137 ఆతనినే నే కొలిచి నే నందితిఁ బో నిజసుఖము (AtaninE nE kolichi nE naMditi bO nijasukhamu)

 ANNAMACHARYULU

137 ఆతనినే నే కొలిచి నే నందితిఁ బో నిజసుఖము

(AtaninE nE kolichi nE naMditi bO nijasukhamu)

 LIFE and EFFORT

Those interested in Telegu Version may press this link

 

Introduction:  Annamacharya made every effort to make us understand the divinity with in us in this systematic presentation. As I always maintained, he is not philosopher. He merely expressed that inexpressible thing, from that state of oneness with the truth. A man can actually come upon the truth, provided he is ready to listen to the inner voice. 

This poem is an example of how the intrinsic depths of Annamacharya’s poems shall never be marginalised by   the visage of expression and the treachery of time.

He made a huge posse of poems so that one need not look anywhere else. Beyond this world of prejudice and decay, his voice shall be heard by those wanting to understand this little thing called life.   

 

కీర్తన: రాగిరేకు:  90-4  సంపుటము: 1-444

ఆతనినే నే కొలిచి నే నందితిఁ బో నిజసుఖము శ్రీతరుణీపతి మాయాధవుఁడు [1]సృష్టి యింతయును హరిమూలము ॥ఆతనినే॥   కోరుదుమా దుఁఖములు కోర కేతెంచు తముఁ దామే ఆ రీతులనే సుఖములు యేతెంచు నందును విచారమంతేల సారెకు దైవాధీనములివి రెండు స్వయత్నములుగా వెవ్వరికి కోరేటి దొకటే హరిశరణాగతి గోవిందుఁడే యింతకు మూలము ॥ఆతనినే॥   కమ్మంటిమా ప్రపంచము గలిగీ స్వభావము [2]అందుకది యిమ్ముల మోక్షము యీరీతులనే యీశ్వరుఁడిచ్చిన యిది గలుగు కమ్మి అంతర్యామి కల్పితంబు లివి కాదన నవునన రాదెవ్వరికి సమ్మతించి ఆసపడియెడి దొకటే సర్వలోకపతి [3]నిజదాస్యము ॥ఆతనినే॥   సరి నెఱఁగుదుమా పోయిన జన్మము సారెకు నేమేమిచేసితిమో యిరవుగ నట్లా మీదఁటి జన్మము యెఱుకలు మఱపులు యిఁకనేలా నిరతమై శ్రీవేంకటేశుఁడు తన యిచ్చ నిర్మించిన దిది యీదేహము గరిమెల నాతని కైంకర్యమెపో కలకాలము మాకు కాణాచి ॥ఆతనినే॥

[1] ‘సిష్టి’ రేకు. [2] ‘దానికది’ అని అర్థము కావచ్చు. [3] నిజ = తనయొక్క (అతనియొక్క).

POEM Copper Leaf:  90-4     Volume: 1-444

AtaninE nE kolichi nE naMditi bO nijasukhamu SrItaruNIpati mAyAdhavuDu sRshTi yiMtayunu harimUlamu ॥AtaninE॥   kOrudumA dukhamulu kOra kEteMchu tamu dAmE A rItulanE sukhamulu yEteMchu naMdunu vichAramaMtEla sAreku daivAdhInamulivi reMDu svayatnamulugA vevvariki kOrETi dokaTE hariSaraNAgati gOviMduDE yiMtaku mUlamu          ॥AtaninE॥   kammaMTimA prapaMchamu galigI svabhAvamu aMdukadi yimmula mOkshamu yIrItulanE yISvaruDichchina yidi galugu kammi aMtaryAmi kalpitaMbu livi kAdana navunana rAdevvariki sammatiMchi AsapaDiyeDi dokaTE sarvalOkapati nijadAsyamu       ॥AtaninE॥   sari ne~ragudumA pOyina janmamu sAreku nEmEmichEsitimO yiravuga naTlA mIdaTi janmamu ye~rukalu ma~rapulu yikanElA niratamai SrIvEMkaTESuDu tana yichcha nirmiMchina didi yIdEhamu garimela nAtani kaiMkaryamepO kalakAlamu mAku kANAchi ॥AtaninE॥

 

Details and Explanations: 

ఆతనినే నే కొలిచి నే నందితిఁ బో నిజసుఖము

శ్రీతరుణీపతి మాయాధవుఁడు సృష్టి యింతయును హరిమూలము ॥ఆతనినే॥

 

