In this mOhana rAgam kriti, sathguru is lost in the bewitchingly captivating beauty of Lord SrIrAma. The kriti is meditative reflecting and contemplating on the Form of the Lord and urging Him to lovingly speak to him. Since the sAhityam contains the word mOhana, which is the name of the rAgam, it is said the kriti contains the rAgamudra, i.e. the signature of the rAga name. This is a rare phenomenon in thyAgarAja kritis as compared to dIkshitar’s kritis which generally contain the rAgamudra.
In the caraNam, sathguru sings about how, having come to know about the descent of Lord vishNu to the earth in a loving human Form as rAma, all the gods and demigods took forms as animals, birds and monkeys with a lot of love to serve Him. This is the prelude to the birth of Lord SrIrAma which maharshi vAlmIki also describes.
From my naive understanding of music, it appears that this kriti provides extensive scope for improvisation and to demonstrate manOdharma. You’ll rarely see this being sung in the end of the kacheri as a small ‘piece’! Over to the sAhityam of the kriti.
pallavi
mOhana rAma mukha jita sOma mudduga palkumA
మోహన రామ ముఖజిత సోమా ముద్దుగా పల్కుమా
meaning: oh bewitchingly charming rAma, Whose face is superior to that of the moon, please speak (to me) lovingly.
palkuma might be written as balkuma as per gasaDadavAdESa sandhi
anupallavi
mOhana rAma modaTi daivamA mOhamu nIpai monasi(y)unnadirA (mOhana)
మోహన రామ మొదటి దైవమా మోహము నీ పై మొనసియున్నదిరా (మోహన…)
meaning: oh captivatingly charming rAma, the foremost Lord, I have been enchanted by You and my mind has been subsumed in You.
caraNam
dhara manuj(A)vatAra mahima vini sura kinnara kimpurusha vidyAdhara surapati vidhi vibhAkara candr(A)dulu karagucu prEmatO
ధర మనుజావతారా మహిమ విని సుర కిన్నర కింపురుష విద్యాధర సురపతి విధి విభాకర చంద్రాదులు కరగుచు ప్రేమతో
meaning: Having learnt about Your glorious descent on to the earth, gods (sura), demigods (kinnara, kimpurusha – horse bodied human headed beings), supernatural beings (vidyAdharas), indra, brahma, sun, moon and other gods welled up with love…
vara mRga pakshi vAnara tanuvulacE girini velayu sItAvara cira kAlamu guri tappaka mai maraci sEvinciri vara tyAgarAja varad(A)khila jagan(mOhana)
వర మృగ పక్షి వానర తనువులచే గిరిని వెలయు సీతావర చిరకాలము గురి తప్పక మైమరచి సేవించిరి వర త్యాగరాజవరదాఖిల జగన్(మోహనరామ)
…and assumed various forms like animals, birds and monkeys and served the Lord of sIta Who manifested on the hill with focus and single minded devotion, oh Lord rAma Who infatuates the the entire Universe and praised by thyAgarAja…
Context in SrIrAmayaNam
In the 15th, 16th and 17th cantoes of the bAlakAnDam, maharishi vAlmIki details the events preceding the advent of Lord vishNu as SrIrAma. The demon rAvaNa did penance and asked Lord brahma that he should not be killed by either gods, demigods or other demons. He was pretty sure that weaklings that they are, human beings cannot vanquish him! Armed with that confidence he strutted around bullying everyone and grew into a big menace. It was time to stop this. The gods who receive the ablutions that humans offer petitioned lord brahma, the creator about the demon rAvaNa and the need to put an end to him and there by his misdeeds. The creator along with the gods knocks the doors of Lord vishNu and urges Him to come to the rescue of humanity. Lord brahma also suggests that the way to eliminate rAvaNa is to take avatar as a human being and be born as a prince to king daSaratha. Lord vishNu gives His consent and assures them to be bereft of fear since He shall descend and vanquish the demon and shall rule over the earth for 11000 years (jAi hO SrIrAma!)
भयं त्यजत भद्रं वो हितार्थं युधि रावणम्।
सपुत्रपौत्रं सामात्यं समित्रज्ञातिबान्धवम्।।1.15.27।।
हत्वा क्रूरं दुरात्मानं देवर्षीणां भयावहम्।
दशवर्षसहस्राणि दशवर्षशतानि च।
वत्स्यामि मानुषे लोके पालयन्पृथिवीमिमाम्।।1.15.28।।
In the 16th canto, the gods reiterate the same strategy to get rid of rAvaNa. In the 17th canto, brahma asks the gods to descend to the earth by assuming forms of beasts, birds and monkeys.
सत्यसन्धस्य वीरस्य सर्वेषान्नो हितैषिण:।
विष्णोस्सहायान्बलिनस्सृजध्वं कामरूपिण:।।1.17.2।।
from 9th verse onwards valmIki details the birth of the stars in the monkey and bear army who were born to assist rAma. This is the first line of the caraNam, a rather long line by the standard of other kritis of sathguru in which he enlists who all sent in their representatives to help the Lord during His advent as SrIrAma. My personal favourite is how the gods “melted with love” (karaguchu prEmatO) to become an instrument in rAmakAryam. The way the rendition goes soft gives it a wonderful feel of love and you mentally bow to the genius of thyAgarAja swAmi.
And in the last verse of the 17th canto, vAlmIki says:
तैर्मेघबृन्दाचलकूटकल्पै:
महाबलैर्वानरयूथपालै:।
बभूव भूर्भीमशरीररूपै
स्समावृता रामसहायहेतो:।।1.17.35।।
The last word there, rAmasahAyahEtOh, in order to serve the Lord SrIrAma is the one sathguru also sings very eloquently when he says maimarachi sEvinchiri in the last line of the caraNam. This line says the beasts and birds so born served the lord of sIta who manifested on the hill! While this may have deeper spiritual connotations, we will for now, deal with the possible significance of this usage.
Obviously the monkeys and other beasts (jAmbavAn) and birds (jaTAyu and sampAti) had their key role to play when lord was in search of mother sIta who was abducted by rAvaNa. Perhaps the use sItavara by sathguru indicates that. This was the time of exile for the lord during which time He always dwelt in forests. Likely this is the reason sathguru uses the words giripai velayu, meaning manifested on a hill. After the first meeting and friendship with sugrIva, until the raid on lanka happened, rAma and lakshmaNa stayed on top of the prasravaNa mountain. This was the first time the vAnarAs met the master for Whose sake they came down to the earth. Perhaps this line is a delight for devotees as it potentially leads to several episodes that show the mercy and valor of the lord.
Overall, it is a wonderful kriti that sets the stage for the descent of the lord in the house of king daSaratha whom swAmivAru bows to when he sings avaniki rammani pilachina maharAjulu evarO vAriki mrokkeda in the dEva manOhari kriti – evarikai avatAramettitivO ippudaina telupavayya.
rAmabhaktisAmrAjyam 