ANNAMACHARYA
132 శ్రీపతి
నీయాజ్ఞ సేసెద మిదివో
(SrIpati nIyAj~na sEseda midivO)
Thoseinterested in Telegu Version may press this link
Introduction: In this incomparable beautiful poem, Annamacharya says the internal
resistance of man is the root cause of his troubles. In this short, but
complicated poem, all the lines are well polished and smoothed to deny any
grasp of its implied meaning.
Although the
Annamacharya was pious and devoted Hindu, his works should not be viewed in
traditional sense. A careful examination reveals that he cloaked revolutionary
concepts behind the veils of commonly accepted simple words. This hymn is a
touchstone of supreme artistry. His art is not in the glory of praise, nor in descriptions,
nor in words. His lyrics elicit feelings beyond the word order or semantics.
One thing is
certain that his poetry is invitation to cross the barriers of language
and feelings of material world. Though he invoked the names of Gods in every
verse, he is communicating on something beyond the considerations of worldly affairs,
things, material, concepts, and outlook. He is a great truth seeker first and
then a devout Hindu. He always asserted that movement from our static world to
the ‘Other’ is not conceptual but actual. If we continue to extend material
thinking this journey is not possible is the ultimate essence of this poem.
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కీర్తన: రాగిరేకు: 135-6 సంపుటము: 2-147 |
POEM Copper Leaf: 135-6;
Volume 2-147 |
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శ్రీపతి నీయాజ్ఞ సేసెద మిదివో కాయము సుఖదుఃఖములకు మూలము తలఁపు పుణ్యపాతకముల మూలము జీవుఁ డింతటా సృష్టికి మూలము |
SrIpati
nIyAj~na sEseda midivO pUpala
mAyala boralaganElA ॥pallavi॥ kAyamu
sukhadu@hkhamulaku mUlamu
pAyamu
yiMdriyaparavaSamu
Ayamu
reMTiki nannapAnamulu
mOyani
mOpidi mulugaganElA ॥SrIpa॥ talapu
puNyapAtakamula mUlamu
kaligina
puTTuvu karmagati
phala
midi reMTiki balusaMsAramu
kaligina
veTTiki kAdananElA ॥SrIpa॥ jIvu
DiMtaTA sRshTiki mUlamu
bhAvamu
brakRtiki brapaMchamu
chEvaga
reMTiki SrIvEMkaTESvara
nI
vaMtarAtmavu nemakaganElA ॥SrIpa॥
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Details and Explanations:
శ్రీపతి నీయాజ్ఞ
సేసెద మిదివో
పూఁపల మాయలఁ బొరలఁగనేలా
॥పల్లవి॥
Word
to Word meaning: శ్రీపతి
(SrIpati) = Lord Vishnu; నీయాజ్ఞ (nIyAj~na) = your command, సేసెద మిదివో (sEseda
midivO)= we shall follow; పూఁపల
(pUpala) = అరిసె అప్పము వంటి తీపి పిండివంట,
a sort of sweet cake; మాయలఁ (mAyala) = illusions; బొరలఁగనేలా (boralaganElA)
= Why roll over, Why roll on the ground, why to wallow.
Literal
meaning: O people! No
point in wallowing by indulging in sweet illusion. Start understanding the
divine command.
Explanation: There is no true tangible commandment of God. What does it mean? This suggests that the only possible action a human being can take is to recognize the absurdity of being misled by senses.
Implied
meaning: Don’t be foolish to await the divine commands. Start
dissociating from wrong actions.
Additional Explanation: Annamacharya cleverly inserted words శ్రీపతి నీయాజ్ఞ సేసెద మిదివో to give appearance of seeking the blessing of God. In fact, he wanted us to understand that unless man stands on his own feet; i.e independent completely, there is no possibility to realise the divine commands. Thus, people like us have only one option of avoiding the illusion.
Further, as can inferred from previous explanations, this eschewing of illusion has to be at once, not a step-by-step linear process. Imagine, when you forget something, the process of recalling is also not linear. There are only two states. Either you remember or not.
When Annamacharya says life is a paradox, it’s not verbal but real. From our present state how to move to state of awareness? Our state of mind is similar to the below picture titled “Another World” by M C Escher.
In each perspective we see either a human-faced birdlike creature (statue) or a cornucopia or horn dangling from chains. This work is a paradox, portraying inconsistency of the senses. Thus, the stated implied meaning is accurately capturing the essence.
