Hari Nama Keerthanam
[Song of Hari]
By Thunchathu Ezhuthachan
Translated by P. R. Ramachander

[Thunchathu Ezhuthachan was one of the greatest writers in Malayalam .His translation of Adhyathma Ramayanam Kili Pattu and Maha baratham are revered treasures in almost all houses in Kerala even today. He was supposed to have lived in the 14th century. His name, his caste and even the number of other books he wrote are subject of lot of controversy. But universally it is agreed upon that he wrote the book called “Hari Nama Keerthanam.”(Song of the name of Hari).Either Narayanaya Mama (salutations to Lord Narayana) or Hari Narayanaya Nama (Salutations to Narayana who is Hari) has been added to the 66 verses of this book. These are added to philosophical thoughts of Ezhuthachan. The stanzas of the book start with the alphabets in the great initial invocation “Hari Sri Ganapathaye Nama.” And then the 51 alphabets of the Malayalam of those days. It was a time when the alphabet reform was going on in Malayalam. Previous to this work, the common people used 30 alphabets of Vattezhthu, which was phonetically inadequate, and the people who wanted to write Sanskrit used Grandhaksharam which was a mixture of Tamil and Sanskrit alphabets. Thunchathu Ezhuthachan was possibly an active member of the alphabet reform process and this great book is his signal contribution to this movement.
From the book, it is clear that Thunchathu Ezhuthachan was a Vaishnavite who was fondly in love with the Advaitha philosophy. He mentions that his Guru was one Neelakanta Somayaji in one of the verses. Researchers think that he learned these aspects of religion from Tamil Nadu.
AS in my other translations, I have tried my best to reflect the meaning intended by Ezhuthachan. This was difficult because, in this case he was not addressing the common man but the student of philosophy and religion. I crave your pardon, if I have erred.]

Omkaramaya porul moonayi pirinju udane,
Angaramayathinnu thaan thane sakshiyithu,
Bodham varuthu vathinnu aalayi ninna,
Paramacharya roopa, Hari Narayanaya Nama.

My salutations to that Narayana,
Who is also the lord Hari,
For being the great teacher,
Who stood as a person, to make me know,
That truth which is revealed by the sound of Om,
Though split in to three forms of trinity,
As soon as it was born,
Is only an illusion created by my ego. 1
(This verse is the invocation by the author not to any God figure but to the Paramathma, whose clear vision to us is prevented by the veil of “Maya”)

Onnayi ninneyiha randennu kandalavi,
Yunadyi orindal batha mindavathalla mama,
Pande kanakku varuvan nin krupa valikal,
Undakayengaliha narayanaya nama.

My salutations to that Narayana,
With a request from humble self,
To make me see him as one reality,
For I was made sad extreme,
To see that the indivisible one,
Has been split in to two. 2

( Ezhuthachan continues to tell us that though the god is one , we are made to believe that we as persons(antharatma) we are different from the all pervading reality(Paramathma))

Ananda chinmaya hare, Gopikaramana,
Jnan yenna bhavam athu thonnayga vena miha,
Thonunnanathgil akilam jnan ithenna vazhi,
Thonnename varada , narayanaya nama.

My salutations to you Narayana,
Hey giver of my boons,
Hey Hari who is personification of joy,
Hey God who is darling of Gopis,
Let not mind be caught by the ego,
And let my thought make me know,
That this entire universe is really me. 3
(Ezhuthachan warns us all that, we should not be caught in the web of ego and start thinking that we are something different from the ultimate truth)

Arkanaladhi velivokke grahikkumoru,
Kanninnu kannu manamagunna kannathinnu,
Kannayirunna porul , thaan ennu murakkum mala,
Vanandamenthu , hari narayanaya nama.

My salutations to that Narayana,
Who is also the Lord Hari,
Happiness of the soul can never be described,
When one knows that self is the truth,
And that there is an eye beyond the eye.
Which is the eye of the mind,
And which can only understand the truth,
Behind the sun and the fire. 4
(Ezhuthachan tells us that self realization not only makes all truths evident but also gives immense happiness)

Harinama keerthanam ithu ura cheivathinnu guru,
Varulale devakalumarul cheika bhoosurarum,
Naranayi janichu bhuvi maranam bhavippalavu.
Muracheivadinnarulga narayanaya nama.

My salutations to you Narayana,
Please bless me so that,
This writing of the song of Hari’s name,
Is with the blessings and grace of my teacher,
Also supported by Gods and the gods among men,
And let me be able to sing this,
Not only from birth to time of death,
But also while dying. 5
(Ezhuthachan prays for the grace of his teacher as well as the approval of god and the learned Brahmins for this great work. He requests God to make this work immortal)

Sree moolamaya prakrathhengal thudangi,
Naandyatholam para maha maya thande gathi,
Janmangalum pala kazhinjalum illa gathi,
Karmathinnum parama narayanaya nama.

