ANNAMACHARYULU
141 నానాఁటి
బదుకు నాఁటకము
(nAnATi baduku nATakamu)
for Telegu
(తెలుగు) Version press here
Introduction: Annamacharya described the difference between
action and attempting to act as drama of life in this serene, soul-filling
verse, thus the wording of the chorus.
Writing a commentary on this well-known poem is a challenge. One may wonder why explain something which is quite clear. However, Annamacharya weaved many surprise phrases like "Kanaka kannadi" ("కానక కన్నది") to denote something we see but do not actually see. Here, Annamacharya referred to the distinction between reality and what we perceive and believe as drama. By gradually changing the meaning of the word 'Kaivalyamu' ('కైవల్యము' = liberation) he emphasizes that it is not a destination that can be chosen by a human being.
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నానాఁటి బదుకు నాఁటకము కానక కన్నది కైవల్యము ॥పల్లవి॥ పుట్టుటయు నిజము పోవుటయు నిజము నట్టనడిమి పని నాఁటకము యెట్టనెదుటఁ గలదీ ప్రపంచమును కట్టఁగడపటిది కైవల్యము ॥నానాఁ॥ కుడిచే దన్నము కోక చుట్టెడిది నడుమంత్రపు పని నాఁటకము వొడిఁ గట్టుకొనిన వుభయకర్మములు గడి దాఁటినపుడే కైవల్యము ॥నానాఁ॥ తెగదు పాపమును తీరదు పుణ్యము నగినగి కాలము నాఁటకము యెగువనె శ్రీవేంకటేశ్వరుఁ డేలిక గగనము మీఁదిది కైవల్యము ॥నానాఁ॥
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nAnATi baduku nATakamu
kAnaka kannadi kaivalyamu ॥pallavi॥ puTTuTayu nijamu pOvuTayu nijamu
naTTanaDimi pani nATakamu
yeTTaneduTa galadI prapaMchamunu
kaTTagaDapaTidi kaivalyamu ॥nAnA॥ kuDichE dannamu kOka chuTTeDidi
naDumaMtrapu pani nATakamu
voDi gaTTukonina vubhayakarmamulu
gaDi dATinapuDE kaivalyamu ॥nAnA॥ tegadu pApamunu tIradu puNyamu
naginagi kAlamu nATakamu
yeguvane SrIvEMkaTESvaru DElika
gaganamu mIdidi kaivalyamu ॥nAnA॥
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Details and Explanations:
Word to Word meaning: నానాఁటి (nAnATi) = day by day; బదుకు (baduku) = life; నాఁటకము (nATakamu) = a drama, a play, an act; కానక కన్నది (kAnaka kannadi) = అతి కష్టముమీద కనినదైననూ కలిగెనని తెలుపలేనిది, seen yet not seen; that cannot be ascertained; కైవల్యము (kaivalyamu) = the liberation.
Literal
meaning: Present day
to day life is a drama. With great concentration, one may experience the truth
but cannot be ascertained with any certainty. (Therefore, even that may be
termed as drama by public.)
Explanation: The wording కానక కన్నది
(=seen yet not seen, kAnaka
kannadi) is something like the picture of cube
(given below) by MC Escher. It looks very much possible. On close look it is
impossible. But it draws you back with its magnetic attraction that it is
possible.
If one is pursuing truth for the sake public, family or tradition, it remains an act, a practice, an observance, a drama. Thus, Annamacharya issued a warning at the beginning itself. The intensity with which Annamacharya wrote poems can be measured in this single chorus.
A drama necessarily involves the actor(s), oral or written script and audience. Here in the drama life the same person is the actor, he writes his own script and unfortunately, he is the primary audience for his life. It's anyone's guess as to which direction this drama will lead. Hence, mankind has remained stagnant for a long time.
From a drama, we derive certain satisfaction, certain entertainment. Who will pay to watch such insipid, slow and dull drama of life of ours? By our present cinema standards, it’s an utter flop show. Yet the actor in chief feels he is doing a great job!! What an indifference! If this is not drama what else is?
