by Damodara Rao Dasu

In this kruti Tyagaraja prays to Lord Lakshmi Narasimha(incarnation of Maha Vishnu) the omnicient,requestig Him to bestow power to think of and to chant his name always.

P	narasimhA nanu brOvavE Sreelakshmi ||	Oh Lakshmi Narasimha,please protect me.
AP	koramAlina narula goniyADanu nEnu parama pAvana nA pAli Srilakshmi ||	I cannot adore worthless people. I seek refuge in the most pious Sri Lakshmi Narasimha.
C 1	needu bhaktAgrEsaruDu prahlAduDa puDoka kanaka kaSyapu vAdulOrvaka ninnu SaraNani AdukOmana gAchinAvu ||	Prahlada your foremost devotee was unable to bear the abusive utterences of his father Hiranyakasipa, sought for protection. You readily saved him.
C 2	endukani sairintu nee manasandu teliyanidEdi lOkula ninda kOrvaka ninnu kOrinandukentani karuNa jootuvO ||	How long should I endure? There is nothing that your mind can not cognize. I am not able to bear the insults by the people around. I don't know how you shower mercy.
C 3	nee japamu nee smaraNa nee pada pooja nee vAri chelimi yosagi rAjiga dayasEyu tyAgarAja sannuta taramu gAdu ||	Oh Rama, the lord worshipped by Tyagaraja, bestow me profusely the ability to chant your name, to think of you always, to worship your feet and the company of your devotees.

In this kruti tyagaraja reveals that Siva is the enbodiment of 'nadam' and that all musical notes and octaves (sthayees) are generated from the five heads of Siva.

P	nAda tanu maniSam Sankaram namAmi mE manasA sirasA ||	I bow to Sankara every moment with mind and body. He is the embodiment of 'Nadam'
AP	mOdakara nigamOttama sAma vEda sAram vAram vAram ||	He is bestower of joy. He is the quintessence of 'Samaveda' the best of the scriptures. I bow to him again and again.
C 1	sadyOjAtAdi pancha vaktraja sa ri ga ma pa da ni vara saptaswara vidyAlolam vidaLita kAlam vimala hrudaya tyAgarAja pAlam ||	The excellent seven notes 'sa ri ga ma pa da ni " are generated from the five faces of Siva known as 'sadyojata' etc. He is engrossed in supreme knowledge. He eradicates the fear from Yama the god that causes death. siva's heart is pure. He is the protector of Tyagaraja.

P	nAdOpAsana chEsE Sankara nArAyana vidhulu velasiri oh manasA ||	Oh my mind, know that the trinity namely Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara shine brilliantly by immersing themselves in the divine 'nadam'.
AP	vEdOdhdharulu vEdAteetulu viswa mella ninDi yunDeDi vAralu ||	Those who uphold the vedas, those who surpass the purport of the vedas, who pervade all over the universe also immerse in 'nadam'.
C 1	mantramulu yantramulu mari mantramu lanniyu kala vAralu tantree laya swara rAga vilOluru tyAgarAja vandyulu swatantrulu ||	Those who engross themselves in 'Mantras' (incantations) Yantras ( mysterious diagrams to appease some Gods), tantras (secret code of worship) and those who possess magical powers, those who engross in rhythm, musical notes and ragas are all adored by Tyagaraja.

In this kruti Tyagaraja prays to the great Saint Narada extolling him for his excellence in music and for his prime role in the epics and in spreading vedic knowledge.

P	nArada guru sAmi ikanaina na nnAdarincha vEmi ee karavEmi ||	Oh my supreme guru Narada,Why don't you protect me at least now?
AP	sAreku sangeeta yOga naigama pArangatuDaina parama pAvana ||	You are the one that crossed the ocean like yoga of music, the vedas and the branches of vedas. You are the most pious one.
C 1	itihAsa purANAgama charitamu levari valla kalige patini dAna mivva budhdhi satyabhAma keTula kalige dyuti jita Saradabhra ninu vinA muni yatula kevaru salige Kshitini tyAgarAja vinuta nammiti chinta deerchiprahlAduni brOchina ||	Who is responsible for upholding the Vedas,the epics and the mythological stories? How did Satyabhama get the idea of donating her husband? Your brilliance surpasses the shine of autumn moon. But for you, how were the sages and saints blessed ? You alleviated the sufferings of Prahlada and protected. You are worshipped by Tyagaraja

In this kruti Tyagaraja deplores about the struggles of mankind in pursuit of unending desires, forgetting the real fortune of seeking the grace of Rama.

