Maanasa Sancharare

Raga: shyaamaa, 28 harikAmbhOji janya

Aa: S R2 M1 P D2 S Av: S D2 P M1 G3 R2 S
Taalam: Adi

Lyrics: Pallavi: मानस सन्चररे। ब्रह्मणि मानस सन्चररे॥ mānasa sancarare | brahmaṇi mānasa sancarare || Charanam: मदशिखि पिञ्छालन्क्रुत चिकुरे। महणीय कपोल विजित मुकुरे॥ madaśikhi piñchālankruta cikure | mahaṇīya kapola vijita mukure || श्री रमणी कुच दुर्ग विहारे। सेवक जन मन्दिर मन्दारे॥ śrī ramaṇī kuca durga vihāre | sevaka jana mandira mandāre || परमहम्स मुखचन्द्र चकोरे। परिपूरित मुरली रवधारे॥ paramahamsa mukhacandra cakore | paripūrita muralī ravadhāre ||

English verse: "In your mind, must you ponder, the Highest, in your mind, ponder. A fine peacock feather adorns His hair, Surpass a bud, His celebrated cheeks fair. In His consort Lakshmi's bosom, does he reside, As a wish fulfilling tree is He, where His devotees reside. Nectar, His moon like face is to the highest sage, Sweet music from His flute completes this visage. "

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Word for Word:
"Approach in your mind, the Brahman, approach in your mind, He who sports a beautiful peacock feather in His hair, whose illustrious cheek surpasses a blossom, Who resides in His consort Lakshmi's bosom, is the wish-fulfilling tree of His devotees' abodes, Whose moon-like face delights the eyes of the highest ascetic like drinking nectar, and (which visage) is filled by the stream of music heard from His flute."

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Comments:
This famous kriti is by the great 18th century saint Sadashiva Brahmendrar. Even when it is not sung, this poem is exceedingly beautiful in the original Sanskrit. To match its meaning and flow better, I have given a more poetic verse translation, that takes some license. So, I have given a separate word-for-word translation also. The allusion of course, is to Sri Krishna. The 'paramahamsa' is actually Sadasiva Brahmendra's stamp. Although I have literally translated paramahamsa, perhaps we can also respectfully take it to denote he himself. Hamsa or the swan is particularly important in Hinduism and is often associated with the mystical Manasa Sarovar lake. Swans signify purity, spiritual development and liberation. So, enlightened scholars are called Paramahamsa, to indicate transcendence and that they can at once reach the ethereal spheres. For the phrase "kuca durga", I have taken the more direct meaning. It may be useful to mention that the chakora bird, often mentioned by Sanskrit poets, was said to live on moonbeams alone and so, Sri Krishna's face gives nectar-like delight to the sage.

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