Jaganmohanakara chaturudavu - జగన్మోహనాకార చతురుడవు

Annamayya Keerthana Lyrics in Telugu & English with Meaning and Audio

A devotee with folded hands before Lord Venkateswara in the Tirumala sanctum, lamps glowing, illustrating Annamayya’s keerthana Jaganmohanakara chaturudavu about a heart never satisfied with devotion, by S Dommu, vaksara.com

Jaganmohanakara: eyes, ears, tongue, body, feet, forehead, hands and mind are never satisfied with serving the Lord. Illustration created with AI for this post.

Audio by N C SRIDEVI:

▶ Listen on TTD (tirumala.org)

Audio © Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) and the artist. Listen on the official TTD website.

Jaganmohanakara chaturudavu (జగన్మోహనాకార చతురుడవు) is an adhyatma (spiritual) keerthana by the 15th-century composer-saint Annamacharya (Annamayya), set in raga Bowli. Annamayya addresses Sri Venkateswara as the Supreme Person whose form enchants the whole world. He then confesses a puzzle about his own devotion. However many times he serves the Lord, nothing in him is satisfied: the eyes, ears, tongue, body, feet, forehead, hands and mind all want more. He keeps asking, "Is this my shortcoming or yours?" In the last verse he says the Lord of Venkatagiri has made his soul fall in love with him. TTD places this audio in the album Annamayya Hari Sankirtana Chittam. Below you will find the lyrics in Telugu, an easy-to-read English transliteration, word notes, and the meaning in English and Telugu.

Also written as: Jaganmohanakara, Jagan mohana kara, Jaganmohanakaara, జగన్మోహనాకార.

జగన్మోహనాకార చతురుఁడవు అన్నమయ్య కీర్తన (రాగం: బౌళి) సాహిత్యం, తెలుగు మరియు ఇంగ్లీష్ లిరిక్స్, భావము, ఆడియోతో.

Annamayya Keerthana Lyrics in Telugu & English

Song details

ComposerAnnamacharya (Annamayya)
వాగ్గేయకారతాళ్లపాక అన్నమాచార్య
CategoryAdhyatma sankeertana (అధ్యాత్మ సంకీర్తన)
RagaBowli (బౌళి)
Rekhu (copper plate)176-1
Volume (Samputam)2-375
DeitySri Venkateswara (Tirumala)
Singer (audio)N C Sridevi
Audio albumAnnamayya Hari Sankirtana Chittam
SourceTirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD)
LanguageTelugu

జగన్మోహనాకార – Telugu lyrics

జగన్మోహనాకార చతురుఁడవు పురుషోత్తముఁడవు
వెగటు నా సోదంబు ఇది నీ వెలితో నా వెలితో ॥పల్లవి॥

యెన్నిమారులు సేవించినఁ గన్నులూ దనియవు
విన్న నీకథామృతమున వీనులుఁ దనియవు
సన్నిధిని మిమ్ము నుతియించి సరుస జిహ్వయుఁ దవియదు
విన్న కన్నది గాదు ఇది నావెలితో నీవెలితో ॥జగన్మోహనాకార॥

కడఁగి నీప్రసాదమే కొని కాయమూఁ దనియదు
బడిఁ బ్రదక్షిణములుసేసి పాదములు నివిఁ దనియవు
నుడివి సాష్టాంగంబు చేసి నుదురునూఁ దనియదు
వెడఁగుఁదన మిది గలిగె నిది నావెలితో నీవెలితో ॥జగన్మోహనాకార॥

చెలఁగి నిను నేఁ బూజించి చేతులూఁ దనియవు
చెలువు సింగారంబు దలఁచి చి త్తమూఁ దనియదు
అలరి శ్రీవేంకటగిరీశ్వర అత్మ నను మోహించఁజేసితి
వెలయ నిన్నియుఁ దేరే మును నీవెలితో నావెలితో ॥జగన్మోహనాకార॥

