"Vishaalaneelothpalalochanaayai
Vikaasipankeyruhalochanaaya
Sameykshanaayai Vishameykshanaaya
Namah Shivaaya Cha Namah Shivaaya!"
(Excerpt from Ardhanaareeshwara Sthothram, by Adi Sankaracharya).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.
Bhogavasantham another janya of Kamavardhini (Ascending:-Sa Ri Ga Ma Dha Ni Sa, descending:- Sa Ni Dha Ma Ga Ri Sa), so close to Kumudakriya (with only a slight variation in the ascending order) does not yield results like that of Kumudakriya. Bhogavasantham invokes joy, festivities and enjoyments.
