maaDu sikkadalla

maaDu sikkadalla
Composer: Sri Purandaradasa
Raaga: PantuvaraaLi; Taala: Adi

Translated by
Sri Chakravarthi Madhusudana
pallavi

maaDu sikkadallaa maaDina gooDu sikakadallaa
jODu henDiraganji ODihOguvaaga gODe biddu bayalaayitallaa

caraNam

eccaragoLalillaa manave huccanaadenallaa
accinoLage meccu meccinoLage accu
kicceddu hOyitallaa 1

muppu banditallaa tappade paayasa uNalillaa
tuppada bindige tippeyamEle
toppane bittallaa 2

yOgavu bantallaa baduku vibhaagavaayitallaa
bhOgishayana shree purandara viThalana
aaga neneyalillaa 3

Note: This keertana belongs to a class of compositions called ‘Mundige’ in which the words and phrases have hidden meanings. They are not what they appear to be. Sometimes the verses may be interpreted in more than one way,

Translation

I could not get to the mansion, nor to the niche in the mansion
As I was running away fearful of two wives, the wall fell down to make open space.
(Interpretation: The mansion is symbolic of protection. Hear it means the Lord. The niche is the abode of the Lord, that is, Sri Vaikuntham. The saint laments that he cannot attain either of these. When the body is attacked by its two enemies, old age and disease, the soul tries to escape by running away. The walls are the human body which contains the soul. When the wall falls, that is the when the body dies, the soul is no longer able to achieve its purpose in this life.)

I did not wake up, O Mind, I have become insane
The beloved is in the mould, the mould is in the beloved
Alas, the fire has gone out.
(Interpretation: The mind is the beloved of the mould or the human body. When the body becomes the beloved of the mind, the yearning for higher things is gone)

I have become old; I did not eat the sweet without fail
The jar of ghee, on the rubbish heap,
Has fallen with a thud.
(Interpretation: Here eating paayasam or sweet means the contemplating on the sweet name of Lord. In another verse, Purandaradasa himself has said ‘Raamanaama paayasakke Krishna naama sakkare’ – the dessert known as the name of Sri Rama is sweetened by the sugar called Sri Krishna. The saint again laments that when he was younger he did not taste this sweet regularly. The jar of ghee is symbolic of the soul which has striven for divine knowledge. In this wasted life, however, it has only accumulated unwanted trash.)

The moment has come, my life has been split
Alas, I did not keep my mind on Purandara Vithala
Whose bed is the serpent, when I could.

(Interpretation: When I was endowed with the human body, instead of trying to achieve salvation, I divided my life pursuing trivial things. Alas, I did not focus my mind on the Supreme.)

Vimana Venkatesham Bhajey Sari

Vimana Venkatesham Bhajey Sari
(I sing about Vimana Venkateasa, equal)

Composed by
Prof B.Ramamurthy Rao

Translated by

P.R.Ramachander

Ragam : Yaman Kalyani Thalam : Adhi

Pallavi

Vimana venkatesham bhajey sari
Samana rahitha thirupathi (thirumala giri) gopura nivasantha (Vimana)

I sing about the Vimana Venkateswara,
Who lives in the Thirupathi (thirumala mountain) tower,
Which does not have an equal.

Anupallavi

Amanusha roopam aprathima sundaram
Kamaneeya kalyana venkatesham (Vimana)

He has a super human form and is of matchless beauty,
He is the very pretty and auspicious Venkatesa.

Charanam

Pamara jana pari palakam
Bhooma ramanam bhava haranam
Soma soorya prakasha sama
Sri Krishna dasa hridayagaram (Vimana)

He looks after very ordinary people,
He is attractive to the world, and destroys the birth cycle,
And he who is in the heart of Krishnadasa,
Has a shine equal to the Sun and moon.

Venkata Giri Viharam Sada Bhaje

Venkata Giri Viharam Sada Bhaje
(I always sing about him who lives in Venkata giri)

Composed by
Prof B.Ramamurthy Rao

Translated by

P.R.Ramachander

Ragam : Sindu Bhairavi Thalam : Adhi

Pallavi

Venkata giri viharam sada bhaje
Sankata harana kaliyuga prathyaksha roopam (Venkata)

I always sing about him who lives in Venkata giri,
He is the visable God of Kali age who removes sorrows.

Anupallavi

Kalikalusha dhooram bhakthadharam
Durlabha prathyaksha thirupathi nivasam (Venkata)

He drives away the ills of kali age and supports the devotees,
The one difficult to see, living in Thirupathi.

