Lyrics & Meaning - Bhavayami Gopala Balam

Place to go if you want to ask someone identify raga, tala, composer etc or ask for sāhitya (lyrics) or notations or translations.
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seetalak
Posts: 21
Joined: 21 Oct 2010, 11:00

Lyrics & Meaning - Bhavayami Gopala Balam

Post by seetalak »

Dear All

Could anyone of you help me with the lyrics and meaning of Bhavayami Gopala Balam mana sevitham

thank you

Seetha

Lakshman
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Joined: 10 Feb 2010, 18:52

Re: Lyrics & Meaning - Bhavayami Gopala Balam

Post by Lakshman »

bhAvayAmi gOpAlabAlam. rAgA: yamunAkalyANi. k/cApu tALA. Annamacharya.

P: bhAvayAmi gOpAlabAlam manas-sEvitam satatam cintayEham sadA
C1: kaTi taTita mEkhalA khacitamaNi khaNTikA paTala ninadEna vibhrAjamAnam
kuTila pada ghaTita samkula cintitEna tam caTula naTanA samujvala vilAsam
2: nirata karakalita navanItam brahmAdi sura nikara bhAvanA shObhita padam
tiruvEnkaTAcala stitham anupamam harim parama puruSam gOpAlabAlam

Meaning: I prostrate to the young Gopalan whose feet I always think, these feet always purify me. The shining hip jewel (oddiyaNam) tied in the waist of young gOpalan though veiled gives proof of its presence through the ringing bell sounds. The feet of this young gOpalan purify me. Oh the crooked thoughts in my mind, move on to dwell on the swiftly dancing , with splendid grace and in perfect development (of the art) young gOpalan, the feet of this young gOpalan purify me. The young gOpalan's hands are engaged in holding the butter. Brahma and other dhEvas treasure in their mind this shining young gOpalan. Such hands and feet purify me. The young gOpalan standing in the thiru vEnkaTAchalam is the same incomparable Hari the supreme lord nArAyaNan. Oh the feet of such gOpala purify me.

Rsachi
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Joined: 31 Aug 2009, 13:54

Re: Lyrics & Meaning - Bhavayami Gopala Balam

Post by Rsachi »

Very nice.
Two typos:
ghanTikA
nikhara


The basic refrain is that I meditate on Him, the young Gopala...

Thanks to MSS and her team (=Kadayanallur Venkataraman) who immortalised this song!
Last edited by Rsachi on 21 Mar 2014, 19:40, edited 1 time in total.

Lakshman
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Re: Lyrics & Meaning - Bhavayami Gopala Balam

Post by Lakshman »

Thanks Rsachi.

Rsachi
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Joined: 31 Aug 2009, 13:54

Re: Lyrics & Meaning - Bhavayami Gopala Balam

Post by Rsachi »

nikhara. I typed a cap A by mistake. Sorry.

Rsachi
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Joined: 31 Aug 2009, 13:54

Re: Lyrics & Meaning - Bhavayami Gopala Balam

Post by Rsachi »

Mr. Lakshman,
At the cost of looking foolish, I retract the word nikhara. The correct expression as I have verified from many sources today is suranikara, (alpa k) meaning a collection(=group) of devas. The same expression also comes in two other songs:

ēṭula kapāḍuduvō
āhiri - tisra tripuṭa
tyāgarāja


And

nārada gāna
kalyāni - ādi
Composer: Walajapet Venkatramana Bhaagavatar
Language: Sanskrit

seetalak
Posts: 21
Joined: 21 Oct 2010, 11:00

Re: Lyrics & Meaning - Bhavayami Gopala Balam

Post by seetalak »

Thank you sir for the lyrics and meaning. Would it be possible to get a word-by-word meaning of the same.

Thanks
Seetha

Lakshman
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Joined: 10 Feb 2010, 18:52

Re: Lyrics & Meaning - Bhavayami Gopala Balam

Post by Lakshman »

Thanks rsachi.

