Word Division - Word-by-word meaning
pallavi
bhaja rAmaM satataM mAnasa
O My Mind (mAnasa)! Chant (bhaja) the names of Lord rAma (rAmaM) always (satataM).
caraNam
caraNam 1
amita Subha-AkaraM pApa timira vibhA-karaM (bhaja)
O My Mind! Chant always the names of Lord SrI rAma -
one who is the rich source (AkaraM) of limitless (amita) auspiciousness (Subha) (SubhAkaraM) and the Sun – the illuminator (vibhA-karaM) – who quells darkness (timira) called sins (pApa).
caraNam 2
Sata mukha nuta gItaM sakala-ASrita pArijAtaM (bhaja)
O My Mind! Chant always the names of Lord SrI rAma -
the one sung about (gItaM) by Lord Siva – praised (nuta) by rAvaNa – the hundred (Sata) headed or openings (mukha) and the celestial wish tree pArijAta (pArijAtaM) for all (sakala) those who have sought refuge (ASrita) (sakalASrita).
caraNam 3
pAlita lOka gaNaM parama kapAli vinuta suguNaM (bhaja)
O My Mind! Chant always the names of Lord SrI rAma -
the protector (pAlita) of the people (gaNaM) of the World (lOka) and the virtuous One (suguNaM) praised (vinuta) by the Great (parama) Lord Siva – who holds skull-bowl (or one who wears skulls as garland) (kapAli).
caraNam 4
sarOja vara nAbhaM yama pura-arAti lAbhaM (bhaja)
O My Mind! Chant always the names of Lord SrI rAma -
the one with the sacred (vara) Lotus (sarOja) navel (nAbhaM), and the One apprehended (lAbhaM) by Lord Siva – enemy (arAti) of Lord of Death (yama) and demons of three cities (pura) (purArAti).
caraNam 5
vara-Ananda kandaM nata sura-Adi muni bRndaM (bhaja)
O My Mind! Chant always the names of Lord SrI rAma –
the root (kandaM) of the Supreme (vara) Bliss (Ananda) (varAnanda) and the one saluted (nata) by celestials (sura), ascetics (muni bRndaM) and others (Adi) (surAdi).
caraNam 6
kamanIya SarIraM dhIraM mama jIva-AdhAraM (bhaja)
O My Mind! Chant always the names of Lord SrI rAma –
the One with a lovable (kamanIya) body (SarIraM), the valiant One (dhIraM) and the prop (AdhAraM) of my (mama) life (jIva) (jIvAdhAraM).
caraNam 7
kara dhRta Sara cApaM rAmaM bharita guNa kalApaM (bhaja)
O My Mind! Chant always the names of Lord SrI rAma -
the wielder (dhRta) of bow (cApaM) and arrow (Sara), the delighter of mind (rAmaM) and a bundle (kalApaM) full (bharita) of virtues (guNa).
caraNam 8
bhava jala nidhi pOtaM sArasa bhava mukha nija tAtaM (bhaja)
O My Mind! Chant always the names of Lord SrI rAma –
the ship (pOtaM) which enables crossing the Ocean (jala nidhi) of Worldly Existence (bhava) and the true (nija) Father (tAtaM) of the chief (mukha) brahmA – born (bhava) in the Lotus (sArasa) (of navel of the Supreme Lord).
caraNam 9
vAta-Atmaja sulabhaM vara sItA vallabhaM (bhaja)
O My Mind! Chant always the names of Lord SrI rAma –
one who is easily accessible (sulabhaM) to AnjanEya – the mind-born (Atmaja) son of vAyu (vAta) (vAtAtmaja) and the Consort (vallabhaM) of the blessed (vara) sItA.
caraNam 10
rAja ravi nEtraM tyAgarAja vara mitraM (bhaja)
O My Mind! Chant always the names of Lord SrI rAma –
one who has moon (rAja) and Sun (ravi) as His eyes (nEtraM) and the blessed (vara) friend (mitraM) of this tyAgarAja.
Notes
Variations - (Pathanthara)
1 – bhaja rAmaM sataM mAansa – In some books, this is repeated (given twice).
General – In some books, 'mAnasa' is found at the end of each caraNa.
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References
Comments
2 – Sata mukha – This word has been used SrI tyAgarAja in the kRti ‘dEhi tava pada bhaktiM’ addressed to Mother sItA. He says ‘Sata mukha mada damanE’ which can be translated as ‘rAvaNa’ only. Hence, here also it has been taken as rAvaNa.
3 – yama purArAti lAbhaM – During tripura samhAra, vishNu becomes the point of the arrow of the bow (pASupata) which killed the three demons. Therefore, SrI tyAgarAja might be describing Lord rAma (vishNu) as 'yama' of the bow of Lord Siva. However, for such an interpretation, the word 'lAbhaM' does not seem to give a suitable meaning. Please refer to – mahAbhArata – karNa parva – Sections 34
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