I feel the need to translate the Annamayya's sankirthana on the different forms of God, after failing to find any translation giving the word to word meaning of the sankirthana. I hope my attempt would be useful and helpful.
ఎంత మాత్రమున ఎవ్వరు తలచిన, అంతమాత్రమే నీవు
అంతరాంతరములెంచి చూడ, పిండంతేనిప్పటి అన్నట్లు
eMta maatramuna evvaru talachina, aMtamaatramae neevu
aMtaraaMtaramuleMchi chooDa, piMDaMtaenippaTi annaTlu
ఎంత (entha)=how; మాత్రమున(maatramuna)=ever (much) ; ఎవ్వరు(evvaru)=(whoever)anybody (one); తలచిన(talachina)=(thinks)thought; అంతమాత్రమే (aMtamaatramae)= just so much; నీవు (neevu)= You(God).అంతరాంతరములుantharamthamulu =inner differences; ఎంచిenchi= to reflect in one's mind, by measuring; చూడchooda = (if one)sees; పిండంతpindantha = all the flour ;ఎye= is only; నిప్పటిnippati = a kind of cake; అన్నట్లు annatlu= as said.
Meaning:
However one thinks( visualises) You, You are just that.
By reflecting on the differences one sees that; just as one would say that thdepending on the quantity of flour is the size of the cake.
Discussion:
Annamayya introduces God to be what ever one's mind visualises.As an analogy, Annamayya says that just as the cake is just as much as the flour you started with, with inner perception and discern, one would realise that He is just what one can perceive Him to be.Remember, when Annamayya meant the quantity of flour, he meant the perception of God and doesnot care about the size of the cake. The point is that the the Cake takes the shape and size according to the quantity of the flour. This is a beautiful line where Annamayya inherently indicates His greatness as someone who can change forms according to the perceiver. I believe that he(Annamayya) purposefully picked the words in a way where the meaning is inherent and also stresses on the point that He becomes just what one perceives Him to be by using "antha matrame". There are two important things to understand, the first one is the greatness of God( apparent from the first line) and also the totality in which Annamayya believes that everybody's way of perceiving God is right in its own way. For example, for one who doesnot know that there is something superior than his own perception, his perception is the ONE and ONLY truth.There is completeness in that perception. God does not distinguish people by how much they perceive him to be. For Him, He is happy to be whatever one perceive Him to be :).
In the following lines he describes how people refer to Him with different names.
కొలుతురు మిము వైష్ణవులు, కూరిమితో విష్ణుడని
పలుకుదురు మిము వేదాంతులు, పరబ్రహ్మంబనుచు
తలతురు మిము శైవులు, తగిన భక్తులునూ శివుడనుచు
అలరి పొగడుదురు కాపాలికులు, ఆది భైరవుడనుచు
koluturu mimu vaishNavulu, koorimitO vishNuDani
palukuduru mimu vaedaaMtulu, parabrahmaMbanuchu
talaturu mimu Saivulu, tagina bhaktulunoo SivuDanuchu
alari pogaDuduru kaapaalikulu, aadi bhairavuDanuchu
కొలుతురుkoluthuru= measure, worship; మిముmimu= You; వైష్ణవులుvaishnavulu= Vaishnavas, కూరిమితోkoorumitho= with affection; విష్ణుడనిvishnudani= as Vishnu;
పలుకుదురుpalukuduru= speak, say; మిముmimu= You; వేదాంతులు vedanthulu= the knowledgeable in Vendanthas, పరబ్రహ్మంబనుచుparabrahmambanuchu= the Supreme Personality of Godhead Brahma;
తలతురుtalathuru=think; మిముmimu=You; శైవులుshaivulu= Shaivas; తగినtagina=suitable, deserving; భక్తులునూbhakthulunu=also devotees; శివుడనుచుshivudanuchu= as Shiva
అలరిalari= with pleasure or delight; పొగడుదురుpogaDUduru= praise; కాపాలికులుkaapalikulu=the Kapalikas, ఆది భైరవుడనుచు aadi bhairavudanuchu= The Supreme Bhairava
Meaning:
You are worshipped with affection by the Vaishnavas as Vishnu;
You are spoken by the Knowledged (in Vedanthas) as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, ParaBrahma;
You are thought by Shaivas and other deserving devotees as Shiva;
The Kapalikas praise you with delight as Adi Bhairava.