కాయము సుఖదుఃఖములకు
మూలము
పాయము యింద్రియపరవశము
ఆయము రెంటికి నన్నపానములు
మోయని మోఁపిది ములుగఁగనేలా ॥శ్రీప॥
Word to Word meaning: కాయము (kAyamu)= శరీరము, the body; సుఖదుఃఖములకు (sukhadu@hkhamulaku) = comforts and sorrows; మూలము (mUlamu) = root; పాయము (pAyamu) = youth, age; యింద్రియపరవశము (yiMdriyaparavaSamu) = enraptured, transported, entranced by senses; ఆయము (Ayamu) = the fountainhead, the secret thing; రెంటికి (reMTiki) = for the two; నన్నపానములు (nannapAnamulu) = food and drink; మోయని (mOyani) = carry unknowingly; మోఁపిది (mOpidi) = weight in the sense of burden, bundle, ములుగఁగనేలా (mulugaganElA) = Why groan, why murmur?
Literal meaning: Literal meaning: O man! The body is the root cause for feeling comforts and sorrows. Mind enraptured, transported, entranced by senses. The food and drink provide substance to fountainhead or the secret thing. Do you know what burden you are carrying? You still groan and murmur sheepishly.
Explanation: Although the body and mind are nourished by food, they also become addicted to its smells and tastes. Thus, man has to depend on food for continuance of life yet not depend on it. This task of striking a delicate balance between the food and body needs is an equilibrium – is a paradox man must solve.
Now recall Jalaluddin Rumi’s words: Life is a balance of holding on and letting go. Denial of food creates internal craving which cannot be satiated by words and explanations. Therefore, it’s a complex balance one must achieve. Therefore, Annamacharya used words మోయని మోఁపిది (mOyani mOpidi) to describe the heavy pressure a man might undergo. However, philosophers keep describing that man is carrying heavy burden unwantedly.
Implied
meaning: O man! Are you ready for the unenviable task of striking the
balance between body and food without murmur?
తలఁపు పుణ్యపాతకముల
మూలము
కలిగిన పుట్టువు కర్మగతి
ఫల మిది రెంటికి బలుసంసారము
కలిగిన వెట్టికి కాదననేలా
॥శ్రీప॥
Word to Word meaning: తలఁపు (talapu)= thoughts; పుణ్యపాతకముల (puNyapAtakamula) = virtuous and sinful deeds; మూలము (mUlamu) = cause, tool; కలిగిన (kaligina) = the given; పుట్టువు (puTTuvu) = this life; కర్మగతి (karmagati) = in the way of performing deeds; ఫల మిది (phala midi) = the result, the fruits of action; రెంటికి (reMTiki) = for these two; బలుసంసారము (balusaMsAramu) = world with its strong, unavoidable pulls; కలిగిన (kaligina) = to take shape, to occur; వెట్టికి (veTTiki) = for the bonded labour; కాదననేలా (kAdananElA) = why deny?
Literal
meaning: O Man!
Thought causes illusionary concept of virtues and sins. No one can abstain from
performing duties. The world with its strong unavoidable attraction holds the
life and deeds. O bonded labour! Why deny that is happening to you.
Explanation: In this stanza, Annamacharya is expounding the idea of the chorus in the form of second paradox: By the very in born nature to man, he can’t abstain from performing activities. Every action shall produce certain result. This loads up his baggage. As long as one is part of this world, this is an undeniable fact. To avoid loading the bags he must not belong to this world. To put down tools and action is part of worldly endeavour. Therefore, the movement to the other world is impossible.
కలిగిన వెట్టికి కాదననేలా? #1, #2 kaligina veTTiki kAdananElA: We now know that the other world cannot be reached by any means. It is matter of divine compassion. Therefore, without any assurance, man has to begin journey of liberation. Like The picture of Escher above, man is unable decide direction of his movement. The moment man discovers to himself his inability to determine the way, he reaches a state of nothingness. Until then, we have to bear the hardships of life without blaming anyone.
The struggle of life
is not about money. Not about love. Neither on beauty nor on God. The man is
not afraid of hard work, nor is he afraid of mental punishments like hell. We
have certain expectations, certain assumptions about ourselves. When those
expectations are overturned, internal resistance comes into play. That
resistance is the conflict, the struggle we have. The mental construct that
causes the impedance (or friction) is an artificial edifice, a fundamental
problem.
