Word Division - Word-by-word meaning
pallavi
rAma rAma kRshNA-anarE
rAtri pagalu mA sItA (rAma)
Day (pagalu) and night (rAtri) chant (anarE) ‘O our (mA) Lord sItA rAmA, rAmA (rAma), kRshNA’ (kRshNAyanarE)!
caraNam
caraNam 1
itara mArga saukhyamulaku
atani hRdayamE sAkshiyu (rAma)
Regarding the comfort (saukhyamulaku) (literally comforts) derived in adhering to other (itara) paths (mArga), one’s (adherent’s) (atani) heart itself (hRdayamE) is witness (sAkshiyu).
Therefore, chant day and night ‘O Lord sItA rAmA, rAmA, kRshNA’.
caraNam 2
kAni panula kOri kOri
karagucu-uNDu mAnavulu (rAma)
Hey folks (mAnavulu) are getting emaciated (karagucu uNDu) (karagucuNDu) by undertaking mis-deeds (kAni panula) repeatedly (kOri kOri)! Chant day and night ‘O Lord sItA rAmA, rAmA, kRshNA’.
caraNam 3
kutsitapu mATalaku
udduga poraleDu janulu (rAma)
Hey Folks (janulu) who go for duel (udduga poraleDu) for offensive (kutsitapu) words (mATalaku)! Chant day and night ‘O Lord sItA rAmA, rAmA, kRshNA’.
caraNam 4
sarva SAstramulanu cadivi
Asa dAsulu-ayina vAru (rAma)
Hey folks (vAru) who, even after studying (cadivi) all (sakala) SAstras (SAstramulanu), became (ayina) slaves (dAsulu) (dAsulayina) of desires (Asa)! Chant day and night ‘O Lord sItA rAmA, rAmA, kRshNA’.
caraNam 5
eduTi pacca jUDa lEka
hitapu mATalADu janulu (rAma)
Hey fellows (janulu) who, though envious of others’ prosperity (eduTi pacca jUDa lEka) (literally do not like to look at the greenery on the opposite side), yet, utter (ADu) kind (hitapu) words (mATalu) (mATAlADu) to them! Chant day and night ‘O Lord sItA rAmA, rAmA, kRshNA’.
caraNam 6
callani vAkkulu paliki
svAntamu-analamu-aina vAru (rAma)
Hey folks (vAru) who speak (palki) nice (callani) (literally cool) words (vAkkulu), but are (aina) fuming (analamu) (literally fire) inside (svAntamu) (svAntamanalamaina)! Chant day and night ‘O Lord sItA rAmA, rAmA, kRshNA’.
caraNam 7
paluka nErci-aDuga pOtE
teliviki hAni-aina vAru (rAma)
Hey fellows (vAru) who, though proficient (nErci) in speaking (paluka), but are clue-less (teliviki hAni aina) (literally bereft of understanding) (hAniyaina) on questioning (aDuga pOtE) (nErciyaDuga)! Chant day and night ‘O Lord sItA rAmA, rAmA, kRshNA’.
caraNam 8
jAti hInulaina vAru
jANalu-ainAru-adE sAkshi (rAma)
Those who were (aina vAru) outcastes (jAti hInulu) (hInulaina) became (ainAru) wise (jANalu) by chanting the names of the Lord; that itself (adE) (jANalainAradE) is proof (sAkshi) (literally witness). Therefore, chant day and night ‘O Lord sItA rAmA, rAmA, kRshNA’.
caraNam 9
pAmu pandi gaja piSAca
pAtaka-agrEsarulE sAkshi (rAma)
A snake (pAmu), a pig or boar (pandi), an elephant (gaja), a fiend (piSAca) and a dreadful sinner (pAtaka) became foremost (devotees) (agrEsarulE) (pAtakAgrEsarulE) by chanting the names of the Lord; they are proof (sAkshi). Therefore, chant day and night ‘O Lord sItA rAmA, rAmA, kRshNA’.
caraNam 10
tyAgarAju telusukonna
tArakamu-iha para sAdhakamu (rAma)
This is the raft (tArakamu) (for fording Ocean of Worldly Existence) realised (telusukonna) by this tyAgarAja; this is the means (sAdhakamu) (for accomplishment) here (iha) (tArakamiha) and hereafter (para). Therefore, chant day and night ‘O Lord sItA rAmA, rAmA and kRshNA’.
Notes
Variations - (Pathanthara)
2 – udduga – this is how it is given in all the books. The root word is 'uddi' which means 'duel'.
3 – sarava SAstramulanu – cAla SAstramanni’ : 'cAla' and 'anni' many not go together.
7 – sAdhakamu – sAdhanamu : Both words are similar.
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References
4 - jAti hInulu jANalainAru – out-castes became wise - this probably refers to sage vAlmIki.
5 - pAmu – snake - this probably refers to kALiya.
5 - gaja – elephant – this probably refers to gajEndra.
5 - piSAca – fiend – this probably refers to vibhIshaNa.
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Comments
1 - itara mArga saukhyamu – While SrI tyAgarAja eulogises the path of devotion, he is not ridiculing other paths and says that whether followers of other paths derive happiness or not, is known to themselves only. He wants them to compare with the happiness derived from the path of devotion.
5 - pandi – pig or boar – the reference is not clear.
5 - pAtaka – dreadful sinner – the reference is not clear.
6 – tArakamu – raft - name ‘rAma’ enables fording the saMsAra.
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