pAhi kalyANa sundara

punnAgavarALi cApu tyAgarAja telugu kRti

Sahityam

pAhi kalyANa sundara rAma mAM
pAhi kalyANa sundara rAma¹

O Auspicious and Charming Lord Rama! Please protect me, O Auspicious and Charming Lord Rama!

cadivina vADanu kAnu rAma
idi buddhiyanucu teliya lEnu (pAhi)

I am not literate, O Lord Rama! I do not know what is wise.

bhajiyiJcuTaku buddhi lEka rAma
batimAli tirigitindAka (pAhi)

Instead of having wisdom for chanting Your holy names, O Lord Rama! I have been roaming about beseeching (people) till now.

dina dinamudaramu korakai rAma
dhanikula kAcitiniyIvaraku² (pAhi)

Daily, for the sake of stomach, O Lord Rama! I waited on the rich till now.

Alu sutulu paini prEma nI
padAlanuJcanaiti rAma (pAhi)

I failed to place the (same kind of) love, which I had towards my wife and children, at Your holy feet, O Lord Rama!

saMsAra sukhamu satamani nAma
sArameruga maracitini (pAhi)

Considering the Worldly enjoyments to be ever lasting, I failed to know the quintessence of Your name.

viSaya sukhAdula rOya lEka
virravIgi mOsamAye (pAhi)

By not desisting from pleasures etc of sense objects, I was deceived by being puffed up.

nEramentO³ cEsinAnu Emi⁴
nEramanucu vEDinAnu (pAhi)

I have committed many criminal offences, but I prayed to You that I do not know anything.

zuka sannuta nannu kanna taNDri
oka pAri zaraNanukonna (pAhi)

O Lord praised by sage Suka! O Father who begot me! O Auspicious and Charming Lord Rama! please protect me who once sought Your refuge.

tammi kannula raghuvIra ninu
nammiti nannElukOrA (pAhi)

O Lotus Eyed Lord Raghuvira! I have placed faith in You; deign to govern me.

ninu nammuvAridE mElu rAma
nI pAda sEva vEyi vElu (pAhi)

I am a believer in You; this is best for me, O Lord Rama! service at Your feet is a great wealth for me.

sAkEta rAma nA mIda daya⁵
lEkuNDuTaku mariyAdA (pAhi)

O Lord Rama of Ayodhya! Is it proper not to have mercy on me?

zaraNya kOsala rAja rAma
paripAlita tyAgarAja (pAhi)

O Refuge! O Lord Rama - the King of the kingdom of Kosala! O Nourisher of this Thyagaraja!

⁴ Emi nEramu – I do not know anything; refer to Charana 1 – cadivina vADanu kAnu – I am not literate.