by Damodara Rao Dasu

In this Kruti Tyagaraja requests Rama to understand his problems and to save him.

P	manasulOni marmamunu telusukO mAna rakshaka marakatAnga nA ||	Please know the problem in my mind Oh Rama, my jewel and the savior of my dignity.
AP	inakulApta nee vEgAni vErevaru lEru Ananda hrudaya ||	You are the star of Sun dynasty. You are the pleasant hearted, and there is nobody else for me.
C	munupu prEma gala dora vai sadA chanuvu nElinadi goppa gAdayA kanikarammu tO neevELa nA karamu baTTu tyAgarAja vinuta ||	In the past you protected me affectionately, that is very simple. Today you hold my hand and guide me, Oh Lord of Tyagaraja.

Herein Tyagaraja sarcastically says that Rama became great because of Janaki, who married him, accompanied him to the forest and gave all the credit of destroying Ravana to Rama.

P	mA jAnaki cheTTa baTTa gA maha rAju vai tivi ||	You became a great king because our mother Janaki joined hands with you.
AP	rAja rAja vara rAjeevAksha vinu rAvanAri yani rAjillu keertiyu ||	Oh the best of kings, Oh lotus eyed Rama. You became famous as the enemy of Ravana.
C	kAna kEgi yAjna meeraka mAyA kAra munichi Sikhi chenta nEyunDI dAnavuni venTa ne chani yaSOka taru moola nunDi vAni mATalaku kOpaginchi kanTa vadhiyinchaka nE yunDi Sree nAyaka yaSamu neekE kalga jEya lEdA tyAga rAja pari pAla ||	Sita accompanied you to the forest, went as maya Sita with Ravana. She sat under the Asoka tree and did not kill Ravana by herself, though she could do it easily. She saw that you got all the fame, oh Lord of Tyagarja.

In this Keertana Tyagaraja tells that the devatas, hearing of Rama's incarnation on the earth, took birth themselves as monkeys, birds, etc. to serve him.

P	mOhana rAma mukhajita sOma mudduga balkumA ||	Oh mohana Rama! Your face is more beautiful than the moon, talk sweetly.
AP	mOhana rAma modaTi daivamA mOhamu nee pai monasi yunnadirA ||	You are my first God. I am enchanted by your beauty.
C	dhara manujAvatAra mahima vini sura kimpurusha kinnara vidyA dhara sura pati vidhi vibhAkara chandrAdulu karuguchu prEma tO vara mriga pakshi vAnara tanuvulachE girini velayu seetA vara chira kAlamu guri tappaka maimarachi sEvinchiri vara tyAgarAja varadAkhila jagan ||	Hearing the greatness of your incarnation as man on the earth, all devatas, men high and low, the learned men, Indra the lord of devatas, the sun and the moon are immersed in their love for you. They took birth as animals, birds and monkeys to serve you. They served Rama, the bridegroom of Sita, for a very long time, forgetting their own selves. Tyagaraja is fortunate to be blessed by Rama, who enchants the whole universe.

In this Kruti, Tyagarja askes Rama why he was not to be seen. He praises Rama as the supreme being and says that there is no one else to protect him.

P	marugElarA O rAghavA ||	Why are you not visible, oh Raghva?
AP	marugEla charA chara roopa parAtpara soorya sudhAkara lOchana ||	You are the embodiment of the movable and the immovable creations of the world. You have the sun and the moon as your eyes. Why are you not visible?
C	anni neevanuchu anta ranagamuna tinnagA vedaki telisi konTi nayya ninne gAni madi nenna jAla norula nannu brOva vayya tyAgarAja nuta ||	I searched my heart and found that you are everything for me. I cannot choose anyone else in my mind. Oh Tyagaraja's lord, protect me.

In this Kruti Tyagaraja says that he was wrong to find fault with Rama when the fault was with him. He gives many examples of accusing a wrong person for the fault of others.

P	mee valla guna dOsha mEmi Sri rAma nA valla nE gAni naLina daLa nayana ||	Is there a bad quality in you? Oh Rama. It is my fault, Oh lotus eyed Rama!
C	bangAru bAguga padi vanne gAkunTE angalArchuvu battunADukO nEla tana tanaya prasava vEdana kOrva lEkunTE anaya alluni pai ahankAra baDa nEla ||	If the quality of gold is not good, why blame the goldsmith for it? If your daughter is not able to bear her labor pains, why get angry with your son-in-law?
C	ee janmamuna pAtra merigi dAnambeeka poojincha marachi vElpula nADukO nEla nA manasu nA prEma nanna laya jEsina rajillu Sri tyAgarAjanuta charaNa ||	If I did not give charity to deserving people in my previous births and if I neglected worshipping my God; why should I blame you for my difficulties now? I am tired of my love and my mind. Tyagaraja worships your feet.

