Sampradaya Bhajan or Dakhshina Bharatha Sampradaya Bhajan is the tradition of Bhajans (singing songs in praise of God and his divine love and simplicity) in India, particularly in South India. Dakshina" means "south" in Sanskrit and "Bharat" means "India". "Sampradaya" means a tradition which is handed down by one's ancestors.
It is the collection of Kirtanas (songs) and Namavalis (songs composed of names of Hindu gods like Lord Rama, Lord Krishna etc.) in a specific order. # ], ], Sri Pudukottai Gopala Krishna Bhagavathar were instrumental in identifying the Kirtanas and Namavalis that are to be sung in any Bhajan and their evolution.
The trinity of gurus as far as Bhajans are considered as Bodhendra Swamigal, Sridhara Ayyaval and Marudhanallur Sadguru Swamigal. The sampradaya bhajana paddhati has mainly evolved due to the tradition and efforts of Marudhanallur Sadguru Swamigal.
The bhajans are typically rendered in the following order:
- Dhyana Slokam
- Sangraha Thodaya Mangalam (Thotakam - Beginning with a praise, Mangalam - End)Thodaya Mangalam is different from Thotaka Ashtakam of ADI SANKARA
- Guru Dhyanam
- Guru Abhangs
- Sadhu Keertanas (hymns on Sadhus and sants. It can be abhangs also)
- Jayadeva Ashtapadi (Geeta Govindam)
- Narayana Teertha Krishna leela Tharangini
Panchapati (Five songs in Telugu (Bhadrachala Ramadas), Kannada (Sri Purandara dasa), Sanskrit (Sri Sadasiva Brahmendral), Tamil (Sri Gopalakrishna Bharathi) and compositions of Sri Tyagaraja
- Badrachala Bhakta Ramdas
- Purandara Dasa
- Sadasiva Brahmendra
- Thyagaraja
- Goplakrishna Bharathi
And if time permits, one can sing the North Indian Bhajan Compositions of
- Kabir Das
- Meera Bai
- Tulsidas or Surdas
- Marathi Abhangs on Lord Panduranga
The comes the turn of Dyana keertanais (hymns on Gods, stuti, Abhangs or Guru Keertanai). In the Dyana Keertana, it starts from Lord Ganesha Saraswati Muruga (Karthikeyan) Shiv Durga Narasimhan Ram Krishna Venkateshwar Vittal Ranganathan Dashavatara stuti Vittal (Marathi Abhangs on Lord Panduranga) Lakshmi Sita / Radha Hanuman Garuda Aiyappan Chandeeshwaran Nandikeshwaran Chaitanya deva (Gauranga) Guru Keertana
Then comes Pooja Sampradaya Kritis
- Baro murare (welcome)
- Sharanagata vatsala (request)
- Kastoori gana.. (pooja)
- Chita juni... (aarati)
- Shobane
- Jay Jay aarati...
- kanjadalakshiki..
- Prartana Abhang
- Rajadi rajaya.. (pushpanjali)
- Kattiya vachanam (verses from variety of books)
- Chatur veda parayan
- Kshetra mahatmiyam (verses on importance of tirta kshetras)
- Upacharamu.. (upachara sankeertan)
- Vinnappa gadyam (praying to God - shlokas)
- Sri Krishna Govinda hare murare.. (naamaavali)
Pooja ends here and Divya namam starts. (deepa pradakshinam - With lighted lamp in the middle considering the lamp as God, bhagavatas will do sankeertan by doing pradakshinas). This equals going around the earth.
Then comes dolotsavam (making God sleep).
- Anjaneya Keertanai
- Mangalam
The Thotaka Ashtakam was composed by Thotakachariyar. It is sung in praise of Sri Adi Sankara of Kaladi. Legend says that Thotakachariya (or Thotakar) was a devotee of Aadi Sankara. Do not confuse this Thodaya Mangalam of Bhagavathas with the Thotaka Ashtakam of Thotakachariyar.
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