Thyagaraja Kriti - Rama Sita Rama - Raga Balahamsa

Transliteration–Telugu
Transliteration as per Modified Harvard-Kyoto (HK) Convention
(including Telugu letters – Short e, Short o) -

a A i I u U
R RR lR lRR
e E ai o O au M (H or :)

(e – short E – Long o – short O – Long)

k kh g gh n/G
c ch j jh n/J (jn – as in jnAna)
T Th D Dh N
t th d dh n
p ph b bh m
y r l L v
S sh s h

rAma sItA rAma-balahaMsa

In the kRti ‘rAma sItA rAma rAma’ – rAga balahaMsa, SrI tyAgarAja asks Lord to accept his services.

pallavi
rAma sItA rAma rAma rAja tanaya rAma daSaratha
rAma sItA rAma rAma raghu kul(A)bdhi sOma

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caraNam 1
uragamulu penagin(a)Tl(u)nnadi nA manasu
karuNa jEsi kaNTa jUci karamu paTTu rAma (rAma)

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caraNam 2
sat-sati pati sEva sEyu ¹candamuna nA manasu
utsavamulu sEyuTak(²u)ppongenu rAma (rAma)

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caraNam 3
³kalpa bhUjamuna tIga ⁴kaTTu rIti manasu
⁵kalpamul(e)nn(ai)na viDici ⁶kadaladu SrI rAma (rAma)

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caraNam 4
⁷advaita sAmrAjyamul(a)bbin(a)TTu rAma
⁸sad-vairAgyamun(i)diyu ⁹sAyujyamE rAma (rAma)

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caraNam 5
Agama nigamamulakun(a)rtham(i)di rAma
¹⁰tyAgarAjucE cEyinci ¹¹bhOgam(a)ndu rAma (rAma)

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Gist

O Lord rAma! O Lord sItA rAma! O Prince rAma! O Lord daSaratha rAma! O Moon born in the Ocean of raghu Dynasty!

• My mind feels as if snakes have constricted it; having mercy, looking at me, hold my hands.


• Similar to a devoted wife rendering service to her husband, my mind too is zestful for undertaking festivities to You.


• In the same manner as vines entwine the Wish-Tree, my mind shall not move away from You, no matter how many eons pass by.


• Real indifference to Worldly pleasures is like attainment of the empire of non-duality; this too amounts to being united with You.


• This is the substance of Agamas and vEdas.


• May You enjoy getting service done by the hands of this tyAgarAja.

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Word-by-word Meaning

pallavi
rAma sItA rAma rAma rAja tanaya rAma daSaratha
rAma sItA rAma rAma raghu kula-abdhi sOma

O Lord rAma! O Lord sItA rAma! O Lord rAma! O Prince – son (tanaya) of King (rAja) rAma!
O Lord daSaratha rAma! O Lord sItA rAma! O Lord rAma! O Moon (sOma) born in the Ocean (abdhi) of raghu Dynasty (kula) (kulAbdhi)!

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caraNam 1
uragamulu penagina-aTlu-unnadi nA manasu
karuNa jEsi kaNTa jUci karamu paTTu rAma (rAma)

My (nA) mind (manasa) feels (unnadi) (literally is) as if (aTlu) snakes (uragamulu) have constricted (penagina) (literally entwined) (penaginaTlunnadi) it;
O Lord rAma! having (jEsi) mercy (karuNa), looking (kaNTa jUci) at me , hold (paTTu) my hands (karamu);
O Lord rAma! O Lord sItA rAma! O Lord rAma! O Prince rAma! O Lord daSaratha rAma! O Lord sItA rAma! O Lord rAma! O Moon born in the Ocean of raghu Dynasty!

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caraNam 2
sat-sati pati sEva sEyu candamuna nA manasu
utsavamulu sEyuTaku-uppongenu rAma (rAma)

O Lord rAma! Similar to (candamuna) a devoted wife (sat-sati) rendering (sEyu) service (sEva) to her husband (pati),
my (nA) mind (manasu) too is zestful (uppongenu) for undertaking (sEyuTaku) (sEyuTakuppongenu) festivities (utsavamulu) to You;
O Lord rAma! O Lord sItA rAma! O Lord rAma! O Prince rAma! O Lord daSaratha rAma! O Lord sItA rAma! O Lord rAma! O Moon born in the Ocean of raghu Dynasty!

