అన్నమాచార్యులు
211.
కొమ్మ తన ముత్యాల కొంగు జారఁగఁ బగటు
komma tana mutyAla koMgu jAraga bagaTu
for commentary in Telugu Press here
Introduction:
This composition by Annamacharya is an extraordinary piece of poetry, blending layered symbolism with deep philosophical insight. At first glance, it seems to describe an external event—a woman’s sari covering frontal parts slipping, revealing an emotion or sentiment she normally conceals. But as with much of Annamacharya’s poetry, this imagery is not merely about physical appearance or human emotion; it is a metaphor for spiritual transformation and the unravelling of illusion.
Annamacharya did not compose these kirtanas as structured lessons for us to learn step by step. For, there is no known path to the truth. Instead, he shared his direct experiences for the benefit of the world. These songs, written from a deeply realized state, serve to open new vistas to liberation for those who read or listen with sincerity.
With remarkable ease, Annamacharya hides profound truths behind words that may seem like romantic expressions, challenging us to look deeper. This kirtana is a perfect example of how the simplest words can be made to carry immense wisdom yet remaining captivating from beginning to end.
His words feel as if they were dipped in honey, or like a radiant pearl revealed when a delicate veil slips away. Even the most graceful heavenly dances cannot match the beauty of this composition. Nor can it be compared to a fleeting lightning flash in a clouded sky—its brilliance is something far greater.
Yet beneath this poetic sweetness, Annamacharya delivers sharp and direct truths—like hammer blows that strike straight into the heart. If, even for a moment, we truly feel their impact—if the veils covering our minds are lifted, allowing us to see the world as it truly is, raw and unembellished—then our very life would be fulfilled.
Annamacharya’s mastery lies in his ability to encode profound spiritual truths into everyday imagery. The poem speaks of the gradual shedding of illusions, the resistance to change, and the eventual moment of surrender, where one becomes one with the divine. The use of sensory metaphors (pearled garment slipping, perfumed water, swaying in delight) keeps the poem grounded in experience, making its spiritual insights more tangible.
This composition aligns
beautifully with the Bhagavad Gita—that inner and outer realities are not
separate, but reflections of one another. Here, too, the external slipping of
an ornament mirrors the internal unravelling of self-created illusions. The
poem does not just describe a transformation—it invites the reader to undergo
it.
The
Summary of the Poem:
Chorus: "As her pearl-studded veil slips away, she is confronted
with the bare truth." Deeper Significance: "O humans! The love,
attachment, and emotions you cherish are shaped by endless conditioning. Like a
veil slipping away, only when these layers dissolve can we understand love—not
as something to acquire, but as a state of being beyond attachment."
Stanza 1: "Blinded by the pride of her beauty and the belief that she
can captivate the divine through her own allure, she waits eagerly, forgetting
even to blink, as if preparing for a battle-like union. Yet, she fails to see
that love and attachment, as we perceive them, are mere illusions shaped by our
own stubborn pursuits—considerations that hold no place in the divine
realm." Deeper
Significance: Humans, led by their own perceptions, craft beauty, shape divine
forms, and seek to please God through music and art. Urged by the need to act,
they believe these efforts will draw them closer to the divine, yet they
overlook the stillness essential for true experience. Consumed by restless
striving, they fail to see that the deepest truth reveals itself only in quiet
surrender.
Stanza2: “Drawn by its fragrance, she eagerly reaches for the scented
rosewater—sweet to the senses but bitter in consequence. Her companions caution
her, yet she dismisses their words. As her restless yearning deepens, her eyes
flare with frustration, and she unknowingly invites the very turmoil she seeks
to escape.”
Stanza 3: “A devotee of the Lord reminded Annamacharya that the disguises we hide behind cannot stand before God. The love and affection she once believed to be true were now revealed as mere outward coverings, fleeting and temporary. Realizing this, she found quiet joy within herself. As she let go of these illusions, she merged with Lord Venkateswara. In that moment, a deeper truth became clear—she and the Lord had always been one.”
