BanturiitikOluviyavaiya...R-HamsanAdam-ThA-desAdi.

     This ThyAgarAja kruthi is avery simple but wonderful kruthi; what a devotee can pray to Sri RAma, to grant for him! SwAmigal wants to serve RAmA; SwAmigal requests RamA to favour  him with the opportunity to serve him in the capacity of a true servant.
     P.Bantu riiti kOluviyavaiya RAma!.................................................................(ban)
         "RAma!, pray, vouchsafe to me that I may serve you as a true servant."
  A.P.Tunta vintivAni modalaina madA-
          dula gotti nEla gula jeyu nija ......................................................................(ban)
          "A person who has completely subjugated lust, arrogance, haughtiness and other evil qualities" alone is the worthy candidate, to fit in as a true servant. In other words, SwAmigal submits, he has, subjugated the 6 evil qualities, headed by pride.
  Ch. ROmAncha manu ghana kanchukamu
         RAmabaktudanu mudhra billayu
         RAmanAmamunu varakhadga mivi
         RAjillu naiya tyAgarAjuni kE.......................................................................(ban)
         To such a servant the following are the insignia:-                                                                  
Horripulated hair is his armour; the appellation, RAmabakta, is the metal badge of his livery; RAmanamam is his sword.  

The literature on Bakti is oceanic in depth.

     We have with us plenty of devotional treatises, in the form of purANas, epics, bhAgavatam.
The ShaNmatas were established by Adishankara, shaivam, vaishNavam, gANApatyam, Kaumaram, ShAktam, and Souram, (worship of the Sun god).
     All these have their own vast voluminous treatises, worthy of being taken up and studied for our prosperity, happiness and spiritual evolution. We should always remember that the fountain head of any branch of worship in our country is only one, that being the 4 Vedas which are ever eternal. Vedas the very breath of the Supreme Being, the only One without a second. We must have faith in our great seers, have to understand their teachings which are the primary musts to reap the authentic benefit of such faith. That is the only way for our progress and well-being. For the benefit of all of us
I must not fail to explain that by benefit and progress, over and above meals, residence, good education, decent income, an awareness of our binding with other living beings, society,health of all nature around us. While taking care of ourselves, our family, our attention should be expanded to take care of all that contribute to our health and well being.
     Minimum of adoration forms, we all are familiar with ,is the adorations inthe form of sthothrams and the same forming the 108 names' string called nAmAvaLis.The names of the deities in the form in sthothras are formated as  nAmAvaLi for archana, by adding dative case and linked with namaha.
In other words the names that appear in the sthothra are themselves formated for archana.This sthothram PART CAN BE DAILY REPEATED AS PRAYER in  the morning in 10 to 15 minutes.
Once we learn the sthothra by heart, daily that can be offered as prayer and puja. This learning by heart and offering prayer with dedication willl be a very good start for children to develop faith and discipline. I have seen children very easily picking up interest and faith with additional benefit of discipline.
     I would like to quote from the life of revered Swami ChinmayAnanda who conducted 500 Gnana yagnas in India before the end of his life. Swamiji had conducted few hundreds more abroad. Study groups formed Balavihar classes for children. Stories from RamayaNa and MahAbarata were told and simple bajans sung. I remember many lectures I had attended in Swamiji's gnAna ygna. When I was studying in 5th standard in "Sharada vidyAlaya branch-Secondry grade training school", Swamiji came to our class and seated himself upright on the table and and gave a lecture and asked questions. It was in the year 1945.
     For the benefit of the parents I am quoting the words of revered swamiji;- "Children are lamps to be lit, not vessels to be filled. This is where real nation building work begins......The youth are not  
useless. They are only used less." Realising the importance of value based education in early life, Swamiji encouraged the growth of Chinmaya VidyAlayas.(Schools).    
     There were "Sixty three NAyanmars-devotees of Shiva and twelve Azvars, devotees of Lord Vishnu. All these saints have out poured their single minded devotion, with love for their deities. They all composed devotional poems, charged with pure unalloyed devotion. Their love for humanity at large, knows no bound.All These adorations are held on the divine altar, like the epics and purANas. Our land can claim even today devotees of these devotees; these devotees are called dAsa-dasas and they offer all those phylosophical compositions as prayer in their daily worship.The above cited devotees lived a simple life and they spent their life totally in God thought only. Their compositions run in 1,000-s.Unless we go through those compositions,  we cannot understand the science of bakti, love for God.Studying the life of saints, their devotional compositions is capable of guiding us in that path tread by them. We are to choose to enlighten our thought, word, deed and life itself under their universal love. We are sure to be blessed by those saints, and there after we are to experience happiness and progress. We have to align our children's thought, word, deed and life along the same line. We must educate ourselves to decide with confidence, that, that guidance if imparted will be the best perennial wealth, we can leave for their secure future and well being.   *

Endaro mahAnubAvulu- 'Sri' Ragam. 'Adi' ThAlam.