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caraNam 3
kalpa bhUjamuna tIga kaTTu rIti manasu
kalpamulu-enni-aina viDici kadaladu SrI rAma (rAma)

O Lord SrI rAma! In the same manner (rIti) as vines (tIga) entwine (kaTTu) (literally bind) the Wish-Tree (kalpa bhUja) (bhUjamuna),
my mind (manasu) shall not move (kadaladu) away (viDici) from You no matter how many (enni) eons (kalpamulu) pass by (aina) (kalpamulennaina);
O Lord rAma! O Lord sItA rAma! O Lord rAma! O Prince rAma! O Lord daSaratha rAma! O Lord sItA rAma! O Lord rAma! O Moon born in the Ocean of raghu Dynasty!

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caraNam 4
advaita sAmrAjyamulu-abbina-aTTu rAma
sad-vairAgyamunu-idiyu sAyujyamE rAma (rAma)

O Lord rAma! Real indifference to Worldly pleasures (sad-vairAgyamunu) is like (aTTu) attainment (abbina) (abbinaTTu) of the empire (sAmrAjyamulu) (literally empires) (sAmrAjyamulabbinaTTu) of non-duality (advaita);
O Lord rAma! this too (idiyu) (sad-vairAgyamunidiyu) amounts to being united with You (sAyujyamE);
O Lord rAma! O Lord sItA rAma! O Lord rAma! O Prince rAma! O Lord daSaratha rAma! O Lord sItA rAma! O Lord rAma! O Moon born in the Ocean of raghu Dynasty!

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caraNam 5
Agama nigamamulakunu-arthamu-idi rAma
tyAgarAjucE cEyinci bhOgamu-andu rAma (rAma)

O Lord rAma! This (idi) is the substance (arthamu) of Agamas and vEdas (nigamulakunu) (nigamamulakunarthamidi);
O Lord rAma! may You enjoy (bhOgamu andu) (bhOgamandu) getting service done (cEyinci) by the hands of this tyAgarAja (tyAgarAjucE);
O Lord rAma! O Lord sItA rAma! O Lord rAma! O Prince rAma! O Lord daSaratha rAma! O Lord sItA rAma! O Lord rAma! O Moon born in the Ocean of raghu Dynasty!

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Notes –
Variations –
General – The order of caraNas 2 and 3 are interchanged in some books.

¹ – candamuna – candAna : According to context, ‘candamuna’ seems to be the appropriate word.

² – uppongenu – uppongini : As ‘uppongenu’ is the appropriate word, the same has been adopted.

⁴ – kaTTu rIti manasu – kaTTu rIti nA manasu.

⁶ – kadaladu – kadalanu. According to the context, ‘kadaladu’ is the appropriate word.

⁸ – sad-vairAgyamunidiyu – sad-vairAgyamu nidhiyu : If 'nidhiyu' is correct, then it should be 'sad-vairAgya' (adjective) to qualify 'nidhiyu'. But as it is clearly given as 'sad-vairAgyamu' (noun), 'nidhiyu' does not seem to be appropriate. Therefore, it has been taken as 'sad-vairAgyamunu + idiyu' (sad-vairAgyamunidiyu).

¹¹ – bhOgamandu – bhOgamondu : 'bhOgamandu’ seems to be more appropriate; this word has been used by SrI tyAgarAja in two other kRitis also (‘namminavArini maracEdi’ – rAga bhairavi and ‘E nOmu nOcitimO’ – rAga punnAgavarALi).

References –
³ – kalpa bhUja – kalpa vRksha – One of the five trees that emerged while churning the Milk Ocean. It is stated to be entwined by vines – In the lalitA sahasra nAmaM, one of the names of Mother is ‘bhaktimat kalpa latikA’ – to the devotees, wishes-yielding kalpa creeper.

