254 మరుని నగరిదండ మా యిల్లెఱఁగవా
(maruni nagaridaMDa mA yilleragavA)
తెలుగులో చదవడానికి ఇక్కడ నొక్కండి.
Introduction
In this kīrtana, Annamacharya does not lament; he speaks with the sharpness of unflinching truth. Each phrase is a mirror held before the seeker: “This is what you truly are — recognize your actual condition.”
The imagery is striking: golden hills that choke the path, memory-bound intelligence that props up yet blinds, gardens of poisonous datura blooms, and a doorway sealed with countless locks. These are not poetic ornaments but revelations of the mind’s entanglement.
The strength of the poem lies in its refusal to console. Instead, it summons the seeker to recognition — to face the unenviable human condition exactly as it is. Only in such clear seeing, Annamacharya suggests, does the path to Truth and God open.
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శృంగార సంకీర్తన |
Romantic Poem |
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రేకు: 75-4 సంపుటము: 5-262 |
Copper Plate: 75-4 Volume: 5-262 |
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మరుని నగరిదండ మా యిల్లెఱఁగవా
విరుల తావులు వెల్లవిరిసేటి చోటు ॥పల్లవి॥ మఱఁగు మూఁక చింతల మాయిల్లెఱఁగవా
గుఱుతైన బంగారుకొండల సంది
మఱపు దెలివి యిక్క మాయిల్లెఱఁగవా
వెఱవక మదనుఁడు వేఁటాడేచోటు ॥మరు॥ మదనుని వేదంత మాయిల్లెఱఁగవా
చెదరియు జెదరని చిమ్మఁ జీఁకటి
మదిలోన నీవుండేటి మాయిల్లెఱఁగవా
కొదలేక మమతలు కొలువుండేచోటు ॥మరు॥ మరులుమ్మెతల తోఁట మాయిల్లెఱఁగవా
తిరువేంకటగిరిదేవుఁడ నీవు
మరుముద్రల వాకిలి మాయిల్లెఱఁగవా
నిరతము నీ సిరులు
నించేటిచోటు ॥మరు॥
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maruni nagaridaMDa
mA yille~ragavA
virula tAvulu
vellavirisETi chOTu ॥pallavi॥ ma~ragu mUka
chiMtala mAyille~ragavA
gu~rutaina
baMgArukoMDala saMdi
ma~rapu delivi yikka
mAyille~ragavA
ve~ravaka madanuDu
vETADEchOTu ॥maru॥ madanuni vEdaMta
mAyille~ragavA
chedariyu jedarani
chimma jIkaTi
madilOna nIvuMDETi
mAyille~ragavA
kodalEka mamatalu
koluvuMDEchOTu ॥maru॥ marulummetala tOTa
mAyille~ragavA
tiruvEMkaTagiridEvuDa
nIvu
marumudrala vAkili
mAyille~ragavA
niratamu nI sirulu niMchETichOTu ॥maru॥
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Details and Discussions:
Chorus
(Pallavi):
|
Telugu Phrase |
Meaning |
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మరుని నగరిదండ |
Standing (rather propped up) at the very ramparts of
Manmatha’s (Cupid’s) city |
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మా యిల్లెఱఁగవా |
Don’t you know where my house is? |
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విరుల తావులు
వెల్లవిరిసేటి చోటు |
A place where the flowers of desire bloom in full abundance |
Literal Meaning:
“O Venkatesa! My dwelling stands as if
encircled by the very ramparts of Cupid’s city, where the blossoms of longing
spread out in plenty. Do I need to tell you, my this condition?”
Interpretative Notes:
Here, Annamacharya reveals a striking metaphor. The true home (the inner life) is reached only by passing through the city of Manmatha (cupid) — whichever way one turns, the ramparts of desire stand blocking the path.
The brilliance of Annamacharya lies in the fact that he does not treat this as ornamented poetry but as a direct reflection of reality. Already in this opening phrase, he places before us the “Garland of Desire” — the very same inverted tree described in the Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 15).
But how to cross it? Almost impossible. Yet,
unlike the Gita which speaks of cutting the tree of attachment, Annamacharya
(and later Jiddu Krishnamurti) point toward recognition — making the condition
plainly visible, as a first practical step.