     This kirthanam is the 5th of the Pancha rathna kirthanas by Sri ThyAgaraja SwAmigaL of ThiruvayAru kshetram. Pancha means 5, rathnam means gem and kirthanam is a special tecnical term, specific in the field of carnAtaKA SANGEETHAM. A group of 5 kirthanas-(kirthanangal) composed by Sri ThyAgaraja Swamigal in telugu language.Anything selected as best in any group of beings or compositions is equated to rathnam-gem  in literature. Seetha Devi our treasure, in the Epic RMAYANA  is known as "Sthree Rathnam"-Gem among glorious women. The same way, the pancharathna kirthanas-5 gems of kirthanas are classic by their literary, musical, devotional, rhythmic, spiritual glories and depth in the respective fields.These kirthanas with the kirthanam "Sri GaNapathini   
sevimparE...", are sung  in the annual worship of (ThyAgarAja ArAdana-in the month of January)
the saint singer. Actually the Aradana is offered to the saint singer, with his heart's Deity, the Epic hero Sri Rama.The Two, the Deity Sri Rama and His devotee Sri ThyAgaraja swamigaql are inseparable.* Many great musicians, Vasaantha kumari-MLV, M.S Subbalakshmi ,Ariyaakudi Ramanuja Iyangar, Chembai Vaidyanatha BAgavathar,and many Devotee -musicians have enjoyed
singing devotional Kruthis/kirthanams among large passionate listners, well flourishing all over the world. Invariably all musicians will not miss singing one of these pancharathnam kruthis which alone will give sense of 'poorNathvam' for the musician as well as the audience.These kruthis, all purely devotional,, elevate  the devotee- singer and the sincere dedicated audience alike, to an inner plane beyond the intellect and the five senses. One should experience that, all by themselves. One need not know the meaning even, not necessary that one knows the language, but must have devotion in heart and a heart to listen to classical sangeetham. A famous duo in carnatic music of current time slot, who had learnt sangeetham right from their very young age, are dedicated to the the art of sangeetham, very beatifully answered in one question session;" that sangeetham to reach common mass, need not be diluted and that it is capable of touching the soul of a dedicated listner."
     This keerthanam is great by its sAhityam, the lyric.  The depth of the spirit of devotion, with which it is drenched by the composer, the saint singer, ThyAgaraja Swamigal, is unique, beyond measure. Over and above that, the platform to which the listner is elevated in his inner self, is to be experienced, once one chooses to dwell in  the thought force in the saint-singer's devotion.The benefit that accrues is eternal, with added fortune of expanding further horizons.
      By the grace of SrirAmA and the grace of His leading Devotee, Sri Thyagaraja SwamigaL, we will try to understand the thought force which endears this Krithy for listners one and all eqally.
      Sri.V.Raghavan,a scholar-devotee has poured his mature knowledge-based experience, in his introductory thesis in the book, 'The spiritual heritage of ThyAgarAjA'. This book is the *blossom put forth, by the dedicated, monumental efforts of a group of scholar devotees. I have quoted the meaning given in this book, for the benefit of the readers of this blog.

