He also has the unique distinction of having studied music from all the three of the musicians now acknowledged as "the Trinity of Carnatic Music": his father, and the master musicians Tyagaraja and Muthuswamy Dikshitar.
Later Syama Shastri asked Tyagaraja to teach his son and sent Subbaraya to him.
He also learnt Hindustani music from Meru Goswami, a musician of the Thanjavur palace, and from Ramadas Swami who was a recluse and who lived in Tiruvidaimarudur near Kumbakonam.
Sastri composed most of his kritis in praise of the Mother Goddess.
dalacinavAru - dhanyAsi Emani nE - mukhAri entanucu vinnavintune - shankarAbharaNa jananee ninnuvinaa - reeti gowLa mIna nayana nIvu - darbAr nannu brOcuTaku - tODi ninnu sEvincina - yadukulakAmbhOji ninnu vinA gati gAna - kalyANi shankari neevani - bEgaDa shrI kamalAmbikE - dEshya tODi vanajAsana vinuta - shrI venkaTa shaila - hameer kalyaaNi