Humility

Very few composers have composed eulogies on other human beings or saluted great personalities through their compositions. One very well-known example of this is Tyagaraja's Endaro Mahanubhavulu in Shree which belongs to his Ghana raga pancharatna set.

 

A similar theme can be found in Venkata Kavi's composition Bhajanaamrta (Nattai) belonging to the Saptaratna set, who was also a personification of humility.

bhajanaamrta paramaananda

bhaagavata santa charana renum

nirantaram vahaamyaham hari nija

"Let me float in the dust from the holy feet of great devotees and saints who have immersed themselves in the worship of the Lord."

 

In the final charanam of the same composition, he says :

kshanamapi hariguna kathita mahottama

kshanamapi shravana sukrta paramottama

kshanamapi darshita sat sanga parottama

janma janmamapi pankaja padamiha

antahkarana krta antaranga hari

"Even one moment of speaking the Lord's greatness, listening to it or looking at his devotees is exalting. I salute those who have worshipped his lotus feet birth after birth, cleansing their souls."

 

Another exemplary set of verses that show his extreme humility to the exalted Shaivite devotees is the krti, Aalaavadennaalo (Paras) in which he asks the Lord about when he can graduate to the status of the slave of the slave of his slaves?

aalaavadennaalo shivame un adiyaark-adiyaark-adiyanaai meelaada

 

In the charanam of the same song he also prays to the Lord to release him from the cycle of births and deaths and that if he be reborn, he should be born as one of the Shaivite saints.

punmai piravi poha vendum

eduttaal punniya piravihal aaha vendum

innavaril oruvarai pole

 

Eulogies on other great personalities

Venkata kavi's exemplary attitude also comes through in his compositions on other great composers, poets and reverential personalities.

His composition on Jayadeva (the 12th century composer), who was the creator of Geeta Govindam, is a very popular composition in Poorvikalyani – Padmaavati ramanam. In the final madhyamakalam of this song -

saha pandita samooha sevyam

shata manmatha jita mahaneeyam

satata krshna prema rasamagna

samaana rahita geeta govinda kaavyam

"One (refers to Jayadeva) who was venerated by the poets, more handsome than a hundred cupids, immersed in the Lord's love life and the creator of the unrivalled Geeta Govinda"

Jayadeva's influence is quite evident in many of Venkata Kavi's Sanskrit composition especially on Radha.

 

Valmiki (the Adi kavi) was also extolled by him, in his piece – Vande valmeeki kokilam (Athana).

vande valmiki kokilam

vaanikara veenaa gaana viramita

ramaneeya koojita madhura

varnita karna manohara raaghava

maadhurya chaaturya charitam

"I salute the nightingale that is Valmiki, who describes the intelligent story of Rama in the most pleasing manner."

In his piece, Nee sheida upakaaram (Umabharanam), he profusely thanks Sage Vyasa for having gifted us with the great work of Mahabharata. He has also composed another song in Khamach – Maa bhaaratam mahaa bhaaratam where he speaks about the epic's greatness.

 

Shuka muni is another sage on whom Venkata Kavi has composed two songs – Yaarum iyalaada and Pazhamo pazhamo – (both in Gowrimanohari)

pazhamo pazhamo pazham (bhaagavata)

bhava bhayamenum oru irulai kedutta shuka muni enum kili kotti kodutta

 

Andal, Tirumangai Aazhwar, the 63 nayanars, Arunagirinathar, Bhadrachala Ramadasa have also been extolled through one-off pieces and full-fledged operas by this grand composer.

 

Other personalities mentioned by him in operas or other compositions include:

Mythological characters: Vibheeshana, sugreeva, Angada, Manu, Maandata, Dileepa, Sagara, Bhoorishena, Rantideva, Ambareesha, Pippalada, Utanga, Muchukunda, Raghu, Nahusha, Shantanu , Bali, Prahlada, Vidhura, Viraata, Sudhama, Uddhava, Drupada, Krpa, Kuntibhoja, Kuntidevi, Subhadra, Rohini, Balarama, Ambika, Tilottama, Gandhari etc

Sages: Narada, Tumburu, Matanga, Sanaka, Sanandana, Vyaghrapada, Parashara, Markhandeya, Kapila, Gautama, Kanva, Kashyapa and Gargha to name a few.

Other great personalities: Purandaradasa, Tulasidasa, Bhadrachala Ramadasa, Patanjali, Panini, the 63 Shaivite saints, 12 Vaishnavite saints, Ramanuja and so forth.

Devotion to Guru: Venkata Kavi's devotion to both his divine and human preceptors is very evident from several compositions that he has composed on his Guru. He has composed 16 or more compositions on Guru and extols his great fortune of having a great Guru in the song, Enna punniyam (Reetigowla).

enna punniyam sheideno sadgurunaatha

ettanai tavam sheideno nin arul perave naan