Priye Charusheele

‘Oh my love! O my virtuous one!’ So addresses Krishna his beloved Radha in this 12th century song in Sanskrit by Jayadeva. His Gita Govindam, literally The Song of Krishna, consists of 12 chapters with a total of 24 songs, most with eight padas or couplets  (therefore also called Ashtapadi). In addition, there are 70 to 92 shlokas (depending on versions) in this great literary work, a true treasure of India.

Jayadeva was the court poet of king Lakshmanasena (1179-1205), a Vaishnavaite king. Jayadeva and his wife Padmavati enjoyed a long and happy marriage. There is an interesting story associated with this particular Ashtapadi. When he was composing this song, the following verse came to his mind :

स्मर गरल खण्डनम् मम शिरसि मण्डनम् देहि पदपल्लवम्  उदारम् ।

Place your tender feet on my head  as an ornament to refute  Cupid’s poison.

But he hesitated to write it down. Radha placing her feet on Krishna’s head? It is culturally so unacceptable! Without putting it down in the palm leaves, he left the incomplete song in his wife Padmavati’s hand and went to the river to bathe. While he was away, Lord Krishna is said to have taken Jayadeva’s form and visited his home. Taking the palm leaves from Padmavati, He wrote the very words that Jayadeva had hesitated to write. When Jayadeva returned, he saw the verse written down and realised that Lord Krishna himself had visited his home and written this verse.

Gita Govindam is a story of just one night, a night highly charged with emotions and passions. There is loneliness and longing, flirtation and jealousy, anger and pride and above all, the tenderness of love. This is lyrical and sensuous poetry, openly erotic in places; Jayadeva’s words will certainly make you blink or blush if you are old-fashioned. That said, however ‘old’ your ‘fashions’ are, surely it can’t be older than these words from the 12th century ! My song choice of today is relatively mild, only PG rated so you can read on..

The songs of Gita Govindam have come to be sung in different ragas in different regions of India though Jayadeva did set them to ragas. In the South, they are normally sung to the tunes set by Pudukkottai Gopalakrishna Bhagavatar but of course musicians and music composers may choose to present them in their own chosen ragas.

Priye! Charusheele! is refrain of song number nineteen from the 10th chapter. Radha is upset and angry with Krishna. In this song, he cajoles and flatters her, displaying his own love, longing and passion for her.  I have chosen to present two of my favourite renditions here today. (note: different subsets of the verses are sung)

The first is by O.S.Arun, in raga Vasanti. He is in great voice and this raga suits the mood of the song quite beautifully.

The second rendition is by T.M.Krishna in Mukhari. The viraha bhava is beautifully expressed in this raga. You can listen to it here (song 3).

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Footnote (Lyrics) :

Language: Sanskrit

वदसि यदि किङ्चिदपि दन्त रुचि कौमुदी हरति दर तिमिरम् अति घोरम् ।
स्फुरदधर सीधवे तव वदन चन्द्रमा रोचयतु लोचन चकोरम् ॥
प्रिये ! चारुशीले ! प्रिये !चारुशीले !
मुञ्च मयि मानम् अ निदानम् सपदि मदनानलो दहति मम मानसम् ।
देहि मुख कमल मधु पानम्
प्रिये ! चारुशीले ! प्रिये !चारुशीले ! ॥ -1-

vadasi yadi kinchidapi danta ruchi kaumudI harati dara timiram ati ghOram
sphuradadhara sIdhavE tava vadana chandramA rOchayatu lOchana chakOram
priyE! chArushIlE! priye! chArushIlE!
muncha mayi mAnam a nidAnam sapadi madanAnalO dahati mama mAnasam
dEhi mukha kamala madhu pAnam. priyE charushIlE! priyE charushIlE!

If (yadi) you say (vadasi) even (api) some small thing (kinchid), the moonshine-like (kaumudi) beauty (ruchi) of your (tava) teeth (danta) steals away (harati) the very (ati) terrible (ghOram), fearful (dara) gloom (timiram). Let my eyes (lOchana) find pleasure in (rOchayatu) in your (tava) face (vadana) with quivering (sphurat) nectarine (from sIdhu=nectar?) lips (adhara)  just like (implied) the chakora bird (chakOram) takes pleasure in the moon (chandrama).

