Born on 7th April 1920 in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India into an orthodox, well-off Brahmin family, Rabindra Shankar Chowdery's father, ShyÆm Shankar, was employed as a diwan (minister) by the Maharajah of Jhalawar. By the age of 13, Ravi Shankar was going along on every tour of his brother Uday Shankar's Compagnie de Danse et Musique Hindoue (Company of Hindu Dance and Music). At the All-Bengali Music Conference in December 1934, he met the multi-instrumentalist Allauddin Khan. Precisely when Allauddin Khan was born is uncertain. People hazard dates in the 1860s around 1862, but in later years he himself gave his age haphazardly. He would transform many musicians' lives, but he had an incalculable effect on Ali Akbar (his son), Annapurna Devi (his daughter), and Shankar himself. Allauddin Khan joined Uday's troupe as its principal soloist around 1935-1936.
In 1938, Shankar gave up a potential career as a dancer and went to study with Allauddin Khan in Maihar. In 1939, he began giving public recitals and came out of training at the end of 1944. Until 1948, he based himself in Bombay and gave programs all over India. He toured and wrote for films and ballet. Around this time he began his recording career with a small session for HMV (India). Work for All India Radio followed; as music director from February 1949 to January 1956 in New Delhi. Concurrently, his international star was on the rise. In 1954, he performed in the Soviet Union. In 1956, he played his debut solo concerts in Western Europe and the U.S. Within a decade he would be the most famous Indian musician on the planet. Within two decades he would become probably the most famous Indian alive. His English-language autobiography, My Music, My Life (1969), is still one of the best general introductions to Hindustani music.
Shankar is not one-dimensional. Apart from pursuing a career as a classical performer, he has also experimented outside this field. For this reason he has attracted criticism from purists. Some of this, especially during the Beatles era, undoubtedly had an element of jealousy to it; some was certainly warranted, because Shankar did take many chances. In fact, that was one of the things that kept his music exciting. To use a cricketing image - baseball would be wholly inappropriate - Shankar's batting average has remained high throughout a long and illustrious career.
He is the father of both Grammy award winning singer Norah Jones, and Anoushka Shankar, also a noted sitarist.
On 6 December 2012, Shankar was admitted to Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, San Diego, California after complaining of breathing difficulties. He died on 11 December 2012 at around 16:30 PST, at a hospital near his home in Encinitas, California. The Ravi Shankar Foundation issued a statement that read Shankar had suffered from upper-respiratory and heart issues over the past year and underwent heart-valve replacement surgery on 6 December 2012.
Vandanaa Trayee
Ravi Shankar Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gorbi Surya sama prabha.
Nirvighnam Kuru Me Deva
Sarvakaar yeshu Sarvadaa
Yaa Kunden dütushaara haara dhavalaa
Yaa Shubhrava straavrtaa.
Yaa Veena avaradanda mandita karaa
OM...
Gururbrahmaa Gururvisnuh
Gururdevo Mahesvarah.
Gurussaakshaat Param Brahma.
Tasmai Shri Gurave Namah. OM
The lyrics of Ravi Shankar's instrumental piece "Vandanaa Trayee" are a blend of Sanskrit verses that pay homage to Lord Ganesha and a Sanskrit shloka that praises the Guru. The opening lines extol Lord Ganesha, one of the most revered Hindu deities, who is known to be the remover of obstacles. The invocation to him, "Sri Vakratunda Mahaakaaya" means one who has a curved trunk and a massive body. The reference to his immense physical form symbolizes his vast power and wisdom. The lines, "Gorbi Surya sama prabha" compare his brilliance to that of the sun.
The following lines seek the blessings of Lord Ganesha to remove hindrances from one's life. The phrase, "Nirvighnam Kuru Me Deva" means "O Lord, remove obstacles from my path forever." This plea is not only about achieving success in worldly pursuits but also about spiritual growth and progress.
The final lines of the song pay homage to the Guru. The Guru is considered an embodiment of the divine and the most important entity in a seeker's life. The Guru is revered as one who can dispel ignorance, bestow wisdom, and lead one towards the path of enlightenment. The shloka, "Gururbrahmaa Gururvisnuh..." translates to "The Guru is Brahma (the Creator), Vishnu (the Sustainer), and Shiva (the Destroyer). He is the Supreme Brahma. I bow down to the Guru."
Overall, the song "Vandanaa Trayee" serves as a powerful invocation to Lord Ganesha and the Guru, seeking their blessings for spiritual and material progress.
Line by Line Meaning
Sri Vakratunda Mahaakaaya
Salutations to the supreme Lord with the curved trunk and massive body.
Gorbi Surya sama prabha.
Whose splendor is like that of a million suns.
Nirvighnam Kuru Me Deva
Remove all obstacles from my path, oh divine one.
Sarvakaar yeshu Sarvadaa
Grant me success in all my endeavors, always.
