Sri Subrahmanyaya Namaste / Kamboji / Rupakam / Dikshidar / K V Narayanaswamy

Krithi: Sri Subrahmanyaya Namaste Ragam: Kambhoji Thalam: Rupakam Composer: Muthuswami Dikshidar Vocal: K V Narayanaswamy Palghat Kollengode Viswanathan Narayanaswamy (popularly known as K. V. Narayanaswamy or KVN) was born on 15 November 1923 in Palakkad, Kerala, into a Tamil Brahmin family with a strong musical tradition. His early exposure to Carnatic music came from his mother, who was a trained musician. K. V. Narayanaswamy was one of the most revered Carnatic vocalists of the 20th century, known for his meditative and soulful music. KVN was initially trained by C. S. Krishna Iyer, a violinist and vocalist. Later, he became a disciple of the legendary Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar, whose bhani (style) emphasized clarity in sahitya (lyrics), a balanced approach to melody and rhythm, and a structured concert format. KVN deeply imbibed these principles, shaping his unique style. He also learned from T. Brinda, a renowned Veena Dhanammal lineage musician, who influenced his rendition of padams and javalis. KVN’s concerts were marked by their serenity, clarity, and bhava-laden renditions. He was known for his impeccable shruti alignment, smooth voice modulation, and an ability to bring out the essence of a raga with minimal ornamentation. His performances were deeply introspective, rich in emotion (bhava), and carried a sense of devotion (bhakti). KVN received several prestigious awards, including Sangeetha Kalanidhi (1986) – The highest honor in Carnatic music, awarded by the Music Academy, Chennai, Padma Shri (1976) , Sangeet Natak Akademi Award,Sangeetha Kalasikhamani etc. KVN remained humble and devoted to music throughout his life. He passed away on 1 April 2002, leaving behind a treasure trove of classical music that still resonates with listeners. Violin: M S Anantharaman Mridangam: Trichur Narendran ( Recorded in 1983 ) This composition praises Lord Subrahmaṇya (Muruga/Kartikeya) as supremely beautiful, compassionate, courageous, and wise one who destroys demons, imparts divine wisdom, protects his devotees, and grants worldly prosperity. Pallavi Sri subrahmanyaya namasthe namasthe manasija koti koti lavanyaya dIna sharanyaya Anupallavi Bhusuradi samastha jana pujithabja charanaya vasuki thaksakadi sarpa svarupa dharanaya Vasavadi sakala deva vandithaya varenyaya dasa janabhistha prada daksataragra ganyaya Charanam Tharaka simha mukha Sura padmasura sam hartre thapatraya harana nipuna thatvopadesa karthre viranuta guruguhaya agjnana dhvantha savithre vijayavalli bharthre saktyayudha dharthre Madhyama Kalam Dhiraya natha vidhathre devaraja jamathre bhuradi bhuvana bhoktre bhoga moksha pradathre ---------------------------------------------------------------- Meaning: I pay obeisance to Shri Subrahmanya. He is billion times more handsome than manmatha (cupid). He helps the meek, miserable, and the downtrodden. (Manasi ja means “mind-born”---conceptual offspring. Manmathan was supposed to have been born from the mind of lord Vishnu). All the noble souls and other folks on earth worship his lotus feet. He manifests himself in the serpents such as Vasuki and Takshaka. He is worshipped by celestials such as Indra and others. He is the supreme. He fulfills the desires of his devotees and he does it the best. He destroyed the three demon brothers, tharaka, Simhamukha, and Surapadma. He eliminates the three kinds of misery that people experience. He is a good preacher. He is worshipped as a hero by his deputies. He is the sun who makes the darkness of ignorance vanish and creates good things. He is the spouse of valli (daughter of the hunter king Nambirajan). He wields the powerful weapon, the spear. Madhyama Kalam: He is a hero with sharp mind. He is worshipped by Brahma. He is the son-in-law of indra (Devaraja, whose daughter Devasena was married to Subrahmanya). He rules the universe including the earth. He confers comfort, wealth, and salvation. ------------------------------------------------------------------- DISCLAIMER : These songs have been uploaded for hearing pleasure only and as an archive for Carnatic music. By this I don't wish to violate any copyrights owned by the respective owners of these songs if any. I don't own any copyright of the songs myself. If anything is in violation of the copyright you own, then please let me know, I shall remove it from my Youtube channel.