ANNAMACHARYULU
166 పదిలము కోట పగవారు
(padilamu kOTa pagavAru)
for Telegu (తెలుగు) Version press here
Synopsis: Embrace uncertainty, forsake the refuge, and seek the
truth.
Summary of this Poem:
Chorus: Beware,
beloved ones! Stay alert, as these six traits - desire, wrath, infatuation,
greed, arrogance, and jealousy - find their abode within you. They constantly
await an opportunity to undermine the very source of your security. Implied
Meaning: The internal enemies are constructing barriers around
you, impeding your journey of life.
Stanza
1: In the depths of the womb, the cherished foetus
crawls in darkness for nine months. The five senses sprout like branches of a
tree, seemingly natural, but they entangle and engage in a bewildering melee.
Stanza
2: There is
a mysterious individual heeds the counsel of the two ministers from past lives:
sin and virtue. Besides them, seven occupants persist within the fortress,
comprising the five senses, mind, and ego, obstinately moving around as they
please.
Stanza 3: Within the fort, nine apertures exist, (interconnected by many fine threads made of nerves, arteries, and veins). They possess an innate ability to maintain secrecy, concealing conspiracies, and deceit from escaping beyond their boundaries. It was upon this realization that Koneti Venkateswara entered my heart, leaving me devoid of fear.
Detailed Presentation
Introduction: This tiny poem may be the best example of unparalleled talent of Annamacharya. Here the fort becomes a metaphor for the myriad stratagems fashioned by individuals to safeguard. Yet, despite the yearning of mankind, any assurance of absolute protection remains elusive.
This tightly woven poem by the saint reflects the
security that humans naturally crave for. He prompts mankind to contemplate the
very essence that compels them to construct their metaphorical fortresses. Finally,
the poem suggests that the ultimate source of protection can only be found in
God Himself.
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కీర్తన: రాగిరేకు: 10-1 సంపుటము: 1-61 |
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10-1 Volume: 1-61 |
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పదిలము కోట పగవారు అదనఁ గాచుకొందు రాఱుగురు ॥పదిలము॥ ఇమ్మైఁ జెప్ప యిందరిచేత తొమ్మిదినెల్లఁ దోఁగినది కొమ్మతీరునఁ గుదురైన కోట దొమ్మికాండ్లైదుగురుందురు ॥పదిలము॥ వొంటికాఁడు రాజు వుడుగక తమలోన వొంటనీని మంత్రులొక యిద్దరు దంటతనంబునఁ దమ యిచ్చఁ దిరిగాడు బంటు లేడుగురు బలవంతులు ॥పదిలము॥ కలవు తొమ్మిది కనుమల తంత్రము నిలుపఁగలిగినట్టి నెరవాదులు తెలిసి కోనేటి తిమ్మినాయఁడు చొచ్చె బలిసె యీ కోట భయమేల ॥పదిలము॥
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padilamu kOTa pagavAru
adana gAchukoMdu rA~ruguru ॥padilamu॥ immai jeppa yiMdarichEta
tommidinella dOginadi
kommatIruna guduraina kOTa
dommikAMDlaiduguruMduru ॥padilamu॥ voMTikADu rAju vuDugaka tamalOna
voMTanIni maMtruloka yiddaru
daMTatanaMbuna dama yichcha dirigADu
baMTu lEDuguru balavaMtulu ॥padilamu॥ kalavu tommidi kanumala taMtramu
nilupagaliginaTTi neravAdulu
telisi kOnETi timminAyaDu chochche
balise yI kOTa bhayamEla ॥padilamu॥
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Details and Explanations:
Word to word meaning: పదిలము (padilamu) = be on the guard, beware of; కోట (kOTa) = fortress, Here fortress is used in the sense of providing security; పగవారు (pagavAru) = your enemies; అదనఁ గాచుకొందు (adana gAchukoMdu) = waiting for opportunity to strike; రాఱుగురు (rA~ruguru) = six of them.
Literal
meaning: Beware, beloved ones! Stay
alert, as these six traits - desire, wrath, infatuation, greed, arrogance, and
jealousy - find their abode within you. They constantly await an opportunity to
undermine the very source of your security.
