Of the five Pañcaratna, only this one is composed wholly in Sanskrit, and only this one dispenses almost entirely with the finite verb. What remains is a cascade of vocatives — name after name in the address-case, each an epithet of Rāma — so that the kṛti reads less as a sentence than as a litany. Tradition counts the names at one hundred and eight. Tyāgarāja sets this nāma-mālā in Nāṭa, the granitic ghana-rāga whose very gait is processional, and the marriage of form and content is exact: a garland of the Lord's names, strung on a rāga built like a temple corridor.
The Rāga — Nāṭa
Rāga Nāṭa — lakṣaṇa at a glance
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Melakarta | Janya of 36 Cala-nāṭa |
| Ārohaṇa | S R₃ G₃ M₁ P D₃ N₃ Ṡ |
| Avarohaṇa | Ṡ N₃ P M₁ R₃ S |
| Tāḷa | Ādi |
| Character | Vakra, ghana, vīra-rasa |
Nāṭa is the foremost of the five ghana-rāgas — Nāṭa, Gauḷa, Ārabhi, Varāḷi, Śrī — the "dense" rāgas suited to weighty, tāna-laden exposition. Its avarohaṇa drops the ṣaḍja-adjacent notes and approaches in a vakra, zig-zag descent, giving the rāga its heroic stride. The prayoga N₃ P M P and the gamaka-laden R₃ are its signature. The vīra (heroic) and adbhuta (wondrous) rasas it carries are precisely what a hymn of one hundred and eight Rāma-names asks for.
Pallavi
जय जानकी प्राण नायक
jaya jānakī prāṇa nāyaka
jagat — the world (stem jagat-); compounded with ānanda (joy) and kāraka (agent-noun from √kṛ, "the one who makes") → jagad-ānanda-kāraka, vocative, "O maker of the world's joy." jaya — "hail / be victorious," the one near-verb in the pallavi, a benediction rather than a predicate. jānakī-prāṇa-nāyaka — "O lord (nāyaka) of the life-breath (prāṇa) of Jānakī"; He who is dearer to Sītā than her own life.
The opening pair of names already encloses the whole Rāmāyaṇa: the one who gladdens the world is also the one bound, in love, to a single woman's heart.
jagadānandakāraka jaya jānakī-prāṇa-nāyaka
Anupallavi
सुगुणाकर सुर सेव्य भव्य दायक
सदा सकल
suguṇākara sura sevya bhavya dāyaka
sadā sakala
gagana-adhipa-sat-kulaja — "born of the noble line of the sky's lord"; the sky-lord is the Sun, so this names Rāma as scion of the Sūrya-vaṃśa. rāja-rāja-īśvara — "overlord of kings of kings." su-guṇa-ākara — "mine of excellent qualities." sura-sevya — "to be worshipped by the gods" (gerundive of √sev). bhavya-dāyaka — "giver of auspiciousness." sadā sakala — "ever, to all [worlds]," running syntactically back into the pallavi refrain.
The Caraṇas — a litany of names
Ten caraṇas follow, each a continuous string of vocative epithets that resolves, at its close, back into the pallavi refrain. Three of them carry the composer's signature, the tyāgarāja-mudrā: caraṇas 8, 9 and 10. Because the entire piece is a nāma-mālā, the meaning of each line is the unfolding of its compounds rather than a sentence to be parsed for subject and predicate.
