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Devotional songs by Sri Vidyabhushana need no introduction to the Dasara Padagula followers in Karnataka. His first popular, maybe his debut album too, "Dasara Padagalu" listed songs all of which became popular. "Namma Amma Sharade" became his trademark song and he is identified to this date by its popularity. The 90's saw him release devotional albums serially. One of the popular albums was "Dashavatara Stuti". The ten Vishnu avatars have been praised by the great saint Vadiraja Swamy in this composition. It has transcended over centuries and it is undoubtedly one of most devout description of Vishnu. That the lyrics are rhythmic makes it easier to hum and remember.
I was exposed to this famous song around 2006 and all my efforts to memorise it have been futile. Yes, I am that unskilled. My second memory about this album which has never faded is Hitopadesha. Sri Vidyabhushana did full justice to the song and it is easier recollectable.
The album cover, a photo of Sri Vidyabhushana, and YouTube link to the Hitopadesha follows below.
Dashavatara Stuti
Sri Vidyabhushana
श्रीमद्वादिराजस्य हितोपदेशः अथवा पञ्चश्लोकी
श्रीमद्वादिराजस्य हितोपदेशः अथवा पञ्चश्लोकी
स्मर कृष्णं भज हरिं नम विष्णुं श्रयाच्युतम् ।
त्यज कामं जहि क्रोधं जहि मोहं भवालयम् ॥ १॥
शृणु शौरिकथाः पुण्याः पश्य श्रीपतिविग्रहम् ।
जिघ्र श्रीपादतुलसीम् स्पृश वैकुण्ठवल्लभम् ॥ २॥
भुङ्क्ष्व केशवनैवेद्यं तिष्ठ माधवमन्दिरे ।
जपन्नारायणमनुं पठ तन्नाममङ्गलम् ॥ ३॥
पाहि प्रपन्नजनतां ब्रूहि तथ्यं हितं नृणाम् ।
देहि काङ्क्षितं अर्थिभ्योः याहि सज्जनसङ्गतिम् ॥ ४॥
कुरु भूतदयां नित्यं चर धर्ममहर्निशम् ।
जानीहि नित्यमात्मानं अवेह्यन्यद्धि नश्वरम् ॥ ५॥
पञ्चष्लोकीमिमां शश्वत् पठ धारय चिन्तय ।
एतावान् सर्ववेदार्थः समासेन निरूपितः ॥ ६॥
``नास्ति नारायणसमं न भूतं न भविष्यति ।
एतेन सत्यवाक्येन सर्वार्थान् साधयाम्यहम्'' ॥ (महाभारतम्)
इति श्रीमद्वादिराजपूज्यचरणविरचितः
हितोपदेशः सम्पूर्णः ।
While doing the Deva Puja three years ago, I searched for Sri Vidyabhushana's Hitopadesha on YouTube so that I can listen to it and hum along while drawing gandha on the sanekal. "Gandha yeliyodu" is commonly used Kannada phrase to do a tedious task. While it is sacrilegious to comment negatively on any task associated with God's worship, I hope it's not an offensive one.
Nevertheless, what I found next was simply astounding.
A new version of "Smara Krishnam, Bhajakadim" by Sri Vidyabhushana's daughter Medha Vidyabhushana.
Well, I am frankly an amateur, and my only credential in commenting about music is that I am a die-hard SPB fan. Fan is a much underwhelming word when it comes to my obsession with SPB because the only music I listen thats not in his voice are the devotional songs. It goes without saying I must be having negative authority, in the sense I must be forbidden dabbling in it, to comment on devotional songs, let alone those that are rendered flawlessly in Sanskrit.
Well, well, well, long before I settled down with the universal requirement of listening no voice other than SPB, before 2000's I have hoarded nearly two hundred audio cassettes. I had a lot of favorite singers. In parlance with the popular film music, Medha's attempt has equivalence, or easily explainable comparisons.
Imagine Amit Kumar singing "Mere Sapnon Ki Raani". While he might be the best among all those who have sung a Kishore Kumar song except Kishore Kumar, it must be conjectured the ratings will still be poor. Long before Neil Nitin Mukesh, the grandson of the iconic Mukesh, shot into prominence, his father Nitin Mukesh was a regular singer in mid 1980's and a few years in the early 1990's, he is also famous for songs like "So gaya ye jahan, so gaya aasman" from Tezab, "Zindagi Ki Na Toote Ladi", etc. Admit it, it is impossible to imagine him recreating "Jaane Kahan Gaye Wo Din". I can go on and on.
It is here Medha Vidyabhushana has stepped in her fathers shoes and she has more than done justice to the Hitopadesha. What is more significant is that it is nothing similar to her fathers version. I can vouch it mustn't be a easier decision to pick up her father's lines "Smara Krishnam, Bhajakadim". I think she was aware of it and hence she changed the rules of the game. She instead choose to pick from the Mahabharath line - ``नास्ति नारायणसमं न भूतं न भविष्यति । एतेन सत्यवाक्येन सर्वार्थान् साधयाम्यहम्".
We are all incredibly blessed to have two great versions of Hitopadesha.
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