by Damodara Rao Dasu

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Muttaiah Bhagavatar (1877-1945)

Hari kesanallur Muttaiah Bhagavatar was born in Tirunalveli district of Tamilnadu. He was greatly influenced by the the stalwart Patnam Subrahmanya Iyer. He was proficient in Sanskrit,Telugu, Kannada and Tamil. He lived in Travancore ,Madhurai and Mysore and showed his excellence in Music. In 1927 he became the most revered musician in the court of Mysore Maharaja. In 1938 he moved to Travancore and became the first Principal of Swati Tirunal Music Academy. He did a very commendable work by systematising the notation of many Swati Tirunal's compositions. His popular compositions are Sudha mayi, Himagiri tanaye etc.

Mudra: Harikesa.


Muttaiah Bhagavatar's Krutis

  • ambavANi
  • Adityam
  • ambA alankAri
  • ambikAnAdham
  • anagham
  • anantapadmanAbha
  • aneeSwaram
  • dinamaNi vamSa
  • ennALLu
  • gOPAla nandana
  • gamgaNapatE
  • gireeSam mahESam
  • giripriyam
  • himagiri tanayE
  • hara mahEsvara
  • hara mrutyunjaya
  • jaya mahiShAsura
  • kadamba vana vAsini
  • kausalya nandana
  • krupAnidhE
  • madhurA pura
  • manasu karagi
  • meena lOchani
  • ninnu namminAnu
  • nA puNyamu
  • needu mahima
  • neelAyatAkshi
  • ninnu namminanu
  • nee bhajana
  • nee pAdamE
  • nEnu chEsina
  • OmkArESvara
  • paripurNa
  • pankaja nAbham
  • phAla lOchanam
  • sudhAmayi
  • siddhi vinAyakam
  • sArasa mukhi
  • Siva Siva SambhO
  • SaravaNa bhava
  • swaramaya
  • Srisaila
  • Sri Siva jayE
  • Sri raghuvara
  • sArasadaLa
  • Siva mahAsEna
  • sAtvika Sankaram
  • sArasadaLa
  • ratna kanchuka
  • teliyaka
  • vishNu vallabha
  • vijayAmbikE
  • varasiddhi vinAyaka
  • vallee nAyaka
  • vAgeeSvari vANi
  • vANi nitya kalyANi

  • ambavANi -keeravANi - Adi

    This is a Kruti in praise of Sarasvati the Goddess of learning, Muttaiah Bhagawatar praises her as transcendental Goddess capable of showering knowledge and proficiency in music.

    P amba vANi nannAdarichavE || Oh Mother vani, shower your mercy on me.
    AP SambarAri vairi sahOdari kambu gaLE sita
    kamalEswari ||
    You are Kamaleswari seated on white lotus. Your beautiful neck is like conch. You are the sister of Manmadha's enemy, Siva.
    C para dEvi ninnu bhajiyinchE bhaktulanu
    brOchE pankajAsani
    vara veeNA pANi vAgvilAsinee
    harikESapura alankAri rANee ||
    You are the transcendental Goddess seated on lotus. You protect your devotees. You hold excellent 'Veena' in your hands. Your speech is delightful and you are the beautiful queen of Harikesa pura.

    himagiri tanayE - Suddha dhanyASi - Adi

    In this kruti goddess Raja Rajeswari the consort of Siva is praised. He says that she is transcendental Goddess worshipped by all other Gods.

    P himagiri tanayE hEma latE amba
    eeSwari SrilalitE mAmava ||
    Oh Sri Lalita, you are the daughter of the king of Himalayas. You are known as Hemalata, Amba and Eswari. Please protect me.
    AP ramA vANi samsEvita sakalE
    rAja rAjEswari rAma sahOdari ||
    Lakshmi, Saraswati adore you. You are Raja Rajeswari and also the sister of Maha Vishnu.
    C pASAnkuSa danDa karE amba
    parAtparE nija bhakta parE
    EkAmbara harikESa vilAsE
    Ananda rupE amita pratApE ||
    You hold rope and goad on your hands. Oh Mother, you are transcendental. You spiritualise devotees. You are the cheerful consort of Siva and the embodiment of bliss. Your valour is limitless.

    kadamba Vana vAsini - bhoopAlam - tripura

    In this Kruti Muttaiah Bhagawatar describes Mother Parvati who fulfills the wishes of her devotees. He adds that she bestows eternal bliss in literature and music.

    P kadambavana vAsini kAmitArdha dAyini || Oh Mother, You dwell in 'kadamba' forest. You fulfill the desires of devotees.
    AP mudam dEhi muneendra nutE
    murahari saha jAtE ||
    Please bestow me happiness. You are the sister of MahaVishnu, worshipped by great sages.
    C 1 sarasa kavitA pradAyini sangeeta
    rasAswAdini parama sAmrAjya dAyini
    pAnDya bhoopAla nandini harikESapura
    vAsini AnandAmruta varshiNi ||
    You bestow the talent of writing poetry and you engross your self in the essence of music. You are the bestower of Spiritual Kingdom to devotees. You are 'Nandini' worshipped by Pandya King. You shower nectarine bliss dwelling at Harikesapura.

    gOpAla nandana - kadanakutoohalam - Adi

    In this kruti Muttaiah Bhagawatar describes the great deeds performed by Sir Krishna, like lifting Govardhana, protecting Vasudeva and enticing Gopikas.