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కీర్తన POEM |
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అధ్యాత్మ కీర్తన: రాగిరేకు 13-1 సంపుటము: 5-74 |
Philosophical Poem Copper Plate: 13-1 Vol: 5-74 |
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కొమ్మ
తన ముత్యాల కొంగు జారఁగఁ బగటు
కుమ్మరింపుచుఁ
దెచ్చుకొన్నదీ వలపు ॥పల్లవి॥ ఒయ్యారమున
విభుని వొరపు గనుఁగొని రెప్ప
ముయ్యనేరక
మహ మురిపెమునను
కయ్యంపుఁ
గూటమికిఁ గాలుదువ్వుచు నెంతె
కొయ్యతనమునఁ
దెచ్చుకొన్నదీవలపు ॥కొమ్మ॥ పైపైనె
ఆరగింపకుము పన్నీరు గడు-
తాపమవునని
చెలులు దలఁకగానే
తోపు
సేయుచుఁ గెంపు దొలఁకుఁ గన్నుల కొనల
కోపగింపుచుఁ
దెచ్చుకొన్నదీవలపు ॥కొమ్మ॥ ఎప్పుడునుఁ
బతితోడ నింతేసి మేలుములు
ఒప్పదని
చెలి గోర నొత్తఁగానే
యెప్పుడో
తిరువేంకటేశు కౌఁగిఁట గూడి
కొప్పుగులుకుచుఁ దెచ్చుకొన్నదీవలపు ॥కొమ్మ॥
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komma tana mutyAla koMgu jAraga bagaTu
kummariMpuchu dechchukonnadI valapu ॥pallavi॥ oyyAramuna vibhuni vorapu ganugoni reppa
muyyanEraka maha muripemunanu
kayyaMpu gUTamiki gAluduvvuchu neMte
koyyatanamuna dechchukonnadIvalapu ॥komma॥ paipaine AragiMpakumu pannIru gaDu-
tApamavunani chelulu dalakagAnE
tOpu sEyuchu geMpu dolaku gannula konala
kOpagiMpuchu dechchukonnadIvalapu ॥komma॥
eppuDunu batitODa niMtEsi mElumulu
oppadani cheli gOra nottagAnE
yeppuDO tiruvEMkaTESu kaugiTa gUDi
koppugulukuchu dechchukonnadIvalapu ॥komma॥
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Details and
explanations:
Word to word meaning: కొమ్మ (komma) = That
Girl, That Lady; తన (tana = her; ముత్యాల
(mutyAla)
= adorn with pearls; కొంగు (koMgu) = part
of the sari covering breast, here used in the sense of a veil; జారఁగఁ
(jAraga) =slipped away; బగటు (bagaTu)= got exposed, came in clear sight; కుమ్మరింపుచుఁ (kummariMpuchu) = pouring out; దెచ్చుకొన్నదీ (dechchukonnadI) = brought (this).; వలపు (valapu)= Love, compassion, kindness;
Literal Meaning: "As her pearl-studded veil slips away, she is
confronted with the bare truth."
Explanation: Annamacharya, through the word కొమ్మ (komma), embodies the seeker—suggesting that the human experience itself is veiled in illusions.
The phrase "ముత్యాల
కొంగు జారఁగఁ" ("mutyAla koMgu jAraga"), meaning "as the pearl-studded veil slips away,"
signifies the dissolution of external embellishments—our cultivated modesty,
social conditioning, and self-imposed perceptions. The pearls symbolize the
beauty and grace we construct to mask our unfiltered self.
The line "బగటు
కుమ్మరింపుచుఁ దెచ్చుకొన్నదీ వలపు" ("openly displays the affection she has gathered")
suggests that what we perceive as love and attachment is not innate but
something accumulated over time—displayed, rather than naturally arising. Love,
as we know it, is often shaped by conditioning and expectation rather than
pure, untainted experience.
Deeper Significance: "O humans! The love,
attachment, and emotions you cherish are shaped by endless conditioning. Like a
veil slipping away, only when these layers dissolve can we understand love—not
as something to acquire, but as a state of being beyond attachment."
Word to word meaning: ఒయ్యారమున (oyyAramuna) = సౌందర్యగర్వముతో, titillation and pride (born of her) beauty; విభుని (vibhuni) = of the God, of the Husband; వొరపు (vorapu) = a beautiful method, a suitable thing; గనుఁగొని (ganugoni) = having found; రెప్పముయ్యనేరక (reppa muyyanEraka) = forgetting even to wink eyelids; మహ మురిపెమునను (maha muripemunanu) = invigorated with great enthusiasm; కయ్యంపుఁ గూటమికిఁ (kayyaMpu gUTamiki) = conflict like union with (the Lord); గాలుదువ్వుచును (gAluduvvuchunu) = braving and challenging; ఇంతె (imte)= That lady; కొయ్యతనమునఁ (koyyatanamuna) = by the stubbornness; దెచ్చుకొన్నదీవలపు (dechchukonnadI valapu) = this love, this affection are born out of stubbornness.
Literal Meaning: "Blinded by the
pride of her beauty and the belief that she can captivate the divine through
her own allure, she waits eagerly, forgetting even to blink, as if preparing
for a battle-like union. Yet, she fails to see that love and attachment, as we
perceive them, are mere illusions shaped by our own stubborn
pursuits—considerations that hold no place in the divine realm."