Caraṇa 1
परिपूर्णानघ सुर सुर भूज
दधि पयोधि वास हरण
सुन्दर-तर वदन सुधा-मय वचो-बृन्द गोविन्द सानन्द
मा-वराजराप्त शुभ करानेक
paripūrṇānagha sura sura bhūja
dadhi payodhi vāsa haraṇa
sundara-tara vadana sudhā-maya vaco-bṛnda govinda sānanda
mā-varājarāpta śubha karāneka
amara-tāraka-nicaya-kumuda-hita — "friend of the night-lily amid the host of stars that are the immortals"; i.e. the Moon among the gods — Rāma as the moon that opens the kumuda of devotees' hearts. paripūrṇa-anagha — "the wholly complete, the sinless." sura-sura-bhūja — "the celestial wish-tree (kalpa-vṛkṣa) of the gods." dadhi-payodhi-vāsa-haraṇa — "stealer of the curd, the cream and the garments" — the Kṛṣṇa-līlā folded into the Rāma-stuti, since for Tyāgarāja the two are one Lord. mā-vara — "consort of Lakṣmī"; ajara-āpta — "friend of the ageless gods."
Caraṇa 2
पोषकानिमिष वैरि वारिद समीरण
खग तुरंग सत्कवि हृदालयागणित
वानराधिप नतांघ्रि युग
poṣakānimiṣa vairi vārida samīraṇa
khaga turaṅga sat-kavi hṛdālayāgaṇita
vānarādhipa natāṅghri yuga
nigama-nīraja-amṛta-ja-poṣaka — "nourisher of the nāda born of the nectar of the lotus that is the Vedas." Govindan glosses via Tyāgarāja's own nāda-tanum aniśam: nāda is the essence of Veda, and Rāma sustains it. animiṣa-vairi-vārida-samīraṇa — "the wind to the clouds that are the enemies of the unwinking gods." khaga-turaṅga — "whose steed is the bird," Garuḍa-vāhana. sat-kavi-hṛd-ālaya — "dwelling in the hearts of true poets." agaṇita-vānara-adhipa-nata-aṅghri-yuga — "whose pair of feet is bowed to by the lord of countless monkeys," i.e. Sugrīva.
Pāṭha-bheda — Disputed A reader of Govindan's edition argues vānara-adhipa denotes Hanumān (vānara-yūtha-mukhya) rather than Sugrīva. Govindan retains Sugrīva, reading nata-aṅghri as "bowed to" rather than "clasped," and notes the alternative for readers to weigh. We follow the editor while flagging the variant.
Caraṇa 3
चन्द्र सूर्य नयनाप्रमेय
वागीन्द्र जनक सकलेश शुभ्र
नागेन्द्र शयन शमन वैरि सन्नुत
candra sūrya nayanāprameya
vāgīndra janaka sakaleśa śubhra
nāgendra śayana śamana vairi sannuta
indra-nīla-maṇi-sannibha-apaghana — "whose limbs resemble the sapphire" — the famed nīla-megha-śyāma complexion. candra-sūrya-nayana-aprameya — "having moon and sun for eyes; the immeasurable." vāk-indra-janaka — "father of Brahmā, the lord of speech," from whose navel-lotus Brahmā arose. sakala-īśa — "lord of all." nāga-indra-śayana — "who reclines on the king of serpents, Ādiśeṣa." śamana-vairi-sannuta — "praised by the enemy of Yama," i.e. Śiva.
Caraṇa 4
परिपाल वर मन्त्र ग्रहण लोल
परम शान्त चित्त जनकजाधिप
सरोज भव वरदाखिल
paripāla vara mantra grahaṇa lola
parama śānta citta janakajādhipa
saroja bhava varadākhila
pāda-vijita-mauni-śāpa — "by whose foot the sage's curse was conquered" — the redemption of Ahalyā from Gautama's curse by the touch of Rāma's foot. sava-paripāla — "protector of the sacrifice," guarding Viśvāmitra's yajña. vara-mantra-grahaṇa-lola — "fond of those who have grasped the supreme mantra," the Gāyatrī. janaka-jā-adhipa — "lord of Janaka's daughter, Sītā." saroja-bhava-varada — "boon-giver to the lotus-born Brahmā."
Variant reading — Disputed Some take vara-mantra as the bala-atibala mantra Viśvāmitra gave Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa; others as the tāraka-nāma, the Rāma-nāma itself. Govindan prefers Gāyatrī, since the surrounding epithets all recall episodes of Rāma's life.
