kali narulaku
Sahityam
Pallavi
kali narulaku mahimalu
telipiyEmi phalamana lEdA
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telipiyEmi phalamana lEdA
O Lord! Didn’t I say as to what is the benefit of telling the people of this Kali Yuga about the potency (of Your name)?
Anupallavi
ilanu velayu vara vRSabhAdulakaTukula¹
ruci teliyu candamu kAnI² (kali)
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ruci teliyu candamu kAnI² (kali)
It is indeed like the great bulls and the like, shining in this World, knowing the taste of parched rice; Didn’t I say as to what is the benefit of telling these people of this Kali Yuga about the potency (of Your name)?
Charanam
dAra sutulakai dhanamulakai Uru
pErulakai bahu pedda tanamukai
sAreku bhakta vEsamu konu vAriki
tAraka nAma zrI tyAgarAjArcita (kali)
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pErulakai bahu pedda tanamukai
sAreku bhakta vEsamu konu vAriki
tAraka nAma zrI tyAgarAjArcita (kali)
O Lord worshipped by this Thyagaraja! Didn’t I say as to what is the benefit of telling about the potency of Your name, which carries one across the Ocean of Worldly Existence, to the people of this Kali Yuga who, for the sake of wife, children, wealth, name and fame, and great honour, always don the garb of a devotee?
Variations
- 1 vRSabhAdula – vRSa rAjula
- 2 kAnI – kAni : kAnI - is more appropriate.
Commentary
- 1 vRSabha – this word seems to have been deliberately used because it mainly means one who is chief, best, excellent etc. Though this has been translated here as ‘bulls’, this actually mean so called ‘great men’ who do not know the potency of the name ‘Rama’, like the taste and value of parched rice not being known to bulls.
- In this regard, the following verses of Srimad-BhAgavatam, Book 10, Chapter 81 (episode of Sudama) is relevant –
- Krishna said to Sudama –
- nanvEtadupanItaM mE paramaprINanaM sakhE | tarpayantyaGga mAM vizvamEtE pRthukataNDulA: || 9 ||
- “Here You have brought Me something which I like most. These grains of beaten rice will satisfy not only Me, but the whole world.”