devi brova samayamide-தேவி ப்ரோவ சமயமிதே-దేవి బ్రోవ సమయమిదే

దేవి బ్రోవ సమయమిదే

Syama Sastry 

    Syama sastry was born in 1762 to Visvanatha Iyer and Vengalkshmi.He was proficient in both Sanskrit and Telugu.He had initial music training from his cousins, later hd came under the tutelage of a great Sanyasi from Berares, Sangitha Swami and then Pachmirivam Adiyappayya.

    Syama Sastry composed most of his songs in Telugu and mostly in praise of Goaddess Parvathi or Ambal.However some of the compositions were in Tamil as well as inSanskrit and also on of the compositions in praise of Lord Karthikeya, son of Goddess Parvathi.Syama sastry and Muthusamy Dikshitar and Sri Thiagaraja, all lived in Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu.

    Syama sastri always sought the blessing of of the Goddess when he was in difficult circumstances. According to one story, Kesavayya, a great musician, was visiting Thanjavur and the King asked Syama Sastri to have a completion with him on music. Before doing so, Syama Sastri went to the temple and prayed to Goddess Parvathi and the composition “Devi brova samayamide””Oh Goddess Parvathi, this is the time for you to help me and protect me.” He later went to the auditorium and won the completion.Similarly, during his visit to Madurai, Syama Sastri composed the famous “Navaratna Malika” or nine kritis in praise of Goddess Meenakshi. Symma Sastri’s greatest contibutipm was the swarajathi.He converted these from their dance form to the musical for that we now of.Somoe of the swarajathis include:”Devi brova Samayamidhi,"  

     Muthusamy dikshithar and Syama sastry were good friends. They often met and spent hours together singing. Syama sastri has deep regard for Thyagaraja.There is no record to show that he met Thiagaraja.His style is neither simple as that of Thyagaraja nor difficult as that of Muthusamy dikshithar. He signed his songs as Syamakrisna. He died on February 6, 1827, at the age of 65

  Syama sastry is considered as one of the Trinity of Carnatic Music

pallavi

devI brova samayamide ativegame vacci

nA vetalu dIrci karuNi~ncave  shaN^kari kAmAkShi

தேவி ப்ரோவ சமயமிதே அடிவேகமே வச்சி

நா வெடலு தீர்ச்சி கருநிம்பவே சங்கரி-காமாக்ஷி (தேவி)

charanam

1.lokajanani nApai dayaledA mAyammA

nI dAsuDu gadA shrI ka~ncivihAriNi kalyANi

ekAmreshvaruni priyabhAmayaiyunna nI-

kemammA ento bhAramA vinumA nA talli

லோகஜனனி நாபை தயலேதா (மாயம்மா)

நி தாசுடு காதா ஸ்ரீ காஞ்சி விஹாரிணி  கல்யாணி

ஏகாம்ப்ரேஸ்வருணி ப்ரியபாமையை யுன்னணி

கேமம்மா எந்தோ பாரமா வினுமா நா தல்லி (தேவி)

2.repu mApani ceppite ne vinanu devI ika-

tA"danu nenu I proddu dayaceyave k.rpajUDave

nI padAmbujamule madilo sadA ye~nci nI-

prApu koriyunnAnammA mudamuto mA talli

Note:This saranam is not sung

3.shyAmak.rShNuni sodari kaumAri shaN^kari

bi.mbAdhari gauri himachala je lalithe paradevate

kAmakShi ninnuvinA bhUmilo premato

kApADe varevarunnArammA nA talli

ஷ்யாமக்ரிஷ்ணுனி சோதரி கௌமாரி (சங்கரி)

பிம்பாதரி கௌரி ஹேமா பாங்கில பரதேவதே

காமாக்ஷி நின்னுவினா பூமிலோ பிரேமதோ

காபாடே வரேவருன்னாரம்மா நா தல்லி (தேவி

   

Old house at Thiruvarur

Meaning of the song

   Oh Sankari,Oh Kamakshi the cosort of Siva,this is the most opportune time to come expeditiosly to protect me.

  You are the Mother of the universe.Don't you pity me? Am I not your humble servant? You grace yourself at Kanchipuram auspiciously.You are the beloved conso Oh Devi,if you go on postponing showing mercy, I won't hear you.I can't be patient anymore.Please come today itself to shower your mercy.I incessantly keep your lotus feet in my mind.I requested for your support only. Please protect me cheerfully

  You are the young sister of Syamakrishna.You are the consort of Sankara. You are Gouri with red lips like 'bimba'fruits.You are the daughter of Himavanta. You are Lalita the Supreme Goddess.Oh my Mother Kamakshi,who else is there for me on this earth to protect me?