वामे भूमिसुता पुरश्च हनुमान् पश्चात् सुमित्रासुतःशत्रुघ्नो भरतश्च पार्श्वदलयोः वाय्वादि कोणेषु च।सुग्रीवश्च विभीषणश्च युवराट् तारासुतो जांबवान्मध्ये नील सरोज कोमळरुचिं रामं भजे श्यामळं॥vAmE bhUmisutA purascha hanumAn paschAt sumitrA sutah
shatrughnO bharatascha pArchvadalayOh vAyvAdi kONEshu cha.
sugrIvscha vibhIshaNascha yuvarAT tArAsutO jAmbavAn
madhyE nIla sarOja kOmalaruchim rAmam bhajE shyAmaLamWith Sita (bhUmisuta-daughter of the earth) on the left (vAmE), and (cha) Hanuman in the front (puras), in the rear (pashchAt) Lakshmana (son (sutah) of Sumitra), surrounded by (pArshvadalayoH) Shatrughna and (cha) Bharata, and (cha) with Vayu etc (Adi) in the corners (kONEshu), with Sugriva and the young king (yuvarAj – don’t know why it is yuvarAt in the shloka) Vibhishana, the son (suta) of Tara i.e Angada, Jambavan and in the centre (madhyE) the gently (komala) handsome (ruchim) dark-hued (shyAmaLam) Rama looking like (implied) a blue lotus (nIla sarOja), whom I worship (bhajE) .
Footnote (Lyrics and Translation) :
Composer : Swathi Thirunal
Raga : Ragamalika – Saveri, Nattakurinji, Dhanyasi, Mohanam, Mukhari, Purvikalyani, Madhyamavati
Language : Sanskrit
Pallavi and Anupallavi (Saveri)
भावयामि रघुरामम् भव्य सुगुणारामम् ।
भावुक वितरण परापाङ्ग लीला लसितम् ।।
bhAvayAmi raghurAmam bhavya suguNArAmam
bhAvuka vitaraNa parApAnga lIlA lasitam
I meditate upon (bhAvayAmi) the delightful (ArAmam), gracious (bhavya) and virtous (suguNa) Lord Rama (rAmam) of the Raghu dynasty, who playing (lasitam) at his Divine Play (lIlA) bestows (vitaraNa) happiness (bhAvuka) to others (para) with just his sidelong glances (apAnga).
Charanam 1 (Nattakurinji) – Balakandam
दिनकरान्वय तिलकं दिव्य गाधिसुत सवना-
वन रचित सुबाहु मुख वधम् अहल्या पावनम् ।
अनघमीश चापभङगं जनक सुता प्राणेशं
घन कुपित भृगुराम गर्व हरमित साकेतम् ॥
dinakarAnvaya tilakam divya gAdhisuta savanA-
vana rachita subAhu mukha vadham ahalyA pAvanam
anaghamIsha chApabhangam janaka sutA prANEsham
ghana kupita bhRgurAma garva haramita sAkEtam
He who is the ornament (tilakam) of the sun (dinakara) lineage (anvaya), he who killed (vadham) the demons (implied) beginning with (mukha) Subahu while protecting (avana) the sacrifice (savana) performed by (rachita) the Vishwamitra (son (suta) of gAdhi), he who purified (pAvanam) Ahalya, he who broke (bhanga) the bow (chApa) of the sinless (anagham) Shiva (Isha), he who is the husband (prAnesha) of Sita (daughter (sutA) of Janaka), he who destroyed (haram) the pride (garva) of the profoundly (ghana) kupita (angry) Parashurama (bhRgurAma as he is a descendent of bhRigu), he who is from (ita) Ayodhya (sAkEtam).
