Transliteration Scheme

sundaratara dEhaM - rAga pantuvarALi

Tamil Version
Language Version

pallavi
sundara-tara dEhaM vand(E)haM rAmaM

anupallavi
kunda radanaM Apta 1kumuda SaS(A)nkaM
kandarpa Sata kOTi kAntiM ati nish-kaLankaM (sundara)

caraNam
caraNam 1
patita jana pAvanaM paripAlita bhuvanaM
2Sruti nikara sadanaM Subha-kara vadanaM
yati vara jIvanaM ibha rAja pAlanaM
ditija mada damanaM dIna jan(A)vanaM (sundara)


caraNam 2
nava 3dUrva daLa nIlaM nandit(A)mara jAlaM
4avanata sura pAlaM adbhuta lIlaM
bhava bhaya haraNa kAlaM bhakta jana vatsalaM
SivaM advaitaM amalaM SrImat-kanak(A)bha cElaM (sundara)
caraNam 3
Agama sancAraM akhila lOk(A)dhAraM
vAg-adhipa kumAraM vara vIra vIraM
rAg(A)di saMhAraM rAghavaM udAraM
tyAgarAja hRt-sancAraM kAruNya pArAvAraM (sundara)


Meaning - Gist


Word Division - Word-by-word meaning

pallavi
sundara-tara dEhaM vandE-ahaM rAmaM

I (ahaM) salute (vandE) (vandEhaM) the Most beautiful (sundara-tara) bodied (dEhaM) Lord SrI rAma (rAmaM).


anupallavi
kunda radanaM Apta kumuda SaSa-ankaM
kandarpa Sata kOTi kAntiM ati nish-kaLankaM (sundara)

I salute the Most beautiful bodied Lord SrI rAma -
who has beautiful teeth (radanaM) like jasmine (kunda) buds;
who is like the Moon (SaSa ankaM) (SaSAnkaM) (literally hare marked) to water lily (kumuda), to those who are dear (Apta) to Him;
who is radiant (kAntiM) like a hundred (Sata) crore (kOTi) cupids (kandarpa); and
who is absolutely (ati) blemishless (nish-kaLankaM).


caraNam
caraNam 1
patita jana pAvanaM paripAlita bhuvanaM
Sruti nikara sadanaM Subha-kara vadanaM
yati vara jIvanaM ibha rAja pAlanaM
ditija mada damanaM dIna jana-avanaM (sundara)

I salute the Most beautiful bodied Lord SrI rAma -
who sanctifies (pAvanaM) the fallen (patita jana);
who is ruler (paripAlita) of the whole Universe (bhuvanaM);
who abides (sadanaM) as the sap (nikara) of vEdas (Sruti);
whose face (vadanaM) causes auspiciousness (Subha-kara);
who is livelihood (jIvanaM) of great (vara) ascetics (yati);
who is protector (pAlanaM) of gajEndra – King (rAja) of elephants (ibha);
who quelled (damanaM) the pride (mada) of demons – born of diti (ditija); and
who protects (avanaM) the humble (dIna jana) (janAvanaM).


caraNam 2
nava dUrva daLa nIlaM nandita-amara jAlaM
avanata sura pAlaM adbhuta lIlaM
bhava bhaya haraNa kAlaM bhakta jana vatsalaM
SivaM advaitaM amalaM SrImat-kanaka-Abha cElaM (sundara)

I salute the Most beautiful bodied Lord SrI rAma -
who is dark-blue (nIlaM) hued like blade (daLa) of fresh (nava) dUrva grass;
who delights (nandita) the celestials (amara jAlaM) (literally multitude of celestials) (nanditAmara);
who protects (pAlaM) those who supplicate (avanata) and celestials (sura);
who is the wonderful (adbhuta) Sporter (lIlAM) of Grand Illusion;
who is like Lord of Death (kAlaM) in removing (haraNa) the dread (bhaya) of Worldly Existence (bhava);
who is kind (vatsalaM) (literally having parental love) towards devotees (bhakta jana);
who is the Auspicious (SivaM) One;
who is the One without a Second or non-dulaity (advaitaM);
who is blemishless (amalaM); and
who wears pItAmbara - auspicious (SrImat) golden (kanaka) hued (Abha) (literally splendour) (kanakAbha) garment (cElaM).
caraNam 3
Agama sancAraM akhila lOka-AdhAraM
vAg-adhipa kumAraM vara vIra vIraM
rAga-Adi saMhAraM rAghavaM udAraM
tyAgarAja hRt-sancAraM kAruNya pArAvAraM (sundara)

I salute the Most beautiful bodied Lord SrI rAma -
who is the Indweller (sancAraM) of Agamas;
who is the prop (AdhAraM) of entire (akhila) Worlds (lOka) (lOkAdhAraM);
who has brahmA – Consort (adhipa) of sarasvati (vAk) (vAg-adhipa) - as His son (kumAraM);
who is the Hero (vIraM) of great (vara) heroes (vIra);
who destroys (saMhAraM) attachment (rAga) etc. (Adi) (rAgAdi);
who is Lord rAghava (rAghavaM) - the liberal minded (udAraM);
who is the Indweller (sancAraM) of the heart (hRt) of this tyAgarAja; and
who is the ocean (pArAvAraM) of compassion (kAruNya).


Notes

Variations - (Pathanthara)
rAga – pantuvarALi – kAma vardhini.
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References

Comments
1 - kumuda SaSAnkaM – The white esculent lotus expands its petals during the night and closes in the daytime; hence moon is called benefactor for kumuda.

2Sruti nikara sadanaM – ‘nikara’ also means ‘collection’. Therefore, this may be translated as ‘one who abides in vEdas’.
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3 - dUrva – known as aRugampul in tamizh – sacred for offering to Lord vinAyaka.

4avanata sura pAlaM – ‘avanata’ may be taken as a qualifier of ‘sura’ also. In that case, it will be translated as ‘who protects the supplicating celestials’. However, such a meaning is not very appealing.
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