ANNAMACHARYULU
138 పెక్కు
లంపటాల మనసు పేదవైతివి నీకు
(pekku laMpaTAla manasu pEdavaitivi nIku)
Introduction: In this little known, yet a great poem, Annamacharya describes striations and stratifications
that shape men as we are. He questions the inner self of the man who trembles,
against the hope of hopes, at every wave of the wind. Often, we vow that ‘I
shall achieve this even at the cost of my life’. Annamacharya in this poem
declared that even death is not an alternative
Knowing well that there are no
choices, still out of the depths of hope, without self-conviction, man looks at
every possibility. Annamacharya chided man’s intermittent remembrance of God as
futile exercise. A slew of impediments
reduced you poor / O Man, with no one to turn to, where will you go?
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పెక్కు లంపటాల మనసు పేదవైతివి నీకు
నెక్కడా నెవ్వరు లేరు యేమి సేతువయ్యా ॥పెక్కు॥ కన్నుమూయఁ బొద్దులేదు, కాలు చాఁచ నిమ్ములేదు,
మన్ను దవ్వి కిందనైన మనికి లేదు,
మున్నిటివలెనే గోరు మోపనైనఁ జోటు లేదు,
యిన్నిటా నిట్లానైతి వేమి సేతువయ్యా ॥పెక్కు॥ అడుగిడఁగ నవ్వల లేదు, అండనైన నుండలేదు,
పుడమిఁ గూడు గుడువనైనఁ బొద్దులేదు,
వెడఁగుఁదనము విడువలేదు, వేదమైనఁ జదువలేదు,
యెడపఁ దడప నిట్ల నీకు నేమి సేతువయ్యా॥పెక్కు॥ వుప్పరములు మానియైన నుండలేదు లోకమందు,
నిప్పుడైన నీ విహార మిట్లనాయను
చెప్పనరుదు నీ గుణాలు శ్రీవేంకటేశ యిట్ల-
నెప్పుడును ఘనుఁడ వరయ నేమి సేతువయ్యా ॥పెక్కు॥
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pekku laMpaTAla
manasu pEdavaitivi nIku
nekkaDA nevvaru lEru yEmi sEtuvayyA ॥pekku॥ kannumUya boddulEdu, kAlu chAcha nimmulEdu,
mannu davvi kiMdanaina maniki lEdu,
munniTivalenE gOru mOpanaina jOTu lEdu,
yinniTA niTlAnaiti vEmi sEtuvayyA ॥pekku॥ aDugiDaga navvala lEdu, aMDanaina
nuMDalEdu,
puDami gUDu guDuvanaina boddulEdu,
veDagudanamu viDuvalEdu, vEdamaina
jaduvalEdu,
yeDapa daDapa niTla nIku nEmi sEtuvayyA ॥pekku॥ vupparamulu mAniyaina nuMDalEdu lOkamaMdu,
nippuDaina nI vihAra miTlanAyanu
cheppanarudu nI guNAlu SrIvEMkaTESa yiTla-
neppuDunu ghanuDa varaya nEmi sEtuvayyA ॥pekku॥
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Details and Explanations:
Word to Word meaning: పెక్కు (pekku) = plenty; లంపటాల (laMpaTAla) = దొంగగొడ్డు పఱుగెత్తి పోకుండ మోకాళ్లకు కొట్టుకొనునట్లు మెడకు వ్రేలాడఁగట్టిన రెండు కొయ్యలు, ప్రతిబంధకము, అడ్డు Two wooden logs hung around the neck to prevent the stray cows from running away, impediment, obstruction; మనసు (manasu) = mind; పేదవైతివి (pEdavaitivi) = became poor; నీకు (nIku) = to you; నెక్కడా (nekkaDA) = nowhere; నెవ్వరు లేరు (nevvaru lEru) = none exists; యేమి సేతువయ్యా (yEmi sEtuvayyA) = what will you do Sir?
Literal meaning: You became poor by myriad bonds in the mind. None exists for you anywhere. What will you propose to do sir?