Caraṇa 5
कामित फलदासमान गात्र
शची पति नुताब्धि मद हरानुराग
राग राजित कथा सार हित
kāmita phaladāsamāna gātra
śacī pati nutābdhi mada harānurāga
rāga rājita kathā sāra hita
sṛṣṭi-sthiti-anta-kāraka — "author of creation, maintenance and dissolution" — the trimūrti-function in one. amita-kāmita-phala-da — "boundless giver of the fruit of desire." śacī-pati-nuta — "praised by Śacī's husband, Indra." abdhi-mada-hara — "queller of the ocean-lord's pride," Varuṇa humbled at the setu. anurāga-rāga-rājita-kathā-sāra-hita — "established as the essence of the radiant story set, with love, to melody."
Editor's emendation — Conjecture Govindan suspects the received rājita should be rācita, "composed," giving "benefactor of those who set the story's essence, in love, to music" — a self-reference to Tyāgarāja and the lineage of musical Rāmāyaṇa-makers. Both readings are preserved.
Caraṇa 6
कुसुम विमान सुरसा रिपु कराब्ज
लालित चरणाव-गुणासुर गण
मद हरण सनातनाज नुत
kusuma vimāna surasā ripu karābja
lālita caraṇāva-guṇāsura gaṇa
mada haraṇa sanātanāja nuta
sajjana-mānasa-abdhi-sudhā-kara — "the moon over the ocean of good people's minds." kusuma-vimāna — "owner of the flower-chariot, Puṣpaka." surasā-ripu-kara-abja-lālita-caraṇa — "whose feet are caressed by the lotus-hands of Hanumān, foe of the demoness Surasā." ava-guṇa-asura-gaṇa-mada-haraṇa — "destroyer of the pride of the host of vice-ridden demons." aja-nuta — "praised by the unborn Brahmā."
Caraṇa 7
हर सरोज भव केशवादि
रूप वासव रिपु जनकान्तक कला-धर कला धराप्त घृणा-कर
शरणागत जन पालन सु-मनो-रमण निर्विकार निगम सारतर
hara saroja bhava keśavādi
rūpa vāsava ripu janakāntaka kalā-dhara kalā dharāpta ghṛṇā-kara
śaraṇāgata jana pālana su-mano-ramaṇa nir-vikāra nigama sāratara
oṃkāra-pañjara-kīra — "the parrot in the cage of Oṃkāra" — the Lord dwelling within the praṇava, singing from it. pura-hara-saroja-bhava-keśava-ādi-rūpa — "whose forms are Śiva, Brahmā, Viṣṇu and the rest" — the trimūrti as His aspects. vāsava-ripu-janaka-antaka — "to Rāvaṇa, father of Indrajit the foe of Indra, a very Yama." nir-vikāra — "changeless." nigama-sāra-tara — "supreme essence of the Vedas."
Resonance — Anchor nir-vikāra ("changeless"), nigama-sāra-tara ("the Vedas' utmost essence") and the Oṃkāra-imagery push the stuti beyond saguṇa praise toward the nirguṇa Brahman of the Upaniṣads — the Advaitic undertow that runs beneath Tyāgarāja's bhakti.
Caraṇa 8
मदापहरणावनी सुर सुरावन
कवीन बिलज मौनि कृत चरित्र
सन्नुत श्री त्यागराज नुत
madāpaharaṇāvanī sura surāvana
kavīna bilaja mauni kṛta caritra
sannuta śrī tyāgarāja nuta
kara-dhṛta-śara-jāla — "wielding in hand a multitude of arrows." asura-mada-apaharaṇa — "ravisher of the demons' pride." avanī-sura-sura-avana — "protector of the earth-gods (brāhmaṇas) and the gods." kavi-ina-bilaja-mauni-kṛta-caritra-sannuta — "well-praised in the life-story composed by the sage born of the ant-hill, the sun of poets — Vālmīki." śrī-tyāgarāja-nuta — "praised by Śrī Tyāgarāja"; the composer's signature.