O Beloved (priyE)! O virtuous one (chAru=beautiful shIlE=of character)!

Please set aside (muncha) this unfounded (a nidAnam) anger (mAnam) on me (mayi)! The fire (analah) of passion (madana) burns (dahati) my heart (mAnasam=mind) at present (sapadi). Please give (dEhi) me a drink (pAnam) of nectar (madhu) from your a lotus-like face (kamala mukha) (alternate : give me a nectar like (madhu) kiss (pAnam) from your lotus-like (kamala) mouth (mukha)).

O Beloved (priyE)! O virtuous one (chAru=beautiful shIlE=of character)!

सत्यमेवासि यदि सुदति मयि कोपिनी देहि खर नख शर घातम् ।
घटय भुज बन्धनम् जनय रद खण्डनम् येन वा भवति सुख जातम् ॥ –2-

satyamEvAsi yadi sudati mayi kOpinI dEhi khara nakha shara ghAtam
ghaTaya bhuja bandhanam janaya rada khaNDanam yEna vA bhavati sukha jAtam

O One with beautiful teeth (su dati)! If you are (tvam asi) truly (satyamEva) angry (kOpinI) with me (mayi), wound and injure me (dEhi shara ghAtam) with your sharp (khara) nails (nakha). Fetter me (bandhanam) by bringing together (ghaTaya) your arms (bhuja),  cause me (janaya ) hurt (khanDanam) with your teeth (rada), or whichever way (yEna vA) makes you happy (bhavati=happens, sukha=happiness, jAtam=born).

त्वमसि मम जीवनम् त्वमसि मम भूषणम् त्वमसि भव जलधिरत्नम् ।
भवतु भवतीह मयि सततम् अनुरोधिनि तत्र मम हृदयम्  अति यत्नम् ॥ –3-

tvamasi mama jIvanam tvamasi mama bhUshaNam tvamasi bhava jaladhiratnam
bhavatu bhavatIha mayi satatam anurOdhini tatra mama hRdaya ati yatnam

You are (tvam asi) my life (jIvanam), you are (tvam asi) my ornament (bhUshaNam), you are (tvam asi) the supreme jewel (adhiratna) of the ocean of my existence (bhava jala).   That (tatra=in this matter) you may be (bhavatI) gracious (anurOdhini bhavatu) with me (mayi) here (iha), in that (implied) my heart (hRdayam) will always (satatam) make the utmost effort (ati yatnam).

नील नलिन आभमपि तन्वि तव लोचनम् धारयति कोकनद रूपम् ।
कुसुम शर बाण भावेन यदि रञ्जयति कृष्णम् इदम् एतत् अनुरूपम् ॥ –4-

nIla nalina Abhamapi tanvi tava lOchanam dhArayati kOkanada rUpam
kusuma shara bANa bhAvEna yadi ranjayati kRshNam idam Etat anurUpam

O slender one (tanvi)! Though (api) your (tava) eyes (lochanam) resemble (Abham) a blue lotus (nIla nalina) now, in anger, (implied) they wear (dhArayati) the appearance (rUpa) of a red water lily (kOkanada).  If (yadi) they (idam) are transformed (bhAvEna) into flower-tipped (kusuma) arrows (shara bANa) (note: cupid’s love arrows are flower-tipped arrows) they will dye/redden (ranjayati) the dark-hued one (kRshNa) to match (anurUpam) (i.e he will be flushed with love).