Charanam 2 (Dhanyasi) – Ayodhyakandam
विहिताभिषेकम् अथ विपिन गतम् आर्य वाचा
सहित सीता सौमित्रीं शान्ततम शीलम् ।
गुह निलय गतं चित्रकूटागत भरत दत्त-
महित रत्नमय पादुकं मदन सुन्दराङ्गम् ॥
vihitAbhishEkam atha vipina gatam Arya vAchA
sahita sItA saumitrIm shAntatam shIlam
guha nilaya gatam chitrakUtAgata bharata datta-
mahita ratnamaya pAdukam madana sundarAngam
He who went (gatam) to the forest (vipina) with (sahita) Sita and Lakshamana (saumitrI, son of Sumitra) at the word (vAchA) of his Lord (Arya) in spite of (atha) the destined (vihita) consecration (abhishEkam), he who was in the habit of (shIlam) being extremely calm (shAntatam), he who went (gatam) to the residence (nilaya) of Guha, he who went (gata) to Chitrakoota, he who gifted (datta) Bharata his esteemed (mahita), bejewelled (ratnamaya, studded with precious stones) sandals (pAdukam), he who has an intoxicatingly (madana) beautiful (sundara) body (angam).
Charanam 3 (Mohanam) – Aranyakandam
वितत दण्डकारण्य गत विराध दलनं
सुचरित घटज दत्तानुपमित वैष्णवास्त्रम् ।
पतगवर जटायु नुतं पञ्चवटी विहितावासं
अति घोर शूर्पणखा वचनागत खरादि हरम् ॥
vitata daNDkAraNya gata virAdha dalanam
sucharita ghaTaja dattAnupamita vaishNavAstram
patagavara jatAyu nutam panchavatI vihitAvAsam
ati ghOra shUrpaNakhA vachanAgata kharAdi haram
He who went (gata) to the vast (vitata) Dandaka forest (AraNya), he who destroyed (dalanam) Viradha, he who was gifted (datta) the matchless Vaishnava weapon (astram) by the virtuous (sucharita) Agastya (ghaTaja – born in a pot), he who is worshipped by (nutam) the chief of birds (patagavara) Jatayu, he whose abode (AvAsam) was put in order (vihita) in Panchavati, he who destroyed (haram) Khara etc (Adi) who came (Agata) on the word of (vachana) of the very (ati) horrible (ghOra) Shurpanakha.
Charanam 4 (Mukhari) – Kishkindakandam
कनक मृग रूप धर खल मारीच हरमिह
सुजन विमत दशास्य हृत जनकजान्वेषणम् ।
अनघम् पम्पातीर संगताञ्जनेय नभोमणि
तनुज सख्यकरं वाली तनु दलनमीशम् ॥
kanaka mRga rUpa dhara khala mAricha haramiha
sujana vimata dashAsya hRta janakajAnvEshaNam
anagham pampAtIra sangatAnjanEya nabhOmaNi
tanuja sakhyakaram vAlI tanu dalanamIsham
He who killed (haram) the wicked (khala) Maricha who had worn (dhara) a form (rUpa) of a golden (kanaka) deer (mRga) here (iha), he who searched for (anvEsham) the daughter of Janaka (janakajA) who was seized (hRta) by Ravana (dasha – ten, Asya-face) who disregarded (vimata) the virtous (sujana), he who is sinless (anagham), he who, accompanied by (sangata) Hanuman (AnjanEya), made friends (sakhya karam) with Sugriva (son of (tanuja) the Sun (nabhOmaNi)), he who destroyed (dalanam) the body (tanu) of Vali, he who is supreme (Isham).
