నగుమోము గనలేని

'nagumOmu ganalEni' is a famous composition by ThyAgarAja. Since it is a song of total surrender and pleading to the Lord, it was composed in abhEri.

Given below are the lyrics (courtesy Sangeetham.com), and the various versions, including modern western renditions of this melodious keerthana.

రాగ – ఆభేరి
తాళ- ఆది

పల్లవి
నగుమోము గనలేని నాజాలి దేలిసి
నన్ను బ్రోవ రాద! శ్హ్రీ రఘువర! ణీ

అనుపల్లవి
నగరాజధర! నిదు పరివారు లేల్ల
ఓగిబోధన జేసేవారలు గారే? యిటులుణ్డుదురే? నీ

చరణమ
ఖగరాజు నీ యానతి విని వేగ చనలేడో?
గగనాని కిలకు బహు దూరమ బనినాడో?
జగమేలే పరమాత్మ! యేవరి తో నే మోరలిడుదు?
వగచూపకు తాళను నన్నేలు కోరా త్యాగరాజనుత!

Word to Word Meaning

ష్రీ రఘువర – O scion of Raghu’s race
దేలిసి – having come to know of
నా జాలి – my distress
గనలేని – at not seeing
నీ నగుమోము – your smiling face
రాద - can you not
బ్రోవ – protect
నను – me?

నగరాజధర – O one who lifted the mountain
నీదు పరివారులు ఏల్ల – All those in your train
గారే – are not ones to
జేసేవారలు – to all give
ఓగిబోధన –ill advice

ఉణ్డదుర – it cannot be
ఆటులు – that way

లేడో – could not
ఖగరాజు – Garuda
విని – on hearing
నీ యానతి – your orders
వేగ – come with speed
నాడో – did he say
ఆని – that
గగనానికి – from heaven
ఈలకు – to earth
వహుదూరంబు – is a great distance
జగము ఏలే – O protector of the Universe

పరమాత్మ – supreme being
ఏవరితో – to whom should I
మోరలిడుదు – take my tale of woe
తాళను – I cannot bear
వగజూపకు – your illusory tactics
ఏలుకోరా – protect
నన్ను – me
త్యాగరాజ నుత – O one worshipped by Tyagaraja

Meaning:

Having come to know of my distress at not being able to see your smiling face, should you not protect me? O scion of Raghu’s race!

O one who carried the mountain! Your assistants are not of the type to give you false advice! No it cannot be! (Having come to know of my distress at not being able to see your smiling face, should you not protect me?)

Has Garuda on coming to know of your desire to give me darshan complained that the distance from the heavens to the earth is too much? O supreme being, protector of the universe! To whom should I turn now? I cannot bear your illusory tactics! O object of Tyagaraja’s worship, protect me! (Having come to know of my distress at not being able to see your smiling face, should you not protect me?)

Notes:

This is perhaps the most popular of all Tyagaraja kritis, given its dramatic content. The song was originally sung in AbhEri but later Musiri Subramanya Iyer took to rendering it in karnATaka dEvagAndhAri and that is the version that has stuck. Today many believe AbhEri to be karnATaka dEvagAndhAri thanks to this song.

Check out the interesting post about this song on Vinesh's Blog

Listen to this song...

Traditional Versions

Sobha Raju (western)
(13th song in the list)

Susheela Raman(Jazz)