ANNAMACHARYULU
174 కూడితి మిందరము గుంపులాయ నీ మోహము
(kUDiti miMdaramu guMpulAya nI mOhamu)
Synopsis: “Why are you looking around for help? Do you believe that
help will come from outside? What is to come is created in you and from you.
Hence look into yourself. Do not compare, do not measure. No other way is like
yours. All other ways deceive and tempt you. You must fulfil the way that is in
you.” Carl Jung, The Red
Book
Summary of this Poem:
Chorus: Here, on this earthly realm, we gather together, entwined
in your allure. Despite the boundless opportunities for pleasure (more in the
sense of engagement with life), we remain hesitant to revel to the fullest. Implied Meaning: We have all gathered here to embrace the chance
of uniting with the truth. Oh, unfortunate soul, it costs nothing. What is
holding you back?
Stanza
1: Why should you hesitate to engage in
actions that bring lasting fulfilment? Isn't clearing the mind (of wrong
things) is the best thing that can happen? On careful observation, you and what
you lack are one and the same. Realizing this ends all worries. Oh man! why do you hesitate? Implied Meaning: Embrace the path to intelligence by taking
decisive actions to shed the burden of wrong accumulations. This transformative
journey will free you from worries. So, why hesitate? Embrace the change!
Embrace the light of knowledge!
Stanza 2: Oh,
humanity! You engage in actions only to regret them shortly after. Is it not incumbent
on you to face their consequences? is it not the appropriate way to live? Oh,
God, you have sown the seeds, and I have entrusted all responsibility to you.
Now, my weariness has vanished. So, why do you fear, O man? Embrace the path
ahead!
Stanza 3: Oh, human! You persistently find flaws in what you receive. You boast about your origins, lineage, and ancestry. In this world, Lord Venkateswara reigns in my heart, and now I can see His majestic splendour and greatness clearly. So, why do you hesitate, O man? Embrace the truth!
Detailed Presentation
Introduction: This poem by Annamacharya is simple. Clear. Easy and flowing. It’s a work of art. An art of ice on hot summer day. It keeps melting as you try to form a meaning to its words. Then we doubt if these phrases have any meaning? Any shape? Any message?
The words and phrases of this poem needs careful reflection to appreciate its depth. Its beauty. Its certain that this is one of the most profound poems. Deeper than seas. Higher than mountains.
We people get carried away by beauty, form, and perception. This poem repeatedly challenges us to get engaged with the truth by understanding that the one forming (perceiver) and the formed (perception) are one and the same.
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కీర్తన:
రాగిరేకు: 186-2 సంపుటము:
7-508
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POEM
Copper Leaf:
186-2 Volume: 7-508
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కూడితి మిందరము గుంపులాయ నీ మోహము
వేడుకకు వెలలేదు వెరపేల నీకు ॥పల్లవి॥ సతమైన పనులకు చంచలము మరియాల
మతిలో నిర్మలమౌటే మంచిదౌఁగాక
గతి నీకునాపె నీవుగలిగితివాపెకును
వెతదీరెనందరికి వెరుపేల నీకు ॥కూడి॥ చేసిన చేఁతలకును చింతించ మరియాల
ఆల భోగించుటే అందమౌఁగాక
సేస నీవు చల్లితివి చేతులు నీపైమోచె
వేసటెల్లాఁ బాసెనిఁక వెరుపేల నీకు ॥కూడి॥ కలిగిన పనులకు కడమలు మరియాల
కొలముగా నిల్లునించుకొందువుగాక
యెలమి శ్రీ వెంకటేశ యిట్టె నన్నునేలితివి
వెలసె నీసుద్దులెల్లా వెరుపేల నీకు ॥కూడి॥
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kUDiti miMdaramu guMpulAya nI mOhamu
vEDukaku velalEdu verapEla nIku ॥pallavi॥ satamaina panulaku chaMchalamu mariyAla
matilO nirmalamauTE maMchidaugAka
gati nIkunApe nIvugaligitivApekunu
vetadIrenaMdariki verupEla nIku ॥kUDi॥ chEsina chEtalakunu chiMtiMcha mariyAla
Ala bhOgiMchuTE aMdamaugAka
sEsa nIvu challitivi chEtulu nIpaimOche
vEsaTellA bAsenika verupEla nIku ॥kUDi॥ kaligina panulaku kaDamalu mariyAla
kolamugA nilluniMchukoMduvugAka
yelami SrI veMkaTESa yiTTe nannunElitivi
velase nIsuddulellA verupEla nIku ॥kUDi॥
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Details and Explanations:
Word to word meaning: కూడితి మిందరము (kUDiti miMdaramu) = we assembled together, we join together; గుంపులాయ (guMpulAya) = become multitude; నీ (nI) = your; మోహము (mOhamu) = Love, fascination,
infatuation, distraction; వేడుకకు (vEDukaku) = to enjoy; వెలలేదు (velalEdu) = there is no cost; వెరపేల నీకు (verapEla nIku) = still you are afraid?