P	nee daya galuguTE bhAgyamani nijamuna nEla dOchadO||	Oh Rama, why the people do not realise that obtaining your grace is fortune?
AP	nAdaroopa neerada sannibha diva nAthAnvaya bhooshaNa mrudu bhAshaNa ||	You are the embodiment of 'Nada'. You shine with the brilliance of clouds. You are the precious jewel of the Sun dynasty. Your speech is gentle.
C 1	avivEkulaina dAra tanayula nanudinamu galisi bhava sAgaramunu eedalEka bhAgyamuna jeyyalasi yavaneeSula gAchi sukhamu lEka nAyAsamu solasi vividhamulagu nee mAya lOpala dagilina tanakee avadhulanu telisi ||	The unwise spend all the day for the sake of wife and children. They get exausted of the fear of swimming across the sea of wordly problems. They are dissolutioned and tired with the service to the rulers. They are entangled in Maya (delusion) and are at loss to know the limits of their struggle.
C 2	vEgi lEchi tAnati lObhijanula vembaDi gAdirigi rOgiai tAgOrina kOrkelu rOyaka mEnu karagi bhOga bhAgyamula kora kanyasurula bhoosurula kOri tirigi Egatiyu lEka ee sukhambu liTlani tana madini tAnerigi ||	They get up early only to go after the misers. They are never disgusted of desires. Over exertion makes them sick. They hanker after enjoyment and wealth. They seek help from demons and also brahmanas. They realise that it is not true happiness but they are left with no alternative.
C 3	nAganAyaka SayanEndu dinanAtha nayana seetAnka yOgi vandita padAravinda yuga SaraNa kaLanka rAga lObha madAdula goTTI rakshinchu birudAnka tygarAja poojita raghunAyaka tArakamani teliyu niSSAnka. ||	Oh Lord, you recline on Adishesha the king of serpants. The sun and the moon are your eyes. You repose on the lap of Sita. Yogis bow to your lotus feet. You are unblemished. You earned the title as the savior of all by dispelling attachment, envy and arrogance. You are the hero of Raghu dynasty worshipped by Tyagaraja. Know without any dobt that He is the emancipator.

In this kruti Tyagaraja begs Rama to pardon him for his ignorance about Rama's greatness. He praises him as the savior of Viswamitra's yajnam and as the destroyer of the enemies of Devatas.

P	neevErA kula dhanamu santatamu neevErA jeevamu ||	Oh Rama, you are the wealth of my family. You alone sustain us constantly.
AP	ee varakunu teliyakunna nEramu dEvara kshama chEsi dayatO nElukOrA ||	Oh my lord, pardon me for not knowing this so far. Please protect me.
C 1	mAdhava seetAnuja vara sahita mangaLa kara paramArtha bhoota charita gAdhi yAga samrakshaka satata gatijApta nata janAvruta dhivinuta ||	Oh Madhava, you are auspicious along with your consort Sita and brother Lakshmana. You are known for excellent character. You are the savior of Viswamitra's Yajnam (ritual). You are intimate to Anjaneya. The scholars around bow to you.
C 2	sujana nichaya pApa hima chanDa soorya suswara jita ghana rava mAdhurya aja mukhAri samara nirupama Saurya Ananda kandara sundara suvarga ||	You are like the blazing sun that dissolves snow which is like accumulated sin of the virtuous people. Your voice is majestic like a cloud and your talk is sweet. You exhibited unparalleled valor in conquering the enemies of Brahma. You are the root of happiness. You are the most fascinating one.
C 3	rAghava sarvOnnata suprakASa ramaNeeya kara pATita lankESa tyAgarAja hrudaya nivESa taraNi SaSanka lOchana jAnakeeSA ||	Oh Raghava, you are above all with divine radiance. You are charming. You destroyed Ravana the king of Lanka. You are the most precious one dwelling in the heart of Tyagaraja. You are the lord of Janaki. The sun and the moon are like your eyes.

In this Kruti Tyagaraja stresses the inevitability of fate and says that God's grace depends on our past record of righteous behaviour.He adds that none can blame God for his fate.

P	ninnADanEla neerajAksha ||	Oh lotus eyed Rama,why should I blame you?
AP	kanna vAripai kAka sEyanEla ||	Why should I be angry with my parents who gave me birth?
C 1	karmAniki taginaTTu kAryamulu naDichEni dharmAniki taginaTTu daivamu brOchEni ||	All the happenings in life depend on fate. God protects in accordance with the righteous deeds performed.
C 2	chiTTAniki taginaTTu sidhdhiyu kaligEni vittAniki taginaTTu vEDuka naDichEni ||	Spiritual achievement is possible with pure conscience only. Celebrations depend on money.
C 3	satya roopa ninnu sannuti jEsi tatvamu delisina tyAgarAjuniki ||	Oh Rama,you are the embodiment of truth. Tyagaraja understands your philosophy.

