Monday, September 08, 2008

Thyagaraja Kriti - Bantu Reeti - Raga Hamsanadam

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

baNTu rIti-haMsanAdaM

In the kRti ‘baNTu rIti koluvu’ – rAga haMsanAdaM (tALa Adi) – SrI tyAgarAja yearns for the privilege of being a royal guard in the Assembly of SrI rAma.

pallavi
baNTu rIti koluv(i)yy(av)ayya rAma


anupallavi
1tuNTa viNTi vAni modalaina
2mad(A)dula 3koTTi nEla kUla jEyu nija (baNTu)


caraNam
4rOmAncam(a)nu ghana kancukamu
4rAma bhaktuD(a)nu mudra biLLayu
4rAma nAmam(a)nu vara khaDgam(i)vi
rAjillun(a)yya tyAgarAjunikE (baNTu)


Gist

O Lord rAma!

  • Give me the privilege of being in Your service as a (royal) guard.
  • Give me the privilege of being in Your service as a true (royal) guard who would thrash the six interanal enemies – desire, conceit etc., and make them bite dust.
  • Give this tyAgarAja the privilege of being in Your service as a (royal) guard on whose person would shine these -
    • a heavy armour of horripilation,
    • royal badge of being rAma’s devotee, and
    • divine sword called rAma’s name.



Word-by-word Meaning

pallavi
baNTu rIti koluvu-iyyavayya rAma

O Lord (ayya) rAma! Give (iyyi) me the privilege of being in Your service (koluvu) (koluviyyavayya) as (rIti) a (royal) guard (baNTu).


anupallavi
tuNTa viNTi vAni modalaina
mada-Adula koTTi nEla kUla jEyu nija (baNTu)

O Lord rAma! Give me the privilege of being in Your service as a true (nija) (royal) guard –
who would thrash (koTTi) the six interanal enemies – beginning with (modalaina) desire (kAma) – wielder (vAni) of sugar cane (tuNTa) bow (villu) (viNTi) - conceit (mada) etc. (Adula) (madAdula) and make (jEyu) them bite dust (nEla kUla) (literally knock down to earth).


caraNam
rOmAncamu-anu ghana kancukamu
rAma bhaktuDu-anu mudra biLLayu
rAma nAmamu-anu vara khaDgamu-ivi
rAjillunu-ayya tyAgarAjunikE (baNTu)

O Lord (ayya) rAma! Give this tyAgarAja (tyAgarAjunikE) the privilege of being in Your service as a (royal) guard on whose person would shine (rAjillunu) (rAjillunayya) these (ivi) -
a heavy (ghana) armour (kancukamu) of (anu) horripilation (rOmAncamu) (rOmAncamanu),
royal (mudra) badge (biLLayu) of being (anu) rAma’s devotee (bhaktuDu) (bhaktuDanu) and
divine (vara) sword (khaDgamu) (khaDgamivi) called (anu) rAma’s name (nAmamu) (nAmamanu).


Notes –
Variations
3 –koTTi – paTTi : ‘koTTi’ seems to be appropriate.

4 – rOmancamanu, rAma bhaktuDanu, rAma nAmamanu - rOmancamanE, rAma bhaktuDanE, rAma nAmamanE.

References
2 – madAdula - kAma, krOdha, lObha, mOha, mada, mAtsarya – desire, anger, greed, obsession, conceit, jealousy.

Comments -
1 – tuNTa viNTi vAni modalaina – As per telugu dictionary, ‘tuNTa vilukAdu’ (wielder of sugar-cane bow) refers to kAma - cupid. Therefore, ‘tuNTa viNTivAni modalaina’ should be taken as ‘kAmAdi’. Accordingly the anupallavi would read ‘kAmAdi, madAdula koTTi nEla kUla jEyu nija’.



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. बण्टु रीति कॊलु(वि)य्य(व)य्य राम

अ. तुण्ट विण्टि वानि मॊद(लै)न
म(दा)दुल कॊट्टि नेल कूल जेयु निज (ब)

च. रोमाञ्च(म)नु घन कञ्चुकमु
राम भक्तु(ड)नु मुद्र बिळ्ळयु
राम नाम(म)नु वर खड्ग(मि)वि
राजिल्लु(न)य्य त्यागराजुनिके (ब)


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. ப3ண்டு ரீதி கொலு(வி)ய்ய(வ)ய்ய ராம

அ. துண்ட விண்டி வானி மொத3(லை)ன
ம(தா3)து3ல கொட்டி நேல கூல ஜேயு நிஜ (ப3)

ச. ரோமாஞ்ச(ம)னு க4ன கஞ்சுகமு
ராம ப4க்து(ட3)னு முத்3ர பி3ள்ளயு
ராம நாம(ம)னு வர க2ட்3க3(மி)வி
ராஜில்லு(ன)ய்ய த்யாக3ராஜுனிகே (ப3)

(அரச) சேவகனாகச் சேவையருளுமய்யா, இராமா!