⁵ – kalpa - A day of brahmA or 1000 yugAs – 4,320,000 mortal years
- this is the duration of the World.
- 30 such days of brahmA is one month and 12 months a year
- 100 such years is the lifetime of brahmA
- 50 such years have elapsed and we are in 51st year of brahmA
- known as SvEta varAha kalpa
- At the end of 100 years of brahmA the world is annihilated
Source – Monier’s Sanskrit Dictionary

⁹ – sAyujya - The following verse from Sivananda Lahari (verse 28) is relevant –
sArUpyaM tava pUjanE Siva mahAdEvEti saMkIrtanE
sAmIpyaM Siva-bhakti-dhurya-janatA-sAMgatya-saMbhAshaNE
sAlOkyaM ca carAcarAtmaka-tanu-dhyAnE bhavanI-patE
sAyujyaM mama siddha-matra bhavati svAmin kRtArtOsmyahaM

O Lord of bhavAnI! I attain -
to similarity of form with Thee by performing Thy ritualistic worship;
to closeness with Thee by singing Thy praise;
to residence in Thy heavenly plane by associating and conversing with Thy noble devotees; and
to oneness with Thee by contemplating on Thy form constituted of the whole of this living and non-living world.
Thus in this very embodiment I shall attain life’s fulfilment.
(Translation by Swami Tapasyananda)

Comments -
⁷ – advaita sAmrAjyamu – Empire of non-duality - Please refer to kRti of sadASiva brahmEndra – ‘khElati piNDANDE’ wherein he mentions ‘haMsas-sOhaM sOhaM- haMsamiti’.

¹⁰ - tyAgarAjucE cEyinci – getting (service) done by the hands of tyAgarAja – tyAgarAja seeks anugraha of the Lord for performing services to the Lord. Please refer to discourse of kAnci mahAsvami on 'advaita sAdhana'

"The word ‘anugraha’ may also be interpreted as follows. The prefix ‘anu’ stands for concordance or conformity; also continuance. The word ‘graha’ connotes a catching up. When we try to catch up with the Lord by following or conforming with His attributeless nature, by the same principle of conformity He comes and catches us up. That is ‘anugraha’. The mind of us, instead of being steadfast in its work of ‘catching up’ with the Lord, may also run away from Him. Even then the Lord’s Grace follows us and makes us ‘catch up’. That is ‘anugraha’."

"It is actually a running race between ISvara and the jIva. The jIva tries to catch up with ISvara. But ISvara thinks it unfair to grant Realisation of brahman to this jIva ‘who has so much balance of karma’. And the jIva having failed to catch up, gives up the attempt and allows itself to be carried away by all worldly distractions. That is the time when ISvara follows him with compassion and makes the ‘catching-up’ possible. But this compassionate easing up is done in a subtle way. It turns the mind towards spiritual matters; that is what it means for ISvara to ‘catch up’. At the same time it is done so gradually that the full ‘catching up’ of the jIva with ISvara does not happen before the time for it is due. To that extent ISvara ‘slips’ away. But that itself makes the jIva fall headlong into the bottomless pit of sin and again the compassionate grip of ISvara tightens. This tightening and loosening goes on and on until the jIva fills up its mind fully with ISvara and nothing else. And that is the time for the consummation of the ‘anugraha’. "

¹¹ – bhOgamandu – May You Enjoy - this is to be related to caraNa 2 wherein SrI tyAgarAja states that he is zestful for performing services to Him. This is called ‘kAntAsakti’ (love as that of a wife) in 'nArada bhakti sUtras' (82).

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Devanagari

ऎ,कॆ,चॆ.. - e,ke,ce..(short);
ए,के,चे.. - E,kE,cE..(long);
ऐ,कै,चै.. - ai,kai,cai..;
ऒ,कॊ,चॊ.. - o,ko,co..(short);
ओ,को,चो.. - O,kO,cO..(long);
औ,कौ,चौ.. -au,kau,cau..;

प. राम सीता राम राम राज तनय राम दशरथ
राम सीता राम राम रघु कु(ला)ब्धि सोम

च1. उरगमुलु पॆनगि(न)(ट्लु)न्नदि ना मनसु
करुण जेसि कण्ट जूचि करमु पट्टु राम (राम)

च2. सत्सति पति सेव सेयु चन्दमुन ना मनसु
उत्सवमुलु सेयुट(कु)प्पॊंगॆनु राम (राम)

च3. कल्प भूजमुन तीग कट्टु रीति मनसु
कल्पमु(लॆ)(न्नै)न विडिचि कदलदु श्री राम (राम)

च4. अद्वैत साम्राज्यमु(ल)ब्बि(न)ट्टु राम
स(द्वै)राग्यमु(नि)दियु सायुज्यमे राम (राम)

च5. आगम निगममुलकु(न)र्थ(मि)दि राम
त्यागराजुचे चेयिञ्चि भोग(म)न्दु राम (राम)

