Aa:S R2 G3 M1 P D2 S
Av: S N2 D2 P M1 G3 R2 S N3 P D2 S

taaLam: Adi
Composer: Muttuswaamee Dikshitar
Language: Sanskrit

pallavi

gopAlakrSNAya namastE gAnalOlAya guruguhanutAya

anupallavi

gopIjana manollAsAya garuDavAhAya gOpatOSAya

caraNam

dvArakA vAsa dAmOdarAya dAsa janAbhISTa varapradAya
dAridrya duhkhAdi bhanjanAya draupadI mAna samrakSkAya
dharaNIdharAya tatvAtItAya tAmara sAkSa pada pankajAya
parama bhAgavata prahlAda bhakta rakSaNAya pANDava hitAya

Meaning:

By Aparna from Neccheli (original article here, reproduced with permission)

Carnatic Compositions - The Essence and Embodiment
-Aparna Munukutla Gunupudi

gOpAla krishNAya - gOpala Krishna
namastE - bowing to you
gAna lOlAya - indulged in music
Guruguha - guruguha
nutAya - praised

gopI jana - the people of cowherd community
Manasa - heart
ullllAsAya - delighting
garuDa - the eagle
vAhAya - vehicle
gOpa vEshAya - in the form of a cowherd

dwArakA vAsa - one who resides in Dwaraka
dAmOdarAya - remover of miseries
dAsajana - people/subjects
abhIshTa - desired
vara pradAya - showers the wishes
dAridraya - miseries or difficulties
Dukha - sorrow
bhanjanAya - remover
droupadI - Draupadi
mAna samrakshkAya - rescues (during the time of disrobed in front of Suyodhana’s court)
dharaNI - earth
dharAya - holder (lifts the Govardhana mountain)
Tatva atItAya - beyond the philosophical logic
tAmarasa aksha - eyes like lotus petals
pada pankajAya - lotus feet
parama bhAgavata - very learned
prahlAda bhakta - devotee PrahlAda
rakSakAya - protects
pAndava hitAya - a friend of pAndavas

Summary:

Salutations to gOpAla KrishNa, who is indulged in music and is praised by Guruguha (Guruguha is Deekshitar’s signature). KrishNa, who is in the form of a cowherd, uses an eagle as his vehicle and is delightful to the people of the cowherd community. KrishNa, who resides in city of Dwaraka removes all the miseries, showers wishes of the people, removes the sorrows, he is the rescuer of Droupadi, when she was being insulted and disrobed in Suyodhana’s court, is the one who lifted the mount Govardhana to protect the cowherds. He has eyes like lotus petals and feet like lotuses, he protects his devotees like the learned PrahlAda and he is the friend of pAndavAs, and his deeds are beyond the philosophical logic.

It is no surprise that the great music composer Deekshitar starts this krithi in praise of gOpala KrishNa, and he specifically describes him, as the one indulged in music in a very melodious tune, which is sure to melt KrishNa’s heart. He then lists all his strengths, kindness to his devotees, good deeds to his fellow cowherds and other enchanting qualities. He highlights that KrishNa protected and rescued his devotees, implying that he also will be blessed by KrishNa. The underlying message in this krithi is for everybody to be nice towards others and praise them. It is a very well known fact that everybody loves praise. When you praise somebody, they sure are going to be kind to you and shower you with everything you desire. The world is full of different people with good, bad and mixed thoughts! Let us make an effort to be on the good side of somebody! Enjoy listening to the song and be kind to one another! It will surely do something good for you.

Notation:

Other information:
Lyrics contributed by Lakshman Ragde. Meaning contributed by Aparna Gunupudi via Neccheli.