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Comparative
Table: Gita – Annamacharya – Jiddu Krishnamurti |
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|
Aspect |
Bhagavad Gita
(15:1–3) |
Annamacharya |
Jiddu Krishnamurti |
|
Metaphor |
A great tree
(Asvattha) — roots above, branches below |
A house (the mind) —
filled with attachment, illusion, forgetfulness, confusion |
The “conditioned
mind” — filled with memory, tradition, thought |
|
The Problem |
The tree has strong
roots from time immemorial; it binds the human being |
In confusion, man
offers rubies instead of betel leaves; the mind is filled with poisonous
(inverted) entanglements |
History, memory,
thought — all keep the mind in darkness |
|
The Solution |
“Cut it down with
the axe of detachment.” |
Simply see and
accept the confusion; then by divine grace the mind naturally becomes
orderly. No method is required. |
When thought ends,
natural order flowers; no method is required |
|
Practicality |
Profound philosophy
but far removed from everyday life |
Grounded truth,
expressed through the language of devotion and lived experience |
Immediately
applicable — possible through choiceless awareness |
|
Core Message |
“It must be cut down
through renunciation.” |
“See — Accept — Then
order comes naturally.” |
“Observe without
choice — order flowers naturally.” |
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Feasibility |
In reality, no
living person can completely sever this bondage |
Almost impossible,
yet possible through devotion and surrender |
Almost impossible,
yet possible through deep awareness |
First
Stanza:
|
Meaning in English |
|
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మఱఁగు మూఁక
చింతల మాయిల్లెఱఁగవా |
“My house is filled
with bunches of unutterable anxieties—mute, brooding thoughts; don’t you
know?” |
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గుఱుతైన
బంగారుకొండల సంది |
గుఱుతైన = that can be recognised; బంగారుకొండల = golden (glittering) hills; సంది = narrow, constricted. The narrow pass between two glittering golden hills.” (Recognisable, dazzling obstacles.) |
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మఱపు దెలివి
యిక్క మాయిల్లెఱఁగవా |
మఱపు–దెలివి = “forgetfulness–knowing,” the paradox of memory/knowledge
that still blinds; యిక్క = a marked spot, the
secret way point. “Don’t you know this
(very thing) is the way to the house?” |
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వెఱవక
మదనుఁడు వేఁటాడేచోటు |
“A place where Cupid
hunts unafraid—desire prowls openly, without restraint.” |
Plain Prose Meaning:
“O Lord, don’t you know where my house really is?
It is hemmed in by mute and endless worries,
with only a narrow path between glittering golden hills.
And at that secret signpost —
the very knot of memory and forgetfulness —
is my dwelling place,
where even Cupid hunts without fear.”
Interpretative Notes:
గుఱుతైన బంగారుకొండల సంది:
(“The narrow pass between two glittering golden hills.”)
Annamacharya here presents the striking image of
two golden mountains.
The first — wealth, possessions, name, recognition, worldly success. These are measurable, tangible, and hence naturally attract human pursuit.
The second — the deliberate renunciation of all these: wealth, family, house, food, even life itself, in order to “secure” the unknown God. This too appears higher than the first and therefore dazzles the seeker with its glamour.
These two golden hills compete with one another, each pulling man to its own side. The human mind, caught between them, is crushed, with hardly any space left to breathe. Lean either way, and you’re still within desire’s territory.
Thus, the narrow pass between the two golden
hills — the way to one’s true inner dwelling — is hidden, almost obliterated.
Even if it is pointed out, it is not truly heard.
మఱపు దెలివి:
(“forgetfulness–knowing”)
This compact paradox captures how memory-based knowledge props up the mind while also keeping us blind to the real. We “know” by recollection, method, tradition; yet that very scaffolding hides the living Real.
Let us understand this phrase by seeing/comparing
with a great surreal painting “Revelation (The Clockmaker)” by Remedios Varo.
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In this painting, we see a tent whose roof is kept from collapsing by towers of clocks. Each column holds figures from different epochs, showing that through history human effort has always repeated itself.
The tiled floor beneath is artificial — an unnatural, constructed ground. The roof itself is our mind, held up by the pillars of recorded history and memory.
The window in the tent appears dark, suggesting our awareness is blocked. All the light inside comes only from the objects within.
Inside, a young woman sits casually, producing spare wheels for the clock towers — as though it is her job, yet without any real connection to it. At her feet, a cat sits silently, a mute observer of the whole scene.
Beside this, we see a faint turning wheel, half inside and half outside the tent. Its light is thin compared to the bright interior — yet this half-hidden wheel is the true light of time. It shows that what enters our minds is only a partial truth, often ignored in favour of glittering inner illusions.
Human effort is like those clock towers — all our energy goes into keeping the roof from falling. Our worry is always, “What if the columns collapse?” Preserving history, sustaining culture, protecting sacred symbols, guarding memories — all these belong here.
This is exactly what Annamacharya means by మఱపు దెలివి (marapu–delivi): the mind propped up by memory and intelligence, yet in
the process disregards the living, Truth.
వెఱవక మదనుఁడు వేఁటాడేచోటు
“Where Cupid hunts without fear”
Desire is not clandestine in our life; it is the ambient
climate. The poet’s voice is confessional, not accusatory: “Lord, don’t you
know?” That honesty is the first real step—recognition without pretence.