Explanation: Throughout
history, humanity has relentlessly pursued various means of attaining safety
and security. Yet, despite the apparent promises they hold, these avenues often
fail to deliver when most needed. From primitive tools like stones and fire
torches to advanced weaponry such as swords, cannons, guns, machine guns,
bombs, atomic bombs, and intercontinental missiles, none of these inventions
could grant ultimate protection, even to their creators. It remains undeniable
that none of these instruments can truly provide the refuge and safety one
seeks.
Now let's look at a small collage called La place au
soleil ('The place in the sun') by Magritte. By observing it, let us know the
meaning of this chorus thoroughly.
The genesis of the La place au soleil series emerges from
the dismantling of this illusory sense of security. In the depicted artwork,
the artist portrays a lion resting upon the wings of a butterfly, imbuing it
with profound symbolism. It is beyond imagination that such a delicate creature
as a butterfly could bear the weight of the mightiest lion upon its wings.
Moreover, merely adorning the image of a lion on its back does not offer any
additional protection to the butterfly.
Much like the butterfly depicted in the preceding image,
no matter how arduous the endeavours of an individual, they will not acquire
additional protection beyond what God has already bestowed. Men, turning a
blind eye to the stark truths embedded in history, ventures forward,
squandering their life in futile pursuits.
Annamacharya by the wording “padilamu kOTa pagavAru / adana gAchukoMdu rA~ruguru” ('పదిలము కోట పగవారు / అదనఁ గాచుకొందు రాఱుగురు') suggests that the proclivity to build safety is providing an opportunity for the internal adversaries.
Implied Meaning: The internal enemies are constructing barriers around
you, impeding your journey of life.
Word to word meaning: ఇమ్మైఁ జెప్ప (immai jeppa) =
loved and announced thus, stated to be liked; యిందరిచేత (yiMdarichEta) = by
so many people; తొమ్మిదినెల్లఁ (tommidinella) = for nine months; దోఁగినది (dOginadi) = to crawl
on, to scramble, to hanker after; కొమ్మతీరునఁ (kommatIruna) = like a branch of a tree, like a natural
extension; గుదురైన కోట (guduraina kOTa) = well fit fort, suitably arranged fort; దొమ్మికాండ్లైదుగురుందురు (dommikAMDlaiduguruMduru) = there are
five who fight in the melee, the five sense organs perplex you jointly.
Literal
meaning: In the depths of the womb, the cherished foetus crawls in
darkness for nine months. The five senses sprout like branches of a tree,
seemingly natural, but they entangle and engage in a bewildering melee.
Explanation: The words ‘immai jeppa yiMdarichEta’ ('ఇమ్మైఁ జెప్ప యిందరిచేత') imply that all the creatures born in the world are born to realize the dreams and wishes of their parents. It is appropriate to recall the poem ‘dibbalu veTTuchu dElina didivO’ (‘దిబ్బలు వెట్టుచు దేలిన దిదివో’) which indicates every living being delivered has crossed many obstacles. He also repeated similar motif in another poem mOpula chigurula chimmula vEdamu 'మోపుల చిగురుల చిమ్ముల వేదము'. Request the readers to ponder why Annamacharya mentioned so many times about the birth pangs.
tommidinella dOginadi (తొమ్మిదినెల్లఁ దోఁగినది): In medical terminology the foetus is a foreign tissue; like a transplant it would come in conflict with the mother’s immune system. Although it shares the mother’s body, foetus is a different person with distinct genetic makeup and body cells. Therefore, you will find Annamacharya to be very apt to describe the life of foetus creeping in darkness with anxiety. I wonder how he could be so precise.
dommikAMDlaiduguruMduru (దొమ్మికాండ్లైదుగురుందురు = melee): Every sensory system transmits signals to the brain, which then interprets these signals and generates a response. The brain achieves this by often combining information from multiple sensory systems, a process known as sensory integration. Thus, synaesthesia (the production of a sense impression relating to one sense or part of the body by stimulation of another sense or part of the body) is part of that integration.
Although we may not always be conscious of it, the
constant interplay between our senses significantly influences our perceptions.
