Sri Sadashiva Brahmendra Swamy Kritis in Muraliganam 🔹Dr. M Balamuralikrishna

🔹 Introduction:
That Sri Sadashiva Brahmendra Swamy (SBS) was a mystic, a Jeevan-mukta (the liberated one), an advaita-vedanta philosopher, a music composer and a poet are some of the facets that we know today of one of the greatest saints of India. Not many facts are known about his life or even the exact time he lived, except for the treasure of philosophical treatises left behind by him.

It was the 32nd Jagadguru of Sringeri Sharada Peetham, Sri Nrusimha Bharati VIII (1817- 1879), who recognised the greatness of SBS and arranged for upkeep and maintenance of his works and his samadhi (shrine). But it was Dr. M Balamuralikrishna who pioneered the bringing out of SBS’s kritis into the performing arena. He further championed the popularising of them with his renditions, which possess a unique beauty of music, with clear diction & pronunciation to mirror the ethos of the great saint.

Today, the vaishakha-shuddha-dashami is observed as Sadashiva Brahmendra Aradhana and this album is a reverrential offering.

🔸Dr. M Balamuralikrishna’s contribution:
All in all, we have only about 20 compositions of SSB available today. These series of musical compositions could be classified into four groups.

1️⃣ Nama Sankeertna,
2️⃣ Bhaganmurti dhyanam
3️⃣ Saguna Brahmopasana, and
4️⃣ Nirguna Brahma vicharam i.e, the whole undifferentiated consciousness.

In this collection of SSB kritis rendered by Dr. M Balamuralikrishna (BMK), we present you 12 compositions spanning the four categories mentioned above.

In these renditions, one would notice how BMK brings out the beauty of literature, the beauty of music, and the beauty of spirituality that the compositions portray through his mellifluous renditions, unifying all the components seamlessly.

Through the vintage recordings of All India radio (AIR) of as early as 1950s, we come to know about the deepest connection of BMK with SSB’s compositions. You may search this channel to listen to some of the earliest recordings of BMK from his Bhakti Ranjani days.

This particular album consists of renditions from 1970s till 198Os. These restored and remastered audio recordings, of vocal and viola, are the excerpts from various live concerts and radio broadcasts. By listening to the album, it gives us an idea of BMK’s useful and fulfilling journey in light classical music, and provides us an opportunity to peek into his passion, involvement, and his deep understanding of advaita-vedanta philosophy.

🔹Dr. M Balamuralikrishna’s Approach
One of the most interesting things to observe here is the delicate way in which BMK wields his method to deal with the ragas (i.e., raga-prayoga). This is especially for those sung in madhyama-shruti, to suit the sentiments, ideas or philosophical statements expressed in the lyrics (i.e., Sahitya bhava) of the composition while keeping the frame-work of the raga intact. This observation tells us a lot about what BMK perceived to be the role of lyrics or Sahitya in a composition. As aspect to be seriously noted and deeply appreciated.

It is also equally enchanting to observe that even the short sketch of the raga BMK sings before some of the kritis reflects the Sahitya-bhava, or the sentiments expressed in the lyrics which seamlessly integrate with the structure of the raga.

While I was working on this project to select some specific recordings of a given rendition, I had a huge challenge to select the rendition of the song “Pibare Ramarasam,” as the same has been sung by the maestro countless times in his long musical career spanning over 70 years.

As I listened to a number of renditions for several days, I came across one specific recording that has a beautiful sketch of the raga not in the beginning, but towards the end. The experience of listening to it as BMK glides in the raga Ahirbhairavi to a sublime climax, the listener will have the opportunity to meet SBS within and soak in an indelible impression of surrender. A tribute jointly to SBS for such soul stirring compositions and to BMK for rendering them in the spirit of the saint SBS.

00:00 Welcome to the Album
00:00:06 🔹01 Introduction
00:02:51 🔹02 Sarvam Brahmamayam - Khamās
00:09:40 🔹03 Khēlati mama hrudayē - Kāpi
00:18:39 🔹04 Smara vāram vāram - Bahudāri
00:24:44 🔹05 Bhajarē yadunātham - Pratimadyamāvati
00:30:08 🔹06 Pibarē Rāmarasam - Ahirbhairavi
00:37:33 🔹07 Gāyati Vanamāli - Hamsadhwani
00:46:54 🔹08 Sthiratā nahi nahi rē - Amritavarshini
00:51:42 🔹09 Mānasa Sancharerē - Chārukēshi
00:57:04 🔹10 Smara vāram vāram - Bahudāri : in Viola
01:03:20 🔹11 Chētaha shree Rāmam - Sindhubhairavi
01:09:01 🔹12 Chintā Nāstikila - Shankarābharanam (M)
01:13:41 🔹13 Tunga tarangē Gangē – Suruti
01:18:36 🔹 14 Tadvad Jīvatvam – Kēdāra
01:22:32 🔹 15 Concluding Comments

Acknkowledgements:
💐I am inspired by Sri. Samavedam Shanmukha Sarma's talks on SBS to design the album to the best of my abilities. I am very grateful to him.