Thyagaraja Kriti - Nalina Lochana - Raga Madhyamavathi

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

naLina lOcana-madhyamAvati

In the kRti ‘naLina lOcana’ – rAga madhyamAvati, SrI tyAgarAja pities those who do not believe in the Lord.

P naLina lOcana ninnu gAka anyula ¹nammi
nara janmam(I)DErunA

A jalaj(A)pta kula bhUshaNa su-bhAshaNa
sajjana pOshaNa janaka sutA ramaNa (naLina)

C1 ²kongavaNTi dhyAnamu jEsitE tana
kOrika kona-sAgunA
³donga magani bhakti mIra nammitE manci
drOva jUpa nErcunA
⁴ganga lOni ODanu nammi bhava
sAgaramu dATa vaccunA
⁵nanga nAcula ⁶SaraNam(a)nuTa cEta
⁷ananguDu jnAn(O)padESamu jEsunA (naLina)

C2 parama vandhyaku pAlu perugu pOsitE
caNTi pAlu kaluga nErcunA
nera dhanamulu ⁸dAyAdulak(i)ccitE
nenaru mATa kalgunA
eruvu vEsi(y)⁹Usara bhUmi vittitE(n)-
Emaina phalincunA
varamaina pEru kalugu ¹⁰ganga-rAviki
vandanam(o)narincitE brOva nErcunA (naLina)

C3 sogasaina ¹¹bUrugulanu pencitE
su-rasa phalamul(i)ccunA
bhAgyamu gala ¹²tirumanjana vibhavamu
¹³paricArakulak(a)bbunA
rAga lObhamulatO tapamu jEsitE
para gati kaluga nErcunA
tyAgarAja sannuta sad-guNa
satya svarUpa nirvikAra parAtpara (naLina)

Gist
O Lotus Eyed! O Adornment of the Solar dynasty! O Lord of sweet speech! O Nourisher of the pious! O Beloved of sItA! O Lord well-praised by this tyAgarAja! O Lord of virtues! O Embodiment of truth (or existence)! O Immutable Lord! O Lord who is beyond everything!

Is deliverance possible for human birth by believing anyone other than You?

1. (a) If one performs crane-like meditation, can his wishes be fulfilled?
(b) If a (married) woman believes her paramour with much dedication, can he happen to show the right path?
(c) Can one cross the Ocean of Worldly Existence by trusting a boat in river gangA?
(d) If one feigningly seeks refuge (in the Lord), will the cupid initiate him immediately in the true wisdom?

2. (a) If milk and curd is fed to an utterly barren woman, can she happen to produce breast milk?
(b) Even if one gives a lot of wealth to one's cousins, will it result in a kind word?
(c) If one sows seeds in saline soil by manuring it, will anything grow there?
(d) If one performs worship to the, sacred name bearing, ganga-rAvi tree, can it happen to protect him or her?

3. (a) If one rears the beautiful-looking silk-cotton (cotton-wool) tree, will it bear nice juicy fruits?
(b) Is the fortune-some grandeur of the sacred bath (abhishEka) of the Lord attainable to the attendants (or persons performing it)?
(c) If one performs penance with attachment and covetousness, can he happen to attain salvation?

Word-by-word Meaning

P O Lotus (naLina) Eyed (lOcana)! Is deliverance possible (IDErunA) for human (nara) birth (janmamu) (janmamIDErunA) by believing (nammi) anyone (anyula) other than (gAka) You (ninnu)?

A O Adornment (bhUshaNa) of the Solar – Friend (Apta) of Lotus (jalaja) (jalajApta) – dynasty (kula)! O Lord of sweet speech (su-bhAshaNa)!
O Nourisher (pOshaNa) of the pious (sajjana)! O Beloved (ramaNa) of sItA – the daughter (sutA) of King janaka!
O Lotus Eyed! Is deliverance possible for human birth by believing anyone other than You?

