Melody, Miracle, Magnificence

Melody - The trot of the Horse

Omkar Prasad Nayyar, famously known as O P Nayyar was a music composer for Hindi movies from 1950s to 1990s. He was christened ‘Rhythm King’ for his melodious tunes. A unique characteristic of his music was the rhythmic ‘clip-clop’ sound of galloping hooves used as part of the background score. It has not been recreated to date.

But the pioneer to set music to the trot of a horse was Vaadiraja Tirtha. The famous composition “Dashaavatara Stuthi” when sung at the optimum speed (and in chorus) creates an auditory illusion of galloping horses… This style of composition is called “ashwa dhaati”. The hymn not only describes the ten avataaras of Vishnu, as the name suggests, but a few other forms of Vishnu too. The descriptions of Rama avataara and Krishna avataara are quite elaborate. The order in which the various forms of Vishnu are described are Matsya, Hayagreeva, Koorma, Dhanwantari, Naarayana, Varaaha, Narasimha, Vaamana, Parashurama, Rama, Krishna, Buddha, Kalki, Naarayana.

As the composition is in Sanskrit, it does not have Vaadiraja’s ankitha, “Hayavadana”.

To listen to Vidyabhushana’s rendering of the song:

Miracle and divine Matrimony

Arasappa Nayaka was a dear disciple of Vaadiraja Tirtha. When his newly married daughter’s husband lay dead, his daughter was inconsolable. Arasappa Nayaka sought refuge in Vaadirajaru. The saint weighed down by the affection he felt for Arasappa Nayaka, sang a 108 stanza song (excluding phalastuthi) euologising the wedding of Lakshmi and Narayana. Arasappa Nayaka’s son-in-law came to life through the grace of God and the power of “Lakshmi Shobhane”. It is said that Vaadiraja had been instructed by the Lord himself to compose this song, in a dream.

This song has a refrain, “rakshisali namma vadhu varara” (may our bride and groom be protected) and it is therefore considered auspicious for this song to be sung at weddings. The phalastuthi is more explicit in stating that “maduveya maneyalli ee padava paadidare, madhu makkalige mudavahudu”… The song describes the emergence of Lakshmi during the churning of the ocean, her “swayamvara”, her pointing out the flaws of every divine being assembled there*, and her choice of Narayana, the flawless.

*Vaadiraja says Lakshmi was embarrassed to describe the defects of her own children and hence spoke of only principal flaws of each…."tanna makkala kunda taane heluvudakke mannadi naachi mahalakshumi…”

The song describes the childhood exploits of Krishna and the set up of the wedding in great detail.

The concept of wedding favours is nothing new, for according to Vaadiraja, the father of the bride, Varuna (the lord of the ocean) gave away lavish gifts to each person who witnessed the divine wedding.

Another interesting detail quietly slipped in says, “bommana dinadalli ommomme ee maduve…” sometimes in Bramha’s day…

Bramha’s day comprises the four yugas and Bramha’s night is the comic dissolution (Pralaya). A day and night of Bramha is a “kalpa”. This is cyclic and the same events occur in every cycle, as in the avataaras of Vishnu etc. But this line reiterates the belief that not every Bramha’s day has all the ten avataaras of Vishnu, as we know them.

It is also said that the present kalpa has witnessed all the nine avataaras of Vishnu, hitherto, and hence we are blessed to hear this song describing the divine wedding.

You can listen to a sweet rendering of the song by Kasarvalli sisters, Roopa and Deepa, on Youtube:

The Magnificence of Hayavadana

Vaadirajaru has sung a song in simple Kannada, vividly describing the magnificence of the horse faced God, Hayavadana.

The first stanza is all about imagery of a bucking horse: kicking (vile beings/rakkasa), pawing the ground, swishing of tail, lowering its head, leaping and triumphant neighing.

The second stanza speaks of Lakshmi Devi choosing the one with the gem Kaustubha and the divine mark Srivatsa, that is, Hayavadana (here) as her consort.

The third stanza presents a picture of contrast, the first two lines describe the inability to tame this celestial horse, while the third line describes its softer side, its penchant for chewing jaggery and gram…

To listen to the song