Implied
meaning: O Bonded labour: what is holding you to engage in virtues and
sins?
జీవుఁ డింతటా
సృష్టికి మూలము
భావము బ్రకృతికిఁ బ్రపంచము
చేవగ రెంటికి శ్రీవేంకటేశ్వర
నీ వంతరాత్మవు నెమకఁగనేలా
॥శ్రీప॥
Word to Word meaning: జీవుఁ డింతటా (jIvu DiMtaTA) = man for everything, సృష్టికి (sRshTiki) = Creation, formation, production, fabrication, invention ; మూలము (mUlamu) = the beginning, the principal; భావము (bhAvamu) = feeling, disposition, motive, aim; బ్రకృతికిఁ (brakRtiki) = for the nature; బ్రపంచము (brapaMchamu) = the world; చేవగ (chEvaga) = essence, courage, strength; రెంటికి (reMTiki) = for these two; శ్రీవేంకటేశ్వర (SrIvEMkaTESvara)= Lord Venkateswara; నీ వంతరాత్మవు (nI vaMtarAtmavu) = you are the inner dwelling; నెమకఁగనేలా (nemakaganElA) = Why Search?
Literal
meaning: Man remains
the principal element of creation. His
nature is sustained the world of feelings, dispositions, motives and purposes. The
essence and energy is provided by Lord Venkateswara. O Man, why do you seek in vain when the Lord
is within you.
Explanation: Man is made up of the world of feelings, dispositions, motives and purposes. Largely these are his own creations.
The feeling that we are separate from the world is the third paradox. For each individual there is himself and the world. Therefore, as many individuals as many worlds. Mathematically we end up with worlds two times the individuals, which is absurd. Therefore, however improbable, each man has to be part of this world, not outside it. Hence the feeling that we are separate from the world is an illusion.
Does this world exists? Or its your own extrapolation? Annamacharya asserted that both the world and the individual by word చేవగ (chEvaga) receive the essence, courage, strength from Lord Venkateswara.
శ్రీవేంకటేశ్వర నీ వంతరాత్మవు నెమకఁగనేలా#3 SrIvEMkaTESvara nI vaMtarAtmavu nemakaganElA (= why do you seek in
vain when the Lord is within you) is signifying Even
if man actually notices the difference between himself and the world, instead
of engaging in moves of curiosity – when one understands that there is nothing he
can act on – remains as he is - leads to a still, calm, undisturbed mind. From that
state, there is possibility for liberation.
Now have a clean look at the pictures below. The bird ‘pottoo’ is known as master of camouflage.
If this is the capacity of a common bird
called pottoo,
what about its creator?
Implied meaning: The work of life is to find that centre which creates the feeling as ‘I’. When found, no question ever needs to be asked.
References
and Recommendations for further reading:
#1 66. ఊరకే
వెదకనేల వున్నవి చదువనేల (UrakE vedakanEla vunnavi chaduvanEla)
#2 Jiddu Krishnamurti Often said,
these things are work of nature. They better be endured rather than avoided.
#3 69. తిమ్మిరెడ్డి
మాకునిచ్చె దిష్టమైనపొలము (timmireDDi mAkunichche
dishTamainapolamu)
Summary
of this Keertana:
Chorus: O people! No point in wallowing by indulging in sweet illusion. Start understanding the divine command. Implied meaning: Don’t be foolish to await the divine commands. Start dissociating from wrong actions.
Stanza
1: O man! The body is the root cause for feeling comforts
and sorrows. Mind enraptured, transported, entranced by senses. The food and
drink provide substance to fountainhead or the secret thing. Do you know what
burden you are carrying? You still groan
and murmur sheepishly. Implied meaning: O man! Are you ready for the unenviable task of striking the
balance between body and food without murmur?
Stanza
2: O Man! Thought causes illusionary concept of virtues and
sins. No one can abstain from performing duties. The world with its strong unavoidable
attraction holds the life and deeds. O bonded labour! Why deny that is
happening to you. Implied meaning: O Bonded labour: what is holding you to engage in virtues and
sins?
Stanza
3: Man
remains the principal element of creation. His nature is sustained the world of
feelings, dispositions, motives and purposes. The essence and energy is
provided by Lord Venkateswara. O Man,
why do you seek in vain when the Lord is within you. Implied meaning: The work of life is to find that centre which creates the
feeling as ‘I’. When found, no question ever needs to be asked.
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