140 మనుజుఁడై పుట్టి మనుజుని సేవించి (manujuDai puTTi manujuni sEviMchi)

 ANNAMACHARYULU

140 మనుజుఁడై పుట్టి మనుజుని సేవించి

(manujuDai puTTi manujuni sEviMchi)

Service of Man

 for Telegu (తెలుగు) Version press this link

Introduction:  In this popular, short yet utterly complex poem, Annamacharya once again brings to the fore that there is only one truth. And man, failing to get out of his sinuous captivations, falters and go astray.

Annamacharya is a university to demonstrate use of daily words to connote ideas which possibly cannot be put in words. His brutally honest descriptions of our hideous occupation are touchstones of bravery. His ability to take us to indescribable worlds in few phrases is demonstration of high art.   

కీర్తన: రాగిరేకు:  32-2  సంపుటము: 1-196	POEM Copper Leaf:  32-2     Volume: 1-196
మనుజుఁడై పుట్టి మనుజుని సేవించి అనుదినమును దుఃఖమందనేలా ॥మనుజు॥   జుట్టెఁడు గడుపుకై చొరనిచోట్లు చొచ్చి పట్టెఁడు గూటికై బతిమాలి పుట్టిన చోటికే పొరలి మనసు పెట్టి వట్టిలంపటము వదలనేరఁడు గాన ॥మనుజు॥   అందరిలోఁ బుట్టి అందరిలోఁ బెరి- గందరి రూపము లటు దానై అందమైన శ్రీవేంకటాద్రీశు సేవించి అందరాని పదమందె నటు గాన   ॥మనుజు॥	manujuDai puTTi manujuni sEviMchi anudinamunu dukhamaMdanElA ॥manuju॥   juTTeDu gaDupukai choranichOTlu chochchi paTTeDu gUTikai batimAli puTTina chOTikE porali manasu peTTi vaTTilaMpaTamu vadalanEraDu gAna ॥manuju॥   aMdarilO buTTi aMdarilO beri- gaMdari rUpamu laTu dAnai aMdamaina SrIvEMkaTAdrISu sEviMchi aMdarAni padamaMde naTu gAna ॥manuju॥

 

Details and Explanations:

 

మనుజుఁడై పుట్టి మనుజుని సేవించి

అనుదినమును దుఃఖమందనేలా          ॥మనుజు॥

manujuDai puTTi manujuni sEviMchi

anudinamunu dukhamaMdanElA          ॥manuju॥

 

Word to Word meaning: మనుజుఁడై పుట్టి (manujuDai puTTi) = having born as human; మనుజుని (manujuni) = (another) human; సేవించి (sEviMchi) = by serving; అనుదినమును (anudinamunu) = everyday; దుఃఖమందనేలా (dukhamaMdanElA) = = why receive sorrow?   

 

Literal meaning: Why continue to suffer day after day by serving another human? 

Explanation: Here దుఃఖమందనేలా (dukhamaMdanElA = why should you be in sorrow?) is used in the broader sense. Serving others has unreasonable consequences. Consider this Sanskrit saying (from Neeti Satakam by Bhartruhari) below: 

मौनान्मूकः प्रवचनपटुवाचको जल्पको वा

धृष्टः पार्क्ष्वे भवति च वसन् दूरतोऽप्यप्रगल्भः ।

क्षान्त्या भीरुयदि न सहते प्रायशो नाभिजातः

सेवाधर्मः परमगहनो योगिनामप्यगम्यः ॥ ४८ ॥ 

Purport: The Owner’s view of a servant is as below: 

If the servant is silent, owner feels he must be a fool.

if servant talks cleverly, owners feel he is talkative

(Only talks but does not do work).

if servant forbears, Owner thinks servant is coward.

If servant does not show patience, he casts him of low birth.

If Servant becomes close to Owner, he is scorned off for the etiquette.

If servant keeps distance the owner feels he must be timid.

it’s impossible to understand the expectations of Proprietor even for a yogi. 

{सेवा करने वाला यदि मौन रहे तो गूंगा, वाक्पट हो तो बकवादी, समीप रहे तो ढीठ और दूरी बनाकर रखे तो मूर्ख, क्षमाशील हो तो भीरु, असहनशील हो अकुलीन कहा जाता है। यह सेवा धर्म अत्यंत ही कठिन है।} 

Implied meaning: Don't waste your life serving others, which confuses even saints.