கரும்பு வில்லோன் (காமன்) முதலான, செருக்கு
ஆகியவற்றைப் புடைத்து, மண் கவ்வச் செய்யும் உண்மையான
(அரச) சேவகனாகச் சேவையருளுமய்யா, இராமா!

மெய்ப் புல்லரிப்பெனும் கனமான கவசம்,
இராமனின் தொண்டனெனும் முத்திரை வில்லை,
இராம நாமமெனும் உயரிய வாள் - இவை
திகழுமய்யா, தியாகராசனுக்கே
(அரச) சேவகனாகச் சேவையருளுமய்யா, இராமா!

காமன் முதலான செருக்கு ஆகியவை - உட்பகை அறுவர் -
(இச்சை, சினம், பேராசை, மோகம், செருக்கு, காழ்ப்பு)


Telugu

ప. బంటు రీతి కొలువియ్యవయ్య రామ

అ. తుంట వింటి వాని మొదలైన
మదాదుల కొట్టి నేల కూల జేయు నిజ (బ)

చ. రోమాంచమను ఘన కంచుకము
రామ భక్తుడను ముద్ర బిళ్ళయు
రామ నామమను వర ఖడ్గమివి
రాజిల్లునయ్య త్యాగరాజునికే (బ)



Kannada

ಪ. ಬಂಟು ರೀತಿ ಕೊಲುವಿಯ್ಯವಯ್ಯ ರಾಮ

ಅ. ತುಂಟ ವಿಂಟಿ ವಾನಿ ಮೊದಲೈನ
ಮದಾದುಲ ಕೊಟ್ಟಿ ನೇಲ ಕೂಲ ಜೇಯು ನಿಜ (ಬ)

ಚ. ರೋಮಾಂಚಮನು ಘನ ಕಂಚುಕಮು
ರಾಮ ಭಕ್ತುಡನು ಮುದ್ರ ಬಿಳ್ಳಯು
ರಾಮ ನಾಮಮನು ವರ ಖಡ್ಗಮಿವಿ
ರಾಜಿಲ್ಲುನಯ್ಯ ತ್ಯಾಗರಾಜುನಿಕೇ (ಬ)


Malayalam


പ. ബണ്ടു രീതി കൊലുവിയ്യവയ്യ രാമ

അ. തുണ്ട വിണ്ടി വാനി മൊദലൈന
മദാദുല കൊട്ടി നേല കൂല ജേയു നിജ (ബ)

ച. രോമാഞ്ചമനു ഘന കഞ്ചുകമു
രാമ ഭക്തുഡനു മുദ്ര ബിള്ളയു
രാമ നാമമനു വര ഖഡ്ഗമിവി
രാജില്ലുനയ്യ ത്യാഗരാജുനികേ (ബ)



Updated on 11 May 2010

27 comments:

Anonymous said...

This web site is fantastic. My sincere appreciation for the effort put in creating a systematic compilation. Thank you very much

M.K.Kannan

Sri Ganesh said...

THANK YOU is just too simple to describe my feeling.

Thanks for the service.

Govindaswamy said...

Dear Sri Govindan
This is one of my favourite songs which was introduced to me when I was a child 70 years ago, by my pinnamma.
We had some exchange regarding tunTavinTivAni, ending with your comments as "
Re : tuNTa viNTi vAni - Sri Tyagaraja is playing with words. He does not give 'kAma' as such, but converts into, what is called in Tamil grammar as, 'உருவகம்'. Such methods are adopted elsewhere also. Even Dikshitar whose words are very straight-forward, has used some words which gives the meaning in a round-about way - and poet
Re : tuNTa viNTi vAni - Sri Tyagaraja is playing with words. He does not give 'kAma' as such, but converts into, what is called in Tamil grammar as, 'உருவகம்'. Such methods are adopted elsewhere also. Even Dikshitar whose words are very straight-forward, has used some words which gives the meaning in a round-about way - and poetically more elegant.
ically more elegant."

However I do not find our exchange in the blogspot.

My doubt was whether tunTavinTivAni does not mean the ququalty/attribute of the carrier of sugarcane bow. kAmA referes to manmatA as well as lust/love. I feel here what is meant is lust etc.

If it is உருவகம் I think that rthe wording should be tuNTa viNTi vADu modalaina.
Regards
Govindaswamy
26.5.2010

V Govindan said...

Dear Sri Govindaswamy,

'tuNTa viNTivAni modalaina' would be literally translated as 'beginning with sugar-cane bowed'. (In my opinion, 'tuNTa viNTivADu modalaina' is not grammatically correct.)

