Tyagaraja Kriti

Meaning - Gist
O My mind!

Contemplate on SrI rAma.

Contemplate on SrI rAma -

the Lord of the town of ayodhyA,
the peerless Consort of lakshmI,
the moon of the ocean of the hearts of those who are desire-less,
the Consort of bhU-dEvi,
the hurricane that disperses clouds of sins of devotees,
the Spot-less One,
the Sun for relieving (darkness of) distress of garuDa,
the source of auspiciousness,
worshipped by indra,
the Sky-clad,
the Consciousness or intellect embodied,
the Lord who bestows freedom from fear to the reverential celestials,
Lord rAghava,
the Lord whose Lotus Feet are worshipped by this tyAgarAja, and
Ever beneficent (to His devotees).

Word Division - Word-by-word meaning

pallavi
rE mAnasa cintaya SrI rAmaM

O (rE) My mind (mAnasa)! Contemplate (cintaya) on SrI rAma (rAmaM).

caraNam
caraNam 1
sAkEta nagara nAthuni
samAna rahita mA varuni (rE)

O My Mind! Contemplate on SrI rAma –
the Lord (nAthuni) of the town (nagara) of ayodhyA (sAkEta),
the peerless (samAna rahita) Consort (varuni) of lakshmI (mA).

caraNam 2
gata kAma jana hRdaya-arNava
kalA dharuni iLA-adhipuni (rE)

O My Mind! Contemplate on SrI rAma –
the moon (kalAdharuni) of the ocean (arNava) of the hearts (hRdaya) (hRdayArNava) of those (jana) who are desire-less (gata kAma) (literally desires have left),
the Consort (adhipa) of bhU-dEvi (iLA) (literally earth) (iLAdhipuni).

caraNam 3
bhakta-agha payO-dhara
prabhanjanuni niranjanuni (rE)

O My Mind! Contemplate on SrI rAma –
the hurricane (prabhanjanuni) that disperses clouds (payO-dhara) of sins (agha) of devotees (bhakta) (bhaktAgha),
the Spot-less One (niranjanuni).

caraNam 4
vinatA tanaya-Arti tamO-
vibhA-karuni Subha-Akaruni (rE)

O My Mind! Contemplate on SrI rAma –
the Sun – dispeller (vibhA-karuni) of darkness (tamaH) (tamO) – for relieving distress (Arti) of garuDa – son (tanaya) (tanayArti) of vinatA,
the source (Akara) of auspiciousness (Subha) (SubhAkaruni).

caraNam 5
dEva-ISa samArAdhyuni
digambaruni cidambaruni (rE)

O My Mind! Contemplate on SrI rAma –
worshipped (samArAdhya) (samArAdhyuni) by indra - the Lord (ISa) of celestials (dEva) (devESa),
the Sky (dik) (literally quarters)-clad (ambaruni) (digambara) (digambaruni),
the Consciousness or intellect (cit) embodied (ambara) (literally garment) (cidambaruni).

caraNam 6
vandAru bRndAraka
vara-abhayaduni rAghavuni (rE)

O My Mind! Contemplate on SrI rAma –
the Lord (vara) who bestows freedom from fear (abhayaduni) (varAbhayaduni) to the reverential (vandAru) celestials (bRndAraka),
the Lord rAghava (rAghavuni).

caraNam 7
vara tyAgarAja-arcita
pada-ambujuni sadA hituni (rE)

O My Mind! Contemplate on SrI rAma –
the Lord (vara) whose Lotus (ambuja) Feet (pada) (padAmbujuni) are worshipped (arcita) by this tyAgarAja (tyAgarAjArcita),
the ever (sadA) beneficent (hita) (hituni) (to His devotees).

Notes

Variations - (Pathanthara)

References
² – iLA – Though this generally means ‘Earth’ or ‘bhU-dEvi’, fuller details may be found in SrImad bhAgavataM, Book 9, Chapter 1.

³ - vinatA tanayArti – garuDa, suparNa and aruNa are the sons of vinatA. In the episode of stealing of amRta by garuDa, for obtaining the release of his mother from the serpents, Lord indra hurls thunderbolt (vajrAyudha) at him. SrI tyAgarAja seems to refer to this episode. Details on garuDa (invoke ‘garuDa’)
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The complete story of garuDa is contained in Astika parva of Adi parva of mahAbhArata.

⁶ – cidambara – consciousness or intellect embodied - Please see 'Dancing Lord'
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Comments
¹ – kalA dhara – This means both ‘moon’ and ‘Lord Siva’. However, in the present context, ‘moon’ is appropriate.

⁴ – SubhAkaruni – This word is to be split as ‘Subha+Akaruni’ which means ‘source of auspiciousness’. However, in the books, the meaning is derived as ‘auspicious form’. For such a meaning it should be ‘AkAruni’ (SubhAkAruni).

⁵ – digambara – sky-clad - Please refer to kRti ‘sItA vara’ rAga dEvagAndhAri where SrI tyAgarAja states ‘AkASa SarIramu brahmamu’ – The space is the body for the Supreme Lord.
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rE mAnasa - rAga tODi