Explanation: Let me explain the meaning of the word లంపటాలు (laMpaTAlu) thru a story. A farmer was taking his three donkeys to the shop to sell. He saw a river on the way. As he had walked a lot, he thought of taking bath in the river.
However, to tie up the donkeys, he has only two ropes. He was trying to find an idea for tying the third one.
One Sanyasi was going that way. He sought a rope from the Sanyasi. He said, he does not have one, but would give him an idea. Sanyasi asked the farmer to first tie up the first two while the third was observing this process. Then you act as if you are tying the third one as well. (Having seen the other two, it assumes it has been tied).
Farmer did that way. He finished his bath and came back to the place where he left his assets. And found his donkeys are intact. He unties the first two donkeys and started walking forward, thinking that the third was any not tied, it would follow. However, the donkey does not move with its owner and stays where it was.
Upon noticing that it was where it was before, Farmer tried to hit it, gave a push. It does not move. He spent lot of time with no result. Fortunately, the same sanyasi was passing that way again. Farmer seeks his advice.
Sanaysi says, you have not un-tied it. Farmer insists that he did not tie it in the first place. Sanyasi explains him “both of us know the truth. But this donkey had seen you ‘tying him down’. Unless you ‘un-tie’ him now, it feels incapacitated to move”. Somehow, with half conviction, Farmer ties this trick. And the donkey moves.
Farmer looks at the sanyasi with disbelief. Sanyasi says “Even men are like that. we act as if invisible bonds bind us here... we don't move, we don't leave where we are... in fact they are all illusory bonds... it is enough to know the truth that there is none... the whole world is yours”
Dear reader, thus the
word లంపటాలు (laMpaTAlu) is more psychological than physical. నెక్కడా నెవ్వరు లేరు (nekkaDA nevvaru
lEru) is also stressing that no one can help you inwardly, except yourself.
Word to Word meaning: కన్నుమూయఁ బొద్దులేదు (kannumUya boddulEdu) = Not much time left before the eyes get closed (before death) Alternatively it may be construed that Man is so much engaged, he hardly gets time to sleep; కాలు చాఁచను (kAlu chAchanu) = to sit with stretched legs; ఇమ్ములేదు (immulEdu) = Not convenient (=you cannot sit idle) మన్ను దవ్వి (mannu davvi) = by digging the earth; కిందనై న (kiMdanaina) = even below that; మనికి లేదు (maniki lEdu) = జీవించడము లేదు, జీవనము లేదు no Existence, cannot live; మున్నిటివలెనే (munniTivalenE) = పూర్వములాగే, ఇంతకు ముందులాగే, like before, గోరు మోపనైనఁ జోటు లేదు (gOru mOpanaina jOTu lEdu) = no space even to keep a finger; యిన్నిటా (yinniTA) = in every way; నిట్లానైతి (niTlAnaiti) =you have no alternative; వేమి సేతువయ్యా (vEmi sEtuvayyA) = what do you propose to do?
Literal
meaning: Not much
time left before the evening. (Before the death). Its not convenient to sit
with legs stretched. (You cannot sit idle). Don’t think, you can derive comfort
by death. That’s not an alternative. As ever before, you do cannot find iota of
space to hide. In every way you have no escape route. What will you do?
Explanation: మన్ను దవ్వి కిందనైన మనికి లేదు mannu davvi kiMdanaina maniki lEdu: Its common in India, we vow to achieve something even at the cost of life. Annamacharya does not approve man taking refuge in death. In this poem he declared that even death is not an alternative. See the picture below.
First,
I assembled the picture on the left side by dragging various internet
resources. Still, I was not satisfied. Then I stumbled upon Vincent van Gogh’s
painting. The picture on the right side is an early work by Vincent van Gogh “Skull
of a Skeleton with Burning Cigarette”. now I am sure, the above picture
presents accurately meaning of the second line.
When we are not aligned with the truth, anything else we do including
the death are part of the ignorance. The desires burn us with invisible fire and
make us a refugee to them. Similarly, there are people who see refuge in death.