Substituting 'sugar-cane bowed' with 'kAma', it would be translated as 'beginning with kAma'. Here 'kAma' is to be read with the context. The following words 'madAdula koTTi', puts it in the proper context. It would mean 'kAma modalaina madAdula kOTTi'. But, of course, 'modalaina' and 'Adula' mean almost same. Therefore, one of the words becomes superfluous. But that seems to be poetical licence.

It may not be proper to take 'kAma' out of context and translate as 'lust/love' particularly, when 'mada' follows.

Regards,
V Govindan

Govindaswamy said...

Dear Sri Govindan

For koluviyyavayya You have given the meanings as சேவையருளுமய்யா, and 'Give me the privilege of being in Your service as a (royal) guard'. The English meaning is clearer of the two.

Does Bantu also mean a soldier?

I understand that ‘varakhaDgamicci raajillunaTlu' is a variation.

Regards
Govindaswamy

V Govindan said...

Dear Sri Govindaswami,

Please refer to meaning of baNTu.

In the Court, we always refer them as 'guards' and not as 'soldiers'. Therefore, I have preferred the word 'guard'.

The varition referred by you is not available in any of the book I refer. Also, the variations seems to be not fitting into the flow of caraNa.

Regards,
V Govindan

சமுத்ரா said...

Dear Sri Govindan

I have heard most of the singers(including M.S.S)
singing MudraPiLLayu instead of MudrabiLLaiyu. please let me know which one is more correct here

V Govindan said...

Dear Samudra,

'biLLayu' is the appropriate word. It means 'badge' - similar to one worn by darwans in the Government Offices of High ranking officials. On the otherhand 'piLLayu' will give a very absurd meaning. btw 'piLLa' is a caste name in Tamil Nadu.

Therefore, it is not correct to sing as 'piLLayu'.

Best wishes,
V Govindan

Govindaswamy said...

Dear Samudra
M.S. Subbalakshmi, in whichever language she sang, had learnt tne songs and pronunciations from experts in the respective languages. I was surprised and shocked to note your comments. I found in web (Youtube) the recordings of this song by Chembai, T.N.Seshagopalan, Radha Jayalaksmi and few others in addition to MS. I listened to her twice. Her pronunciation is perfect. (My mother tongue is Telugu). The pronunciation of R&J and TNS were perfect. Chembai's rendering had the following mistakes.

PanDu – banTu
tunDa -tunTa
vANi – vAni
rOmAnjamanu – rOmAncamanu
bhaktuDaina -bhaktuDanu
rAmanAmamunu – rAmanAmanu
varakalgamivi -varakhaDgamivi
tyAgarAjunija -tyAgarAjunikE

His pronunciation of most of tyAgarAjA's songs was faulty.
Regards
Govindaswamy

சமுத்ரா said...

Dear Govindaswamy
Thanks..I agree that M.S's pronunciation is best. Before I came to know about this web-site(which has now become an one-stop reference to me for thyagaraja Kritis, I relied on M.S's pronunciation for most of the songs. But I feel that her rendering (not talking about musical aspect, but Sahitya) cannot be said to be 100% perfect. I have noticed in a few songs, for ex: Mere to giridhar gopala
(the one she sings seems to be different from the one North Indians have) .Her Dikshithar kritis are perfect (ex:Vathapi) but rendering of thyagaraja kritis have some minute (acceptable compared to her divine singing) variations.for ex: she sings Sobillu instead of Shobhillu.

I must appreciate this website whole heart. I have a policy of not singing any song(howsoever easy it is) until I know the meaning and correct pronunciation of each and every word of it. After referring this website I have learnt close to 50 Thyagaraja songs perfectly. Thanks to V Govindan sir. This policy I have inherited from my grandma ,who wouldnot sing a song even if she does not know the last line. But even she has thought this taught this song to be 'pantu reethi' meaning "please offer your presence (kolu) as before (in tamil pandu means before)

Regards
Samudra

Govindaswamy said...

Dear Samudra
I am sure that by now you have listened to M.S and satisfied yourself that she does sing correctly as ‘mudrabiLLayu’. If not, I would advise you to do so.

I have listened to her singing for more than 50 years and never found any fault even once.

You have mentioned that your grandma has taught you
as ‘pantu reethi’. I presume that you mean ‘panDu’ பண்டு3
which in Telugu means fruit.

Regarding SObillu, please note that unlike Tamiz, Telugu and all other Indian languages have three letters , sa, Sa & sha. Hence TamizargaL have trouble in pronouncing words in any other language.
Govindaswamy

Sashi said...

What an incredible service that you are doing sir, in my humblest of humble opinions, language (Telugu being no exception) changes over time especially with exposure to new languages etc., In this particular case I believe it is Tunt"i" v"a"nt"i" vani and ofcourse referring to kaamamu. Tuntari refers to someone who is a mischief monger typically associated with flirting types.

