Lyrics and Meanings (Keerthana)

Śhrī Purandharadhāsa was in a way, the founder of Kīrthana form which it its melody is based on technical compositions like Gītha whose purpose is to elucidate Rāga forms and Thāḷa patterns. The emphasis in the Kīrthanas is on its aesthetic excellence and that is why it is considered as the most important part of Karnātic classical music. It was the genius of Śhrī Purandharadhāsa that created Kīrthanas on the basis of which Kruthi form was evolved.

The great master composers who came after Śhrī Purandharadhāsa faithfully followed the tradition and form which he established. The Rāga and Thāḷa aspects are followed by composers like Dīkṣhitar and Śhāma Śhāsthri and purely Rāga aspects by composers like Kśhethragna. But it was Thyāgarāja who brought out the fullest measure all the three aspects – Rāga, Bhāva and Thāḷa of the tradition, founded by Śhrī Purandharadhāsa.

Rāga:

Thāḷa: Ādhi

Composer – Dayānandha Saraswathi (Ārṣha Vidhyā Pīṭham)

Language – Sanskrit

Meaning – word by word & Overall: By R.Shankar

(Overall meaning Charaṇa 2 only: Team Ambalam)

Alignment, Diacriticals & consequent spelling changes, Language & grammar editing, if any and necessary, of existing meaning: Team Ambalam

Pallavi

Bho Śambho Śhiva Śhambho Svayambho

Anupallavi

Gaṅgādhhara Śhankara Karuṇākara
Māmava Bhavasāgarathāraka

Charanam 1:

Nirguṇa Parabrahma Svarūpa
Gamāgamabhūtka Prapañcha rahitha
Nijaguṇanihitha Nithāntha Anantha
Ānandha Athiśhaya Akṣhayaliṅga

Charanam 2:

Dhimitha Dhimitha Dhimi Dhimi Kiṭa Kiṭathom
Thom Thom Tharikiṭa Tharikiṭa Kiṭathom
Māthaṅga munivara Vanditha Īśha Sarva dhigambara Vēṣṭitha Vēṣhā
Nithya nirañjana Nithya naṭeśha Īśha Sabhēśha Sarvēśha

Pallavi:

Bho Śambho Śhiva Śhambho Svayambho

Śambho  - Hail to Śhiva

Svayambho  - The one who was self created  

Hail, oh lord Śhambhu, one who "self appeared"

Anupallavi:

Gaṅgādhhara Śhankara Karuṇākara
Māmava Bhavasāgarathāraka

Gaṅgādhhara  - Bearer of ganga  

Śhankara  - Oh auspicious one  

Karuṇākara  - Bestower of compassion  

Bhavasāgarathāraka  - the one who will row us across the ocean of life  

Māmava  - Please protect me

Source of Ganges, Śhankara, Oh Merciful Lord, who redeems me from this ocean of sorrow, Samsāra.

Charaṇam1:

Nirguṇa Parabrahma Svarūpa
Gamāgamabhūtka Prapañcarahitha
Nijaguṇanihitha Nithāntha Anantha
Ānandha Athiśhaya Akṣayaliṅga

Nijaguṇanihitha – The truth beyond the Guṇas

Nithāntha - As an extraordinary  

Anantha - Joyful

Imperishable/permanent  

Akṣayaliṅga - And pre-eminent Liṅga, you take the form  

Prapañcarahitha - Of the Supreme Being  

Nijaguṇa - Whose character is beyond description?  

Prapañca - This universe  

Gamāgamabhūtka - That forms and dissolves

Without guṇas, one who is beyond time, past, present and future; truth beyond guṇas, beyond all things finite, oh infinite, blissful, wondrous, ever the same, Liṅga!

Charanam 2:

Dhimitha Dhimitha Dhimi Dhimi Kiṭa Kiṭathom
Thom Thom Tharikiṭa Tharikiṭa Kiṭathom
Māthaṅgamunivara Vanditha Īśha Sarvadhigambara Veṣṭitha Veṣhā
Nithyanirañjana Nruthyanaṭēśha Īśha Sabhēśha Sarvēśha

Veṣhā  - Clad  

Ambara -  In Garments

Veṣṭitha  - That prevail/surround  

Sarva - Everything  

Īśha  - You are the lord  

Vanditha  - Who is extolled  

Sarveśha  - Lord of everything ;

Naṭeśha - Lord of dance;

Sabheśha  - Lord of the cit sabha;

Nruthya - You dance;  

Nithya – Daily;  

Nirañjana- Perpetually;

This Is Just The Rhythm Of The Dance Of Creation And Destruction.

-  Clad in garments comprising of the directions, you are the god who is extolled by Sage Mathaṅga as the Lord of Dance, the Lord of the Chit sabhā and you dance perpetually to the beats of Dhimitha etc.

Note: Is Māthaṅga muni the same as the fisherman, Māthaṅga? Pārvathi, as his daughter, acquires the name Māthaṅgi. Māthaṅga was a great devotee of shiva and was blessed by him to have Pārvathi as his daughter. Hence the name 'Māthaṅgi. In spite of these Māthaṅgi (Pārvathi) is still considered an 'untouchable' in ' Gamāgamabhūtka Prapañcarahitha' the first two words are adjectives qualifying the third word viz., Prapañca (the universe) which happened (Bhūtha) and is gamāgama (comes and goes). In other words 'you are outside (rahitha) or separate of this universe that forms and dissolves. Also note 'sarva' means in addition ' Śhiva '. This whole verse is a string of epithets formed of the different names of Śhankara.

