Emaiya rAma

Emayya rAmA brahmEndrAdulakunaina
nI mAya teliya vazamA zrI rAma

Show Word Meanings

Sri Rama! Even for Brahma, Indra, and other gods, will it be possible to understand your illusory actions (maya)?

kAmAri vinuta guNadhAma kuvalayadaLa
zyAma nanuganna tanDri zrIrAma

Show Word Meanings
Praised by the enemy of desire (Lord Shiva) 1, O repository of virtues, water-lily petal like blue-skinned, Father who created me, Sri Rama
sutuDanucu dazaradhuDu hituDanucu sugrIvu
Dati baluDanucu kapulu zrI rAma
kSitinAdhuDanucu bhUpatulu golicirE gAni
patita pAvanuDanucu teliyalErairi
Show Word Meanings
Sri Rama! You were thought of as son by Dasaradha, as a friend by Sugriva as very strong by monkey warriors, as ruler of the earth by other kings who praised you, but none of them realized that you are the purifier of the fallen!
celikADanucu pAnDavulu
virodhivaTancu nala jarAsandhulu zrIrama
kalavADavani kucEluDu nerigirE gAni
jalajAkSuDani ninnu sEvimpalErairi
Show Word Meanings
Sri Rama! You were thought of as friend by Pandavas, as an enemy by Jarasandha and others, as a wealthy person by Kuchela, but no one served you as the lotus-eyed Lord!
naruDavani narulu tama doravanucu yAdavulu
varuDavanucu gOpa satulu zrIrAma!
karivarada bhadragiri zrIrAmadAsanuta
paramAtmuDani ninnu bhAvimpalErairi
Show Word Meanings
You were thought of as a human being by other humans, as a leader by Yadavas, As a fiancée by gopikas, Sri Rama! savior of the elephant king! Praised by Ramadasa of bhadragiri! None of them could think of you as the Supreme Spirit!
  • 1 refers to the story in which Shiva burns Manmatha for disturbing him to instill desire

In this great krithi, Bhadracahala Ramadas illustrates the power of illusory actions (maya) of Vishnu over all beings in the universe. He gives examples of all those who are near and dear, gods, enemies, and even ordinary humans, who, overcome by the illusion of the worldly nature, thought of Him only in terms of their respective relationships mingled with their worldly feelings and passions. When we see different gold ornaments like a necklace, a ring, etc, we call them merely by their type such as necklace, etc and not use the word ‘golden’ every time since that is implied as common to all of them and we are aware of it. However, when we see all the varied worldly objects and creatures, we see them as individual objects and creatures and forget the fact that they all have common in them, the immanent Supreme Infinite Spirit! Sri Ramadasa refers to this inability to perceive the inner Spirit but see only the outward forms as Sri Rama’s maya, which is difficult to overcome even for gods, let alone humans!