Charanam 5 (Purvikalyani) – Sundarakandam
वानरोत्तम सहित वायुसूनु करार्पित
भानुशत भास्वर भव्य रत्नाङ्गुलीयम् ।
तेन पुनरानीतान्यून चूडामणी दर्शनं
श्रीनिधिमुदधि तीरेश्रित विभीषण मिलितम् ॥
vAnarOttam sahita vAyusUnu karArpita
bhanushata bhAsvara bhavya ratnAnguliyam
tEna punrAnItAnyUna chUDAmaNI darshanam
shrInidhImudadhi tIrEshrita vibhIshaNa militam
He who, accompanied by (sahita) the best (uttama) amongst the Vanaras, offered (arpita) in the hands (kara) of Hanuman (child (sUnu) of Vayu) the beautiful (bhavya) bejewelled (ratna) ring (angulIyam) which was lustrous (bhAsvara) like a hundred (shata) suns (bhAnu), he who saw (darshanam) the blemishless (anyUna) (crest jewel (chUDAmaNI) brought (AnIta) in turn (punah) by him (tEna ie hanuman), he who is the reservoir (nidhi) of auspiciousness (shrI), he who met (militam) Vibhishana who sought refuge (Ashrita) on the shores (tIrE) of the ocean (udadhi).
Charanam 6 (Madhyamavati) – Yuddhakadam
कलित वर सेतुबन्धं खल निस्सीम पिशिताशन
दलनम् उरु दश कण्ठ विदारणम् अति धीरम् ।
ज्वलन पूत जनक सुता सहितम् यात साकेतं
विलसित पट्टाभिषेकं विश्व पालं पद्मनाभम् ॥
kalita vara sEtubandham khala nissIma pishitAshana
dalanam uru dasha kaNTHa vidAraNam ati dhIram
jvalana pUta janaka sutA sahitam yAta sAkEtam
vilasita paTTAbhishEkam vishva pAlam padmanAbham
He who made (kalita) the best (vara) bridge (sEtubandham), he who killed (dalanam) numerous (nissIma-endless) wicked (khala) demons (pishitAshana-flesh eaters), he who crushed (vidaranam) the huge (uru) ten-headed (dasha kaNTHa) Ravana, he who is extremely (ati) dhIram (brave), he who, along with (sahita) Sita (janaka sutA-daughter of Janaka) who was purified (pUta) by fire (jvalana), proceeded to (yAta) Ayodhya (sAkEtam), he who shone (vilasita) in coronation (paTTAbhishEkam), he who protects (pAlam) the world (vishva), he who is the lotus-navelled one (padhanAbham).
Music To My Ears 
Happy Ramanavami to you too. Of course this song is the one to feature, although I am surprised you haven’t done it before in the earlier years – if ever a particular krithi was to be identified with a particular day, it is this, isn’t it ?
Interesting that you have featured Trichur Brothers. This song is almost identified with MS, especially for those from our generation. In musical households, her recording of this song must have echoed a zillion times. Yes, the switch to ga-ri-sa-da, ri-sa-da, sa-da has captivated everybody .
Also interesting is that it took Swathi Thirunal to tell the story of Ramayana and not Thyagaraja – the quintessential Ram Bhakt. I suppose he was more into emotion and devotion rather than telling the Ramayana itself.
Our season in Bangalore goes into full swing from today. We will go to a kutcheri and I dare say the odds are that this krithi will feature !!
Hi Ramesh, True..people in our generation have all grown up with MS renditions, haven’t we! And as to Tyagaraja, you are right, his kritis even when referring to the Ramayana, invoke an incident and come back to Tyagaraja’s own emotions. I am envious that you are going to gorge yourself on a smorgasbord of music! Their online tickets are still not available though I have contacted them repeatedly! Will you be willing to do a ‘guest post’ for me at the end of the month with a review of all the kutcheris you went to? Do take notes and weave it into a tale.
Cheers. Suja
Honoured to be asked. I am not sure if I can meet the incredible standards that this blog is justifiably known for, but I can try !!
Didn’t find evidence of them live streaming the concert yesterday, which I went for. I’ll give you a shout out when it starts. Ganesh/Kumaresh started wonderfully, appropriately with Mayamalava Gowla to start of the series, a beautiful Mohanam, a wonderful Abheri – all good so far. And then, of course it had to happen – an awful RTP of an unknown raga at which point we walked out !!
Happy Ramanavami to you Madam. EXCELLENT WORK. THANK YOU.
Can I place it in my website at
sites.google.com/homage2mssubbulakshmi ?
