Ma Janaki

Composition by Tyaagaraaja
About

Title: Ma Janaki
Composer: Tyaagaraaja
Language: Telugu
Ragas: Kambhoji
Talas: Desadi
Sources:
karnatik.com
Shivkumar Kalyanaraman (shivkumar.org): Notation (HTML)
Shivkumar Kalyanaraman (shivkumar.org): Notation (PDF)
Shivkumar Kalyanaraman (shivkumar.org): Class recording (MP3)
YouTube: Video
Lyrics

pallavi

ma janaki cetta battaga maharaja vaitivi
anupallavi

raja rajavara rajivaksa vinu ravanadiyani rajillu kirtiyu
caraNam

kanakegi yajna miraka mayakara munici sikhi centane yundi danavuni ventane cani yasokatani mulanundi vani matalaku gopaginci kanta vidhiyincakane yundi sri nayaka yasamu nike kalgajeya leda tyagaraja paripala
Notation

From Shivkumar Kalyanaraman (shivkumar.org)
Pallavi:
mA jAnaki cETTa paTTaga maharAjav(ai)tivi

Anupallavi:
rAja rAja vara rAjIv(A)ksha vinu
rAvaN(A)ri(y)ani rAjillu kIrtiyu (mA)

Charanam:
kAnak(E)gi Ajna mIraka mAy(A)kAram(u)nici Sikhi centanE(y)uNDi
dAnavuni veNTanE cani aSOka taru mUlan(u)NDi
vAni mATalaku kOpaginci kaNTa vadhiyincakanE(y)uNDi
SrI nAyaka yaSamu nIkE kalga jEya lEdA tyAgarAja paripAla (mA)

Meaning (TK Govinda Rao’s book, Tyagaraja Vaibhavam, ChatGPT Plus)
Sahityam: "mA jAnaki cETTa paTTaga maharAjav(ai)tivi"
Meaning: It is due to having clasped (“battaga”) the hand (“chetta”) of our JANAKI in wedlock (literally take hand in marriage,
You became (“vaitivi”) great and famous (“maharaja”).
Word-by-Word: mA – Our        ;
               jAnaki - Janaki (Sita) ;
               cETTa - Clasped, referring to the act of holding hands in wedlock
              paTTaga - In the act of, or as a result of
              maharAjav(ai)tivi - Became a great king
             A – That ; rAja – King ; rAja - Of kings (emphasizing superiority)

Sahityam: rAja rAja vara rAjIv(A)ksha vinu rAvaN(A)ri(y)ani rAjillu kIrtiyu (mA)"
Meaning: O King of Kings (“Rajaraaja”)! Let me tell you (“vinu”), the one with beautiful eyes (“Rajeevaksha”) this. You owe
your fame (“keerthiyu”) as the Vanquisher of mighty Ravana (“ravanaariyani”) to the great good (“raajillu”) fortune of having
clasped the hand of Janaki!

Word-by-Word: vara - Best, excellent ;
             rAjIv(A)ksha - Lotus-eyed (Lord Rama) ;
             vinu - Listen, or let me tell you
             rAvaN(A)ri(y)ani - Enemy of Ravana ;
             rAjillu - Great good fortune ;
             kIrtiyu – Fame ; (mA) – Our

Sahityam: kAnak(E)gi Ajna mIraka mAy(A)kAram(u)nici Sikhi centanE(y)uNDi"
Meaning: C: She accompanied you to the forests (“kanakeki”), then obeying your command, she entrusted her real Self to the
care of the fire-God (“Yagna meraka” and “Sikhi Chentane Yundi”)) allowing a a shadow form of hers(“maayakaaramunichi”) to
be carried away by Ravana to Lanka

Alt: Proceeding (Egi) (along with You) to the forest (kAnaku), donning (unici) shadow (mAya) form (AkAramunu)
(mAyAkAramunici) without disobeying (mIraka) your command (Ajna) (kAnakEgiyAjna), remaining (uNDi) with (centanE)
(literally near) (centanEyuNDi) Fire-God (Sikhi) (in Her true form),

SrI tyAgarAja follows the line of adhyAtma rAmAyaNa. (SrI tulasidAsa also has adopted the same line in his rAmcaritra mAnas.)
According to adhyAtma rAmayaNa, SrI rAma instructs sItA to hide her real form in the fire and don ‘shadow’ (chAya) form; to stay
thus for one year till rAvaNa is killed and then be restored. Accordingly, it was not real sItA who was abducted by rAvaNa but her
shadow (mAyA). Source – adhyAtma rAmAyaNa (tamizh) translated by ‘Harini’.

