Sri:
Dear BhakthAs of ThiruviNNagrappan :
Dhenuka is the 9th Mela Raagam belonging to the Netra chakram . It has the
swarams of Shadjam , Suddha Rishabham , SaadhAraNa GhAndhaaram , Suddha
Madyamam , Panchamam , Suddha Dhaivatam and Kaakali NishAdham . In Sri
Venkatamahis system , Dhenuka is known as Dhuni Bhinna shadjam . Its janya
Raagams are: Udhaya Ravichandrika , Mohana Naatta and Vasantha ThOdi .
There are few kritis composed in Denuka Raagam : Teliya leru Raamaa by Saint
ThyagarAja , KaruNaikkadalE by Sri KoteeSwara Iyer and Raavayyaa Raamayyaa by
Dr. Balamurali KrishNaa .
Who is Dhenukan?
Sow Padmas Dhenuka Kriti deals with an incident that occurred during
KrishnAvatAram(Srimad NaarayaNeeyam: 53rd Dasakam): DenukAsura Vadham . An
asuran with the name of Denuka hid among the cattle grazed by KrishNa and His
elder brother BalarAman . The asurans intention was to kill both the brothers as
commanded by Kamsan. KrishNa detected the asuran and requested BalarAman to
kill him . BalarAman threw Denukan taking the form of an ass at a Palmyra tree and
killed him while KaNNan threw the servants of Denuka taking the form of foxes
against other palmyra trees and destroyed them. Lot of Palmyra fruits ( Panam
Pazhams) rained down from those sporting exercises. KaNNan, BalarAman and their
friends assembled all those delectable Panam Pazhams and distributed them to the
citizens of BrundhAvanam at the end of the days sanchAram in BrundhAvanaM. This
leelai took place , when Lord KrishNa shed His Baalyam stage of His avatAram (up to
6 Years) and reached the PougaNDa Vayas (form 6 to 10 years of life). During the
Baalyam stage, Baala KrishNan herded the calves and after he crossed in to the
PougaNDa stage , he shifted his duties to take care of the cows . It is during this
PougaNDa stage, the DenukAsura Vadham took place in the forest known as Denuka
Vanam.
Dhenukaa is also the name of one of the seven sacred rivers in Saaka dhweepam .
The other six are: SukumAri, KumAri, NaLini, Ikshu, VeNukaa and Gabhasti.
Sow. Padma Veeraraghavans Denuka Kriti has three kinds of Mudhrais: Dhaiva
Naama mudhrai (MaNiyappaa) ; Sthala Mudhrai (ThiruviNnagarAnE) and the Raaga
Mudhrai (DhEnuka). The saahityam for this kruti is:
Pallavi:
ANDavanE Unnai VENDiNEn
teeNdidum pala vinaikaL Oynthu naan uyntiDa