by the British who needed him and others like him to fight their wars. Rao said that the Indian soldiers were mistreated and discriminated against; there was a lot of racism, and in battle, that made things even more perilous. Rao recalled that the world and Indian history of that time lucidly, a unique historian that one would be hard pressed to find nowadays. He remembered pivotal moments not only in WW II but also in the quest for India’s people gaining their much fought for independence. He described how at that time he was in the hospital in Delhi, Subhash Chandra Bose was captured and his personal assistant SA Iyer was released. After his brief rest at the hospital, the British weren’t finished with him; he was sent to Jabalpur to work in the armoury making guns and weapons for the British. But by this time, India’s people had risen. Once again Rao would be called upon to fight and risk his well-being and life. But this time was different. Now he would finally be fighting for his own people and for his country. During the violence that marked the days of the Indian partition, Rao fought to defend India against Pakistan’s attacks. India was finally free of the British despot and so was he. He went on to defend India against China in 1964 when the Chinese attacked Indian Territory.

Rao served and sacrificed for his country again and again and was unsung, unheard of, and unknown. There are few Indians of my generation who know of or can comprehend it. I imagined him as a young boy, losing his family, forced to work and fight for the foreigners that were ruling his land and finally being able to fight for his own people. My journey to the Himalayas, to the borders of India, everything that I was able to see and revel in is only possible because of the tremendous sacrifice of heroes like Rao who fought to make freedom possible. Most of them are totally unheard of and their life stories cannot even be retold to the younger generation because so few are alive now who can tell it. So much has gone unrecorded. The history books banally repeat the same tired and prosaic litany of ‘events’.

Moreover, I was astonished to note that Rao told his story without any bitterness or contempt for those who had taken everything away from him and brought so much turmoil to his life. His eyes have compassion and understanding in them as he detailed his past tribulations and those of others he knew. In fact, if one had seen him one would not even guess that his life had been touched by anything untoward. One might wonder how this is possible – for a 98 year old man without any living family who has to live alone on his military pension and whose living arrangements are literally ascetic. He called his small room with a cot, a bookcase and a desk his home. There was no running water in the room, only one cold water faucet behind the shed where he took his bath. Yet, he never complained and looked happy and peaceful.

How, I wondered, can a person who had sacrificed and suffered so much, went totally unnoticed and unappreciated, who was elderly and alone, got that kind of contentment and insight? Rao himself provided the answer. He said his immense strength and implacable serenity came to him directly from a Higher source. He was a very devout man and he believed there was only good in this world. “Of course everything is fundamentally good,” he said, as though it should be obvious to everyone. “If you think everything is good, you yourself are God. Paramathma lives in you. “ I asked him if he had any family that he knows of, I was startled by his reply: “Everyone I meet is my family, whoever talks to me, I see them as a member of my family.” He said with a smile on his face. Rao firmly believed in the power of good thoughts and was constantly doing japa. “Instead of thinking nonsense, or gossiping, I do japa. Even when I have a few minutes with nothing to do or if I’m waiting for someone or something, I do japa.” He stated. Throughout his life, his unshakeable faith in God and his deep-rooted Hindu values kept him grounded and saved him from anguish and despair. “Certainly, that faith in Him is what has kept me so long and so well”.

I thanked Rao profusely for taking the time and effort to share his remarkable story with me; to this he replied “I am so happy to see a young person such as you, who wants to know and learn about our past. It is so important that everyone understand their history and past and not forget. For the present generation life is different; they want money and enjoyment, they care not for other things. But if everybody is willing to learn the world will be a beautiful place. God Bless you”.

And I do feel truly blessed that my remarkable journey which took me to the peaks of the Himalayas and down South to Bengaluru ended with my finding out about this extraordinary 98 year old veteran gentleman who personified sacrifice, kindness and everything our Hindu and Vedic knowledge embodies. My husband says Rao reminded him of a Kannada poem by D.V. Gundappa which means: “Let me be like a flower in the dense jungle that blooms and is fragrant even when no one is there to appreciate its beauty; let me bloom for the sake of the Lord.”