Discussion:
I enjoy the various verbs Annamayya uses to describe how God is considered by his devotees (Koluthuru,palukuduru, thalathuru,pogaduduru). Each sect has a special feature in considering him and he remarkably points them in his flow/play of words.
I guess most people know the Hindu Trinity and would not have a problem in relating to Vishnu, Shiva and Brahma. I had a little difficulty in finding about Kapalikas as it was a new word and I never heard about it. Luckily, it was listed on wikipedia and helped me a lot.
According to Wikipedia, Kapalika means bearer of the skull-bowl, and has reference to Lord Bhairava's vow to take the kapala vow. As penance for cutting off one of the heads of Brahma, Lord Bhairava became an outcast and a beggar. In this guise, Bhairava frequents waste places and cremation grounds, wearing nothing but a garland of skulls and ash from the pyre, and unable to remove the skull of Brahma fastened to his hand. The Kapalika use a skull as their bowl imitating Bhairava.
సరి మిమ్ముదురు సాక్తేయులు, శక్తి రూపు నీవనుచు
దరిశనములు మిము నానా విధులను, తలుపుల కొలదుల భజింతురు
సిరుల మిమునే అల్పబుద్ది, తలచినవారికి అల్పంబగుదవు
దరిమల మిమునే ఘనమని తలచిన, ఘనబుద్ధులకు ఘనుడవు
Sari nammuduru saakteyulu, Shakti roopu neevanuchu
ఎంత మాత్రమున ఎవ్వరు తలచిన, అంతమాత్రమే నీవు
అంతరాంతరములెంచి చూడ, పిండంతేనిప్పటి అన్నట్లు
eMta maatramuna evvaru talachina, aMtamaatramae neevu
aMtaraaMtaramuleMchi chooDa, piMDaMtaenippaTi annaTlu
ఎంత (entha)=how; మాత్రమున(maatramuna)=ever (much) ; ఎవ్వరు(evvaru)=(whoever)anybody (one); తలచిన(talachina)=(thinks)thought; అంతమాత్రమే (aMtamaatramae)= just so much; నీవు (neevu)= You(God).అంతరాంతరములుantharamthamulu =inner differences; ఎంచిenchi= to reflect in one's mind, by measuring; చూడchooda = (if one)sees; పిండంతpindantha = all the flour ;ఎye= is only; నిప్పటిnippati = a kind of cake; అన్నట్లు annatlu= as said.
Meaning:
However one thinks( visualises) You, You are just that.
By reflecting on the differences one sees that; just as one would say that thdepending on the quantity of flour is the size of the cake.
Discussion:
Annamayya introduces God to be what ever one's mind visualises.As an analogy, Annamayya says that just as the cake is just as much as the flour you started with, with inner perception and discern, one would realise that He is just what one can perceive Him to be.Remember, when Annamayya meant the quantity of flour, he meant the perception of God and doesnot care about the size of the cake. The point is that the the Cake takes the shape and size according to the quantity of the flour. This is a beautiful line where Annamayya inherently indicates His greatness as someone who can change forms according to the perceiver. I believe that he(Annamayya) purposefully picked the words in a way where the meaning is inherent and also stresses on the point that He becomes just what one perceives Him to be by using "antha matrame". There are two important things to understand, the first one is the greatness of God( apparent from the first line) and also the totality in which Annamayya believes that everybody's way of perceiving God is right in its own way. For example, for one who doesnot know that there is something superior than his own perception, his perception is the ONE and ONLY truth.There is completeness in that perception. God does not distinguish people by how much they perceive him to be. For Him, He is happy to be whatever one perceive Him to be :).
In the following lines he describes how people refer to Him with different names.
