256 yiṃta nī vupakāramu lē mani pogaḍudu (యింత నీ వుపకారము లే మని పొగడుదు)

 TALLAPAKA ANNAMACHARYULU

256 యింత నీ వుపకారము లే మని పొగడుదు

(yiṃta nī vupakāramu lē mani pogaḍudu) 

తెలుగులో చదవడానికి ఇక్కడ నొక్కండి. 

Introduction

This song may be regarded as one that Annamacharya composed after experiencing a rare and precious vision of the Divine. 

శృంగార సంకీర్తన	Romantic Poem
రేకు: 420-1 సంపుటము: 12-115	Copper Plate: 420-1 Volume: 12-115
యింత నీ వుపకారము లే మని పొగడుదు సంతసించి యేలితి నా సరివారిలోనా ॥పల్లవి॥   కలవు నాకు నీ వని గర్వించి వుండుట గాక చెలఁగి నీకుఁ బ్రియము చెప్పవత్తునా నలువంక నటువంటి ననుఁ దెచ్చి నీ సేవకు అలవఱచుక నన్ను నాదరించితివి    ॥ యింత ॥   చుట్టరికపు వరుస సుద్దులె చెప్పుదుఁ గాక నెట్టుక నీ కొలువులో నిలుచుందునా యిట్టి నన్ను మన్నించి నీ యెదుట నిలుపుకొని గుట్టు దెలిపి నాకు నీ గుణము నేర్పితివి॥ యింత ॥   నీ విచ్చిన సలిగల నే దొరనై వుందుఁ గాక యీవిధాన నీ యక్కుపై నిర వౌదునా శ్రీ వేంకటేశుఁడ నేను జిగి నలమేల్మంగను వావి తోడ నన్నుఁగూడి వన్నె కెక్కించితివి ॥ యింత ॥	yiṃta nī vupakāramu lē mani pogaḍudu saṃtasiṃci yēliti nā sarivārilōnā        ॥pallavi॥   kalavu nāku nī vani garviṃci vuṃḍuṭa gāka celaṃ̐gi nīkuṃ̐ briyamu ceppavattunā naluvaṃka naṭuvaṃṭi nanuṃ̐ decci nī sēvaku alava\racuka nannu nādariṃcitivi      ॥ yiṃta॥   cuṭṭarikapu varusa suddule ceppuduṃ̐ gāka neṭṭuka nī koluvulō nilucuṃdunā yiṭṭi nannu manniṃci nī yeduṭa nilupukoni guṭṭu delipi nāku nī guṇamu nērpitivi ॥ yiṃta॥   nī viccina saligala nē doranai vuṃduṃ̐ gāka yīvidhāna nī yakkupai nira vaudunā śrī vēṃkaṭēśuṃ̐ḍa nēnu jigi nalamēlmaṃganu vāvi tōḍa nannuṃ̐gūḍi vanne kekkiṃcitivi ॥ yiṃta॥

Details and Discussions:

Chorus (Pallavi):

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యింత నీ వుపకారము లే మని పొగడుదు

సంతసించి యేలితి నా సరివారిలోనా ॥పల్లవి॥

yiṃta nī vupakāramu lē mani pogaḍudu

saṃtasiṃci yēliti nā sarivārilōnā         ॥pallavi॥ 

Telugu Phrase	Meaning
యింత నీ వుపకారము లే మని పొగడుదు	Your grace and help are unparalleled, worthy of praise.
సంతసించి యేలితి నా సరివారిలోనా	You joyfully lifted me up from among my equals

Literal Meaning: 

“O Venkatesa! Your grace, your help, cannot be found elsewhere. You have, with joy, chosen me and lifted me up from among those equal to me.”

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Interpretative Notes:

Here Annamacharya is making a deeply personal statement:

He admits he is no greater than anyone else, no higher, no special being.

Yet, out of all equals, the Lord chose him with joy and raised him up.

He emphasizes that this is not due to his own skill, merit, or effort. It is entirely the grace of God.

This becomes a message of encouragement for ordinary devotees: that divine grace can descend on anyone, regardless of their status, ability, or knowledge. 