Vanti is also a reference to like. Tunti vanti meaning someone like Tunti. And I remember listening to a version sung in this manner I believe Ramnad Krishnan garu..

V Govindan said...

Sri Sashi,
In Telugu, tuNTavilukADu means manmatha - please refer to Telugu Dictionary -

http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/app/brown_query.py?qs=%E0%B0%A4%E0%B1%81%E0%B0%82%E0%B0%9F&searchhws=yes

Though I am not educated in Telugu, my mother tongue is Telugu. Therefore, I ventured to write meanings. Further, the context is kAma, krOdha, mada, mAtsarya - which are considered as four greatest enemies of human being. Sri tyAgarAja says kAmA modalaina madAdula. Therefore, it is very clear that these four (kAma, krOdha, mada, mAtsarya). Therefore, I have given this meaning. btw, kAma stands for both 'manmatha' and 'desire'.

With best wishes,
V Govindan

Sashi said...

Of course sir, you are doing a tremendous service. I almost always come back to your blog for lyrics. I am sure there so many like me who have benefited from your selfless service. Once again thanks a lot. Please kindly continue the great work and wishing you the very best.

Akula Sashi

Anonymous said...

Dear Sri Govindan,

My son has been using your site as a reference to create illustrations for the songs - although my mother tongue is Telugu and I was fortunate to have excellent teachers, I still use your site to check my own understanding.

Also, looks like TuntaVintiVadu has played quite a bit of mischief on this blog :) I am also inclined to go with tunta vinti vadu not tunti vanti , especially the later context refers to the vices (arishadvargamulu).

Lastly, my suggestion is to include the rasa if possible - this song is (to be) sung in Karuna rasa, in a pleading tone. This will greatly help singers of other languages get the context right.

Regards

Srikanth

Unknown said...

I am so thankful to Sri Govindan for giving clear meaning of Sri.Thyagaraja's kritis with explanation for each word and I am benefitted a lot having understood the meanings as I had simply listened to the songs.For a beginner of learning music ,like me,it is helping a lot.

Unknown said...

Thank u 4 deascribing this kriti in my mothertoung malayalam too.

Unknown said...

Kindly give the meaning of this krithi in Kannada.

savitri said...

ನಿನ್ನ ಸೇವಕನೆಂದೆನಿಸುವ ವಿಧದಲ್ಲಿ ನಿನಗೆ ಸೇವೆ ಮಾಡುವ ಅವಕಾಶವನ್ನು ದಯಪಾಲಿಸು ರಾಮ{ಪಲ್ಲವಿ}

ಮನೋವಿಕಾರವನ್ನುಉಂಟುಮಾಡುವ ಕಾಮ ಕ್ರೋಧ ಲೋಭ ಮೋಹ ಮದ ಮಾತ್ಸರ್ಯಾದಿ ದುರ್ಗುಣಗಳನ್ನು

ನೆಲಸಮಮಾಡಿಸಿ,ನಿಜಭಕ್ತನಾಗುವ {ಅನುಪಲ್ಲವಿ}

ತ್ಯಾಗರಾಜನಿಗೆ ರೋಮಾಂಚವೆಂಬ ಘನವಾದ ರಕ್ಷಾಕವಚವನ್ನೂ ರಾಮಭಕ್ತನೆಂಬ ಮೊಹರನ್ನೂ ರಾಮನಾಮವೆಂಬ

ವರಪ್ರಸಾದದ ಖಡ್ಗವನ್ನೂ ಪ್ರಸಾದಿಸಿ, ಪ್ರಕಾಶಗೊಳಿಸು.{ಚರಣ}

V Govindan said...

Savitriji,
Thanks for meaning in Kannada. There are two more versions of the same in the comments. I have removed them.
V Govindan

Unknown said...

Supersong,and raga. super meaning, if u hear this song it gives positive energy to maind 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

Unknown said...

Excellent, enjoyable song

Sujatha Ratnala said...

Thanks for putting this song. The comparison of knocking down the kaama and other vices reminded me of Lalitha Sahasranamam pancha Tanmatra.. guarding the effect of 5 senses..

Unknown said...

It's wonderful songs meaning and music singing every thing sir I prowd to you all the best I expecting more for your said thank you very much sir👌👌👌👏👏❤🎶🎧

Anonymous said...

All great lovers of this classical music should promote these to the new gen to feel the ecstacy...

Manohar Gonuguntla said...

Great feeling to watch all the critical responses, the great sense and love to this classical music and the divine essence of thses krithis

Anonymous said...

Thank.you very much.it is great to know that this is one of the best site. God bless all to those who are involved in this making.