Experiencing the Navagraha krithis

Cannot thank enough for the wonderful Navagraha krithis’ get-together yesterday at Guru’s place. What a commemoration to the closure of Navaratri! He always has a special and musical way of celebrating occasions.

Thanks to the Musical Guru Dikshitar for making Navagraha homa possible and easy for everyone who is committed to the divine art - MUSIC. It is said that reciting Dikshitar’s 9 compositions on the 9 planets yields the palan(result) of a detailed Navagraha pooja. If I say we experienced, for an hour and half, the direct effect of vibrational energy while singing the navagraha krithis yesterday, it wouldn’t be an overstatement. People who doubt the vibrational medicine should be part of such gatherings to comprehend the experience.

Let me utilize this blog post to heave in details on Navagraha krithis from my other blog (is now obsolete).

Dikshitar was a musical genius. His compositions encompassed every realm of learning - Mythology, Devotion, Divinity, Vedanta, Astrology. In every composition, the lyrics are seen to subtly weave with the talam employed, making it a majestic temple complex. Navagraha krithis are Dikshitar's compositions on 9 planets (grahas). It is believed that "Brihaspathe" in raga "atana" was first of the 9 krithis to be composed. The story(a version known to me, pardon me if there are better and more genuine versions of this narration) behind this great proceed goes like this:

A villager, Thambiappan once suffered from stomach ailment and no Doctor or medicine could come to his help. He approached Sri Mutthuswami Dikshitar, learned man in the neighborhood. On knowing Thambiappan’s ailment, Dikshitar jotted the birth chart of Thambiappan-His horoscope. From the chart, he inferred that Brihaspathi-Jupiter was not in a position much favored and that his ailment could see cure only if the Grahadhipathi of Jupitor, Brihaspathi was pleased. He proposed few rituals to appease Brihaspathi, but a commoner like him would find such rituals difficult to understand and hence to perform.
This enthused Dikshitar to wrap these compound rituals in a package accessible to all. He then composed “Brihaspate” in Atana ragam to propiate the planet Jupiter and prescribed this divine medicine to Thambiappan. As ordained, his ailment was cured in a week. After this incident, Dikshitar composed krithis on all the nine planets.

Salient traits to be observed here are the choice of raga and tala for each krithi. Talas, out of suladhi sapta thalas are carefully chosen to match each planet’s rotary motion. Tala, like the planetary movements, is a measure of time. The astrological periods of time are mapped with the musical intervals - talas.

Sampoorna-bhashanga ragas are chosen for these exceptional krithis. “Sampoorna” ragas musically indicate the complete mastery(independence) of each Grahadhyaksha/Grahadhipathi on that particular planet. The free unfettered movement of the grahas is mirrored by bhashanga ragas which do not get disturbed by shackles of janaka ragas, but freely imbibe anya swaras.
1. Suryamurthe Namosthuthe -Saurashtra Raga, Chaturasra Druva Tala
2. Chandram Bhaja Manasa -Asaveri Raga, Chaturasra Matya Tala
3. Angarakam Ashrayamyaham - Surati Raga, Rupaka Tala
4. Budham Ashrayami - Nattakurunji Raga, Misra Jhampa Tala
5. Brihaspathe Tarapathe -Atana Raga, Tisra Triputa Tala
6. Sri Sukhra Bhagavantham -Paraj Raga, Khanda Atta Tala
7. Divakaratanujam Shanaishcharam -Yadukulakamboji Raga, Chaturasra Eka Tala
8. Smaramyaham Sadarahum -Ramapriya Raga, Rupaka Tala
9. Mahasuram Ketumaham -Shanmukhapriya Raga, Rupaka Tala

Navagraha krithis are known for their musical and lyrical brilliance. (Singing) These compositions shield us with divine power; leave us with an out of world experience. It feels as if everything is still, yet active; asleep yet awake; These masterpieces take us to a trance.

Carnatic maestro Vid. Madurai Mani Iyer yet again proved the gratified essence of these compositions by being an example himself. (http://maduraimani.tripod.com/id11.html)
Our musical ancestors knew and showed that music heals, ages back, and we are still contemplating!

Ref:journal of guruguha gana vidyalaya - Dr.Gauri Kuppuswamy and Dr.M.Hariharan
Wikipage for Navagraha krithis