213 hari daggaranE vunnA DaMdAkA bAranIdu (హరి దగ్గరనే వున్నాఁ డందాఁకాఁ బారనీదు)

 ANNAMACHARYA

213. హరి దగ్గరనే వున్నాఁ డందాఁకాఁ బారనీదు

hari daggaranE vunnA DaMdAkA bAranIdu

తెలుగులో వ్యాఖ్యానము చదవడానికి ఒక్కడ నొక్కండి. 

Introduction:

Annamacharya ascended to intellectual and spiritual heights that remain beyond the reach of most humans. The fact that he wrote with the intention of contributing to the well-being of society is undeniable. However, he did not merely preach philosophy—he revealed what he perceived as truth. When layers of ego, pride, arrogance, delusion, and anger are stripped away, what remains is reality itself. He expressed this reality through countless compositions, in diverse ways, through various perspectives, and with an unbounded sense of divine joy. 

Writing a commentary on such profound compositions is no simple task. I present here my understanding and invite you to explore and reflect upon these works. 

Even when analysed line by line, his compositions do not yield their meaning easily. Over time, shifts in language usage and interpretation have added further complexity. Yet, it is no coincidence that the ideas conveyed in these songs align with the inquiries of 20th-century philosophers. 

Today, it is widely accepted that human beings are shaped by conditioning. But for Annamacharya to have articulated this insight in his time was nothing short of revolutionary. In essence, he conveyed that the greatest obstacle to human realization is none other than the individual himself.

 

Summary of the Poem: 

Chorus: "Though Hari is ever near, we restrain our minds from reaching him. Rather than living life to its fullest, we shorten it and turn away—this is the illusion of Govinda." Deeper Significance: "O human, lost in illusions! Do not let this fleeting life go to waste—offer it in service to Hari, even if it means surrendering everything." 

First Stanza: "The mind, like a relentless current, is ceaselessly stirred by the five senses—the five pools of perception. Yet, it never dives into the depths; it merely skims the surface, caught in endless motion. It consumes itself, delights in itself, and remains bound within its own loops. This is divine illusion. (This is conditioning.)"

 

Second Stanza: The five eternal elements of nature form indestructible gardens, through which the stream of time endlessly flows. Yet, no matter how long one drifts in its current, it brings no benefit to the body. This leather body is carried forward, by time’s relentless tide, drawing ever deeper into its illusion—an illusion woven into the very fabric of existence. 

Third Stanza: The five vital energies that constitute life are exceedingly subtle, around which the cycles of birth perpetually and incessantly flow. Amid these five elements stands Lord Sri Venkateswara, who bestows both strength and limitations as we understand them. Yet human nature prevents us from penetrating the veil of illusion; as slaves to our conditioning, we cannot fully grasp the truth.

 

కీర్తన POEM
అధ్యాత్మ కీర్తన: రాగిరేకు 253-2 సంపుటము: 3-303	Philosophical Poem Copper Plate: 253-2  Vol: 3-303
హరి దగ్గరనే వున్నాఁ డందాఁకాఁ బారనీదు కురచలోనే మగుడు గోవిందు మాయ        ॥పల్లవి॥   చెనకి పంచేంద్రియపు చెరువు లైదింటికి మనసనెడి దొకటి మహా ప్రవాహము దినముఁ బారుచునుండు దిగువకు వెళ్లలేదు తనలోనే తానిగురు దైవమాయ    ॥హరి॥  తూలని పంచభూతాల తోఁట లైదింటికి కాలమనియెడి దొక్కకాలువ వారుచునుండు నేలాఁ దడియదు నీరూఁ దివియదు తోలుఁదిత్తికే కొలఁది దొరకొన్న మాయ ॥హరి॥    ముట్టి పంచప్రాణముల మొలక లైదింటికి పుట్టుగులనియేటి యేరు పొదలి పారుచునుండు చెట్టుచెట్టుకే కొలఁది శ్రీవేంకటేశ్వరుఁడు నట్టనడుమ నున్నాఁడు నాననీదు మాయ ॥హరి॥	hari daggaranE vunnA DaMdAkA bAranIdu kurachalOnE maguDu gOviMdu mAya ॥pallavi॥ chenaki paMchEMdriyapu cheruvu laidiMTiki manasaneDi dokaTi mahA pravAhamu dinamu bAruchunuMDu diguvaku veLlalEdu tanalOnE tAniguru daivamAya ॥hari॥ tUlani paMchabhUtAla tOTa laidiMTiki kAlamaniyeDi dokkakAluva vAruchunuMDu nElA daDiyadu nIrU diviyadu tOludittikE koladi dorakonna mAya ॥hari॥ muTTi paMchaprANamula molaka laidiMTiki puTTugulaniyETi yEru podali pAruchunuMDu cheTTucheTTukE koladi SrIvEMkaTESvaruDu naTTanaDuma nunnADu nAnanIdu mAya ॥hari॥