Word-by-Word: kAnak(E)gi – Proceeding with (Egi) you to the forest (kanaku);
             Ajna – Command ;
             mIraka – You (i.e. without disobeying your command) ;
            mAy(A)kAram(u)nici – Donning (unici) a form (AkAramu) of illusion (mAyA) which went with RAvanA.
           Sikhi – Fire-God ;
           centanE(y)uNDi - remained close (with the fire-god)

Sahityam: "dAnavuni veNTanE cani aSOka taru mUlan(u)NDi"
Meaning: Having gone (cani) (in shadow form) along with (veNTanE) rAvaNa – the demon (dAnavuni), remaining (uNDi) at
lanka under (mUlanu) (literally at the root) (mUlanuNDi) the aSOka tree (taru),
Word-by-Word: dAnavuni - Demon (referring to Ravana) ;
                veNTanE – Immediately ; cani – Killed ;
               aSOka - Ashoka (a garden) ;
               taru – Tree ;
              mUlan(u)NDi - In the presence of

Sahityam: "vAni mATalaku kOpaginci kaNTa vadhiyincakanE(y)uNDi"
Meaning: … by not reducing him (rAvaNa) to ashes (vadhiyincakanE uNDi) (literally not slaying) (vadhiyincakanEyuNDi) by her
eyes (kaNTa) by getting enraged (kOpaginci) by his (vAni) words (mATalaku)… didn’t she bring you great fame?
Word-by-Word: vAni - Her (referring to Sita);
                 mATalaku - To the words ;
                kOpaginci – Angered ;
                kaNTa - Eyes
                vadhiyincakanE(y)uNDi - Not killing, i.e. not reducing him to ashes.

Sahityam: "SrI nAyaka yaSamu nIkE kalga jEya lEdA tyAgarAja paripAla (mA)"
Meaning: O Consort (nAyaka) of lakshmI (SrI)! did She not (lEdA) indeed bring (kalga jEya) (literally produce) great fame
(yaSamu) to You (nIkE)
{. … by not reducing him (rAvaNa) to ashes (vadhiyincakanE uNDi) (literally not slaying) (vadhiyincakanEyuNDi) by her eyes
(kaNTa) by getting enraged (kOpaginci) by his (vAni) words (mATalaku)? …}

O Nourisher (paripAla) of this tyAgarAja! You attained greatness because you married our Mother jAnaki!!

Word-by-Word: SrI - Goddess (referring to Lakshmi or Sita) ;
               nAyaka – Leader (or husband) ;
               yaSamu – Fame ; nIkE - Only for you
              kalga – Becomes ;
              jEya – Win ; lEdA – Or ;
             tyAgarAja - Tyagaraja (the poet) ;
             paripAla – Protect ; (mA) - Our

Pallavi:
Maa Jaanaki Chetta Battaga Maharaaja Vaitivi

Sahityam: "mA jAnaki cETTa paTTaga maharAjav(ai)tivi"
Meaning: It is due to having clasped (“battaga”) the hand (“chetta”) of our JANAKI in wedlock (literally take hand in marriage,
You became (“vaitivi”) great and famous (“maharaja”).
Word-by-Word: mA – Our        ;
               jAnaki - Janaki (Sita) ;
               cETTa - Clasped, referring to the act of holding hands in wedlock
              paTTaga - In the act of, or as a result of
              maharAjav(ai)tivi - Became a great king
             A – That ; rAja – King ; rAja - Of kings (emphasizing superiority)
;;        ;P         ;P         ;D        | P d- pm      M; - G           M,p        ;D         ||
--        - Maa      -Jaa       - na        ki - -       -- Che           tta- Pa    - tta