Shankar Rao passed away peacefully in his sleep on Vishu/ Tamil New Year day (April 14, 2009) at the age of 98. He donated his eyes and his body to hospitals for the benefit of others.

71st Sri Rama Navami Music Festival by Sri Rama Seva Mandali

Click here to view Mandali’s programme list for 2009

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Happy Sankranthi

Photos: Simplemonk, Oochappan, Priyam Dhar
Design: RK

Sankranthi is a time to celebrate “togethemess” and as in most folk festivals the season of harvest finds expression in celebrations. It is a day of goodwill and friendship.

Read the full article.

Blog Cartoon – 56

Cartoon: RK

Also visit the Cartoon page on RwB.

Sanskrit newspaper ‘Sudharma’ goes online

Sudharma newspaper; (Inset) Editor K.V. Sampath Kumar

Read sudharma e-paper

This scene was in the mid ’90s. The Paati (Ajji/Grandmother) in my apartments used to subscribe to a newspaper which I hadn’t seen anywhere. The newspaper was just one sheet – front and back. She would read it just after her lunch, around 11 in the morning. Clad in a madishaal, she would munch Chakkali or Mucchore (she would call this ‘Unda baayige oggarane’) and read interesting news bits. In between, she would tell how closely related she was to the editor and his father. I would enjoy a delicious coffee from her and listen to her. Paati used to read this paper and analyse the news like none of our present news analysts. I got addicted to this newspaper – but ever since Paati shifted, I lost touch with Sudharma.

The renowned Sanskrit daily is nearing 40. Sudharma was founded by girvanavani bhushana, vidyanidhi Sri Kalale Nadadur Varadaraja Iyengar, at Mysore in the year 1970. Sri K.N.Varadaraja Iyengar served HH Srimad Poundarikapuram Swamigal as a Srikaryam for many years. Sudharma was started with an intention to propagate Sanskrit, the mother of all languages.

After Sri KN Varadaraja Iyengar attained his acharyan’s thiruvadi (feet of the lord), his son Sri K.V.Sampath Kumar has taken over and is efficiently continuing the same. Sudharma carries  a “Subhashitam” along with important announcements, articles, poems, short stories etc in simple Sanskrit. It is really a boon to those who wish to learn to understand/talk sanskrit.

All these are being successfully done at a very nominal cost of Rs 250/- per year (inclusive of postage). Even though the cost is not working out, Sri K.V.Sampath Kumar is continuing his mission just for the sake of propagating Sanskrit. The newspaper has readers in India and also overseas. The majority of the subscribers of the newspaper are Sanskrit scholars and students. Of course, a few Thatha-Paatis still subscribe to it.

Sudharma, the only Sanskrit daily newspaper in India, began its online version in June 2008. Sudharma daily sells around 3000 copies through subscription. The internet version of Sudharma is aimed at reaching a wider audience. The only income generated by Sudharma is from the 250 rupees of annual subscription. By going online Sudharma is planning to attract advertisers, which is essential for the survival of the only Sanskrit daily.

Kalale Nadadur Varadaraja Iyengar, a Sanskrit scholar, launched Sudharma with a goal of propagating the language. He was also a publisher of Sanskrit books and the Sanskrit moving types that were sometimes lying idle with him were another motivation for starting the newspaper. When he discussed his venture with others, he had to face the wrath of skeptics who warned him of his ‘misadventure’ and predicted the newspaper’s doom. This was because not many people believed that the Sanskrit language had a vocabulary sufficient enough to cover contemporary and complex day-to-day activities and developments. He was, however, supported in his venture by Agaram Rangaiah, who was an editor of a Kannada newspaper and also by P. Nagachar, who was a former Joint Director of Information. Ignoring the skeptics, Varadaraja Iyengar published the first issue of Sudharma on July 14, 1970 from a location called ‘Ganapathi Totti’ in Maharaja’s Sanskrit College. He was also instrumental in starting a Sanskrit news bulletin on All India Radio by convincing I. K. Gujral, the then Minister of Information and Broadcasting in the Government of India. K. V. Sampath Kumar, the son of Varadaraja Iyengar, is the current editor of the newspaper. The paper is currently published out of a press in the # 561, 2nd Cross, Ramachandra Agrahara locality of Mysore.