C1 If one performs (jEsitE) crane-like (kOngavaNTi) meditation (dhyAnamu), can his (tana) wishes (kOrika) be fulfilled (kona-sAgunA)?
If a (married) woman believes (nammitE) her paramour (donga magani) with much (mIra) dedication (bhakti), can he happen (nErcunA) to show (jUpa) the right (manci) (literally good) path (drOva)?
Can (vaccunA) one cross (dATa) the Ocean (sAgaramu) of Worldly Existence (bhava) by trusting (nammi) a boat (ODanu) in (lOni) river gangA (ganga)?
If one feigningly (nanga nAcula) seeks (anuTa) refuge (SaraNamu) (SaraNamanuTa) (in the Lord), will the cupid (ananguDu) initiate (upadESamu jEsunA) him immediately (cEta) in the true wisdom (jnAna) (jnAnOpadESamu)?
O Lotus Eyed! Is deliverance possible for human birth by believing anyone other than You?

C2 If milk (pAlu) and curd (perugu) is fed (pOsitE) to an utterly (parama) barren woman (vandhyaku), can she happen (nErcunA) to produce (kaluga) breast (caNTi) milk (pAlu)?
Even if one gives (iccitE) a lot (nera) of wealth (dhanamulu) to one's cousins (dAyAdulaku) (dAyAdulakiccitE), will it result (kalgunA) in a kind (nenaru) word (mATa)?
If one sows seeds (vittitE) in saline (Usara) soil (bhUmi) by manuring (eruvu vEsi) it, will anything (Emaina) (vittitEnEmaina) grow (phalincunA) there?
If one performs (onarincitE) worship (vandanamu) (vandanamonarincitE) to the, sacred (varamaina) name (pEru) bearing (kalugu), ganga-rAvi tree (ganga-rAviki), can it happen (nErcunA) to protect (brOva) him or her?
O Lotus Eyed! Is deliverance possible for human birth by believing anyone other than You?

C3 If one rears (pencitE) the beautiful-looking (sogasaina) silk-cotton (cotton-wool) tree (bUrugulanu), will it bear (iccunA) nice juicy (su-rasa) fruits (phalamulu) (phalamuliccunA)?
Is the fortune-some (bhAgyamu gala) grandeur (vibhavamu) of the sacred bath (tirumanjana) (abhishEka) of the Lord attainable (abbunA) to the attendants (or persons performing it) (paricArakulaku) (paricArakulakabbunA)?
If one performs (jEsitE) penance (tapamu) with attachment (rAga) and covetousness (lObha) (lObhamulatO), can he happen (nErcunA) to attain (kaluga) salvation (para gati)?
O Lord well-praised (sannuta) by this tyAgarAja! O Lord of virtues (sad-guNa)! O Embodiment (svarUpa) of truth (or existence) (satya)! O Immutable Lord (nirvikAra)! O Lord who is beyond everything (parAtpara)!
O Lotus Eyed! Is deliverance possible for human birth by believing anyone other than You?

Notes –
Variations –
¹ – nammi – namma.

⁶ – SaraNamanuTa - SaraNanuTa.

⁹ – Usara bhUmi – Ushara bhUmi : ‘Usara’ is the telugu version of saMskRta word ‘Ushara’.

¹⁴ – paricArakulakabbunA – paricArakulabbunA : parcArakulakabbunA – is the appropriate word.

References –

Comments -
² – kOngavaNTi dhyAnamu – The crane waits patiently, as if meditating, in order to catch a fish.

³ – donga magaDu – a paramour. In some books, this has been translated as ‘if implicit faith is placed on a bad husband/thief husband, will he show right path?’ – by taking the word ‘donga’ (thief) separately.

'donga magaDu' is to be taken together to mean ‘paramour’. The meaning given in other books is ‘if a woman places implicit faith in lewd paramour, will he show right path?’ seems to be appropriate. It has, accordingly, been translated.

donga magani – In Hindu system, the married life is considered a stepping stone for salvation. In the durgA sapta Sati, argalA stOtraM, the following verse is relevant –

patnIM manOramAM dEhi manOvRttAnusAriNIM
tAriNIM durga saMsAra sAgarasya kulOdbhavAM 22

“Grant me a delightful and obliging wife born in such a high family to enable me to ford the difficult ocean of Worldly Existence.”

