pallavi
1evarkai avatAram(e)ttitivO
ipuDaina telupa(v)ayya 2rAmayya (evarikai)
anupallavi
avaniki ramm(a)ni pilicina 3maharAj(e)vaDO
vAniki 4mrokkeda rAma (evarikai)
caraNam
5vEda varNanIyamau nAmamutO
vidhi rudrulaku mElmiyagu rUpamutO
mOda sadanamagu paTu caritamutO
6muni rAja vEshiyau 7tyAgarAja nuta (evarikai)
pallavi
P evarkai avatAramu-ettitivO
ipuDaina telupu-ayya rAmayya (evarikai)
O Lord (ayya) rAma (rAmayya)! O Lord (ayya)! At least now (ipuDaina) tell me (telupu) (telupavayya) as to for whose sake (evarikai) You took (ettitivO) this incarnation (avatAramu) (avatAramettitivO).
anupallavi
avaniki rammu-ani pilicina maharAju-evaDO
vAniki mrokkeda rAma (evarikai)
O Lord rAma! I salute (mrokkeda) him (vAniki) – that great person (maharAju) - who (evaDO) (maharAjevaDO) called (pilicina) You to (ani) come (rammu) (rammani) to the Earth (avaniki);
O Lord rAma! At least now tell me as to for whose sake You took this incarnation.
caraNam
vEda varNanIyamau nAmamutO
vidhi rudrulaku mElmiyagu rUpamutO
mOda sadanamagu paTu caritamutO
muni rAja vEshiyau tyAgarAja nuta (evarikai)
With a name (nAmamutO) described (varNanIyamau) even in vEdas,
with a physical form (rUpamutO) so superior (mElmiyagu) even to brahmA (vidhi) and rudra (rudrulaku), and
with an impeccable (great) (paTu) character (caritamutO) which is the seat (sadanamagu) of great joy (mOda) (for the listeners),
O Lord - praised (nuta) by this tyAgarAja – in the garb (vEshiyau) of an ascetic (muni) king (rAja)!
O Lord rAma! at least now tell me as to for whose sake You took this incarnation.
Notes
Variations - (Pathanthara)
2 – rAmayya (evarikai) – rAmayya nIv(evarikai).
4 – mrokkeda – mrokkenu : mrokkeda seems to be appropriate word.
7 – tyAgarAja nuta (evarikai) – tyAgarAja nuta nIv(evarikai).
References
6 – muni rAja vEshiyau – (in the garb of an ascetic king) - SrI tyAgarAja is reflecting the words uttered by SrI rAma Himself in response to kaikEyI’s words commanding Him to leave for forest – SrImad vAlmIki rAmAyaNa, ayOdhyA kANDa, Chapter 19 refers –
nAhamartha parO dEvi lOkamAvastumutsahE
viddhi mAmRshibhistulyaM vimalaM dharmamAsthitam || 20 ||
“I do not desire to live in the world as a slave to material gains. Know me to be devoted to immaculate righteousness like Rshis.”
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Comments
1 – evarikai avatAramettitivO – for whose sake You took the incarnation (as rAma) - The great harikathA exponent SrI TS Balakrishna Sastrigal in his 'Tyagaraja Ramayanam' states that SrI tyAgarAja implies rAvaNa in this kRti as the person responsible for making the Supreme Lord to incarnate as human being.
3 - maharAju - SrI tyAgarAja’s bhakti towards SrI rAma is so great that even His (SrI rAma’s) enemy (rAvaNa) deserves mention because, but for rAvaNa, the incarnation of SrI rAma would not have materialized.
The greatness of rAvaNa, in terms of his prowess, is well known. But he was also known as womanizer. However, in case of sIta, the way he conducted himself, is an intrigue, seen in the background of his reputation as a womanizer. Considering the fact that rAvaNa physically touched the dEvi and carried her on his lap, it really confounds one as to why he desisted from molesting her; but prayed for her consent to be his consort, for a whole year. It does not fit into the character of a womanizer. Also from today’s standard, this is inconceivable. Therefore, it is certain that rAvaNa knew what he was doing.
rAvaNa is no ordinary king. He is well-versed vEdas. He is a great musician. He recited sAma vEda on his vINA sacrificing his ten heads one by one to please Lord Siva. In his kingdom vEda adhyayana was very much prevalent as is seen by AnjanEya during his sojourn of lanka. For a king who sent his spies to daNDakA forest to find out about SrI rAma, it is very astonishing that he just looked on when SrI rAma and his army were building causeway over the ocean. Looking from this angle, rAvaNa was indeed waiting for SrI rAma to redeem him.
Therefore, there is no surprise in SrI tyAgarAja calling rAvaNa a great person (maharAju) for having brought SrI rAma to the Earth.
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5 – vEda varNanIyamau nAmamutO – The purport of these words is not very clear. Whether the name ‘rAma’ is mentioned in the vEdAs or whether the two syllables ‘rA’ and ‘ma’ have been specifically extolled therein, is not known. However, please refer to Discourse of kAnci paramAcArya candraSEkharEndra sarasvati on ‘tAraka nAma’
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