gaTTigAnu nanu ceyi baTTE dennaTikO
puTTina naTAnuNDi iTTi vidhamulE gAni
goppa tanamu manadani mada meppaTikini dalakekki tappu paluku
lADucu dA nuppatillucunu teppuna ingita merugaka meppula kAshincu
A cappani prabhuvula kada nanu drippuTa ElarA anucunu
varamaina sajjanulanu paricArakula nellanu sarijEsi dAna mosagi-
paramencakanu karidhana madamulu galigina narulanu
pUjincEdu A tara merugani dhanikula anusaraNa mElarA anucunu
shiva pUjala mariyunu mAdhava pUjala nonarincucu bhuvi tA sarijEsidi
vAreva ranucunu encu avivEka dhana mattula shiva shiva
vEDaga vaddani kuvalayadaLa lOcana suvibhava tyAgarAjavinuta
Meaning:
O Lord! When will you hold my hand securely? Right from my childhood, I have been a victim of your indifference. Will the day ever dawn when you will hold my hand? When will you impress upon me the baneful effects of association with lords and aristocrats who, bloated with self-conceit, transgress the bounds of decency in their pursuit of mere name and fame? When will you hold my hand and tell me I should not run behind wealthy men who shower gifts indiscriminately on pious and learned men on the one hand and mere servants on the other, treating them all alike? They do not give a thought to their afterlife. They indulge in flattering men of higher status, to be removed by the elephants and wealth they have. When will you clasp m hand and dissuade me from being carried away by the glamour of wealthy arrogants who ostensibly appear to be ardent devotees of Vishnu and Shiva? They proudly say they have no equals in their worship. Impress on me, Lord, that I should not shamelessly hang on to these vainglorious men for the crumbs hey may choose to throw, that I must say Shiva Shiva and refrain from their company. O Lotus-petal eyed one! One full of festivities!
These lines were composed by saint Tyagaraja in Telugu. We have in Tyagaraja wide variety of song -types and modes showing manifold architectonic experimentation, design and skill. This variety is a speciality which marks Tyagaraja among his contemporaries.
From DIVYANAMA SANKRITANA full of words, epithets and long intricate compositions, he reaches artistic high in which a few words support music of sublimity.
A remarkable feature of Tyagaraja's compositions is the masterly blending of poetic excellence and spiritual flavour.
The literary quality of Tygaraja's compositions is evident in the touch of realism and humour which enliven his expression and bespeak his keen eye on things around him.
Poetic fancies, learned allusion, moral precepts, enunciation of shams and hypocrisy and wrong paths, happy similes', popular sayings, high wisdom, and above all every shade and mood of religious and spiritual experience, renunciation of worldly desires, decrying flattery to rich people, adherence to prayer, faith, hope, exhilaration, ecstasy of realization, endearment, joy of service, dedication and surrender, satisfaction at his own devout life, gratitude - all these constituted Tyagaraja's songs and exhibited the mind of a great bhakta he was.
(This blogpost is a part of Blogchatter's Half -Marathon 2023)
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