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First Stanza: 

కలవు నాకు నీ వని గర్వించి వుండుట గాక

చెలఁగి నీకుఁ బ్రియము చెప్పవత్తునా

నలువంక నటువంటి ననుఁ దెచ్చి నీ సేవకు

అలవఱచుక నన్ను నాదరించితివి      ॥ యింత ॥

kalavu nāku nī vani garviṃci vuṃḍuṭa gāka

celaṃ̐gi nīkuṃ̐ briyamu ceppavattunā

naluvaṃka naṭuvaṃṭi nanuṃ̐ decci nī sēvaku

alava\racuka nannu nādariṃcitivi ॥yiṃta॥ 

Telugu Phrase	Meaning
కలవు నాకు నీ వని గర్వించి వుండుట గాక	except that ​ “I am proud that you are with me’
చెలఁగి నీకుఁ బ్రియము చెప్పవత్తునా	I really can’t utter good words to praise you
నలువంక నటువంటి ననుఁ దెచ్చి నీ సేవకు	I am like raw black soil, You brought me into Your service.
అలవఱచుక నన్ను నాదరించితివి	You moulded me and gave me an honourable place.

Literal Meaning: 

“O Lord! I was just proud that “I am Yours”. Except for that, I know not how to properly express love for You. I am like raw, uncultivated black soil.  You drew me into Your service. You shaped and honoured me with Your grace.” 

Interpretative Notes:

నలువంక నటువంటి ననుఁ దెచ్చి నీ సేవకు — Annamacharya openly admits his rawness, unskilled nature, and lack of self-qualification.

He describes himself as “black cotton soil” — fertile, but needing cultivation, shaping, and care.

The Lord takes the initiative: bringing him, moulding him, and giving him a place of honour.

This reinforces Annamacharya’s often-repeated theme: devotion does not arise from human skill or knowledge, but from divine grace.

By speaking this way, he encourages others who feel unskilled, raw, or unworthy that they too can be chosen and uplifted by God.

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Second Stanza:

చుట్టరికపు వరుస సుద్దులె చెప్పుదుఁ గాక

నెట్టుక నీ కొలువులో నిలుచుందునా

యిట్టి నన్ను మన్నించి నీ యెదుట నిలుపుకొని

గుట్టు దెలిపి నాకు నీ గుణము నేర్పితివి ॥ యింత ॥

cuṭṭarikapu varusa suddule ceppuduṃ̐ gāka

neṭṭuka nī koluvulō nilucuṃdunā

yiṭṭi nannu manniṃci nī yeduṭa nilupukoni

guṭṭu delipi nāku nī guṇamu nērpitivi ॥yiṃta॥ 

Telugu Phrase	Meaning
చుట్టరికపు వరుస సుద్దులె చెప్పుదుఁ గాక	Though I keep speaking about our relationship everywhere, truly, I do not know
నెట్టుక నీ కొలువులో నిలుచుందునా	​It’s not that pushed my self into your realm, Can I really stand in your company (without your grace)
యిట్టి నన్ను మన్నించి నీ యెదుట నిలుపుకొని	You have pardoned my pitfalls, and made me stand before you
గుట్టు దెలిపి నాకు నీ గుణము నేర్పితివి	You have  opened-up the secrets and made me realise your true nature

Literal Meaning: 

O Lord! I often speak about our bond, our closeness, yet in truth, I know nothing of it. Could I, with my own strength, ever force my way into Your presence and remain there? Surely not. Yet, out of compassion, You overlooked my smallness and weakness, and placed me before You. You revealed a glimpse of Your mystery, and allowed me to taste a little of Your qualities. 

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Interpretative Notes: 

చుట్టరికపు వరుస సుద్దులె చెప్పుదుఁ గాక “chuttarikapu varusa suddule cheppudugaka” does not refer to lineage or family ties, but rather to the mysterious relationship between Annamayya and the Divine. He is saying: “I cannot describe what bond exists between You and me, because You alone dwell within me; I myself do not exist. In the experience of unity, it is impossible to classify or define the relationship. I simply cannot say it.” 

In contrast, think of those today who boldly claim: “I know God, I have a personal connection with Him.” The genuineness of such statements is for each one to judge. 

The phrase గుట్టు దెలిపి నాకు నీ గుణము నేర్పితివి “guttu delipi naaku nee gunamu nerpitivi” recalls a similar pattern found in Jiddu Krishnamurti’s descriptions of his own timeless experiences. 

The Moment of Unity (Timeless Experience): Krishnamurti spoke of a moment when the mind falls utterly silent. In that stillness, the divisions of self, time, and individuality vanish. This is much like what Annamayya describes as “the mind becoming the very quality of God.” 