In this kruti Tyagaraja describes Panchanadapuram where the Lord established himself. He describes the greatness and holiness of the city in detail and questions his Lord Rama whether he is elated to have such a place.

P	muri pemu kalige gadA rAma sa nmuni nuta kari varada Sree rAma ||	You seem to be elated with pride, is it not, oh Rama. You are worshiped by the sages; you blessed Gajendra.
AP	parama purusha jaga deeSa vara mrudu bhAsha suguNa maNi kOSa neeku ||	O Supreme lord of the mankind, O lord of the universe Your speech is gentle; you are the treasure of virtues.
C	eeDu lEni malaya mArutamu chE kooDina kAvEree taTa mandu mEDala middela tO SringAramu minchi sadanamulatO vEduchu bhoosuru lagni hOtrulai vEda ghOshamula chE nuti yimpa jooDa SivuDu kOru yOgyamaina sundara magu puramu dorike nanuchu ||	Your city is on the banks of the river Kaveri With magnificent buildings in gentle and fragrant breeze. There, the brahmanas are praying to you, chanting Vedas in front of the holy fire. (Agni hotra) You secured such a beautiful place that even Siva would love to possess.
C	sakala sugandha rAja sumamulu sa laita mulagu kOkila nAdammulu Suka mukha sanakAdula nuta maina sura taruvulu kaligi nikaTa mandu vANi koluva sura pati neela maNi nibha Sareera nEDu prakaTa maina nava ratna khachita hA Taka manTapa vAsamu galige nanuchu ||	There the fragrant flora is in abundance, The atmosphere is echoing with the soft songs of nightingales. It has divine trees worshiped by the sages Suka, Sanaka, and others. Vani worships you singing near by. You shine with the radiance of a sapphire. You have the pavilion studded with a variety of precious gems.
C	ee mahilO sogasaina chOLa seema yandu vara maina pancha nada pura dhAmuni chentanu vasinchuTakai nee madi nenchaga kAma janaka tyAgarAja sannuta nAma pavana tanaya vidhruta charaNa kshEma muga vardhillu naTTi puramuna seetA bhAma sowmitri prakka golichedarani ||	You chose to grace the holy panchanadapuram situated in Chola Kingdom. You are the father of Manmadha (god of love). Anjaneya, the son of wind god is at your feet. You flourish well in this city. Your beloved wife Sita and your brother Sowmithri are waiting by your side to serve. You are worshiped by Tyagaraja.

In this philosophic kruti, Tyagaraja extoles the ideal nature of a yogi who has absolute control over his body and mind and how he is above all the worldly gimmics and attractions.

P	manasu svAdheena maina yA ghanuniki mari mantra tantramu lEla ||	Why should a great person who has absolute control over his mind and body bother about incantation (mantrams) and magical powers.
AP	tanu tAnu gAdani enchu vAniki tapasu chEya nEla daSaratha bAla ||	Why penance and austerities for a person who has the wisdom that his soul is different from his body? Oh son of Dasaratha.
C	anni neevanuchu enchina vAniki yASrama bhEdhamu lEla kannu gaTTu mAyalani enchu vAniki kAntala bhrama lEla daSaratha bAla ||	Why renunciation (sanyasa) and other institutional orders for one who has absolute faith in you? Why temporal fascination for women to a person who has awareness that sensual pleasures are just illusion of eyes? Oh son of Dasaratha.
C	A janmamu durvishaya rahituniki ga tAgata mika Ela rAja rAjESa niranjana niru pama rAja vadana tyAga rAja vinuta ||	Why should a person who is free from sensual indulgences bother about his past life or future? Oh Lord you are immaculate. You are unparalleled. You are kingly. You are worshipped by Tyagaraja.

In this great kruti, Tyagaraja explains how music evolved and how the divine music elevates us to attain salvation.

P	mOkshamu kaladA bhuvilO jeevan muktulu kAni vAralaku ||	Is there salvation to those who are not liberated from the worldly attachments?
AP	sAkshAtkAra nee sadbhakti sangeeta jnAna viheenulaku ||	You manifest yourself to the truly spiritual and devotional beings. Is there salvation to those who are devoid of spiritual bliss in divine music?
C	prANAnala samyOgamu valla praNava nAdamu sapta swaramu baraga veeNA vAdanalOluDou siva manO vita merugaru tyAga rAja vinuta ||	Pranava nadamu (omkaram) evolves by the combination of the air and the fire (prana and anala). Sapta swaras i.e. seven musical notes evolve from omkara. Those who are ignorant of good music do not understand the mind of Siva who himself immerses in the ecstasy of music played on veena. Oh Lord, Tyagaraja worships you.

