Tyagaraja Kriti

Meaning - Gist

See this gate-keeper who proceeded chanting ‘vAsudEva’!

In his mind, thinking of the Lotus Eyed Lord worshipped by indra and other celestials,

he proceeded chanting ‘vAsudEva’.

Wearing ochre dhoti,
sporting auspicious red tilaka on his fore-head,
circling this assembly again and again, and
always holding a golden staff,

he proceeded chanting ‘vAsudEva’.

Every now and then stroking his moustache,
priding as if he is himself cupid,
hopping and jumping,
mimicking that he is like this, and
laughing heartily,

he proceeded chanting ‘vAsudEva’.

Dancing very nicely,
praying to Lord hari - the redeemer of the fallen,
singing to rAga, tALa and gati, and
extolling the Lord well-praised by tyAgarAja,

he proceeded chanting ‘vAsudEva’.

See this gate-keeper!

Word Division - Word-by-word meaning

pallavi
vAsudEva-ani veDalina-I
dauvArikuni kanarE

See (kanarE) this (I) gate-keeper (dauvArikuni) who proceeded (veDalina) (veDalinayI) chanting (ani) ‘vAsudEva’ (vAsudEvayani)!

anupallavi
vAsava-Adi sura pUjituDai
vArija nayanuni madini talacucunu (vAsu)

See this gate-keeper who, in his mind (madini), thinking (talacucunu) of the Lotus (vArija) Eyed (nayanuni) Lord – worshipped (pUjituDai) by indra (vAsava) and other (Adi) (vAsavAdi) celestials (sura), proceeded chanting ‘vAsudEva’!

caraNam
caraNam 1
nIru kAvi dOvatulanu kaTTi
niTalamunanu SrI cUrNamu peTTi
sAri veDali-I sabhalO juTTi
sAreku bangaru kOlanu paTTi (vAsu)

See this gate-keeper who -
wearing (kaTTi) ochre (nIru kAvi) (literally light red) dhoti (dOvatulanu),
sporting (peTTi) auspicious red tilaka (SrI cUrNamu) (literally red powder-paste applied by vaishNavas) on his fore-head (niTalamunanu),
circling (veDali juTTi) this (I) (veDaliyI) assembly (sabhalO) again and again (sAri), and
always (sAreku) holding (paTTi) a golden (bangaru) staff (kOlanu),
proceeded chanting ‘vAsudEva’!

caraNam 2
mATi mATikini mIsamu duvvi
manmatha rUpuDu tAnu-ani krovvi
dATi dATi paDucunu
tAnu-ivvidhambuna palukucu paka paka navvi (vAsu)

See this gate-keeper who -
every now and then (mATi mATikini) stroking (duvvi) his moustache (mIsamu),
priding (krovvi) as if (ani) he (tAnu) (tAnani) is himself cupid (manmatha rUpuDu) (literally of the form of cupid),
hopping and jumping (dATi dATi paDucunu),
mimicking (palukucu) (literally speak) that he (tAnu) is like this (ivvidhambuna) (tAnivvidhambuna) and
laughing (navvi) heartily (paka paka),
proceeded chanting ‘vAsudEva’!

caraNam 3
bAgu mIra naTanamu sEyucunu
patita pAvanuni tA vEDucunu
rAga tALa gatulanu pADucunu
tyAgarAja san-nutuni pogaDucunu (vAsu)

See this gate-keeper who -
dancing (naTanamu sEyucunu) very (mIra) nicely (bAgu),
self (tA) praying (vEDucunu) to Lord hari - the redeemer (pAvanuni) (literally purifier) of the fallen (patita),
singing (pADucunu) to rAga, tALa and gati (gatulanu) and
extolling (pogaDucunu) the Lord - well-praised (san-nutuni) by tyAgarAja,
proceeded chanting ‘vAsudEva’!

Notes

Variations - (Pathanthara)
¹ - mATi mATikini – mATi mATiki.
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References

Comments
This kRti forms part of the dance-drama 'prahlAda bhakti vijayam'. After prahlAda is dropped into the sea by the men of hiraNya kaSipu, he is saved by Lord varuNa. The King (varuNa) orders for decoration of the city for bringing prahlAda in procession. The King's servant after decorating the city, comes to the drama stage and enquires with the sUtra-dhAri - stage manager about the purpose of the drama and other details.
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vAsudEvayani - rAga kalyANi