Jaganmohanakara – lyrics in English (transliteration)

jaganmOhanAkAra chaturuDavu purushOttamuDavu
vegaTu nA sOdaMbu idi nI velitO nA velitO ||pallavi||

yennimArulu sEviMchina gannulU daniyavu
vinna nIkathAmRtamuna vInulu daniyavu
sannidhini mimmu nutiyiMchi sarusa jihvayu daviyadu
vinna kannadi gAdu idi nAvelitO nIvelitO ||jaganmOhanAkAra||

kaDagi nIprasAdamE koni kAyamU daniyadu
baDi bradakshiNamulusEsi pAdamulu nivi daniyavu
nuDivi sAshTAMgaMbu chEsi nudurunU daniyadu
veDaguduna midi galige nidi nAvelitO nIvelitO ||jaganmOhanAkAra||

chelagi ninu nE bUjiMchi chEtulU daniyavu
cheluvu siMgAraMbu dalachi chittamU daniyadu
alari SrIvEMkaTagirISvara atma nanu mOhiMchajEsiti
velaya ninniyu dErE munu nIvelitO nAvelitO ||jaganmOhanAkAra||

Word notes

  • Jaganmohana-akara (జగన్మోహనాకార): the one whose form enchants the whole world.
  • Chaturudu (చతురుఁడు): a skilful, clever one; one who is master of his art.
  • Purushottamudu (పురుషోత్తముఁడు): the Supreme Person, the best among beings.
  • Vegatu (వెగటు): something strange or perplexing; also used for distaste. Here it points to the puzzling nature of the poet's state.
  • Sodambu (సోదంబు): a wonder or marvel (from sodyamu).
  • Velito (వెలితో): "is it a lack?" Velili means a shortfall, emptiness or deficiency. Nivelito nAvelito means "is it your lack or mine?"
  • Yennimarulu (యెన్నిమారులు): however many times.
  • Sevinchina (సేవించిన): having served, worshipped, attended on.
  • Daniyavu (తనియవు): are not satisfied, are not content.
  • Kathamrutamu (కథామృతము): the nectar of the Lord's stories.
  • Veenulu (వీనులు): ears.
  • Sannidhi (సన్నిధి): the Lord's presence.
  • Nutiyinchi (నుతియించి): having praised.
  • Sarusa (సరుస): in order, in a continuous flow.
  • Jihvayu (జిహ్వయు): the tongue.
  • Vinna kannadi gadu (విన్న కన్నది గాదు): something neither heard nor seen before; an unheard-of thing.
  • Kadagi (కడఁగి): eagerly, with determination.
  • Prasadamu (ప్రసాదము): food offered to the Lord and received back as his grace.
  • Kayamu (కాయము): the body.
  • Badi (బడి): in a regular way; with discipline (here describing the circumambulations).
  • Pradakshinamulu (ప్రదక్షిణములు): circumambulations around the deity or shrine.
  • Padamulu (పాదములు): feet.
  • Nudivi (నుడివి): having spoken, uttered.
  • Sashtangamu (సాష్టాంగము): full prostration with eight limbs touching the ground.
  • Nuduru (నుదురు): the forehead.
  • Vedagutanamu (వెడఁగుఁదనము): strangeness, oddity; an unusual condition.
  • Chelagi (చెలఁగి): joyfully, with enthusiasm.
  • Chetulu (చేతులు): hands.
  • Cheluvu singarambu (చెలువు సింగారంబు): the Lord's beauty and adornment.
  • Chittamu (చిత్తము): the mind and heart.
  • Alari (అలరి): delighted, pleased.
  • Sri Venkatagirisvara (శ్రీవేంకటగిరీశ్వర): Lord of the Venkatagiri hills, Sri Venkateswara.
  • Atma (ఆత్మ): the self, the soul.
  • Mohinchajesiti (మోహించఁజేసితి): you made me fall in love; you made me enamoured.
  • Velaya (వెలయ): to shine forth, to appear.

Meaning of Jaganmohanakara (in English)

This is a summary of the idea of the song, not a word-for-word translation. A few phrases are old Telugu and can be read in more than one way, so please treat this as one reading.

