ramaramadasabhadrachalamtelugu

Takkuvemi Manaku (Bhadrachala Ramadasa)

तक्कुवेमि मनकू in English · English

🕉️ carnatic·📿 1× repetitions·🕐 Morning, or whenever anxiety about lack and hardship arises; on Sri Rama Navami·📜 Kirtana of Bhadrachala Ramadasa (Telugu, 17th century CE)

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हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀEnglishසිංහල 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

✦ 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.

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Complete Text with Meaning

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Verse 1

takkuvēmi manakū rāmuṃ-ḍokkaḍuṇḍu varakū

Meaning:What can we ever lack, so long as Rama — the One Lord — is ours?

Verse 2

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?

Verse 3

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?

Verse 4

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?

Verse 5

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?

Verse 6

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?

Verse 7

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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takkuvēmi manakū🔊What do we lack? What shortage can we have?

rāmuṃ-ḍokkaḍuṇḍu varakū🔊So long as the one Rama is with us.

prakkatōḍugā bhagavantuḍu🔊The Lord himself as the companion at our side.

cakradhāriyai centane uṇḍagā🔊Standing right beside us, bearing the discus.

matsamūrti🔊The Lord in his Matsya (fish) incarnation, slayer of Somaka.

vāmanuṇḍu manavāḍai yuṇḍaga🔊When Vamana (the dwarf incarnation) is our very own.

daśagrīvumuni daṇḍiñcina🔊Who punished the ten-necked (Ravana).

duṣṭakaṃsunī duñcinaṭṭi śrī kṛṣṇuḍu🔊Sri Krishna, who crushed the wicked Kamsa.

neranammiyuṇḍaga🔊When we have placed our complete trust (in him).

Benefits of Chanting तक्कुवेमि मनकू

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A shield-song against fear and want: reciting it plants the conviction that with Rama beside us, nothing is lacking.

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Remembers five saving forms of the Lord — Matsya, Vamana, Rama, Krishna, Narayana — like a compact dashavatara smarana.

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Composed by a saint in captivity, it lends strength in hardship, debt, illness and loneliness.

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Simple refrain structure makes it ideal for congregational bhajan and children's singing.

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Builds nishchala bhakti — unwavering trust — the central virtue of Ramadasa's life.

How to Chant तक्कुवेमि मनकू

Repetitions1times

Best TimeMorning, or whenever anxiety about lack and hardship arises; on Sri Rama Navami

FaceFacing the deity of Rama

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete तक्कुवेमि मनकू written in the English script — the same Sanskrit/Hindi verses, transliterated character-by-character so you can read and chant comfortably. Tap any line (or the ▶ button) to hear it recited aloud.

Yes — only the script changes; the words and their meaning are the original. The verse-by-verse meaning, benefits and how-to-chant guidance on this page apply exactly the same.

'What do we lack?' — the refrain declares that so long as the one Rama is with us, nothing whatever can be wanting.

The discus-bearing Lord beside us, Matsya who slew the demon Somaka (recovering the Vedas), Vamana who measured earth and heaven, Rama who punished ten-headed Ravana, Krishna who destroyed Kamsa, and Narayana who protects Ramadasa.

Kancherla Gopanna (c. 1620-1688), revenue officer of Bhadrachalam, who built the great Rama temple there, was imprisoned for it in Golconda for twelve years, and poured out hundreds of Telugu kirtanas — becoming, with Tyagaraja, the fountainhead of Rama-bhakti music.

Whenever fear of scarcity or helplessness looms. Ramadasa sang of the Lord's sufficiency from inside a prison cell — the song is meant for exactly such hours.