268 పనిగొన నేరిచితే పాపమే పుణ్యమౌను
(panigona nēricitē pāpamē puṇyamaunu)
తెలుగులో చదవడానికి ఇక్కడ నొక్కండి.
Introduction
Each of Annamacharya's kirtanas (devotional songs) unveils a unique, profound truth. In this specific song, the poet offers a deep commentary, particularly on Karma and the path to liberation.
His central message is clear: Humanity must attain liberation (Mukti) through surrender (Sharanagati) while remaining in this illusory world (Maya). Those who insist on waiting until circumstances become perfectly favourable to surrender will never achieve it. This is because such ideal conditions are simply not available. On the contrary, a person's true spiritual resolve is revealed only when they are faced with adverse conditions.
While the minds of all humans are inherently fickle and restless, some great souls manage to contemplate the Supreme Being (Paramatma) even from within that unstable state. Such realized beings become part of the Divine machinery, serving as guides for humanity on this earth, showing the path to both worldly and spiritual fulfilment (Iha-Para Sadhanamu).
Annamacharya boldly declares that there is no need to retreat to forests to perform penance. A simple, open heartfelt surrender to the Divine right where one stands is sufficient.
To call this particular kirtana "extraordinary" is akin to stating that the ocean has great depth—it is a self-evident truth that simply highlights the immense, ineffable nature of the work.
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అధ్యాత్మ కీర్తన
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Philosophical
Poem
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రేకు: 172-2 సంపుటము: 2-351
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Copper Plate: 172-2 Vol: 2-351
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పనిగొన నేరిచితే పాపమే పుణ్యమౌను
నినుఁ గొలిచేయట్టి నీసేవకులకు ॥పల్లవి॥ మనసు చంచలమైనా మరి నిన్నుఁ దలఁచితే
జనులకు నిహపరసాధనమౌను
తనువు హేయమైనా తగ నిన్నుఁ గొలిచితే
పనివడి యంతలోనే పవిత్రమౌను॥పని॥ కర్మము బంధకమైనా కమ్మి నీసొమ్ముచేసితే-
నర్మిలి మోక్షమియ్య నాధారమౌను
మర్మము కోరికయైనా మహి నీభక్తికెక్కితే
ధర్మములకుఁ బరమధర్మము దానౌను ॥పని॥ జగమెల్ల మాయయైనా సరి నీకే శరణంటే
పగటున నదే తపఃఫలమౌను
అగపడి శ్రీవేంకటాధిప నన్నేలితివి
మిగులా నిహమైనా మించి పరమౌను ॥పని॥
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panigona nēricitē pāpamē puṇyamaunu
ninuṃ̐ golicēyaṭṭi nīsēvakulaku ॥pallavi॥ manasu caṃcalamainā mari ninnuṃ̐ dalaṃ̐citē
janulaku nihaparasādhanamaunu
tanuvu hēyamainā taga ninnuṃ̐ golicitē
panivaḍi yaṃtalōnē pavitramaunu ॥pani॥ karmamu baṃdhakamainā kammi nīsommucēsitē-
narmili mōkṣamiyya nādhāramaunu
marmamu kōrikayainā mahi nībhaktikekkitē
dharmamulakuṃ̐ baramadharmamu dānaunu ॥pani॥ jagamella māyayainā sari nīkē śaraṇaṃṭē
pagaṭuna nadē tapaḥphalamaunu
agapaḍi śrīvēṃkaṭādhipa nannēlitivi
migulā nihamainā miṃci paramaunu ॥pani॥
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Details and Discussions:
Chorus
(Pallavi):
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Telugu Phrase
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Meaning
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పనిగొన నేరిచితే పాపమే పుణ్యమౌను
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If one undertakes any action knowing how to perform (with awareness
of Thee), even sin turn virtue.
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నినుఁ గొలిచేయట్టి నీసేవకులకు
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Those who are in your service and in your worship
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If an action is performed in the consciousness of
the Lord, even sin turns to virtue.
For those who work as His servants — every deed, however ordinary — becomes
sanctified.
Interpretative
Notes:
పనిగొన నేరిచితే “panigona nerichite” Here, Annamacharya reveals one of the most profound truths for humankind. “O people,” he seems to say, “the one who truly knows how to act — has solved the mystery of living.” Once this is understood, there is no need to be anxious about results.
Annamacharya does not divide life into
sacred and profane. Both are part of the same wholeness of existence. He
neither condemns action nor glorifies renunciation. For him, morality and spirituality do not stand on external customs or ritual
observances, but upon awareness and devotion — the inner foundation of being.
The real secret lies in the phrase పనిగొన నేరిచితే “panigona nerichite” — “if one knows how to perform a work.” When man,
after exhausting all his attempts and possibilities, realises that there is
truly nothing worth doing, a natural stillness envelops him. In that
stillness arises surrender — the offering of oneself at the altar of the Self.
Only from that state, divine will manifests.
