Endarō mahānubhāvulu – Decoding Saint Tyāgarāja’s Pancharatna kritis

“Endarō mahānubhāvulu – Salutations to all the Mahātmas in this world” is undoubtedly one of the most iconic and revered musical compositions. The lyrical masterpiece when sung and heard with utmost faith and devotion is enthralling and brings tears of joy in one’s eyes.

The glorious splendour of Sri Rama described in admiration and humility and obeisance paid to all the venerable personalities of Rshis, saints, devathas and bhaktas who are absorbed in the Supreme Bliss of Sri Rama is stupendous and sends one into raptures.

This kriti which is the crowning glory of Pancharatna kritis has been a childhood favourite of mine. I have vivid memories of this composition being played in my grandmother’s house with all of us singing a few words without really understanding it then.

Maybe it was the story of Saint Tyāgarāja that we read in our Amar Chitra Katha of his childhood, teenage years, the deep devotion towards the recitation of 95 crore Sri Rama nāma japa and darshan and experience of Sri Rama, Sita and Hanuman when we were young or perhaps it is the musical rendition of an earnest singer that we heard but it certainly leaves one with many questions on how Saint Tyāgarāja was able to create this marvellous expression of bhakthi and whether he was moved to such ecstatic bliss that he lapsed into silence as heard in our Puranic stories.

Though I was unable to dedicate the time and energy required to excel in Carnatic music during my formative years, the little training that I received made me appreciate the genius of music and mathematics and ponder over all the other great compositions that speak of infinite bliss and irrepressible bhakthi. What state would a singer be in who is lost in the music and is unaware of the surroundings? What is this paramānanda that one speaks of constantly when totally immersed into the integral technicalities of a musical composition?

Endarō mahānubhāvulu is probably one kriti that many people have heard over the years either in the movies or perhaps in a play or sung by many proficient singers. The lyrics are so spellbinding, profoundly meaningful and full of praise dotted with salutations to all the great personalities who have assembled in the hall drowning in the bliss of Sri Rama.

This a rough translation of this divine kriti:

rāgaṃ: śrī
tāḻaṃ: ādi

Pallavi

endaro mahānubhāvulu andarikī vandanamulu

(There are so many Mahatmas. To all my salutations.)

Anu pallavi

candurū varṇuni anda candamunu hṛdayāravundamuna
jūci brahmānandamanubhaviñcu vārendaro mahānubhāvulu

(In the mirror of their hearts
they behold the moon-like face,
beauty and behaviour (of Rama)
and experience supreme joy of Brahmānanda
to such ones, to them my salutations.
There are so many Mahatmas. To all my salutations.)

sāmagāna lola manasija lāvaṇya
dhanya murdhanyulendaro mahānubhāvulu

(To the one who is fond of sāmagāna (Rama),
His beauty in their minds,
they who think (of Rama) such are blessed.