Explanation:
Let’s analyse the phrase కయ్యంపుఁ గూటమి"Kayyampu
Gootami" in the light of the
Bhagavad Gita verse समत्वं योग उच्यते "Samatvam Yoga Uchyate (2.48)"—which defines yoga as the state of equanimity. Here, it refers to
the balance a man has to exercise between as person in flesh and blood (on the
material side) associated with the physical world, logic, and reason; and the
other is connected to the world of emotions, intuition, and spirituality.
This stanza challenges us to get engaged with the truth by
understanding that the one forming (perceiver) and the formed (perception) are
one and the same. As long as they are different, there is conflict in
this world (refer to Jiidu Krishnamurti’s statements). True yoga is the
harmonization of these forces, an experience beyond the grasp of we ordinary men.
One sure take away from కయ్యంపుఁ గూటమి"Kayyampu Gootami" is that there exists mutually opposing forces.
Further, verse 15-1 of Bhagavad Gita also
refer to inverse reflection. ऊर्ध्वमूलमध:शाखमश्वत्थं
प्राहुरव्ययम् | छन्दांसि यस्य पर्णानि यस्तं वेद स वेदवित् ||15-1|| (ūrdhva-mūlam adhaḥ-śhākham aśhvatthaṁ prāhur avyayam chhandānsi yasya parṇāni yas taṁ veda sa veda-vit)
Meaning: They speak of an eternal aśhvatth (banyan) tree with its roots above and branches below. Its leaves are
the Vedic hymns, and one who knows the secret of this tree is the knower of the
Vedas. This inverse reflection is widely accepted phenomenon in many
cultures.
This concept of inversion—where the source and its reflection appear paradoxically reversed—resonates deeply across cultures. We see this in the Bhagavad Gita’s depiction of the upside-down Ashvattha tree (15-1), as well as in Hilma af Klint’s Swan series, where two opposing forces converge into a singular metaphysical truth. In Swan No. 24, for example, two swans appear to interfere into one another to form a butterfly like shape (in inverse reflection). The swans remain in delicate (and of course near impossible) balance, in that very state they experience exhilaration unknown to the humans. The Swan No 24 (shown above) illustrates a metaphysical reality beyond human logic, much like the divine union Annamacharya speaks of. Annamacharya describes a state of realization that is both rare and profoundly real—one that transcends human grasp and is seldom attained in history.
This కయ్యంపుఁ గూటమి"Kayyampu Gootami" may also be compared with
a person standing in the muddy waters. still
water allows mud to settle, revealing the objects behind water clearly. Any movement
(or action we take) shall disturb the water and mud rises up to obscure the
view. Therefore, wisemen say that attempting to grasp truth through effort obscures
our vision.
We people firmly believe in our capacity to judge between right and
wrong. Whereas Annamacharya does not think so. He affirms it by saying "కొయ్యతనమునఁ దెచ్చుకొన్నదీవలపు" (koyyatanamuna dechchu konnadI valapu = this love, this affection are born out of
stubbornness). To delve further, first consider the Bhagavad Gita verse (3.38) धूमेनाव्रियते वह्निर्यथादर्शो मलेन च | यथोल्बेनावृतो गर्भस्तथा तेनेदमावृतम् || 38|| dhūmenāvriyate vahnir yathādarśho malena cha yatholbenāvṛito garbhas tathā tenedam āvṛitam (meaning: "Just as fire
is covered by smoke, a mirror by dust, and an embryo by the womb, so too is
knowledge obscured by ignorance." Thus our present actions have origins in
ignorance. Ignorance and stubbornness are variations of the same genre.
"Annamacharya does not merely dismiss human love and
attachment—he exposes them as constructs of ego and conditioning. Our
insistence on defining love through personal effort blinds us to the
effortless, unconditional love that can only be realized in surrender."
Deeper Significance: Humans, led by their own
perceptions, craft beauty, shape divine forms, and seek to please God through
music and art. Urged by the need to act, they believe these efforts will draw
them closer to the divine, yet they overlook the stillness essential for true
experience. Consumed by restless striving, they fail to see that the deepest
truth reveals itself only in quiet surrender.
