rAmam bhajEham

sAvEri Adi tyAgarAja saMskRta kRti

Sahityam

Pallavi

rAmam bhajEham sadA rAkSasa¹ kula
bhImam bhajEham sadA zrI (rAmam)

Show Word Meanings

I ever chant the names of Sri Rama; I ever chant the names of Sri Rama - the terror of the race of demons.

Anupallavi

zyAmam sakala sujana hRdaya jaladhi
sOmam janaka sutAbhi(rAmam)

Show Word Meanings

I ever chant the names of Sri Rama – the dark-blue hued, the moon of the Ocean of the hearts of all virtuous people, the delighter of Sita – daughter of King Janaka.

Charanam Combined

sundara mukham aravinda nayanam agha
bRnda parvata² purandaram anagham³
sanandana nutam Ananda jaladhim ahi
bRnda su-bhUSaNa vandita caritam (rAmam)

Show Word Meanings

I ever chant the names of Sri Rama - the charming faced, the Lotus Eyed, who is like Indra to the mountains in destroying the sins, the sinless one, praised by Sanandana – the mind-born son of Brahma, the Ocean of bliss, whose character is saluted even by Lord Siva - adorned with snakes.

dhIram sura⁴ parivAram bhuvan-
AdhAram su-guNAkAram samalaG-
kAram durjana dUram zrI raghu-
vIram mE hRdi vAram vAram (rAmam)

Show Word Meanings

I constantly chant, in my mind, the names of Sri Rama – the brave, who has celestials as his retinue, the prop of the Universe, the embodiment of virtues, the highly embellished, who is far removed from the wicked, the Lord Sri RaghuvIra.

rAjam nata sura rAjam stuta gaja
rAjam zruti vinutAjam suta rati
rAjam turaga virAjam sujana
samAjam tyAgarAja rAjam (rAmam)\t

Show Word Meanings

I ever chant the names of Sri Rama – the King, saluted by Indra – the king of celestials, extolled by the Gajendra-the King of elephants, the unborn praised in Vedas, who has Cupid – Consort of Rati – as his son, who speeds on Garuda – king of birds, who is found in the assembly of pious people, the Lord of this Thyagaraja.

Renditions

Variations

¹ rAkSasa kula bhImam bhajEham sadA – this line is not available in some books.
³ anagham sanandana – anagha sanandana : anagha sanandana - is error.

References

² parvata purandaram – Mountains once had feathers and they flew around the Earth posing danger to the Earthlings. Therefore, Indra lopped off their wings with his thunderbolt. This story is related by Mount Mainaka to Hanuman while the latter is on his way to Lanka in search of Sita. Srimad-Valmiki Ramayana – Sundara Kanda – Chapter 1, verses 122 – 125 refers.

Commentary

⁴ sura parivAram – the hordes of monkeys etc who form the retinue of Sri Rama are celestials born in the Earth to help Lord in His Avataram.