ēla teliyalerō
Sahityam
Pallavi
ēla¹ teliya lērō pūrva² karmam-
ēlāguna jēsirō rāmayya
Show Word Meanings
ēlāguna jēsirō rāmayya
O Lord Rama! Why did they not understand You? How did they perform earlier actions (that they could not understand You)?
Anupallavi
bāla śaśāṅka kalālaṅkṛta³ nuta
nīla varṇa suguṇālaya nī mahimal(ēla)
Show Word Meanings
nīla varṇa suguṇālaya nī mahimal(ēla)
O Lord praised by Lord Siva – one who is adorned with the digit of the young moon – the hare marked! O (Dark) blue hued! O Abode of virtues! O Lord Rama! Why did they not understand Your greatness?
Charanams Combined
bāla tanamuna śūla dharuni
viśāla dhanuvunu līlagā bhū-
pālakulu kana kēla viraci
kuśālugā śrīnēlina ninn(ēla)
Show Word Meanings
viśāla dhanuvunu līlagā bhū-
pālakulu kana kēla viraci
kuśālugā śrīnēlina ninn(ēla)
O Lord Rama! Why did they not understand You who, in His youth itself, as the kings – Lords of the Earth - watched, by breaking sportingly by His hands the huge bow of Lord Siva – one who wields of trident - happily became the consort of Sita?
nālugoka padi vēla kañcu
rathāla sura ripu mūla balamula
līlagān⁴oka kōlanēsi
kāla yama puri pālu jēsina ninn(ēla)
Show Word Meanings
rathāla sura ripu mūla balamula
līlagān⁴oka kōlanēsi
kāla yama puri pālu jēsina ninn(ēla)
O Lord Rama! Why did they not understand You, who sportingly dispatched to the abode of the Lord Death – the controller of time – the fourteen – four and a ten - thousand (warriors in) bronze chariots and the core strengths of Ravana – the enemy of celestials, by shooting just a single arrow?
rāja śēkharuniyī jagatilō
rājasambuna⁵ pūja sēyu
rājulanu gaja rājulaku mṛga
rāja tyāgarāja nuta ninn(ēla)
Show Word Meanings
rājasambuna⁵ pūja sēyu
rājulanu gaja rājulaku mṛga
rāja tyāgarāja nuta ninn(ēla)
O Lion – king of animals – to those king elephants called kings – who in this World, endowed with passion, worship Lord Siva – one who wears the (digit) of the moon on the head! O Lord praised by this Tyagaraja! O Lord Rama! why did they not understand You?
Renditions
Variations
References
- 3 kalā – a digit is equivalent to 1/16th portion of anything, especially, moon.
Commentary
- 1 ēla teliya lērō – ‘why did they not understand’ – In the Kriti ‘ramā ramaṇa bhāramā’ – rāga vasanta bhairavi , Sri Tyagaraja states – ‘marmamerigi nammukona lēraṇṭi dharmādi mōkṣa varamulosaṅgi bhakta varula kācina kīrti viṇṭi ’ - I heard about your fame, of protecting the great devotees, by conferring on them that kind of boons (which are otherwise attainable only as a result of the objects of human pursuit - Purushartha) of righteous conduct etc (dharma, artha, kāma ) and also emancipation; people in the Earth would not believe such acts (excepting by) knowing the secrets (of Your true nature).
- Even Sri Rama denies existence of any such special powers with him – please refer to Srimad-Valmiki Ramayana, Yuddha Kanda, Chapter 117 - ‘Sita’s fire ordeal’ –