Caraṇa 9
पराधीन खर विराध रावण
वि-रावणानघ पराशर मनो-हराविकृत त्यागराज सन्नुत
parādhīna khara virādha rāvaṇa
vi-rāvaṇānagha parāśara mano-harāvikṛta tyāgarāja sannuta
purāṇa-puruṣa — "the primeval Puruṣa." nṛ-vara-ātmaja — "mind-born son of the best of kings, Daśaratha." āśrita-para-adhīna — "bound wholly to the welfare of those who take refuge." khara-virādha-rāvaṇa-vi-rāvaṇa — "destroyer of Khara, Virādha and Rāvaṇa." parāśara-mano-hara — "stealer of the mind of sage Parāśara." a-vikṛta — "the unmodified, immutable."
Upaniṣadic anchor — Anchor Govindan ties purāṇa-puruṣa to Bṛhadāraṇyaka II.v.18 — the Puruṣa who first entered the bodies as a bird, dwelling in all forms, by whom nothing is uncovered, nothing unpervaded. a-vikṛta seals the point: the Rāma of the carita is the unmodifiable Brahman. This is the verse where the litany's nirguṇa substratum surfaces most plainly.
Caraṇa 10
साल विदळनारुणाभ समान
चरणापार महिमाद्भुत सु-कवि जन
हृत्सदन सुर मुनि गण विहित
कलश नीर निधिजा रमण पाप गज
नृ-सिंह वर त्यागराजादि नुत
sāla vidaḷanāruṇābha samāna
caraṇāpāra mahimādbhuta su-kavi jana
hṛtsadana sura muni gaṇa vihita
kalaśa nīra nidhijā ramaṇa pāpa gaja
nṛ-siṃha vara tyāgarājādi nuta
agaṇita-guṇa — "of countless virtues." kanaka-cela — "golden-robed." sāla-vidaḷana — "render of the sāla trees," the seven sāla pierced by a single arrow in the Kiṣkindhā-kāṇḍa. aruṇa-ābha-samāna-caraṇa — "whose feet have the splendour of the rising sun." kalaśa-nīra-nidhi-jā-ramaṇa — "consort of Lakṣmī, born of the milk-ocean churned by the pot." pāpa-gaja-nṛ-siṃha — "a man-lion to the elephant of sin." vara-tyāgarāja-ādi-nuta — "praised by blessed Tyāgarāja and others"; the final signature.
Sampradāya — why this kṛti opens everything
By tradition the Pañcaratna are sung in a fixed order, and Jagadānandakāraka comes first — not by accident. It is the only Sanskrit kṛti of the five, the only one structured as a pure nāma-mālā, and the one that most explicitly fuses the saguṇa Rāma of the Rāmāyaṇa with the nirguṇa Brahman of the Upaniṣads. The litany form is itself a teaching: a hundred and eight names, none of them a predicate, refuse to say what Rāma does in favour of endlessly naming what He is — and the names, taken together, exhaust the cosmos (creator, sustainer, destroyer; Śiva, Brahmā, Viṣṇu; Veda, nāda, Oṃkāra) before returning, every time, to the single human fact of the refrain: He is the life of Jānakī.
The annual Tyāgarāja Ārādhana at Tiruvaiyāru opens its Pañcaratna goṣṭhi-gānam here, hundreds of voices entering Nāṭa in unison — the granite rāga turned, for one morning, into a single instrument.
purāṇa-puruṣa … a-vikṛta — the ancient Puruṣa, the changeless one
Sāhitya and word-by-word readings follow V. Govindan's edition (Thyagaraja Vaibhavam), cross-checked against Vaidika Vignanam for Devanāgarī and IAST orthography, with T.K. Govinda Rao's Compositions of Tyāgarāja as the canonical text base for the series. Pāṭha-bheda and editorial emendations are flagged in the asides above. Rāga lakṣaṇa per standard Carnatic treatises.