Therefore, infidelity would go against the very purpose of marriage. This is what SrI tyAgarAja highlights.

⁴ – ganga lOni ODa – the name ‘rAma’ is called ‘tAraka nAma’ which enables one to ford the ocean of Worldly existence; can a mere boat – even if it is in the river ganga – do the job?

⁵ – nanga nAcula – In some books, this has been translated as ‘man blinded by lust’; in some books, this has been translated as ‘wily wicked woman’; in other books, this has been translated as ‘prostitute’. Because of the mention of ‘cupid’ subsequently, it tends to convey such a meaning as given in the books.

However, as per telugu dictionary, ‘nanga nAci’ means ‘hypocrite’; ‘nanga nAci tanamu’ means ‘feigned simplicity’. Therefore, it becomes difficult to give meanings as given in the said books.

⁷ – ananguDu jnAnOpadESamu jEsunA – SrI tyAgarAja sarcastically asks ‘who will initiate one who feigns surrender – is it going to be the cupid? Obviously, the Lord or guru is not going to initiate such a person.

⁸ – dAyAdulaku – SrI tyAgarAja seems to have suffered much in the hands of his cousins, which is found reflected in many of his kRtis.

¹⁰ – ganga rAvi – Hibiscus (Thespesia) Populneus – the wood of the tree is worthless; pUvarasu – tamizh; pariSa (parIsha) – saMskRta

rAvi – Hindus worship the ‘pIpal’ (aSvattha) – Fig tree - Ficus Religiosa – which is called ‘rAvi’ in telugu. buddhA attained nirvANa under a fig tree. SrI tyAgarAja puns on the word ‘rAvi’ as 'ganga-rAvi'.

Please refer to SrImad bhagavad-gItA, Chapter 10, verse 26, where SrI kRshNa says 'aSvattaH sarva vRkshANAM' – 'Of all the trees, (I am) the aSvattha'.

Please also refer to ibid Chapter 15 –

Urdhva mUlam-adhaH-SAkham-aSvatthaM prAhuravyayam
chandAMsi yasya parNAni yastaM vEda sa vEdavit 1

"They speak of an eternal aSvattha rooted above and branching below whose leaves are the vEdAs; he who knows it, is vEda knower." (aSvattha : literally, that which does not endure till tomorrow : the saMsAra, the ever-changing, phenomenal world) (Translation and notes by Swami Svarupananda).

Please also refer to kaThOpanishad, II.iii.1, wherein the same words are reflected.

For more information on pIpal tree

¹¹ – bUruga – Bombax heptaphylla – silk cotton - tamizh – ilavaM; SAlmali – saMskRta.

¹² – tirumanjana vibhavamu – Like in a drama, where the audience is the real enjoyers and not the actors, those who witness the tirumanjana of the Lord are the blessed ones and not necessarily those performing the tirumanjana in a mechanical manner.


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. नळिन लोचन निन्नु गाक अन्युल नम्मि
नर जन्म(मी)डेरुना

अ. जल(जा)प्त कुल भूषण सु-भाषण
सज्जन पोषण जनक सुता रमण (न)

च1. कॊंगवण्टि ध्यानमु जेसिते तन
कोरिक कॊन-सागुना
दॊंग मगनि भक्ति मीर नम्मिते मञ्चि
द्रोव जूप नेर्चुना
गंग लोनि ऒडनु नम्मि भव
सागरमु दाट वच्चुना
नंग नाचुल शरण(म)नुट चेत
अनंगुडु ज्ञा(नो)पदेशमु जेसुना (न)

च2. परम वन्ध्यकु पालु पॆरुगु पोसिते
चण्टि पालु कलुग नेर्चुना
नॆर धनमुलु दायादुल(कि)च्चिते
नॆनरु माट कल्गुना
ऎरुवु वेसि(यू)सर भूमि वित्तिते-
(ने)मैन फलिञ्चुना
वरमैन पेरु कलुगु गंग-राविकि
वन्दन(मॊ)नरिञ्चिते ब्रोव नेर्चुना (न)