Word to word meaning: పైపైనె (paipaine) = on the superficial level, on the surface; ఆరగింపకుము (AragiMpakumu) = don’t consume (implying don’t get satisfied) (=విహరించవద్దు); పన్నీరు (pannIru) = Scented Rose Water; గడు-తాపమవునని (gaDu-tApamavunani) = (leads) to much more thirst; చెలులు దలఁకగానే (chelulu dalakagAnE) = shaking companions (implying that the companions do not approve); తోపు సేయుచుఁ (tOpu sEyuchu) = pushing out their objections; గెంపు దొలఁకుఁ గన్నుల కొనల (geMpu dolaku gannula konala) = her eyes brimming in red; కోపగింపుచుఁ (kOpagiMpuchu) = filled with anger; దెచ్చుకొన్నదీవలపు (dechchukonnadI valapu) = this love, this affection (are results of that anger).
Literal Meaning: Drawn by its fragrance,
she eagerly reaches for the scented rosewater—sweet to the senses but bitter in
consequence. Her companions caution her, yet she dismisses their words. As her
restless yearning deepens, her eyes flare with frustration, and she unknowingly
invites the very turmoil she seeks to escape.
Explanation: Annamacharya cautions us against living on the surface of life,
mistaking momentary pleasures for true fulfilment. The rosewater, though
appealing, is harmful when consumed—just as unchecked desires appear enticing
but ultimately lead to distress.
This
verse echoes a profound truth from the Bhagavad Gita (2.62): ध्यायतो विषयान्पुंस:
सङ्गस्तेषूपजायते | सङ्गात्सञ्जायते काम: कामात्क्रोधोऽभिजायते || 2-62|| dhyāyato
viṣhayān puṁsaḥ saṅgas teṣhūpajāyate saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ kāmāt krodho ’bhijāyate.
Meaning: "By contemplating sense objects repeatedly, attachment to
them arises. From attachment, desire is born; from desire, anger emerges."
Here, "companions"
(చెలులు) symbolize
well-wishers—friends, family, or inner wisdom—that caution against unchecked
desires. When ignored, inner wisdom fades, and the restless mind spirals into
suffering, proving that true peace is found not in indulgence, but in
self-restraint.
Word to word meaning: ఎప్పుడునుఁ (eppuDunu) = Always; బతితోడ (batitODa) = with the Lord; నింతేసి (niMtEsi) = this much; మేలుములు (mElumulu) = veils or shields; ఒప్పదని (oppadani) = unsuitable; చెలి (cheli) = a dear friend ( (here implying another servant of the Lord); గోర నొత్తఁగానే (gOra nottagAnE) = encouraged by pinching me; యెప్పుడో (yeppuDO) = from time immemorial; తిరువేంకటేశు (tiruvEMkaTESu) = Lord Venkateswara; కౌఁగిఁట గూడి (kaugiTa gUDi) = into his arms (merging into his consciousness); కొప్పుగులుకుచుఁ (koppugulukuchu) = Slightly tilting the head in joy (a gesture of delight, where one revels in their own happiness); దెచ్చుకొన్నదీ వలపు (dechchukonnadI valapu)= The love she has taken upon herself.
Meaning: A devotee of the Lord reminded
Annamacharya that the disguises we hide behind cannot stand before God. The
love and affection she once believed to be true were now revealed as mere
outward coverings, fleeting and temporary. Realizing this, she found quiet joy
within herself. As she let go of these illusions, she merged with Lord
Venkateswara. In that moment, a deeper truth became clear—she and the Lord had
always been one.
Explanation:
The word "ఎప్పుడో"
(some time ago) hints at a realization beyond ordinary time—an awakening that
goes beyond our usual way of thinking. Annamacharya beautifully shows how
attachments to false identities and fleeting pleasures fade when we see the
deeper truth. At first, the ego resists, but once these illusions disappear,
merging with the divine becomes effortless, bringing immense inner joy.
Overall Impression:
The poem unfolds like a journey of realization.
The chorus sets the tone: something once hidden (whether it be love, longing,
or realization) is now exposed. The three stanzas develop this idea further,
showing how the layers of illusion—whether vanity, superficial desires, or
attachments—gradually come undone.
- First
Stanza: It
presents the struggle between external adornment and inner realization.
- Second
Stanza: It warns
against indulging in surface-level pleasures, using the metaphor of
fragrant water that seems pleasant but can ultimately be harmful. Society
(represented by friends or well-wishers) warns against excessive pride,
but the protagonist resists, allowing ego-driven emotions to surface. This
connects to the Bhagavad Gita’s idea that repeated indulgence in sensory
pleasures leads to attachment and, eventually, suffering.
- Third
Stanza: The
ultimate realization dawns. The false coverings—constructed identities,
pride, illusions—are stripped away. What remains is a merging with the
divine, where even time (symbolized by ఎప్పుడో) ceases to be relevant. The
protagonist sways in joy, having recognized that the love she thought she
possessed was always self-created and ultimately dissolved into divine
unity.
-X-X-The
End-X-X-
