9. “శ్రీహరి సేసిన చిహ్నలివి” (SrIhari sEsina chihnalivi)

 

`ANNAMACHARYA

9. “శ్రీహరి సేసిన చిహ్నలివి”

Annamacharya is extremely gifted composer. He uses words of daily use to convey difficult concepts. He is so frugal with words that he leaves the reader in awe.

In this he raises fundamental questions on who is the experiencer. Who is that seeking gratification? What's the result of pursuing desires?

He wonders why man fails to recognise so obvious origin of his troubles. Oblivious of this, any effort does not bring the succour he badly needs.

 

శ్రీహరి సేసిన చిహ్నలివి యీ-
 మోహము విడుచుట మోక్షమది ॥పల్లవి॥

SrIhari sEsina chihnalivi yI-
mOhamu viDuchuTa mOkshamadi || pallavi||

Word to Word meaning: శ్రీహరి (SrIhari) = God; సేసిన (sEsina) = చేసిన (sEsina = chEsina)= created; చిహ్నలు (chihnalu) = marks, signature; ఇవి (ivi) = these; యీ (yI)= this; మోహము (mOhamu) = fascination; విడుచుట (viDuchuTa) = leave; మోక్షము (mOkshamu)= liberation; అది (adi) = that

 

Literal meaning: These are the signatures of SRIHARI. Leaving this fascination is liberation.

Implied meaning: To leave fascination is liberation. Yet man's inward trouble is traceable to indelible bonds created by material nature.

Comments: Annamacharya is implying that we don’t recognise the obstacles created by engagement with senses. These senses, have origin in nature i.e is God. In following stanzas he has elaborated. 

    చ|| మలినంబేది మణుఁగననేది
      కలుషపుమలముల కాయమిది
      కలిగిన దేది కడు లేందేది
      చలనపు మాయల జన్మ మిది ॥శ్రీహరి॥

      malinaMbEdi maNugananEdi
      kalushapu malamula kAyamidi
      kaligina dEdi kaDu lEMdEdi
      chalanapu mAyala janma midi || SrIhari||

Word to Word meaning:మలినంబు (malinaMbu) = dirt; ఏది (Edi)  = who, which, what; మణుఁగు (maNugu) = waste; అన (ana)= said; ఏది (Edi)   = who, which; కలుషపు (kalushapu) = polluted; మలముల (malamula) = excretion; కాయము (kAyamu) = body; ఇది (idi)  = this; కలిగినది (kaligina di) = consists; ఏది  (Edi)  = who, which; కడు (kaDu) = much; లేంది  (lEMdi) = lacking; ఏది  (Edi)  = who, which; చలనపు (chalanapu) = moving, changing, wavering; మాయల (mAyala) = illusion, facination; జన్మము (janmamu) = life; ఇది (idi) = this

Literal meaning: What is dirt? What's waste? This impure body is full of dirt. What is that exists? What's not? Nevertheless, life is ever- changing fascinating illusion.

Implied meaning: This ever changing fascinating illusion of life makes man to ignore the very origin of the dirt and dust we abhor. Man fails to recognise what actually exists, what doesn't.

Comments: We love ourselves and our body much. What is the origin of this abominable pollution Annamacharya is talking about? Our love for ourselves (so called maya) is blinding us from recognising the facts.Disregarding this fundamental origin, man continues to build  necessities  which are absolutely not helping. For example, today, digital communication has so utterly devided the man from his neighbours, yet no man can live without the help of communication. Thus drift the man took, is making it more difficult to perceive the truth. 

 

చ|| తనిసిన దేది తనియనిదేది
దినదిన మాఁకలి దీరదిది
కొన యిందేది గుఱి మొదలేది
పనిగొను కర్మపు బంధ మది॥శ్రీహరి॥

tanisina dEdi taniyanidEdi
dinadina mAkali dIradidi
kona yiMdEdi gu~ri modalEdi
panigonu karmapu baMdha madi || SrIhari||

Word to Word meaning: తనిసినది (tanisinadi) = satisfied; ఏది (Edi)   = what, which, who; తనియనిది (taniyanidi) = not satiated; ఏది (Edi)   = who, which; దినదినము (dinadinamu)  = day by day; ఆఁకలి  (Akali) = hunger; దీరదు = తీరదు (dIrad = tIradu) = not satisfied;ఇది (idi) = this; కొన (kona) = end; ఇందు (yimdu) = in this; ఏది (Edi)   = who, which; గుఱి (gu~ri) = target, aim, goal; మొదలు (modalu) = beginning; ఏది (Edi)   = who, which; పనిగొను (panigonu) =  undertake; కర్మపు (karmapu) = chores; బంధము (baMdhamu) = bond; అది (adi) = that

 

Literal Meaning: Who is (completely) satisfied? Who is not? This hunger is never satiated. What is the end? What is the beginning aim? Man undertakes chores which bind him.

Implied meaning: Who gets satiated? Who don’t? For, the hunger (for wants) continues to haunt. Yet, apparently, neither beginning nor ends to man’s engagement with daily chores. In the process man conveniently forgets for what he began his journey of life. 

Comments: Man’s engagement with life is what is described here in this stanza. Will man ever get satisfied? Then what satisfies man? What is true end to life? What is real aim of life? (Is it the material life we lead now?). Engagement with chores is just rigmarole. Annamacharya is questioning the way we live. He is indicating we need a paradigm shift.

The primary question Annamacharya raised is about who is that gets satisfied? Though apparently trivial and open ended, must be probed deep by right thinking person.

 

 చ|| నిండినదేది నిండనిదేది
కొండల పొడవుల కోరికది
అండనె శ్రీవేంకటాధిపు శరణని
వుండుటె యిహపరయోగ మది॥శ్రీహరి॥

niMDinadEdi niMDanidEdi
koMDala poDavula kOrikadi
aMDane SrIvEMkaTAdhipu SaraNani
vuMDuTe yihaparayOga madi|| SrIhari||

Word to Word meaning: నిండినది (niMDinadi) = complete;  ఏది (Edi)   = who, which; నిండనిది (iMDanidi) = incomplete, not full; ఏది  (Edi)  = who, which; కొండల పొడవుల (koMDala poDavula) = long like hills; కోరిక (kOrika) = desire; అది (adi) = that; అండనె (aMDane) = very next; శ్రీవేంకటాధిపు (SrIvEMkaTAdhipu) = lord of Hill called Venkatadri, God; శరణని (SaraNani) = take refuge; వుండుటె (vuMDuTe) = stay/live/reside (only); యిహపర (yihapara) = this side (earthly existence) and that side (beyond earthly), యోగము (yOgamu) = yoga, meditation, artifice, endeavour; అది (adi) = that.

 

Literal Meaning: What is complete? What’s not? Our wants are taller than the mountain ranges. The very next to the mountains, to remain in refuge of Lord Venkateswara, is an endeavour to this and the other world.

 

Implied meaning: When will the man’s mind be clear of Wants? When not? Wants continues to be taller than the mountain ranges.  Complete surrender to the God may be the way to transcend corporal existence.

Comments: Here Annamacharya, compared the mountain ranges with man’s wants. He said, very next to the mountains there is god. He implied that it is the mind that needs clear thinking; the choice of want OR renunciation depends on ones’ state of mind.

Of course, he also implied that the learned knows that there is only one way {వొట్టి విజ్ఞానులకు వుప మిది వొకటే (voTTi vij~nAnulaku nupamidi okaTE) taken from inni chaduvanEla verse}.

 

zadaz