Post by Amritha Varshini on Oct 27, 2013 6:44:23 GMT 5.5
vaathaapi ganapathim bajeham
Composer : Sri Muthuswami Dikshitar
Ragam : Hamsadhwani
Significance : This compositions was sung on the ‘Vathapi Ganapathi’ at Tiruvarur
Pallavi
vaathaapi ganapathim bajeham vaaranaasyam varapratham sri
I sing in praise of Vatapi Ganapathi, who has an Elephant face and one showers boons to his devotees.
Anupallavi
bhuthaadhi samsevitha charanam bootha bowthika prapancha bharanam
veetharaaginam vinatha yoginam viswa kaaranam vigna vaaranam
All the living beings including bootha ganas (attendants of shiva) worship his feet and he pervades the world of the Five elements. He is beyond desires and is glorified by all the yogis. He is the cause of the creation and destroys all the obstacles.
Charanam - 1
buraa kumba munivara prapoojitham thrikona madhya gatham
muraari pramukaadh upaasitham mulaadhaara shetrasthitham
He who is worshipped by the Sage Agastya, One who resides in the centre of Mystic Triangle. One who is worshipped by Lord Vishnu and other important Gods. One who is present as an important deity in all places.
Charanam – 2
paraathi chatvaari vaagaathmakam pranavasvarupa vakrathundam
nirantharam nitila chandra gandam nijavaa makara vithrutheshu dandam
He who is present in the four variations of sound beginning with para. He who possesses a twisted trunk and an original form of a ‘pranava’. He who permanently bears a crescent on his forehead and he who holds a sugarcane with his left hand.
Charanam – 3
karaambuja paasa beejapooram kalusha vithuram bootha kaaram
haraathi guruguha doshida bimbam hamsadhwani booshitha herambam
In his lotus like hands he also holds a noose, and a pomegrante fruit. He drives away all evil and has a gigantic form. His form is adored by Hara, Guruguha and others. He who is the Lord Heramba decorated by the Raga Hamsadhwani
Foot Note
This composition is in the Raga “Hamasadhwani” which was invented by Dikshitar’s father Sri Ramaswamy Dikshitar. It is said that this kriti is considered auspicious to be sung or heard in the dawn when the sun is visible on the horizon. Vatapi is a reference to the present day Badami in Karnataka. When the Pallavas invaded the Chalukya kingdom, they brought the idol of Ganapati from Badami and installed it in the Tiruvarur temple. Dikshitar glorifies this Ganapati. Parādi Catvāri Vāgātmakam refers to the fours types of speech (vāk) described in the ṣāstrās: parā, vyKhari, madhyamā and paṣyantī. Ganapati is the Lord of the mūlādhāra Cakra, located at the base of the spine. There, He resides on a red lotus with four petals, wearing red clothes and jewels with red gemstones. He holds a sugar-cane ( vidhṛtēkṣudaṇḍam ) and guards the Kunḍalinī ṣaktī . The bīja mantra of this Ganapati is gam . This is significant because Dikshitar begins this kriti with a Gandhara.
Here is the link - A beautiful rendition by Smt M.S. Subbulakshmi Amma