Thursday, April 30, 2015

Prahladha Bhakthi Vijayam- An introduction

Prahladha  Bhakthi Vijayam- An introduction 

   
 Saint Thyagaraja is supposed to have written three   dance Dramas , out of which only two namely   Nauka Charithram  , Prahladha Bhathi   Vijayam  are at present available to us.   I have already translated in to English   Nauka Charithram (http://translationsofsomesongsofcarnticmusic.blogspot.in/2015/04/nauka-charithram-of-saint-thyagaraja.html) and  I am presenting here the translation of the mega dance Drama   of Swami Thyagaraja    which is called “Prahladha  Bhakthi vijayam” . Please note that   it is not BHaktha Vijayam and does not deal   with the life of Prahladha . It does not have  Lord Nrasimha as a character at all  . Saint Thyagaraja deals with  the greatness of Prahladha as a devotee. One reason why saint Thyagaraja did this was perhaps because an elder and famous musicologist   called Merator   Venkatrama   SAstri had already written a    dance drama called  Prahladha BHaktha Vijayam in Telugu    at that time .  This dance drama has five acts and 3 45 Krithis all connected   by choornikas, Dandakams , dvipadis etc  which   explains the  context of the following Krithi.   I have not     translated  these choornikas etc but has only given    a brief summary so that   the context and background of every krithi is properly understood  . It is also interesting to note that  Saint Thyagaraja    was very much aware   of the Rama BHathas   of those times like  THulasi Dasa  , Rama dasa  , Panduranga  , Nama   deva  , Jaya Deva  , Thukarama  , Narayana theerha   and other sages to whom he has offered his salutations    at the beginning   of  the work itself  .
The Drama starts with a discussion between  the Suthra DAra and  the gate keeper of the king of the ocean.  Then the  story of how the king of the oceans saved  Prahladha    who was tied by serpents and thrown in the sea   by his father by   taking help of Garuda is given.   Prahladha becomes sorry at not being      able to see lord Hari  . Lord Hari later comes and tries to make Prhladha    take     wealth and success   as boons. But Prahladha wants only devotion to the feet of Hari. The Lord consents after lot  of discussion and goes back  . Prahladha becomes miserable . The Lord comes  back and blesses   him  , in the presence of sages  , Lord Brahma, Indra,    Devas   etc,
        The  five acts of the Drama are   translated  in to English    and given separately  
        The  enactment of the Drama  in Columbus Ohio  by the local artists    under guidance   of their Guru  Sow,Aruna   Darba is given in 


No comments:

Post a Comment