This is the same essence expressed in the Bhagavad Gita (13.30): “Akartāraṁ sa paśyati” —He who perceives himself as the non-actor truly sees. Man, driven by inner restlessness, keeps rushing toward one activity or another. To stand still amidst those pulls — to act not out of compulsion but from inner silence —is to live in the truth of non-doing. The moment he realises, “I am not the doer,” His inner movement quiets down into a deep silence.
If we observe carefully, every one of our actions carries a certain friction. That friction is nothing but the separation between the doer and the deed. From this separation arise bondage and conflict. But in surrender, this division dissolves. The doer and the deed merge into one awareness. Such an action is born in a state free from friction — calm, pure, and radiant.
This
is where Annamacharya’s greatness shines forth —He effortlessly moves from the
outer mode of life to the timeless realm within. From the ordinary rhythms of
human living to the undivided experience of the Spirit. In his vision, life is
not divided into compartments. The whole of life is divine service; every
action is an offering.
First
Stanza:
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తెలుగు
పదబంధం
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భావము
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మనసు చంచలమైనా మరి నిన్నుఁ దలఁచితే
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Though the mind is
restless and turbulent, when it turns toward You
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జనులకు నిహపరసాధనమౌను
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It becomes an
instrument for people to understand both this world and the beyond
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తనువు హేయమైనా తగ నిన్నుఁ గొలిచితే
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Though the body is
frail or impure, when it is offered in Your service
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పనివడి యంతలోనే
పవిత్రమౌను
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It becomes holy that
very moment.
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Literal Meaning:
Even the restless mind, when fixed in the
remembrance of the Divine, becomes a means for others to realize the truth of
both the visible and the invisible worlds. The perishable body too, when engaged in the service of the Lord, attains
sanctity instantly.
Interpretative Notes:
మనసు చంచలమైనా మరి నిన్నుఁ దలఁచితే Here Annamacharya reveals a profound spiritual truth. He tells us not to wait for a purified mind or a perfect body to approach the Divine. The very moment the wavering mind and the frail body turn toward the Supreme, they are sanctified.
In these few words, he restores dignity
to our humanness. No condition, no imperfection, can bar us from the path to
God. Even the most ordinary person can begin from where he stands — by turning
inward, by remembering. Thus, the message is simple yet timeless: “O
mankind! Turn to the Divine — that alone is the ultimate purpose of human
life.”
The phrase జనులకు నిహపరసాధనమౌను: “Janulaku nihapara sādhanamounu” carries deep significance. The one absorbed in divine remembrance becomes himself a medium through which others perceive truth. Such beings no longer live for themselves — they live for the world. Through them, light flows into humanity.
Annamacharya was one such soul. His mind
and body became instruments of divine consciousness. Through thousands of
songs, he built luminous bridges between man and the Divine — bridges that
still carry seekers across the invisible stream of ignorance. He showed that
when ego dissolves and awareness awaken, the same mind, the same body — once
thought obstacles — become means to liberation.
In modern times, the life of Jiddu
Krishnamurti reflects a similar realization. Though the Theosophical Society sought to anoint him as a “World Teacher,” he renounced all titles and lived as a simple man — a messenger of truth,
walking across the world to awaken minds. Like Annamacharya, Krishnamurti too
proved that mind and body are not hindrances — when touched by awareness, they
themselves become sacred instruments.
Many great souls have walked this earth. Yet, only a few became transparent vessels through which divine truth flowed freely into the world. They embodied the unutterable, revealed the invisible, and turned human life itself into a revelation.
And so, later generations rightfully said
of Annamacharya: "ఈతఁడే
ముక్తిదోవ యీతఁడే మాయాచార్యుఁడీతఁడు గలుగఁబట్టి ఇందరు బదికిరి" “He is the path to liberation, He is the
teacher; because he lived, many others could live.”
Many great souls have realized truth in
silence — some through stillness, some through fire. But Annamacharya and Jiddu
Krishnamurti stand apart as living instruments through which truth flowed
towards humanity. They did not merely perceive; they translated the
ungraspable into song and speech, making the ineffable audible.
Second
Stanza:
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Telugu Phrase |
Meaning |
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కర్మము బంధకమైనా కమ్మి నీసొమ్ముచేసితే- |
Performing work can cause bondage. However, like (a metallic)
transmitter If I submit to you |
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నర్మిలి మోక్షమియ్య నాధారమౌను |
With your love it forms
the basis for liberation |
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మర్మము కోరికయైనా మహి నీభక్తికెక్కితే |
Knowing your secret could be a desire, yet when it is approached
thru devotion |
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ధర్మములకుఁ బరమధర్మము దానౌను |
It becomes righteous (perfect action) among the righteous (perfect
actions1). |
Literal Meaning:
Annamacharya continuing the spirit of the first stanza; All the work performed
when transmitted without distortion to the Almighty it transforms to love, becoming the basis for liberation. Knowing
the secrets of the inner most layers in devotion to the Lord becomes righteous
action.