The examples of such interactions are abundant. For instance, if you are served
cold soup or dry bread at a restaurant, you might request a replacement. A loud
noise captures your attention, prompting your eyes to scan for any movement
that could lead you to its source. I am amazed that this Saint Annamacharya is
very accurate and impressive.
Word to word meaning: వొంటికాఁడు రాజు (voMTikADu rAju) =unknown and
unnamed person; వుడుగక (vuDugaka) = without interruption, continuously; తమలోన (tamalOna) = by his
internal (feelings); వొంటనీని మంత్రులొక యిద్దరు (voMTanIni maMtruloka
yiddaru) = brought two ministers (the accumulated sins and virtues from the
previous births); దంటతనంబునఁ (daMTatanaMbuna) = by stubbornness, by obstinacy; దమ
యిచ్చఁ దిరిగాడు (dama yichcha dirigADu) = moving around as they wish; బంటు
లేడుగురు (baMTu lEDuguru) = seven servants (five senses, mind and the ego); బలవంతులు
(balavaMtulu) = they are
strong.
Literal
meaning: There is a mysterious individual heeds the counsel of the two
ministers from past lives: sin and
virtue. Besides them, seven occupants persist within the fortress, comprising
the five senses, mind, and ego, obstinately moving around as they please.
Explanation: Vontikandu rAju (వొంటికాఁడు రాజు = This
is unknown person is lonely) indicates that man is lonely in his present mental
state now, and when he joins the life force running the world, he does not
experience loneliness. Inheritance of sin and virtue is undeniable part of this
existence. Annamacharya indicated Man’s
deliberate actions apprehending the attack of the five senses, the mind, and
the ego as Ignorance. All attempts to separate man from his natural state are
in ignorance. therefore, it’s worth noting that Jiddu Krishnamurti described
all the actions we take as reactions.
The Bhagavad-Gita shloka 13-30 also
indicating the same. प्रकृत्यैव च कर्माणि क्रियमाणानि सर्वश: | य: पश्यति तथात्मानमकर्तारं स पश्यति || 13-30|| prakṛityaiva cha
karmāṇi kriyamāṇāni sarvaśhaḥ yaḥ paśhyati tathātmānam akartāraṁ sa paśhyati Purport:
Know that he
who perceives directly within himself that all karmas are done by the source of
nature, and remain neutral, is a true seer. Thus, he becomes free of bondage.
Word to word meaning: కలవు (kalavu) = there
exists; తొమ్మిది కనుమల (tommidi kanumala) =
nine holed; తంత్రము నిలుపఁగలిగినట్టి (taMtramu nilupagaliginaTTi) = conspiracy and
fraud can be held secret without spilling outside; నెరవాదులు (neravAdulu) =
capable people, skilful people; తెలిసి (telisi) = knowing this; కోనేటి
తిమ్మినాయఁడు (kOnETi timminAyaDu) = Lord Venkateshwara; చొచ్చె (chochche) =entered
(the heart); బలిసె (balise) = got strengthened; యీ కోట (yI kOTa) = this
living being; భయమేల (bhayamEla) = there is no need to fear now.
Literal
meaning: Within the fort, nine apertures exist, (interconnected by
many fine threads made of nerves, arteries, and veins). They possess an innate
ability to maintain secrecy, concealing conspiracies, and deceit from escaping
beyond their boundaries. It was upon this realization that Koneti Venkateswara
entered my heart, leaving me devoid of fear.
Explanation: Continuing the logic of the previous stanzas, these nine
holes are strengthening the fort. In this way, nature deceiving the eyes of man
and continues its business. Annamacharya said that KoneTi thimminayadu will
enter the heart of one who is directly aware of this, choses to remain neutral
(or remain an observer).
Annamacharya conveys that in the first stanza, the
yearning for security is instilled in the mind of a human being during their
time in the mother's womb. In the second stanza, he suggests that feelings of
loneliness prompt individuals to seek a sense of protection and belonging. The
third stanza illustrates how the nine apertures in the body serve to obscure
the true nature of actions one should take. As a result, people believe in and
construct a fortress, gradually reinforcing it throughout their lives, striving
to remain secluded within the walls of their self-identified identity, known as
the "I."
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