When the mind returns: Krishnamurti would say: “After such an experience, it is impossible to describe it. It feels as though one knows it, yet the moment one tries to put it into words, it slips away.” Annamayya echoes the same truth: “You revealed the secret and showed me Your qualities, but I cannot hold onto them.” 

A fading shadow in memory: Krishnamurti often added: “Memory cannot hold it. The moment memory tries to capture it, thought begins to move, and then it is no longer the real.” Annamayya faces the same dilemma: while in that state, the mind itself disappears; but once he emerges, the experience feels both known and unknowable, like a shadow fading in recollection. 

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Third Stanza:

నీ విచ్చిన సలిగల నే దొరనై వుందుఁ గాక

యీవిధాన నీ యక్కుపై నిర వౌదునా

శ్రీ వేంకటేశుఁడ నేను జిగి నలమేల్మంగను

వావి తోడ నన్నుఁగూడి వన్నె కెక్కించితివి ॥ యింత ॥

nī viccina saligala nē doranai vuṃduṃ̐ gāka

yīvidhāna nī yakkupai nira vaudunā

śrī vēṃkaṭēśuṃ̐ḍa nēnu jigi nalamēlmaṃganu

vāvi tōḍa nannuṃ̐gūḍi vanne kekkiṃcitivi ॥yiṃta॥

Telugu Phrase	Meaning
నీ విచ్చిన సలిగల నే దొరనై వుందుఁ గాక	The praise I receive and reign as king, is all due to your support and protection
యీవిధాన నీ యక్కుపై నిర వౌదునా	Had it not been your largesse, I would not entering your heart
శ్రీ వేంకటేశుఁడ నేను జిగి నలమేల్మంగను	O Lord Venkateswara, I am the glittering Alamelumanga.
వావి తోడ నన్నుఁగూడి వన్నె కెక్కించితివి	Because of our relationship, your grace, you made me to shine

Plain Prose Meaning:

O Lord Venkatesha! It is only through the grace and refuge you have bestowed upon me that people regard me with honour. Left to myself, how could I ever have found a place in your heart? I am nothing more than a reflection of your radiance. Yet, through the bond of your compassion, my life has been lifted up and adorned with dignity, recognition, and renown.

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Interpretative notes:

శ్రీ వేంకటేశుఁడ నేను జిగి నలమేల్మంగను — Annamacharya here points to a profound mystery. Pedda Tirumalacharya once observed, “Alamelumanga takes on the devotee’s form, but only with the Lord’s permission and guidance.” In this hymn too, Annamayya affirms the same truth: that the devotee’s worth is not his own, but a reflection granted through divine grace.

 

To understand this better, we may turn to the ancient symbol of yin and yang. On the surface, they appear to be opposites, yet they embody an eternal harmony. Each depends upon the other; without one, the other has no meaning. In the Taijitu emblem, one half is dark, the other light, but within each lies the seed of its opposite. The message is clear: even within fullness, there is a trace of emptiness; within emptiness, a trace of fullness.

So too with human life. What we call our experience is often only the echo of what we lack. The yearning to fill that absence is what drives existence. Yet the mind, entangled in countless influences, seldom perceives the source of its restlessness. It busies itself with artificial pursuits. True meditation begins only when all such artifices are dropped, when one simply stands in natural awareness.

But to accept and endure this inner void demands a rare courage. It is not the courage of life and death, not a matter of human will, but something that lies in the realm of the divine. What rests in our hands alone is the purity of the heart. To live with complete transparency, with utter innocence, is the supreme calling of human life — and yet it is precisely here that we falter.

When yin and yang are integrated, their union is greater than the sum of their separate parts. The wholeness already surrounds us, but from the standpoint of our limited mind we cannot see it. To know it, one must pass through a fundamental transformation. That crossing is rare, reached only by a few. It is not death, yet it is indistinguishable from it.

It is from such a rare state that Annamacharya sang these verses. His hymns are not merely poems but revelations of unity, written from a place where the self has been absorbed into the divine. That is why they remain priceless, indivisible, and a blessing for all humanity.

 

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 The Message of this Poem 

This song stands as a testimony to Annamacharya’s simplicity, humility, gentle nature, compassionate heart, and broad vision. Its message is clear: no matter how high one may rise, one must remain grounded in modesty.

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