rAma kathA
Sahityam
Pallavi
rAma kathA sudhA rasa pAnamoka
rAjyamu jEsunE
Show Word Meanings
rAjyamu jEsunE
To drink the nectarine juice of Rama’s story
is equal to (the rule of) a kingdom.
Anupallavi
bhAmA maNi jAnaki saumitri
bharatAdulatO¹ bhUmi velayu zrI² (rAma)
Show Word Meanings
bharatAdulatO¹ bhUmi velayu zrI² (rAma)
Sri Rama, along with Janaki, the gem of a woman,
Lakshmana, Bharata, and others, shining on the Earth …
Charanam
dharmAdyakhila³ phaladamE manasA
dhairyAnanda saukhya nikEtanamE
karma bandha jwalanAbdhi nAvamE⁴
kali haramE⁵ tyAgarAja vinutudagu (rAma)
Show Word Meanings
dhairyAnanda saukhya nikEtanamE
karma bandha jwalanAbdhi nAvamE⁴
kali haramE⁵ tyAgarAja vinutudagu (rAma)
It bestows the fruits of all Purusharthas, O Mind!
it is verily the abode of courage, bliss and comfort;
it is the boat (that helps) cross the flaming ocean of bondage resulting from actions;
it is the destroyer of the maleffects of kali yuga!
Renditions
Variations
- 2 zrI – sItA (ending word)
Commentary
- 1 bharatAdulatO - According to Valmiki Ramayana, a half of Vishnu became Sri Rama, a quarter Bharata, one-eighth each LaKshmana and Satrughna; Vali, SugrIva, Tara, Gandhamadana, Nala, Neela, Mainda-Dvivida, Sushena, Sarabha and HanumAn were the sons of Indra, Soorya, Brihaspati, Kubera, Visvakarma, Agni, Asvinikumaras, Varuna, Parjanya and Vayu respectively; all other vAnaras are the sons of other gods, Rishis etc. (Srimad-Valimiki Ramayana, Bala Kanda, Chapter 13)
- 3 dharmAdyakhila – puruSArtha – (four-fold objects of human pursuit) righteous action (Dharma), wealth (Artha), desires (KAma) and deliverance (Moksha).
- 4 nAvamE – the name ‘Rama’ is called ‘tAraka nAma ’ which enables one to cross of the Ocean of Worldly Existence.
- 5 kali haramE - The following Sloka extolling singing the glory of Lord as a panacea for all the ills of the current epoch – kali – is restated here by Sri Thyagaraja:kalau kalmaSa cittAnAM pApadravyOpa jIvinAM | vidhikriyA vihInAnAM gatir gOvinda kIrtanaM || ‘‘In the kali, those of corrupted mind, those who live on ill-gotton wealth and those who live transgressing duties as ordained in Sastras, can save themselves only by singing the glory of Govinda (Lord).’’