The profit gained by circulating the newspaper is negligible but Sampath Kumar wants to continue publishing the newspaper because of his passion for journalism and the Sanskrit language. He has had to struggle to keep the publication afloat. The paper has also helped its readers to learn and improve their knowledge of the language. On 15th July 2007, the 38th anniversary of the paper’s publication was celebrated in Mysore. A unique feature of the celebration was that all speeches were in Sanskrit, which is a rarity, and two Sanskrit scholars were honoured on that occasion.

Sudharma is really a treasure house of information in easy understandable Sanskrit even to a novice. It truly reflects not only the glory that was India but addresses the contemporary topics with equal felicity. A must for all Sanskrit lovers.

I am now eager to tell my Paati about the online version of her favourite newspaper. (Yes, she browses the net to read Kannada eveningers.)

***

Contact Sudharma at the below address:-

Sudharma Editor: Sri KV Sampath Kumar
No. 561, 2nd cross, Ramachandra Agrahara,
Mysore – 570 004, Karnataka. INDIA.
E-mail : sudharmasktdly@rediff.com
E-mail : sudharma.sanskritdaily@gmail.com
Phone : 0821-2442835/ 4287835

***

Sudharma e-paper is an initiative by idii to bring regional newspapers online. To read more regional newspapers online, visit e-papertoday website.

***

Don’t miss:

• To expand, Sanskrit daily looks to the Web
• Keeping Sanskrit alive
• Sudharma – the only Samskrit daily publication

Lakshmi Shobhane Lyrics

Courtesy: Bhoomasri

shobhAnavennire suraroLu shubhaganige

shobhAnavenni suguNanige
shobhAnavennire trivikramarAyage
shobhAnavenni surapriyage shobhAne ||pallavi||

lakShmInArAyaNara charaNakke sharaNeMbe
pakShivAhannageraguve
pakShivAhannageraguve anudina
rakShisali namma vadhU-varara ||1||

pAlasAgaravannu lIleyali kaDeyalu
bAle mahAlakShumi udisidaLu
bAle mahAlakShumi udisiLAdevi
pAlisali namma vadhU-varara ||2||

bommana praLayadali tannarasiyoDagUDi
summaneyAgi malagippa
namma nArAyaNagu I rammegaDigaDigu
janmaveMbudu avatAra ||3||

kaMbukaMThada sutta kaTTida maMgaLasUtra
aMbujaveraDu karayugadi
aMbujaveraDu karayugadi dharisi
pItAMbaravanuTTu meredaLe ||4||

oMdu karadiMda abhayavanIvaLe
mattoMdu kaiyiMda varagaLa
kuMdillaladAnaMdasaMdoha uNisuva
iMdire namma salahali ||5||

poLeva kAMchiya dAma uliva kiMkiNigaLu
naliva kAlaMduge ghalakenalu
naLanaLisuva muddumukhada cheluve lakShumi
salahali namma vadhU-varara ||6||

rannada molegaTTu chinnadAbharaNagaLa
chenne mahalakShumi dharisidaLe
chenne mahalakShumi dharisidaLAdevi
tanna maneya vadhU-varara salahali ||7||

kuMbhakuMchada mele iMbiTTa hAragaLu jaga
tuMbiguruLa mukhakamala
tuMbiguruLa mukhakamalada mahalakShumi jaga
daMbe vadhU-varara salahali ||8||

muttina oleyanniTTaLe mahalakShumi
kastUri tilaka dharisidaLe
kastUri tilaka dharisidaLA devi
sarvatra vadhU-varara salahali ||9||

aMbujanayanagaLa biMbAdharada shashi-
biMbadaMteseva mUgutimaNiya shashi-
biMbadaMtesevamUguti maNi mahalakShumi
uMbudakIyali vadhu-vararge ||10||

muttinakShateyiTTu navaratnada mukuTava
nettiya mele dharisideLe
nettiya mele dharisidaLA devi tanna
bhaktiya janara salahali ||11||

