by Damodara Rao Dasu

Tyagaraja expresses his inability to serve the ignoble and evil men for his needs, when a benefactor like Rama the emodiment of dharma is there for him.

P	durmArga charAdhamulanu dora neevana jAlarA ||	I will not praise the ignoble and mean men to win their favour.
AP	dharamAtmaka dhana dhAnyamu daivamu neevai yunDa ||	I have a righteous and benevolent God to bestow wealth and happiness.
C	paluku bOTini sabha lOna patita mAnavula kosagE khalula nechchaTa pogaDa Sree kara tyAgarAja vinuta ||	I will not use my talent to sing the praise of degraded sinners, Oh Lord of Tyagaraja.

There is a story behind this Keertana. A great Hindustani musician named Ganesh Bhave who lived in Varanasi was feeling sad that all his achievements and scholarship in music did not satisfy his conscience. One day, in his dream Lord Rama asked him to go to South and meet Tyagaraja. He went to Tyagaraja's place and heard in ecstasy his Sankeertana (devotional songs). Bhave revealed about himself and his dream. Tyagaraja was very much moved by this experience and sang this kruti saying that he never would be able to discharge his debt to Lord Rama.

P	dAsarathee nee ruNamu deerpa nAtaramA ||	Oh Son of Dasaratha, your name is the holiest name, is it possible for me to discharge my debt to you?
AP	ASa deera doora dESamulanu prakAsimpa jEsina rasika SirOmaNi ||	You are the greatest connoisseur of music. You proclaimed about my humble devotion to you and to music even in far off places.
C	bhakti lEni kavi jAla varENyulu bhAva meruga lErani kalalO jani bhukti mukti kalugu nani keertana mula bOdhinchina tyAgarAja karArchita ||	Even the most eminent scholars of music cannot grasp and realize the purpose of music without devotion to God. You appeared in the dream of others also and enabled me to teach the importance of devotion in music to attain salvation through keertanas. Tyagaraja worships you with folded arms.

In this kruti Tyagaraja reveals that he discovered the real spiritual path in seeking the grace of Tripura Sundari. He praises her infinite powers in protecting her devotees who chant her name constantly.

P	dArini telusukonTi tripura sundari ninnE SaraNanTi ||	I have come to know my path and sought your protection oh Tripura Sundari.
AP	maruni janaku Daina mA daSaratha ku maruni sOdari dayA pari mOksha ||	You are the sister of my Rama, the son of Dasaratha, and father of Manmadha the love God. You are merciful and bestower of salvation.
C	amba trijagadeeswari mukhajita vidhu bimba yAdi puramuna nela konna kana kAmabari nammina vAri kabheeshTa va rambulu losaguchu deena lOka rakshaki ||	Oh Amba, you are the supreme Godess of the three lokas (universe). Your beauty surpasses the beauty of the Moon. You chose to dwell in Adipuram. Your dress is golden. You bestow boons and protect your faithful devotees who are in deep distress.
C	ambuja bhava puruhoota sanandana tumburu nAradulandaru needu pa dambunu kOri sadA nityAnan dAmbudhi lO nOla lADu chunDE ||	Brahma, Puruhoota, Sanandana, Tumburu and Narada yearn to obtain your grace and immerse in the ocean of perpetual ecstasy.
C	mahadaiswarya mosagi toli karma gahanamunu goTTi brOchu talli guha gaja mukha janani aruNa pankE ruha nayana yOgi hrut sadana ||	You bestow grand prosperity. You are the Mother who dispels the troubles and travails caused by the acts of previous births. You are the mother of Ganesa and Guha (Shanmukha). Your eyes resemble red lotus petal. You dwell in the hearts of yogis.
C	tuhinAchala tanaya nee chakkani mahimAti Sayammula chEtanu ee mahiLo muni gaNamulu prakruti vi rahitulai nityAnandulaina ||	Oh daughter of the snow covered mountains (Himalaya), because of your abundant powers multitudes of sages in this world got rid off their worldly bondages and attained perpetual bliss.
C	rAjita maNi gaNa bhooshaNi mada gaja rAja gamana lOka Sankari danuja rAja guruni vAsara sEva tana kEjanma phala mO kangonTini ||	You are decorated with a cluster of shining gems. You have the dignified gait of an elephant king. You make the world happy. Due to the fruition of pious acts of my previous births, I am blessed with the opportunity of witnessing your splendor on this auspicious Friday (Sukravaram named after the guru of demons, Sukracharya).
C	Ajanmamu peddalu sadA madilO nee japamE mukti mArga manukona rAja sEkharunDagu Sree tyAga rAja manOhari gowri parAtpari ||	Esteemed elders kept you always in their minds and firmly believed that chanting your name is the only path to attain salvation. Oh Gowri, you are the supreme and transcendental. You are very dear to Tyagaraja.