Today's tyAgarAja krti - ataDe dhanyuDu - rAga kApi

[Guest guest]

 

SrI

SrI raghunandana parabraHmaNe namaH

Title ataDE dhanyuDu

rAga kApi

In the krti 'ataDE dhanyuDurA’– rAga kApi, SrI tyAgarAja sings praises of the Lord.

Pallavi

ataDE dhanyuDurA O manasA

Anupallavi

satata yAna suta dhrtamaina sItA pati pAda

yugamula satatamu smariyincu (ataDE)

Charanam1

venuka tIka tana manasu ranjillaga ghanamaina nAma kIrtana paruDain(a)TTi

Charanam2

tumburu vale tana tambura paTTi day(A)mbudhi sannidhAnambuna naTiyincu

Charanam3

sAyaku sujanula bAyaka tAnun(u)pAyamunanu proddhu hAyiga gaDupu

Charanam4

ullapu tApamu calla jEsi(y)anni kallal(a)ni(y)enci sallApamunan(u)NDu

Charanam5

kari varaduni tatvam(e)ruganu marigincu ari SaDvargamul(a)ndu parava lEka tirugu

Charanam6

Artini mariyu pravrttini tolagincu kIrti galgina rAma mUrtini nera nammu

Charanam7

kalagani nija vipra kulamuna janminci niluvaramagu mukti phalamunu jEkonna

Charanam8

karma niSThuDaina dharma SIluDaina Sarma rAma nAma marmamu telisina

Charanam9

kAsu vIsamula kOsamu AsatO vEsamu dharinci mOsamu jendani

Charanam10

andamugA nAmam(a)ndaru jEsina sundara rAmuni(y)andu lakSyamu peTTu

Charanam11

inni pATulaku sarv(O)nnatamau sukhamu munnam(a)nubhavincukonna vAD(e)vaDO

Charanam12

rAjasa janulatO tA jata gUDaka rAjillu SrI tyAgarAja nutuni nammu

 

Gist

Only he is the blessed one, who remembers always the holy feet of SrI rAma -Consort of sItA – which are held by AnjanEya.

Only he is the blessed one,

(1) who is dedicated to chanting the holy names of Lord, to the exultation of own mind, without ever retreating from the aim;

(2) who dances in the Court of the Lord – the Ocean of mercy, resonating with his tambura like tumburu (the gandharva chief of celestial musicians);

(3) who spends his time happily, without ever leaving the company of virtuous people and, also self remaining vigilant against pitfalls;

(4) who, having cooled the afflictions of his mind, considering all to be false, remains talking sweetly about the Lord;

(5) who goes about without being involved in the six internal enemies (kAma, krOdha, lObha, mOha, mada, mATsarya), which screen one from understanding the real nature of the Lord – the saviour of gajEndra;

(6) who believes whole-heartedly the Lord rAmamUrti, who is famed as the One who destroys all the griefs and re-birth;

(7) who, having been born in the brAhmaNa caste, which is indeed rare to attain, achieves the ever-lasting end-result called liberation;

(8) who knows the secret of the joy of the name of Lord SrI rAma, be he ever-steadfast in his (prescribed) duties or is ever virtuous by nature in the path of righteous conduct;

(9) who is not ruined by donning garbs for (fulfilling) desires of money and grains of gold;

(10) who sets his aim in the charming Lord SrI rAma, who has been worshipped well by all by chanting His names;

(11) who had earlier (or first) experienced the supreme bliss as a result of this much of labour;

(12) who, without himself joining the company of the people given to the quality of passion, believes in the resplendent Lord SrI rAma praised by this tyAgarAja.

Word-by-word Meaning

P O My Mind (manasA)! Only he (ataDE) is the blessed one (dhanyuDurA)!

A O My Mind! Only he is the blessed one, who remembers (smariyincu) always (satatamu) the holy feet (pada yugamula) of SrI rAma -Consort (pati) of sItA – which are held (dhrtamaina) by AnjanEya – the son (suta) of Wind God – one who always (satata) moves (yAna).

C1 O My Mind! Only he is the blessed one, who (aTTi) is dedicated (paruDaina) (paruDainaTTi) to chanting (kIrtana) the holy (ghanamaina) names (nAma) of Lord, to the exultation (ranjillaga) of own (tana) mind (manasu), without ever retreating (venuka tIka) (from the aim).

C2 O My Mind! Only he is the blessed one, who dances (naTiyincu) in the Court (sannidhAnambuna) (literally presence) of the Lord – the Ocean (ambhudhi) of mercy (dayA) (dayAmbudhi), resonating (paTTi) (literally holding) with his (tana) tambura like (vale) tumburu – the gandharva chief of celestial musicians.

