pallavi
kaligiyuNTE kadA kalgunu
kAmita phala dAyaka
anupallavi
1kalini(y)ingitam(e)rugaka ninn(A)DukoNTi
calamu cEyaka nA talanu cakkani vrAta (kaligi)
caraNam
bhAgavat(A)grEsarulagu nArada
prahlAda 2paraSara 3rAmadAsulu
bAguga SrI raghu rAmuni padamula
bhakti jEsina rIti tyAgarAjunik(i)puDu (kaligi)
pallavi
kaligiyuNTE kadA kalgunu
kAmita phala dAyaka
O Lord who bestows (dAyaka) desired (kAmita) results (phala)!
Isn't it that (kadA), only if I had been endowed (kaligiyuNTE) (with good fortune), it would happen (kalgunu) (that I attain what I desire)?
anupallavi
kalini-ingitamu-erugaka ninnu-ADukoNTi
calamu cEyaka nA talanu cakkani vrAta (kaligi)
Without understanding (erugaka) the indications (or intentions) (ingitamu) of the kali yuga (kalini) (kaliniyingitamerugaka), I (unnecessarily) blamed (ADukoNTi) You (ninnu) (ninnADukoNTi);
please do not (cEyaka) be obstinate (calamu) towards me;
O Lord who bestows desired results! isn't it that only if a favourable (cakkani) (literally nice) fate (talanu vrAta) (literally writing on the head) has been endowed to me, it would happen that I attain what I desire?
caraNam
bhAgavata-agrEsarulagu nArada
prahlAda paraSara rAmadAsulu
bAguga SrI raghu rAmuni padamula
bhakti jEsina rIti tyAgarAjuniki-ipuDu (kaligi)
Isn't that I can attain what I desire, only if this tyAgarAja (tyAgarAjuniki) (literally to tyAgarAja) has now (ipuDu) (tyAgarAjunikipuDu) been endowed with the method (rIti) with which
sage nArada, prahlAda, sage parASara, rAmadAsa and others (rAmAdAsulu) - the most eminent (agrEsarulagu) of the devotees (bhAgavata) (bhAgavatAgrEsarulagu) -
steadfastly (bAguga) (literally nicely) remained devoted (bhakti jEsina) to the holy feet (padamula) of SrI raghu rAma (raghu rAmuni)?
Notes
Variations - (Pathanthara)
References
2 - parASara – Father of sage vyAsa
3 – rAma dAsu – Bhadrachala Ramadasu and His Kritis
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Comments
It is very difficult to translate pallavi as a stand-alone. Only when connected with anupallavi or caraNa, it gives fuller meaning.
1 - kalini ingitamu – indications or intentions of kali yuga. The implication of this is not very clear. However, from the wording of caraNa, it seems that SrI tyAgarAja refers to his not being devoted like nArada, prahlAda, parASara and rAma dAsu – the most eminent of devotees.
The evils innate to kali yuga are described in Srimad Bhagavatam - Book 12, Chapter 2. The means to escape the evils of kali yuga are detailed the Chapter 3 ibid.
The following famous verses of bhajana sampradAya are also relevant –
Lord said -
nAhaM vasAmi vaikunThE na yOgi hRdayE ravau |
madbhaktaH yatra gAyanti tatra tishThami nArada ||
kalau kalmasha cittAnAM pApadravyOpa jIvinAM |
vidhikriyA vihInAnAM gatir gOvinda kIrtanaM ||
“O nArada! Neither I live vaikunTha nor in the hearts of yOgi. I am indeed there where my bhaktas are singing (my praises).
In the kali yuga, for those who are of impure minds, those who are living on ill-gotten wealth and those who are bereft of proper conduct as stipulated in SAstra, singing the praise of Lord gOvinda is the only saving grace.”
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