ksheerabdhi kanyakaku - క్షీరాబ్ధి కన్యకకు
Annamayya Keerthana Lyrics in Telugu & English with Meaning and Audio
Ksheerabdhi kanyakaku: a nirajanam (lamp offering) to Sri Mahalakshmi, the daughter of the Milky Ocean, and to Alamelumanga, the beloved queen of Sri Venkatesa, with camphor, rubies and pearls. Illustration created with AI for this post.
Audio by SANTI VENKATAKRISHNAN & GROUP:
Audio © Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) and the artist. Listen on the official TTD website.
Ksheerabdhi kanyakaku (క్షీరాబ్ధికన్యకకు) is a sringara sankeertana by the 15th-century composer-saint Annamacharya (Annamayya), set in raga Mangalakaushika. It is a nirajanam, an offering of lamps, to Sri Mahalakshmi, the daughter of the Milky Ocean who dwells in the lotus, and to Alamelumanga, the beloved consort of Lord Sri Venkateswara of Tirumala. In the classical style, the poet offers the lamp to the goddess feature by feature (her face, tresses, hands, feet and more), each time with a different offering: camphor, rubies, pearls and lights of many colours. Songs of this kind are well suited to the moment of waving the lamp (aarti) in worship. Below you will find the lyrics in Telugu, an easy-to-read English transliteration, word notes, and the meaning in English and Telugu.
క్షీరాబ్ధికన్యకకు అన్నమయ్య కీర్తన (రాగం: మంగళకౌశిక) సాహిత్యం, తెలుగు మరియు ఇంగ్లీష్ లిరిక్స్, భావము, ఆడియోతో.
Annamayya Keerthana Lyrics in Telugu & English
Song details
| Composer | Annamacharya (Annamayya) |
| వాగ్గేయకార | అన్నమాచార్య |
| Category | Sringara sankeertana (శృంగార) |
| Raga | Mangalakaushika (మంగళకౌశిక) |
| Rekhu (copper plate) | 1050-1 |
| Volume (Samputam) | 20-295 |
| Deity | Sri Mahalakshmi / Alamelumanga (consort of Sri Venkateswara) |
| Singer (audio) | Santi Venkatakrishnan & Group |
| Source | Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) |
| Language | Telugu |
క్షీరాబ్ధికన్యకకు – Telugu lyrics
క్షీరాబ్ధికన్యకకు శ్రీ మహాలక్ష్మికిని
నీరజాలయమునకు(యకును?) నీరాజనం ॥పల్లవి॥
జలజాక్షి మోమునకు జక్కవకుచంబులకు
నెలకొన్న కప్పురపునీరాజనం
అలివేణి తురుమునకు హస్తకమలంబులకు
నిలువు మాణిక్యముల నీరాజనం ॥క్షీరా॥
చరణకిసలయములకు సకియరంభోరులకు
నిరతమగుముత్తేల నీరాజనం
అరిది జఘనంబునకు నతివనిజఁ నాభికిని
నిరతి నానావర్ణనీరాజనం ॥క్షీరా॥
పగటు శ్రీ వేంకటేశు పట్టిపురాణియై
నెగడుసతికళలకును నీరాజనం
జగతి నలమేల్మంగ చక్కఁదనముల కెల్ల
నిగుడు నిజశోభనపు నీరాజనం ॥క్షీరా॥
Ksheerabdhi kanyakaku – lyrics in English (transliteration)
Ksheerabdhikanyakaku sree mahaalakshmikini
Neerajaalayamunaku(yakunu?) neeraajanam ||pallavi||
Jalajaakshi momunaku jakkavakuchambulaku
Nelakonna kappurapuneeraajanam
AlivENi turumunaku hastakamalambulaku
Niluvu maanikyamula neeraajanam ||ksheeraa||
Charanakisalayamulaku sakiyarambhorulaku
Niratamagumuttela neeraajanam
Aridi jaghanambunaku nativanija naabhikini
Nirati naanaavarna neeraajanam ||ksheeraa||
Pagatu sree venkatesu pattipuraaniyai
Negadusatikalalakunu neeraajanam
Jagati nalamelmanga chakkadanamula kella
Nigudu nijasobhanapu neeraajanam ||ksheeraa||
Word notes
- Ksheeraabdhi kanyaka (క్షీరాబ్ధి కన్యక): the daughter of the Milky Ocean; Sri Mahalakshmi.
- Sree mahaalakshmi (శ్రీ మహాలక్ష్మి): the goddess of fortune and consort of Vishnu.
- Neerajaalayamu (నీరజాలయము): the lotus-dweller (neeraja = lotus, aalaya = abode). The printed text reads "neerajaalayamunaku(yakunu?)", and it is understood here as an address to the lotus-dwelling goddess.
- Neeraajanamu (నీరాజనము): the offering of lamps, waved before the deity in worship (aarti).
- Jalajaakshi (జలజాక్షి): the lotus-eyed lady.
- Momu (మోము): face.
- Jakkava (జక్కవ): the chakravaka bird (ruddy shelduck), which classical Telugu poetry uses as an image of grace.
- Kuchamu (కుచము): bosom; used here only as a poetic image in the classical sringara convention.