P	nee nAma roopamulaku nitya jaya mangaLam ||	Let there be always victory and auspiciousness to your name and form.
C 1	pavamAna sutuDu paTTu pAdAravindamulaku ||	To your lotus feet comforted by Anjaneya the son of wind God.
C 2	pankajAkshi nelakonna anka yugamunaku ||	To your laps on which lotus eyed Sita sits.
C 3	naLinAri gEru chirunavvu gala mOmunaku ||	To your ever cheerful moon like face.
C 4	nava mukta hAramulu naTiyinchu yuramunaku ||	To your chest where precious pearl necklaces dance.
C 5	prahlAda nAradAdi bhaktulu pogaDuchunDu ||	To Rama who is praised by Narada and Prahalada.
C 6	rAjeeva nayana tyAgarAja vinutamaina ||	To the lotus eyed Lord worshipped by Tyagaraja.
	Slokam: mangaLam jAnakeeSAya maharAja sutAyacha mAyAmAnusha vEshAya mahaneeyAya mangaLam ||	Let it be auspicious to the Lord of Janaki, to the son of the emperor Dasaratha, to the Lord taking the form of man and to the most Supreme one.

P	ninne nera namminAnurA Oh rAmA,ramaiah ||	Oh Father Rama,I've absolute faith in you.
AP	anni kalalanuchu ADipADi vEDi pannaga Sayana nE chinna tanamu nADe ||	Oh my lord reclining on serpent,even from my childhood, I prayed to you by way of singing songs and playing games which often revealed some deceptive nature of the world.
C 1	vEda SAstra purANa vidyalachE bhEda vAdamulu teeraka bhramasE vArala joochi ||	I have seen learned pundits of Vedas and epics involving in endless arguments because of delusion.
C 2	bhOgamula koraku bhuvilO rAjasamuna yAgAdulonarinchi yalayu vArala joochi ||	I have seen people getting fatigued in performing sacrifices and austerities to achieve and enjoy worldly pleasures.
C 3	ee janmamuna ninnu rAjee chEsukO lEka rAjillarani tyAgarAja vandya rAghava ||	These people will not shine truly in their life unless they agree to understand you.Oh Raghava,Tyagaraja bows to you.

In this kruti Tyagaraja says that his eyes,ears and mind are absorbed in Rama only by seeing him everywhere,by listening to his stories and by singing his praise only.

P	ninu vinA nAmadendu niluvadE Srihari hari ||	Oh Sri Hari,my mind does not think of anything other than you.
AP	kanulaku nee sogasentO grammi yunnadi ganukanu ||	It is because my eyes are totally absorbed in enjoying your beauty.
C 1	needu kadhalu veenulandu ninDi yunnadi Srida nee nAmamu nOTa jelagi yunnadi ganuka ||	It is because my ears are only engaged in listening to your stories. Oh Rama the bestower of prosperity,my tongue chants nothing but your name.
C 2	nEnu echaTa juchinanu neevai yunnadi bhAnu vamSa tilaka needu bhaktuDanuchu pEru ganuka ||	Oh Rama the diadem of Raghu dynasty,wherever my eyes wander I see you only because I am known as your devotee.
C 3	kapaTamou mATalella kammanainadi tapamu yAga phalamu neeve tyAgarAja sannuta ||	Your words are pleasant and sweet.Your actions are apparently delusive.You are the fruit of all penance and Yoga. You are worshipped by Tyagaraja.

In this kruti Tyagaraja expresses that he finds happiness in Rama alone. He praises his virtues,his beauty and his lovable personality.

P	ninu vinA sukhamu gAna neeraja nayana ||	Oh lotus-eyed Rama, I donot find happiness any where else except in you.
C 1	mansu kentO Anandamai maipulakinchagA ||	My heart revels and my body tingles with ecstasy.
C 2 C3 C4	roopamu pratApamu Sara chApamu sallApamu gala || karuNArasa paripurNa varada mrudu vArtalu kala || rAgarasika rAgarahita tyAgarAja bhAgadhEya ||	Your appearence,your valor,your bow and arrows and your pleasant talk enthral me. You are full of compassion and bestow boons abundantly.Your talk is gentle. You are devoid of passion or hatred. You are the bestower of prosperity to Tyagaraja.

