ಬಾಗಿಲನು ತೆರೆದು – Baagilanu Teredu

Transliteration:

Pallavi:
Bāgilanu teredu sēveyanu koḍo Hariye
Kūgidaru dhvani kēḷalillavē Narahariye

Charana 1:
Paramapadadoḷage viṣadharana talpadali nī
Sirisahita kṣīravārudhiyoḷiralū
Karirāja kaṣṭadali ādimūlā endu
Kareyalākṣaṇa bandu odagideyo Narahariye

Charana 2:
Kaḍu kōpadali khaḷanu khaḍugavanu hiḍidu
Ninnōḍeyane ellihanu endu nuḍiyē
Dṛḍha bhakiyali śiśuvu biḍade ninnanu bhajise
Saḍagaradi kaḿbhadindodeyeyo Narahariye

Charana 3:
Yamasutana rāṇige akṣayavasanavitte
Samayadali ajamiḷana porede
Samayāsamayavuṇṭe bhaktavatsala ninage
Kamalākṣa kāgineleyādi kēśavane

Translation:

Pallavi:
Open the doors and grant me the opportunity to serve, O Lord Hari!
Even when I call out, do you not hear my voice, O Narahari?

Charana 1:
In the supreme abode, upon the serpent Adishesha’s divine couch,
You reside with Lakshmi, in the milky ocean.
When the king of elephants (Gajendra) was in dire distress,
And cried out “O Primal Source,” you swiftly appeared, O Narahari!

Charana 2:
In great wrath, you grabbed the wicked Hiranyakashipu,
And demanded, “Where is your Lord?” with fierce determination.
With unshakable devotion, Prahlada never ceased chanting your name,
And in joyous fervor, you emerged from the pillar, O Narahari!

Charana 3:
You provided endless garments to the wife of the son of Yama (Draupadi),
And at the right moment, you forgave Ajamila’s sins.
Timeliness and untimeliness do not matter to you, O protector of devotees—
O lotus-eyed Adikeshava of Kaginele!

Explanation:

This keerthane by Kanakadasa extols Lord Narahari (Narasimha) as the protector and savior of His devotees. It references key episodes from Hindu mythology, such as Gajendra Moksha, Prahlada’s unyielding faith, and Draupadi’s honor being saved, showcasing the Lord’s unwavering compassion. Kanakadasa emphasizes that the Lord transcends the boundaries of time and circumstance, responding to the sincere calls of His devotees with divine grace.

The “Bagilanu Teredu” scene in the movie Bhakta Kanakadasa (1960), a classic Kannada film directed by Y. R. Swamy and starring Dr. Rajkumar as Kanaka Dasa, is one of the most poignant and spiritually significant moments. Kanaka Dasa, a devoted follower of Lord Krishna, faces rejection and discrimination due to his caste status. Despite being a true devotee, he is not allowed to enter the temple to offer his prayers to Lord Krishna. Instead of feeling bitter or angry, Kanaka Dasa turns to his usual means of expressing his devotion—composing heartfelt keerthanas (songs).