My salutations to Narayana,
From the ultimate root of illusion,
Through several evolutions,
Stretches this vision called life.
Though several births are past,
There is no end to this ,
Attachment through several actions. 6
(This attachment to mortal life will go only with the realization of truth which can be achieved by unalloyed devotion)

Garbhasthanayi bhuvi janichum marichummuda,
Kappola pole jananandyena nithya gathi,
Thwad bakthi vardhana mudikkenam men manassi
Nithyam thozhayi variga, narayanaya nama.

Salutations to Narayana,
Like a bubble in water,
This being travels from ,
The life in the womb.
To death, again and again.
Only the end of births,
Is the ultimate end to this pain.
And only devotion to thee,
Leads to this end of births. 7
(Impermanence of life is highlighted and it is pointed out that our aim should be to get out of this cycle of births and deaths .The author feels that devotion to Him is the only way)

Naa tharil manini manalan purana puru,
Shan bhaktha vatsalan ananthan nandadhi heenanithi,
Chithathil achyutha Kali pandal ittu vila,
Yadeetuken manasi Narayanaya nama.

Salutations to Narayana,
Who is the lord of the lady of lotus,
Who is the primeval man,
Who loves his devotees,
Who does not have either end or start,
.Be pleased Oh God,
Construct a play ground in my mind,
And play there. 8
(Ezhuthachan requests God to make the mind pray and think of only Him)

Pacha kili pavizha pal varna mothha nira,
Michipavarkku shadadaram kadannu pari,
Viswa sthithi pralaya srushtikku sathwa raja,
Sthamo bhedha , Nadha, Harinarayanaya nama.

Salutations to Narayana,
Who is the lord Hari,
Who is of the colour of green, coral and whitish milk,
Who lives in the lotus with thousand petals,
Which is above the six different states,
Who is above the deluge of this universe.
And who is above the good, royal and base characters. 9

(The yogi tries to raise the Sushmna nadi from the base of Mooladhara, through Swadishatana, Manipooraka, Anahatha , Vishudhi chakra And Agna chakra and reaches out to The sahasrara (thousand petal lotus) which is in the base of the brain. Once the sahsrara opens, it is believed all knowledge would be self evident. The realization of God then comes automatically)

Thatwathinullil udayam cheythidunna poru,
Ledutheedivaan Guru padanthe bajippavannu,
Mukthikku thakkoru upadesam tharum, janana,
Matheedum mannavanu , narayanaya nama.

Salutations to Narayana,
Realisation of the truth,
That is ingrained in the philosophy,
Is possible only to him,
Who devotes himself to the worship,
Of the feet of his teacher,
Who will give him,
Suitable advice leading to salvation,
Which would lead to the end of births. 10

(The need to get guidance from a teacher for attaining salvation is emphasized here.)

En papam okke arivaan Chithra gupthanude,
Sampoorna lekhana giram kettu Dharmapathi,
En pakkaliluula duritham parthu kanumala,
Vambhoruhaksha,Hari Narayanayaama.

Salutations to that Narayana,
Who is the Lord Hari,
Oh Lord with lotus eyes,
Please be kind enough to save me,
When the Lord of death judges me,
Based on the list of my sins,
Prepared by Lord Chithra Guptha,
And punishes me with suitable pains. 11

(The list of sins and good deeds committed by an individual is supposed to be maintained by ChitraGupta, the accountant of Lord Yama. This list is supposed to help him to determine the quantum of punishment to be given.)

Nakshatra pankthikalmindu prakasavumo,
Likkum , divakaranudhichu uyarneedava,
Pakshee ganam garudane kandu kai thozhuthu,
Rakshikka, ninnadima narayanaya nama.

Salutations to that Narayana,
Please save me , your slave,
Who elects to worship thee in your formless form,
(as against worshipping you as an idol)
For with the rise of Sun,
The glitter of stars and moon fade,
And with the coming of eagle,
Other birds fly low in salutation. 12

(Here Ezhuthachan brings out the need to worship and realize the formless god. Though other forms of worship of Gods like Vishnu, Shiva etc are practiced, they according to him are an inferior mode.)

Math prananum paranum onnennu urappavannu,
Thath prana dehavum anithyam kalathra danam,
Swapnaadhiyil, chilathu kanadangu unarnaavanno,
Doppam grahikka , Hari Narayanaya nama.

Salutations to that Narayana,
Who is the Lord Hari,
To the one who decides,
That his soul and the God are one,
His body that houses the soul,
Becomes impermanent,
And the wife and wealth,
Are like things that he sees,
In his dreams and he knows,
That all these earth is but an illusion. 13

(Ezhuthachan emphasizes the fact that a realized soul would not take interest in the worldly wealth. To him they are like things he sees in his dreams. Up to the last stanza the first letters were those of the invocation, “Hari sree Narayanaya nama.”)

Anbenamen manasi Sree neelakanda guru-
Vamboruhakshamithi vazhathunnu gnanum eha,
Anbathoraksharavum moronnuthen mozhiyi,
Lanpote cherka, Hari Narayano nama.