kuMda-maMdara-jAjI-kusumagaLa vRiMdava
cheMdada turubige turubidaLe
kuMdavarNada komale mahalakShumi kRipe-
yiMda vadUvarara salahali ||12||

eMdeMdigu bADada araviMdada mAleya
iMdire poLeva koraLalli
iMdire poLeva koraLalli dharisidaLe ava-
LiMdu vadhUvarara salahali ||13||

devAMga paTTeya melu hoddikeya
bhAme mahalakShumi dharisidaLe
bhAme mahalakShumi dharisidaLA devi tanna
sevaka janara salahali ||14||

I lakShumi deviya kAluMgara ghalakenalu
lolAkShi mellane naDetaMdaLu
sAlAgi kuLlirda surarasabheya kaMDu
AlochisidaLu manadalli ||15||

tanna makkaLa kuMda tAne peLuvadakke
mannadi nAchi mahalakShumi
tannAmadiMdali kareyade obbobara
unnata doShagaLaneNisidaLu ||16||

kelavaru taleyUri tapagaidu puNyava
gaLisiddarenU phalavilla
jvalisuva kopadi shApava koDuvaru
laleneyanivaru olisuvare ||17||

ella shAstragaLodi durlabha j~nAnava
kallisi koDuva gurugaLu
ballida dhanakke maruLAgibbaru
sallada purohitakkoLagAdaru ||18||

kAmanirjitanobba kAminige sotobba
bhAminiya hiMde hAridava
kAmAMdhanAgi muniya kAminigayadanobba
kAmadi gurutalpagAmiyobba ||19||

nashvaraishvaryava bayasuvanobba para-
rAshrayisi bALuva Ishvaranobba
hAsyava mADi halludurisikoMDavanobba
adRishyAMghriyobba okkaNanobba ||20||

mAvana koMdoMbba maruLAgihanu
gADha hArvana koMdoMbba baLalida
jIvara koMdobba kulageDeMdenisida
shivaniMdobba bayalAda ||21||

dharmavuMTobbanali hemmeya hesarige
ammamma takka guNavilla
kShammeya biTTobba narakadalli jIvara
marmava meTTi kolisuva ||22||

khaLanaMte obba tanage sallada bhAgyava
ballidagaMji barigaida
durlabha muktige dUraveMdenisuva pA-
tALakke iLida gaDa ||23||

ellarAyuShyava shiMshumAradeva
sallIleyiMdali tolagisuva
olle nAnivara nityamuttaideyeMdu
ballavarenna bhajisuvaru ||24||

prakRitiya guNadiMda kaTTuvaDedu nAnA-
vikRitigoLAgi baredalli
sukhadukhaveMba bommAdi jIvaru
duHkhakke dUrenipa enageNeya ||25||

obbanAvana maga mattobbanAvana mommaga
obbanAvanige shayanAha
obbanAvana poruva mattibbarAvanigaMji
abbaradalAvAga suLivaru ||26||

obbanAvana nAmakaMji bechchuva gADha
sarvarigAva amRitava
sarvarigAva amRitavanuNisuva ava-
nobbane niraniShTa niravadya ||27||

niraniShTa niravadya eMba shrutyarthava
oredu noDalu naraharige
narakayAtane salla duritAtidUranige
maruLa manabaMdaMte nuDiyadiru ||28||

oMdoMdu guNagaLu iddAvu ivaralli
saMdaNisive bahu doSha
kuMdeLLaShTillada mukuMdane tanageMdu
iMdire patiya nenedaLu ||29||

devarShi viprara koMdu tannudaradoLiTTu
tIvidda harige duritava
bhAvaj~nareMbare Aladeleya mele
shivana liMgava nilisuvare ||30||

hasi-tRiShe-jare-maraNa-rogi-rujegaLeMba
asura-pishAchigaLeMba bhayaveMba
vyasana barabAradu eMba nArAyaNanige
pashu modalAgi neneyadu ||31||

tA duHkhiyAdare surarArtiya kaLedu
modavIvudakke dharegAgi
mAdhava bAhane kesaroLu muLugida
bhAdhipa kesara biDisuvane ||32||

bommanAlayadalli iddavage layavuMTe
janmalayavidavanige
ammiyanuNisidda yashodeyAgiddaLe
amma ivage hasi-tRiSheyuMTe ||33||

