Balamu Kulamu - Tyagaraja Kritis (Eng)

Pallavi

balamu kulumu ēla rāma bhakti kāraṇamu velayu sakala 1siddhulella veṇṭa vaccu kāni mēnu (balamu) balamu kulumu ēla rāma bhakti kāraṇamu velayu sakala siddhulu-ella veṇṭa-vaccu kāni mēnu (balamu)

Of what avail bodily strength or lineage? All the splendid super-natural powers would ensue only as a consequence of devotion to Lord Rama.

Charanams Combined

1. 2nīṭa kāki mīnu munuga niratamudaya snānamā tēṭa kanulu koṅga 3kūrca dēva dēva dhyānamā (balamu) 2. patramulanu mēyu mēka balamaina 4upāsamā 5citra pakṣulegaya sūrya candrulaku sāmyamā (balamu) 3. guhala vēṣa kōṭuluṇṭē guṇamu kalgu maunulā gahanamunanu kōtuluṇṭē ghanamau 6vana vāsamā (balamu) 4. 7jaṅgamulu palukakuṇṭē saṅgatigā maunulā aṅgamu muyyani 8bālulu apuḍu 9digambarulā (balamu) 5. valacu tyāgarāja varadu vara bhaktulu sēyu bhakti celagu sakala janulakella cellina kāsaunugā (balamu) 1. nīṭa kāki mīnu munuga niratamu-udaya snānamā tēṭa kanulu koṅga kūrca dēva-dēva dhyānamā (balamu) 2. patramulanu mēyu mēka balamaina upāsamā citra-pakṣulu-egaya sūrya candrulaku sāmyamā (balamu) 3. guhala vēṣa-kōṭulu-uṇṭē guṇamu-kalgu maunulā gahanamunanu kōtulu-uṇṭē ghanamau vana vāsamā (balamu) 4. jaṅgamulu palukaka-uṇṭē saṅgatigā maunulā aṅgamu-muyyani bālulu apuḍu digambarulā (balamu) 5. valacu tyāgarāja varadu vara bhaktulu sēyu bhakti celagu sakala janulaku-ella cellina-kāsu-aunugā (balamu)

1. If a crow or fish takes a dip in water, would it ever amount to morning ablusion? O Lord of celestials! If a stork focuses its clear eyes (on the lookout for catch) would it amount to meditation? 2. Is leaf-grazing goat observing severe fasting? If peacocks fly, can they reach the Sun and Moon? 3. If there are ochre garb wearers in the caves, are they (necessarily) virtuous ascetics? If there are monkeys in the forests, would it amount to real dwelling in the forest (in pursuit of austerities according to Asrama Dharma)? 4. If Jangamas remain silent, are they sages - who observe silence - in the proper sense? In that case would naked children become naked mendicants (of Jaina sect)? 5. Devotion, as practiced lovingly by the blessed devotees, towards Lord Rama – bestower of boons to this Thyagaraja - is indeed the shining means - currency (for redemption) for all people.

Variations

• ⁷jaṅgamulu - jaṅgamamulu : jaṅgamulu - is appropriate.
• ⁸bālulu – bāluru

References

• ¹siddhulu – eight-fold Siddhi - aṇiman – laghiman – prāpti – prākāmya – mahiman – īśitā – vaśitā – kāmāvaśāyitā : become minute as atom – extreme lightness – reach anything (moon with the tip of finger) – irresistible will – illimitable bulk – supreme dominion – subjugating by magic – suppressing all desires : Source – Monier’s Sanskrit Dictionary.
• ⁴upāsamu - In Yogic practices, fasting and survival on leaves alone is one of the stages. In Srimad-Bhagavatam – Book 4 – Chapter 9 – the prescription to Dhruva by sage Narada is to –

eat a fruit at the end of each three nights during first month; eat grass or leaves every sixth day during the second month; take water only every ninth day during the third month; inhale air only every twelfth day during the fourth month; control breath fully during the fifth month;

• ⁶vana vāsamā – refers to the third stage of life - vānāprasthāśrama – to know more please visit – [Vanaprasthasrama]

Commentary

• ²nīṭa kāki - Translation has been made on the same line as given in all the books; however, ‘nīru kāki’ (Tamizh 'nīr kākkai) (cormorant) whose food is fish dives into water to get its prey. ‘nīru kāki’ and ‘mīnu’ belong to the same category having habitat in and around water; ‘kāki’ (crow) and 'mīnu’ (fish) are not in the same category. Further, the word ‘munuga’ itself means ‘taking a dip in water’. Therefore, a doubt arises whether the Sri Thyagaraja means ‘nīru kāki’ by ‘nīṭa kāki’ – but in such case it should be ‘nīṭi kāki’.
  • nīru kāki - Phalacrocorax carbo -Great Cormorant; Phalacrocorax fuscicollis- Indian Cormorant and Phalacrocorax niger - Little Cormorant. [Cormorant]
• ³kūrcu - Upper part of the nose between eyebrows where yogic concentration is made.
• ⁵citrapakṣulu – In some books, this word has been translated as ‘fire-fly’; in other books, this has been taken to mean ‘birds’ in general. The word for ‘fire-fly’ or ‘glow-worm’ is ‘miṇuguru purugu’ or jyōtiriṅgaṇamu (Telugu) and ‘prabhā kīṭa’ or ‘jyōtiriṅga’ or jyōtirgana’ (Sanskrit).
  • The peacock in telugu is ‘citra pakṣamu’ (citra pattraka - in Sanskrit). In view of the following word ‘egaya’ - meaning ‘fly’ - indicates the reach of flight and not the fluorescence as applicable to fire-flies. It is a fact that peacock cannot fly too high or too far. Accordingly, ‘citra pakṣulu’ has been translated as ‘peacock’. However, if Sri Thyagaraja intended 'fire-fly', then it would be translated as 'if fire-flies fly around, could they (their glow) equal the Sun and Moon?'
• ⁷jaṅgamulu - In some books, this is given as ‘beggars in the garb of Saivite Devotees’. According to the website – [Jangama1] a Jangama is ‘a priest belonging to Lingayat community; a wandering ascetic’. They are stated to involve in petty thefts for livelihood. To know more about them, please visit the site. According to the website - [Jangama2]- Jangama is ‘a term used by Vira Saivites, originally to name their mendicant, renunciates who walked as homeless sadhus, uplifting others. Now an order of Vira Saivite teachers’.
• ⁹digambara – it is also one of the names of Supreme Lord – direction-clad – quarters as garment. In the bikṣāṭana avatāra, Lord Siva comes as digambara - For a brief on the story please visit the web site- [Bikshatana]
  • However, as the word is used in plural form, Sri Thyagaraja seems to mean digambara of jaina sect