menaing of a dasavatara song

krishnaa · Post by **krishnaa** » 17 Sep 2007, 12:10

Can i please get the menaing of the following dasavatara song,

praLaya kAlattil. rAgamAlikA. Adi tALA.

(rAgA: valaji)
praLaya kAlattil nAngu vEdangaLai kAkka prabhu mAndargaL uyya
matsyAvatAram koNDAi nArAyaNA namO nArAyaNA nArAyaNA
(rAgA: mOhana)
mandara giriyai kaDaluL kaDaindamudam dEvarkkIya vandAi giriyai tAnga
kUrmAvatAram koNDAi nArAyaNA namO nArAyaNA nArAyaNA
(rAgA: kAnaDA)
bhUdEvikku allal sheida hiraNyAkSanai aDakki bhUdEviyin kurai tIrkka
varAhAvatAram koNDAi nArAyaNA namO nArAyaNA nArAyaNA
(rAgA: aThANA)
asuran hiranyanai venru bAlan prahlAdanai kAkka avatarittAi tUNil
narasimhAvatAram koNDAi nArAyaNA namO nArAyaNA nArAyaNA
(rAgA: bAgEshrI)
mahAbaliyai yAjittu viNNaiyum maNNaiyum aLandAi dEvA unnai ulagam pOTra
vAmanAvatAram koNDAi nArAyaNA namO nArAyaNA nArAyaNA
(rAgA: sAvEri)
tAi anbAl sirandanai tavittanAl uyarndanai dharmam tazhaittiDavE
parashurAmAvatAram koNDAi nArAyaNA namO nArAyaNA nArAyaNA
(rAgA: hamsanAda)
mAndargaL uyya maNNil mATTai dashakaNThanai vEndan maghan vELvi ozhittu
rAmAvatAram koNDAi nArAyaNA namO nArAyaNA nArAyaNA
(rAgA: hindOLa)
uzhu paDai tanai Endi umbar pOTrum nAthanai uyar tambiyAi koNDu
balarAmAvatAram koNDAi nArAyaNA namO nArAyaNA nArAyaNA
(rAgA: kApi)
mAyai aghaTri ulagil marappaDi gItOpadEsha mAsuran kamsanai venra
krSNAvatAram koNDAi nArAyaNA namO nArAyaNA nArAyaNA
(rAgA: kuntalavarALi)
adharmam Ongiya kATTil akhilamellAm kAttiDa amarargaLai magizhvikka
kalki avatAram koNDAi nArAyaNA namO nArAyaNA nArAyaNA
(rAgA: brndAvanasArangA)
tirumaghaL anbaA nArAyaNA dAmOdarA shrI dInasharaNyA nArAyaNA
dashavidha rUpA nArAyaNA nArAyaNA namO nArAyaNA nArAyaNA

who is the composer of this kriti?

Thanks in advance.
rgds
Krishnaa

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 17 Sep 2007, 20:53

praLaya kAlattil nAngu vEdangaLai kAkka prabhu mAndargaL uyya
matsyAvatAram koNDAi nArAyaNA namO nArAyaNA nArAyaNA

During the time of (kAlattil) of the deluge (praLayam), Lord (prabhu), you took (koNDai) the form/incarnation of (avatAram) a fish (matsyam) to protect the (kAkka) the four (nAngu) vEdAs (vEdaNgaL), and for the upliftment (uyya) of humankind (mAndargaL)....
The refrain is 'I/you/we pray (namO) to nArAyaNA'

mandara giriyai kaDaluL kaDaindamudam dEvarkkIya vandAi giriyai tAnga
kUrmAvatAram koNDAi nArAyaNA namO nArAyaNA nArAyaNA

You came (vandAi) to give (iyya) the nectar (amudam) that was obtained when the ocean (kaDal) was churned (kaDainda) by placing mount (giri) mandara inside (uL) to the dEvAs (dEvarkku) [refers to the episode of mOhinI), and to support (tAnga) the {weight of the} mount (giri) you took (koNDAi) the form/incarnation (avatAram) of a tortoise (kUrma).

bhUdEvikku allal sheida hiraNyAkSanai aDakki bhUdEviyin kurai tIrkka
varAhAvatAram koNDAi nArAyaNA namO nArAyaNA nArAyaNA

To suppress/conquer (aDakka) the demon hiraNyAksha who was torturing (allal sheida) bhUdEvi (mother earth), and to relieve (tIrka) her of her worries (kurai), you took (koNDai) the form/incarnation (avatAram) of a boar (varAha)...

asuran hiranyanai venru bAlan prahlAdanai kAkka avatarittAi tUNil
narasimhAvatAram koNDAi nArAyaNA namO nArAyaNA nArAyaNA

