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Bhakti bicchamiyyave - Tyagaraja Kritis (Eng)

Pallavi

bhakti biccamiyyavē1 bhāvukamagu sātvīka2
Grant me alms of pure devotion, which is a fortune.

Anupallavi

muktikakhila śaktiki trimūrtulakati mēlmi rāma (bhakti)
(Grant me...) Rama-bhakti that is much superior to emancipation,
all kinds of powers and even the Trinity.

Charanam

prāṇamu lēni vāniki baṅgāru pāga3 cuṭṭi
āṇi vajra bhūṣaṇamuramandu peṭṭu rīti
jāṇalaku purāṇāgama śāstra vēda japa prasaṅga
trāṇa galgiyēmi bhakta tyāgarājanuta rāma4 (bhakti)
In the same manner as tying a golden turban to a corpse
and decorating the chest with exquisite diamond ornaments,
of what avail is the ability to chant and
lecture on epics, Agama, sciences and Veda
accrue to the cunning? One praised by Tyagaraja! Rama (bhakti)

Variations

  • 1 biccamiyyavē – biccamīyyavē - bikṣamīyavē: biccamu is the Tadbhava form of the Sanskrit bhikṣā: iyyavē is the appropriate version. Therefore, biccamiyyavē has been adopted.
  • 2 sātvīka This is the Telugu version of Sanskrit word which is spelt as sāttvīka.
  • 3 pāga - bāga. In view of the ensuing word cuṭṭi, it is clear that this refers to a ‘turban’. However, as per dictionary, the correct word is pāgā.
  • 4 rāma - In some books, this word is not given at the end of the caraNa.

Commentary

  • sātvīka bhakti – In the Narada Bhakti Sutras, two types of Bhakti are defined – 'Mukhya Bhakti’ – Supreme or Primary Love and ‘Gauna Bhakti’ – Secondary Love. The following verse is relevant –
    • gauṇi tridhā guṇa bhēdādārtādi bhēdādvā || 56 ||
  • "Secondary devotion is of three kinds, according to the qualities of the mind of person in whom it manifests itself; either it may be classified as SAtvika, Rajasika, and Tamasika; or it may be divided as ārta, jijñāsu, arthārtin as per statement in Srimad-Bhagavad-Gita, Chapter 7.16”
  • “....As this differentiation is based on the qualities of mind (Sattva etc).....these three expressions of Bhakti (Sattva, Rajas, Tamas) are called Gauna Bhakti as distinguished from Mukhya Bhakti which is devotion bereft of all taint.....The second classication is based on the differences in the motives (ārta etc). (Translation and notes by Swami Tyagesananda) (brackets mine)
  • Sri Thyagaraja states that Satvika Bhakti’ is superior (mēlmi) to even emancipation ‘mukti’ which is the ultimate human realisation. When a devotee does not even seek emancipation, then it is Mukhya Bhakti and not Gauna Bhakti. Therefore, neither of classifications stated above (based on qualities of mind – Sattva etc and motives – Arta etc) would apply. This is explained in the following verse of Narada Bhakti Sutras –
    • bhaktā ēkāntinō mukhyā: || 67 ||
  • “Those are primary devotees who have one pointed love of God for His own sake.” (Translation by Swami Tyagisananda)
  • Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in his ‘Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu Bindu’, verse 14 states that there are two types of Bhaavas – Sattvika Bhaavas that arise when the heart is overwhelmed by mukhya-rati from direct contact with Sri Krishna’ and ‘Saattvika-Bhaavas that arise when the heart is overwhelmed by gauṇa-rati that are induced by a circumstance in which Krishna is somewhat apart’. Accordingly, the Saattvika Bhaava encompasses both Mukhya and Gauna rati. This book (PDF) can be downloaded free from site –

[Bhakti Rasamrita]

  • muktiki mēlmi (greater than mukti) – In this regard, please refer to Tirumaalai of Vaishnava saint Tondaradippodi Aazhvaar in praise of Lord of Sri Rangam:
பச்சை மாமலை போல் மேனி பவளவாய் கமலச் செங்கண்
அச்சுதா! அமரர் ஏறே! ஆயர் தம் கொழுந்தே! என்னும்,
இச்சுவை தவிர யான்போய் இந்திர லோகம் ஆளும்,
அச்சுவை பெறினும் வேண்டேன் அரங்க மாநகர் உளானே! (2)
“Green great mountain-like body; coral mouth; lotus eyes; O Lord Achyuta – the lion of celestials – the tender one of the cow-herds; other than the relish of uttering these words, even if I happen to attain the great joy of ruling the World of celestials, I do not desire it, O Lord abiding in the holy Sri Rangam.”
Please visit the sites –

[Thirumaalai]

  • The PDF version in Tamil may be downloaded from site –

[Thirumaalai Download]

  • The following quote from The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna clarifies how Bhakti is greater than Mukti –
  • “Hanuman kept the ‘servant ego’ after realizing God in both His Personal and His Impersonal aspects. He thought of himself as the servant of God. The great sages, such as Narada, Sanaka, Sananda, Santana, and Sanatkumara, after attaining the Knowledge of Brahman, kept the ‘servant ego’ and the ‘ego of Devotion’. They are like big steamships, which not only cross the ocean themselves but carry many passengers to the other shore.” (pp 500)
  • The is further certified by Narada Bhakti Sutras –
  • sa tarati sa tarati, sa lōkāṃstārayati || 50 ||
  • “He crosses indeed, he crosses this Maya and carries also the world across it.” (Translation by Swami Tyagisananda)
  • bhakti biccamiyyavē – Give me alms of Bhakti. While Bhakti is the means to attain Lord, even that Bhakti can spring only if there is grace of Lord. What a catch 22 situation! Which comes first – Bhakti or grace? In my humble opinion, upto Gauna bhakti it is the man’s effort and the Mukhya Bhakti is the Lord’s grace. Though Sri Thyagaraja has placed the ‘sātvīka’ at the end of the pallavi, that is the operative word of the whole kRti.
  • akhila śakti – Sri Thyagaraja seems to refer to aṇimādi eight-fold siddhi.
  • jhāṇalaku – According to Sri Thyagaraja, it is only through devotion that one can attain true insight into the Puranas etc; any talk on these subjects by such persons (who are imbued with devotion) will carry weight. Otherwise, it is clever, but life-less talk.