131 ఏది మాకు గతి యిఁక నీశ్వరేశ్వరా (Edi mAku gati yika nISvarESvarA)

 ANNAMACHARYA

131 ఏది మాకు గతి యిఁక నీశ్వరేశ్వరా

(Edi mAku gati yika nISvarESvarA) 

Those interested in Telegu Version may press this link 

Introduction:  Annamacharya depicts real way we take life. As humans, we are passionate about what we see with our own eyes. What we hear is intriguing to us and deserves our love. We compete with time for the comfort and joy of life. If this is the demonstrated conduct of the man, ఏది మాకు గతి యిఁక నీశ్వరేశ్వరా (Edi mAku gati yika nISvarESvarA) =where is the way out for us.

Each stanza is a masterpiece of human endeavour, interludes and orchestration. By reusing certain words, he implicitly proposed that those actions are the cause of present our condition. The answer to liberation lies in those very actions the words indicate. Annamacharya offered the bouquets of words to the Lord, and skillfully imbued them with impossibility, sprinkling a scent of charm and innocence.

 

కీర్తన: రాగిరేకు:  326-6  సంపుటము: 4-153

POEM Copper Leaf: 326-6;  Volume 4-153

ఏది మాకు గతి యిఁక నీశ్వరేశ్వరా యీ దెస మము గరుణ నీడేర్చవయ్యా ॥పల్లవి॥   పొంచిమున్ను భోగించిన భోగములు దలఁచి అంచెల నాలుబిడ్డల నటు దలఁచి కంచపుటాహరములు కన్నవెల్లాను దలఁచి యెంచి నిన్నుఁ దలఁచక యిట్లున్నారమయ్యా ॥ఏది॥   కన్నులఁజూచినందెల్లా కడునాసలఁ దగిలి విన్న వినుకులకెల్లా వేడ్కఁదగిలి పన్నిన సుఖములకుఁ బైకొని వెనుతగిలి వున్నతి నిన్నుఁ దగులకున్నారమయ్యా ॥ఏది॥   చెంది గృహారామ క్షేత్రములు మరిగి పొందగు సంసారమిప్పుడు మరిగి అందపు శ్రీ వేంకటేశ అలమేల్మంగపతివి కందువ మరిగీ మరుగకున్నారమయ్యా ॥ఏది॥ ​

Edi mAku gati yika nISvarESvarA yI desa mamu garuNa nIDErchavayyA ॥pallavi॥   poMchimunnu bhOgiMchina bhOgamulu dalachi aMchela nAlubiDDala naTu dalachi kaMchapuTAharamulu kannavellAnu dalachi yeMchi ninnu dalachaka yiTlunnAramayyA ॥Edi॥   kannulajUchinaMdellA kaDunAsala dagili vinna vinukulakellA vEDkadagili pannina sukhamulaku baikoni venutagili vunnati ninnu dagulakunnAramayyA ॥Edi॥   cheMdi gRhArAma kshEtramulu marigi poMdagu saMsAramippuDu marigi aMdapu SrI vEMkaTESa alamElmaMgapativi kaMduva marigI marugakunnAramayyA         ॥Edi॥

 

Details and Explanations: 

ఏది మాకు గతి యిఁక నీశ్వరేశ్వరా

యీ దెస మము గరుణ నీడేర్చవయ్యా  ॥పల్లవి॥ 

Edi mAku gati yika nISvarESvarA

yI desa mamu garuNa nIDErchavayyA ॥pallavi॥ 

Word to Word meaning: ఏది (Edi) = where; మాకు (mAku) = for us;  గతి (gati) = way, means, refuge, resort, help; యిఁకన్ (yikan) = here after;  ఈశ్వరేశ్వరా (ISvarESvarA) = O Lord of the Lords! యీ దెస (yI desa) = this way, this side; మము (mamu) = we గరుణన్ (garuNan) = with compassion; ఈడేర్చవయ్యా (IDErchavayyA) =to fulfil, to accomplish.

Literal meaning: Where is the way, refuge for us here after. O God! Fulfil our wishes with compassion. 

Explanation: Annamacharya is an artist par excellence. He actually meant పొంచి ... దలఁచి, అంచెల.. దలఁచి, కంచములు .. దలఁచి, యెంచి నిన్నుఁ దలఁచక.. ఏది మాకు గతి యిఁక నీశ్వరేశ్వరా = poMchi ..dalachi, aMchela .. dalachi kaMchamu dalachi, yeMchi ninnu dalachaka  Edi mAku gati yika nISvarESvarA = There is no path to truth from ignorance. Only on shedding ignorance, possibility exists. Therefore, God, shower your compassion on humanity. 

Implied meaning: You cannot run the hare and hunt with the hounds^#1. Best of both worlds is impossible. Chose the right path.

