Cetah Sri Balakrsnam

Lyrics

Notation

From Shivkumar Kalyanaraman (shivkumar.org)

Pallavi:
Chetha Shree Baalakrishnam Bhajare
Chinthithartha Prada Charana-Aravindam Mukundam

Anupallavi:
Nuthana Neerada Sadrusha Shareeram Nandakishoram
Peetha Vasana Dharam Kambu Kandaram Giridharam
Puthanaadi Samhaaram Purushotthama-Avathaaram
Seethala Hrudaya Vihaaram Sree Rukmini Daaram

Charanam

Navaneetha Gandha Vaaha Vadanam Mrudu Gadanam Nalina Pathra Nayanam Vata Pathra Shayanam
Nava Champaka Naasikam Athasee Suma Bhaasakam Natheendraadi Loka Paalakam Mrugamada
Thilakam
Navathulasee Vanamaalam Naaradaadi Munijaalam Kuvalayaadi Paripaalam Guru guha Nutha Gopaalam

Meaning (from TK Govinda Rao’s book)

Oh Mind ("cheta")! Worship ("bhajare") the Lord Sri Balakrishna. He is Mukunda, whose lotus like
("aravindam") feet ("charana") will grant ("prada") the boons one can think of ("chintita-artha").
His body is dark ("sadrusha") as a new ("nuthana") cloud ("neeradha"), the young boy ("kishoram")
of Nanda is adorned ("dharam") with yellow ("peetha") silk ("vasana"). He has a conch ("kambu")
like neck ("kandaram"); he lifted ("dharam") the Govardhana hill ("giri"); destroyed ("samhaaram")
Poothana and others ("aadi"); is the incarnation ("avataaram") of the Purushothama, the supreme
being. He dwells ("vihaaram") in the soothing ("seethala") hearts ("hrudaya") of virtuous ones; spouse
("daaram") of Sri Rukmini.
His face ("vadanam") smells ("gandha") like ("vaaha") fresh ("nava") butter ("neetha"). His speech
("gadanam") is soft ("mrudu"). He has eyes ("nayanam") like lotus ("nalina") petals ("pathra"). He
rests ("shayanam") on a banyan leaf ("Vata-patra"). His nose ("naasikam") is like that of a fresh
("nava") Champaka flower. From his form emanates the fragrance ("bhaasakam") of Tulasi
("athaseesuma") and other flowers. He is worshipped ("nata") by Indra ("indraadi") and the
lokapalakas. He wears Kasturi ("mrugamada") tilaka. He is adorned with garlands ("vana-maalam") of
tender ("nava") tulasi ("thulasee") and other flowers. He is attended on ("jaalam") by Naarada and
other ("aadi") sages ("muni"). He is the protector ("paripaalam") of the worlds ("kuvalaya-adi") and
is the Gopala praised ("nutha") by Guruguha.

Pallavi:
cEtaH SrI bAla kRshNaM bhaja rE    cintitArtha prada caraNAravindaM mukundam

Sahithyam: cEtaH SrI bAla kRshNaM bhaja rE
Meaning: Oh Mind ("cheta")! Worship ("bhajare") the Lord Sri Balakrishna.

R;      R;       R;      || gmpm g pmM g     R ; ||
Che     tha      Shree      Baa- la kri      shnam

R;       rrgr S nd          || n r sn S ;     sn d p     ||
--        - - - - Bha ja-      - - re -        ----

R;        R;       R;       || G ,m dp M g pmM g R ; ||
Che       tha      Shree       Baa- - - la kri - - - shnam

R;       rrgr S nd          || n r sn S ;     sn d p     ||
--        - - - - Bha ja-      - - re - - -   ----

R;        R;       R ;      || M dp pm M g M g R ;            ||
Che       tha      Shree       Baa- - - - -- -- la kri

R;    rrgr S nd             || dn n r s n S    S;        ||
shnam - - - - Bha ja-          re - - - - -

Sahithyam: cintitArtha prada caraNAravindaM mukundam
Meaning: He is Mukunda, whose lotus like ("aravindam") feet ("charana") will grant ("prada") the
boons one can think of ("chintita-artha").

;    M    M g m P md || pm P ; m p                       D S ||
     Chin thi thar - - - - tha - - Pra da                Cha ra

ssnd P - P     ; - M || ; - mg                 mr – r r mg gs ||
naa - - ra vin    dam    - Mu                  - - kun dam --

Anupallavi:
nUtana nIrada sadRSa SarIraM nanda kiSOraM pIta vasana dharaM kambu kandharaM giri dharam

(madhyama kAla sAhityam)
pUtanAdi saMhAraM purushOttamAvatAraM SItala hRdaya vihAraM SrI rukmiNI dAram

Sahithyam: nUtana nIrada sadRSa SarIraM nanda kiSOraM
Meaning: His body is dark ("sadrusha") as a new ("nuthana") cloud ("neeradha"), the young boy
("kishoram") of Nanda ...

;gs       ,s S     S ;      || S S , n s r S S rg ||
Nu -      tha na   Nee         ra da Sadru- sha Sha

rs sn ; ns D       D nd P || P dp M gm md pm P ||
ree     ram        Nan -     da - - ki sho - - ram -

Sahithyam: pIta vasana dharaM kambu kandharaM giri dharam
Meaning: He is adorned ("dharam") with yellow ("peetha") silk ("vasana"). He has a conch
("kambu") like neck ("kandaram"); he lifted ("dharam") the Govardhana hill ("giri");

; gm      pd S   ND         || D , p ; P   ; dp          ||
 Pee      tha Va sa na         Dha ram Kam   bu

pm pd P – P mdpm G || G R G S ; ;               ||
Kan - - - dha ram      - Gi ri dha ram - -
                               (R – G gs ; )
Sahithyam: pUtanAdi saMhAraM purushOttamAvatAraM
Meaning: He destroyed ("samhaaram") Poothana and others ("aadi"); is the incarnation
("avataaram") of the Purushothama, the supreme being.

