kaLala nErcinA

dIpakam Adi tyAgarAja telugu kRti

Sahityam

Pallavi

kaLala nErcinA¹ munu jEsinadi
gAkayEmi aravai² nAlugu

Even if one learnt all the sixty four (fine) arts, what else (can happen) other than (the result of) what one did in the past?

Anupallavi

kalimi lEmulaku kAraNambu nIvE
karuNa jUdavE kaDupu korakai (kaLala)

Show Word Meanings

You are the cause for wealth and poverty; please show mercy; for the sake of stomach even if one learnt all the sixty four (fine) arts, what else (can happen) other than (the result of) what one did in the past?

Charanam

kOri nUvula koNDa tIsi siGgari³ muni
kUrmi bhujiJcenA vairi⁴ tammuDu
sAramaina raGganiyillu jErcenA
sarasa tyAgarAja vinuta brOvavE (kaLala)

Show Word Meanings

Did sage Singari, having besought and obtained a mountain of sesame seeds, eat it happily? Did Vibhishana – younger brother of Ravana – Your enemy - reach home the excellent Lord Sri Ranganatha? O Sweet Lord praised by this Thyagaraja! please protect me.

Variations

¹ nErcinA – nErcina : nErcinA - is appropriate.

References

² aravai nAlugu kaLa – 64 Fine Arts – there are many versions of this list. One such list may be found in -[[http://www.ambaa.org/archives/msg01725.html 64 Fine Arts]]
³ siGgari muni – the reference is not clear. In the Bilvashtaka, there is a mention of ‘tila parvata kOTayaH ’ which means ‘a millions mountains of sesame’. Therefore, probably, this episode might be some thing to do with Siva Purana. (Bilvashtaka has two versions – the one composed by Adi Sankaracharya does not contain the said phrase). For both versions, please visit website – [[http://www.astrojyoti.com/bilvasthakam.htm Bilvashtaka]]
- Also, there is a reference about ‘eLmalai’ (nUvula koNDa ) in the (Tamil) website - [[http://www.varalaaru.com/Default.asp?articleid=598 Seasame Mountain]] – but the meaning is not clear.
⁴ vairi tammuDu - vibhISaNa - according to Sthala Puran of Sri Rangam – The Deity of Ranganatha was first worshipped by Lord Brahma, then later given to Maharaja Ikshvaku of the Raghu Dynasty, who brought the Deity to his capital of Ayodhya. Later, the Deity was worshipped by Lord Rama. When Vibhishana visited Ayodhya, he requested Rama to give him the Deity so that he could worship Him at his capital in Lanka. Rama agreed provided Vibhishana did not place the Deity on the ground on his return journey to Lanka – if he did so, the Deity would stay in that very spot. Somehow or other, Vibhishana placed Lord Ranganatha down at (what is now) Sri Rangam and that is where He has stayed ever since. However, unlike most Deities who face East, Ranganatha faces south towards Lanka to bless Vibhishana and his kingdom. It is said that Vibhishana returns every 12 years to perform worship of Lord Ranganatha. Please refer to site – [[http://www.gosai.com/chaitanya/pilgrimages/sri-rangam/ Sri Rangam]]
- Also refer to Valmiki Ramayana, Uttara Kanda, Chapter 108, verses 30, 31 - for a clue to this episode –
- Sri Rama said – “O best among Rakshasas, this much more I wish to say. O mighty one, worship Jagannatha (Vishnu) the presiding deity of Ikshvaku family. Lord Vishnu is to be worshipped always by even the Gods and Indra.” Accepting the words of Sri Rama, Vibhishana replied “It shall be so”.