स्फुरतु कुचकुम्भयोः उपरि मणि मञ्जरी रञ्जयतु तव हृदय देशम् |
रसतु रशना अपि तव घन जघन मण्डले घोषयतु मन्मथ निदेशम् |॥–5-

sphuratu kuchakumbhayOh upari maNi manjarI ranjayatu tava hRdaya dEsham
rasatu rashanA api tava ghana jaghana maNDale ghOshayatu manmatha nidEsham

The pearl (manjari) mani (ornament) on top of (upari) your (tava) water-pot like (kumbhayOH) breasts (kucha) quiver (sphuratu) on your (tava) chest (hRdaya=heart, dEsham=place). Let the girdle (rashanA) also (api) tinkle, make sounds (rasatu) on your compact (ghana) hip and loin (jaghana) areas (maNDalE) to proclaim aloud (ghOshayatu) Cupid’s (manmata) command (nidEsham).

स्थल कमल गञ्जनम् मम हृदय रञ्जनम् जनित रति रङ्ग पर भागम् ।
भण मसृण वाणि करवाणि चरण द्वयम्  सरस लसत् अलक्तक रागम् ॥ –6-

sthala kamala ganjanam mama hRdaya ranjanam janita rati ranga para bhAgam
bhaNa masRNa vANi karvANi charaNa dvayam sarasa lasat alaktaka rAgam

Like excellent (ganjanam) land-growing lotuses (sthara kamala), your feet (implied by next verse) delight (ranjanam) my (mama) heart (hRdaya) producing (janita) the pleasure of love (rati), colouring (ranga) another part (para bhAgam). Tell me (bhaNa vANi), what if I colour (karavANi=if I do, rAgam=colour) your two (dvayam) soft (masRNa) feet (charaNa) with red juice / lac (alaktaka) so they glitter (lasat) in passion (sarasa)?

स्मर गरल खण्डनम् मम शिरसि मण्डनम् देहि पद पल्लवम्  उदारम् ।
ज्वलति मयि दारुणो मदन कदनानलो हरतु तदुपाहित विकारम् ॥ –7-

smara garala khaNDanam mama shirasi maNDanam dEhi pada pallava udAram
jvalati mayi dAruNO madana kadanAnalO haratu tadupAhita vikAram

Place (dEhi=give) your tender (pallava-tender leaf) feet (pada) on my (mama) head (shirasi) as an ornament (manDanam) to refute (khanDanam) Cupid’s (smara) poison (garala). Cupid’s (madana) destructive (kadana) fire (analaH) burns (jvalati) intensely (dAruNah) in me (mayi), let your feet (implied) take away (haratu) that (tat) disquietitude (vikAram) caused by (implied) that fire (upAhita).

इति चटुल चाटु पटु चारु मुर वैरिणः राधिकाम् अधि वचन जातम् ।
जयति जयदेव कवि भारती भूषितम् मानिनी जन जनित अति शातम् ॥ –8-

(alternate rendition for last two lines:
जयतु पद्मावति रमण जयदेव कवि भारती भणितम् इति गीतम् ) 

iti chaTula chATu paTu chAru vairiNah rAdhikAm adhi vachana jAtam
jayati jayadEva kavi bhAratI bhUshitam mAninI jana janita ati shAtam

alternate:
jayatu padmAvati ramaNa jayadEva kavi bhAratI bhaNitam iti gItam

Such (iti) were the sweet (chaTula) pleasing words (chATu) words (vachana) uttered (jAtam=happened) by the clever (paTu) and endearing (chAru) Krishna (=the enemy (viriNah) of Mura) to Radha (rAdhAm adhi). May the poet (kavi) Jayadeva’s well-adorned (bhUshitam) literary composition (bhArathI) result in (janita) extreme happiness (ati shAtam) for women folk (mAninI jana). [Alternate : Victory (jayatu) to the husband (ramaNa) of Padmavati. Such (iti) is the literary composition (bhArathi) uttered (bhaNitam) by the poet (kavi) Jayadeva, a song (gItam) of praise (paNita)] 

Asai Mugam

Alas, I have forgotten that beloved face! To whom shall I talk of it my friend? When my heart has not forgotten the love, how could I have forgotten the face? In my mind I see a form, yet it does not have the full beauty of Kannan And when I have a glimpse of a befitting face, I see not his beautiful smile.  Ah the sins that my eyes have committed that I have forgotten the form of my dearest Kannan! Amongst the ladies, have you seen someone as naive as me? I don’t even have a colour portrait of Him, how will I live now?