AtaninE nE kolichi nE naMditi bO nijasukhamu

SrItaruNIpati mAyAdhavuDu sRshTi yiMtayunu harimUlamu ॥AtaninE॥

 

Word to Word meaning: ఆతనినే (AtaninE) = that one alone; నే (nE) = me; కొలిచి (kolichi) = by meditating;  నే (nE) = me; నందితిఁ బో (naMditi bO) = got there, received; నిజసుఖము (nijasukhamu) = true joy;  శ్రీతరుణీపతి (SrItaruNIpati) = Lord of our dear Lady;  మాయాధవుఁడు (mAyAdhavuDu) = మాయా+ధవుఁడు = lord/master of illusions;  సృష్టి (sRshTi) = creation, universe; యింతయును (yiMtayunu) = completely; హరిమూలము (harimUlamu) = Lord Hari is the root/base/fountainhead.

 

Literal meaning: By meditating that one I received the true joy. The Lord of dear Lady is the master of illusions. He is the conjurer of the trickery that pervades the universe. 

Explanation: Our life is based on relativity and comparison. On closer inspection, it’s possible to note that the moment you start making comparisons, you will immediately lose comfort. How do you recognize happiness? Unless one stands on the structures left by memories of previous experiences, one shall not recognise something as   joy and sorrow.  For a person whose sole purpose is finding the truth, does he have to stands on these crutches. Think about it. 

The great visionaries of the past, said the world is reflected in all of us. By watching news, we may observe that the world moves from one trouble to another. Truly we cannot alter anything by watching or reading news. It merely provides us a feeling of fictitious security “I shall be safe for now”. For us comfort is peace fundamentally meant absence of war. 

Therefore, in our world, either inwardly or outwardly, one set of problems are constantly and continuously replaced with another set. Just watch the picture below from Avatar series of films. Note that at any time anything can befall on the man. This situation remains same throughout the life. We are torn between the two opposites- the reality and what we wish it should be. This is not a prediction to make you sick. However, fact remains. 

Like, the artificial paucity created by the totalitarian rulers, in George Orwell’s novel titled ‘1984’; something or the other we shall be deprived so that our attention is always taken away from the important thing, ‘the truth’ by the examiner called God. We the common people,  in such circumstances look for more comforting situation. The chorus is declaring that Annamacharya, setting aside the doubts, approached God for the solution. It's fair to search where we lost. 

Thus sir, away from this relative world of illusions, there exists, true peace, which Annamacharya mentioned here. Its not a bartered item, (Do remember the words ‘what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?’ Matthew 16-26).  

Thus, Annamacharya is taking us to a different world which is not based on myth called yesterday. He hides deeper meanings behind this traditional drivel. 

Implied meaning: You must search in the very place where lost. When not consumed by the trickery pervading the world, you can find the reflection of God.

 

కోరుదుమా దుఁఖములు కోర కేతెంచు తముఁ దామే

ఆ రీతులనే సుఖములు యేతెంచు నందును విచారమంతేల

సారెకు దైవాధీనములివి రెండు స్వయత్నములుగా వెవ్వరికి

కోరేటి దొకటే హరిశరణాగతి గోవిందుఁడే యింతకు మూలము ॥ఆతనినే॥

 

kOrudumA dukhamulu kOra kEteMchu tamu dAmE

A rItulanE sukhamulu yEteMchu naMdunu vichAramaMtEla

sAreku daivAdhInamulivi reMDu svayatnamulugA vevvariki

kOrETi dokaTE hariSaraNAgati gOviMduDE yiMtaku mUlamu ॥AtaninE॥

 

Word to Word meaning:  కోరుదుమా (kOrudumA) = Did we wish; దుఁఖములు (dukhamulu) = sorrows;  కోర కేతెంచు (kOra kEteMchu)= they come uninvited;  తముఁ దామే (tamu dAmE) = by themselves;  ఆ రీతులనే (A rItulanE) = by the same method; సుఖములు (sukhamulu) = joys; యేతెంచు (yEteMchu) = arrive; నందును (naMdunu) = in such cases; విచారమంతేల (vichAramaMtEla) = why think so much about it, why worry so much about it;   సారెకు (sAreku) = repeatedly; దైవాధీనములివి (daivAdhInamulivi) = are in the control of God; రెండు (reMDu) = these two; స్వయత్నములుగావు (svayatnamulugAvu) = not by own doing;  ఎవ్వరికి (evvariki) = for anyone; కోరేటి (kOrETi) = seek; దొకటే (dokaTE) = only one;  హరిశరణాగతి (hariSaraNAgati) = refuge of the Lord; గోవిందుఁడే (gOviMduDE) = Lord Govinda; యింతకు మూలము (yiMtaku mUlamu) = is the root of all these; 

Literal meaning: Do we invite the sorrows? They befall on us by themselves. Same is the case with Joys. Therefore, why worry so much about these things repeatedly. They do not happen by the efforts of anyone. They are controlled by God.  Seek the refuge of Lord Govinda, for he is the root cause of all these. 