In this kruti Tyagaraja implores his own mind to worship the God, uttering his innumerable names which are like beautiful flowers.

P	nAma kusumamulachE poojinchE nara janmamE janmamu manasA ||	Birth as a human being is worthy ,if a person recites the countless number of names of the God which are like beautiful flowers.
AP	Sriman mAnasa kanaka peeThamuna chalaga jEsigoni vara Siva rAma ||	Absorb yourself in retaining the names of Siva and Rama on the golden throne of your heart.
C 1	nAdaswara manE nava ratnapu vEdikapai sakala leelA vi nOduni paramAtmuni Sri rAmuni pAdamulanu tyAgarAja hrudbhooshaNuni. ||	Oh my heart,worship the feet of the supreme soul Sri Rama the jewel of Tyagaraja's heart. He engrosses in divine leelas gracing on musical notes as stage, dazzling with nine superior gems. He is the ornament of Tyagaraja's heart.

In this kruti expresses that life immersed in the devotion to Rama is true life.He adds that even vedic rituals do not bestow such contentment.

P	nee bhakti bhAgya sudhA nidhi needEdE janmamu ||	Oh Rama, absorbing in the nectar ocean of devotion is in deed true life and real fortune.
AP	bhoobhAramu gani bhoosurulai janminchina ||	Birth as a brahmana devoid of devotion to God is only a burden on the earth.
C 1	vEdOktambou karmamu veta galgugatAgatamou nAdAtmaka tyAgarAjanAthApramEya sadA||	Even the rituals dictated by the Vedas cause discontentment and sorrow. Oh lord of Tyagaraja,you are the soul of music and you are always the object of my worship.

P	nEnendu vedakudurA hari ||	Oh Hari,where should I search for you?
AP	A nAlgu mOmula vAni mora lalakinchi rAni ninnu ||	Where can I search for you who did not listen to the prayers of even Brahma?
C 1	kalushAtmuDai dushkarmayutuDai palu mAru durbhAshi ai ila lO bhaktAgrESa rula vEshi ai tyAgarAja poojita ||	My mind is tarnished by evils. I talked indecently. I even posed as a great devotee. How can I be blessed with your grace? Oh Rama,Tyagaraja worships you.

In this kruti Tyagaraja extoles the supremacy of Shanmukha over Brahma. Brahma boasted that he knows Pranavam more than anyone else. So Shanmukha entrusts the power of creation to his servitor to teach him that Omkaram is above his job of creation.

P	nee vanti daivamunu ShaDAnana nEnendu gAnarA ||	Oh Shanmukha, Where can I find a god of your caliber?
AP	bhAvinchi chooDa taramugAni brahmapura nilayA girijA tanayA ||	Oh dear son of Girija,you dwell in Brahmapuri(Palani) and it is impossible to comprehend you.
C 1	sari bAluratO kailAsa girini SubhAkruti tO nADa ganu verapu lEka praNavArthamu tAnanu vidhini kOpaginchi saraguna nava veerulandoka kimkaruni gani mummAru Salavichchi suralu mura purArulu vini mechchaga varusagAnu srushTi Sakti nosagina ||	When you were playing with other boys on the mount Kailas,Brahma came there and declared that he is the embodiment of Pranavam i.e.OmkAram.You got infuriated at his arrogance.You are aware that PraNavam is more than the creation of Brahma.So ,to teach him a lesson,you entrusted the power of creation to one of your servitors.Siva, Vishnu and all the devatas praised your superiority.
C 2	hari harAdulaku dikpAlula kAla SaSi sooryulaku mari vidyA dharulaku brahmAnDamulanu velasE vara veerAdulaku taramu gAka ninnu jata gooDuka SaraNanagA vini sairinchaka parama drOhiaina Soora padmAsuruni keertigAnu garva maNachina ||	Hari,Siva,the moon,the sun,the lords of all eight directions,the great scholars and the mighty heroes of all lokas sought for your help to destroy the mighty demon Padmasura. Your glory is enhanced.
C 3	mAra kOTulandu kalgina SrungAra mella indu mukha nee konagOrunu pOlunE aTuvanTi Subhakaramu santatamu sAreku nA madini nilpina kumAra dayApara neeraja lOchana tArakAdhipa kaLAdharuDagu Sree tyAgarAja sannuta Srita hita ||	Even the beauty of a million Manmathas is not comparable to the tip of your finger nail. Oh lotus eyed Kumara,let your auspicious form remain in my mind forever. You are the embodiment of compassion. You are lotus eyed.Siva praises you. You are the destroyer of the demon Taraka.You are the shelter to your devotees.Tyagaraja worships you.