Aga bhakShyabhojyavittu pUjisuva
yogige uMTe dhanadhAnya
Aga dorakoMbude pAka mADuva vahni
mattAgalellihudu vichArisiro ||34||

rogavanIva vAta pitta shleShma
Aga koDuvude rameyoDane
bhogisuvavage duritava nenevare
I guNanidhige eNeyuMTe ||35||

rammedeviyaranappikoMDippudu
rammeyarasage rati kANiro
ammoghavIryavu chalisidare praLayadali
kammArar yAke janisaru ||36||

ekatra nirNIta shAstrArtha paratrApi
bekeMba nyAyava tiLiduko
shrIkRiShNanobbane sarva doShakke si-
lukaneMbudu salahalike ||37||

ella jagava nuMgi dakkisikoMDavage
salladu roga rujinavu
balla vaidyara keLi ajIrtimUlavella
salladu roga rujinavu ||38||

iMthA mUrutiya oLagoMba naraka bahu
bhrAMta nInelliMda torisuvelo
saMteya maruLa hogelo ninna mAta
saMtaru keLi sogasaru ||39||

shrI-nArAyaNara jananI-janakara
nAneMba vAdI nuDiyalo
jANariMdariya mUla rUpava tori
shrI narasiMhana avatAra ||40||

aMbudhiya udakadali oDedu mUDida kUrma-
neMba shrI hariya pitanAru?
eMba shrI hariya pitanAru adariMda svA-
yaMbhugaLella avatAra ||41||

devikiya garbhadali devanavatarisida
bhAvavannu balla vivekigaLu
vasudheyoLage kRiShNage janmava-
Ava pariyalli nuDiyuviyo ||42||

AkaLisuvAga yashodAdevige
deva tannoLage hudugidda
bhuvanavellava toridudillive
A viShNu garbhadoLaDaguvane ||43||

Aneya mAnadalli aDagisidavaruMTe
aneka koTi ajAMDava
aNureNu kUpadali ALda shrI hariya
janani jaTharavu oLagoMbude ||44||

adariMda kRiShNanige janmaveMbudu salla
madananivana kumAranu
kadanadi kaNegaLa ivanedegesevane
sudaterigiva niMtu silukuvane ||45||

adariMda kRiShNanige paranArI saMgava ko-
vidarAda budhru nuDivare
sadarave I mATu sarva vedaMgaLu
mudadiMda tAvu stutisuvavu ||46||

eMda bhAgavatada cheMdada mAtanu
maMdada mAnava manasige
taMduko jagakke kaivalyavIva mu-
kuMdage kuMdu korate salladu ||47||

hattu varShada keLage makkaLATikeyalli
chitta strIyarige eraguvade
artiyiMdarchisida gokulada kanyeyara
satyasaMkalpa berisidda ||48||

hattu mattAru sAsira strIyaralli
hattu hattenipa kramadiMda
putrara vIryadali sRiShTisidavaruMTe
artiya sRiShTi harigidu ||49||

roma-romakUpa koTivRikShaMgaLa
nirmisi gopAlara teraLisida
namma shrIkRiShNanu makkaLa sRijisuva
mahime ballavarige salahalike ||50||

maNNaneke meddeyeMba yashodege
saNNa bAyoLage jagaMgaLa
kaNNAre torida namma shrIkRiShNana
ghanate ballavarige salahalike ||51||

nArada sanakAdimodalAda yogigaLu
nAriyarige maruLAhare
oraMte shrIkRiShNanaDigeraguvare
ArAdhisutta bhajisuvare ||52||

aMbujasaMbhava triyaMbaka modalAda
naMbidavarige varavitta
saMbhramada suraru eLLaShTu kopakke
iMbiddarivana bhajisuvare ||53||