In this kruti Tyagaraja as Rama's rightful devotee asks Rama why he should repeatedly appeal to Him for His grace when he already revealed to Him that he had faith in Him only.He requests Rama to understand him without any hesitation.

P	mATi mATiki telpa valenA muni mAnasArchita charaNa rAmayya neetO ||	Should I again and again reveal my heart to you, Oh Ramaiah.
AP	sooTi kokkaTE mATa chAladA nATi modalu koni sATi lEni neetO ||	I have been entreating from the beginning. Is not one honest word enough instead of hundred words?
C	pankaja vadanA sarasa vinOdA sankaTamulanu vEgame deerpa rAdA Sankara priya sarvAntar yamivi gAdA inka nA madi neeku teliyaga lEdA karuNA sAgara pari poorNa neeku sari vElpulu lEranuchu neevaraku mora beTTina nApai Ela parAku varulu jooturu bhAnDamuna kokka metuku ||	Your face is beautiful like lotus.You are always cheerful. Why dont you rescue me from all troubles without further delay? You are dear to Sankara and you are all pervading. Even then why dont you know my mind? You are the ocean of compassion.You are absolute.(nothing is lacking in you) I have firm belief that no other God is equal to you. Why this silence and delay when I am crying for your grace? After all people test only a morsel of rice in a pot of cooked rice.
C	SringAra SEkhara sura vairi rAja bhanga sujana hrit kumudAbha rAja mangaLa kara roopa jita rati rAja gangA janaka pAlita tyAgarAja ||	You are the most elegant.You conquered the foes of devatas(celestial beings) You brighten the hearts of pious people just as the moon blossoms a water lily.(kumuda) Your appearance itself showers prosperity and happiness. You conquered Manmadha (cupid) and the river Ganga is born at your feet. You are the protector of Tyagaraja.

In this krutiTyagaraja prays Rama to guard him well with bow in his hand and Lakshmana by his side.

P	mundu venuka liru prakkala tODai mura khara hara rArA rArA ||	Oh lord Rama you destroyed the demons Mura and Khara. Come soon,guard me staying in front of me and also from my back side.
AP	yendu gAna nee yandamu vale raghu nandana vEgamE rArA rArA ||	Oh Raghunandana,I cannot find a person more handsome than you any where,come soon.
C	chanDa bhAskara kulAbdhi chandra kO danDa pANi yai rArA rArA anDa goluchu soumitri sahituDai amita parAkrama rArA rAma nA ||	You are like the moon to the ocean like solar dynasty. Come soon with bow in your hands.Come along with Lakshmana who is always at your service. Your valour is limitless.Come soon Oh Rama.
C	Oh gaja rakshaka Oh rAja kumArA OmkAra sadanA rArA rArA bhAgavata priya bAga brOva vayya tyAga rAja nuta rArA rAma ||	Oh protector of the king of elephants, Oh Prince! You dwell in the divine sound Omkara,please come. You are fond of Bhagavathas(devotees). Protect us well. Oh lord Rama, you are worshipped by Tyagaraja, come soon.

In this kriti, Tyagaraja describes the facinating beauty of Rama and his yearning to see his Lord.

P	mEru samAna dheera varada raghu veera jootAmu rArA mahA ||	Let us see the hero of Raghu Dynasty. He is known for stead-fastness. He is majestic like the golden mountain Meru.
AP	sAra SAra oyyarapu naDalanu neerada kAntini nee Theevini mahA ||	His gait is dignified. He shines with the brilliance of black clouds.
C	ala kala muddunu tilaka teerunu taLuku chekkula chE danaru nimmOmunu gaLamuna SObhillu kanaka bhooshaNamula daLita durmAnava tyAgarajA rchita ||	Locks falling on his forehead, the red mark of tilakam, make him look lovely. His cheeks are glittering and gold ornaments are shining around his neck. Oh Rama, quell the evil. you are worshipped by Tyagaraja.

In this Kruti Tyagaraja urges his conscience to know the real nature of compassionate Rama and why rituals and austerities alone do not bestow us salvation.

P	manaviAla kincha rAdaTE marma mella delpeda nE manasa ||	Oh my mind, why don't you listen to my appeals?
AP	ghanu Daina rAma chandruni karuNanta rangamu telasi nA ||	I'll reveal the inner nature of the compassionate and great Rama.
C	karma kAnDa matA krushTulai bhava gahana chArulai gAsi chendaga kani mAna vAvatAruDai kani pinchinAdE naData tyAgarAju ||	Many misinformed persons with the sole aim of achieving greatness, performed austerities and vedic rituals. Thus they continue to entangle themselves in the cycle of births and deaths. Rama took incarnation on the earth as a human being to demonstrate how righteousness and compassion alone are ideals for the mankind.