Rsachi
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Joined: 31 Aug 2009, 13:54

Re: Lyrics & Meaning - Bhavayami Gopala Balam

Post by Rsachi »

"Groan" ...lot of work for a lazy man like me. Let me try:

bhAvayAmi gOpAlabAlam. rAgA: yamunAkalyANi. k/cApu tALA. Annamacharya.

P: bhAvayAmi * gOpAlabAlam * manas-sEvitam * satatam * cintayEham * sadA

Adore * the young cowherd (=Krishna)* worshippable by thought alone (=mere contemplation)* always * meditate (I) * always

C1: kaTi taTita mEkhalA * khacitamaNi ghaNTikA * paTala* ninadEna * vibhrAjamAnam

Wrapped around the waist * the bejewelled band with bells* despite being covered by his garb* rings * makes its shining presence known

kuTila * pada ghaTita * samkula * cintitEna tam * caTula naTanA * samujvala vilAsam

Crooked thoughts * his feet* erased by * in their entirety* by meditating on him* the adept dancer * the one who shines in his pastimes

2: nirata * karakalita * navanItam * brahmAdi sura nikara * bhAvanA * shObhita * padam

Always * smeared on his hands * butter * Brahma and the constellation of devas * worshipped * shining * feet

tiruvEnkaTAcala * stitham * anupamam * harim * parama puruSam * gOpAlabAlam

Holy Venkatachala* residing on * incomparable * Hari=Vishnu * The ultimate Lord * the young cowherd =Krishna

Now you have to sequence the words rightly into full English sentences. Then the meaning will be pretty much like what Sri Lakshman gave the first time!

If you dance to this song, you have to depict three important aspects:
1. The young butter-eating, dancing, adorably dressed, cowherd Krishna is the ultimate lord Vishnu, Hari, VenkatESha.
2. You wish to devoutly pray to him, just as he is always worshipped as the incomparable one by all gods.
3. Worship, even in thought alone, to him, is enough to erase your misdeeds and confer his grace.

vgovindan
Posts: 1865
Joined: 07 Nov 2010, 20:01

Re: Lyrics & Meaning - Bhavayami Gopala Balam

Post by vgovindan »

Lyrics as given in http://www.stutimandal.com/gif_misc/bha ... abalam.htm -
bhAvayAmi gOpAlabAlaM manasEvitaM
tat padaM cintayE sadA |

kaTi ghaTita mEkhalA khacita maNi ghaNTikA-
paTala ninAdEnA vibhrAjamAnam |
kuTila pada ghaTita saMkula sinjitEna taM (SinjitEna?)
caTula naTana samujjvala vilAsam ||

nirata kara kalita navanItaM brahmAdi-
sura nikara bhAvanaASObhita padam |
tiruvEnkaTAcala sthitaM anupamaM hariM
parama purushaM gOpAla bAlam ||

Please also refer to http://annamacharya-lyrics.blogspot.in/ ... balam.html -
Kindly refer to words highlighted -

Meaning by Sravan Kumar DVN:
Bhavayami Gopala Balam ... Mana Sevitham ,
Tat padam chintayeyam sada
(This mind bows down in obescience to Gopala in his form as a little child and always contemplates on his lotus feet)
kati ghatitha mekhala , khachita mani ghantika
(Little Krishna is wearing a mekhala (ornament) on his hip which is studded with with jewels and mani's)
Patala ninadena vibharaja manam
(he has a radiant charm ...and appears resplendent due to the tinkling of his ornaments)
kutilapada ghatitha samakula chintitenam
(he makes crooked and uneven steps and being the Lord himself ....
he is confused with his inability to make straight and proper steps)
chatula natanam samujala vilasam
(Even with his uneven steps , his unsteady gait resembles a graceful dance!)
niratakarakalita navaneetham
(butter overflows from his little hands as he walks,)
bramhadi ,suranikara bhavana shopitapadam
(Lord Brahma, all the gods and humans have assembled on this auspicious occassion
to see the little lord ! )
thiruvenkatachala sthitam anupamam harim
paramapurusham gopala balam
(Annamaiyaa praises Bala Gopala as the unparalleled supreme perfect Lord who is an excellent actor and plays his role of a little child stealing the hearts of his devotees! )

Rsachi
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Joined: 31 Aug 2009, 13:54

Re: Lyrics & Meaning - Bhavayami Gopala Balam

Post by Rsachi »

siJcana means to sprinkle or scatter into drops. It is pronounced as sinchana.