Annamacharya never merely reproducing the classical texts. He combines his own
wisdom with the classical texts to enunciate great meaning life has, if we are
ready to listen.
గోరు మోపనైనఁ జోటు is indicating there is little or no space
to manoeuvre. In other words it's implying that man has no choice, but one, the
truth. యిన్నిటా నిట్లానైతి వేమి is indicating ‘yet man looks at
everything else but the truth’.
Implied
meaning: O man! You have no refuge in time, space, and death. Where
will you go?
Word to Word meaning: అడుగిడఁగ (aDugiDaga) = to make a movement, to take step in right direction; నవ్వల లేదు (navvala lEdu) = is not outside (you); అండనైన నుండలేదు (aMDanaina nuMDalEdu) = did noy stay behind, did not remain quiet; పుడమిఁ (puDami) = on this earth; గూడు (gUDu) = Food and drink; గుడువనైనఁ (guDuvanaina) = for consuming; బొద్దులేదు (boddulEdu) = no time at all; వెడఁగుఁదనము (veDagudanamu) = వికారము, అవివేకము foolishness, folly, idiocy; విడువలేదు (viDuvalEdu) = did not leave, did not dis-associate; వేదమైనఁ జదువలేదు (vEdamaina jaduvalEdu) = neither studied Vedas; యెడపఁ దడప (yeDapa daDapa) = now and then; నిట్ల (niTla) = this way; నీకు (nIku) = to you; నేమి సేతువయ్యా (nEmi sEtuvayyA) = What is the way out?
Literal
meaning: To take the
right step, it’s not outside you. (Meaning you cannot see; therefore, your
actions inevitably go wrong). Neither you remained quiet (allowing God) to take
compassionate view on you. There is no time at all to enjoy the food and drink.
Neither you have dis-associated from the follies. nor you studied Vedas. Now and then you keep
remembering God. Where is the way sir for you?
Explanation: అడుగిడఁగ నవ్వల లేదు it's not out side you. How will you find way to it? ఏమి సేతువయ్యా (Emi sEtuvayyA) = What is the way out?
వేదమైనఁ జదువలేదు: study of Vedas is very often involved with strict discipline and high concentration work. We may think, getting PHD degree in engineering is difficult. But, passing VedAdhyayan is many times tougher. Annamacharya is saying, o fool, you neither have the discipline. ఏమి సేతువయ్యా (Emi sEtuvayyA) = what do you propose to do?
అండనైన నుండలేదు (aMDanaina nuMDalEdu): You have not kept quiet. (Continued your foolish acts). It’s normal even in jails, a quiet and disciplined delinquent person is offered clemency. God also may forgive those repentant and quiet. Annamacharya states that man has not learned to remain calm or disciplined. ఏమి సేతువయ్యా (Emi sEtuvayyA) What is the alternative?
వెడఁగుఁదనము
విడువలేదు#1 (veDagudanamu
viDuvalEdu): You are unable find your own fallacies ఏమి సేతువయ్యా (Emi sEtuvayyA) = How will you find?
పుడమిఁ గూడు గుడువనైనఁ బొద్దులేదు#2(puDami gUDu guDuvanaina boddulEdu): O man do you have time for food? What are your priorities? బొద్దులేదు is signifying that Man has no time – Not much time left for the transformation. Is the food your primary need? Now link it with wording యెడపఁ దడప (yeDapa daDapa) = now and then. Our prayers are temporary. They are transient. ఏమి సేతువయ్యా (Emi sEtuvayyA) Do you realize what to do?
Thus, పుడమిఁ గూడు గుడువనైనఁ బొద్దులేదు (puDami gUDu guDuvanaina boddulEdu): means: “are you earnest about
life?” Or want to be consumed by follies created by mind. Man, notice the inconsistencies you have
accumulated? How long does it take to
remove them? Do you think it’s a step-by-step linear process? Moving forward
little by little that will take eons. Again, understand the link with మన్ను దవ్వి కిందనైన మనికి లేదు mannu davvi
kiMdanaina maniki lEdu = the doors get closed on death. Whatever path, it must
be found while living. There are only two states? One is state of devotion. Other
is absence of it. ఏమి సేతువయ్యా (Emi sEtuvayyA) = you really have no
choice! However, can chose to be in devotion of the lord.