  • Pallavi: You are the one whose form enchants the world, you are clever, you are the Supreme Person. This strange wonder of mine is hard to understand. Is the lack yours, or is it mine?
  • First charanam: However many times I serve you, my eyes are never satisfied. My ears are not satisfied by listening to the nectar of your stories. In your presence my tongue keeps praising you in a flow and still does not tire. This is something I have never seen or heard before. Is it my lack or yours?
  • Second charanam: Eagerly I take your prasada, yet my body is not satisfied. I circle your shrine, yet my feet are not satisfied. I speak your praise and bow in full prostration, yet my forehead is not satisfied. This strange state has come upon me. Is it my lack or yours?
  • Third charanam: Joyfully I worship you, yet my hands are not satisfied. Thinking of your beauty and adornment, my mind is not satisfied. O Lord of Venkatagiri, you have made my soul fall in love with you. All this has been since long ago. Is it your lack or mine?

The song describes a love for God that cannot be satisfied. Annamayya goes through the eyes, ears, tongue, body, feet, forehead, hands and mind, and each one still wants more. The repeated question "nivelito navelito" is not really a complaint. It is a wondering about how endless devotion is, and it suggests that the Lord's beauty is itself what makes the hunger grow.

భావము (తెలుగులో)

ఈ కీర్తనలో అన్నమయ్య శ్రీవేంకటేశ్వరుని జగన్మోహనాకారుడైన చతురుడిగా, పురుషోత్తముడిగా స్తుతిస్తూ, తన భక్తిలో తనకే అర్థం కాని ఒక విచిత్రాన్ని చెప్పుకుంటున్నారు. పల్లవిలో ఈ వింత నాదా నీదా, ఈ వెలితి నీదో నాదో అని అడుగుతున్నారు. మొదటి చరణంలో ఎన్నిసార్లు సేవించినా కళ్ళు తనియవు, నీ కథామృతాన్ని విన్నా చెవులు తనియవు, నిన్ను స్తుతించినా నాలుక తనియదు అంటున్నారు. రెండవ చరణంలో నీ ప్రసాదం స్వీకరించినా దేహం తనియదు, ప్రదక్షిణాలు చేసినా పాదాలు తనియవు, సాష్టాంగం చేసినా నుదురు తనియదు అని చెబుతున్నారు. మూడవ చరణంలో పూజించినా చేతులు తనియవు, నీ అందాన్ని తలచినా మనసు తనియదు అని, శ్రీవేంకటగిరీశ్వరా, నా ఆత్మను నీపై మోహింపజేశావు, ఈ వెలితి నీదో నాదో అని ముగిస్తున్నారు.

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 Jaganmohanakara chaturudavu?
Tallapaka Annamacharya (Annamayya), the 15th-century composer-saint.

Which raga is it in?
Bowli (బౌళి).

What are the rekhu and samputam numbers?
Rekhu 176-1, Samputam 2-375.

What does the keerthana say?
The poet says that however much he serves Sri Venkateswara, his eyes, ears, tongue, body, feet, forehead, hands and mind are never satisfied, and he asks again and again whether the lack is his or the Lord's.

What does "nivelito navelito" mean?
It means "is it your lack or mine?" Annamayya asks it as a wondering question about devotion that never feels complete.

Which album is the audio from?
The audio is from the TTD album Annamayya Hari Sankirtana Chittam, sung by N C Sridevi.

Where can I listen to it?
The audio on this page is sung by N C Sridevi 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 176-1, samputam 2-375) follow the TTD Annamacharya Sankeertanas edition.
  • Audio: Sung by N C Sridevi. 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.

The keerthana text is by Annamacharya (public domain). Audio recordings and published editions belong to their respective owners. Shared for devotional and educational purposes. If you are a rights holder and want any content changed or removed, please tell us through the Contact page.

Popular Annamayya keerthanas:

Annamacharya's keerthanas are more than 500 years old. If you notice a spelling mistake, please tell us through the Contact page.