Muddugaare Yashoda

I got a new virginmedia TV and broadband connection for my new home in London today and the first thing i did was visiting www.musicindiaonline.com and listening to some of my favourite carnatic songs. I don't think any other music site online offers the kind of variety like musicindiaonline. They have real good collection of music in different languages.

Anyway, coming to the matter, i was listening to Muddugare Yashoda(Kurunji Ragam, Eka Thalam) by Sowmya who rendered the krithi with so much of involvement that i was tempted to understand the meaning of the krithi. The lyrics have been written by Annamacharya who compares Lord Venkateshwara with precious gems in the form of Krishnavatar Leelas.

"Mother Yasoda is kissing the Bala Krishna (muDugare yasODa) and he is submerged in her kisses like in a tub of pearls (mungidi muTyamu). Like a ruby (mAnikyam) he is shining and for kamsa the demon he is strong as a diamond(Vajram). His consort Rukmini's lips are like Coral (pagadam). When he is Govarda Giridhari, he is like godeiga (a brown stone). He is wearing vaiduryam (another precious stone) in between his sanku and chakra. When he is dancing on the head of kalinga, the serpant king, he glows like pushyaraga (yellow sapphire) and when he is Lord Venkateshwara, he is like indra neelam (blue sapphire). On the whole he is like all the precious gem stones, always helping the devotees. "