Evaricchirira - Tyagaraja Kritis (Eng)

Pallavi

evariccirirā śara-cāpamulu1 nīkina kulābdhi candra evaru iccirirā śara-cāpamulu1 nīku ina kula-abdhi candra

O Moon born in the Ocean of Solar dynasty! Who gave arrows and bow to you?

Anupallavi

avatariñcu vēḷanuṇḍenō lēka avanikēgi yārjiñcitivō śrī rāma nī (kevaru) avatariñcu-vēḷanu-uṇḍenō lēka avaniki ēgi ārjiñcitivō śrī rāma nīku (evaru)

Were they present when you incarnated or, Did you acquire them after coming down to the Earth, Sri Rama?

Charanam

okaṭēsi2 padi nūrai veyyai cikapikalāḍi3 śatrulanaṇacenaṭa vikaluni kākini brōva tri-mūrtulu4 venuka tīsiraṭa5 sakala nadī patikai drumakulyula6 saṃhariñcenaṭa prakaṭa kīrti galigina kōdaṇḍapāṇi śrī tyāgarāja7 vinuta nī (kevaru) okaṭi-ēsi padi nūrai veyyai cikapikalāḍi śatrulanu-aṇacenaṭa vikaluni kākini brōva tri-mūrtulu venuka-tīsiraṭa sakala nadī patikai drumakulyula saṃhariñcenaṭa prakaṭa kīrti galigina kōdaṇḍapāṇi śrī tyāgarāja vinuta nīku (evaru)

We hear that your single arrow multiplied into tens, hundreds and thousands and, subdued your enemies, scattering them; we hear that even the Trinity backed out from protecting the injured crow; we hear that they (your missiles) destroyed the dwellers of Drumakulya at the behest of the Lord of rivers (Varuna); O Kodandapani (one who wields Kodanda) whose fame is well-known! One praised by this Thyagaraja! To you (who gave bow and arrows)?

Variations

• ¹cāpamulu – cāpamu’.
• ²okaṭēsi – okaṭēsina.
• ³cikapikalāḍi – In all the books cakapakalāḍi has been given. There are two similar words in telugu –(1) 'cikapika' meaning ‘scatter’, ‘piecemeal’, ‘fragments’ and (2) 'cekapika' meaning ‘fierceness’, ‘troubling’. ‘cikapika’ seems to be appropriate in the context.
• ⁵tīsiraṭa - tīsināraṭa
• ⁷tyāgarāja vinuta - tyāgarāja nuta

References

• ²okaṭēsi padi nūrai veyyai – Following references of Srimad Valmiki Ramayana, are relevant:
  • Aranya Kanda – Chapter 31 (verses 19, 20) – Words spoken by Akampana to Ravana:

    “Whatever way the ogres stricken with fear went they beheld Rama alone standing in front on that very way. In this manner, was Your Janasthana laid waste by him.”

  • Yuddha Kanda – Chapter 93

    “The aforesaid ogres for their part beheld thousands of Rama on the battle field, while at other times they saw only one Rama – a scion of Kakustha.” (27)

    “In the eighth part of a day (one hour and a half) an army of ogres capable of changing their form at will, consisting of a myraid chariots possessing the swiftness of the wind, also eighteen thousand fleet-footed elephants, fourteen thousand horses with their riders, and a full two lakhs of ogres fighting on foot, was exterminated by Sri Rama single-handed with his arrows resembling tongues of fires.” (31-33)

• ⁴tri mūrtulu venuka tīsiraṭa – Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kanda, chapter 38 (verses 31, 32) are relevant –

“Seeking protection when given chase to (by the missile), the crow then sought various asylums and thus actually ranged this whole universe: so it is said. Having duly travelled through all the three worlds, nay, deserted by his father (Indra) all the great Rishis, he sought Sri Rama alone as his refuge.”

• ⁶drumakulya - This refers to Srimad Valmiki Ramayana, Yuddha Kanda, Chapter 22, verses 30 to 40. Sinful marauders of terrible aspects and deeds (AbhIras) dwelling the region of Drumakulya aka Marukantara (present-day Marwar, Bikaner and Rajasthan) were destroyed by the Brahmastra of Sri Rama which was originally discharged against the Lord of Oceans. This was done at the behest of Lord of Oceans. [More about AbhIras]