P;        ; pd       nd-mp dp- D | pdp- m                pm - G           M,p        ;D         ||
ga -      - Maa      - - Jaa - - na ki - -                -- Che          tta- Pa    - tta

P;        ; pd       S - N N - D | pdp- m                pm - G           M,p        ;D         ||
ga -      - Maa      - - Jaa - - na ki - -                -- Che          tta- Pa    - tta

P;        ; pd       rs- N   N - D | pdp- m              pm - G           M,p        ;D         ||
ga -      - Maa      - - Jaa - - na ki - -                -- Che          tta- Pa    - tta

NN        D- pd sr- Rgr rs - nd | p- snn                    dp - G          M,p       ;D       ||
ga -      - Maa - - Jaa - - na     - ki - -                  -- Che         tta- Pa   - tta

NN        D- pm gr- S      ,p D | S , s                       g r- G        M,p       ;D       ||
ga -      - Maa - - Jaa - - na - ki - -                       -- Che        tta- Pa   - tta

NN        D- pd sr- mg R - mg | r -rs n                    dp - G           M,p       ;D       ||
ga -      - Maa - - Jaa - - na   - ki - -                   -- Che          tta- Pa   - tta

rssn      D- P       D,s       ,p D       | nd - mp        Dnd P            ;;        ;;       ||
ga -      - Ma       ha raa    - ju       Vai- - -         --- -            --        --

pnd-p dm- P D , s              ;N         | nd - mp        Dnd P            pnd -d pm-gm ||
ti - vi - - Ma ha raa          - ju       Vai- - -         --- -            ti -- - - - vi

, g -m p , m- P D , s          ;S         | sn-pd          sr- sg           rsn d     pm-gm ||
- - - - - - - - Ma ha raa      - ju        Vai- - -         - - ti --   - - - - - - - - - vi

, g -m p , m- dp rs- sd N- dp | nd- pm dp- G                                M,p       ;D       ||
- - - - - - Maa - - Jaa - - na   -- ki - - - - Che                          tta- Pa   - tta

Dnp       ;;         ;;        ;;         |;;         ;;           ;;       ; ; ||
ga - -    --         --        --          --         --           --       --

Anupallavi:
Raaja Raajavara! Raajivaaksha! Vinu
Raavanaariyani Raajillu Keertthiyu

Sahityam: rAja rAja vara rAjIv(A)ksha vinu rAvaN(A)ri(y)ani rAjillu kIrtiyu (mA)"
Meaning: O King of Kings (“Rajaraaja”)! Let me tell you (“vinu”), the one with beautiful eyes (“Rajeevaksha”) this. You owe
your fame (“keerthiyu”) as the Vanquisher of mighty Ravana (“ravanaariyani”) to the great good (“raajillu”) fortune of having
clasped the hand of Janaki!

Word-by-Word: vara - Best, excellent ;
             rAjIv(A)ksha - Lotus-eyed (Lord Rama) ;
             vinu - Listen, or let me tell you
             rAvaN(A)ri(y)ani - Enemy of Ravana ;
             rAjillu - Great good fortune ;
             kIrtiyu – Fame ; (mA) – Our

;;        ;P         D,s     sp-D |S,s ;;                          ;;       ;;        ||
--        - Raa      ja -Raa - - ja va-ra! - -                     --       --

;;        ;P         D,s     sp-D |S,s ;S                          R , G mg ,- R ||
--        - Raa      ja -Raa - - ja va-ra! - Raa                   ji - vaa - - -ksha!

S -Rgr S- ss pD- s s p - D | S , s ; S                             R , G mg ,- R ||
Vi nu - Raa ja -Raa - - ja va-ra! - Raa                            ji - vaa - - - ksha!

S -Rgr S- gr ss- pd  ss - pd | S , s ; S                           R , G mg ,- R ||
Vi nu - Raa ja -Raa - - ja va-ra! - Raa                            ji - vaa - - - ksha!