Charanam

Nithyothsava priyam sathya prasannam
Bhoo varaha sannutha seshachala vasam
Aadhi sesha shayanam aadyantha rahitham
Sakala veda sara pancha pandava priya
Sri Krishna dasa architha padam (Venkata)

He who likes daily festivals, he who is pleased by truth,
He who lives in Seshachalam in front of Bhoo Varaha,
Who sleeps on Adhi sesha, who does not have end or beginning,
He is the essence of all Vedas and is liked by the five Pandavas,
And his feet are worshipped by Krishna dasa.

Uthara Sesha Giri Nivasinam

Uthara Sesha Giri Nivasinam
(He lives on the northern Sesha giri mountain)

Composed by
Prof B.Ramamurthy Rao

Translated by

P.R.Ramachander

Ragam : Madyamavathi Thalam : Adhi

Uthara sesha giri nivasinam
Akshaya pradam bhaya nivaranam
Baktha vathsalam sakala dushta nigraham
Venkateshwaram baje vishwa sundaram (Uthara)

He lives on the northern Sesha giri,
Gives forever, and removes fears.
Is kind to his devotees, kills all bad people.
I sing about Venkateswara who is the prettiest of the world.

Thava nikethanam sarva baktha chethanam
Thava sudarshanam divya jyothi darshanam
Smarana keerthanam thava bakthi narthanam
Venkateshwaram baje vishwa sundaram (Uthara)

Your home is the aim of all devotees,
Your Sudarshana gives a vision of divine light,
Remembering and singing about you is a dance of devotion,
I sing about Venkateswara who is the prettiest of the world.

Kshethra darshanam thava pada yathrinam (nithya)
Kalyanothsavam thava vaibhavothsavam
Laksha deepam thava sravana jyothinam
Venkateshwaram baje vishwa sundaram (Uthara)

Seeing your abode requires travelling on foot (daily),
Your auspicious festival is the very great festival,
Lighting of one lakh lamps is the flame of Sravana month,
I sing about Venkateswara who is the prettiest of the world.

Kavi jana priyam kapi varagrajam
Avanija priyam pavanajathmajam (dasa)
Krishna keerthanam hanuma narthanam
Venkateshwaram baje vishwa sundaram
Sharanam govinda swamy sharanam govinda (Uthara)

He is the favorite of poets and he blesses the great monkey,
He who likes the earth is the son of the wind god (servant),
Singing of Krishna, dancing of Hanuman,
I sing about Venkateswara who is the prettiest of the world.
I surrender to God Govinda , surrender to Govinda.

Su-prabhatha Dharshanam

Su-prabhatha Dharshanam
(The good morning vision of the Lord)

Composed by
Prof B.Ramamurthy Rao

Translated by

P.R.Ramachander

Ragam : Charukeshi Thalam : Adhi

Pallavi

Su-prabhatha dharshanam janma-janmanthara punyam
Su-prasiddha govinda pada darshanam (Su-prabhatha)

Vision in the good morning is a blessed deed for birth after birth,
The vision of the very famous feet of Govinda.

Anupallavi

Saptha giri sthitha saptha rishi poojitha
Saptha swara sangeetha sahithya bharitha
Saptha dina saptha alankara shobitha (Su-prabhatha)

Situated on seven hills, worshipped by seven sages
Filled with words of music of the seven notes,
Decorated in seven different ways on the seven days.

Charanam

Vaksha sthala shobitham sri bhoodevi
Pakshi vahana garuda vimana venkatesham
Akshaya phala dayakam kaliyuga avatharam
Prathyaksha sri Krishna dasa krithi malaam (Su-prabhatha)

With a chest shining because of the Sri Bhoodevi,
Venkatesa with his bird steed and Garuda Vimana,
Gives us imperishable results and is the incarnation of the kali age,
And is the visible song garland of Sri Krishna dasa.

18.Unnatha Uthara Seshagirivasa
(Living in the very high Sesha giri of north)
Ragam : Shanmugapriya Thalam : Adhi

Pallavi

Unnatha uthara seshagirivasa
Sannutha mahima sreevenkatesha (Unnatha)

Sri venkatesa with the great powers,
Lives in the very high Sesha giri of the north.

Anupallavi

Akshaya phala datha aaganitha guna sheela
Rakshitha buvana parama daya sheela (Unnatha)

The giver of fruits that never get over,
Having great innumerable good qualities,
Protects the universe and by nature is merciful.

Charanam

Mangala shravana jyothi swaroopa
Ananda govinda keerthana roopa
Sathya vangmaya baktha sharanya
Nithya niranjana deva varenya (Unnatha)

With the form of the auspicious light of Sravana,
Having the form of the songs of the joyful Govinda,
He does the penance of truth and devotees surrender to him,
And he is forever without taints and is the one chosen by the devas.

