Song- Sarojadala Netri- Shyama Sastry (Nirmala Ramachandran)

Glimpses from Indian spirituality, mythology and way of life.

This composition of Shyama Sastri, Saroja Dala Netri is on goddess Minakshi of Madurai.

Shyama Sastry is from Tamilnadu. In addition to Tamil, he became well-versed in Sanskrit and Telegu quite early in life. At the age of 18, he moved from Tiruvarur to Tanjavur with his family and became a great devotee of Goddess Bangaaru Kaamaakshi. He began learning music from his uncle and then became a devout disciple of Sangeeta Swaami.

Most of Shyama Shastri's compositions are in praise of Goddess Kamakshi. He had composed about 300 songs. Most of his compositions are in Telugu language. A few compositions are Sanskrit and Tamil.

It is said that Syama Sastri rarely went out of Tanjavur and that one day, a stranger asked him to go to Madurai and compose a few kritis on Goddess Minakshi, the presiding deity of that place. Next day, he went to Madurai and composed nine kritis, the Navaratnamaalika, the garland of nine gems, on Goddesss Minakshi. Saroja Dala Netri is one of this Navaratnamaalika.

In this composition, he says:

Oh! Mother Minakshi! The goddess whose eyes are like the petals of a lotus flower, who is the daughter of the Mountain of snow, whose tresses are dark like the honey bees, I have always trusted only your lotus feet. Please grant me welfare.

Oh! Mother! Who is holding a parrot in her hand, who is the queen consort of Lord Shiva, who is ancient and a bestower of boons! Is there a Goddess like You in this World? Please don’t be indifferent to me. Please grant me welfare.

Please listen to this song rendered by Nirmala Ramachandran which is in Sanskrit.

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