च3. सॊगसैन बूरुगुलनु पॆञ्चिते
सु-रस फलमु(लि)च्चुना
भाग्यमु गल तिरुमञ्जन विभवमु
परिचारकुल(क)ब्बुना
राग लोभमुलतो तपमु जेसिते
पर गति कलुग नेर्चुना
त्यागराज सन्नुत सद्-गुण
सत्य स्वरूप निर्विकार परात्पर (न)

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. நளின லோசன நின்னு கா3க அன்யுல நம்மி
நர ஜன்ம(மீ)டே3ருனா

அ. ஜல(ஜா)ப்த குல பூ4ஷண ஸு-பா4ஷண
ஸஜ்ஜன போஷண ஜனக ஸுதா ரமண (ந)

ச1. கொங்க3வண்டி த்4யானமு ஜேஸிதே தன
கோரிக கொன-ஸாகு3னா
தொ3ங்க3 மக3னி ப4க்தி மீர நம்மிதே மஞ்சி
த்3ரோவ ஜூப நேர்சுனா
க3ங்க3 லோனி ஒட3னு நம்மி ப4வ
ஸாக3ரமு தா3ட வச்சுனா
நங்க3 நாசுல ஸ1ரண(ம)னுட சேத
அனங்கு3டு3 ஞா(னோ)பதே3ஸ1மு ஜேஸுனா (ந)

ச2. பரம வந்த்4யகு பாலு பெருகு3 போஸிதே
சண்டி பாலு கலுக3 நேர்சுனா
நெர த4னமுலு தா3யாது3ல(கி)ச்சிதே
நெனரு மாட கல்கு3னா
எருவு வேஸி(யூ)ஸர பூ4மி வித்திதே-
(னே)மைன ப2லிஞ்சுனா
வரமைன பேரு கலுகு3 க3ங்க3-ராவிகி
வந்த3ன(மொ)னரிஞ்சிதே ப்3ரோவ நேர்சுனா (ந)

ச3. ஸொக3ஸைன பூ3ருகு3லனு பெஞ்சிதே
ஸு-ரஸ ப2லமு(லி)ச்சுனா
பா4க்3யமு க3ல திருமஞ்ஜன விப4வமு
பரிசாரகுல(க)ப்3பு3னா
ராக3 லோப4முலதோ தபமு ஜேஸிதே
பர க3தி கலுக3 நேர்சுனா
த்யாக3ராஜ ஸன்னுத ஸத்3-கு3ண
ஸத்ய ஸ்வரூப நிர்விகார பராத்பர (ந)

கமலக்கண்ணா! உன்னையன்றி மற்றவரை நம்பி
மனிதப்பிறவி யீடேறுமா?

பரிதி குலத்தின் அணிகலனே! இனிய சொல்லோனே!
நல்லோரைப் பேணுவோனே! சனகன் மகள் கேள்வா!
கமலக்கண்ணா! உன்னையன்றி மற்றவரை நம்பி
மனிதப்பிறவி யீடேறுமா?

1. நாரை போன்ற தியானம் செய்தால், தனது
கோரிக்கை நிறைவேறுமா?
கள்ளப் புருடனை மிக்கு பற்றுடன் நம்ப, நல்-
வழி காட்ட நேருமா?
கங்கையிலுள்ள ஓடத்தை நம்பி, பிறவிக்
கடலைத் தாண்டலாகுமா?
பாசாங்காக, சரணமென்றவுடன்,
அனங்கனா ஞானோபதேசம் செய்வான்?
கமலக்கண்ணா! உன்னையன்றி மற்றவரை நம்பி
மனிதப்பிறவி யீடேறுமா?

2. முற்றும் வந்திக்கு பாலும் தயிரும் ஊட்டினால்,
தாய்ப்பால் சுரக்க நேருமா?
மிக்கு செல்வம் பங்காளிகளுக்கு ஈய்ந்தாலும்,
கனிவான சொல் கிடைக்குமா?
எருவிட்டு, உவர் நிலத்தில் விதைத்தால்,
ஏதும் விளையுமா?
சிறந்த பெயருடைய, பூவரசத்திற்கு
வந்தனம் செய்தால், அருள் புரியுமா?
கமலக்கண்ணா! உன்னையன்றி மற்றவரை நம்பி
மனிதப்பிறவி யீடேறுமா?