To conquer (venru) the demon (asuran) hiraNyakashipu and protect (kAkka) the young lad (bAlan) prahlAda you incarnated/emerged (avatarittAi) from/in a pillar (tUNil) - you took (koNDAi) the form/incarnation (avatAram) of a man-lion (nara-simham aka nara shArdUl, nara kEsarI)

mahAbaliyai yAjittu viNNaiyum maNNaiyum aLandAi dEvA unnai ulagam pOTra
vAmanAvatAram koNDAi nArAyaNA namO nArAyaNA nArAyaNA

You took (koNDAi) the form/incarnation (avatAram) of a dwarf (vAmana) and begged (yAjittu) for 3 'feet' of land from mahAbali (the king of the asurAs), Oh Lord (dEvA)! you spanned (aLandAi) the skies (viNNaiyum) and the lands (maNNaiyum), and placed the final step/foot on mahAbalI's head - and the world (ulagam) hailed (pOTra) this feat! (the memory of this event is celebrated every year as ONam in Kerala)

tAi anbAl sirandanai tavittanAl uyarndanai dharmam tazhaittiDavE
parashurAmAvatAram koNDAi nArAyaNA namO nArAyaNA nArAyaNA

Distinguished (sirandanai) by your love (anbAl) for your mother (tAi), and elevated (uyarndanai) by your penance (tavattinAl), to protect and allow righteousness (dharma) to flourish (tazhaittiDavE), you took the form/incarnation of paraSurAma...

mAndargaL uyya maNNil mATTai dashakaNThanai vEndan maghan vELvi ozhittu
rAmAvatAram koNDAi nArAyaNA namO nArAyaNA nArAyaNA

For humankind (mAndargaL) to survive (uyya), you took the form/incarnated as rAma, the son (magan) of a valorous king (vEndan) to destroy (ozhittu) the cruel (mATTai?????) ten-headed (dashakaNThan refers to 10 necks/heads) king of lankA - rAvaNa....

uzhu paDai tanai Endi umbar pOTrum nAthanai uyar tambiyAi koNDu
balarAmAvatAram koNDAi nArAyaNA namO nArAyaNA nArAyaNA

Weilding (Endi) the plough (uzhu paDai tanai), and having (koNDu) the lord (nAthan) who is hailed by (pOTrum) one and all (umbar) as your divine (uyar) brother (tambi - younger brother - refers to krishNa) you took the form/incarnation of balarAma

mAyai aghaTri ulagil marappaDi gItOpadEsha mAsuran kamsanai venra
krSNAvatAram koNDAi nArAyaNA namO nArAyaNA nArAyaNA

To dispell (agaTri) worldly illusion (mAyai) you taught (upadEsha) the gIta to the world (ulagil) according to (paDi) the vEdas (marai), and to conquer/kill (venra) the mighty (mA - mahA) demon (asuran) kamsa you took the form/incarnation of krishNa

adharmam Ongiya kATTil akhilamellAm kAttiDa amarargaLai magizhvikka
kalki avatAram koNDAi nArAyaNA namO nArAyaNA nArAyaNA

In the forrest (kATTil) where unrighteousness (adharmam) prevails (Ongiaya), to protect (kAttiDa) the entire (ellAm) universe (akhilam), and to make the dEvas (amarargaLai) happy (magizhvikka) you will take (koLvAi) the form/incarnation of kalkI....

tirumaghaL anbaA nArAyaNA dAmOdarA shrI dInasharaNyA nArAyaNA
dashavidha rUpA nArAyaNA nArAyaNA namO nArAyaNA nArAyaNA
Beloved (anbA) of lakshmI (tirumagaL), one who offers succour/refuge (sharaNya) to the helpless (dIna), one who appears in ten (dasha) types (vidha) of forms (rUpa) .....

krishnaa · Post by **krishnaa** » 18 Sep 2007, 00:58

Thanks so much for the translation, R Shankar. it was just as enjoyable to read it as it is to listen to it. any idea on the composer?

krishnaa

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 18 Sep 2007, 01:18

Good job Ravi.

SardUl is a tiger, and also a demon. As a demon, yes, As a lion, nara kEsari and nara hari makes him a lion.

mATTai is a typo. It should be mAyyttAi (you slew, killed). You slew the ten headed rAvaNA.
Yes, whose composition is it?

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 18 Sep 2007, 02:22

Thanks, krishnaa and Arasi. Lji will probably be able to tell us who the composer is. P. Sivan would be my guess.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 18 Sep 2007, 02:46

Or even his daughter??

Lakshman · Post by **Lakshman** » 18 Sep 2007, 02:54

Sorry. I don't have any clue on the composer.