Interpretative
Notes:
Annamacharya here reveals the inner alchemy of
divine action. Actions by themselves are neutral; they acquire the quality
of bondage or liberation depending on the motive. When an act is
performed as an offering to the Divine, not as a means of
self-fulfilment, it becomes radiant with sacredness. What was once chained
becomes the channel of freedom.
The poet compares this transformation to a metallic
transmitter — when connected rightly to the source, even a conductive
medium charged with impurities transmits pure current. Similarly, human action,
when aligned with divine consciousness, transmits only love.
The phrase “మర్మము కోరికయైనా మహి నీభక్తికెక్కితే” is of deep spiritual significance.
Even curiosity — the subtle desire to know God — when bathed in devotion,
ceases to be ego-driven enquiry; it becomes surrendering wonder. In that
wonder, understanding dawns by itself. What was desire becomes wisdom.
Thus, for Annamacharya, no act is inherently
sinful; only its motive decides its destiny.
Every action performed in the spirit of devotion is transformed from karma
to dharma, from effort to grace.
This is the same truth the Bhagavad Gita
(4.23) declares:
“Gatasaṅgasya muktasya jñānāvasthita-cetasaḥ,
yajñāyācarataḥ karma samagraṁ pravilīyate.”
— “For one who is free from attachment, whose mind is established in knowledge,
and who acts as a sacrifice — all actions dissolve into completeness.”
Third Stanza:
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Telugu Phrase
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Meaning
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జగమెల్ల మాయయైనా సరి నీకే శరణంటే
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Even if the world is declared illusion, even then, if I take
refuge in you
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పగటున నదే తపఃఫలమౌను
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Openly, That itself is penance
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అగపడి శ్రీవేంకటాధిప నన్నేలితివి
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O Lord, I know you are ruling my heart
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మిగులా నిహమైనా మించి పరమౌను
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In your presence, this wretched world becomes incomparable beautiful
other world.
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Plain Prose Meaning:
Though people call this world Mithya (an
illusion), I still take refuge in You. That very act of surrender, done openly,
is true penance. O Lord Venkateswara! I know my Lord, you dwell within and rule
my heart. In Your presence, even this chaotic, illusionary world becomes
radiant — an untouched beauty beyond description, imagination and contemplation.
Interpretative notes:
Finding refuge in this world itself (జగమెల్ల మాయయైనా సరి నీకే శరణంటే): Annamacharya here unveils a subtle truth — even though this world may be an illusion, the moment the mind takes refuge in the Divine, the illusion itself turns sacred. It ceases to be a deception; it becomes the radiance of divine grace.
There is only One World in which we live: (మిగులా నిహమైనా మించి పరమౌను) —The world that appears worthless transforms
into supreme truth. To an ordinary eye, the world seems chaotic and disordered,
but to one who sees through awareness, an inner harmony reveals itself — a
rhythm, a silent beauty. That beauty cannot be captured in words or preserved
in memory.
పగటున నదే తపఃఫలమౌను (“Pagatuna nade tapahphalamounu”) — To surrender openly, without concealment, with all one’s heart — that is penance itself. There is no need to flee to forests or caves for long austerities. The very moment one says, “O Lord, I am Yours; let my body and mind move as You will,” that moment the penance bears fruit. It is the consciousness that transforms sin into sanctity — this is true surrender.
The defeat of intellect: In Annamacharya’s vision, this marks the humbling of intellect. Humanity has worshiped intellect for centuries. Yet, that same intellect has created wars, not peace; sophistication, but not compassion. In spite of all our knowledge, the human heart remains filled with fear, anxiety, and unrest. What we call “progress” has not touched the core of man. It is not knowledge that brings freedom, but awareness — a mind awakened to this very moment.
The illusion of gradual change: Many still believe the world will change
gradually, step by step. But that is only the trick of the mind. The truths
spoken in the Mahabharata remain relevant even today because the human mind has not
changed since the time immemorial. Real change is never gradual, never bound by
time. Truth and righteousness (DHARMAMU) are beyond all chronology. When the
moment of surrender dawns, that very instant becomes an inner revolution.
అగపడి శ్రీవేంకటాధిప నన్నేలితివి “Agapadi Sri Venkataadhipa nannēlitivi” —These words are not just expressions of devotion; they mark the awakening of wisdom. When the divine consciousness rules within, both mind and body become its instruments. Then the sense of “I” dissolves; what remains is only the flow of divine awareness. At that stage, the distinctions between illusion and truth, world and heaven, all melt away. This world itself becomes the other world — the supreme realm.
A symbol of inner transformation: This stanza is a mirror of inward revolution.
It reminds us that wishing for the world to change without changing ourselves
is folly. When we transform completely, the world too becomes divine. This is
the ultimate essence of Annamacharya’s poetry — the transformation of
illusion into divinity through total surrender.
The Message of
this Poem
Annamacharya
made it clear
Don’t
get entangled in Sin and virtue debate.
Simply,
from wherever you are, submit to the Lord.
X-X-The
END-X-X
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