"Bhavani (Bhavanyastakam)"
Sanskrit Ancient Text
Music written by: Sankaran Mahadevan
Na Taato na Maataa Na Bandhur na Daataa
Na putro na putree na bhrutyo na Bhartaa
Na jaayaa na Vidyaa na Vrittir mamaiva
Gatistvam gatistvam gatistvam tvamekaa Bhavaani
Gatistvam gatistvam gatistvam tvamekaa Bhavaani
Na jaanaami punyam na jaanaami teertham
Na jaanaami muktim layam vaa kadaachit
Na jaanaami bhaktim vratam vaapi maataha
Gatistvam gatistvam gatistvam tvamekaa Bhavaani
Gatistvam gatistvam gatistvam tvamekaa Bhavaani
Vivaade vishaade pramaade pravaase
Jale chaanale parvate shatrumadhye
Aranye sharanye sadaa maam prapaahi
Gatistvam gatistvam gatistvam tvamekaa Bhavaani
Gatistvam gatistvam gatistvam tvamekaa Bhavaani
Anaatho daridro jaraa roga yukto
Mahaa Ksheena deenah sadaa jaadya vaktraha
Vipattau pravishtaha pranashthah sadaaham
Gatistvam gatistvam gatistvam tvamekaa Bhavaani
Gatistvam gatistvam gatistvam tvamekaa Bhavaani
Gatistvam gatistvam gatistvam tvamekaa Bhavaani
O Mother Divine! Father, mother, husband, wife, children and friends
none of these are eternally mine.
Knowledge, intellect, mind and will power are not eternal,
Oh Mother of the Universe—You are my and eternal refuge.
I do not know how to act righteously or find your abode
I do not know how to schieve freedom by dissolving my ego
I am devoid of devotion and surrender
I am not strong enough to make any vow
O Mother of the Universe—You are my eternal refuge
O compassionate Mother, protect me wherever I am
And whomever I am with
In pleasure and distress
O Mother of the Universe---You are my eternal refuge
O Mother, I feel like an orphan on this Earth
Powerless and without Inner wealth
Deluded by ignorance and unable to see the light of truth
O Mother of the Universe—you are my eternal refuge
Bhavni is a ferocious aspect of Hindu goddess Shakti or Devi. Bhavani means "giver of life", the power of nature or the source of creative energy. In addition to her ferocious aspect, she is also known as Karunaswaroopini, "filled with mercy".
Bhavani was a track that came together through my collaboration with Kirby Shelstad. Kirby and I go way back and we'd actually recorded the "Hymn To Tara" in 1998 and that was the first track that started me on the path to making this collection of songs. In Nashville there's a huge Ghanesha Temple and Kirb and I several years ago took a singing class from a master of Indian classical music,
Dr. Sankaran Mahadevan.
I was interested in learning to sing in Hindi and also to familiarize myself with singing in a raga style. Well it proved to be more than I could really take on fully at the time and I only got to a few classes before my schedule and life just crunched in on me too much to continue. But when it came time to find a song from the Hindu tradition I naturally contacted Mahadevan and asked him to help me find a piece of music that would work with my voice that I could sing in Sanskrit. I brought him an ancient text in Sanskrit and he wrote this beautiful melody to it.
Kirby and I recorded the track in Kirby's studio, mostly Kirby playing all the instruments. Eventually I added some touches of piano and acoustic guitar. Also, an amazing tabla player was in town and Kirby got him to come over and play on it as well. The middle 8 section was fun to record. I just kept layering my vocals on top of eachother. It's sort of like "sound sculpture"! It's not exactly a Hindi tradition to put that in the middle of a piece of music, but that was what I was inspired to do. With each of these songs I have tried to be very respectful of each tradition while also contributing something of myself as an artist into the mix.
Here's some background on Dr. Mahadevan.
Sankaran Mahadevan is an Indian classical vocalist in the Carnatic (South Indian) music tradition. He received his training from Professor T. R. Subramanyam, Mrs. Jayalakshmi Santhanam, and others. Dr. Mahadevan has given concerts and lecture-demonstrations on Carnatic music in the United States and India. He teaches vocal music at Kala Nivedanam. His senior students have performed at various venues, most notably with the Nashville Chamber Orchestra at the famed Ryman Auditorium in a special concert of spiritual music.
Dr. Mahadevan has composed numerous songs for concert settings, for the Bharatanatyam repertoire, and for devotional singing. He has also pioneered an attractive multi-media presentation style for Carnatic music performances, to help the audience absorb the meanings of the lyrics and other information along with the music. He is the vocalist for the arangetrams of Kala Nivedanam dance students. In addition, Dr. Mahadevan has produced two cassettes of devotional music for the Sri Ganesha Temple in Nashville. Dr. Mahadevan is also a professor of Civil Engineering at Vanderbilt University.
He is married to Monica Cooley, a respected performer and teacher of Bharatanatyam, the beautiful and intricate classical dance form of southern India. An American born in Singapore and raised in Indonesia, Ms. Cooley learned Indonesian dance forms as a child, as well as Western classical ballet, before being introduced to Bharatanatyam in 1979 in the southern Indian city of Madurai.
Produced by Kirby Shelstad and Beth Nielsen Chapman
Recorded by Kirby Shelstad & BNC
Mixed by Trina Shoemaker at East Iris Studio.
Vocals: BNC, Mahadevan
Keyboards: BNC
Percussion/Drums/Slideguitar:Kirby Shelstad
Tabla: Vishal Nagar
Alto Flue and Bass Flute: John Ragusa
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