P.-Pallavi, A.P.-Anupallavi, Ch-Charanam, numerical order as in the original text.*
      P.Endaro mahAnubAvu-landariki vandanamu...........................................(En)
     "Great souls are many, in other words innumerable.My salutations to them all."
A.P.Chandra vadanuni yanda chandamunu hrudayAra-
        vindamuna jUchi BrahmAnandamanubavinchu vA.................................(ren)
    " Many great souls, see in the lotus of their hearts, the Lord of moon-face, exquisite beauty and proportion,and enjoy bliss. ('My salutations to them all' follows  A.P., and each charaNam. There are 10 charaNams.)*
 ch1.SAmagAnalola manasijalAvaNya
        danyamoordanyu..........................................                                            (len)
    "Many are those who are foremost among the blessed ones, who have had the realisation of the Lord of supreme beauty, who delights in SAman music". 
(SAma is the 3rd of the 4 vedas:-1.Rik.2.Yajus,3.SAma.4.Atharva. Sama veda alone is to be sung, based on 3 swaras out of the 7 swaras, while the other 3 vedas are to be chanted as taught by the guru during Gurukula-vAsam(studentship).
     Coming back to the stream of charaNam 1, SamagAna lola is a favourite epithet by which Sri ThyAgaraja SwAmigal refers to SriramamA,in many Kruthies. Srirama enjoys sangeethan and he enjoys musical chant of Samaveda-hymns. Here Thyagaraja selects foremost among the blessed souls, who had realised the Lord of supreme beauty; in addition swAmigal had thoroughly understood his heart's deity to the core; he has in his finger tips crores of details, through his study of Vedas, PurANAs, epics, and devotee predecessors. His single pointed devotion had accumulated wealth of guNas of SriRama, which array themselves to be called upon.Incidentally for a fortunate soul who is vigilant, the reward is like the fruit tree, showering it's fruits on a fortunate passer by. As a devotee of ThyAgarAja, when one starts studying swamigal's kruthis, one is educated,  enlightened, and as well gains, the grace of RamA, and gets elevated.*