Memory. Today I have landed upon this rather unusual topic for Carnatic Music. For people of my age group, growing into the autumn years of our lives, memory is an especially interesting topic given how often it fails us!

Is it not interesting that we remember emotions and sensations far better than facts? I have heard it said that emotion helps us retain and retrieve memory. But emotion also colours our memories so that what we consider facts are in all probability very inaccurate perceptions of reality. Actors use what is called sense memory, remembering emotions triggered by a memory of a sense-experience like a smell or a taste. Do we not all remember a favourite dish by our mother or our grandmother, and do we not have a rush of affection for them with the memory? How often do you smell a perfume or incense and get assailed with memories of another time, another place?

Yet these memories remain elusive, with an untouchable, dream-like quality. I remember the overwhelming rush of love I felt for my baby as she was put into my arms for the first time, but I cannot remember whether it was night or day. I remember the desolation of hearing that my mom passed away, but I cannot remember the date. I remember the despair of arguments with my husband, but not the reason.  Why is our memory so selective? But perhaps our brain is just being smart in remembering the essence of matters rather than the clutter which surrounds them.

That brings me to the poetry choice of today. Is it not the cleverness of a poet to write of what we understand and lead us towards what we do not?  As I listen to this beautiful song by the extraordinary thinker, activist and poet Subramanya Bharathi (1882-1921), I reflect on his words. Who knows what poets intend? One can only interpret based on our limited understanding of life.

‘Alas, I have forgotten that beloved face!’ laments the poet. ‘ When my heart has not forgotten the love, how could I have forgotten the face?’. The poet talks of his beloved Kannan, Lord Krishna, struggling to remember the form which just eludes him. ‘And when I have a glimpse of a befitting face, I see not his beautiful smile’.   We theists, is that what happens to us? Are we remembering the overwhelming love of God yet forgetting His form?

‘Ah the sins that my eyes have committed that I have forgotten the form of my dearest Kannan!’ despairs the poet. ‘Is there a bee which forgets honey? Or a flower which forgets sunlight?’   Should it not be as natural for us to remember God as it is for a bee to seek honey or a flower which seeks light? ‘If I forget Krishna’s face, what use having these eyes?’ says the poet. Yet he has remembered what is essential, the love of God – so I ask, what if our eyes have forgotten? Let our hearts not forget, that should be enough.

Set to Raga Jonpuri, the melody is simple and the stress is on the beauty of the words. I am indeed sorry if you do not understand Tamil for my translation does no justice at all to the beauty of the words. If you would like to know more about this raga, click here.

My favourite version of this song is by Sudha Raghunathan, from a tape I have had for years. [Alternate link]

For a contrast, listen to this version by O.S.Arun who always imbibes his music with a lot of energy.

 

 

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Footnote (Lyrics) :

Language : Tamil

ஆசை முகம் மறந்து போச்சே – இதை
ஆரிடம் சொல்வேனடி தோழி?
நேசம் மறக்கவில்லை நெஞ்சம் – எனில்
நினைவு முகம் மறக்கலாமோ?

கண்ணில் தெரியுதொரு தோற்றம் – அதில்
கண்ணன் அழகு முழுதில்லை;
நண்ணு முகவடிவு காணில் – அந்த
நல்ல மலர்ச்சிரிப்பைக் காணோம்.

ஓய்வு மொழிதலும் இல்லாமல் – அவன்
உறவை நினைத்திருக்கும் உள்ளம்;
வாயும் உரைப்பதுண்டு கண்டாய் – அந்த
மாயன் புகழினையெப் போதும்.

கண்கள் புரிந்துவிட்ட பாவம் – உயிர்க்
கண்ணன் உரு மறக்கலாச்சு;
பெண்களின் இடத்தில் இது போலே – ஒரு
பேதையை முன்பு கண்டதுண்டோ?

தேனை மறந்திருக்கும் வண்டும் – ஒளிச்
சிறப்பை மறந்துவிட்ட பூவும்
வானை மறந்திருக்கும் பயிரும் – இந்த
வையம் முழுதும் இல்லை தோழி.

