Krithis, Their Meanings and the Stories They Tell: Gajavadana Beduve : Purandara Dasar : Hamsadwani

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Gajavadana Beduve : Purandara Dasar : Hamsadwani

Song: gajavadanaa bEDuvE

Lyrics are from Karnatic.com

gajavadhana bEDuvE
raagam: hamsadwani

29 dheera shankaraabharaNam janya
Aa: S R2 G3 P N3 S
Av: S N3 P G3 R2 S

taaLam: Adi

Composer: Purandara Daasar
Language: KannaDa

pallavi

gajavadhanaa bEduvE gowri thanaya
trijaga vanditanE sujanara porevanE

anupallavi

pAshAnkushadhara parama pavitra
mooshikavAhana munijanaprEmA
(gaja)

charaNam

mOdadi ninnaya pAdava tOrO
sAdhu vanditane Adaradindali
sarsijanAbha shri purandara vithalana
niruta neneyuvante daya mADO

Meaning:

gajavadhanaa bEduvE gowri thanaya
trijaga vanditanE sujanara porevanE

gajavadana = the one who has the elephant face

beduve = I pray to you

gowri thanaya = Gowri's son

trijaga = the three worlds (earth, the world above and the world below)

vanditanE = worshipped by

sujanara = good people

porevanE = protector

O my dear elephant faced God! You are son of Goddess Gowri (parvathi). You are worshipped by all the three worlds. You are the protector of all the good people such as the sages and sadhus.

I pray to you .

pAshAnkushadhara parama pavitra
mooshikavAhana munijanaprEmA

pAshAnkushadhara = the one who has the weapons, pasa and angusam

parama pavitra = the most sacred
mooshikavAhana = the one who has the mouse for his vehicle

munijanaprEmA = the one who is loved by sages/ one who loves sages

You have the weapons with you such as the noose (pasa) and the goad (angusa). You are the supreme God. You are the one who has mouse as the means of transport. you love and are affectionate towards sages. They also love you.

mOdadi ninnaya pAdava tOrO
sAdhu vanditane Adaradindali
sarsijanAbha shri purandara vithalana
niruta neneyuvante daya mADO

mOdadi = with pleasure

ninnaya = your

pAdava = feet

tOrO = show

sAdhu vanditane = one who is worshipped by sadhus and sages

Adaradindali = respectfully

sarsijanAbha = the one who has lotus in his navel

shri purandara vithalana = God Purandara Vittala
niruta = always

neneyuvante = make me remember, make me think of

daya mADO = show mercy

I want to sing on your feet. Please kindly and happily, show me your feet. You are the one who is worshipped by sages and sadhus. Please give me the ability and power to worship Lord Purandara vittala - the one who has the lotus navel.

Interesting points from the songs :

* "Purandara Vittala" is the mark of Shri Purandaradasa. One can see this in all his songs

* Purandaradasa asks Lord Ganesha, to give him strength and focus to sing about Lord Purandara!

* Lord Ganesh has "pasa" which is the noose - which is typically carried by the God of Death - yama. Here, He shows that he is beyond death and if you go to His feet, you don't have to worry about death.

* An elephant may be very big. But, it is controlled by the weapon : Goad - Angusam. Similarly, Ganesha carries it and shows that one has to have self control.