The Caged Feminine
This is a humble exploration of feminism in the popular Navavarnam musical work by Sri Muthuswamy Dikshitar on Goddess Kamalamba.
Kamalamba Navavarnam was composed on the basis Sri Vidhya Upasana, which is a system of belief by a section of people that the supreme energy in this universe is Feminine. Navavarna worship takes the center stage of Shri Vidya Upasana. Navavarana worship symbolises the transcendence of spiritual self from one level to superior level.
The concept of Navavarna Worship was brought into musical arena by two popular works available with us today. The earliest available Navavarna work known to us is the Kamakshi Navavarnam by Oothukadu Venkata Kavi. However, the most popular Navavarna work in the Carnatic music world is Kamalamba Navavarnam by Muthuswamy Dikshitar.
Let us consider a select few phrases from the Kamalamba Navavarnam to understand how feminism flairs in them. Although there is a general agreement in the idea that Navavarnam prescribes to the supreme energy being Feminine, the popular interpretations of said phrases certainly mellows it down to something meeker.
सदाशिव अन्त: करणे
The first phrase that we would like to discuss is “सदाशिव अन्त: करणे” (Sadha Shiva Anthah Karane) from the anupallavi — madhyama kala sahithyam of the Dhyana Krithi of Navavarnam set in the ragam Thodi.
Many scholarly works write meaning to this phrase as ‘one who dwells in the heart of Shiva’. However, this phrase could also be interpreted as ‘the creator of the inside of Shiva’.
Let us explain. करणे (Karane)means creator. Referring to the first shloka in Vishnu Sahasranama, where Karanam directly refers to creator. It would not be surprising if the phrase intends to mean ‘the creator of the inside of Shiva’ given that the entire worship of Navavarna is centered around feminine energy. Even if we would like to take a step forward and refer inside as heart, ‘the creator of the heartbeat of the Shiva’ is more befitting. The popular interpretation is more of a beloved consort rather than that of an all-powerful creator.
श्रीकण्ठ विष्णु विरिन्च्यादि जननि
The next phrase we took, supports the creator reference in the previous phrase — “श्री कण्ठ विष्णु विरिञ्चादि जनयित्र्याः” (Sri Kanta Vishnu Virinchaadhi Janani), from the anupallavi of the Bhairavi Navavarnam. This is a straightforward reference to her being the creator of the trinity namely Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma. This phrase can question every other interpretations where she is referred to as the consort or beloved of Shiva. After all, the term better half simply puts one in an equal pedestal to the other, and not in a more powerful position.
शिवाकार मन्चस्थित
“शिवाकार मन्चस्थित” (Shivakaara Manchasthita), the next phrase from the pallavi of the last Navavarnam set in the ragam Aahiri , is particularly interesting. Again, the popular interpretation is something in the lines of Shiva embracing the Supreme Feminine, because she is seated on his left thigh. Whereas, in the images drawn on the principles of Shri Vidya Upasana, we can observe that they depict her to be sitting on the couch that is Shiva. One may wonder why there are interpretations that proclaim Shiva embracing the Supreme Feminine Power, rather than the Supreme Feminine Power exerting her force on Shiva.
पञ्जर शुकी
Last but not the least, we pick the phrase from the first Navavarnam set in the ragam Anandha Bhairavi — “पञ्जर शुकी” (Panjara Shuki). Panjara Shuki literally means ‘caged parrot’.
The first chakra (and in extension the first Aavarna) of Navavarana symbolises that the feminine energy is caged like a parrot at the bottom of the spinal cord, and completing the Navavarna worship would liberate it. This meaning is probably in line with portraying her smaller than she should be, as in the above popular interpretations.
However, even here the phrase gets popularly translated to “the parrot residing in the cage that is the sound of Om” (no reference of Om in the original Sanskrit verse).
By interpreting her as a lover, a consort than that of a creator, we are literally making her ‘Panjara Shuki’ — a caged parrot. These discussed interpretations of the phrases, as consort of Shiva do not resonate with the core principles of the Sri Vidhya Upasana. The cage maybe made of gold, and extremely pure, but it is still a cage trying to bound the Supreme Feminine.
Happy Women’s Day!
Written by
Venkat and Vid :)