3. சொகுசான இலவமரத்தினை வளர்த்தால்,
சாறு நிறைப் பழங்கள் தருமா?
பேறு நிறை, திருமஞ்சன விபவம்,
ஏவலாளிகளுக்கு நண்ணுமா?
பற்று மற்றும் கஞ்சத்தனங்களுடன் தவமியற்ற,
பர கதி கிடைக்க நேருமா?
தியாகராசனால் போற்றப் பெற்றோனே! நற்குணத்தோனே!
மெய்யுருவத்தோனே! மாற்றமற்றோனே! பராபரனே!
கமலக்கண்ணா! உன்னையன்றி மற்றவரை நம்பி
மனிதப்பிறவி யீடேறுமா?

அனங்கன் - மன்மதன்
வந்தி - மலடி
விபவம் - மகத்துவம்
ஏவலாளிகள் - திருமஞ்சன நீராட்டுவோர் முதலானோர்
பர கதி - மோக்கம்

Telugu

ప. నళిన లోచన నిన్ను గాక అన్యుల నమ్మి
నర జన్మమీడేరునా

అ. జలజాప్త కుల భూషణ సు-భాషణ
సజ్జన పోషణ జనక సుతా రమణ (న)

చ1. కొంగవంటి ధ్యానము జేసితే తన
కోరిక కొన-సాగునా
దొంగ మగని భక్తి మీర నమ్మితే మంచి
ద్రోవ జూప నేర్చునా
గంగ లోని ఒడను నమ్మి భవ
సాగరము దాట వచ్చునా
నంగ నాచుల శరణమనుట చేత
అనంగుడు జ్ఞానోపదేశము జేసునా (న)

చ2. పరమ వంధ్యకు పాలు పెరుగు పోసితే
చంటి పాలు కలుగ నేర్చునా
నెర ధనములు దాయాదులకిచ్చితే
నెనరు మాట కల్గునా
ఎరువు వేసియూసర భూమి విత్తితే-
నేమైన ఫలించునా
వరమైన పేరు కలుగు గంగ-రావికి
వందనమొనరించితే బ్రోవ నేర్చునా (న)

చ3. సొగసైన బూరుగులను పెంచితే
సు-రస ఫలములిచ్చునా
భాగ్యము గల తిరుమంజన విభవము
పరిచారకులకబ్బునా
రాగ లోభములతో తపము జేసితే
పర గతి కలుగ నేర్చునా
త్యాగరాజ సన్నుత సద్-గుణ
సత్య స్వరూప నిర్వికార పరాత్పర (న)

Kannada

ಪ. ನಳಿನ ಲೋಚನ ನಿನ್ನು ಗಾಕ ಅನ್ಯುಲ ನಮ್ಮಿ
ನರ ಜನ್ಮಮೀಡೇರುನಾ

ಅ. ಜಲಜಾಪ್ತ ಕುಲ ಭೂಷಣ ಸು-ಭಾಷಣ
ಸಜ್ಜನ ಪೋಷಣ ಜನಕ ಸುತಾ ರಮಣ (ನ)

ಚ1. ಕೊಂಗವಂಟಿ ಧ್ಯಾನಮು ಜೇಸಿತೇ ತನ
ಕೋರಿಕ ಕೊನ-ಸಾಗುನಾ
ದೊಂಗ ಮಗನಿ ಭಕ್ತಿ ಮೀರ ನಮ್ಮಿತೇ ಮಂಚಿ
ದ್ರೋವ ಜೂಪ ನೇರ್ಚುನಾ
ಗಂಗ ಲೋನಿ ಒಡನು ನಮ್ಮಿ ಭವ
ಸಾಗರಮು ದಾಟ ವಚ್ಚುನಾ
ನಂಗ ನಾಚುಲ ಶರಣಮನುಟ ಚೇತ
ಅನಂಗುಡು ಜ್ಞಾನೋಪದೇಶಮು ಜೇಸುನಾ (ನ)