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Tamil

க,ச,ட,த,ப - 2-ख छ ठ थ फ; 3-ग ड द ब; 4-घ झ ढ ध भ
(ச3 - ஜ)
ஸ1 श - शिव - சிவன்
ரு2 ऋ - कृप - கிருபை

ப. ராம ஸீதா ராம ராம ராஜ தனய ராம த3ஸ1ரத2
ராம ஸீதா ராம ராம ரகு4 கு(லா)ப்3தி4 ஸோம

ச1. உரக3முலு பெனகி3(ன)ட்(லு)ன்னதி3 நா மனஸு
கருண ஜேஸி கண்ட ஜூசி கரமு பட்டு ராம (ராம)

ச2. ஸத்-ஸதி பதி ஸேவ ஸேயு சந்த3முன நா மனஸு
உத்ஸவமுலு ஸேயுட(கு)ப்பொங்கெ3னு ராம (ராம)

ச3. கல்ப பூ4ஜமுன தீக3 கட்டு ரீதி மனஸு
கல்பமு(லெ)ன்(னை)ன விடி3சி கத3லது3 ஸ்ரீ ராம (ராம)

ச4. அத்3வைத ஸாம்ராஜ்யமு(ல)ப்3பி3(ன)ட்டு ராம
ஸத்3-வைராக்3யமு(னி)தி3யு ஸாயுஜ்யமே ராம (ராம)

ச5. ஆக3ம நிக3மமுலகு(ன)ர்த2(மி)தி3 ராம
த்யாக3ராஜுசே சேயிஞ்சி போ4க3(ம)ந்து3 ராம (ராம)

இராமா! சீதாராமா! இராமா! இளவரசே! இராமா! தசரதராமா!
சீதாராமா! இராமா! இரகு குலக்கடலிலுத்த மதியே!

1. அரவுகள் பிணைத்தது போன்றுள்ளது எனது மனம்;
கருணை புரிந்து, கண்ணால் நோக்கி, கைப்பற்றுவாய், இராமா!
இராமா! சீதாராமா! இராமா! இளவரசே! இராமா! தசரதராமா!
சீதாராமா! இராமா! இரகு குலக்கடலிலுத்த மதியே!

2. உண்மையான மனைவி, கணவன் சேவை செய்தற் போன்று,
எனது மனம் திருவிழா கொண்டாடப் பொங்கியது, இராமா!
இராமா! சீதாராமா! இராமா! இளவரசே! இராமா! தசரதராமா!
சீதாராமா! இராமா! இரகு குலக்கடலிலுத்த மதியே!

3. கற்ப தருவினை கொடிகள் பிணைத்தாற் போன்று, (எனது) மனம்
கற்பங்கள் எத்தனையாகினும் (உன்னை) விட்டகலாது, இராமா!
இராமா! சீதாராமா! இராமா! இளவரசே! இராமா! தசரதராமா!
சீதாராமா! இராமா! இரகு குலக்கடலிலுத்த மதியே!

4. இரண்டன்மைப் பேரரசினை யடைதல் போன்று, இராமா!
உண்மையான பற்றறுத்தலும்; இஃதும் சாயுச்சியமே, இராமா!
இராமா! சீதாராமா! இராமா! இளவரசே! இராமா! தசரதராமா!
சீதாராமா! இராமா! இரகு குலக்கடலிலுத்த மதியே!

5. ஆகமங்கள், மறைகளின் பொருளிதுவே, இராமா!
தியாகராசனால் சேவை செய்வித்து, களிப்பெய்துவாய், இராமா!
இராமா! சீதாராமா! இராமா! இளவரசே! இராமா! தசரதராமா!
சீதாராமா! இராமா! இரகு குலக்கடலிலுத்த மதியே!

கற்பதரு - வானோர் தரு
கற்பம் - ஆயிரங்கோடியாண்டுகள்
இரண்டன்மை - அத்துவைதம்
பற்றறுத்தல் - 'வைராக்கியம்' எனப்படும் உலக இன்பங்களத் துறந்த நிலை
சாயுச்சியம் - இறைவனுடன் ஒன்றுதல்
தியாகராசனால் சேவை செய்வித்து - 'தியாகராசனின் கரங்களால் சேவை செய்வித்து' என்றும் பொருள் கொள்ளலாம்.
தியாகராசனால் சேவை செய்வித்து - இரண்டாவது சரணத்தில் கூறியது.