With that change, still I would stay with the other word meanings in that line. It means our crookedness will be scattered by the touch of his feet.

vgovindan
Posts: 1865
Joined: 07 Nov 2010, 20:01

Re: Lyrics & Meaning - Bhavayami Gopala Balam

Post by vgovindan »

Rsachi,
Sinjita (शिञ्जित) means 'tinkling' - http://www.sanskrit-lexicon.uni-koeln.d ... /recherche
The crooked feet, IMHO refers to a tottering baby kRshana with unsteady feet - as if the feet are crooked.

seetalak
Posts: 21
Joined: 21 Oct 2010, 11:00

Re: Lyrics & Meaning - Bhavayami Gopala Balam

Post by seetalak »

Dear Shri Sachi & Shri Govindan

Thank you very much for the detailed meanings of the words in this beautiful piece...Yes i do intend to use this for dance and will remember to incorporate / depict the 3 aspects that you have mentioned in your email.

THank you all once again.

regards
Seetha

Rsachi
Posts: 5039
Joined: 31 Aug 2009, 13:54

Re: Lyrics & Meaning - Bhavayami Gopala Balam

Post by Rsachi »

Yes VG! Makes sense.
kutila pada ghaTita saMkula ziJjitena taM = the uneven steps of his baby feet produces disorderly (but delightful) sounds of anklet bells...
Perfect. I was misled by the scripting of ziJjitena.

Rsachi
Posts: 5039
Joined: 31 Aug 2009, 13:54

Re: Lyrics & Meaning - Bhavayami Gopala Balam

Post by Rsachi »

A final (?) twist :
I have researched and found that cint as a verb of class 10 group (thematic, conjugated like cOrayati) allows in the optative form, cintayEyaM

vgovindan
Posts: 1865
Joined: 07 Nov 2010, 20:01

Re: Lyrics & Meaning - Bhavayami Gopala Balam

Post by vgovindan »

Rsachi,
The poet is conceptualizing the form of Lord as Baby kRshNa (bhAvayAmi) for the purpose of meditation. Therefore, IMHO the kRti is to be interpreted accordingly. 'kuTila pada' line, if interpreted in any different way, it would be jarring. Further, as I have already mentioned, the word is 'SinjitEna' - Please listen to MS rendering (2.00 - 2.10). http://youtu.be/dRNAfQv-P2I

Rsachi
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Joined: 31 Aug 2009, 13:54

Re: Lyrics & Meaning - Bhavayami Gopala Balam

Post by Rsachi »

VG,
As you can see from my post #14, there seems to be no confusion.

vgovindan
Posts: 1865
Joined: 07 Nov 2010, 20:01

Re: Lyrics & Meaning - Bhavayami Gopala Balam

Post by vgovindan »

RSachi,
I was confused by your post No 15 - whether you are having second thoughts about 'SinjitEna'.

sureshvv
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Joined: 05 Jul 2007, 18:17

Re: Lyrics & Meaning - Bhavayami Gopala Balam

Post by sureshvv »

Rsachi wrote: 26 Mar 2014, 14:40 Yes VG! Makes sense.
kutila pada ghaTita saMkula ziJjitena taM = the uneven steps of his baby feet produces disorderly (but delightful) sounds of anklet bells...
Perfect. I was misled by the scripting of ziJjitena.
I like your original translation better. Could this be something that has both a literal and a deeper meaning?

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