G s- s , s – S S S || n r S r - D n                 D P    ||
Pu tha naa di Sam haa ram Pu ru sho ttha ma va    thaa ram

Sahithyam: SItala hRdaya vihAraM SrI rukmiNI dAram
Meaning: He dwells ("vihaaram") in the soothing ("seethala") hearts ("hrudaya") of virtuous ones;
spouse ("daaram") of Sri Rukmini.

P d s d n d – p d p P || p d s- d p m g           r m g s ||
See tha la Hru da ya Vi haa- ram Sree-- Ru- kmini Daa- ram-

Sahithyam: cEtaH SrI bAla kRshNaM bhaja rE
Meaning: Oh Mind ("cheta")! Worship ("bhajare") the Lord Sri Balakrishna.

R;       R;     R ;      || M dp pm M g M g R ;            ||
Che      tha    Shree       Baa- - - - -- -- la kri

R;    rrgr S nd          || dn n r s n S   S;         ||
shnam - - - - Bha ja-       re - - - - -

Charanam
navanIta gandha vAha vadanaM mRdu gadanaM naLina patra nayanaM vaTa patra SayanaM
nava campaka nAsikaM atasI suma bhAsakaM natEndrAdi lOka pAlakaM mRga mada tilakam

(madhyama kAla sAhityam)
nava tuLasI vana mAlaM nAradAdi muni jAlaM kuvalayAdi paripAlaM guru guha nuta gOpAlam

Sahithyam: navanIta gandha vAha vadanaM mRdu gadanaM
Meaning: His face ("vadanam") smells ("gandha") like ("vaaha") fresh ("nava") butter ("neetha").
His speech ("gadanam") is soft ("mrudu").

; D       P pm      P pm || m g m r – g r r r mg gs ||
 Na      va nee -   - tha Gan- -- dha Vaa - - - - ha -

R N      S;     s n d p || , g G R ;       R;         ||
Va da    nam    Mru- du- Ga da nam         --

Sahithyam: naLina patra nayanaM vaTa patra SayanaM
Meaning: He has eyes ("nayanam") like lotus ("nalina") petals ("pathra"). He rests ("shayanam") on
a banyan leaf ("Vata-patra").

; r g    ,m–P ; M        || gm gm    Rrr    rgR       ||
 Na li    na Pa thra       Na ya     nam

; g r  S ;      dnD      || ; n r s n S    ;;         ||
  Vata Pat       thra        Shaya nam

; r g    , m – P dp M || gm gm       R gmpm G R ||
 Na li     na Pa thra   Na ya        nam

; g r  S ;      dnD      || ; n r s n S    ;;         ||
  Vata Pat       thra        shaya nam

Sahithyam: nava campaka nAsikaM
Meaning: His nose ("naasikam") is like that of a fresh ("nava") Champaka flower.

;pp     rsR   RR          || R gm G – mg mr – mg ||
 Nava   Cham- paka          Naa - - si kam - -

Sahithyam: atasI suma bhAsakaM
Meaning: From his form emanates the fragrance ("bhaasakam") of Tulasi ("athaseesuma") and other
flowers.

g s- g r   S ; G R || S s s n d N , r s n S            ||
     A tha see Su ma Bhaa- - - sa - - kam -

Sahithyam: natEndrAdi lOka pAlakaM
Meaning: He is worshipped ("nata") by Indra ("indraadi") and the lokapalakas.

R S ; ss         ndP      || P ;   D dp ; m g          ||
Na theen draa-   - - di      Lo    ka Paa la

Sahithyam: mRga mada tilakam
Meaning: He wears Kasturi ("mrugamada") tilaka.

r g m p n d d p p m G m r || S rn           S;         ;;        ||
kam -- Mru ga- ma- da        Thi la-        kam

Sahithyam: nava tuLasI vana mAlaM nAradAdi muni jAlaM
Meaning: He is adorned with garlands ("vana-maalam") of tender ("nava") tulasi ("thulasee") and
other flowers. He is attended on ("jaalam") by Naarada and other ("aadi") sages ("muni").

r g m p D nd dpmg                  || R r - g , r – s n S S           ||
Na va thu la see Va na maa lam        Naa ra daa di Mu ni jaa lam

Sahithyam: kuvalayAdi paripAlaM guru guha nuta gOpAlam

Meaning: He is the protector ("paripaalam") of the worlds ("kuvalaya-adi") and is the Gopala praised
("nutha") by Guruguha.

p s s s ,n -d p R N                || r s n d d p – m d p m g r ||
Ku va layaa di Pa ri paa lam          Gu ru gu ha nu tha Go - paa- - lam

Sahithyam: cEtaH SrI bAla kRshNaM bhaja rE
Meaning: Oh Mind ("cheta")! Worship ("bhajare") the Lord Sri Balakrishna.

R;      R;       R ;      || M dp pm M g M g R ;            ||
Che     tha      Shree       Baa- - - - -- -- la kri

R;    rrgr S nd           || dn n r s n S   S;         ||
shnam - - - - Bha ja-        re - - - - -

Sahithyam: cintitArtha prada caraNAravindaM mukundam
Meaning: He is Mukunda, whose lotus like ("aravindam") feet ("charana") will grant ("prada") the
boons one can think of ("chintita-artha").

;   M    M g m P md || pm P ; m p                      D S ||
    Chin thi thar - - - - tha - - Pra da               Cha ra

ssnd P - P     ; - M || ; - mg              mr – r r mg gs ||
naa - - ra vin    dam    - Mu               - - kun dam --