Explanation: In February 1950 Escher produced Contrast (Order and Chaos). The title is self-explanatory: Occupying centre stage in this print is a perfectly symmetrical spatial figure: an almost transparent stellated dodecahedron that has been merged with a glass sphere. The object is surrounded by a mishmash of broken and otherwise disorderly objects. 

The crystal represents order and discipline, whereas the objects around it symbolise chaos. With the benefit of hindsight, it seems like Escher was sensing something when he made this print. His fame began to soar in the 1950s. So too would the chaos that fame brought his way. Thus, we may take that Escher has understood that great Order within us. (Jiddu Krishnamurti spoke about this very often). The disorder represented by our present activities actually creeps from outside. 

In this stanza, Annamacharya opined that దుఁఖములు (dukhamulu) and సుఖములు (sukhamulu) are the matters man has little control. He said do not get engaged in this analysis of what and how he will avoid in future, rather  concentrate on eschewing known wrong acts. These extraneous things enter our mind, by our own perception, not by accident. These are the mishmash shown in the above picture.  Why blame god for these? Please understand the god is not the creator of the engagements. न कर्तृत्वं न कर्माणि लोकस्य सृजति प्रभु: (5-14) na kartritvam na karmani lokasya srijati prabhuh i.e Neither the sense of doer-ship nor the nature of actions originated from God; 

At this juncture, it would be appropriate to cite what Annamacharya said about Order of the world: saravi deliya kEmO chadivEmu nEmu 'సరవి దెలియ కేమో చదివేము నేము' ^#1 (Without appreciating this fundamental order of this universe, we venture to examine, venture to study “something”).  vAviri golichina vaikuMThamu ‘వావిరిఁ గొలిచిన వైకుంఠము’^#2 {Understand the divine order of this world to find the Vaikuntha (वैकुण्ठ)}. 

The wording కోరేటి దొకటే హరిశరణాగతి is indicative of wade thru the chaos with the help of God. We should not expect God to come and help. Rather we shall keep the heart clean by eschewing the wrong things. That facilitates the dawning of intelligence. 

Implied meaning: O man, there is nothing we can do. However, we can choose to be on the side of God. 

కమ్మంటిమా ప్రపంచము గలిగీ స్వభావము అందుకది

యిమ్ముల మోక్షము యీరీతులనే యీశ్వరుఁడిచ్చిన యిది గలుగు

కమ్మి అంతర్యామి కల్పితంబు లివి కాదన నవునన రాదెవ్వరికి

సమ్మతించి ఆసపడియెడి దొకటే సర్వలోకపతి నిజదాస్యము ॥ఆతనినే॥

 

kammaMTimA prapaMchamu galigI svabhAvamu aMdukadi

yimmula mOkshamu yIrItulanE yISvaruDichchina yidi galugu

kammi aMtaryAmi kalpitaMbu livi kAdana navunana rAdevvariki

sammatiMchi AsapaDiyeDi dokaTE sarvalOkapati nijadAsyamu ॥AtaninE॥

 

Word to Word meaning: కమ్మంటిమా (kammaMTimA) = Did we Generate or expand, ప్రపంచము (prapaMchamu) = world; గలిగీ (galigI) = it happens, it occurs; స్వభావము (svabhAvamu) = nature;  అందుకది (aMdukadi) = by itself; యిమ్ముల (yimmula) = quantity; మోక్షము (mOkshamu) = liberation; యీరీతులనే (yIrItulanE) = these methods; యీశ్వరుఁడిచ్చిన (yISvaruDichchina) = Whatever conferred by God;  యిది గలుగు (yidi galugu) = this happens;  కమ్మి (kammi) =  I believe it is used more like క్రమ్ము= expand, transmit;   అంతర్యామి (aMtaryAmi) = the one inside;  కల్పితంబు లివి (kalpitaMbu livi) = his propositions, his intentions; కాదన (kAdana) = to negste; నవునన (navunana) = to accept;  రాదెవ్వరికి (rAdevvariki) = not possible;  సమ్మతించి (sammatiMchi) = accepting;  ఆసపడియెడి దొకటే (AsapaDiyeDi dokaTE) =only thing that can be wished;  సర్వలోకపతి (sarvalOkapati) = the ruler of all the worlds; నిజదాస్యము (nijadAsyamu) = true service; 

Literal meaning: Did we create (or expand) this world. This is happening by its nature. Same way, the liberation may happen if God provides.  His propositions must be accepted as we don’t have choice to reject or invite. However, one can wish to be in the service of the ruler of the worlds. 

