pallavi
Emi jEsitE(n)Emi SrI rAma
svAmi karuNa lEni var(i)lalO
anupallavi
kAma mOha dAsulai SrI rAmuni
1kaTTu teliya lEni vAr(i)lalO(nEmi)
caraNam
caraNam 1
savamu jEsitE(n)Emi kalimini
2putr(O)tsavamu kaligitE(n)Emi
bhuvilO(n)anya bIja janituni koni(y)Emi
Siva kara SrI rAmuni daya leni vAr(i)lalO(nEmi)
pallavi
Emi jEsitE-Emi SrI rAma
svAmi karuNa lEni varu-ilalO
Whatever (Emi) one might accomplish (jEsitE) in this World (ilalO), what difference does it make (Emi) (jEsitEnEmi) if he (vAru) (literally they) (vArilalO) does not have (lEni) the grace (karuNa) of Lord (svAmi) SrI rAma?
anupallavi
kAma mOha dAsulai SrI rAmuni
kaTTu teliya lEni vAru-ilalO-(Emi)
Having become slaves (dAsulai) to desire (kAma) (literally lust), delusion (mOha) (literally obsession) etc., those who (vAru) do not (lEni) know (teliya) the commandment (kaTTu) (literally bond) of SrI rAma (rAmuni), whatever they might accomplish in this World (ilalO) (vArilalO), what difference does it make?
caraNam
caraNam 1
savamu jEsitE-Emi kalimini
putra-utsavamu kaligitE-Emi
bhuvilO-anya bIja janituni koni-Emi
Siva kara SrI rAmuni daya leni vAru-ilalO-(Emi)
Of what avail (Emi) whether one performs (jEsitE) (jEsitEnEmi) daily or sacrificial oblations (savamu) or
of what avail (Emi) whether one is blessed (utsavamu kaligitE) with son (putra) (putrOtsavamu) (kaligitEnEmi) for inheriting wealth (kalimini) or
of what avail (Emi) whether one adopts (koni) (koniyEmi) another’s son – (anya bIja janituni) (literally born of another’s seed) in this World (bhuvilO) (bhuvilOnanya)?
those who (vAru) do not have (lEni) the grace (daya) of SrI rAma (rAmuni) - who causes (kara) auspiciousness (Siva), whatever they might accomplish in this World (ilalO) (vArilalO), what difference does it make?
Notes
Variations - (Pathanthara)
caraNas 1,2, 3 are given as 3, 1 and 2 in some books.
Ending word ‘vArilalO’ in anupallavi and all caraNas is not uniformly given in the books.
Top
References
Comments
1- kaTTu – SrI tyAgarAja uses this word in the kRti ‘kaTTu jEsinAvu’ – rAga aThANA. In that kRti it means ‘bondage’. ‘kaTTu’ also means ‘rule’, ‘regulation’, ‘commandment’ etc. In my opinion, SrI tyAgarAja is referring to the declaration of SrI rAma at the time of accepting of vibhIshaNa into His fold. The Lord declared his vow which is considered as ‘SaraNAgati SAstra’ (prapatti) by bhaktAs (vAlmIki rAmAyaNa – yuddha kaNDa, Chapter 18) -
sakRdEva prapannAya tavAsmIti ca yAcatE |
abhayaM sarva bhUtEbhyO dadAmi Etat vrataM mama || 33 ||
“To him, who comes to me, even once, yearning for protection (from me) saying ‘I am yours’, I vouchsafe his security against all living beings; such is my vow.”
Top
1 - kaTTu – This may also be taken to mean ‘spell’ – the grand sport (mAyA) enacted by the Lord. The following verse from kaTha upanishad is relevant –
parAnci khAni vyatRNat svayambUH
tasmAt parAG paSyati nAntarAtman |
kaScid-dhIraH pratyag-AtmAnam-aikshat
AvRtta-cakshuH amRtatvam-icchan || (II.i.1)
“The self-existent Lord afflicted the outgoing senses. Therefore, one sees the outer things and not the inner Self. A rare discriminating man, desiring immortality, turns his eyes away and then sees the indwelling Self.” (Translation by Swami Gambhirananda)
This affliction of senses, always to perceive the objective world, may be the spell (kaTTu) that SrI tyAgarAja is referring.
Top
1 – kaTTu – This term may also mean a knot. In ‘lalitA sahasra nAma’, three terminologies – brahma granthi (knot of brahmA), vishNu granthi (knot of vishNu) and rudra granthi (knot of rudra) are used. The Three Knots.
Top
2 – putrOtsavamu – The story of mArkaNDEya is relevant. Sage mRkaNDu and his wife did penance in order to have children. Lord Siva appeared before them and asked whether they would like to have 100 long lived, foolish sons or one short-lived, intelligent son. They chose the latter option. Thus mArkaNDEya was born to them. Story of Markandeya - in Brief
‘candraSEkharAshTakam’ of mArkaNDEya.
Top