‘Kaasyaantu maranaan muktih’ (salvation from death is obtained at Kasi), says scriptures. Sri Chidambaranatha Yogi, preceptor of Muthuswami Dikshitar, attained samadhi at Varanasi (Kasi). It is said that Dikshitar stayed here for eight years offering worship at the jeeva samadhi of his guru. His stay in Kasi gave Dikshitar the opportunity to absorb the holy city’s musical atmosphere, the Dhrupad technique, the songs of Sri Tulsi Ramayana, and those of others such as Surdas and Meera.
The impact can be found in Dikshitar’s compositions, including ‘Jambupate’ (Yamunakalyani, one of the Panchalinga kritis), and in ‘Gange mam pahi’ (Jhinjuti). It is also said that Dikshitar received the divine Veena from Devi Sarasvati near Hanuman Ghat in Varanasi. He reveals his Deeksha name as ‘Sri Chidananda Naathoham iti’ in his kriti, ‘Sri Nathaadi Guruguho Jayati,’ said to be his first composition. It was Sri Chidambaranatha Yogi, who gave the composer his name after initiating him into Sri Vidya Upasana, while at Kasi. Regarding this episode, Dr. V. Raghavan records in his Sanskrit Mahakavya on Sri Muttuswami Dikshitar (chapter 8) thus: “dadau yathaavad vara saaktadeekshaam saakam Chidaananda rahasyanaamnaa.”
The Kasi connection of Dikshitar remains alive at Sri Chakra Lingesvarar shrine, not one of the popular pilgrim spots. This writer’s interest was aroused when Krishnamurti Ghanapadigal, an eminent vidwan from Swamimalai settled in Kasi, close to Harischandra Ghat, spoke about the shrine. “The lanes are a maze. You’ll get lost. Take someone with you,” he advised. And so accompanied by Vasudeva Sastrigal, I set out.
Muthuswami Dikshitar, carnatic, music, music teacher
It was an emotional moment to offer homage at the jeeva samadhi of Chidambaranatha Yogi, where Dikshitar had performed Sri Vidya worship for several years, and listen to enlightening information from A. Kedar, an austere young priest. He conducts the daily Sri Vidya puja krama for the Linga. He said that the information on this memorial was first revealed in 1933-34 by none other than Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam.
Kedar’s ancestors are from down South and have lived in Kasi for the past 80 years; they have been in charge of the Sri Vidya worship conducted here as per vaidika rituals. According to Kedar, documentary evidences on this memorial and Dikshitar’s stay here for eight years, are available at the Kanchi Math. He further explained that this Linga known as Sri Chakra Lingesvara was in a sanctum sanctorum long ago, managed by a Maharashtrian couple during the time of Kedar’s ancestors. His father, Sri Arunachala Sastrigal (who recently passed away at the age of 91), improved the sanctum sanctorum without touching any of its original details. The family of Kedar lives in a small space in the same building, dedicating themselves totally to Sri Chakra Lingesvara.
Unique features
The unique features of the Linga include the Sri Vidya Chakra embedded on its top; the upper part of the Avudayar is covered with a silver kavacha, which is removed during daily ablutions. Special pujas are held during Navaratri and Sivaratri. The upper part of the Avudayar faces east due to the presence of the chakra.
Sri Chakralingeswarar
The sanctum sanctorum is a circular structure, allowing devotees to go around it and there are two entrances. The small hall adjoining the Garbhagriha has an exquisite bronze Ardhanareesvara, placed in a separate enclosure in the wall.
Kedar receives support from well-wishers in the country and abroad for the upkeep of the temple and the conduct of the puja. Not all of them know about the Dikshitar connection. More musicians come from Andhra Pradesh than Tamil Nadu. I was reminded of the Malladi brothers, who had expressed a wish to conduct an aradhana during Muthuswami Dikshitar Jayanti. What could be more fitting than singing Dikshitar’s songs composed in Sanskrit at the shrine of his Guru, who initiated him into the spritual realm?