avanaMguShThava toLeda gaMgAdevi
pAvanaLenisi mereyaLe
jIvana seruva pApava kaLevaLu
I vAsudevage eNeyuMTe ||54||

kilbiShaviddare agra pUjeyanu
sarvarAyara sabheyoLage
ubbida manadiMda dharmaja maDuvanele
kobbadiralo paravAdi ||55||

sAvillada harige narakayAtane salla
jIvaMtarige narakadalli!
novanIvanu nimma yamadevanu
nova{govA} nI hariya guNavariya ||56||

narakavALuva yamadharmarAya
tanna narajanmadoLage poraLisi
maraLI tannarakadali poraLisi koluvanu
kuru ninna kuhaka koLadalla ||57||

bommana nUru varSha pariyaMta praLayadali
summaneyAgi malagippa
namma nArAyaNage hasi-tRiShe -jara-maraNa-du-
Shkarma-duHkhaMgaLu toDasuvare ||58||

rakkasarastragaLiMda gAyavaDeyada
akShayakAyada shrIkRiShNa
tuchCha yamabhaTara shastrakaLakuvanalla
huchcha nI hariya guNavariya ||59||

kichcha nuMgidanu namma shrIkRiShNanu
tuchCha narakadoLu analanige
bechchuvanalla adariMdavage naraka
mechchuvaralla budharella ||60||

maneyalli kShameya tALda vIrabhaTa
raNaraMgadali kShamisuvane
aNuvAgi namma hitake manadoLagina kRiShNa
muniva kAlakke mahattAha ||61||

tAya poTTeyiMda mUlarUpava tori
Ayudha sahita poravaMTa
nyAyakovidaru puTTidaneMbare
bAyige baMdaMte bogaLadiru ||62||

uTTa pItAMbara toTTa bhUShaNaMgaLu
iTTa navaratnada kirITavu
meTTida kuruhu edeyalli torida shrI-
viThThala puTTidanenabahude ||63||

RiShabhhaMsamUShakavAhanaveri mA-
nisaraMte suLiva surarella
eseva deveshanara sahasakke maDidaru
kusumanAbhanige sariyuMTe ||64||

oMdoMdu guNagaLu iddAvu ivaralli
saMdeNisive bahu doSha
kuMdeLaShTillada mukuMdane tanageMdu
iMdire patiya nenedaLu ||65||

iMtu chiMtisi rame saMtarAmana padava
saMtoSha manadi nenevutta
saMtoSha manadi nenevutta tanna shrI
kAMtaniddeDege naDedaLu ||66||

kaMdarpa koTigaLa geluva sauMdaryada
cheMdavAgidda cheluvana
iMdire kaMDu ivane tanage pati-
yeMdavana baLige naDedaLu ||67||

I terada surara sutta noDutta lakShmi
chittava koDade nasunaguta
chittavakoDade nasunaguta baMdu puru-
Shottamana kaMDu namisidaLu ||68||

nAnAkusumagaLiMda mADida mAleya
shrI nAri tanna karadalli
pInakaMdharada trivikramarAyana
koraLina meliTTu namisidaLu ||69||

uTTapoMbaTTeya toTTAMbharaNaMgaLu
iTTa navaratnada mukuTavu
duShTamardananeMba kaDeya paMDegaLu
vaTTidda harige vadhuvAdaLu ||70||

koMbu cheMgahaLegaLu tALamaddaLegaLu
taMbaTe bheri paTahagaLu
bhoM bhoM eMba shaMkha DoLLu maurigaLu
aMbudhiya maneyallesedavu ||71||

arghyapAdyAchamana modalAda ShoDashA-
narghya pUjeyittanaLiyage
oggida manadiMda dhAreyeredane siMdhu
sadgatiyittu salaheMda ||72||

vedokta maMtra peLi vasiShTha nArada moda-
lAda munIMdraru mudadiMda
vadhUvarara mele shobhanadakShateyanu
modavIvutta taLedaru ||73||