கண்ணன் முகம் மறந்து போனால் – இந்தக்
கண்கள் இருந்தும் பயன் உண்டோ ?
வண்ணப் படமுமில்லை கண்டாய் – இனி
வாழும் வழி என்னடி தோழி?

Transliteration

Asai mugam marandu pochchE – idai AriDam solvEnaDi tOzhI?
nEsam marakkavillai nenjam – enil ninayvu mugam marakkalAmO?

kaNNil teriyudoru tOtram – adil kaNNan azhagu muzudillai
naNNu mugavaDivu kANil – anda nalla malarsirippay kANOm

Oyvu mozhidalum illamal – avan uRavai ninaiththirukkum uLLam
vAyum uraippudunDu kanDAy – anda mAyan pugazhiniyay pOdum

kaNgal purinduvitta pAvam – uyir kaNNan uru marakkalAchchu
peNgaLin iDattil idu pOlE – oru bEdaiyay munbu kanDadunDO?

tEnai maRandirukkum vanDum – olich-chirappai maranduvitta pUvum
vAnai marandirukkum payirum – inda vaiyam muzhudum illai tOzhi

kaNNan mugamarandu pOnAl – inda kaNgalirundum payan unDO?
vaNNap-paDamumillai kandAy  ini vAzhum vazhi ennaDi tOzhI?

Translation

Alas, I have forgotten that beloved face! To whom shall I talk of it my friend? When my heart has not forgotten the love, how could I have forgotten the face?

In my mind I see a form, yet it does not have the full beauty of Kannan
And when I have a glimpse of a befitting face, I see not his beautiful smile.

With neither rest nor speech, my thoughts are only of his love. You see how I speak ceaselessly in praise of that illusionist?

Ah the sins that my eyes have committed that I have forgotten the form of my dearest Kannan! Amongst the ladies, have you seen someone as naive as me?

Is there a bee which forgets honey? Or a flower which forgets sunlight? Oh my friend, is there any plant in the world which forgets the sky?

If I forget Krishna’s face, what use having these eyes? You see I don’t even have a colour portrait of Him, how will I live now?

 

Bhaktajana Vatsale

Come O Vitthal, for the love of your devotee! Flled with mercy, O Panduranga, with a complexion like a rain cloud heavy with water, wearing yellow clothing come and give us salvation, O King Keshava. Namadev says you are the creator of the universe, the One who lives in the milky ocean, O Mother of the world!

There has been a tradition to sing Marathi Abhangas as minor pieces towards the end of  Carnatic Music concerts. Even the celebrated vocalists  M.S.Subbulakshmi and M.L.Vasanthakumari have done so. This trend has seen a bit of a revival in recent times with artists such as Aruna Sairam, Ranjani & Gayathri and O.S.Arun becoming well known for their Abhangas.  An Abhanga is a form of devotional poetry written in Marathi, most in praise of Lord Krishna in the form of Vitthala or Vithoba.  The saints who wrote and sang them belonged to the Varkari movement, a Bhakti movement in Maharashtra which was popular between 13th and 18th centuries.

My song choice today is by the poet-saint Namdev. Though I had heard of him, I was not familiar with his life story. Hoping that it would interest you, I have decided to write a synopsis of his life story as I educate myself.

Namdev was born in 1270 AD to a family of tailors in a little village in Maharashtra. Soon the family moved to Pandharpur where there was a temple of Vitthala. From early childhood he showed extraordinary devotion to Vitthala to an extent that he neglected everything else. In his mind, Vitthala was his friend and playmate.

Being rather one-track about his devotion to Vitthala, Namdev paid no attention to his studies or to learning his trade under his father, which caused much distress to his ageing parents and later to his wife. As was the custom in those times, he was married at a young age (11) to Rajai  who joined this family in their life of extreme poverty. They were to have five children together.