 

పొంచిమున్ను భోగించిన భోగములు దలఁచి

అంచెల నాలుబిడ్డల నటు దలఁచి

కంచపుటాహరములు కన్నవెల్లాను దలఁచి

యెంచి నిన్నుఁ దలఁచక యిట్లున్నారమయ్యా           ॥ఏది॥

 

poMchimunnu bhOgiMchina bhOgamulu dalachi

aMchela nAlubiDDala naTu dalachi

kaMchapuTAharamulu kannavellAnu dalachi

yeMchi ninnu dalachaka yiTlunnAramayyA   ॥Edi॥

 

Word to Word meaning: పొంచి (poMchi) = = వేటగాని వలె దీక్షతో కాచుకుని ఉండు, lurking like hunter with full concentration; మున్ను (munnu) = earlier; భోగించిన (bhOgiMchina) = enjoyed; భోగములు (bhOgamulu) = luxuries, pleasures; దలఁచి (dalachi) =remembering; అంచెల (aMchela) వరుసగా, sequentially; నాలుబిడ్డలను (nAlubiDDalanu) = wife and children;  అటు (aTu) = that way;  దలఁచి (dalachi) = regarding, thinking; కంచపుటాహరములు (kaMchapuTAharamulu) = the food (appropriately) arranged in a platter; కన్నవెల్లాను (kannavellAnu) = whatever eyes have seen;  దలఁచి (dalachi) = considering, imagining;  యెంచి (yeMchi) = to count, to select, to believe;   నిన్నుఁ (ninnu) = you; దలఁచక (dalachaka) = disregarding; యిట్లున్నారమయ్యా (yiTlunnAramayyA)       = O God! we are like this, ( implying we are in such sorry state).

 

Literal meaning: Like a hunter we pay close attention, diligently await the opportunity for the materialistic and sensual pleasures. We think of wife and children constantly. We lovingly and intently remember the food (appropriately) arranged in a platter and all that we see in this world. Nevertheless, you are not in our thoughts (as if you are inconsequential). Therefore, we are in this sorry state. 

Explanation: Annamacharya, by the repeated wording దలఁచి (dalachi), is nudging the point that these pleasures, the relations and the associations are remembrances formed by repetition many times. This is further accentuated by the combination of wording పొంచి.. దలఁచి (poMchi.. dalachi) which reinforces purposeful indulgence. 

Implied meaning: O Man! Your thinking, repeated recalling of fond experiences is the reason for your present sorry state.

 

కన్నులఁజూచినందెల్లా కడునాసలఁ దగిలి

విన్న వినుకులకెల్లా వేడ్కఁదగిలి

పన్నిన సుఖములకుఁ బైకొని వెనుతగిలి

వున్నతి నిన్నుఁ దగులకున్నారమయ్యా          ॥ఏది॥

 

kannulajUchinaMdellA kaDunAsala dagili

vinna vinukulakellA vEDkadagili

pannina sukhamulaku baikoni venutagili

vunnati ninnu dagulkunnAramayyA     ॥Edi॥

 

Word to Word meaning: కన్నులఁజూచినందెల్లా (kannulajUchinaMdellA) = whatever we see with eyes; కడునాసలఁ (kaDunAsala) = with much desire;  దగిలి (dagili) = get hooked; విన్న వినుకులకెల్లా (vinna vinukulakellA) = All that we hear; వేడ్కఁదగిలి (vEDkadagili) = get hooked out of curiosity and fondness; పన్నిన (pannina) = planned;  సుఖములకుఁ( sukhamulaku) = comforts and pleasures; బైకొని (baikoni) = ఎదురు పరుగుపెట్టు, rush against; వెనుతగిలి (venutagili) = వెంటపడి, run after;  వున్నతి (vunnati) = High, Great; నిన్నుఁ (ninnu) = you; దగులుకున్నారమయ్యా (dagulukunnAramayyA)      = do not get hooked to; 

Literal meaning: Anything we see with our eyes, we want fervently.  What we hear piques our interest and wins our affection. We race against time to achieve the anticipated comforts and pleasures. We don't try to become attached to you, though you are the Highest and Greatest, we do nothing to get close to you. 

Explanation: The sharpest observation I find to this date is పన్నిన సుఖములకుఁ బైకొని వెనుతగిలి pannina sukhamulaku baikoni venutagili = We race against time to achieve the anticipated comforts and pleasures. I think it represents the exhibited behaviour of the modern man. I could never imagine how a 15th century saint could describe our contemporary modern life so accurately. 

What Annamacharya meant by కన్నులఁజూచినందెల్లా (kannulajUchinaMdellA = whatever we see with the eyes) in this poem? We do we actually see? Observe the picture titled False Mirror (by Rene Magritte) below. 

By replacing the eye’s iris with a blue, cloud-filled sky in False Mirror, the painter Magritte challenges us to question what we see and what we think we know. Is the sky a reflection of what the eye is seeing? Is the eye in fact an opening into another reality? Are we looking at an inner vision, or something else entirely? One thing is certain: Magritte’s False Mirror is an invitation to look at the world differently. So are Annamacharya’ s poems.