saMbhramadiMdaMbaradi duMdubhi moLagalu
tuMburu nAradaru tutisutta
tuMburu nAradaru tutisutta pI-
tAMbaradharana mahimeya ||74||

devanAriyarella baMdodagi pAThakaru
ovi pADutta kuNidaru
devataruvina hUvina maLegaLa
shrIvarana mele karedaru ||75||

muttu-ratnagaLiMda kettisida haseya nava-
ratna maMTapadi pasarisi
ratnamaMTapadi pasarisi kRiShNana
muttaideyarella karedaru ||76||

sheShashayanane bA doShadUrane bA
bhAsurakAya hariye bA
bhAsurakAya hariye bA shrIkRiShNa vi-
lAsadiMdemma hasege bA ||77||

kaMjalochanane bA maMjuLamUrti bA
kuMjaravaradAyakane bA
kuMjaravaradAyakane bA shrIkRiShNa ni-
raMjana namma hasege bA ||78||

AdikAladali Aladeleya mele
shrIdeviyaroDane pavaDisida
shrIdeviyaroDane pavaDisida shrIkRiShNa
modadiMdemma hasege bA ||79||

AdikAraNanAgi Aga malagiddu
moda jIvara tanna udaradali
moda jIvara tannudaradali iMbitta a-
nAdi mUrutiye hasege bA ||80||

chinmayavenipa nimma manegaLalli jyo-
tirmayavAda padmadalli
rammeyaroDagUDi ramisuva shrIkRiShNa
namma maneya hasege bA ||81||

nAnAvatAradali naMbida surarige
AnaMdavIva karuNi bA
AnaMdavIva karuNi bA shrIkRiShNa
shrInAriyoDane hasegeLu ||82||

bommana maneyalli rannapIThadi kuLitu
ommanadi nehava mADuva
nirmala pUjeya kaigoMba shrIkRiShNa pa-
ramma mUrutiye hasege bA ||83||

mukhyaprANana maneyalli bhAratiyAgali-
kke baDisida rasAyanava
sakkaregUDida pAyasa saviyuva
rakkasavairiye hasege bA ||84||

rudrana maneyalli rudrANideviyaru
bhadramaMTapadi kuLLirisi
svAdvannagaLanu baDisalu kaigoMDa
muddu narasiMha hasege bA ||85||

garuDana meleri gaganamArgadalli
tarataradi stutipa surastrIyara
mereva gaMdharvara gAnava saviyuva
narahari namma hasege bA ||86||

nimmaNNana maneya sudharma sabheyalli
ummeyarasa namisida
dharmarakShakanenipa kRiShNa kRipeyiMda pa-
ramma mUrutiye hasege bA ||87||

iMdrana maneghogi aditige kuMDalavittu
aMdada pUjeya kaigoMDu
aMdada pUjeya kaigoMDu surataruva
iMdiregitta hariye bA ||88||

nimma neneva munihRidayadali nelesida
dharmarakShakanenisuva
sammatavAgidda pUjeya kaigoMDa ni-
ssIma mahima hasege bA ||89||

muttina sattigeya navaratnada chAmara
suttanaliva surastrIyara
nRityava noDuta chitra vAdyaMgaLa saM-
pattina hariye hasege bA ||90||

enalu naguta baMdu haseya mele
vanite lakShmiyoDagUDi
anaMta vebhavadi kuLita kRiShNana nAlku
dinadutsavava naDesidaru ||91||

atterenipa gaMge yamune sarasvati bhA-
rati modalAda surastrIyaru
muttinAkShateyanu shobhAnavenutali tamma
artiyaLeyage taLidaru ||92||

ratnadAratige sutta muttane tuMbi
muttaideyarella dhavaLada
muttederella dhavaLada pavanava pA-
Duttalettidare sirivarage ||93||

bomma tannarasi koDe baMdaregida
ummeyarasa namisida
ammararellaru bagebage uDugoregaLa
rammeyarasage salisidaru ||94||

satyalokada bomma kaustubharatnavanitta
muktAsuraru mudadiMda
muttina kaMThIsarava mukhyaprANanitta
mastakada maNiya shivanitta ||95||