When Namdev was about 21, he met Saint Jnanadev and his companions, a meeting which was to change his life.  Made to realise that his vision of God was still limited, his friends advised him to take a Guru. He took initiation under Visobha Khechar and under him learnt to expand his devotion from Vitthoba to the universal Brahman. He then travelled widely in India, singing songs to spread Bhakti. He is said to have spent 20 years in Punjab with such a wide following that the Sikhs look at him as their own. He then came back to Padharpur and spent the rest of his life spreading his message by means of his Abhangas. He died in 1350 aged 80.

Namdev left behind a body of work in the form of Abhangas of which about 2500 are known. 61 of them are included in the holy book of the Sikhs – the Guru Granth Sahib; these are hymns on the Nirguna Brahman (God without attributes) as opposed to his many Abhangas on Vitthala.

In my song choice of today, Namdev pleads to Vitthala to ‘Come, for the love of your devotee’….’come and give salvation’.  For lyrics and translation see footnote. To present the song, I have chosen a simple rendition filled with Bhakti-bhava by O.S.Arun, sung in raga Brindavana Saranga. To know more about this raga, click here. Click here to listen.

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Footnote (Lyrics) :

Language : Marathi

In Devanagri script:

येई वो विठ्ठले भक्तजन वत्सले
करुणा कल्लोळे पाण्डुरङ्गे
सजल जलद घन पीताम्बर परिधान
येई उध्धरणे केशीराजे
नामा म्हणे तू विश्वाची जननी
क्षिराब्धि निवासिनी जगदम्बे

Transliteration:

yEI vO viTTalE bhaktajana vatsalE
karuNA kalloLE pAnDurangE
sajala jalada ghana pItAmbara paridhAna
yEI udhdharaNE keshIrAjE
nAmA mhaNE tu vishvAchI jananI
kshirabdhI nivAsinI jagadambE

Translation :

Come O Vitthal, for the love of your devotee
filled with mercy, O Panduranga
(with complexion like) a rain cloud heavy with water, wearing yellow clothing
come and give us salvation, O King Keshava
Namadev says you are the creator of the universe
One who lives in the milky ocean, O Mother of the world

Asainthadum Mayil

Today I am lost in the dance of Krishna. I am listening to Asaithadum Mayil (see footnote for lyrics), swaying with the music, my mind’s eye seeing Krishna dance,  anklets tinkling, bracelets jangling, earrings swaying, peacock-feathers waving in the air, His yellow garments fluttering, His eyes sparkling, His smile enchanting, his feet stepping high, divine music in the air. And when I think thus of Him, I see the universe dancing too – the waves thrashing, the wind blowing, the bees buzzing, the planets revolving, the electrons jumping and hearts pumping blood everywhere to the beat of His music, all linked inexplicably in this giant web, God and Man and Universe as one.

Oothukadu Venkata Subbaiyer (1700 – 1765) had an amazing talent for making the images of our Gods come alive in our minds. His genius is specially evident in my selection today. It is much more than words, which are indeed charming. Set to Raga Simhendra Madhyamam, the rhythm and cadence echo the dance of Krishna and the pulse of the universe. I especially love the madhyamakala (faster) section; I automatically close my eyes and start nodding in time, echoing Krishna’s dance. There is amazing musicality in constructing the descent from ‘oru padam vaithu’ until ‘malar magalum pada’ followed by a triumphant upswing. It is mesmerizing for Tamil speakers but I believe the song should speak to you even if you don’t understand a word.

To know more about the raga Simhendra Madhyamam, click here.

I have heard semi-light treatments of this song as well as elaborate versions (by TNS for example). Sudha Raghunathan’s rendition is very popular; I am sure all Carnatic Music fans are familiar with hers. For a change today I present you O.S.Arun who infuses his devotional singing with an energy which suits this song very well. This is from the CD called Madura Madhura.

Alternate link : Click here.

For an instrumental version, listen to E.Gayathri on the Veena.

Alternate link : Click here.

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Footnote (Lyrics) :

I have heard variations for a few of the words which I have noted with an asterisk. I have gone with the Bombay Sister’s version.