 Details and explanations:

హరి దగ్గరనే వున్నాఁ డందాఁకాఁ బారనీదు

కురచలోనే మగుడు గోవిందు మాయ     ॥పల్లవి॥

hari daggaranE vunnA DaMdAkA bAranIdu
kurachalOnE maguDu gOviMdu mAya ॥pallavi॥ 

Word to Word Meaning: హరి (hari) = Lord Hari; దగ్గరనే (daggaranE) = is close by;  వున్నాఁడు (vunnADu) = existing; అందాఁకాఁ (aMdAkA) = until such time; బారనీదు (bAranIdu) = does not allow you to approach him; కురచలోనే (kurachalOnE) =  while it is short; మగుడు (maguDu) = returns back; గోవిందు మాయ (gOviMdu mAya) = Illusion of Govinda (= we humans). 

Literal Meaning: "Though Hari is ever near, we restrain our minds from reaching him. Rather than living life to its fullest, we shorten it and turn away—this is the illusion of Govinda." 

Explanation: 

First Part: Relevance to Bhagavad Gita

The message in the chorus (pallavi) suggests that before experiencing life completely a person retreats. But why does Annamacharya say this? This is not a discussion about the physical lifespan of a person. 

The Bhagavad Gita Verse 4-5 बहूनि मे व्यतीतानि जन्मानि तव चार्जुन  (bahūni me vyatītāni janmāni tava chārjuna) conveys that: "Many births have passed for both you and me, O Arjuna. You have forgotten them, while I remember them all".  Likewise Gita 7-18 says ज्ञानी त्वात्मैव मे मतम्  (jñānī tvātmaiva me matam) "One whose intellect is firmly fixed on me, who sees me as their ultimate goal, I consider as my very own self." 

A devotee who reaches such a state finds their mind aligned with the divine. However, this is not something one can achieve solely through personal effort—it is by becoming worthy of divine grace. 

At that stage, the mental distance between oneself and the external world dissolves, allowing one to see the world within oneself and oneself within the world (Bhagavad Gita 6:29). Annamacharya emphasizes that even if such a divine, pure life lasts only a moment, it is enough. 

Second Part: Intent of Annamacharya

Instead of allowing life to unfold as it should, we try to shape it according to our own expectations. If we observe carefully, we often resist reality, exhaust ourselves in conflicts, and live with an illusory perspective, ultimately draining our life force. Instead of embracing the natural joy within us, we waste our energy trying to mould life into a predefined shape, thereby making an otherwise vast existence called life feel small. 

We mistake control for freedom. As Annamacharya points out, we do not let the mind run freely. People impose restrictions on themselves—trying to become like a film hero, a wealthy person, a fashion icon, or anything else they aspire to be. They bend and bind their minds to these external identities instead of allowing them to be as they are. And yet, they call this freedom! What could be more irrational than this? 

Now, consider—how true is the statement ""హరి దగ్గరనే వున్నాఁ డందాఁకాఁ బారనీదు"(= Even though Hari is near, man does not allow the mind to go in that direction"?) The conditioning of the human mind is so powerful—it makes the real appear unreal and the unreal appear real. That is why Annamacharya calls the human being "Govinda’s illusion. గోవిందు మాయ" 

Deeper Significance: "O human, lost in illusions! Do not let this fleeting life go to waste—offer it in service to Hari, even if it means surrendering everything."

First Stanza:

చెనకి పంచేంద్రియపు చెరువు లైదింటికి

మనసనెడి దొకటి మహా ప్రవాహము

దినముఁ బారుచునుండు దిగువకు వెళ్లలేదు

తనలోనే తానిగురు దైవమాయ   ॥హరి॥

chenaki paMchEMdriyapu cheruvu laidiMTiki
manasaneDi dokaTi mahA pravAhamu
dinamu bAruchunuMDu diguvaku veLlalEdu
tanalOnE tAniguru daivamAya ॥hari॥ 

Word to Word Meaning: చెనకి (chenaki) =  striking, stirring; పంచేంద్రియపు (paMchEMdriyapu) = the five sense organs;  చెరువు లైదింటికి (cheruvu laidiMTiki) = these five (artificial) ponds; మనసనెడి దొకటి (manasaneDi dokaTi) = the one called mind;  మహా ప్రవాహము (mahA pravAhamu) = overwhelming flow; దినముఁ (dinamu) = everyday rather every moment; బారుచునుండు (bAruchunuMDu) = keeps running like that; దిగువకు (diguvaku) = to deeper (layers); వెళ్లలేదు (veLlalEdu) = cannot penetrate; తనలోనే తానిగురు (tanalOnE tAniguru) = it always dries up in itself, it always searches in itself, it always happy in itself,  దైవమాయ (daivamAya) = This is true illusion of God. 