S -Rgr S- dr S - nd P - D                 | R , -s ; ;             ;;       ;;        ||
Vi nu - Raa- va naa- - ri                   ya- ni - -             --       --

;;        ; - dr S - nd P - D             | R , -s ; nd   dp - pm gr S ||
--        - Raa- va naa- - ri               ya- ni - Raa- - - jil- - - lu-

  1          2        3      4      5                       6              7          8
r g- mp ,m- pd sr- mg R - mg | r -rs n                   dp - G          M,p        ;D      ||
Keer tthi- -yu Maa - - Jaa- - na - ki - -                 -- Che         tta- Pa    - tta

rs N        D-P D,s           ;S        | ss -pd         sr- sg           rsn d     pm-gm ||
ga - - - - - - Ma ha raa      - ju       Vai- - -         - - ti --   - - - - - - - - - vi

, g -m p , m- dp rs- sd N- dp | nd- pm dp- G                              M,p       ;D      ||
- - - - - - Maa - - Jaa - - na   -- ki - - - - Che                        tta- Pa   - tta

Dnp       ;;        ;;        ;;        |;;         ;;           ;;       ; ; ||
ga - -    --        --        --         --         --           --       --

Charanam:
Kaanakeki Yagna Meeraka Maayaakaaramunichi
Sikhi Chentane Yundi Daanavuni Venta Ne Chani Yasoka Taru Mula Nundi
Vaani Maatalaku Kopakinchi kanta Vadhiyinchakane Yundi
Sri Naayaka! Yashamu Neeke Kalga Jeya Leda? Tyagaraaja Paripaala

Sahityam: kAnak(E)gi Ajna mIraka mAy(A)kAram(u)nici Sikhi centanE(y)uNDi"
Meaning: C: Proceeding (Egi) (along with You) to the forest (kAnaku), donning (unici) shadow (mAya) form (AkAramunu)
(mAyAkAramunici) without disobeying (mIraka) your command (Ajna) (kAnakEgiyAjna), remaining (uNDi) with (centanE)
(literally near) (centanEyuNDi) Fire-God (Sikhi) (in Her true form),

Word-by-Word: kAnak(E)gi – Proceeding with (Egi) you to the forest (kanaku);
             Ajna – Command ;
             mIraka – You (i.e. without disobeying your command) ;
            mAy(A)kAram(u)nici – Donning (unici) a form (AkAramu) of illusion (mAyA) which went with RAvanA.
           Sikhi – Fire-God ;
           centanE(y)uNDi - remained close (with the fire-god)

;;        ;D        P , -d    ;P        | p D- pm M; - G  M P dsnd ||
--        - Kaa     na- ke    - ki -     Ya-- gna - - Mee ra ka Maa

P;        ; - nn d p- mp nd P   | p nd-d pm - G  M P pdS nd                                 ||
yaa-      - Kaa na- ke - - ki - Ya-- gna - - Mee ra ka Maa- -

P;        ;-G   M - pd nd -N | p nd-d pm - G     M P pd nd || (or r s n d finish)
yaa-      - Kaa na- ke - - ki - Ya-- gna - - Mee ra ka Maa- -

P;        ; - mp D - P        nd dm     | dp mg M - G M P                 rsnd      ||
yaa-      - kaa- ra mu        ni chi      Si-khi- - Chen ta ne            Yun--

P;        ; - nn d p- mp Dnd P | p nd-d pm - G     M P rs nd ||
di-       - Kaa na- ke   - - ki - Ya-- gna - - Mee ra ka Maa- -

P;        ; - mp D - P        nd dm     | dp mg M - G M P                 rsnd      ||
yaa-      - kaa- ra mu        ni chi      Si-khi- - Chen ta ne            Yun--

Sahityam: "dAnavuni veNTanE cani aSOka taru mUlan(u)NDi"
Meaning: Having gone (cani) (in shadow form) along with (veNTanE) rAvaNa – the demon (dAnavuni), remaining (uNDi) at
lanka under (mUlanu) (literally at the root) (mUlanuNDi) the aSOka tree (taru),
Word-by-Word: dAnavuni - Demon (referring to Ravana) ;
                veNTanE – Immediately ; cani – Killed ; (gone in shadow form)
               aSOka - Ashoka (a garden) ;
               taru – Tree ;
              mUlan(u)NDi - In the presence of (at the base or root of the tree)

