‘Jayamanohari’ is an oudava-shadava janya of Kharaharapriya mela raga. It is actually a hybrid between Abhogi and Shriranjani ragas – keeps arohanam notes of Abhogi and avarohanam of Shriranjani. If we drop panchamam (P) from Kharaharapriya, we get Shriranjani; further, if we drop Nishadam (N2) from arohanam of Shriranjani, we get Jayamanohari; again if the N2 is removed from avarohanam also, it becomes Abhogi. The notes can be shown as:
S R2 G2 M1 D2 S // S N2 D2 M1 G2 R2 S
If we compare the above ragas, we can represent it as:
Kharaharapriya (SR2G2M1PD2N2S // SN2D2PM1G2R2S) – (less P) – Shriranjani (SR2G2M1D2N2S // SN2D2M1G2R2S) – (less N2 in aroh) – Jayamanohari (SR2G2M1D2S // SN2D2M1G2R2S) – (less N2 in avaroh also) – Abhogi (SR2G2M1D2S // SD2M1G2R2S). While Shriranjani and Abhogi are very prominent ragas, Jayamanohari is not a popular raga and not heard in concert platforms. Since it is a combination of Abhogi and Shriranjani, in most places, these ragas can be felt; especially in the alapana of Jayamanohari.
Ragapravaham by D.Pattammal shows, in addition to the above, another specification as:
"S R2 G2 M1 D2 N2 S // S N2 P M1 G2 R2 S"
Subbarama Dikshitar's Sangeetha Sampradaya Pradarshini gives ShrIranjani, but does not mention the other two janyas under the Asampoorna mela (22) Shriragam..
Among the trinities, Shyama Sastri never composed krithis in any of these three ragas. Thyagaraja has composed in all the three; while Dikshitar composed five krithis in ShrIranjani, and just one in Abhogi, but did not compose any songs in Jayamanohari. Maharaja Swathi Thirunal seems to have composed only in Shriranjani (though two of his compositions in Jhinjhoti are erroneously placed under Jayamanohari in some sites).
Compositions:
Yajnadulu sukhamanu - Thyagaraja
Nee bhakthi bhagya - ,,,,
ShrI ramya cittalankAra - ,,,,
Bhavaye sri janaki kantham - Swathithirunal
paduvay maname - Gopalakrishna Bharati
sannidhi varalamo - ,,,
Sivaloka nathanai - ,,,,
Thillai veliyile - ,,,,
Chintanai magizhciyudan - Kavi kunjara bharati
Varuvano - Muttuswami kavi
Harihara mahadeva - Muthiah Bhagavathar
ShrI Anjaneya - ,,,,
Iraivan urai koyil - Periyasami Tooran
Kanden kanavile - ,,,,
Kolikoli - ,,,,
Shonnadeno nyayame - Lalitha Dasar
Thillana (Adi) - Veena Sheshanna
We shall now take up the Thyagaraja krithi, ‘Yajnadulu sukhamanu’. In this krithi, Sadguru criticises those who advocate the path of yajna.
Gist
“O My Mind! Are there ignorant persons equal to those who declare that sacrificial oblations etc bring comfort?
Are there ignorant persons equal to those who, (1) belong to the lineage of paupers in true knowledge, (2) are demoniac minded, and (3) declare that sacrificial oblations etc, involving cruelty to living beings, bring comfort?
Are there ignorant persons equal to those who, (1) remain with deepset impressions of many births, (2) are attracted by sense enjoyments which is equal to the poison of cobra, (3) have their face turned towards external objects, and (4) without understanding Lord zrI rAma whose name is chanted by this tyAgarAja, declare that sacrificial oblations etc bring comfort?”.