Telisi Rama
A call to chant with understanding rather than merely repeat a name.
| Music | Detail |
|---|---|
| Composer | Tyagaraja |
| Raga | Purnachandrika |
| Tala | Adi |
| Type | Kriti |
| Language | Telugu |
Lyrics
Pallavi
telisi rāma cintanatō nāmamu sēyavē ō manasā
Anupallavi
talapu lanni nilipi nimiṣamaina tāraka rūpuni nija tatvamulanu
Charanam 1
rāmāyaṇa capalakṣula pēru kāmādula pōru vāru vīru
rāmāyaṇa brahmamunaku pēru āmānava jananārtulu dīru
Charanam 2
arkamanucu jilleḍu taru pēru markaṭa buddhu leṭla dīru
arkuḍanucu bhāskaruniki pēru kutarkamanu andhakāramu dīru
Charanam 3
ajamanucu mēṣamunaku pēru nija kōrika lēlā gīḍēru
ajuḍani vāgīśavaruniki pēru vijayamu galgunu tyāgarāja nutuni
Meaning
Tyagaraja urges his mind to repeat Rama's name with understanding and concentrated thought, even if only for a moment. The charanams explore words that carry different meanings, showing why sound alone does not guarantee that the intended idea has been grasped. Attention to the divine meaning is essential. The composition thus turns familiar chanting into an enquiry about awareness: what matters is not only what the tongue says, but what the mind recognises.