Explanation: Let me present two incidents from Mahabharat: Parikshit is the descendent of Pandavas. In an unfortunate moment, he puts a dead snake around the neck of saint Samika. On seeing this imprudent act, Samika’s son Srungi puts a curse that the King will die of snake bite in a weeks’ time. Parikshit’s well wishers try every trick under the sun to protect him. They make him stay in a tall building with heavy security. But, eventually the deadly serpent Takshak enters in the form of a small insect inside a fruit. No one could save his life. 

Then Parikshit’s son Janamejaya performs the great snake sacrifice (सर्प सत्र​). Before commencing the great yagya, the scholars forewarn him that No one ever had performed such yagya and there are omens that even if it is started, it may not be completed. He goes ahead with his plan, only to be abandoned at the behest of Astika Maha muni (అస్తిక మహా ముని). 

కాదన నవునన రాదెవ్వరికి (kAdana navunana rAdevvariki): The divine order cannot be violated. Its like fire. If you touch it knowingly or unknowingly,  it will burn. God has given us the knowledge to be aware and avoid. The same way, God has provided us with that intelligence to perform the right action. Yet man, in his ignorance fails to recognise the appropriate action. Our epics are not written to provide entertainment. They are guiding principles for humanity. 

ఆసపడియెడి దొకటే (AsapaDiyeDi dokaTE): Therefore, man has no choice but accept the will of God, and not to act as a judge. Also refer to Matthew: 7-2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 

సర్వలోకపతి నిజదాస్యము (sarvalOkapati nijadAsyamu): And again, he is cautioning against the lip service by these wording. Also refer to  Matthew 7-21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” 

Implied meaning: O man, understand the Divine Order and get engaged in the service of the Lord.   

సరి నెఱఁగుదుమా పోయిన జన్మము సారెకు నేమేమిచేసితిమో

యిరవుగ నట్లా మీదఁటి జన్మము యెఱుకలు మఱపులు యిఁకనేలా

నిరతమై శ్రీవేంకటేశుఁడు తన యిచ్చ నిర్మించిన దిది యీదేహము

గరిమెల నాతని కైంకర్యమెపో కలకాలము మాకు కాణాచి ॥ఆతనినే॥

 

sari ne~ragudumA pOyina janmamu sAreku nEmEmichEsitimO

yiravuga naTlA mIdaTi janmamu ye~rukalu ma~rapulu yikanElA

niratamai SrIvEMkaTESuDu tana yichcha nirmiMchina didi yIdEhamu

garimela nAtani kaiMkaryamepO kalakAlamu mAku kANAchi ॥AtaninE॥ 

Word to Word meaning: సరి (sari) = properly; నెఱఁగుదుమా (ne~ragudumA) = know;  పోయిన జన్మము (pOyina janmamu) = the last life; సారెకు (sAreku) = మాటిమాటికి, repeatedly; నేమేమిచేసితిమో (nEmEmichEsitimO) = what we did in complete details, యిరవుగ (yiravuga) = కదలనిది, స్థిరము, firm, fixed certain; నట్లా (naTlA) = similarly; మీదఁటి జన్మము (mIdaTi janmamu) = the next one or future life;  యెఱుకలు మఱపులు (ye~rukalu ma~rapulu) = awareness, forgetting;  యిఁకనేలా (yikanElA) = why here after; నిరతమై (niratamai) =ఎల్లప్పుడు, సదా, ever, always; శ్రీవేంకటేశుఁడు (SrIvEMkaTESuDu) = Lord Venkateswara; తన యిచ్చ (tana yichcha) = by his free will; నిర్మించిన (nirmiMchina) = created, built; దిది యీదేహము (didi yIdEhamu) = this body; గరిమెల (garimela) = గౌరవంతో, ఆత్మగౌరవంతో, with honour, with dignity,   with self-esteem, నాతని (nAtani) = his; కైంకర్యమెపో (kaiMkaryamepO) = only for devine service; కలకాలము (kalakAlamu) = for very long time; మాకు కాణాచి (mAku kANAchi) = మాకు చిరకాల వాసస్థానము, మాకు పారంపర్యముగా వచ్చుసొత్తు, మాకు కష్టపడకుండా వచ్చు జీతం (మాకు చిరకాలము శ్రమలేని జీవితము), our permanent residence, for us it’s a sinecure job (= we live effortlessly for ever) 

