Emi jEsitEnEmi

tODi mizra cApu tyAgarAja telugu kRti

Sahityam

Pallavi

Emi jEsitEnEmi zrI rAma
swAmi karuNa lEni varilalO

Show Word Meanings

Those who do not have the grace of Lord Sri Rama, whatever they may do in this World, what difference does it make?

Anupallavi

kAma mOha dAsulai zrI rAmuni
kaTTu¹ teliya lEni vArilalO (nEmi)

Show Word Meanings

Having become slaves of desires and delusion, those who do not know the bond of Sri Rama, whatever they may do in this World, what difference does it make?

Charanams Combined

savamu jEsitEnEmi kalimini
putrOtsavamu² kaligitEnEmi
bhuvilOnanya bIja janituni koniyEmi
ziva kara zrI rAmuni daya leni vArilalOn³(Emi)

Show Word Meanings

(a) Of what avail whether one performs daily or sacrificial oblations or (b) of what avail whether one begets plenty of children for the sake of (bequeathing) wealth or (c) of what avail whether one adopts another’s son – in this World? those who do not have the grace of Sri Rama - who causes auspiciousness, whatever they may do in this World, what difference does it make?

mEDa kaTTitEnEmi anduna lAndaru
jODu kaTTitEnEmi
cEDiyalanu meppiJca telisitEnEmi
IDu lEni rAmuni daya lEni vArilalOn³(Emi)

Show Word Meanings

(a) Of what avail whether one builds (multi) storeyed houses or (b) of what avail whether one hangs therein a pair of lanterns or (c) of what avail whether one knows to glorify women? those who do not have the grace of peerless Sri Rama, whatever they may do in this World, what difference does it make?

immu kaligitEnEmi illAliki
sommu peTTitEnEmi
kamma viltu kELini telisiyEmi
tammi kaNTi vAni karuNa lEni vArilalOn³(Emi)

Show Word Meanings

(a) Of what avail whether one attains comforts or (b) of what avail whether one presents ornaments to one’s wife or (c) of what avail whether one knows the amourous sports of cupid – one with bow of flowers? those who do not have the grace of Sri Rama – one who is Lotus Eyed, whatever they may do in this World, what difference does it make?

rAjyamElitEnEmi bahu janulalO
pUjyulaitEnEmi
Ajya pravAhamutOnannamiDitEnEmi
pUjyuDaina rAmuni daya lEni vArilalOn³(Emi)

Show Word Meanings

(a) Of what avail whether one rules a kingdom or (b) of what avail whether one becomes worthy of worship among a lot of people or (c) of what avail whether one serves food with abundant flow of ghee? those who do not have the grace of the worshipful Sri Rama, whatever they may do in this World, what difference does it make?

guruvu tAnaitEnEmi kaNTiki mEnu
guruvai tOcitEnEmi
vara mantramanyulakupadEsiJcitEnEmi
vara tyAgarAja nutuni daya lEni vArilalOn³(Emi)

Show Word Meanings

(a) Of what avail whether one becomes a preceptor or (b) of what avail whether one’s body appeared as splendid to look at or (c) of what avail whether one initiates others in sacred syllables? those who do not have the grace of the sacred Sri Rama – one who is praised by this Thyagaraja, whatever they may do in this World, what difference does it make?

Renditions

Variations

The order of charanas are not uniform in all the books.
³ vArilalO . Ending word of all Charanas is not uniform in all the books.

Commentary

¹ kaTTu – Sri Thyagaraja uses this word in the Kriti ‘kaTTu jEsinAvu’ – rAga aThANA . In that Kriti it means ‘bondage’. ‘kaTTu ’ also means ‘rule’, ‘regulation’, ‘commandment’ etc. In my opinion, Sri Thyagaraja is referring to the declaration of Sri Rama at the time of accepting of Vibhishana into His fold. The Lord declared his vow which is considered as ‘Saranagati Sastra’ (Prapaptti) by Bhaktas (Valmiki Ramayana – Yuddha Kanda, Chapter 18, verse 33) -
- “To him, who comes to me, even once, yearning for protection (from me) saying ‘I am yours’, I vouchsafe his security against all living beings; such is my vow.”
¹ kaTTu – This may also be taken to mean ‘spell’ – the grand sport (mAyA ) enacted by the Lord. The verse from Katha Upanishad II.i.1 is relevant –
- “The self-existent Lord afflicted the outgoing senses. Therefore, one sees the outer things and not the inner Self. A rare discriminating man, desiring immortality, turns his eyes away and then sees the indwelling Self.” (Translation by Swami Gambhirananda)
- This affliction of senses, always to perceive the objective world, may be the spell (kaTTu ) that Sri Thyagaraja is referring.
¹ kaTTu – This term may also mean a knot. In the Lalita Sahasranamam, three terminologies – Brahma Granthi (knot of Brahma), Vishnu Granthi (knot of Vishnu) and Rudra Granthi (knot of Rudra) are used. The knots are explained in the website – [[http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/relig/relig_12a.html Granthis]]
² putrOtsavamu – The story of Markandeya is relevant. Sage Mrukandu and his wife did penance in order to have children. Lord Siva appeared before them and asked whether they would like to have 100 long lived, foolish sons or one short-lived, intelligent son. They chose the latter option. Thus Markandeya was born to them. For a brief story, please visit - [[http://www.balagokulam.org/kids/stories/markandeya.php Markandeya]]
- For ‘candrazEkharASTakam ’ of Markandeya, please visit - [[http://www.celextel.org/stotrasshiva/chandrasekharashtakam.html Chandrasekarashtakam]]