Literal
meaning: Here, on this earthly realm, we gather together, entwined in your
allure. Despite the boundless opportunities for pleasure (more in the sense of
engagement with life), we remain hesitant to revel to the fullest.
Explanation: Annamacharya
is clear that we don’t understand our life’s mission. Instead of obeying the
divine dictate we get mislead by our imagined associations. There is little
doubt that consciousness that join’s the humanity is not belong to individuals.
The phrase “kUDiti miMdaramu guMpulAya nI mOhamu”
(కూడితి మిందరము గుంపులాయ నీ మోహము) has deeper meaning than simple joining on this earthly
surface. We don’t act to show that we are united. Instead, guided by mOhamu (మోహము = fascination,
infatuation, distraction) we are ever ready to draw swords at each other. Readers
are requested to refer to the centre panel of the painting “the garden of Earthly
desires” by Hieronymus Bosch. There one can see herds of people joined in libidinous
activities. Thus take the art of Annamacharya is beyond the simple wording. The
understanding created by Hieronymus Bosch is beyond the visual.
To appreciate the depth of this chorus we must understand what he means by vEDukaku velalEdu verapEla nIku (వేడుకకు
వెలలేదు వెరపేల నీకు). As already indicated in the previous verse that
something prevents us from completely immersing in pleasure and pain. The real
problem of man is this inability to be his complete self.
In the journey of life, suffering is an unavoidable
aspect. Carl Jung firmly believed that when confronted with suffering, we
should not run away from such situations or suppress the accompanying emotions.
Rather, he emphasized the importance of fully experiencing our suffering, as it
is through this process that we can ultimately transcend it.
Let me give an example from Jiddu Krishamurti’s life. His
brother Nitya died in 1925. At moment of this sad news, Krishnamurti
was on a ship, on travel back to India. Nitya was his alter ego in its
true sense. On receiving the message, Siva Rao who had shared his cabin
described it as below:
“At night he would sob and moan and cry out for Nitya, sometimes in his native Telugu which in his waking consciousness he could not speak. Day after day we watched him, heart- broken, disillusioned. Day after day he seemed to change, gripping himself together in an effort to face life but without Nitya. He was going through an inner revolution, finding new strength”.
By the time they reached Colombo (about ten days later) Krishamurti had been able to express his feelings in words:
“... On the physical plane we could be separated and now we
are inseparable. For my brother and I are one. As Krishnamurti I now have
greater zeal, greater faith, greater sympathy and greater love for there is
also in me the body, the Being, of Nityananda. I know how to weep still, but
that is human. I know now, with greater certainty than ever before, that there
is real beauty in life, real happiness that can not be shattered by any
physical happening, a great strength that cannot be weakened by passing events,
a great love which is permanent, imperishable and unconquerable”.
Thus Sirs, verapEla nIku (వెరపేల నీకు) should be understood in that sense. Annamacharya is not referring to fear but completeness of action. This phrase has been repeated in all the stanzas to mark its paramount importance.
Implied Meaning: We have all gathered here to embrace the chance of uniting with the truth. Oh, unfortunate soul, it costs nothing. What is holding you back?
Word to word meaning: సతమైన పనులకు (satamaina panulaku) = for a truly permanent actions; చంచలము (chaMchalamu) = vacillations; మరియాల (mariyAla) = why bring in? why should it be there? మతిలో (matilO) = in the mind; నిర్మలమౌటే (nirmalamauTE) = becoming clear; మంచిదౌఁగాక (maMchidaugAka) = is the best thing to happen; గతి (gati) = way, means, resource, remedy, refuge; నీకునాపె (nIkunApe) = for you its your beautiful lady (Alamelumanga or Padmavati) (However,
here Annamacharya implied that the imaginary counterpart which one feels lacking)
నీవుగలిగితివాపెకును (nIvugaligitivApekunu) = you are there for her (Again imply the
complimentary nature of unknown part); వెతదీరెనందరికి (vetadIrenaMdariki) = now all are without worries; వెరుపేల నీకు (verupEla nIku) = O man! why are you afraid?
Literal meaning: Why should you hesitate to engage in actions that
bring lasting fulfilment? Isn't clearing the mind (of wrong things) is the best
thing that can happen? On careful observation, you and what you lack are one
and the same. Realizing this ends all worries. Oh man! why do you hesitate?
Explanation: Annamacharya’s
peculiar expressions are great challenge! Great engagement as well. let us
devote a bit of time in delving into ‘gati
nIkunApe nIvugaligitivApekunu’ (గతి నీకునాపె
నీవుగలిగితివాపెకును). The
essence of this phrase lies in the idea that you are the origin of your counterpart,
and your significant other, in turn, becomes the source of your inspiration.
Annamacharya is clearly speaking of innate feeling everyone of us experience that we lack something. That prevents us from being who we are. That is the basis for man to search for something he doesn’t understand.