Amraman · Post by **Amraman** » 18 Sep 2007, 06:49

The composer is Smt K Lalitha of Sri Saraswathi Gana Nilayam. The song is is sung by Smt. Asha Ramesh in the album titled Nrithya Geetham. This album is available in Chennai in all leading stores or through the school directly.
Ambika

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 18 Sep 2007, 09:44

A very nice song.
Asha Ramesh is a west coast singer. I thought she was great when I listened to her sing for two dance performances there, some years ago.

srkris · Post by **srkris** » 18 Sep 2007, 13:14

This seems to be a translation of Jayadeva's Dasavatara Stotram in Gita Govindam... there is an excellent rendition of this by M.S.Subbulakshmi (probably her devotional masterpiece):

pralaya-payodhi-jale dhṛtavān asi vedaḿ
vihita-vahitra-caritram akhedam
keśava dhṛta-mīna-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare

kṣitir iha vipulatare tiṣṭhati tava pṛṣṭhe
dharaṇi-dhāraṇa-kiṇa-cakra-gariṣṭhe
keśava dhṛta-kūrma-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare

vasati daśana-śikhare dharaṇī tava lagnā
śaśini kalańka-kaleva nimagnā
keśava dhṛta-śūkara-rūpa jaya jagadīśa hare

tava kara-kamala-vare nakham adbhuta-śṛńgaḿ
dalita-hiraṇyakaśipu-tanu-bhṛńgam
keśava dhṛta-narahari-rūpa jaya jagadīśa hare

chalayasi vikramaṇe balim adbhuta-vāmana
pada-nakha-nīra-janita-jana-pāvana
keśava dhṛta-vāmana-rūpa jaya jagadīśa hare

kṣatriya-rudhira-maye jagad-apagata-pāpam
snapayasi payasi śamita-bhava-tāpam
keśava dhṛta-bhṛgupati-rūpa jaya jagadiśa hare

vitarasi dikṣu raṇe dik-pati-kamanīyaḿ
daśa-mukha-mauli-balim ramaṇīyam
keśava dhṛta-rāma-śarīra jaya jagadiśa hare

vahasi vapuṣi viśade vasanaḿ jaladābhaḿ
hala-hati-bhīti-milita-yamunābham
keśava dhṛta-haladhara-rūpa jaya jagadiśa hare

nindasi yajÃ±a-vidher ahaha śruti-jātaḿ
sadaya-hṛdaya darśita-paśu-ghātam
keśava dhṛta-buddha-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare

mleccha-nivaha-nidhane kalayasi karavālaḿ
dhūmaketum iva kim api karālam
keśava dhṛta-kalki-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare

śrī-jayedeva-kaver idam uditam udāraḿ
śṛṇu sukha-daḿ śubha-daḿ bhava-sāram
keśava dhṛta-daśa-vidha-rūpa jaya jagadīśa hare

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 18 Sep 2007, 18:31

But what happened to the Buddha avatara in the Tamil version?
Was it too difficult to choreograph

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 18 Sep 2007, 18:49

When Adi Sankara was revitalizing hinduism, he propagated the idea that the enlightened one (buddha) was none other than another avatAra of vishNu. This idea caught on mainly in orissA -people there believe that krishNa is not an avatAr - not God incarnate, but God himself, and thus, for them the daSAvatAra are matsya, kUrma, varAha, narasimha, vAmana, paraSurAma, rAma, balarAma, buddha, and kalkI...while in the rest of the country, the sequence is ....balarAma, krishNa, kalkI. Jayadeva, being the poet extraordinaire from orissA, upheld the tradition of his land.

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 18 Sep 2007, 21:38

Thanks Shankar!
perhaps we in south can also replace Jayadeva's ninth stanza by

mAyA paTa atighoraM bha~njita bhagavad gItam
mAsura khala-kamsa krita bali dAnam
kEshavA dhrta-kriShNa-sharIra jaya jagadIsha harE

krishnaa · Post by **krishnaa** » 25 Sep 2007, 17:20

is the audio of dasavatara stotra of Jayadeva available in dance format?

krishnaa

krishnaa · Post by **krishnaa** » 25 Sep 2007, 17:32

also tell me about the dasavatar kriti of swati tirunal - if the audio is available or not...

thanks
krishnaa

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 25 Sep 2007, 18:06

krishnaa wrote:is the audio of dasavatara stotra of Jayadeva available in dance format?

krishnaa

I have heard/seen it set to oDissi music for a performance many years ago. Have not heard the CM version in a bharatanATyam program.

Lakshman · Post by **Lakshman** » 25 Sep 2007, 18:11

Krishnaa wrote:

is the audio of dasavatara stotra of Jayadeva available in dance format?

There is an LP recording of dance numbers of Balasaraswathi & her troupe by Chattunni Panikar.
The set was titled Anthology of Music. I can probably dig up the information and post it soon.

Umesh · Post by **Umesh** » 25 Sep 2007, 22:16

The song is featured now and then in BN concerts, sometimes taking the place of a varnam. However, I don't think there is a commercial recording of it for Bharatanatyam specifically. You can find other dashavatarams recorded for dance, like some in Tamil and one in Sanskrit by Madvacharya.

krishnaa · Post by **krishnaa** » 25 Sep 2007, 23:14

Thanks everyone...
i'mwaiting for the further information... by the time can i get the lyrics of the one composed by Madvacarya.

krishnaa