Kana Kana Ruchira

A Tyagaraja Pancharatna Kriti in Telugu.. Poetic Musings..

5 min readJan 25, 2023

From the blazing kilns of bhakti emerged the wavelets of poetic lyrics. Tyagaraja strings a garland of beautiful visuals with the magic of his words.. Visuals of Rama.. Visuals of Sita when thinking of Rama.. Of Garuda, Dhruva, Hanuman, Shiva and so on.

I have highlighted a few poetic elements and provided phrase-wise breakdown, and key Sanskrit words.

Hope you get to see the taste and enjoy the ruchi of this song.

Kana kana ruchira
As the eye beholds.. As the eye beholds.. The Imagery is just getting Sweeter

Soft little sounds trickle into the words and spark a delicate beauty..

Kana kana ruchira.. kanaka vasana ninnu
As the eye beholds.. As the eye beholds.. It is getting Sweeter..
The imagery of you in your Golden attire!

Like a gentle japa, words repeat and give a touch of poise

Kana kana ruchira.. kanaka vasana ninnu
As the eye beholds.. As the eye beholds.. The sweet imagery of You in Golden attire!
dina dinamunu.. anudina dinamunu
day in and day-out.. day-in and day-out.. my mind gets closer to you.
kala-kalamanu mukha-kala galigina seeta
kala-kala glitters the beautiful face of Seeta

There is such Drama of Expression and brevity of expression. No simple linear and mundane language

paalugaaru mOmuna..
milk-drooling face.. Such a charming radiating face of the Lord

Such an Oblique and indirect expression of the story of Dhruva, who was not allowed to sit on his father’s lap due to his step mother Suruchi, and hence resorts to intensely meditate on Vishnu.

sapatni maatayau.. surucicE.. karNa shoolamaina maaTala.. veenula
curukkana
That step-mother.. Suruchi.. Ear-piercing words..on hearing was hurting him
Was he not liberated by meditating on Hari. In the same way, liberate me..

And many other colorful expressions

mRRidamada lalaama
The deer’s intoxicating fragrance Kasturi.. and a tilaka of Kasturi on his forhead lalaaTa
Ora kannulanu joocE
That beauty radiating Seeta, with one eye gives a side glance at his charming form

A beautiful description of the Lord..

baal-aarka-abha sucEla
maNimaya maalaalaMkRRita kaMdhara
sarasijaakshha
vara kapOla
surucira kireeTadhara
saMtataMbu manasaaraga
O Lord with the splendour of rising Sun, wearing fine garments!
One whose neck is adorned with gem studded necklace!
O Lotus-eyed!
O One with beautiful cheeks!
O One wearing a brilliant crown!
I am happy to my heart’s content.. thinking of this..

Adding the visuals of Hanuman and Seeta

mRRidamada lalaama shubhaaniTila
vara jaTaayu mOkshha phalada
pavamaana sutuDu needu mahima delpa
seeta delisi valaci sokkalEdaa
aareeti ninnu
One whose auspicious forehead is adorned with a tilaka of musk!
Bestower of moksha on the blessed Jatayu!
When Hanuman, the son of the Wind God described your glory,
was not Sita struck with love by listening to it?
In the same manner..

An exquisite shower of metaphors and praise..

May the Garuda of your eyes hover around these naamams. May the horses of your mind pick up the meanings of these delicately etched compound words.

sukhaaspada
vimukhaaMbudhara pavana
vidEha maanasa vihaara
apta surabhooja
maanita guNaanka
cidaananda
khaga turanga
dhRRita rathanga
parama dayaakara.. karuNaarasa varuNaalaya
bhayaapahara
shree raghupatE
O Abode of Comfort!
O whirlwind that scatters the cloud of enemies!
One who dwells in the heart of Sita -Vaidehi
O friend of those dear to you!
O Garland of virtues!
O consciousness and bliss!
One who speeds on the horses of Garuda!
O Wielder of the discus!
O Ocean of the nectar of compassion!
One who dispells away fear!
Oh king of Raghu lineage..

Witness of Bhakti

Is n’t Hanuman, Shiva and sages like Narada, Parasara, Suka, Saunaka Witness? Did they not take refuge?

kaamiMci prEmameeda
karamula needu paada kamalamula baTTukonu
vaaDu saakshhi
raama naama rasikuDu — kailaasa sadanuDu saakshi
mariyu naarada paraashara shuka shaunaka puraMdhara nagajaa dharaja
mukhyulu saakshhi gaadaa
sundarEsha.. sukha kalashaambudhi vaasa
shritulakE
With overflowing love, he desired and held your lotus-feet in his hands.. He [Hanuman] is witness..
The enjoyer of Rama’s name and resident of Kailasa (Shiva) is a witness.
And mukhyaas like Narada, Parasara, Suka, Saunaka, Indra are witnesses right?
O Lord of beauty! One comfortably residing in the Ocean of Milk!
Those who have sought refuge in you ….

satatamu prEma poorituDagu
tyaagaraaja-nuta
mukhajita kumudahita varada
ninnu
Brimming with perennial love,
You are worshipped by this Tyagaraja
O Valiant faced One!
O Friend of lotus!
O Bestower of boons!

Lyrics

kana kana ruciraa 
kanaka vasana ninnu

dina dinamunu anudina dinamunu 
manasuna canuvuna ninnu 
kana kana rucira kanaka vasana ninnu

paalugaaru mOmuna 
shreeyapaara mahima kanaru ninnu
kana kana ruciraa kanaka vasana ninnu

kalakalamanu mukhakala galigina seeta 
kulukucu nOra kannulanu joocE ninnu 
kana kana ruciraa kanaka vasana ninnu

baalaakaabha sucEla maNimaya maalaalaMkRRita kaMdhara
sarasijaakshha vara kapOla surucira kireeTadhara saMtataMbu manasaaraga 
kana kana ruciraa kanaka vasana ninnu

sapatni maatayau surucicE karNa shoolamaina maaTala veenula 
curukkana taalaka shree harini dhyaaniMci sukhiyiMpaga lEdaa yaTu 
kana kana ruciraa kanaka vasana ninnu

mRRidamada lalaama shubhaaniTila vara jaTaayu mOkshha phalada 
pavamaana sutuDu needu mahima delpa seeta delisi 
valaci sokkalEdaa aareeti ninnu 
kana kana ruciraa kanaka vasana ninnu

sukhaaspada vimukhaaMbudhara pavana vidEha maanasa vihaaraapta 
surabhooja maanita guNaaMka cidaanaMda khaga turaMga dhRRita rathaMga
parama dayaakara karuNaarasa varuNaalaya bhayaapahara shree raghupatE
kana kana ruciraa kanaka vasana ninnu

kaamiMci prEmameeda karamula needu paada kamalamula baTTukonu 
vaaDu saakshhi raama naama rasikuDu kailaasa sadanuDu saakshhi 
mariyu naarada paraashara shuka shaunaka puraMdhara nagajaa dharaja
mukhyulu saakshhi gaadaa suMdarEsha sukha kalashaaMbudhi vaasaa shritulakE
kana kana ruciraa kanaka vasana ninnu

satatamu prEma poorituDagu tyaagaraajanuta 
mukhajita kumudahita varada ninnu
kana kana ruciraa kanaka vasana ninnu

kana kana ruciraa