C3 O My Mind! Only he is the blessed one, who spends (gaDupu) his time (proddu) happily (hAyiga) (literally without worries), ever (sAyaku) without leaving (bAyaka) the company of virtuous people (sujanula) and, also self (tAnu) remaining vigilant (upAyamunanu) (literally clever) (against pitfalls) (tAnunupAyamunanu).

C4 O My Mind! Only he is the blessed one, who, having cooled (calla jEsi) the afflictions (tApamu) of his mind (ullapu) (literally heart), considering (enci) all (anni) (jEsiyanni) to be (ani) false (kallalu) (kallalaniyenci), remains (uNDu) talking sweetly (sallApamunanu) (literally converse) (sallApamunanuNDu) (about the Lord).

C5 O My Mind! Only he is the blessed one, who goes about (tirugu) without (lEka) being involved (parava) (literally attached) in (andu) the six (SaDvargamulu) (SaDvargamulandu) internal enemies (ari) (kAma, krOdha, lObha, mOha, mada, mATsarya), which screen (marigincu) one from understanding (eruganu) the real nature (tatvamu) (tatvameruganu) of the Lord – the saviour (varada) (varaduni) of gajEndra – the elephant (kari).

C6 O My Mind! Only he is the blessed one, who believes (nammu) whole-heartedly (nera) the Lord rAmamUrti (rAmamUrtini), who is famed (kIrti galgina) as the One who destroys (tolagincu) all the griefs (Artini) and re-birth (mariyu pravrttini) (literally again manifestation).

C7 O My Mind! Only he is the blessed one, who having been born (janminci) in the brAhmaNa (vipra) caste (kulamuna) which is indeed (nija) rare to attain (kalagani), achieves (jEkonna) the ever-lasting (niluvaramagu) end-result (phalamunu) called liberation (mukti).

C8 O My Mind! Only he is the blessed one, who knows (telisina) the secret (marmamu) of the joy (Sarma) of the name (nAma) of Lord SrI rAma, be he ever-steadfast (niSThuDaina) in his (prescribed) duties (karma) or is ever virtuous by nature (SIluDaina) in the path of righteous conduct (dharma).

C9 O My Mind! Only he is the blessed one, who is not ruined (mOsamu jendani) by donning (dharinci) garbs (vEsamu) for (fulfilling) desires (AsatO) of (kOsamu) money (kAsu) and grains of gold (vIsamula).

C10 O My Mind! Only he is the blessed one, who sets his aim (lakSyamu peTTu) in (andu) the charming (sundara) Lord SrI rAma (rAmuniyandu), who has been worshipped well (andamugA) by all (andaru) by chanting His names (nAmamu jEsina) (nAmamandaru).

C11 O My Mind! Only he (vADu) is the blessed one, who (evaDO) (vADevaDO) had earlier (or first) (munnu) experienced (anubhaviJcukonna) (munnamanubhavincukonna) the supreme (sarvOnnatamau) (literally best of all) bliss (sukhamu) as a result of this much (inni) of labour (pATulaku).

C12 O My Mind! Only he is the blessed one, who without himself (tA) joining (gUDaka) the company (jata) of the people (janulatO) given to the quality of Passion (rAjasa), believes (nammu) in the resplendent (rAjillu) Lord (SrI rAma) praised (nuta) (nutuni) by this tyAgarAja.

 

Notes –

C3 – sAyaku – This is how it is given in all the books. However, in the telugu dictionary there is no such word which could fit in the present context. SrI tyAgarAja seems to use this word to mean ‘always’ – that is how it has been translated in the book of CR. This needs to be checked. Any suggestions ???

 

C4 – tApamu – the ‘tri-tApa’ or ‘tApatraya’ – adhyAtmika, Adhibhautika, Adhidaivika– For detailed discussion please visit http://www.prabhupadavani.org/Bhagavatam/text/219.html

C4 – sallApamu – This word also means ‘conversing’. It is not clear whether SrI tyAgarAja means that the devotee should be talking sweetly to the Lord or about the Lord. Any suggestions ???

C6 – pravrtti – This is how it is given in the books of TKG and TSV/AKG. However, in the books of CR and ATK, this is given as ‘pravarti’. ‘pravarti’ is the telugu form of the Sanskrit word ‘pravRtti’. This needs to be checked. Any suggestions ???

C6 – pravRtti -Generally this means ‘action’ or ‘conduct’ ‘manifestation’ etc. In SrImad-bhagavad-gItA, Chapter 16, the following verse is relevant –

pravrttim ca nivrttiM ca janA na vidurAsurA: ||

na Saucam nApi cAcArO na satyaM tESu vidyatE || 7 ||

“The persons of Asurika nature know not what to do and what to refrain from; neither is purity found in them nor good conduct, not truth.”

