Garudagamana Tava: The Divine Tongue-Twister That Turns Devotion Into Music Meditation

The first time I truly immersed myself into the song Garudagamana Tava was one evening when two 18 year old twins sang it in the most melodious way. They are my friends’ children and I was attending a function at her home. Imagine my luck when my music teacher recently decided to teach us this song. I was thrilled.

There’s something mesmerizing about the wordplay in this Sanskrit composition by Jagadguru Sri Sri Bharathi Theertha Mahaswamiji of Sringeri Sharada Peetham. The hymn is in praise of Lord Vishnu, who travels on his divine eagle mount, the Garuda. Through this, we are invoking his divine protection and requesting him to liberate us from worldly troubles.

As you will notice from the lyrics below, this is quite a tongue twister and was a delight to practice. In my head I was going, “Hello rappers, move, here I come.”

LYRICS of Garudagamana Tava:

Pallavi:

Garudagamana tava charanakamalamiha
Manasi lasatu mama nityam
Manasi lasatu mama nityam
Mama tāpamapākuru deva
Mama pāpamapākuru deva

“O Lord who travels on Garuda, may Your lotus feet always shine in my mind eternally.
O God, remove my sufferings; O God, remove my sins.”

Verse 1:

Jalajanayana vidhinamuciharaṇamukha
Vibudhavinuta padapadma
Vibudhavinuta padapadma
Mama tāpamapākuru deva
Mama pāpamapākuru deva

Verse 2:

Bhujagaśayana bhava madanajanaka
Mama jananamaraṇabhayahāri
Mama jananamaraṇabhayahāri
Mama tāpamapākuru deva
Mama pāpamapākuru deva

Verse 3:

Śaṅkhacakradhara duṣṭadaityahara
Sarvaloka śaraṇa
Sarvaloka śaraṇa
Mama tāpamapākuru deva
Mama pāpamapākuru deva

Verse 4:

Agaṇita guṇagaṇa aśaraṇa śaraṇada
Vidalita suraripujālajāla
Vidalita suraripujālajāla
Mama tāpamapākuru deva
Mama pāpamapākuru deva

Verse 5 (Closing – prayer for the Acharya):

Bhaktavaryamiha bhūrikaruṇayā
Pāhi bhāratītīrtham
Pāhi bhāratītīrtham
Mama tāpamapākuru deva
Mama pāpamapākuru deva

I hope you will chant with me. Thank you.

NOTE: I got the lyrics from GROK, please excuse any mistakes.

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My Humble Tribute To The Carnatic Music Trio

{ Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar and Syama Sastri }