At this juncture, I am reminded of a poem by Vanamamalai Varadacharyulu. I am giving a free translation the same below.
Further, Annamacharya is clearly indicating we are not prepared to conduct this drama of life. It appears like the popular Irish Proverb “All the world is a stage; We are desperately unrehearsed”.
Implied
meaning: Put an end to the drama to live the vital life.
Word to Word
meaning: పుట్టుటయు (puTTuTayu)
= birth; నిజము (nijamu) = truth; పోవుటయు (pOvuTayu) = death; నిజము (nijamu) =
truth; నట్టనడిమి (naTTanaDimi) = in the middle; పని (pani) =
acts, works, errands; నాఁటకము (nATakamu) = a drama (more in the sense of an
illusion); యెట్టనెదుటఁ (yeTTaneduTa) = in front (of all); గలదీ (galadI)=
existing; ప్రపంచమును (prapaMchamunu) = in this world; కట్టఁగడపటిది (kaTTagaDapaTidi) = the
very last thing; కైవల్యము (kaivalyamu) = liberation;
Literal meaning: In between these tangible realities birth and death#1 you play the drama (of your own script). The last thing and the lasting thing in the world before you is the truth.
Explanation: Annamacharya started the disambiguation when he says the last and the lasting thing in this world is the truth. The truth remains that there are no two worlds.
Man in his imagination constructs two worlds. The other world he always dreamt to be a utopia, where he will not be touched by the sorrow. Annamacharya and modern philosophers like Jiddu Krishnamurti do not agree with this concept. The Implied meaning of Bhagavad-Gita verse 6-29 is also the same.
Thus, the man’s belief in the world bereft of troubles is just an imagination, an illusion. Therefore, Annamacharya called it as నాఁటకము (nATakamu = drama).
Implied
meaning: Observe the world without aberrations. The truth is here in
front of you.
Word to Word meaning: కుడిచే దన్నము (kuDichE dannamu) = the food we eat; కోక (kOka) = cloth; చుట్టెడిది (chuTTeDidi) = to wrap; నడుమంత్రపు (naDumaMtrapu) = మధ్యకాలమునఁ గలిగినది, An interval; middling i.e., neither here nor there (by middling Annamcharya intended to describe shortness of life); పని (pani) = work, errand; నాఁటకము (nATakamu) = a drama (more in the sense of an illusion); వొడిఁ గట్టుకొనిన (voDi gaTTukonina) = resorting to undesirable things (here implying accumulated undesirable things); వుభయకర్మములు (vubhayakarmamulu) = both sins and virtues; గడి (gaDi) = a limit, a boundary; దాఁటినపుడే (dATinapuDE) = when overtaken, when crossed; కైవల్యము (kaivalyamu) = liberation;
Literal meaning: the food we take and the cloth we wrap are necessary. But glorifying them in this small interval (between birth and death) is the drama man performs. When man crosses the boundaries created by virtues and sins, i.e., when he no longer has any relationship with them, possibility exists for liberation.
Explanation: Annamacharya often repeats this motif of food to
emphasize its primal nature on the human mind. Everything that a person
does in this world, it always remains at the back of his memory. Readers are
requested to consider the painting below by Rene Magritte (titled: the
Portrait). I hope readers will
appreciate painting despite its European cultural accent.
The eye on the plate looks directly at the viewer. it perhaps questions the human obsession with food. Eli Siegel who claims that in digesting food people are "using the world" in their way. Chaim Koppelmann believes that despite Magritte's dislike of symbols he painted the eye as a symbol of conscience. However, the eye in 'The Portrait' stresses that food be taken seriously and respected.
Magritte had put the elegant title 'the Portrait' (Le Portrait); with a small change he left the viewers in surprise and uncertainty. Thus, he portrayed the real heart of a man. When we view these pictures in their perspectives, it becomes clear that man’s favourite pass time i.e., search of food and security, is baseless#3. Impartial view of history is interplay of food and security with the facades of pretexts changing to suit the times.