P;        ; gm       P-D       ;S         | R g - rs ; - dr s n D D P                 ||
di -      - Daa      na vu     - ni         Ven ta - Ne- Cha-ni Ya- -

P pm      pm – p nd ,p mg mg R | S- sr , p- gm G - rs S ;                             ||
soka      - - Ta ru vu Mu- la- - - - Nun- - - - - di- - -

Sahityam: "vAni mATalaku kOpaginci kaNTa vadhiyincakanE(y)uNDi"
Meaning: … by not reducing him (rAvaNa) to ashes (vadhiyincakanE uNDi) (literally not slaying) (vadhiyincakanEyuNDi) by her
eyes (kaNTa) by getting enraged (kOpaginci) by his (vAni) words (mATalaku)… didn’t she bring you great fame?
Word-by-Word: vAni - Her (referring to Sita);
                 mATalaku - To the words ;
                kOpaginci – Angered ;
                kaNTa - Eyes
                vadhiyincakanE(y)uNDi - Not killing, i.e. not reducing him to ashes.

;;        ;-N        D -P   ;D            | P d-pm M ; - G M P ; D                    ||
--        - Vaa      ni Maa - ta            la- ku- - - Ko pakin - chi

N , - d ; - pd       rs -nd P-D           | P d-pm M ; - G M P ; D                    ||
Kan- ta - Vaa        ni Maa - ta            la- ku- - - Ko pakin - chi

N,-d ;- N            D pd      nd pd      | pmG ,- m ; pd rs - N ; D                  ||
Kan- ta - Va         dhiyin    - - cha      ka- - - ne - Yun- - - - - -

Sahityam: "SrI nAyaka yaSamu nIkE kalga jEya lEdA tyAgarAja paripAla (mA)"
Meaning: O Consort (nAyaka) of lakshmI (SrI)! did She not (lEdA) indeed bring (kalga jEya) (literally produce) great fame
(yaSamu) to You (nIkE)
{. … by not reducing him (rAvaNa) to ashes (vadhiyincakanE uNDi) (literally not slaying) (vadhiyincakanEyuNDi) by her eyes
(kaNTa) by getting enraged (kOpaginci) by his (vAni) words (mATalaku)? …}

O Nourisher (paripAla) of this tyAgarAja! You attained greatness because you married our Mother jAnaki!!

Word-by-Word: SrI - Goddess (referring to Lakshmi or Sita) ;
               nAyaka – Leader (or husband) ;
               yaSamu – Fame ; nIkE - Only for you
              kalga – Becomes ;
              jEya – Win ; lEdA – Or ;
             tyAgarAja - Tyagaraja (the poet) ;
             paripAla – Protect ; (mA) - Our

DP        ; - mg     pd - sr   GR         | s r G Srg rg S ;               rsnd       ||
di-       - Sri-     Naa--     yaka!       Yashamu Nee- ke-                Kal-

DP        ; - pd     sr- gr rs - nd | pd rs nd- ps nd mg rG, rs                       ||
ga-       - Je-      ya- Le- - - da?- Tya-ga- - - raa- - - ja- Pa- ri-

  1          2       3      4      5                          6              7          8
m g mp , m- pd sr- mg R - mg | r -rs n                     dp - G          M,p        ;D      ||
paa-la - - - Maa - - Jaa- - na  - ki - -                    -- Che         tta- Pa    - tta

rs N        D-P D,s            ;S         | ss-pd          sr- sg           rsn d     pm-gm ||
ga - - - - - - Ma ha raa       - ju        Vai- - -         - - ti --   - - - - - - - - - vi

, g -m p , m- dp rs- sd N- dp | nd- pm dp- G                                M,p       ;D      ||
- - - - - - Maa - - Jaa - - na   -- ki - - - - Che                          tta- Pa   - tta

Dnp       ;;         ;;        ;;         |;;         ;;           ;;       ; ; ||
ga - -    --         --        --          --         --           --       --