Literal Meaning: "The mind, like a relentless current, is ceaselessly stirred by the five senses—the five pools of perception. Yet, it never dives into the depths; it merely skims the surface, caught in endless motion. It consumes itself, delights in itself, and remains bound within its own loops. This is divine illusion. (“This is conditioning.") 

Explanation: 

First Part: Relevance to Bhagavad Gita 

The mind floating endlessly on the reservoirs of perception indulges in the pleasures mistaking them for true satisfaction. This is something we all experience. In the Bhagavad Gita Arjun asks the same question: Why is a person impelled to commit sinful acts, even unwillingly, as if by force (अनिच्छन्नपि वार्ष्णेय बलादिव नियोजितः – 3.36). 

Krishna answers: 'Desire and anger—both arise from an intense inner compulsion to act.' (काम एष क्रोध एष रजोगुणसमुद्भवः – 3.37). Driven by the urgency to achieve something, to do something, we create endless turmoil in the world. However, when the mind remains steady ceases its senseless action—when, at every level of our being, the mind and its responses (which arise from memory) cease to compete with each other—a new world unfolds before us." 

Second Part: What Great Philosophers said: 

Now compare Annamacharya’s verse with statement of Jiddu Krishnamurti in the picture below.

 

Third Part: Why don’t we dive deep into the mind? (దిగువకు వెళ్లలేదు) 

Why Annamacharya is saying that don’t we dive deep into the mind (దిగువకు వెళ్లలేదు)? Before that examine this statement by  Joseph Murphy. “The first thing to remember is the dual nature of your mind. The subconscious mind is constantly amenable to the power of suggestion; furthermore the subconscious mind has complete control of the functions, conditions, and sensations of your body. Trust the subconscious mind to heal you. It made your body, and it knows all of its processes and functions. It knows much more than your conscious mind about healing and restoring you to perfect balance.” 

The mind and its motives can somehow be observed in a direct experience notable things may be understood. However, the subconscious mind remains largely inaccessible and may be termed as an unyielding obstacle. Deep diving into these realms is a difficult task. Probably that is the hard work mentioned by Jiddu. It appears that Jiddu Krishnamurti, Joseph Murphy, and Annamacharya conveyed the same idea and thought along similar lines.

Second Stanza:

తూలని పంచభూతాల తోఁట లైదింటికి

కాలమనియెడి దొక్కకాలువ వారుచునుండు

నేలాఁ దడియదు నీరూఁ దివియదు

తోలుఁదిత్తికే కొలఁది దొరకొన్న మాయ   ॥హరి॥ 

tUlani paMchabhUtAla tOTa laidiMTiki
kAlamaniyeDi dokkakAluva vAruchunuMDu
nElA daDiyadu nIrU diviyadu
tOludittikE koladi dorakonna mAya ॥hari॥ 

Word to Word Meaning:  తూలని (tUlani) = not possible to trip, stable; పంచభూతాల తోఁటలు (paMchabhUtAla tOTalu) = the gardens five basic elements; ఐదింటికి (aidiMTiki) = for those five; కాలమనియెడి (kAlamaniyeDi) = described as time; దొక్కకాలువ (dokkakAluva) = one canal; వారుచునుండు (vAruchunuMDu) = keeps flowing; నేలాఁ దడియదు (nElA) daDiyadu) = that ground forming the basic elements does not get wet (does not satiated, not a beneficial thing); నీరూఁ( nIrU) = that water (= The water of the canal = time) దివియదు (diviyadu) = does not stop pulling; does not stop its pull/attraction); తోలుఁదిత్తికే (tOludittikE) = for this leather body; కొలఁది (koladi) = suitably; దొరకొన్న (dorakonna) = belonging, being; మాయ (mAya) = illusion. 

Literal Meaning: The five eternal elements of nature form indestructible gardens, through which the stream of time endlessly flows. Yet, no matter how long one drifts in its current, it brings no benefit to the body. This leather body is carried forward, by time’s relentless tide, drawing ever deeper into its illusion—an illusion woven into the very fabric of existence. 