Yaa Kunden dütushaara haara dhavalaa
She who is adorned with a garland of snow-white flowers.
Yaa Shubhrava straavrtaa.
Whose pure white robes are like a flowing river.
Yaa Veena avaradanda mandita karaa
Whose hands are adorned with a veena (stringed instrument) and a lotus flower.
Yaa Shveta padma asanaa
Whose seat is the white lotus.
OM...
The primordial sound of the universe.
Gururbrahmaa Gururvisnuh
The teacher (guru) is Lord Brahma, the creator. The teacher is Lord Vishnu, the preserver.
Gururdevo Mahesvarah.
The teacher is Lord Shiva, the destroyer.
Gurussaakshaat Param Brahma.
The teacher is the embodiment of the supreme spirit (Brahman).
Tasmai Shri Gurave Namah. OM
Salutations to that noble guru. OM.
Contributed by Hannah E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@maceracion
Sri Vakratunda Mahaa kaaya
Gorbi Surya sama prabha.
Nirvighnam Kuru Me Deva
Sarvakaar yeshu Sarvadaa
Yaa Kunden dütushaara haara dhavalaa
Yaa Shubhrava straavrtaa.
Yaa Veena avaradanda mandita karaa
Yaa Shveta padma asanaa
OM...
Gururbrahmaa Gururvisnuh
Gururdevo Mahesvarah.
Gurussaakshaat Param Brahma.
Tasmai Shri Gurave Namah. OM
@jimenamelero5782
OM
Sri Vakratunda Mahaakaaya
Gorbi Surya sama prabha
Nirvighnam Kuru Me Deva
Sarvakaar yeshu Sarvadaa
Yaa Kunden dütushaara haara dhavalaa
Yaa Shubhrava straavrtaa
Yaa Veena avaradanda mandita karaa
Yaa Shveta padma asanaa
OM...
Gururbrahmaa Gururvisnuh
Gururdevo Mahesvarah.
Gurussaakshaat Param Brahma
Tasmai Shri Gurave Namah
OM
May that Goddess - Bhagavati - the blessed Saraswati presiding deity of learning and remover of our lethargy, laziness and ignorance, kindly protect us.
She is pure and white like the Jasnmine, the full moon and the garland-like formation of dewdrops.
She is dresed in a spotless robe.
She has in her hand the auspicious instrument Vina.
She is seated on a white lotus.
She is the one who is always respected by Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver, Shankara the Annihilator and other Gods.
The Guru is none other than the creator, Lord Brahma; he verily is Lord Vishnu, the preserver, and he truly is Mahesvara, the destroyer.
He is the supreme Brahman himself.
To such a Guru I offer my salutations.
@jimenamelero5782
OM
Sri Vakratunda Mahaakaaya
Gorbi Surya sama prabha
Nirvighnam Kuru Me Deva
Sarvakaar yeshu Sarvadaa
Yaa Kunden dütushaara haara dhavalaa
Yaa Shubhrava straavrtaa
Yaa Veena avaradanda mandita karaa
Yaa Shveta padma asanaa
OM...
Gururbrahmaa Gururvisnuh
Gururdevo Mahesvarah.
Gurussaakshaat Param Brahma
Tasmai Shri Gurave Namah
OM
May that Goddess - Bhagavati - the blessed Saraswati presiding deity of learning and remover of our lethargy, laziness and ignorance, kindly protect us.
She is pure and white like the Jasnmine, the full moon and the garland-like formation of dewdrops.
She is dresed in a spotless robe.
She has in her hand the auspicious instrument Vina.
She is seated on a white lotus.
She is the one who is always respected by Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver, Shankara the Annihilator and other Gods.
The Guru is none other than the creator, Lord Brahma; he verily is Lord Vishnu, the preserver, and he truly is Mahesvara, the destroyer.
He is the supreme Brahman himself.
To such a Guru I offer my salutations.
@chaitanyakrishna4264
Radio Nepal used to play this every morning, and this used to be the first thing I listen as I wake up, or let's say this used to wake me up. Now listening to this, all my childhood flashes are coming with loads of emotion, how beautiful this music is, how blessed we are for having someone like ravi shankar ji.. hare krishna!! May he bless me from golok!
@bimalkarki6331
Yes yes yes
@nachomorales9478
.
@shivtattvayogschool1880
Yes sir 😅
@Prayutsu_pokharel
Oh George Harrison, Oh Ravi Shankar, may you attain vaikuntha! what a masterpiece the album is!
@poojajamwal1111
This is great. It ranked no 11th on billboard in Sept 2020 wow. World should listen to it
@elsitar6060
It's a masterpiece
@mattwestwood9730
I just discovered this album and have a feeling I have found something very, very special.
@debopamsinha4966
Yes certainly you have and do some research on pandit Ravishankar. I'm more than sure that you'll love it . cheers!
@FireWithinCosmosaicSEA
🙏🏼 thank you for being here