tannarasi koDe savinuDi nuDivAga
vadanadalliddagni keDadaMte
vahni pratiShTheya mADi avanoLagidda
tannAhuti dibbaNa surarige ||96||

kobbida khaLaroDisi amRitAnna UTakke
ubbida haruShadi uNisalu
ubbida huruShadi uNisabekeMdu siMdhu
sarvarigaDigeya mADisida ||97||

mAvana maneyalli devarigautaNava
dAnavaru keDisade biDareMdu
dAnavaru keDisade biDareMdu shrIkRiShNa
devastrIveShava dharisida ||98||

tanna sauMdaryadiMdunnatamayavAda
lAvaNyadiMda mereva nijapatiya
heNNu rUpava kaMDukannye mahalakShumi iva-
ganyarekeMdu beragAdaLu ||99||

lAvaNyamayavAda hariya strIveShakke
bhAvakiyarella maruLAge
mAvara sudheya kramadiMda baDisi tanna
sevaka surariguNisida ||100||

nAgana mele tA malagiddAga
Agale jagava jatanadi
Agale jagava jatanadi dhariseMdu
nAgabaliya naDesida ||101||

kShudheya kaLeva navaratnada mAleya
mudadiMda vAridhi vidhigitta
chadura hArava vAyudevarigitta
vidhuvina kaleya shivagitta ||102||

shakra modalAda dikpAlakarige
sokkida chaudaMta gajaMgaLa
ukkida manadiMda koTTa varuNa madu-
makkaLAyuShyava beLeseMda ||103||

matte deveMdrage pArijAtavanitta
chittava seLevapsarastrIyara
hattusAvira koTTa varuNadeva hari-
bhaktiya manadalli beLeseMda ||104||

poLeva navaratnada rAshiya tegetegedu
uLida amararige sallisida
uLida amararige sallisida samudra
kaLuhidanavara manegaLige ||105||

unnata navaratnamayavAda aramaneya
chenne magaLiMda virachisi
tanna aLiyanige sthiramADi koTTava
innoMdu kaDeyaDi iDadaMte ||106||

hayavadana tanna priyaLAda lakShumige
jayavitta kShIrAMbudhiyalli
jayavitta kShIrAMbudhiyalli shrIkRiShNa
dayadi nammellara salahali ||107||

I padava mADida vAdirAja munige
shrIpatiyAda hayavadana
tApava kaLedu tanna shrIcharaNava sa-
mIpadalliTTu salahali ||108||

iMtu svapnadalli koMDADisikoMDa lakShmI-
kAMtana kaMdanenisuva
saMtara mechchina vAdirAjeMdramuni
paMthadi peLida padavidu ||109||

shrIyarasa hayavadanapriya vAdirAja-
rAya rachisida padavidu
AyuShya bhaviShya dinadinake hechchAguvadu ni-
rAyAsadiMda sukhiparu ||110||

bommana dinadalli ommomme I maduve
krammadi mADi vinodisuva
namma nArAyaNagU I rammegaDigaDigu
asura mohanave naranaTane ||111||

maduveyamaneyalli I padava pADidare
madumakkaLigemudavahudu
vadhugaLige oleya bhAgya dinadinake hechchuvadu
madananayyana kRipeyiMda ||112||

shobhAnavennire suraroLu shubhaganige
shobhAnavenni suguNanige
shobhAnavennire trivikramarAyage
shobhAnavenni surapriyage ||shobhAne||

Happy Ugadi

May bevu and jaggery
bury life’s misery
And bring lots of
lovely things extraordinary

May bevu and jaggery
delete life’s erratic vagary
And ward off things fiery
only showing all things flowery

Enjoy a happy Ugadi
with sweet bevu and bitter jaggery
Eating a yummy holige on this day
is equal to winning a lottery

HAPPY UGADI TO ALL OF YOU.

- ‘English Hanigavana’ by yours truly

***

Bevu-Bella significance: Jaggery increases haemoglobin in blood and provides additional energy for the body. Sugarcane, the raw material for producing jaggery, helps in having strong teeth and health gems. (More)