Literal meaning: Do we know properly our last lives and details of what we did? Why do you want to go thru the rise of awareness and cessation of the same, repeatedly. (You will go thru many more lives the same way certainly). Lord Venkateswara created this body. With honour and dignity, it belongs to him. Lord is our permanent abode. 

Explanation: యెఱుకలు మఱపులు యిఁకనేలా (ye~rukalu ma~rapulu yikanElA) Here Annamacharya is driving the last nail. When we do not understand ourselves, when we do not know the future as well, why man wants to hold on this foolish thing called ‘ego’ is the question raised by Annamacharya. When our ignorance is quite evident, we still have audacity to feel “who is that fellow God to control our body”. 

Note that Annmacharya is aware of the many layers of past lives that are embedded in us. He is simply skips over them to underline that crucial thing to do is fall inline with the truth. 

కలకాలము (kalakAlamu) = for very long time. Actually, he meant permanency. That we shall discuss some other time. నాతని కైంకర్యమెపో (nAtani kaiMkaryamepO) = only for his divine service =man should submit whole heartedly to the service of God. We had discussed enough on our partial belief in God in the past. (Suggest reader to refer to ఓడవిడిచి వదర వూరకేల పట్టేవు^#3 (ODaviDichi vadara vUrakEla paTTEvu). 

Most significant point mentioned here in this stanza is మాకు కాణాచి (mAku kANAchi) = our permanent residence, for us it’s a sinecure job (= we live effortlessly for ever). As we have seen in many explanations I had mentioned about the effort. The very effort is indication of the negation of truth. Combining with words కలకాలము మాకు కాణాచి (kalakAlamu mAku kANAchi) means to remain in such state is completely devoid of mental effort. Therefore, possibility exists for permanency. 

Certain physical energy is required to maintain the body. Man can come upon that orderly world picturised by MC Escher. Jiddu Krishnamurti said its infinite energy. Annamacharya said its God. Though all the religions said its possible for human to reach such a state, they obstructed with procedures and formalities. People like Jiddu Krishnamurti and Annmacharya broke those chains to liberate themselves. 

Implied meaning: O man, without wavering, willingly submit to the lord to enter the ‘Other’ world. 

Explanation: Here ‘Other World’ does not mean another world. But the world that is truly existing. The world we know is transient.

 

References and Recommendations for further reading:

#1 105. కనినవాఁడాఁ గాను కాననివాఁడాఁ గాను (kaninavADA gAnu kAnanivADA gAnu)

#2 89. తలఁపులోననే దైవము వీఁడిగో (talapulOnanE daivamu vIDigO)

#3 97. ఓడవిడిచి వదర వూరకేల పట్టేవు? (ODaviDichi vadara vUrakEla paTTEvu?)

 

 

 

Summary of this Keertana:

 

Chorus: By meditating that one I received the true joy. The Lord of dear Lady is the master of illusions. He is the conjurer of the trickery that pervades the universe. Implied meaning: You must search in the very place where lost. When not consumed by the trickery pervading the world, you can find the reflection of God. 

Stanza 1: Do we invite the sorrows? They befall on us by themselves. Same is the case with Joys. Therefore, why worry so much about these things repeatedly. They do not happen by the efforts of anyone. They are controlled by God.  Seek the refuge of Lord Govinda, for he is the root cause of all these. Implied meaning: O man, there is nothing we can do. However, we can choose to be on the side of God. 

Stanza 2: Did we create (or expand) this world. This is happening by its nature. Same way, the liberation may happen if God provides.  His propositions must be accepted as we don’t have choice to reject or invite. However, one can wish to be in the service of the ruler of the worlds. Implied meaning: O man, understand the Divine Order and get engaged in the service of the Lord.    

Stanza 3: Do we know properly our last lives and details of what we did? Why do you want to go thru the rise of awareness and cessation of the same, repeatedly. (You will go thru many more lives the same way certainly). Lord Venkateswara created this body. With honour and dignity, it belongs to him. Lord is our permanent abode. Implied meaning: O man, without wavering, willingly submit to the lord to enter the ‘Other’ world.