Navagraha Kritis

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The Navagraha Krithis are a set of 9 songs composed by Muthuswami Dikshitar, a great composer of Carnatic Music (Classical music of South India). Each song is a prayer to one of the nine Navagrahas ("planets" of Hindu mythology. The songs titles, raga (melodic pattern) and tala (rhythmic pattern) are listed below:

  • Suryamurthe Namosthuthe (on Sun or Surya, in Saurashtra Raga, Chaturasra Druva Tala)
  • Chandram Bhaja Manasa (on Moon or Chandra, in Asaveri Raga, Chaturasra Matya Tala)
  • Angarakam Ashrayamyaham (on Mars or Angaraka, in Surati Raga, Rupaka Tala)
  • Budham Ashrayami (on Mercury or Budha, in Nattakurunji Raga, Misra Jhampa Tala)
  • Brihaspathe Tarapathe (on Jupiter or Brihaspathi, in Atana Raga, Tisra Triputa Tala)
  • Sri Sukhra Bhagavantham (on Venus or Shukra, in Paraju Raga, Khanda Ata Tala)
  • Divakaratanujam Shanaishcharam (on Saturn or Shani, in Yadukulakamboji Raga, Chaturasra Eka Tala)
  • Smaramyaham Sadarahum (on Rahu, in Ramapriya Raga, Rupaka Tala)
  • Mahasuram Ketumaham (on Ketu, in Shanmukhapriya Raga, Rupaka Tala)

The last two (on Rahu and Ketu) were most likely composed by followers of Dikshitar, to complete the set of nine even though the signature used in the song is that of Dikshitar (guruguha).

Legend: It is said that Tambiappan a disciple of Muthuswami Dikshitar was suffering from a stomach ailment and for long no medicines were able to cure him. Dikshitar inspecting his horoscope inferred that the planet Jupiter was in an unfavorable position and his ailment can be cured only by propitiating the planet god Brihaspati.As laymen would find these rituals complex he created the composition Brihaspate in the Raga Atana propitiating the planet and asked his disciple to sing it for a week. As ordained, his ailment was cured. This incident provided the impetus for Dikshitar to compose kritis on all the Navagrahas.

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