 

చెంది గృహారామ క్షేత్రములు మరిగి

పొందగు సంసారమిప్పుడు మరిగి

అందపు శ్రీ వేంకటేశ అలమేల్మంగపతివి

కందువ మరిగీ మరుగకున్నారమయ్యా ॥ఏది॥

 

cheMdi gRhArAma kshEtramulu marigi

poMdagu saMsAramippuDu marigi

aMdapu SrI vEMkaTESa alamElmaMgapativi

kaMduva marigI marugakunnAramayyA         ॥Edi॥

 

Word to Word meaning: చెంది (cheMdi) = belonging to;  గృహారామ (gRhArAma) = home and soothing; క్షేత్రములు (kshEtramulu) = places; మరిగి (marigi) = get used to, habitual to; పొందగు (poMdagu) = to acquire, to join;  సంసారమిప్పుడు (saMsAramippuDu) = family life; మరిగి (marigi) = get used to, habitual to; అందపు (aMdapu) = beautiful;  శ్రీ వేంకటేశ (SrI vEMkaTESa) Lord Venkteswara;  అలమేల్మంగపతివి (alamElmaMgapativi) = Wife of Alamelumanga;  కందువ (kaMduva) = జాడ​, సంకేత స్థలము, traces, secret abode;  మరిగీ మరుగకున్నారమయ్యా (marigI marugakunnAramayyA) = literal sense: Sir, we get used to and yet not used to who you are = unable to determine who you are. 

Literal meaning: O Lord! We choose to be at home and in peaceful places. We enter into family life voluntarily and willingly. O beautiful Lord! O Husband of Alamelumanga! We have little idea who and where you are. 

Explanation: To make it easy to understand we all would like to visit a fantastic place like the one below. However, sir please contemplate on the meaning of these words of Annamacharya ఏలోకమందున్నా నేమి లేదు ElOkamaMdunnA nEmi lEdu = It does not matter which world you live?

 

Repeated use of words మరిగి is stressing that we would like to stay and remain within the same known things. Combined with the word చెంది (cheMdi) Annamacharya is pushing the point that we avoid particularly unformattable situations. Thus, he is arriving at unknown fears for future and self-generated apprehensions.

Now see the picture below. Its titled: “The Exchange Bridge” by Charles Meryon.  

Le Pont-au-Change centers on a bridge in the heart of Paris, between the Île de la Cité (Island City) and the Right Bank of the Seine. In the background, precisely etched houses make up the tightly packed, maze-like neighborhoods of the medieval city. Charles Méryon shows Paris as it had looked for centuries. But historical fact is just one element in the artist’s work. Méryon interweaves levels of reality here, creating in the process an impending sense of anxiety, perhaps even dread. Le Pont-au-Change was printed in several states, each altered to include invented elements. In earlier versions, for instance, a balloon floats through the sky. In progressive states, more sinister elements enter the scene, including the flocks of dark birds seen here. A drowning man in the water adds to the feeling of foreboding. Thus this painting is universal reflection of a man’s fear of transition from present to the future.  From this picture we learn that fear of future, apprehension on the new is universal to men. 

On the other hand, words మరిగీ మరుగకున్నారమయ్యా marigI marugakunnAramayyA mean that a person has some kind of relationship with another world, even though he cannot accurately determine what it is and where it is. People are always looking for linear changes. The transition from the known to the unknown does not have to be linear. There is a strange, universal human tendency to think about the future^#2, even when it is not necessary. 

History has taught us that change doesn't occur gradually, but by unpredictable storms. Perhaps unsettling, but helpless we are. We are busy arranging escape routes underground houses and tunnels. We invest in health insurances, banks and money. And then get addicted to spend time in hyperbolical speculation on invested safety.

Implied meaning: Man! You try to stay put like the frog in the well. Will you stop all these vain efforts and realize the hidden divinity? 

References and Recommendations for further reading:

#1 1. అమ్మేదొకటియు ( ammE dokaTiyu)

#2 6. వెనకేదో ముందరేదో (venakEdO muMdarEdO)

Summary of this Keertana:

 

Chorus: Where is the way, refuge for us here after. O God! Fulfil our wishes with compassion. Implied meaning: You cannot run the hare and hunt with the hounds^#1. Best of both worlds is impossible. Chose the right path.

Stanza 1: Like a hunter we pay close attention, diligently await the opportunity for the materialistic and sensual pleasures. We think of wife and children constantly. We lovingly and intently remember the food (appropriately) arranged in a platter and all that we see in this world. Nevertheless, you are not in our thoughts (as if you are inconsequential). Therefore, we are in this sorry state. Implied meaning: O Man! Your thinking, repeated recalling of fond experiences is the reason for your present sorry state. 

Stanza 2: Anything we see with our eyes, we want fervently.  What we hear piques our interest and wins our affection. We race against time to achieve the anticipated comforts and pleasures. We don't try to become attached to you, though you are the Highest and Greatest, we do nothing to get close to you.  

Stanza 3: O Lord! We choose to be at home and in peaceful places. We enter into family life voluntarily and willingly. O beautiful Lord! O Husband of Alamelumanga! We have little idea who and where you are. Implied meaning: Man! You try to stay put like the frog in the well. Will you stop all these vain efforts and realize the hidden divinity?