Second
Stanza:
|
Telugu phrase |
Meaning in English |
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మదనుని
వేదంత మాయిల్లెఱఁగవా |
Don’t you know the house
is built upon philosophy/doctrine spun by desire itself. (The Upanishad of
Cupid ) |
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చెదరియు
జెదరని చిమ్మఁ జీఁకటి |
Even if scattered by
effort, yet Pitch–darkness (utter ignorance) does not fade away |
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మదిలోన నీవుండేటి
మాయిల్లెఱఁగవా |
O God! You live in the
mind. Yet are not you aware of your home? |
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కొదలేక మమతలు
కొలువుండేచోటు |
In that place, Endless
affections / clinging attachments hold sway, like rulers |
Plain Prose
Meaning:
“O Lord! Don’t you know that my house is one
where Cupid himself preaches Vedanta? Where pitch–darkness spreads, yet never
disperses? Where you dwell within the mind, but all around, endless affections
and attachments sit enthroned?”
Interpretative
Notes:
This stanza goes even deeper than the first.
మదనుని వేదంతము: Here Annamacharya uses irony. Desire itself poses as a teacher, spinning its own “Vedanta.” Instead of scripture that frees, we follow the scripture of craving — justifying indulgence, rationalising longing.
చెదరియు జెదరని చిమ్మఁ జీఁకటి: Ignorance is not a passing cloud. Even when scattered by teaching or insight, it goes back again — a darkness that never fully departs. It is the condition of our ordinary mind: we hear truth, we nod in agreement, but action and transformation do not follow. This has many parallels. See the table below.
|
Tradition |
Saying / Thought |
Annamacharya’s Parallel |
|
Buddha |
“Passa paccayā
vedanā” — Experience arises from conditions; it keeps recurring due to inner
causes. |
Darkness seems to scatter,
yet the deep causes of ignorance remain. |
|
Jesus (Bible) |
“They have eyes,
but they do not see; ears, but they do not hear.” (Matthew 13:13) |
The illusion of
understanding — but true knowledge does not dawn. |
|
Bhagavad Gita
(5.15) |
“अज्ञानेनावृतं ज्ञानं” — Knowledge is covered by ignorance. |
Even when darkness seems
dispelled, illusion still veils reality. |
|
Jiddu
Krishnamurti |
“The seeing is
never complete; memory interferes and says ‘I know’.” |
Understanding appears — but
it is only the covering of past memory. |
|
Upanishads |
“अन्धं तमः प्रविशन्ति येऽविद्यामुपासते । Beings live in darkness due
to ignorance, false knowledge, rituals/mechanical action without
understanding OR intellectual pursuit of wisdom |
Chimma jīkati — the pitch darkness of
ignorance. |
|
Mahavira
(Jainism) |
“Māyā mohanīya
karma” — Illusion deceives, making the mind feel clarity. |
It seems scattered, yet in
truth darkness persists. |
మదిలోన నీవుండేటి: Annamacharya makes a shocking admission — the
Lord dwells within the heart. Yet this presence is obscured by clutter.
కొదలేక మమతలు కొలువుండేచోటు: Affections (mamatā), clinging relationships,
pride in possessions — they do not go away. They sit like rulers in a court,
governing every movement of our life.
Third Stanza:
|
Telugu Phrase |
Meaning |
|
మరులుమ్మెతల తోఁట మాయిల్లెఱఁగవా |
My house is a garden of thorn-apple plants (their bloom
appear sweetish, but poisonous to consume) |
|
తిరువేంకటగిరిదేవుఁడ నీవు |
You are the Lord of Pious Hill Venkatagiri. |
|
మరుముద్రల వాకిలి మాయిల్లెఱఁగవా |
The doorway to my house is sealed by many locks put by
Cupid |
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నిరతము నీ సిరులు నించేటిచోటు |
Yet, all your glories keep happening in this very place. |
Plain Prose
Meaning:
O Lord of Venkatagiri! Don’t you know my house is
like a garden of thorn-apples (ఉమ్మెత్తలు) — flowers
that appear sweet but are poisonous? At its doorway stand countless seals of
delusion, blocking the entry. Inside, the place is filled only with ceaseless
pride and possessions. Yet, wonder of wonders — all your glories unfold in this
very place!
Interpretative
notes:
మరులుమ్మెతల తోఁట (Garden of thorn-apples): Desires appear
attractive, like blossoms, but are venomous once consumed. This garden is
nothing, but the human mind filled with deceptive cravings.
మరుముద్రల వాకిలి (locked by seals of Cupid): This resonates with Bhagavad Gita 16.16 — अनेकचित्तविभ्रान्ता मोहजालसमावृता: “Confused by endless anxieties, enmeshed in the net of delusion.” Our access to truth is blocked by countless seals placed by desire itself.
నిరతము నీ సిరులు నించేటిచోటు (Yet, all your glories keep happening in this very place): Here lies Annamacharya’s astonishing point — even in such a wretched condition of the mind, God’s presence does not abandon us. His glories manifest right there, amidst confusion and delusion.
The Message of
this Poem
Annamacharya reveals the true condition of the
human mind: poisonous desires, delusive barriers, endless pride. Yet, he does
not call us to heroic struggle or artificial meditation-experiments. Instead,
his counsel is simple and radical:
Remain in unbroken devotion. Do not be distracted. The grace of God is
already happening here.
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END-X-X
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