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Telugu

ప. రామ సీతా రామ రామ రాజ తనయ రామ దశరథ
రామ సీతా రామ రామ రఘు కులాబ్ధి సోమ

చ1. ఉరగములు పెనగినట్లున్నది నా మనసు
కరుణ జేసి కంట జూచి కరము పట్టు రామ (రామ)

చ2. సత్సతి పతి సేవ సేయు చందమున నా మనసు
ఉత్సవములు సేయుటకుప్పొంగెను రామ (రామ)

చ3. కల్ప భూజమున తీగ కట్టు రీతి మనసు
కల్పములెన్నైన విడిచి కదలదు శ్రీ రామ (రామ)

చ4. అద్వైత సామ్రాజ్యములబ్బినట్టు రామ
సద్వైరాగ్యమునిదియు సాయుజ్యమే రామ (రామ)

చ5. ఆగమ నిగమములకునర్థమిది రామ
త్యాగరాజుచే చేయించి భోగమందు రామ (రామ)

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Kannada

ಪ. ರಾಮ ಸೀತಾ ರಾಮ ರಾಮ ರಾಜ ತನಯ ರಾಮ ದಶರಥ
ರಾಮ ಸೀತಾ ರಾಮ ರಾಮ ರಘು ಕುಲಾಬ್ಧಿ ಸೋಮ

ಚ1. ಉರಗಮುಲು ಪೆನಗಿನಟ್ಲುನ್ನದಿ ನಾ ಮನಸು
ಕರುಣ ಜೇಸಿ ಕಂಟ ಜೂಚಿ ಕರಮು ಪಟ್ಟು ರಾಮ (ರಾಮ)

ಚ2. ಸತ್ಸತಿ ಪತಿ ಸೇವ ಸೇಯು ಚಂದಮುನ ನಾ ಮನಸು
ಉತ್ಸವಮುಲು ಸೇಯುಟಕುಪ್ಪೊಂಗೆನು ರಾಮ (ರಾಮ)

ಚ3. ಕಲ್ಪ ಭೂಜಮುನ ತೀಗ ಕಟ್ಟು ರೀತಿ ಮನಸು
ಕಲ್ಪಮುಲೆನ್ನೈನ ವಿಡಿಚಿ ಕದಲದು ಶ್ರೀ ರಾಮ (ರಾಮ)

ಚ4. ಅದ್ವೈತ ಸಾಮ್ರಾಜ್ಯಮುಲಬ್ಬಿನಟ್ಟು ರಾಮ
ಸದ್ವೈರಾಗ್ಯಮುನಿದಿಯು ಸಾಯುಜ್ಯಮೇ ರಾಮ (ರಾಮ)

ಚ5. ಆಗಮ ನಿಗಮಮುಲಕುನರ್ಥಮಿದಿ ರಾಮ
ತ್ಯಾಗರಾಜುಚೇ ಚೇಯಿಂಚಿ ಭೋಗಮಂದು ರಾಮ (ರಾಮ)

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Malayalam

പ. രാമ സീതാ രാമ രാമ രാജ തനയ രാമ ദശരഥ
രാമ സീതാ രാമ രാമ രഘു കുലാബ്ധി സോമ

ച1. ഉരഗമുലു പെനഗിനട്ലുന്നദി നാ മനസു
കരുണ ജേസി കണ്ട ജൂചി കരമു പട്ടു രാമ (രാമ)

ച2. സത്സതി പതി സേവ സേയു ചന്ദമുന നാ മനസു
ഉത്സവമുലു സേയുടകുപ്പൊങ്ഗെനു രാമ (രാമ)

ച3. കല്പ ഭൂജമുന തീഗ കട്ടു രീതി മനസു
കല്പമുലെന്നൈന വിഡിചി കദലദു ശ്രീ രാമ (രാമ)

ച4. അദ്വൈത സാമ്രാജ്യമുലബ്ബിനട്ടു രാമ
സദ്വൈരാഗ്യമുനിദിയു സായുജ്യമേ രാമ (രാമ)

ച5. ആഗമ നിഗമമുലകുനര്ഥമിദി രാമ
ത്യാഗരാജുചേ ചേയിഞ്ചി ഭോഗമന്ദു രാമ (രാമ)

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Updated on 25 Jun 2009