 

జుట్టెఁడు గడుపుకై చొరనిచోట్లు చొచ్చి

పట్టెఁడు గూటికై బతిమాలి

పుట్టిన చోటికే పొరలి మనసు పెట్టి

వట్టిలంపటము వదలనేరఁడు గాన        ॥మనుజు॥ 

juTTeDu gaDupukai choranichOTlu chochchi

paTTeDu gUTikai batimAli

puTTina chOTikE porali manasu peTTi

vaTTilaMpaTamu vadalanEraDu gAna ॥manuju॥

 

Word to Word meaning: జుట్టెఁడు (juTTeDu) = చాపబడిన బొటనవేలికి చూపుడువేలికి గల మధ్య కొలత​, జానేడు, hand span length;  గడుపుకై (gaDupukai) = for the stomach;  చొరనిచోట్లు (choranichOTlu) = unsuitable spaces; చొచ్చి (chochchi) = penetrate, infiltrate, enter; పట్టెఁడు (paTTeDu) = handful, fistful; గూటికై (gUTikai) = for food; బతిమాలి (batimAli) = beg, beseech, implore, entreat; పుట్టిన చోటికే (puTTina chOTikE) = place of birth;  పొరలి (porali) =  to roll over, to wallow; bring to the fore again and again, to desire; మనసు పెట్టి (manasu petti) = concentrating  the mind;  వట్టి (vaTTi) = pure/ empty/ only; లంపటము (laMpaTamu) = bondage, {వట్టిలంపటము =  pure, empty, only bondage}; వదలనేరఁడు గాన (vadalanEraDu gAna) = వదలివేయుట నేర్వడు కాన, because did not learn to let go, because he cannot eschew.

 

Literal meaning: Man, seeps into inappropriate places to fill tiny stomach of size of a hand span. He implores for fistful of grain. Yet, unabashedly, he concentrates mind, time and again on the place of his birth (female genital organs).  He becomes trapped in meaningless bonds because he cannot learn to let go. 

Explanation: One is to surrender to the senses at times.  But becoming mentally accustomed to the things that plague us every day is a problem to ponder. Annamacharya is not denying food. But is questioning the thought that says: “What about food for the evening and tomorrow?”. This makes man to go any extent in search of food.  The mind builds pathways to such possibilities by broadening the available information. Therefore, the wording జుట్టెఁడు గడుపుకై చొరనిచోట్లు చొచ్చి (juTTeDu gaDupukai choranichOTlu chochchi = sweats to reach impossible places) is not just accurate, but a hard and undeniable reality. 

We all know that this this baseless avocation of man has led to many wars, classifications and genocides. One of the root causes of all the problems faced by man in this world must be analysed. To be understood completely. First, take a careful look at this world-famous painting by René Magritte below titled 'La Carte Blanche' (= The White Paper).

 

On examining the above picture, it becomes clear that it is impossible. It is incongruous to imagine a horse with its rider as depicted in the picture. On close scrutiny, it’s not difficult to find that ‘the picture of the horse rider is cut into three parts and arranged into the painting. But the mind, disregarding the analysis, believes that there is a horse. (I am thankful to Mr. Scott McDaniel^#1 for his analysis of #16: The Blank Check, by René Magritte. You can find full article at reference No 1) 

Surrealist artists try to disengage us from our normal thoughts by introducing tweak in ordinary things. When we take a few separate parts of an image and line them up correctly, our brain perceives them as a single object. This is called induced closure. Some more explanation on this can be found in the following picture. 

Annamacharya said “the mind makes us worry about confirming tomorrow’s meal today itself.  This is a pure waste of effort”. However, from the news everyday, we witness hunger deaths, poverty, inequality, exploitation, oppression, luxurious life of the rich etc. Each of them applies their pressure on the mind. Net effect is that man puts the truth aside by overtly trusting the logic he creates based on the information he perceived. He believes there is a horse. 

Like we did in this picture, our mind constructs unwanted possibilities with respect to security of food to separate us from the world. వట్టిలంపటము వదలనేరఁడు గాన "vaTTilaMpaTamu vadalanEraDu gAna" is indicting our vanity is preventing us from seeing the truth. This man Annamacharya is impossible. 

Now let us understand పుట్టిన చోటికే పొరలి మనసు పెట్టి (puTTina chOTikE porali manasu petti) = man in his mind visits many times, the place of his birth (female genital organs). By piecing together information to build a sizable library. On careful observation, anyone can find that this is another artificial structure we build. We tend to cover it as a symbol of vitality and purpose of existence. Man tries to derive non-existent satisfaction.  Thus, prepares himself for a counterattack. Annamacharya does not shy of expressing such base feelings we really undergo. He is a revolutionary. 

This tendency is, again due to the induced closure described above. But human beings keep these things hidden in their hearts. That's why there are countless sites on the Internet today about romance and sex. Annamacharya criticized this as "వట్టిలంపటము వదలనేరఁడు గాన" "vaTTilaMpaTamu vadalanEraDu gAna" which means man gets trapped in a senseless slavery because he could not learn to let go. In this way man becomes a prisoner in the cage he has built. What use is of blaming God?

Implied meaning: You are the one who tests and the tested. Where is the question of truth in this? Therefore, reject both.  Have you noticed what is left?

