Ardhanarisvaram

Lyrics

Notation

From Shivkumar Kalyanaraman (shivkumar.org)

Pallavi:
ardhanArIshvaram ArAdhayAmi satatam atri bhrgu
vasiSThAdi muni brnda vanditam shrI

Anupallavi:
ardhayAma alankAra vishESa prabhAvam
ardhanArIshvarI priya karam abhayakaram shivam

Charanam:
nAgEndra maNi bhUSitam nandi turagArOhitam
shrI guruguha pUjitam kumudakriyA rAganutam
AgamAdi sannutam ananta vEda ghOSitam
amarEshAdi sEvitam Arakta varNa shObhitam

Meaning: (Approximate – please report errors):
P: I always (“satatam”) worship (“ArAdhayAmi”) Ardha Nareeswara, who was saluted (“vanditam”) by
the group of saints (“brnda”) like Athri, Brugu and Vasishta.

A: The special (“vishESa”) decoration (“alankAra”) at midnight (“ardhayAma”) is powerful and
wonderful (“prabhAvam”). He is liked (“priya”) by Ardha Nareswari, and he gives fearlessness
(“abhayakaram”).

C: He is adorned (“bhUSitam”) by the serpent (“nAgEndra”) stone (“maNi”).
He rides on the bull (“turagArOhitam”) Nandi.
He is worshipped by Subrahmanya (“guruguha”). He is praised by Raga (“rAga-nutam”) Kumuda
Kriya,
He is praised (“sannutam”) by Agamas and extolled (“ghOSitam”) by Vedas,
He is served (“sEvitam”) by Indra and others (“amarEshAdi”).
He shines (“shObhitam”) in his red (“Arakta”) colour (“varNa”).

Pallavi:
ardhanArIshvaram ArAdhayAmi satatam atri bhrgu vasiSThAdi muni brnda vanditam shrI

Sahityam: ardhanArIshvaram ArAdhayAmi satatam
I always (“satatam”) worship (“ArAdhayAmi”) Ardha Nareeswara,

S;   r S, – D ; M || G M         G– R S;         ||
Ar - dha- nA    - - rI - - -     - shva ram -

S;   dsrs – D ; M || gmdm        gR, – rs S ;    ||
Ar - dha- nA    - - rI - - -    shva ram - -

S;   dsrs – D ; M || gmdm        R – rs S ;      ||
Ar - dha- nA    - - rI - - -    shva ram - -

gr sr sr – gm      g r G || gmgm      D-M     D dr     ||
A - - -- rA-       - - dha yA- - -    mi sa   ta tam

S;   dsrs – D ; M || gmdm              R – gr rsS      ||
Ar - dha- nA    - - rI - - -          shva ram - -

gr sr sr – gm      g r G || gmgm      D-M     D dr     ||
A - - -- rA-       - - dha yA- - -    mi sa   ta tam

Sahityam: atri bhrgu vasiSThAdi muni brnda vanditam shrI
Meaning:… who was saluted (“vanditam”) by the group of saints (“brnda”) like Athri, Brugu and
Vasishta.

S r- n s -s D       , m D || g m – R g – m g m dm d r ||
a tri bhr gu va siS ThAdi muni brn da van – di tam- shrI-

S;   dsrs – D      ; M || gmdm         R– G ;;         ||
Ar - dha- nA         - - rI - - -     shva ram - -

; gr    ,mG        rs S || ; ;        ;;       ;;      ||
--       --        ---      --        --       --

Anupallavi:
ardhayAma alankAra vishESa prabhAvam ardhanArIshvarI priya karam abhayakaram shivam

Sahityam: ardhayAma alankAra vishESa prabhAvam
Meaning: The special (“vishESa”) decoration (“alankAra”) at midnight (“ardhayAma”) is powerful and
wonderful (“prabhAvam”).

S;       rs – D      ; M || G M       G–R ;S           ||
Ar      dha- yA     - ma a lan        - kA - ra

RG       ;M        ; dm || D , r      rs S     ;;      ||
vishE    - Sa      - pra- bhA-        vam      --

;;       ;;        ;;        || ; ;   ;;       ;;      ||
--       --        --            --   --       --

S;       rs – D      ; M || G M       G–R ;S           ||
Ar      dha- yA     - ma a lan        - kA - ra

RG       ;M        ; dm || D g r      rs S     ;;      ||
vishE    - Sa      - pra- bhA-        vam      --

S;      dsrs – D        ; M || gm dm gr– gr gr S       ||
Ar      dha- yA     -     ma a lan    - kA - ra

RG       ;M        ; dm || D g r      rs S     ;;      ||
vishE    - Sa      - pra- bhA-        vam      --

Sahityam: ardhanArIshvarI priya karam abhayakaram shivam
Meaning: He is liked (“priya”) by Ardha Nareswari, and he gives fearlessness (“abhayakaram”).