Implied
meaning: O man! You don’t understand the movement of your mind. The
aberrations of that movement are your current actions. Where is the way? Beyond
the vacillations, beyond the cravings, beyond the foolish actions lies the
state of devotion. You are either in it or outside it.
Word to Word meaning: వుప్పరములు (vupparamulu) =ఆకాశము, మీఁదు, పై భాగము, sky, the upper parts, implied meaning: conceit, high opinion of the self; మానియైన (mAniyaina) = avoiding; నుండలేదు (nuMDalEdu) = have not; {వుప్పరములు మానియైన నుండలేదు (vupparamulu mAniyaina nuMDalEdu) = did not stay away from high sounding words, you are carried away by your conceit} లోకమందు (lOkamaMdu) = in this world; నిప్పుడైన (nippuDaina) = even now; నీ (nI) = your; విహార (vihara) = your recreational journey, your journey of life; మిట్లనాయను (miTlanAyanu) = it went this way; చెప్పనరుదు (cheppanarudu)= its very rare; నీ (nI) = your; గుణాలు (guNAlu)= qualities; శ్రీవేంకటేశ (SrIvEMkaTESa) = Lord Venkateswara; యిట్ల-నెప్పుడును (yiTla neppuDunu) = this way you are always; ఘనుఁడవు (ghanuDavu) = great; అరయ (araya) = after due consideration, due understanding; నేమి సేతువయ్యా (nEmi sEtuvayyA) = What is your strategy?
Literal meaning: Oh man! You observe the world from your vanity. Do you grasp what has brought your life to this point? O Lord Venkateswara, your qualities remain indescribable. Oh man! What is your strategy?
Explanation: {వుప్పరములు మానియైన నుండలేదు (vupparamulu mAniyaina nuMDalEdu): Annamacharya is saying that we are judgemental on anything that comes our way. Do you think, its natural to judge? Is it not high headedness.
Implied meaning: Unless man removes egotistic hat, he continues his downward journey. What avails are worldly strategies?
#1 1. అమ్మేదొకటియు ( ammE dokaTiyu)
#2 124. ఏమి గల దిందు నెంత గాలంబైన (Emi gala diMdu neMta gAlaMbaina)
Summary
of this Keertana:
Chorus:
You became poor by myriad bonds in the mind. None exists for you anywhere. What will you
propose to do sir? Implied meaning: O man What is holding you to be free?
Stanza
1: Not much
time left before the evening. (Before the death). Its not convenient to sit
with legs stretched. (You cannot sit idle). Don’t think, you can derive comfort
by death. That’s not an alternative. As ever before, you do cannot find iota of
space to hide. In every way you have no escape route. What will you do? Implied meaning: O man! You have no refuge in time, space, and death. Where
will you go?
Stanza
2: To take the right step, it’s not outside you.
(Meaning you cannot see; therefore, your actions inevitably go wrong). Neither
you remained quiet (allowing God) to take compassionate view on you. There is
no time at all to enjoy the food and drink. Neither you have dis-associated
from the follies. nor you studied Vedas.
Now and then you keep remembering God. Where is the way sir for you? Implied meaning: O man! You don’t understand the movement of your mind. The
aberrations of that movement are your current actions. Where is the way? Beyond
the vacillations, beyond the cravings, beyond the foolish actions lies the
state of devotion. You are either in it or outside it.
Stanza
3: Oh man!
You observe the world from your vanity. Do you grasp what has brought your life
to this point? O Lord Venkateswara, your qualities remain indescribable. Oh
man! What is your strategy? Implied meaning: Unless man removes egotistic hat, he continues his downward
journey. What avails are worldly strategies?
Seems he is addressing himself and also the Lord. Well-deciphered.
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