అందరిలోఁ బుట్టి అందరిలోఁ బెరి-

గందరి రూపము లటు దానై

అందమైన శ్రీవేంకటాద్రీశు సేవించి

అందరాని పదమందె నటు గాన ॥మనుజు॥ 

 

aMdarilO buTTi aMdarilO beri-

gaMdari rUpamu laTu dAnai

aMdamaina SrIvEMkaTAdrISu sEviMchi

aMdarAni padamaMde naTu gAna        ॥manuju॥

 

Word to Word meaning: అందరిలోఁ బుట్టి (aMdarilO buTTi) = taking the birth like all others; అందరిలోఁ బెరిగి (aMdarilO berigi) = live like all others; అందరి రూపములు (aMdari rUpamulu) = all their figures, shapes; అటు (aTu) = that side; దానై (dAnai) = self being, take upon the self; అందమైన (aMdamaina) = beautiful; శ్రీవేంకటాద్రీశు (SrIvEMkaTAdrISu) = Lord Venkteswara; సేవించి (sEviMchi) = by serving; అందరాని (aMdarAni) = impossible; పదమందెను (padamaMdenu) = step ascended;  అటు గాన (aTu gAna) = on reaching that side. 

Literal meaning: He (the yogi) takes birth and lives like an ordinary man. On the other side he takes upon the self all their figures, shapes. He remains the steadfast servant of the Lord Venkteswara. Finally ascends impossible step to the other side. 

Explanation: The yogi takes birth and lives like ordinary man. Then by his unwavering quest for truth he crosses all the barriers. The word అటు దానై (that side the same self) are key words of this verse. This side is our world, full of illusion. The other side is truly existing world perpetuated by truth. The word ‘అటు’ (aTu) is indicating a hitch, a twist, a point of no return. One may equate it to transformation of a caterpillar into butterfly. This point is the ultimate a man may climb.

However, this cannot be achieved by prayers, philanthropy and humanitarian acts.  Also, understand the strong statement of the first stanza. One has to come out of the unnatural things. As explained above in first stanza, we construct many artificial edifices and dwell in them. What to talk of the hypocrisy we perpetrate.   

The position described is not a give and take bargain. Whether “one can transcend the barrier or not” is not in the man's hand. We can keep the window of the mind open. Whether we are admitted to the other side is a million dollar question. Nevertheless, it’s worth noting the warning given by Annamacharya.’తగు మునులు‌ ఋషులు తపములు సేయఁగ / గగనము మోచియుఁ గర్మము దెగదా’ {= Many saints and yogis have moved the mountains and oceans. Yet they haven’t found what inaction is}. I request the readers to re-visit the Bhagavad-Gita verse गहना कर्मणो गति: (4-17) gahanā karmaṇo gatiḥ = impossible to understand the nature of action. 

అందరి రూపములు (= all their figures, shapes). You may wonder what this word would mean. Does not make sense otherwise. However, as mentioned in the Bhagavad-Gita verse, the yogi shall feel the world in himself. सर्वभूतस्थमात्मानं सर्वभूतानि चात्मनि | ईक्षते योगयुक्तात्मा सर्वत्र समदर्शन: || 6-29|| sarva-bhūta-stham ātmānaṁ sarva-bhūtāni chātmani / īkṣhate yoga-yuktātmā sarvatra sama-darśhanaḥ Purport: The yogi uniting his consciousness with God, seated in equanimity, finds all living beings in himself and himself in all living beings. 

As I mentioned many times before, the purpose of these commentaries are not theoretical explorations, but actual and plausible human experiences in flesh and blood. Jiddu Krishnamurti felt these. Now, request readers to refer to the life story of jiddu Krishnmurti. In August 1922, Krishnamurti, for the first time, could feel the world in himself. (Refer to page 116, Years of Awakening, by Mary Lutyens). Thus Sir, When Annamacharya says అందరి రూపము లటు దానై (aMdari rUpamu laTu dAnai) he is describing his own state. 

అందరాని పదమందె నటు గాన^#2: Many of us are aware that Annamacharya experienced కైవల్యము (= the ultimate truth = the abode of Lord Vishnu). This is what he is indicating by surmounting the impossible step. 

In this beautiful poem, Therefore, Annamacharya is asking the listeners to take up the path of devotion. Not to be blinded by the faith but with open eyes to embrace the divine love by eschewing ignorance.

 

References and Recommendations for further reading:

#1 http://www.scottmcd.net/artanalysis/?p=115) (Read Mr. Scott McDaniel's Beautiful explanation on Blank Check by Rene Magritte )

#2 92. మోహము విడుచుటే మోక్షమది (mOhamu viDuchuTE mOkshamadi) 

 

 

 

Summary of this Keertana:

 

Chorus: Why continue to suffer day after day by serving another human?  Implied meaning: Don't waste your life serving others, which confuses even saints.

 

Stanza 1: Man, seeps into inappropriate places to fill tiny stomach of size of a hand span. He implores for fistful of grain. Yet, unabashedly, he concentrates mind, time and again on the place of his birth (female genital organs).  He becomes trapped in meaningless bonds because he cannot learn to let go. Implied meaning: You are the one who tests and the tested. Where is the question of truth in this? Therefore, reject both.  Have you noticed what is left

 

Stanza 2: He (the yogi) takes birth and lives like an ordinary man. On the other side he takes upon the self all their figures, shapes. He remains the steadfast servant of the Lord Venkteswara. Finally ascends impossible step to the other side.