Tyagaraja Kritis Essence — Manasa Etulorthune

śhrī-bhagavān uvācha

ūrdhva-mūlam adhaḥ-śhākham aśhvatthaṁ prāhur avyayam

chhandānsi yasya parṇāni yas taṁ veda sa veda-vit — Chapter 15, Verse 1

Bhagvad Gita mentions a metaphor for the world — an inverted banyan tree, which grows by the three gunas — Sattva (beingness & harmony), Rajas (activity, passion, desires), Tamas (laziness, inaction). Influenced by the gunas, people with different qualities interact with the world and get attached to the fruits of their actions. They enter a cycle of right and wrong, pain and pleasure and continue in the birth cycle. Those with Sattva, focus on acquiring knowledge and are said to progress to heaven. Sattva is considered better than Rajas and Tamas.

Photo by Oleg Churakov on Unsplash

Arjuna tells Krishna, that he is not able to stop his mind. Krishna advises him to practice controlling his mind and condition it to detach from the material world.

Kriti — Manasa Etulorthune set to Ragam Malayamarutham

Tyagaraja addresses his mind as follows:

Guna Viheena (O foolish mind) ! Focus on Lord Rama. Spend your time in his prayer.

In the present time (kalyug), many people have the Rajas and Tamas gunas. Do not waste your time by mingling with them.

If you listen to me, I will show you a way to escape this birth cycle and achieve salvation.

Do listen, and make your life worthwhile ! How will I tolerate it if you do not listen ?

This kriti explains how powerful the mind is and how hard it is to put it on the right path. But, through practice, it can be trained to guide you on the right path.

English translation by — Shruti Balabhadruni