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Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar a.k.a. Vaidyanatha Iyer (28 August 1896 – 16 October 1974) was a Carnatic music singer from Palakkad (state of Kerala, India). Known by his village name Chembai, or simply as Bhagavatar, he was born to Anantha Bhagavatar and Parvati Ammal in 1896, into a Tamil Brahmin family at Kottayi-near Palakkad on Janmashtami day Chembai was noted for his powerful voice and majestic style] of singing. His first public performance was in 1904, when he was nine. A recipient of several titles and honours (including the Madras Music Academy's Sangeetha Kalanidhi in 1951), he was known for his encouragement of upcoming musicians and ability to spot new talent. He was responsible for popularising compositions like Rakshamam Saranagatam and Pavana Guru, among others.] The music critic 'Aeolus' described him as "the musician who has meant the most to Carnatic Music in the first fifty years of the 20th century."
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Some of the noteworthy early events that helped shape Chembai's career include his arangetram (debut concert) in Ottapalam in 1904, performances at Vaikom and Guruvayur in 1907, Between 1913 and 1927, he performed at many different music festivals and sabhas, notably including the Madras Music Academy and the often forgotten Jagannatha Bhakta Sabha.
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Chembai has many phonograph recordings to his credit, recorded from 1932 to 1946. Those were the days before the advent of the concert microphone, and a singer was entirely dependent on the timbre and reach of his voice for a successful concert. Chembai was blessed with a voice of great depth.
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Chembai also held a music festival on Guruvayur Ekadasi Day(mid-November) at Guruvayur every year. This festival, now called Chembai Sangeetholsavam in his honour, is officially conducted by the Guruvayur Devaswom Board.
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The composer and musician,
irayimman Thampi (also known as iravivarman) (1783--1856) was the uncle of
Maharaja SwAthi tirumAL (1813-1846) of the ThiruvAnkUr kingdom. The song under consideration, “KaruNa ceyVAn endu” is in praise of
the deity at the temple in GuruvAyUr.
Lyrics in MalayALam script of
pallavi, anupallavi and caraNam #2 are given below
Pallavi
കരുണ ചെയ്വാന് എന്തു
താമസം കൃഷ്ണാ
കഴലിണ കൈതൊഴുന്നേന്...(കരുണ)
Anupallavi
ശരണാഗതന്മാര്ക്കിഷ്ട
വരദാനം ചെയ്തു ചെമ്മേ
ഗുരുവായൂര്പുരം
തന്നില് മരുവുമഖില ദുരിതഹരണ ഭഗവന് (കരുണ)
CaraNam 2
ഉരുതരഭവസിന്ധൗ
ദുരിതസഞ്ചയമാകും
തിരതന്നില് മരുവുന്ന നരതതിക്കവലംബം
മരതകമണിവര്ണ്ണന്
ഹരിതന്നെയെന്നും തവ
ചരിതവര്ണ്ണനങ്ങളില്
സകലമുനികള്
പറവതറിവനധുനാ (കരുണ)
Roman script lyrics are given
below.
(The full kriti with 4
caraNams are given below. Most musicians sing only the pallavi, anupallavi, and
caraNam #2 of the song).
Pallavi
KaruNa ceyvAn
entu tAamasam KrishNA,
KazhalinE kai tozhunnEn
Anupallavi
sharaNAgathanmArkkishTa varadAnam ceytu cemmE,
GuruvAyurpuram tannil maruvumakhila durita haraNa bhagawan
CaraNams
1.Thari thanwi tALODum charuthwam cherna padam,
Doorathingirunnoru nerathil ninachalum ,
Charathangu vannu upacArattil sEvichAlum,
PAril thingina tava parama purusha khalu bhedamethum
2. gurutara bhavasindhau duritasancayamAkum,
tiratannil muzhukunna
naragathikkavalambam,
marakata maNivaNNan** hari
tannE ennum tava, (**
maNivarNan)
carita varNNanaN^N^aLil sakala munikaL paravatarivanadhUna.
3.Pincha Bharam aninja puncheekura bangiyum,
Punchiri chernna Krupa poorna Kadakshangalum,
Anchitha vana mala hara kousthubhangalum,
Pon chilambum padavum, Bhuvana madhana mama hrudi karthunneen.
4.dAtha vAdhiyAm lOka thrAthavayulla Guru,
VAta pura vara nikEta Sri PadmanAbha,
Preethi kalarnnini VaikAtE kanivinodu endE,
Vathadhi rOgam Neeki Varada vithara sakala kusalamadhikam
The Thamizh script version of
the pallavi, anupallavi, and caraNam #2 are given below.
பல்லவி
கருண செய்வான்
எந்து தாமசம் க்ருஷ்ணா,
கழலினே கை
தொழுன்னேன்
அனுபல்லவி
சரணாகதன்மார்க்கிஷ்ட
வரதானம் செய்து
செம்மே,
குருவாயூர்புரம் தன்னில் மருவுமகில துரித
ஹரண பகவன்
சரணம்
குருதர பவசிந்தௌ துரிதசஞ்சயமாகும்,
திரதன்னில் முழுகுன்ன
நரகதிக்கவலம்பம்,
மரகத மணிவண்ணன்** ஹரி தன்னே என்னும் தவ,
(**மணிவர்ணன்)
சரித வர்ணனங்களில் சகல முனிகள் பரவதரிவனதூன
Meaning:
Pallavi
Why the delay in showing kindness, Lord Krishna?
I worship your feet with my folded palms.
Anupallavi
I worship your feet with my folded palms.
Anupallavi
Granting the boons of devotees who seek shelter unto you,
You dwell in GuruvAyUr, oh Lord, remover of all miseries.
You dwell in GuruvAyUr, oh Lord, remover of all miseries.
CaraNams
1. Your
sacred feet are lovingly caressed by the Lotus Maiden. Whether I serve them
with adoration either from close quarters or from afar it does not matter to
you since your greatness permeates the entire universe.
2. The
great sages have described your exploits and that you, Hari, is so handsome
with an emerald hue and that you are the sole refuge of the teeming humanity
who float on the waves of the great ocean of suffering called life
(bavasAgaram).
3. I
visualize you in my mind, handsome as Cupid, with your hair adorned with the
feathers of peacock, your glances a blend of compassion and smile, your chest
decorated with the gem Kausthubam and garlands of wild flowers and your ankles
wearing the jingling golden anklets.
Lord PadmanAbha, who dwells in
GuruvAyUr, you are the creator and protector
of the worlds. Would you please remove my chronic illnesses without delay and
bless me with health and prosperity?
I refer readers to the
following website for an elaborate discussion of this song
