Takkuvemi Manaku (Bhadrachala Ramadasa)
तक्कुवेमि मनकू
Also known as: takkuvemi manaku · takkuvemi manaku ramundokkadundu varaku · thakkuvemi manaku · ramadasu takkuvemi manaku
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✦ Meaning
'Takkuvemi Manaku' is Bhadrachala Ramadasa's ringing declaration of faith: 'What can we lack, so long as Rama — the One — is ours?' Charanam by charanam he calls the roll of the Lord's saving forms — the discus-bearer at our side, Matsya who slew Somaka, Vamana who measured the worlds, Rama who humbled ten-headed Ravana, Krishna who ended Kamsa — concluding with the Narayana who guards Ramadasa himself. Composed by the saint who endured twelve years in a Golconda prison, it is courage set to music.
Origin & Story
Kirtana of Bhadrachala Ramadasa (Telugu, 17th century CE) · Bhadrachala Ramadasa (Kancherla Gopanna) · c. 1620-1688 CE
Ramadasa's life swung between glory and dungeon, yet his songs never bargain — they trust. In this kirtana he answers every anxiety of a householder's heart with a roll-call of rescues: the Lord has saved the Vedas, the worlds, the wronged and the oppressed in age after age; he stands discus in hand beside his own; and he has demonstrably protected Ramadasa himself. Therefore — what can we lack?
✦ As told in scripture
Ramadasa spent twelve years in the Golconda fortress prison for building Rama's temple with tax gold. The legend tells that Rama and Lakshmana, as the youths Ramoji and Lakshmoji, repaid every coin to Sultan Tanisha in one night and freed the saint — the living proof behind this song's refrain that those who have Rama can lack nothing.
Complete Text with Meaning
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तक्कुवेमि मनकू रामुं-डॊक्कडुण्डु वरकू
takkuvēmi manakū rāmuṃ-ḍokkaḍuṇḍu varakū
Meaning:What can we ever lack, so long as Rama — the One Lord — is ours?
प्रक्कतोडुगा भगवन्तुडु मन चक्रधारियै चॆन्तनॆ उण्डगा ॥ 1 ॥ तक्कुवेमि मनकू ॥
prakkatōḍugā bhagavantuḍu mana cakradhāriyai centane uṇḍagā ॥ 1 ॥ takkuvēmi manakū ॥
Meaning:When the Lord himself, the bearer of the discus, stands right beside us as our companion — what can we lack?
म्रुच्चुसोमकुनि मुनु जम्पिन आ मत्समूर्ति मनपक्षमुनुण्डगा ॥ 2 ॥ तक्कुवेमि मनकू ॥
mruccusōmakuni munu jampina ā matsamūrti manapakṣamunuṇḍagā ॥ 2 ॥ takkuvēmi manakū ॥
Meaning:When the Lord in his Fish form (Matsya), who of old slew the thieving Somaka, is on our side — what can we lack?
भूमिस्वर्गमुलु पॊन्दुग गॊलचिन वामनुण्डु मनवाडै युण्डग ॥ 3 ॥ तक्कुवेमि मनकू ॥
bhūmisvargamulu ponduga golacina vāmanuṇḍu manavāḍai yuṇḍaga ॥ 3 ॥ takkuvēmi manakū ॥
Meaning:When Vamana, who neatly measured out earth and heaven with his strides, is our very own — what can we lack?
दशग्रीवुमुनि दण्डिञ्चिन आ धशरध रामुनि दय मनकुण्डग ॥ 4 ॥ तक्कुवेमि मनकू ॥
daśagrīvumuni daṇḍiñcina ā dhaśaradha rāmuni daya manakuṇḍaga ॥ 4 ॥ takkuvēmi manakū ॥
Meaning:When the mercy of Dasharatha's Rama, who punished the ten-necked Ravana, rests upon us — what can we lack?
दुष्टकंसुनी दुञ्चिनट्टि श्री कृष्णुडु मनपै गृपतो नुण्डग ॥ 5 ॥ तक्कुवेमि मनकू ॥
duṣṭakaṃsunī duñcinaṭṭi śrī kṛṣṇuḍu manapai gṛpatō nuṇḍaga ॥ 5 ॥ takkuvēmi manakū ॥
Meaning:When Sri Krishna, who destroyed the wicked Kamsa, watches over us with grace — what can we lack?
रामदासुनि गाचॆडि श्री मन्नारायणि नॆरनम्मियुण्डग ॥ 6 ॥ तक्कुवेमि मनकू ॥
rāmadāsuni gāceḍi śrī mannārāyaṇi neranammiyuṇḍaga ॥ 6 ॥ takkuvēmi manakū ॥
Meaning:When we trust wholly in Sri Man-Narayana, the protector of Ramadasa — what can we ever lack?
Word-by-Word Meaning
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Benefits of Chanting Takkuvemi Manaku (Bhadrachala Ramadasa)
A shield-song against fear and want: reciting it plants the conviction that with Rama beside us, nothing is lacking.
Remembers five saving forms of the Lord — Matsya, Vamana, Rama, Krishna, Narayana — like a compact dashavatara smarana.
Composed by a saint in captivity, it lends strength in hardship, debt, illness and loneliness.
Simple refrain structure makes it ideal for congregational bhajan and children's singing.
Builds nishchala bhakti — unwavering trust — the central virtue of Ramadasa's life.
How to Chant Takkuvemi Manaku (Bhadrachala Ramadasa)
Sing the refrain 'Takkuvemi manaku, Ramundokkadundu varaku' with full conviction, letting the whole gathering repeat it after each charanam. With each verse, recall the story it names — Matsya and Somaka, Vamana's strides, Rama and Ravana, Krishna and Kamsa — and end resting your own troubles on the protector of Ramadasa.