Thāḷa: Ādhi

Composer: Thyāgarāja

Language: Thelugu 

Meanings – word by word & overall: Vidya -http://www.allyouwannaknow.net/

Alignment, Diacriticals & consequent spelling changes, Language & grammar editing, if any and necessary, of existing meaning: Team Ambalam

Pallavi 

Bro Chevār Evarurā  Ninu Vinā, Raghuvara! Nannu

Ni Charaṇāmbujamunule Viḍajāla Karuṇāla Vāla 

Anupallavi 

O Chathurānanādhi Vandhitha Nikuparā Kēlanaiyya 

Nī Charithamulanu Pogaṭalēni Nā Chintha Thīrci Varamulīchi Végame

Chiṭṭa Svaram 

Ṡa Ṡa Ni Da Pa Da Ni Ṡa Ni Ni Da Da Pa Ma Pa Da Ma Ga Ma Pa Da Ni 

Ṡa Ni Da Pa Ma Ni Da Pa Ma Ga Ma Pa Da Ma Ga Ri Sa Sa Ma Ga Ma Pa Da Ma Pa Da Ni Ṡa 

Ṡa Ri Ni Ni Ni Sa Da Da Da Ni Pa Da Ma Pa Da Ni Ṡa Ni Da Pa Ma Ga Ma Ni Da Ni Pa Da 

Ma Pa Da Ni Ṡa Ma Ga Ri Ṡa Ri Ṡa Ni Da Pa Ṡa Ni Da Pa Ma Ga Ma Pa Da Ni 

Charaṇam:

Sīthāpathe Nāpai Nīkabhimānamu Lédhā?

Vāthāthmaja Shrithapādha!  Nā Moralanu Vinarādhā

Āthuramukha Karirājuni Brochina Vāsudhévuḍe Nivugadhā

Nā Pāṭakamella Pogoṭṭi Gaṭṭiga Nachéyi Baṭṭi Viḍuvaka

Nī Charaṇāmbujamula Ne Viḍajāla Karuṇālavāla 

Meanings:

Pallavi:

Bro Chevār Evarurā?  Ninu Vinā, Raghuvara! Nannu

Ni Charaṇāmbujamunule Viḍajāla Karuṇāla Vāla 

Bro Chevār Evarurā?   - Who will save?

Ninu Vinā - other than you?

Raghuvara - descendent of Raghu - Rāma in this case

Nannu - me

Ni Charaṇāmbujamunule Viḍajāla Karuṇāla Vāla 

Nī - your

Charaṇāmbujamula  - lotus like feet ( ambuja = lotus; charana = feet)

Ne viḍajāla  - I can't leave

Karuṇālavāla - Oh treasure of mercy

Who will save me other than you oh descendent of Raghu? I can't leave your lotus like feet, Oh treasure of mercy.

Anupallavi:

O Chathurānanādhi Vandhitha Nikuparā Kelanaiya

Nī Charithamulanu Pogaṭaleni Nā Chintha Thīrci Varamulīchi Végame

O Chathurānanādhi Vandhitha - Oh, the one who is worshipped by Brahma and others

Vandhitha - worshipped

Nīku parāku élanaiyya -  To you – aloofness - why father?

Charithamulanu - Inadequacy to praise life history

Nā - my

Chintha - worry

Thīrci  - remedy

Varamulīchi -  grant boons

Végame - quickly

Oh, the one who is worshipped by great ones starting from Brahma, why are you so aloof? You are the only one who can save me. If you yourself show aloofness, what can I do?

My diction is inadequate even to praise and sing your story; I am in such a poor state. Please clear my worries and grant my wishes and save me.

Charaṇam :

Sīthāpathe Nāpai Nīkabhimānamu Lédhā?

Vāthāthmajāśhrithapādha!  Nā Moralanu Vinarādhā

Sīthā pathe - Oh Lord Of Sita

Nāpai -Towards Me, In This Context

 Nīku - you

abhimānamu - affection

Lédhā = Don't You have ?

Vāthāthmaja – the son of wind, Hanumān

Āśhritha  pādha- feet (feet) surrendered to;

Nā –my; 

Moralanu- Lamentation; 

Vinarādhā- Can't You Hear;

Oh, Lord Of Sīthā, Don't you have any affection towards me? Oh, the one whose feet were surrendered to by Hanuman, Why don't you listen to my lamentation?

Āthuramukha Karirājuni Brochina Vāsudhévuḍe Nivugadhā

Nā Pāṭakamella Pogoṭṭi Gaṭṭiga Nachéyi Baṭṭi Viḍuvaka

Āthura - quickly

Karirājuni - elephant kind

Brochina - saved

Vāsudhévuḍe - Viśhṇu

Nivugadhā  - aren't you

Nā - my

Pāṭakamella - all sins

Pogoṭṭi - get rid of

Gaṭṭiga  - firmly

Nachéyi - my hand

Baṭṭi - hold

Viḍuvaka - without leaving

Aren't you the Viśhṇu who gloriously (quickly) saved the elephant kind? (Referring to "gajendhra mokṣham")

Who will save me cleansing me of all my sins, and without leaving it, hold my hand firm?