    P gOpAla nandana gOkula bAla gOpimanOhara
    kunjara gamana ||
    Lovely Gopala grew up in Gokula community. He was the heart throb of Gopikas. As a child he tottered like a baby elephant.
    AP bhoopAla nandana puNyAvatAra
    SripatE mAmava SrungAra roopa ||
    He is the dear child of King Nanda He is the holy incarnation. He is the lord of Lakshmi (as Vishnu), with beautiful appearance.
    C gOvardhana dhara krura samhAra
    bhAvita munijana pAlaka vAsudEva
    Sivapriya SiSupAla Kaya
    Sri harikESapura divyAlankAra ||
    He lifted Govardhana mountain. He destroyed the evil demons. The sages meditated upon him. He protected his father Vasudeva from Kamsa. Siva is fond of him. Krishna who destroyed Sisupala is the divine jewel of Harikesapura.

    kousalya nandana - kEdaragowLa - Adi

    In this kruti, Muttaiah Bhagawatar describes Rama's great deeds like protection of Viswamitra's Yajnam, redemption of Ahalya's curse and lifting Siva's bow.

    P kousalya nandana mA kamalAnana rAmA || Oh Rama the son of Kousalya, your face is beautiful like lotus.
    AP vAsavAdi vinuta vasishTa hrunmandAra
    dAsa lakshmaNa bharata Satrughna sOdara ||
    Indra worships you. Your heart is like the divine 'Mandara' flower. Your brothers Lakshmana, Bharata and Satrughna serve you affectionately.
    C maharshi kousika makhamu rakshinchi
    sahajamugA nahalya SApamu deerchi
    maha dEvuni chApamu mahAsabha lO virichi
    tA mahee tanaya chEbaTTina mA harikESa eeSa ||
    You protected the sacrificial ritual (yajna) of Viswamitra. You redeemed the cursed Ahalya. You lifted Siva's bow in Janaka's court and won the hand of Sita. You are the lord of Harikesha.

    ninnu namminAnu - abhOgi - miSra Ekam

    In this kruti Muttaiah Bhagawatar praises Mother Amba the destroyer of sinners and the bestower of happiness.

    P ninnu namminAnu janani bruhannAyaki || Oh Mother Amba, I have immense faith in you. You are greatest heorine.
    AP kanna talli neevu kadA karuNa chEsi
    nannu kAva vEgamE rAvE kamala lOchani amba ||
    Oh Mother, please protect me showing your compassion. Oh lotus eyed Amba, please hasten up to save me.
    C Sankari Sambhavi gouri dushTa chanDa munDa
    sura vairi mangaLadAyini
    maNi harikESapura rANi sankaTamu
    teerchi brOvu sakala lOka pAlini ||
    Oh consort of Sankara, You are known as Sambhavi and Gouri. You are the destroyer of the enemies of Devatas. You are ever auspicious. You are gem. You are the queen of Harikesapura. You are the ruler of all the worlds. Please dispel my tribulations.

    vijayAmbikE - vijayanAgari - Adi

    In this kruti Muttaiah Bhagawatar sings the praise of Mother Ambika. He describes her as the embodiment of all the elements of music. He adds that she is delighted by the spiritual essence of music .

    P vijayAmbike vimalAtmike || Oh victorious Ambika. Your conscience is unblemished.
    AP aja vandite amarEndra nute
    nija bhakta hite nigamAntara kade ||
    Brahma and Indra adore you. You are the well wisher of devotees, praised by the Vedas.
    C Sruti swara grAma moorchanAlankAra
    nAda janita rAga rasa bharita sangita rupiNi gouri pAlisau mAte
    harikESa mana mOdini ||
    You are the embodiment of Sruti, Swara, Gramas and Moorchanas (elements of music). You enjoy the essence of Raga born out of 'Omkara'. You are the embodiment of music. You delight the heart of Harikesa.

    jaya mahiShAsura - hamsadhwani - roopakam

    In this kruti Muttaiah Bhagawatar adores Mother Ambika as the supreme Mother of the universe. He adds that she is worshipped by Indra and other Devatas and that she is the mother of Ganesha and Guha.

    P jaya mahishAsura mardini
    Sritajana pAlini ||
    Victory to Ambika the destroyer of the demon Mahishasura. She is the protector of devotees.
    AP jaya jayEndra poojite
    jaya jaya jaya jaganmAte ||
    Oh Amba, You are the Mother of the universe. Victory be to you. You are worshipped by Indra.
    C jaya jaya madhu ripu sOdari
    jaya jaya Sri SAtOdari
    jaya gaNESa guha janani
    jaya jaya harikESa bhAmini ||
    Victory to the sister of Sri Maha Vishnu the enemy of demon Madhu, to Satodari the one with slender waist, to the Mother of Ganesha and Guha and to the consort of Harikesa.

    sudhAmayi - amruta varshini - rupakam

    In this Kruti Muttaiah Bhagawatar praises Mother Vijayambika as the embodiment of nectar. He says that melodious ragas adorn her like gems and that she bestows supreme bliss.

    P sudhAmayi sudhAnidhi suma SarEkshu kOdanDE || Vijayambika is the embodiment and repository of nectar. She wields a bow of sugarcane with flowers as arrows.
    AP vidheendra nutE vimalE salahou vEda sArE vijayAmbikE || Brahma and Indra worship her. She is unblemished essence of the Vedas.
    C sarasijAkshi jaganmOhini sarasa rAga maNi bhushaNi
    harikESa priya gAyini AnandAmruta karshiNi ||
    Her eyes are lotus-like. She fascinates the universe. Mellifluous Ragas are like gems adorning her. She is the favorite singer of Harikesa that showers supreme bliss.