వొడిఁ గట్టుకొనిన వుభయకర్మములు / గడి దాఁటినపుడే కైవల్యము: Virtues are the most important thing man tries to engage in life. The fact remains that these are our collective projections, not necessarily correct. Annamacharya said, one may understand what liberation is only when one crosses the assumed boundaries of virtues and sins. Similar idea can be found in Bhagavadgita verse बुद्धियुक्तो जहातीह उभे सुकृतदुष्कृते (2-50) buddhi-yukto jahātīha ubhe sukṛita-duṣhkṛite Purport: One who prudently practices the science of action without attachment shall get rid of both virtues and sins in this life itself. That is the equanimity.
Implied meaning: Man! Things that distract you are the ones that you dramatize. They entice you away from freedom with the promise of virtues.
Word
to Word meaning: తెగదు (tegadu) =
cannot disconnect; పాపమును (pApamunu) = sin and; తీరదు
(tIradu) = never ending (here used in the sense of never can be
completed); పుణ్యము (puNyamu) =
virtuous deeds; నగినగి (naginagi) = chuckling away; కాలము (kAlamu) =
time; నాఁటకము (nATakamu) = drama (more in the sense of an
illusion); యెగువనె (yeguvane) = high above; శ్రీవేంకటేశ్వరుఁ (SrIvEMkaTESvaru)
= Lord Venkateswara; డేలిక (DElika) = the ruler, the master; గగనము (gaganamu) = దుర్లభము, impossible; మీఁదిది (mIdidi) = beyond; కైవల్యము (kaivalyamu) = the truth;
Literal meaning: Man cannot disconnect himself from the dirt and sin. Similarly, he can never achieve virtue. While this drama continues, the time chuckles and flies away. High above all these, the master, the ruler Venkateswara is there. The truth is beyond the impossibility.
Explanation: the purpose of the stanza is to emphasize the attempts to do good and avoidance of sin are met with internal resistance. In the famous novel, the strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by R L Stevenson, Dr Jekyll with all his good qualities tilts towards being Mr Hyde in the end. Same is the case with all of us.
గగనము మీఁదిది కైవల్యము (gaganamu mIdidi kaivalyamu) = is indicating that man often is afraid of the impossible. But he does not look into it to find what is actually possible. Hackneyed dismissal of impossible is not an enquiry, but conditioned reflex.
Implied Meaning: The endeavour to reach the Lord Without taking the cue of Virtues and
Sins, caring less for the difficulty of the task, as if there is no time left,
is action. Everything else is drama
References
and Recommendations for further reading:
#1 4. ఇన్ని చదవనేల (inni chaduvanEla)
#2 96. ఎదుట నెవ్వరు లేరు యింతా విష్ణుమయమే (eduTa nevvaru lEru yiMtA vishNumayamE)
#3 కడలుడిపి నీరాడఁగాఁ దలఁచువారలకు (kaDaluDipi nIrADagA dalachuvAralaku)
Summary
of this Keertana:
Chorus:
Present day to day life is a drama. With great
concentration, one may experience the truth but cannot be ascertained with any
certainty. (Therefore, even that may be termed as drama by public.) Implied meaning: Put an end to the drama to live the vital life.
Stanza
1: In
between these tangible realities birth and death you play the drama (of your
own script). The last thing and the lasting thing in the world before you is the
truth. Implied meaning: Observe the world without aberrations. The truth is here in
front of you.
Stanza
2: the food we take and the cloth we wrap are
necessary. But glorifying them in this small interval (between birth and death)
is the drama man performs. When man crosses the boundaries created by virtues
and sins, i.e., when he no longer has any relationship with them, possibility
exists for liberation. Implied meaning: Man! Things that distract you are the ones that you dramatize.
They entice you away from freedom with the promise of virtues.
Stanza
3: Man
cannot disconnect himself from the dirt and sin. Similarly, he can never
achieve virtue. While this drama continues, the time chuckles and flies
away. High above all these, the master,
the ruler Venkateswara is there. The truth is beyond the impossibility. Implied Meaning: The endeavour to reach the Lord Without taking the
cue of Virtues and Sins, caring less for the difficulty of the task, as if
there is no time left, is action. Everything else is drama
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