Thank you! You are welcome to place my link at your site.
Cheers. Suja
Ramesh is right in saying it was MS’s rendition of this song that became popular among the “am admi”. Ramesh, my guru who initiated me into critical listening of carnatic music will agree it was the great Swmmangudi Srinivas Iyer who initially brought this song to the attention of all music lovers. I hope I am not wrong !
Absolutely! As I wrote in my post, I too grew up on MS’s rendition and hers is the voice I hear in my head. As to Semmangudi, I believe that it was he who set it to the ragamalika and wrote the chittaswarams; originally the whole song was in Saveri. I had meant to add that to the post but missed it in my hurry. I shall add it in now.
Cheers. Suja
Hi Suja, an apt song for the occassion, and informative as always..have always listened to MSS ammas rendition, so this is a welcome change, loved the vruttam too…thanks..
cheers Padma
Thank you Padma. The viruttam was lovely, wasn’t it..I always have a liking for a well sung viruttam.
Cheers. Suja
Yes , I too enjoy Vruttams, some of TV Sankarnarayanan s vruttams are just brilliant .. they just take you to the peak .. have listened to him sing vruttams live and listen to those in you tube.
Cheers Padma
Thank you Suja, for a beautiful piece and great explanations. I do love ragamalikas. May I humbly request, if you’re thinking of a future post on a Ragamalika, perhaps Arabhimaanam please? 🙂
Hi Sakthi, I will add Arabhimaanam to my ever lengthening list of to-dos 🙂 I enjoy ragamalikas too, and that is a nice one, isn’t it..
Cheers. Suja
Delayed arrival here!
I am trying an experiment in a month to introduce a taste for Carnatic music, Sanskrit and characters in our epics to kids aged 12-15, at the behest of a friend of mine. I had chosen Bhavayami as the one stop material which can meet all the objectives. There are bound to be others but I chose what came to my mind first as well as what I am reasonably familar with.
I also came looking to your blog knowing I am sure to get a different perspective and perhaps some new info too. Not unsurprisingly, I got what was expecting to get! Your explanation of the ragas chosen with the moods of the kandams they deal with sounds impressive.
While I have also heard any number of times that Semmangudi set it to a ragamanlika, it never occured to me till NOW to search for his own rendition. I did now and thought I wd take the liberty of sharing a link to his rendition here taking for granted your indulgence! 🙂
Hello again! Your endeavour sounds very interesting and you have chosen your kriti very well indeed! Unlike kritis which go on and on about ‘won’t you protect me O Lord’ or ‘You are this and You are that’, Bhavayami has a story to tell which will appeal to the youngsters I am sure. The suitability of the ragas to the kandams was just something which occurred to me, I’m unsure whether ‘real’ and knowledgeable connoisseurs will agree 🙂 Thank you for the link to Semmangudi’s version – I had gone hunting when I was writing this post too and I will enjoy listening to it now.
Cheers. Suja
Hi, Thanks for the lyrics — I was searching long a few years back and left searching in frustration. So, I was pleasantly surprised to see this… It’s so beautiful that you took pains to give it in Hindi — only where the true prounciations come out (as in any MS song).
One question though — maybe I missed it, but have you missed out the “alapanai” after each para – which goes like this “sa ri ga sa ri, ma pa da pa da, RI SA ni da ….” . It would be great if you can include that also, as I am not too sure of the full text for it…
I also just noticed that you have lots of other singers in the list. I think this is going to become one of my favorite sites!
Thank you!
Hi Sriram, thanks for your comment! I’m glad you found it useful. As to the chitta swaras, I don’t normally include them as my focus is on the lyrics and word-by-word meaning. You can find chitta swarams in this blog http://www.shivkumar.org/music/bhavayami.htm.
Cheers. Suja
Very nicely translated and the way you have given all the kandams of Ramayana is superb
Thank you so much, I’m glad the post appealed to you!
Cheers. Suja