பல்லவி
அசைந்தாடும் மயில் ஒன்று காணும்*
நம் அழகன் வந்தான் என்று சொல்வது போல் தோனும்* (அசைந்தாடும்)

அனுபல்லவி
இசையாறும்* குழல் கொண்டு வந்தான் (கண்ணன் )
இந்த ஏழேழு பிறவிக்கும் இன்ப நிலை தந்தான்
திசை தோறும் நிறைவாக நின்றான்
என்றும் திகட்டாத வேணு கானம் ராதையிடம் ஈந்தான்*

அனுபல்லவி (மத்யமகாலம்)
எங்காகிலும் எமதிறைவா இறைவா என
மனனிறை அடியவரிடம் தங்கு மனத்துடையான்
அருள் பொங்கும் முகத்துடையான்
ஒரு பதம் வைத்து மறு பதம் தூக்கி நின்றாட
மயிலின் இறகாட மகர குழையாட மதி வதனமாட
மயக்கும் விழியாட மலரணிகள் ஆட மலர் மகளும் பாட
இது* கனவோ நனவோ என மன நிறை முனிவரும்
மகிழ்ந்து கொண்டாட (அசைந்தாடும்)

சரணம்
அசை போடும் ஆவினங்கள் கண்டு
இந்த அதிசயத்தில் சிலை போல நின்றதுவும் உண்டு*
நிஜமான சுகம் என்று ஒன்று -இருந்தால்
நீடுலகில் இதையன்றி வேறெதுவும் அன்று
இசையாறும் கோபாலன் இன்று -நின்று
எழில் பொங்க* நடமாட எதிர் நின்று ராதை பாட (எங்காகிலும்)

Alternate Words :

காணும் – கண்டால்
தோனும் – தோன்றும்
இது – அது
நின்றதுவும் உண்டு – நின்று
எழில் பொங்க – எழுந்தெழுந்து
ஈந்தான் – ஈர்ந்தான்
இசையாறும் – இசை பாடும்

pallavi
asaindADum mayil ordru kANum
nam azhagan vandAn endru sollvadu pOl tONum

anupallavi
isaiyArum kuzhal koNDu vandAn
inda EzhEzhu piravikkum inba nilai tandAn
disai tOrum niraivAga nindrAn
enrum tigaTTAda vENugAnam rAdaiyiDam IndAn

–madhyamakalam
engAgilum emadiRaivA iRaivA ena
mana niRai aDiyavariDam tangu manattuDaiyAn
aruL pongu mugathuDaiyAn
oRu padam vaiththu maRu padam thUkki nindrADa
mayilin iragADa makara-kuzhaiyADa madivadanam ADa mayakkum vizhiyADa malaraNigal ADa malar magaLum pADa
idu kanavO nanavO ena mana niRai munivarum magizhndu koNDADa

charanam
asai pODum AvinangaL kaNDu inda adisayatthil silai pOlE ninraduvum uNDu nijamAna sukham endru ondru irundAl nIdulagil idaiyanri vEreduvum andru isaiyArum gOpAlan inru ninru
ezhil ponga nadamADa edir nindru rAdai pADa  (engagagilum)

Translation
Pallavi
When a dancing peacock is seen, it is as if its saying ‘Our beautiful one is coming’!

Anupallavi
He brought with him the flute of healing music (interpretation of isaiArum),
And  left me in a joyous state for fourteen births,
He was everywhere (in all directions),
and played the ever-enjoyable flute-music to Radha.

He stays with devotees, wherever they are, who say with contentment  ‘my God, my God’, His face brimming with grace,
One leg on the floor, one leg lifted, He dances,
peacock-feathers swaying, fish-shaped earrings moving,
moon-like face nodding, enchanting eyes dancing,
his flower ornaments swaying and Goddess Lakshmi singing,
sages celebrating with joy, wondering if it is a all a dream!

Charanam
As the cud-chewing cows behold this wonder
they stand frozen like statues,
If there is a thing called real pleasure,
There is nothing but this (the view of Krishna dancing) in the entire world.
The cowherd who heals with music stands today
and dances with much grace while Radha sings.