Explanation: deeper layers of understanding created by Annamacharya 

The core message of the stanza is that merely drifting with time does not lead to progress—we remain as we are. Annamacharya emphasizes that liberation is not an automatic process, like advancing from one school grade to the next. Instead, it requires conscious effort and action. 

తోలుఁదిత్తికే కొలఁది దొరకొన్న మాయ tOludittikE koladi dorakonna mAya). Another profound idea in this stanza is that time—at least in its psychological form—is an illusion. But how do we perceive this illusion? There is chronological time, which moves perpetually in one direction. Then there is psychological time, created by our sense of being—an illusion that shapes the very fabric of our existence. In general, we anchor ourselves to the time of our birth, as if true intelligence has awakened afresh in our era, disregarding the vast continuum of thought that preceded us. 

Let it be Buddha, Shankaracharya, or Jesus—after their colossal impact on the intelligentsia of their times, they were spoken of as if truth had been newly discovered by them. Similarly, the new messiahs of the 19th and 20th centuries proclaimed truths akin to those of ancient luminaries, each presenting their revelations (at least perceived to be) as groundbreaking, even as they emerged from an enduring continuum of wisdom. (Refer to Bhagavad-Gita 2-70) 

It consistently distinguishes between two dimensions of time—chronological time, which objectively flows, and psychological time, which is a subjective, constructed experience. This duality allows the argument to explain how every era, despite existing within a continuous timeline, tends to see its own insights as uniquely groundbreaking, even though they are part of a long, enduring continuum of wisdom. 

నేలాఁ దడియదు నీరూఁ దివియదు (nElA daDiyadu nIrU diviyadu): If we observe carefully, Annamacharya compared time and the mind to a flowing stream. A stream is defined by its dynamic motion—it has certain magnitude and direction. In contrast, our responses arise from memories, which are static and unchanging, defined only by quantity. Consequently, the dynamic nature of time cannot be fully comprehended by a mind rooted in fixed memories. 

Third Stanza:

ముట్టి పంచప్రాణముల మొలక లైదింటికి

పుట్టుగులనియేటి యేరు పొదలి పారుచునుండు

చెట్టుచెట్టుకే కొలఁది శ్రీవేంకటేశ్వరుఁడు

నట్టనడుమ నున్నాఁడు నాననీదు మాయ       ॥హరి॥ 

muTTi paMchaprANamula molaka laidiMTiki
puTTugulaniyETi yEru podali pAruchunuMDu
cheTTucheTTukE koladi SrIvEMkaTESvaruDu
naTTanaDuma nunnADu nAnanIdu mAya ॥hari॥ 

Word to Word Meaning:  ముట్టి (muTTi) = touching, encircling; పంచప్రాణముల (paMchaprANamula) = five vital energies that form life; మొలకలు (molakalu) = tender, fresh, unspoiled;  ఐదింటికి (laidiMTiki) = for those five; పుట్టుగులని (puTTugulani) = births; యేటి (yETi) = said to be, called as; యేరు (yEru) = flowing stream;  పొదలి (podali) = incessantly, exceedingly; పారుచునుండు (pAruchunuMDu) = keeps flowing; చెట్టుచెట్టుకే (cheTTucheTTukE) = for those gardens (mentioned in previous stanza), for every person (intended meaning); కొలఁది (koladi) = strength and limit; శ్రీవేంకటేశ్వరుఁడు (SrIvEMkaTESvaruDu) = Lord Venkateshwara; నట్టనడుమ నున్నాఁడు (naTTanaDuma nunnADu) = he is there in the center of these; నాననీదు మాయ (nAnanIdu mAya) = Illusion does not  allow it to sink in, the man himself is the obstruction.   

 

Literal Meaning:  The five vital energies that constitute life are exceedingly subtle, around which the cycles of birth perpetually and incessantly flow. Amid these five elements stands Lord Sri Venkateswara, who bestows both strength and limitations as we understand them. Yet human nature prevents us from penetrating the veil of illusion; as slaves to our conditioning, we cannot fully grasp the truth. 

Explanation:  

"The depth of this poem—especially this stanza—is beyond comprehension. For now, we can interpret Annamacharya as describing a journey toward the very source of life, the primordial river of existence. Those who ascend to such exalted planes transcend death. Within this river, life is in a state of perpetual reinvention. It lacks a fixed form or earthly definition; it is both the centre of creation and the creation itself, existing in equanimity as it unfolds." (Those interested in further reading may refer to Mahabharat, Bhishma Parva, description of Sanjaya explaining the suitability of the mother earth for creation) 

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