  Ch.2.MAnasa vanachara vara sanchAramu salipi
           mUrthybAguga bodaganE vA.......................................                                 (ren)                      
   Many are those who have the blessedness of an unerring Darshana of the glorious swarUpam of the Lord, after seeking and finding Him in the deep forest of their mind.                                                        In this charanam SwAmigaL explains that many Devotees who had knowledge and dedicated practise in meditation had after long periods of strugle, were able to succeed in 100% concentration   of the mind and had Darshan of the Lord Sri RAmA. Our mind is compared to the monkey in the forest that wanders. When this jumping mind (from thought to thought) is brought to rest, with bakthi and dedication, one can have Darshan of Lord Rama.Those souls who have realised RamA, through meditation, for years longing for Darsan are blessed souls.That way SwAmigal takes pleasure in offering his salutations to those foremost among the blessed souls. Here I cannot miss to draw the reader's attention to the word 'mAnasa vanachara vara'. Vanachara, means that which wanders in the jungle, a monkey. But the monkey refered to here is 'mAnasa vanachara', the super active mind that wanders in deep forest of our thoughts, which cannot be controlled easily.
Then comes the word, vara- meaning the mind that moves among thoughts with the speed of the wind. The movement of the mind at the wind's speed, among thoughts is all the more difficult and our philosophy and psychology have wonderfully studied the mind and our rushis are the best guides for the whole world. When the mind of the devotee dedicatedlythinks only of SriRAma, reducing everything else to Zero-value, Darshan of of Sri RAma dazles brilliantly, and the devotee can never bear to miss it.That, Sri ThyAgarAja SwAmigal experienced. Badrachalam Sri RAmadas had that experience.*
  Ch.3.SaraguNa pAdamulaku swAntamanu
           sarojamunu samarpaNamu jEyuvA...............................................                   (ren)                       Many devotees unreservedly rush to offer the lotus of their mind(Chiththam) at the feet of the Lord.   The source from which all beings are born is the Supreme Being, Sri RAmA and the eterNal abode which is the abode-'veedu'(in thamiz) for every humanbeing and other beings is that Supreme Being only. Some human beings fall in line with devotion even by birth, and some take to the path of devotion some time later in life. If one is not a devotee of RAmA(Krishna, or Ganesa, Lord Subramanya, or Shiva or Devi or even Sun God) right now, he or she is a future Devotee of some or other deity. That is the ' Truth accepted from ancient time to this day'. Whether we accept it or not 'THAT IS THE ETERNAL TRUTH'.
  In the 3rd charaNam, SwAmigaL offers his prostrations to Devotees who are along the path of bakti right from the birth(because of prayers to Lord Sri RamA to grace bakthi to them, in the previous birth/births) Nama deva the saint-who worshipped the deity, worshipped by his father, when the latter went to Kasi kshetram. The mother prepared offering and sent the son to the temple to worship and to offer 'Neivedyam' to the deity. The son offered puja and offering to the deity, as his father used to do. The boy was disturbed when the offering was not eaten by the deity. The boy with deep sincerity,begged the deity to accept and eat the same.When there was no response, the boy, put forth the condition that he will hit his head against the peetam of the deity and kept up his word;since the deity did not eat the offering, the boy hit his head on the peetam. Almighty is called KaruNa Sagar, ocean of mercy. Will He (the Deity) wait to see the boy bleed. He immediately took the boy in His C, He fed the boy and He Himself ate.I am relating the story here, only to the extent relevant  to the charaNam3.'Those devotees who rush to offer the lotus of their mind(chitham)at the feet of the Lord". The concept of 'MAnasa puja' creating a golden alter in the mind for the Lord, one's heart's deity and offering worship is worthier than the outer alter which we keep in our Puja room.Purifying one's mind of anger, jealousy, etc., and drenching it with Love for god, this mind is the best fragrant flower that one can offer at the feet of one's heart's deity.*
  Ch.4.PathithapAvanudanE parAthparuni gurinchi
           paramArthamagu nijamA-
           rgamuthonu bAduchunu sallApamutho
           swaralayAdi rAgamula deliyuvA-.............................................                            (ren)                   "Many are those who sing sincerely in choice language the praise of the Supreme Lord, the redeemer of the fallen, adhering to the true path and with knowledge of Swara, Laya and RAga."
In this 4th charaNam, swAmigaL, educates us about those who praise their heart's deity by singing the Lord's glory in choice language. When a devotee chooses to offer his services to the Lord by singing, to earn the desired grace, he should have the highest knowledge about the sangeethaam,in it's core aspects, Swara, RAga, and laya. Lord SriRAmA is a fertile 'rasika' of deeply rich sangeetham. A dedicated devotee who thirsts to offer best service, to his heart's deity, is to revel in singing the innumerable glories by GuNa and exploits, by grace and instant protection to His forlorn devotees.