Salutations to that Narayana,
Who is that Lord Hari,
I praise with all my mind,
My spiritual teacher Neelakanda,
Like the Lord with lotus eyes,
And let his memory,
Be always in my mind,
And let each of the fifty one letters,
Of my language,
Be used properly in this work. 14

(Here he remembers about his teacher Sri.Neelakanda Somayaji. He also mentions that he is using the 51 reformed Malayalam alphabets instead of the 30 alphabets of Kolezhuthu or the Grandaksharam. From this stanza he starts using as first letter the vowels and consonants of the new alphabet system)

Aadhyakasharthilulayonithokkeyumi,
Thadyakaralithadangunnathum karuthi,
Adyaksharalivayiloronnu eduthu pari,
Keerthippathinnarulga,Narayanaya nama.

Salutations to Lord Narayana,
Since the Ultimate truth “Aum” started with,
The first letter of the alphabet,
And all the world started from this truth,
Please grant me a boon,
Capacity to write this work,
To start successively from this first letter. 15

(He realizes how difficult this job of making the new alphabets as first letters is going to be and prays God to help him. Hindus believe that the world was created by the sound “AUM” which echoed and reechoed in the entire universe. This holy sound also starts with the first alphabet Aa.)

Ikkanda viswamathu mindradhi devakalu,
Markenduvahnikolodoppam trimoorthikalum,
Agre virat purusha, ninmoolam akashravum,
Morkayi varenamiha narayanaya nama.

Salutations to that Narayana,
Hey God who is the eternal truth,
This universe with the Indra and devas,
Sun, moon and fire and the holy trinity,
Is due to you, who is the all pervasive one,
And so please give me the capacity,
To meditate upon thee always. 16
(Ezhuthachan here emphasizes the unity in diversity in the concept of God as propounded by Hindus)

Eevanna moham agale povathinnu puna,
Reevannamullorupadesangal ulakil,
Jeevannu, Krisha, Hari, Govinda, Rama thiru,
Namangal onnozhige, Narayanaya nama.

Salutations to the Lord Narayana,
To get devoid of this illusion great,
There is no better way shown to me,
In the teachings of the world,
Except chanting your holy names,
Like Krishna, Govinda, Hari and Rama. 17

(Though the search for method of salvation is through the belief in the formless God, Ezhuthachan advocates meditation on the holy names as a method to get this belief.)

Ullil kanatha madha mathsaryamennithuka,
Lulloru kalamude nennagilum manasi
Chollithoru thirunamangal annavannu.
Nalla gathikku vazhi narayanaya nama.

Salutations to Lord Narayana,
Even in the period when mind is full of heavy
Feelings of ego and competition,
Chanting of holy names in the mind ,
Is the only way for salvation. 18

(Chanting of holy names keeps the mind away from bad qualities like anger, jealosy,etc.)

Oorinnu venda chila bharangal vendathinnu,
Neerinnu venda nija dharangal vendathinnu,
Narayana Achyutha , Hare yennathinnoruvar,
Navonni vendu, Hari Narayanaya nama.

Salutations to Lord Narayana who is Hari,
There is no need of pilgrimage to holy places,
There is no need of lot many things to buy,
There is no need to bathe in holy waters,
And there is no need of a virtuous wife for that,
But there is only the need of tongue,
To chant Narayana, Hari and Achyutha. 19

(Ezhuthachan here advocates pure Bhakthi and chanting of holy names, He says that there is no need for any other thing to be done.)

Rithuvaya penninnu mirappavannum dahakannum,
Pathithannum Agni yagnam cheyda bhoo surannum,
Har nama keerthanam ithoru nalu markku muda,
Naruthathalla, hari narayanaya nama.

Salutations to Lord Narayana who is Hari,
The singing of the names of Hari,
Is never banned any time ,
For the lady who is in her periods,
For the one who begs,
For the one who observes an unclean time,
For the debased human being,
And for the Brahmin doing fire sacrifice. 20

(Here is Ezhuthachan talking like a modern day revolutionary against orthodox beliefs.. Some researchers feel that he was not allowed to read the holy books in Kerala and had to go to other states to learn religious books.)

Rhoubhoshanennu chilar bashikkalum chilaru,
Mapapiiyennu paryunnakilum manasi,
Aavo namukku thiriyayennu vachu thiru
Namangal cholka Hari Narayanaya nama.

Salutations that lord Narayana who is Hari,
Chant the holy names of Hari,
Acting as if we are ignorant of what they say,
When some one tells that we are pure idiots
And when some one calls us a great sinner. 21

(Ezhuthachan wants every one not to bother about the orthodox opinion and pray god as one wishes.)

Lruthadmadhi yothoru poruham ninakkilumi,
Thajithande nama gunamathiningu venda drudam,
Oru kodi kodi thava thirunamamullavayi,
Larauthathilla Hari Narayanaya nama.

Salutations that lord Narayana who is Hari,
There is no need to see which name matches,
For there is no name which is not suitable,
In the crores of crores of holy names of the god,
And certainly all the names are very good. 22

( He dispels another popular belief that chanting certain names of god are superior than others.)