- Kappuramu (కప్పురము): camphor.
- Alivenu (అలివేణి): the lady whose hair is dark like a line of bees.
- Turumu (తురుము): tresses, the hair knot.
- Hastakamalamu (హస్తకమలము): lotus-like hand.
- Maanikyamu (మాణిక్యము): ruby.
- Charanakisalayamu (చరణకిసలయము): feet soft like tender sprouts.
- Sakiya (సకియ): a lady; a friend.
- Rambhoru (రంభోరు): one whose thighs are like banana stems, a classical image of grace.
- Muttelu (ముత్తేలు): pearls.
- Aridi (అరిది): rare, wonderful.
- Jaghanamu (జఘనము): waist and hips.
- Naabhi (నాభి): the navel. The words "nativanija" in this line are unclear in the printed text; the line is understood here as referring to the lady's lotus-like navel.
- Nirati (నిరతి): constantly, with devotion.
- Naanaavarnamu (నానావర్ణము): of many colours.
- Pagatu (పగటు): splendid, radiant.
- Pattipuraani (పట్టిపురాణి): the crowned chief queen.
- Negadu (నెగడు): to flourish, to be glorious.
- Satikalalu (సతికళలు): the lady's arts and graces.
- Alamelmanga (అలమేల్మంగ): Alamelumanga, the consort of Sri Venkateswara at Tirumala (also known as Padmavati).
- Chakkadanamu (చక్కఁదనము): beauty.
- Nigudu (నిగుడు): to spread, to shine forth.
- Nijasobhanamu (నిజశోభనము): her natural radiance; auspicious beauty.
Meaning of Ksheerabdhi kanyakaku (in English)
This is a summary of the idea of the song, not a word-for-word translation. The imagery follows the traditional convention of offering the lamp to each aspect of the goddess's beauty.
- Pallavi: A lamp offering to the daughter of the Milky Ocean, to Sri Mahalakshmi, to the goddess who dwells in the lotus.
- First charanam: A camphor lamp offering to the face of the lotus-eyed lady and to her graceful form. A lamp offering set with rubies to her bee-dark tresses and her lotus hands.
- Second charanam: A lamp offering with pearls always to her tender, sprout-like feet and her graceful form. A lamp offering in many colours to her wonderful waist and her lotus-like navel.
- Third charanam: A lamp offering to the glorious graces of her who became the splendid crowned queen of Sri Venkatesa. A lamp offering of her own radiance to all the beauty of Alamelumanga in the world.
The song reads as a worship piece in the classical sringara style, where the beauty of the goddess is praised as an expression of devotion. It should be read as spiritual guidance, not as a judgement of any person.
భావము (తెలుగులో)
ఈ కీర్తనలో అన్నమయ్య క్షీరసాగర కన్యక, శ్రీ మహాలక్ష్మి, కమలంలో నివసించే దేవికి నీరాజనం సమర్పిస్తున్నారు. మొదటి చరణంలో పద్మనేత్రి ముఖానికి, ఆమె సౌందర్యానికి కర్పూర నీరాజనం, తుమ్మెదల వంటి కురులకు, కమలాల వంటి చేతులకు మాణిక్య నీరాజనం అని చెబుతారు. రెండవ చరణంలో చిగురాకుల వంటి పాదాలకు ముత్యాల నీరాజనం, అపురూపమైన నడుముకు, కమలం వంటి నాభికి నానావర్ణాల నీరాజనం అని అంటారు. మూడవ చరణంలో శ్రీవేంకటేశ్వరుని పట్టపురాణియై వెలుగొందే ఆమె కళలకు నీరాజనం, ప్రపంచమంతటిలో అలమేలుమంగ సౌందర్యాలన్నిటికీ ఆమె సహజ శోభ నీరాజనమని ముగిస్తారు.
More audio versions
Listen to more Annamayya keerthanas on our Jukebox or find versions by different artists on Audios by Singers.
Frequently asked questions
Who wrote Ksheerabdhi kanyakaku?
Tallapaka Annamacharya (Annamayya), the 15th-century composer-saint.
Which raga is it in?
Mangalakaushika (మంగళకౌశిక).
What are the rekhu and samputam numbers?
Rekhu 1050-1, Samputam 20-295.
What does the keerthana say?
It is a nirajanam (lamp offering) to Sri Mahalakshmi, the daughter of the Milky Ocean, and to Alamelumanga, the consort of Sri Venkatesa, offered with camphor, rubies, pearls and lights of many colours.
What is a nirajanam?
It is the offering of lamps waved before the deity at the end of worship, also called aarti.
Where can I listen to it?
The audio on this page is sung by Santi Venkatakrishnan & Group and hosted by TTD. Use the button at the top of this post.
Source & credits
- Lyrics: Composed by Tallapaka Annamacharya (15th century, public domain). Reference numbers (rekhu 1050-1, samputam 20-295) follow the TTD Annamacharya Sankeertanas edition.
- Audio: Sung by Santi Venkatakrishnan & Group. Audio file hosted by TTD (tirumala.org). Audio rights belong to TTD and the artist.
- Transliteration, word notes and meaning: Original to the Annamayya Keerthanalu blog.
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