Utter sincerity, strengthened with single minded devotion had always been the fountain head of grace, to flood and engulf a helpless suffering being, human or different kind of subhuman beings. A true devotee never thinks of different stratas among all living beings in creation.                                     Each charaNam, of the helps us to understand,how devotees of different class had practised devotion as defined by seers, sages, saints, and saint singers. Even when a child is 7 years old the seed of devotion is to be sown in child's mind, to gain it's deep roots; parents rooted in devotion successfully nourish the development of devotion, in the child. The child is to be educated in the stories, of many great devotees like Prahlada, Druva, Meera,Thamiz saint GnAna Sambandar. Thousands and thousands of pure devotees had loved different deities and had darshan of their heart's deities. Great sages, and the guruparampara have advised parents to nourish devotion in the minds of their children, which empowers the child to have it's own care -taker- strength.*
   Ch.5.HariguNa maNimaya sarmulu gaLamuna
            shobillu bakthakotulilalo
            thelivitho jelimitho garuNagalgi
            JAGAMELLANU SUDHA DRUSHTI CHE BROCHUVA-................      (ren)        
     In this charaNam, SwAmigal wonderfully leads us to the world of devotees who, practising pure devotion, have gained all the laudable unique characteristics of  Lord Hari who had taken the avatharam as RamA, for the annihilation of RAvaNa and the rakshasa clan.
     we will follow the meaning of this charaNam. SwAmigaL explains thus." These devotees have a necklace, with beads of the characteristics of  Lord Hari around their neck. GaLa means neck, and saram  strand of beads.The necklace is made of the gem-like qualities of Lord Hari.This necklace is shining in their necks.As part of service to the Lord these devotees have overflowing love and solicitude for humanity; with divine wisdom and divine love they protect the whole world. Their gaze on humanity with 'Sudha dhrushti', gaze drenched in amrutham, which like Lord Hari protecting the world , protects the whole world. Swamigal offers his salutations to those devotees, referring to them as 'mahAnubAvAs-great souls'. Sudha means nectar,amrutham and dhrushti is vision or in tamil 'pArvai'. Their glance filled with universal love embraces the whole world with unerring protection.*
    Ch.6.Hoyalumeera nadalu galgu sarasuni
             sadA kanula jUchuchunu pulaka sharirulai_
              _yAnanda payOdhi nimagnulai
             madambunanu yashamu galavA- ...........................                             (ren)    
       Many are the glorious ones who feel immersed in transcendental bliss, enthralled by the direct vision of the Lord and His majestic gait.
   Here SwamigaL talks about another kind of devotees who through their deep devotion, and gaining
wonderful darshan of their heart's deity RAmA, enjoy trascendental bliss(otherwise known as BrahmAnandam-eternal bliss). Once they have dharshan of the Lord they live in that bliss for ever.
What these devotees experience is beyond the ken of our knowledge. What they experienced? Lord RAmA in His kingly gait-'gAmbiiryam' and that stays floating in their inner being. Devotion is a      
deep love for one's heart's deity. It is the net of bond woven between the deity and the very soul of the devotee over many thousand births. There are about 13 characteristics well defined by our great seers after research about the jeevAthma and paramAthmA and the ancient bondage between the two.How long, the devotee feels like seeing his deity's form? There is no end to the time limit. The devotee keeps on enjoing the vision. 'sarasuni sadA kanula jUchuchunu', 'always gazing at the Lord's form
that appeared before his inner vision'. The next characteristic of bakti referred to here is 'pulakashariirulai', with horripulation  all over the body, 'hairs standing on their ends' is a reaction in the body of the devotee, at the very thought of his  deity. NArada the divine sage who moves about on some or other divine mission, has composed a tratise on 'Bakthi' called 'NArada bhakthi suthram'.
In about 68 suthraas The characteristics of bakthi which educates us deeply about bakthi, the blessings that it awards for a devotee. NAradA is adored by Sri ThyAgarAja SwAmigal.  
    These great devotees are saluted in the 6th charaNam, by our Swamigal. Adoring NArada as guru,
SwAmigaL has composed 7 kruthis, which are real gems. SwAmigaL w(as blessed by Narada a divine treatise on sangeetham, called 'SwarArNavam', ocean of the swaras. *This was delivered by some unknown sage, and this fact is expressed by SwAmigaL in many kruthis. The naturally melodious frequencies, 'SWARAS', form the basis,foundation of all the 'RAGAS'. The theory of the divine art, 'Sangeetham' is itself a treat to study. *
    Ch.7.ParamabAgavatha-mounivara-shashi-
             vibAkara-sanaka-sanandana-
              Digiisha-sura-kimpurusha-kanakakasipu-
              sutha-nArada-thumburu-
              pavanasUnu-bAlachandradara-shuka-
              Sarojabava-bUsuravarulu
              parama pAvanulu ghanulu shAshvathulu
              kamalabava sukamu sadAnubavulugAka.......................................   (En)                                        " Many are the great souls, supreme devotees and sages, who are absolutely pure and who are blessed with enjoyment of the bliss of realisation of the Lord, like Chandra,surya, Sqanaka, Sanandana, DikpAlakAs, Devas, Kimpurushas, PrahlAda, NArada, Tumburu, AnjanEya,
Lord Shiva,Shuka, Brahma, and foremost BrahmaNAs. SwAmigaL offers his salutations to all these great souls who adore Lord SrirAmA." They are all functionaries in the very creation of the whole world; they all are designated in their posts in maintenance of the whole creation. They all have to adore the Supreme Being, and to efficiently execute their responsibilities.*                                            Note- FIFTEEN DEVOTEES ARE LISTED ABOVE. DETAILS ABOUT THEM will be furnished at the end of this kruthi. ^                                                                                                            
