Blissful ! Mayamma Ragam Ahiri Adi Talam Syama Sasthri Krithi When it comes to Krithis on Ambal -No one matches the Heights reached by Shyama Sastrigal.. Mayamma written by Shyama Shastri (1762-1827) in Raga Ahiri can ease you into a tranquil state. A song in Telugu, it is sung in vilambit kaal (slow pace). The raga creates a devotional mood and a stilling of the mind. The poet-composer says ‘When I call out to you as ‘Mother’, will you not respond to me?’. The predominant mood of the song seems to me to be surrender, especially in the first charanam where the poet repeats नम्मिति (I trust in you) thrice, surrender and affirmation in one. Surrender is an important concept in Hindusim In the Bhagawat Gita, Sri Krishna says : सर्व धर्मान् परित्यज्य माम् एकं शरणं व्रज । अहम् त्वाम् सर्व-पापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि मा शुचः || Dharma means not only religion, but also duty, virtue, custom, law, decree, righteousness, customary observance etc. ‘Leave every dharma’, Krishna says ‘and surrender only to me, I will deliver you from all sins, do not worry’. It is this sense of surrender that rings loud and clear in this beautiful song. So here is one such Composition Where he cries to Ambal to save him --Mayamma in the Raga Ahiri..a Composition from the Meenakshi Navarathna Mala.. Pallavi mAyammA yani nE pilicitE mATlADa rAdAnAtO ambA When I call out to you as ‘Mother’, will you not respond to me? AnuPallavi nyAyamA shrI mInAkSammA mInAkSikidi ninnuvinA vErEdikkevarunnAru Is this fair mother Meenakshi? Who else is my sanctuary but you? Charanam 1 : sarasija bhava hari haranuta sulalita nI padapankajamula sthiramani nammiti nammiti nammitini karuNa jUDavE kAtyAyani kALikA bhavAni paramEshvari sundarEshu rANi bAlAmbA madhuravANi O lovely one, extolled by Brahma who resides on a lotus, Vishnu and Maheshwara. I steadfastly trust only your lotus like feet, I affirm (by repeating). Please show mercy O Katyayani, O Kalika, O Bhavaani, O Supreme Goddess. O Queen of Sundaresha (Lord Shiva of Madurai), O Balamba with the sweet speech. Charanam2 : vimutajana pApa vimOcani O jananI ghana nIlavENi vidaLita dAnava maNDala shamanI (damanI?) vanaja lOcanA sudhAkarAnanA varadAyaki anayamu ninu kOriyunnAnammA bangAru bommA O Mother, you dispel the sins of your worshippers. Your dark tresses are like rainclouds. O destroyer of demons! O lotus-eyed one! O Moon-faced (=beautiful)! O giver of boons! I constantly pray to you, o Golden One! Charanam 3 : abhayamosagi nannu brOvumu O varadA neradAtavu gadA ambikA biDDapai goppaga dayarAdA akhilalOka jananI anAtha rakSaki anETi birudu gAdA vaibhavamugala shyAmakrSNa sOdari vIra shakti tripurasundari Please grant me refuge. O granter of boons, are you not very generous? O Ambika! Don’t you have abundant compassion for your child? You are the protector of the whole universe. You are called the protector of destitutes. O sister of the celebrated dark-skinned Krishna. O courageous Shakti, Tripura Sundari.