(madhyama kalam)
Bakthabaya vara parama dayakara
Shanka chakra dhara deva surarchitha
Shownakadi muni hanumath sevitha
Krishna dasa jana niratha kararchitha (Unnatha)

He gives protection to devotees and is greatly merciful,
He holds the conch and the wheel and is worshipped by devas,
And he is served by sages like Sounaka and Hanuman,
And is always worshipped by hands of people of Krishna dasa.

Sree Devi Ramanam Sritha Parijatham

Sree Devi Ramanam Sritha Parijatham
(The consort of Sri Devi and who is like lotus flower)

Composed by
Prof B.Ramamurthy Rao

Translated by

P.R.Ramachander

Ragam : Yaman Thalam : Adhi

Pallavi

Sree devi Ramanam sritha parijatham
Vaikunta vasam baja venkatesam (Sree devi)

I sing about Venkatesa who lives in Vaikunta and
Who is the consort of Sri Devi and who is like lotus flower

Anupallavi

Kalikalusha dooram baktha daram
Kaliyuga prasannam sree kalkiroopam (Sree devi)

He drives away the ills of Kali age and is the support to his devotees,
He is the one who shows grace in Kali age and has the form of Kalki.

Charanam

Boodevi ramanam boobara haranam
Ananda kandam aravinda nayanam
Kamaneeya kalyana ramaneeya roopam
Mahaneeya guna seela vara sreenivasam (Sree devi)

He is the consort of Bhoodevi, who lightens the weight of earth,
He is the one who is joyful and has lotus like eyes,
He has a bewitching auspicious and pretty form,
And he is the great blessed Srinivasa who is endowed with good qualities.

Pushkarani viharam varaveda saram (samavedasaram)
Karunala valam vara gana lolam (Samaganalolam)
Kalyana guna seela vaikunta chelam
Ekantha poolangi thomala sevam
Ekantha poolangi pulakabi shekam (Sree devi)

He lives near the Pushkarani and is the essence of blessed Vedas (Sama veda)
He is greatly merciful and is moved by divine music (Music of Sama Veda)
He is blessed with auspicious qualities and lives in Vaikunta,
And in the lonely service with dress of flowers,
As well as in the lonely Service, he becomes extremely joyous.

Thirupathi puravasam garudadri basam
Sreekrishna dasa hridaya nivasam
Bakthavathsala baktha bandava baktha paradeena
Devadeenavara sakala daya para bakthi mukthinutha gunadama

He lives in Thirupathi town and shines on top of Garudadhri,
He lives in the heart of Sri Krishna dasa,
He is dear to his devotes, is a friend of devotees and is under influence of devotees,
He is merciful to the Devas, the oppressed and all who are devoted to him,
And He is the treasure of auspiciousness, who gives salvation through devotion.

Sanka chakradara sankatadi hara venkatadri vara ragurama
Kamakroda jitha lobha mohahatha krishnadasanutha sreerama
Sakala buvana vinutha charana papaharana baktha charana (Sree devi)

He holds the conch and the wheel, destroys sorrow
And is the blessed Raghu Rama of Venkatadhri,
He has won over passion and anger, destroys avarice and desire
And is Sri Rama whose devotee is Krishnadasa,
And the entire world is devoted to his feet,
Which destroy sins when a devotee surrenders to them.

Shravana Deepa Vak-Prasiddha

Shravana Deepa Vak-Prasiddha
(well known by word of mouth for the lights of Sravana)

Composed by
Prof B.Ramamurthy Rao

Translated by

P.R.Ramachander

Ragam : Charukeshi Thalam : Kerva

Pallavi

Shravana deepa vak-prasiddha
Lavana rahitha nithya
Naivedhya priya govindam (Shravana)

Well known by word of mouth for the lights on Sravana Pournami,
He is offered food offering without salt, and is our dear God Govinda

Anupallavi

Kumba kona kshetra nithya nivasantha
Srinivasa agrajam sritha jana mandharam (Shravana)

Who resides daily in the temple of Kumbakonam,
Who is the elder brother of Lord Srinivasa,
And is surrounded by crowd of devotees.

Charanam

Srinidhim srikaram sri mukundam
Aajaanu bahum ajabhava vanditham
Nija bhaktha jana dhukka nivaranam
Sri Krishna dasa jana hridaya viharam (Shravana)

Treasure of Lakshmi, who does only good is that Mukunda,
Who has hands touching the thigh, who is saluted by Brahma and Shiva,
Who cures the sorrow of his true devotees,
And lives in the heart of Krishna dasa and his people.