S r –g , R m G – r g || r S – r s n – d s , m D        ||
ardhanA - rI shva rI priya karam a bhaya karam shivam (param or smaram)

S;   dsrs – D ; M || gmdm            R – gr rsS         ||
Ar - dha- nA    - - rI - - -        shva ram - -

gr sr sr – gm    g r G || gmgm      D -ds     dm dr ||
A - - -- rA-     - - dha yA- - -    mi sa     ta tam

S r- n s -s D       , m D || g m – R g – m g m dm d r ||
a tri bhr gu va siS ThAdi muni brn da van – di tam- shrI-

S;   nsrs – D    ; M || gmdm         R– G ;;            ||
Ar - dha- nA       - - rI - - -     shva ram - -

Charanam:
nAgEndra maNi bhUSitam nandi turagArOhitam shrI guruguha pUjitam kumudakriyA rAganutam
AgamAdi sannutam ananta vEda ghOSitam amarEshAdi sEvitam Arakta varNa shObhitam

Sahityam: nAgEndra maNi bhUSitam
Meaning: He is adorned (“bhUSitam”) by the serpent (“nAgEndra”) stone (“maNi”).

G;       ;M      RG     || G M        mgmg         R S ||
nA       - gE    - ndra    maNi      bhU- -        Sitam

Sahityam: nandi turagArOhitam
Meaning: He rides on the bull (“turagArOhitam”) Nandi.

S,n      D-M     G;       || mgM dm D         RS    ||
Nan-     di tu   ra          gA - - rO- -     hitam

G;       ; mm    RG       || gm dm gmG     R S ||
nA       - gE    - ndra      ma- Ni bhU- - Sitam

S ,n     D-M     G;       || mgM dm D         RS    || ; ;   ;;   ; ; ||
Nan-     di tu   ra          gA - - rO- -     hitam    --    --   --

Sahityam: shrI guruguha pUjitam
Meaning: He is worshipped by Subrahmanya (“guruguha”).

sn D     GR      GM       || G mg     R –rs S ;         ||
shrI -   guru    guha        pU--     ji tam - -

Sahityam: kumudakriyA rAganutam
Meaning: He is praised by Raga (“rAga-nutam”) Kumuda Kriya,

GM       D–R ,S,          || sn D M – G        M;       ||
Kumu     da kri yA           rA- - ga nu      tam

sn D     GR      GM       || gmdm ,g R –rs S ; ||
shrI -   guru    guha        pU--    ji tam - -

GM       D – gr rsS       || sn D M – G       M;     ||
Kumu     da kri yA           rA- - ga nu     tam

GM       D – gr rsS       || sn D M – G       RS     || {optional}
Kumu     da kri yA           rA- - ga nu     tam

Sahityam: AgamAdi sannutam ananta vEda ghOSitam
Meaning: He is praised (“sannutam”) by Agamas and extolled (“ghOSitam”) by Vedas,

G m- g , r – S r S ,       || m G m d m d- d d r S ||
A gamA di san nutam           a nanta vE - da ghO- Sitam

Sahityam: amarEshAdi sEvitam Arakta varNa shObhitam
Meaning: He is served (“sEvitam”) by Indra and others (“amarEshAdi”).
He shines (“shObhitam”) in his red (“Arakta”) colour (“varNa”).

g mG       r g r –s n d S || g r s n d - N m   d m d r ||
a marE    shA-di sE – vitam A – ra- kta varNa shO-bhitam

S;   dsrs – D ; M || gmdm           R – gr rsS       ||
Ar - dha- nA    - - rI - - -       shva ram - -

gr sr sr – gm    g r G || gmgm     D -ds     dm dr ||
A - - -- rA-     - - dha yA- - -   mi sa     ta tam

S r- n s -s D       , m D || g m – R g – m g m dm d r ||
a tri bhr gu va siS ThAdi muni brn da van – di tam- shrI-

S;   nsrs – D    ; M || gmdm        R– G ;;          ||
Ar - dha- nA       - - rI - - -    shva ram - -

-==================================
Raga Notes:

Courtesy: Veena Vidushi E Gayathri:
http://egayathri.blogspot.in/2010_09_01_archive.html

Kumudakriya, the janya raga of Panthuvarali (Kamavardhini), 51st melakartha has been chosen by the great
saint vaggeyakara, Sri.Muthuswami Dikshithar for his grand composition, "Ardhanareeswaram". The scale
of Kumudakriya-Ascending:-Sa Ri Ga Ma Dha Sa; descending:-Sa Ni Dha Ma Ga Ri Sa. This raga falls in
the "adbhutha rasa" (wonderment and awe) category of the navarasas (nine emotions).

Contemplation on the prayogas or phrases Sa Ni Dha Ri', Ri Ga Ma Dha Ri, etc. invoke a sense of fantasy,
make-believe or illusion. Imagine suddenly walking into somebody who is split into a perfect half of a
perfect man and a perfect woman! It certainly is a heart-stopping sight! Absolutely dazzling and surreal!
Kumudakriya, a breathtaking raga of fantasy, bestows wonderful events, fantastic happenings in life. Ragas
yield results only when the "jeeva swaras" (soul-notes) are tapped and mastered. Mere humming or
rendering of the scale are not sufficient to induce life into the raga.