Nannu paalimpa Nadachi Vacchithivo , O Rama:)

Dear Friends, It is my belief that reading and visualizing the lives of noble souls is one of the easiest ways to remain more sanitized in this materialistic world . By doing so , one can clearly identify what is bliss and what is not. Hence, I have decided to start posting on the lives and the compositions of these mystic poets of the yore. In this post , let us join Sri Tyagayya as he is about to render one of the very popular and beautiful krithis in the Mohana raga. B4 that some background .. If one dives deep into the Life and the krithis of the great Saint , composer , musician and the Rama bhaktha , Sri Tyagayya of Tiruvaiyaaru, for sure one will come back to the surface with at least a million pearls. The kind of bonding that he develops only with SitaRama leaves one spell bound.We can only pray SitaRama to give at least a fraction of the bhakthi he had for SitaRama. Let me come back to the mohana krithi under focus. Before actually going to an interestic anecdote that is attached with this krithi, let me quickly skim over the qualities of Mohana Raga. The name speaks for itself. Technically, Mohanam is a partial derivative of its melakartha(parent) raga , Harikamboji. Being an audava-audava raga( 5 notes in arohanam or ascendency) and 5 notes is avarohanam (or descendancy), it is widely used to depict veera rasa. I would like to write more about this raga and other popular compositions , but I would opt to refrain from digressing. Tyagayya is waiting for someone.. It is said that Tyagayya was waiting for the arrival of his prime and favorite disciple, Walajapet Venkatarama Bhagawathar on the eve of his daughters marriage. As the auspicious time was approaching and there were no signs of his comming , he became restless. But not long time after that he would see a realistic portrait of Sita rama as venkatarama approached him. Tyagayya became so ecstatic seeing his disciple and the life - like portrait of Sita rama , he burst forth with the krithi "Nannu paalimpa Nadachi vachithivo " (Did you walk all the way just to care for me ?) Tyagayyas rendezvous with SitaRama and party:) Here is the krithis' lyrics pallavi nanu pAlimpa naDaci vaccitivO nA prANanAtha anupallavi vanaja nayana mOmunu jUcuTa jIvanamani nenaru nA manasu marmamu telisi caraNam surapati nIla maNinibha tanuvutO nuramuna mutyapu sarula cayamutO karamuna shara kOdaNDa kAntitO dharani tanayatO tyAgarAjArcita Translation Pallavi :Did you come all the way on foot to just to care for me , Oh Lord of my life! Anupallavi:Knowing the secret of my love ladden heart - that I live just to see your face O lotus eyed beloved, Did you come all the way on foot to just to care for me , Oh Lord of my life! Charnam: The veera rasa can be felt here With your body shining like a saphire,With rows of strung pearls on your chest With that lustrous bow and arrow in your hand (Kothanda Rama) With Earths' daughter Sita besides you Did you come all the way on foot to just to care for me , Oh Lord of my life! Tyagayya , if he had craved so bad for something in his life , it would for the darshan of SitaRama.. He has echoed in many of his krithis for his longings to get a darshan of the SitaRama. How ecstatic he would have been when he saw his most favorite discliple walking with a beautiful portrait of his Ishtadeivam? He has outpoured his joy in the song for people like us to understand the joy that results in just casting ones eyes on the Kothanda Rama and Sita devi. JAI SRI TYAGAYYA SRI SITARAMACHANDRAPAADASAMARPANAM