Let's take a look at a simple painting called 'The
Lizards' by M.C. Escher. As we know, Escher, the world's renowned graphic
artist, had a fondness for tessellations. In this captivating artwork, though
quite small, pay attention to the empty spaces that create another lizard. It
becomes challenging to distinguish which lizard is actually painted and which
one emerges from the absence of the former.
Now we can arrive at the implied meaning of the phrase ‘gati nIkunApe nIvugaligitivApekunu’ (గతి నీకునాపె
నీవుగలిగితివాపెకును) = you are no different from the reflections you see in
this world. In fact, you are the same as the reflection. Hence being yourself
is essential, however worthless one may be (like the insignificant lizard) to
know what holds us back to join this infinite movement called life.
When we understand the outer world is essentially same as
inner world, and its impossible to traverse (fathom) the outer world; one finds
the only possibility is by knowing the inner. This
is the essence of the frequently quoted verse from the Bhagavad-Gita: व्यवसायात्मिका बुद्धिरेकेह कुरुनन्दन vyavasāyātmikā buddhir ekeha
kuru-nandana = there is only one path to intelligence.
Now Sir, connect it with the first two lines. It reads
like the implied meaning below:
Implied
Meaning: Embrace
the path to intelligence by taking decisive actions to shed the burden of wrong
accumulations. This transformative journey will free you from worries. So, why
hesitate? Embrace the change! Embrace the light of knowledge!
Word to word meaning: చేసిన చేఁతలకును (chEsina chEtalakunu) = for the actions already performed; చింతించ (chiMtiMcha) = thinking about them; మరియాల (mariyAla) = why? ఆల (Ala) = time; భోగించుటే (bhOgiMchuTE) = spending or going thru;
అందమౌఁగాక (aMdamaugAka) = is it not beautiful (here it implies that “is it not the
right thing to do?”); సేస (sEsa) = the seeds; నీవు చల్లితివి (nIvu challitivi) = you have spread; చేతులు
నీపైమోచె (chEtulu nIpaimOche) = I put all my responsibility on you; వేసటెల్లాఁ (vEsaTellA) = all tiredness; బాసెనిఁక (bAsenika) = has vanished; వెరుపేల నీకు (verupEla nIku) = O man! why
are you scared?
Literal meaning: Oh, humanity! You engage in actions only to regret
them shortly after. Is it not incumbent on you to face their consequences? is it
not the appropriate way to live? Oh, God, you have sown the seeds, and I have
entrusted all responsibility to you. Now, my weariness has vanished. So, why do
you fear, O man? Embrace the path ahead!
Word to word meaning: కలిగిన పనులకు (kaligina panulaku) = the work that is assigned; కడమలు (kaDamalu) = defects, deficiency; మరియాల (mariyAla) = why count? కొలముగా
నిల్లునించుకొందువుగాక (kolamugA nilluniMchukoMduvugAka) = you fill yourself with pride of your
origin, lineage, your ancestry {కొలముగాన్ (kolamugA) = by lineage, by caste (used in the sense
of the one causing the pride); ఇల్లునించుకొందువుగాక (nilluniMchukoMduvugAka) = you fill your house}; యెలమి (yelami) = this world; శ్రీ వెంకటేశ (SrI veMkaTESa) = Lord Venkateswara; యిట్టె
నన్నునేలితివి (yiTTe nannunElitivi) = you
ruled my heart; వెలసె (velase) = to appear, to
become clear; నీసుద్దులెల్లా (nIsuddulellA) = your Grandeur,
your ostentation; వెరుపేల నీకు (verupEla nIku) = Why do you dither?
Literal
meaning: Oh, human! You persistently find flaws in what you receive. You boast
about your origins, lineage, and ancestry. In this world, Lord Venkateswara
reigns in my heart, and now I can see His majestic splendour and greatness
clearly. So, why do you hesitate, O man? Embrace the truth!
Explanation: We,
proud of our present knowledge, are only interested in who we are. Where do we
go. Who is God. And many such inexplicable questions. From the previous stanzas we understand that
we are stupid enough not to embrace the path of intelligence. The path of
intelligence is not something directly discernible.
Let us examine a beautiful painting below “Les merveilles
de la nature” (The Wonders of Nature) by famous surrealist Rene Magritte. In
the fore front of the picture, you see two mermaid like figures. In the background
there is blue sea.
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In "Les Merveilles de la Nature," the
traditional mermaid concept, featuring a fish tail and human torso, is
intriguingly reversed, rendering the fantasy creature even more surreal or
unreal. Although captured in stone, the figures exude a vivid sense of life,
possessing an uncanny human quality. These creatures seem to be engrossed in a
song or prayer, lost in their thoughts as they gaze towards the sky, perhaps
seeking grace or mercy from above.
We see a ship on the blue sea behind these creatures. It may be noticed that the ship is actually made of the waters. Probably Magritte is saying that our thoughts are formed by water. The identity of ship is only an illusion but joining the most important the sea (water) is the most important step man has to take. Instead, Magritte is wondering “why these people (like those stupid creatures) are engaged in prayers. They have legs. The just need to take a step to join the waters the consciousness that unite this universe.
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