THE TRANSLATION:
Muralidhara! Protect me every moment
Sadguro! Take away my sorrow and bestow joy!

(Oh! Guro!) Dost thou not hear my cries?
A child that I am
‘Mãrjãra vritthi’^* is the only way (out)!

Oh! One who knows everything!
Oh! The Omnipresent!
Oh! The Omnipotent!
Oh! The ever contented!
Oh! The Pure form of Jnãna!
Oh! The giver of comfort to the Bhaktas!
My life should
drown
in dhyana, and
worship of thy Pãduka!

-Somayaji Sri Mallikãrjuna Sarma

*Vaishnava philosophy speaks of two kinds of attitude towards the Lord. One is ‘Markata kishora nyãya’ and the other ‘Mãrjãra kishora nyãya’. The former (Markata) speaks of holding on to God if you yearn for Him, just as a little monkey holds on to the mother. The mother monkey does not bother about the little one. It is the little one that holds on to the mother.

The latter (‘Mãrjãra’) speaks of total surrender to the Lord. Leave everything to Him and He will take care, just as a cat takes care of its kitten. The cat is ever concerned about the safety of its kitten while the kitten itself is not worried about it.