(Explanation) What to do ........from : What acts they should perform to achieve the end of man, nor what acts they should abstain from to avert evil.

(Translation and notes by Swami Swarupananda)

However, in view of the previous word ‘mariyu’ (again) and following word ‘toalgincu’ (destroy), SrI tyAgarAja seems mean – the ‘re-manifestation’. In the krti ‘entani nE varNintu’ – rAga mukhAri, he praises Sabari as ‘punar-Avrtti rahita padamu pondina’ – (who attained the state of non-return). Accordingly, it has been translated here. Any suggestions ???

C8 – karma niSTha – this may refer to those who are dedicated to performance of vEdic karmas. This may also refer to those who follow ‘karma yOga’ as defined in SrImad-bhagavad-gItA. This may also refer to puruSArtha – see note below.

C8 – dharma SIla – SrI tyAgarAja seems to refer to those follow the fourfold human pursuit -puruSArtha – dharma, artha, kAma, mOkSa.

C9 – vIsamulu – this may mean ‘one sixteenth part of anything’ or ‘a grain of gold equivalent in weight to a grain of rice’. However, if ‘kAsu vIsamulu’ is to be taken together, this may mean ‘aNA’ – one-sixteenth part of a rupee (used before 1957). Here, this has been translated as ‘grains of gold’. Any suggestions ???

C9 – dharinci – this is how it is given in the book of TKG. However, in all other books this is given as ‘dhariyinci’. ‘dharinci’ means to ‘put on (garb)’; ‘dariyinci’ means ‘to make one put on (garb)’. In my humble opinion, ‘dhariJci’ seems to be appropriate in the present context. This needs to be checked. Any suggestions ???

C11 – sarvOnnatamau – this is how it is given in the books of TKG and TSV/AKG. However, in the book of TKG and TSV/AKG, this is given as ‘sarvOnnata’. This needs to be checked. Any suggestions ???

C11 – sarvOnnatamau sukhamanubhavincukonna vADu – SrI tyAgarAja seems to refer to AnjanEya specifically.

Additional Comments by Sri V. Sadagopan:

In this kApi rAga krti, tyAgarAja swAmigaL defines the lakshaNam (features) of a true bhaktA of the Lord. nArada bhakti sUtrAs are a good reference point for the appreciation of this krti. swAmigaL was an incarnation of Sage vAmiki and was blessed by Sage nArada himself, whom swAmigaL addresses as "nArada guru rAyA".

In his bhakti sUtrAs, Sage nArada divides the single emotion of bhakti into eleven divisions (ekAdaSam). These pertain to the attachment to the Lord's kalyANa guNams and total involvement with the Lord in all of its diverse aspects: (1) eulogy of His guNams and (2) rUpam (3) pUjAa/AarAdhanam (4) dhyAnam (5) smaraNam (6) Aatma nivEdhanam (7) dAsyam to Him (8) sakhyam with Him like Arjuna (9) vAtsalyam (10) tanmayatvam and (11) avirAham. Most of the krtis of tyAgarAja, one of the greatest rAma bhaktA, come under one or the other of the 11 categories of bhakti.

The echos of this kApi krti can also be heard in the SrI rAga panca ratnam of "yentarO MahAnubhAvulu?". The links are: http://www.Sadagopan.org The link on the right for the SrI rAga krti is: Anjali with Naama KusumAnjali.

The good conduct of a bhAgyaSAli, who is an ideal rAma bhaktA is described also in the begadA krti, "bhaktuni caritramu vinavE". swAmigaL defines here again the lakshaNam of such an ideal bhaktan, whom he held as his model.

This krti defining the lakshaNam is closely linked to description of the forms of bhakti by bhakta prahlAdan:

SravaNam kIrtanam vishNO: smaraNam pAdasevanam

arcanam vandanam dAsyam sakhyamAtmanivedanam

iti pumsArpitA vishNau bhaktiScennavalakshaNA

kriyate bhagavad-yadvA tanmanye adhItamamuttam

The nine forms of bhakti to the Lord are identified here as: listening to the Lord's Vaibhavam, singing of the Lord's glories, dhyAnam about the Lord, worshipping His sacred feet especially saluting Him, serving Him as His servant, interacting with Him as a friend and ultimately offering oneself to Him.

dAsan,

Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan

 

NOTE: Those who prefer to have a PDF or WORD document copy of this write-up can download either of the format from the following links:

 

WORD doc: http://www.ibiblio.org/sadagopan/tyagaraja_kritis_project/word_docs/atadedhanyudu.doc

PDF: http://www.ibiblio.org/sadagopan/tyagaraja_kritis_project/pdf/atadedhanyudu.pdf