ಚ2. ಪರಮ ವಂಧ್ಯಕು ಪಾಲು ಪೆರುಗು ಪೋಸಿತೇ
ಚಂಟಿ ಪಾಲು ಕಲುಗ ನೇರ್ಚುನಾ
ನೆರ ಧನಮುಲು ದಾಯಾದುಲಕಿಚ್ಚಿತೇ
ನೆನರು ಮಾಟ ಕಲ್ಗುನಾ
ಎರುವು ವೇಸಿಯೂಸರ ಭೂಮಿ ವಿತ್ತಿತೇ-
ನೇಮೈನ ಫಲಿಂಚುನಾ
ವರಮೈನ ಪೇರು ಕಲುಗು ಗಂಗ-ರಾವಿಕಿ
ವಂದನಮೊನರಿಂಚಿತೇ ಬ್ರೋವ ನೇರ್ಚುನಾ (ನ)

ಚ3. ಸೊಗಸೈನ ಬೂರುಗುಲನು ಪೆಂಚಿತೇ
ಸು-ರಸ ಫಲಮುಲಿಚ್ಚುನಾ
ಭಾಗ್ಯಮು ಗಲ ತಿರುಮಂಜನ ವಿಭವಮು
ಪರಿಚಾರಕುಲಕಬ್ಬುನಾ
ರಾಗ ಲೋಭಮುಲತೋ ತಪಮು ಜೇಸಿತೇ
ಪರ ಗತಿ ಕಲುಗ ನೇರ್ಚುನಾ
ತ್ಯಾಗರಾಜ ಸನ್ನುತ ಸದ್-ಗುಣ
ಸತ್ಯ ಸ್ವರೂಪ ನಿರ್ವಿಕಾರ ಪರಾತ್ಪರ (ನ)

Malayalam

പ. നളിന ലോചന നിന്നു ഗാക അന്യുല നമ്മി
നര ജന്മമീഡേരുനാ

അ. ജലജാപ്ത കുല ഭൂഷണ സു-ഭാഷണ
സജ്ജന പോഷണ ജനക സുതാ രമണ (ന)

ച1. കൊങ്ഗവണ്ടി ധ്യാനമു ജേസിതേ തന
കോരിക കൊന-സാഗുനാ
ദൊങ്ഗ മഗനി ഭക്തി മീര നമ്മിതേ മഞ്ചി
ദ്രോവ ജൂപ നേര്ചുനാ
ഗങ്ഗ ലോനി ഒഡനു നമ്മി ഭവ
സാഗരമു ദാട വച്ചുനാ
നങ്ഗ നാചുല ശരണമനുട ചേത
അനങ്ഗുഡു ജ്ഞാനോപദേശമു ജേസുനാ (ന)

ച2. പരമ വന്ധ്യകു പാലു പെരുഗു പോസിതേ
ചണ്ടി പാലു കലുഗ നേര്ചുനാ
നെര ധനമുലു ദായാദുലകിച്ചിതേ
നെനരു മാട കല്ഗുനാ
എരുവു വേസിയൂസര ഭൂമി വിത്തിതേ-
നേമൈന ഫലിഞ്ചുനാ
വരമൈന പേരു കലുഗു ഗങ്ഗ-രാവികി
വന്ദനമൊനരിഞ്ചിതേ ബ്രോവ നേര്ചുനാ (ന)

ച3. സൊഗസൈന ബൂരുഗുലനു പെഞ്ചിതേ
സു-രസ ഫലമുലിച്ചുനാ
ഭാഗ്യമു ഗല തിരുമഞ്ജന വിഭവമു
പരിചാരകുലകബ്ബുനാ
രാഗ ലോഭമുലതോ തപമു ജേസിതേ
പര ഗതി കലുഗ നേര്ചുനാ
ത്യാഗരാജ സന്നുത സദ്-ഗുണ
സത്യ സ്വരൂപ നിര്വികാര പരാത്പര (ന)


Updated on 15 Feb 2009