     Ch.8.Nii menu nAma vaibavambulanu
              nii parAkrama dhai-
              ryamula shAnta mAnasamu niivulanu
             vachana sathyamunu, Raguvara! niiyada
             sadbaktiyu janinchakanu durmatamulanu
             kalla jEsinatti nii madi
             neringi santhasambunanu guNa bajanA-
             nanda kirtanamu jEyu vA-...............................................................(ren)
   "Many are the great  BakthAs,(devotees) who delight in adoring the greatness of your personal beauty and nama(name) and (guNAs, such as)prowess,courage, mental composure, generocity and rectitude, and who knowing your disposition towards false faiths which do not promote true devotion to you, discard them."                                                                                                                                  In this charaNam, SwamigaL enjoys detailing about different deeper devotees. When I say deeper devotees,the depth of the of the very bond of devotion is the one that is highlighted. One cannot and should not think one devotee to be superior  and the other inferior. In this kirthanam SwAmigal offers his salutaion to all the sincere devotees of Sri RamA. When a great sage or a saint or a saint singer, talks bakthi/baktha, they talk  only of highest form of pure devotion and a very dedicated baktha  who finds greatest bliss in revelling in God-thought.All those devotees join in singing god's name, leelas etc. When they adore their hearts' deity their divine ecstacy becomes exponential. Their divine joy rests in constant thought of The Supreme Being, WHO INCARNATED AS SRI RAMA.
  I feel that an important note is absolutely relevent in this context; I feel it is my duty too, to the interested viewer who will welcome additional information.
1. In BagavadgeethA, declares Lord Sri Krishna to ArjunA," Be my sincere devotee zeroing ALL
  VOLATILE ASSETS. That kind of devotee is always in me and I am in him."*
   Ch.9.BAgavatha-RAmAyaNa-GitAdi
            shruti-shAstra-purANapu
            marmamulanu ShivAdishaNmatamula
            goodamulan muppadimukko-
            ti-surAntarangamula bAvambula
            nerigi bAva-rAga-layAdi saukyamu_
             chE chirAyuvula galigi niravadi sukAtmulai
            ThyAgarAjAptulaina vA-......................................................               (ren)
       "Many are those who have understood the significance of the hidden truths of the BAgavata,         RAmAyaNa,Gita, VEda, Shastras, PurANas, the six faiths of ShivA and other Gods and the thirtythree crores of DevatAs, and who acquire longevity through the joy of the music (sangeeta vidyA), endowed with bhAva, rAga, laya and other elements and who attain everlasting happiness,
('BrahmAnandam') thereby becoming ThyAgarAjA's devoted friends.            
       SwAmigal here, with love guides us along the rows of our religious texts; he prescribes the lessons for us. we have to find ways and means to study and understand many of these texts going into their hidden truths. There are many saint-cum-scholars who are ready to enlighten, the spiritual aspirants, with Love. If our thirst is sincere, dedicated, then the path is invitingly widely opened.One is sure to experience this benefit. Each one of us is sure to enter this path by God's grace. You will feel it as and when you sincerely start putting in your efforts. Many of the stories that we have got, have their own hidden message about Truth, love for all living beings, Gurubakthi,giving up the adamant gates of jealousy, greed, selfishness, anger, enimity 6 of them which should vacate their place and leave us to find our spiritual path, and work our progress. All the 800 kirthanas/kruthis wonderfully lead us to success.All the saint singers, saints, the rushis, sages, and many great souls       are waiting with love to help us until we reach the goal of bliss/salvation.*
   CharaNam10.PrEma muppirigonu vELa
                         nAmamu dalachvAru
                         RAmabakthudaina thyAga-
                         rAjanuthuni nijadAsulaina vA-...................................................(ren)
     "Many are those, who with overflowing devotion, meditate upon the holy name of Sri RAma and become the true servants of the Lord praised by ThyAgarAja."*

 Note under charanam7.                     Under 'Great souls, Srwamigal lists creamy layer of the sages, the moon, the Sun, Sananda, Sanandana, the eight protectors of the eight directions_eight devas, kimpurushas, Prahlada _.    

(son of Hiranya kasipu,) Narada,  Thumbhuru_(a gandarva), Anjaneya, (the son of wind

-God 'Pavana'), Lord Shiva denoted by Balachandradhara or    'PiRai aniyum Ishan', Sukha Brahmam, (son of Vyasa), Brahma or Saroja bhava -the Lotus _born,last the best of the Bhrahmins. The choice in permutation and combination of the. names of puranic characters usually stun the reader. Srwamigal 's command over Telugu language with it's weave of Sanskrit is a real treat. Swamigal's vast vocabulary under the fertile language Telugu and his unique love for Rama and the thirst for Lord Rama's grace simply opened up the ocean of Rama's grace to f lood as the honey pravaham of Swamigal's devotional kruthis. 

  The devotional kruthis of saint singers are capable of awarding the highest benefits only when we lead the sprit of devotion in the thought force of the kruthis  engulfs our single pointed concentration. One can experiegnce disengagemegnt of our soul from it's routine entanglements and experience 'a time off ' of pure bliss.