Dasarathi Nee Runamu - Tyagaraja Kritis (Eng)

Pallavi

dāśarathī nī ṛṇamu dīrpa nā taramā parama pāvana nāma dāśarathī nī ṛṇamu dīrpa nā-taramā parama pāvana nāma

O Lord Rama – son of Dasaratha! O Lord with a Holy Name! Is it in my capacity to redeem Your debt?

Anupallavi

āśa tīra dūra dēśamulanu prakāśimpa jēsina rasika śirōmaṇi (dāśarathī) āśa-tīra dūra dēśamulanu prakāśimpa-jēsina rasika śirōmaṇi (dāśarathī)

O Excellent of connoisseurs of music who, to the fulfilment of my desire, made me shine (even) in distant lands?

Charanam

bhakti lēni kavi jāla varēṇyulu bhāvameruga lērani 1kalilōna jani bhukti mukti kalgunani kīrtanamula bōdhiñcina tyāgarāja karārcita (dāśarathī) bhakti-lēni kavi-jāla-varēṇyulu bhāvamu-eruga-lēru-ani kalilōna jani bhukti mukti kalgunu-ani kīrtanamula bōdhiñcina tyāgarāja kara-arcita (dāśarathī)

O Lord worshipped by this Thyagaraja, who, realising that those best poets (OR best in poetic excellence) bereft of devotion, do not understand the true state of mind (of devotees of God), having been born in this Kali Yuga, taught, to the World, compositions (OR chanting of names) so that both Worldly enjoyments and also emancipation could accrue.

Variations

• ¹kalilōna – kalalōna

Commentary

• ¹kalalōna - By adopting this word, the following translation would result-
  • “O Lord worshipped by this Thyagaraja! Realizing that those great composers who, devoid of devotion, indulge in poetical excellence alone, would never understand the true state of devotion to God, appeared in the dream of this Thyagaraja and taught him such compositions which would convey (to the World) that it is possible to attain both enjoyments and emancipation (by adopting the path of devotion).”
  • But, this meaning would not be correct for three reasons (1) the words ‘bodhiñcina tyāgarāja’ clearly indicates that it is Thyagaraja who taught (bōdhiñcina); (2) the word ‘jani’ (born) is not appropriate usage with ‘kalalō’ (in the dream); it contradicts the Pallavi and Anupallavi where Sri Thyagaraja is feeling obliged for making him famous in distant lands, because then the credit would go to the Lord and not to Thyagaraja; probably, that is why Sri Thyagaraja says that he will not be able to redeem the debt. The debt referred here is clarified in the charaNa – the debt of ‘enabling his birth in Kali Yuga for the purpose of teaching the World through keerthanas about devotion to Lord’.