కొలుతురు మిము వైష్ణవులు, కూరిమితో విష్ణుడని
పలుకుదురు మిము వేదాంతులు, పరబ్రహ్మంబనుచు
తలతురు మిము శైవులు, తగిన భక్తులునూ శివుడనుచు
అలరి పొగడుదురు కాపాలికులు, ఆది భైరవుడనుచు
koluturu mimu vaishNavulu, koorimitO vishNuDani
palukuduru mimu vaedaaMtulu, parabrahmaMbanuchu
talaturu mimu Saivulu, tagina bhaktulunoo SivuDanuchu
alari pogaDuduru kaapaalikulu, aadi bhairavuDanuchu
కొలుతురుkoluthuru= measure, worship; మిముmimu= You; వైష్ణవులుvaishnavulu= Vaishnavas, కూరిమితోkoorumitho= with affection; విష్ణుడనిvishnudani= as Vishnu;
పలుకుదురుpalukuduru= speak, say; మిముmimu= You; వేదాంతులు vedanthulu= the knowledgeable in Vendanthas, పరబ్రహ్మంబనుచుparabrahmambanuchu= the Supreme Personality of Godhead Brahma;
తలతురుtalathuru=think; మిముmimu=You; శైవులుshaivulu= Shaivas; తగినtagina=suitable, deserving; భక్తులునూbhakthulunu=also devotees; శివుడనుచుshivudanuchu= as Shiva
అలరిalari= with pleasure or delight; పొగడుదురుpogaDUduru= praise; కాపాలికులుkaapalikulu=the Kapalikas, ఆది భైరవుడనుచు aadi bhairavudanuchu= The Supreme Bhairava
Meaning:
You are worshipped with affection by the Vaishnavas as Vishnu;
You are spoken by the Knowledged (in Vedanthas) as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, ParaBrahma;
You are thought by Shaivas and other deserving devotees as Shiva;
The Kapalikas praise you with delight as Adi Bhairava.
Discussion:
I enjoy the various verbs Annamayya uses to describe how God is considered by his devotees (Koluthuru,palukuduru, thalathuru,pogaduduru). Each sect has a special feature in considering him and he remarkably points them in his flow/play of words.
I guess most people know the Hindu Trinity and would not have a problem in relating to Vishnu, Shiva and Brahma. I had a little difficulty in finding about Kapalikas as it was a new word and I never heard about it. Luckily, it was listed on wikipedia and helped me a lot.
According to Wikipedia, Kapalika means bearer of the skull-bowl, and has reference to Lord Bhairava's vow to take the kapala vow. As penance for cutting off one of the heads of Brahma, Lord Bhairava became an outcast and a beggar. In this guise, Bhairava frequents waste places and cremation grounds, wearing nothing but a garland of skulls and ash from the pyre, and unable to remove the skull of Brahma fastened to his hand. The Kapalika use a skull as their bowl imitating Bhairava.
సరి మిమ్ముదురు సాక్తేయులు, శక్తి రూపు నీవనుచు
దరిశనములు మిము నానా విధులను, తలుపుల కొలదుల భజింతురు
సిరుల మిమునే అల్పబుద్ది, తలచినవారికి అల్పంబగుదవు
దరిమల మిమునే ఘనమని తలచిన, ఘనబుద్ధులకు ఘనుడవు
Sari nammuduru saakteyulu, Shakti roopu neevanuchu
darisanamulu mimu nana vidhulanu, talupula koladula bhajinturu
sirula mimune alpabuddhi , talachina vaariki alpambagudvu
darimala mimune ghanamani talachina, ghana buddhulaku ghanuDavu
సరిsari= rightly; మిమ్ముదురు (I think it is nammuduru)nammuduru= believe; సాక్తేయులుsakhteylu= Shakteyas; శక్తిshakti =Shakti;రూపుroopu= figure, form; నీవనుచుneevanuchu= saying You
దరిశనములు=sights; మిముmimu= You; నానాnana= various; విధులనుvidhulanu= methods, తలుపులtalupula= thoughts, intention; కొలదులkoladula= Power, glory; భజింతురుbhajinthuru= pray
సిరులsirula= riches, wealth; మిమునేmimune= You only; అల్పబుద్దిalpabuddi= narrow minded; తలచినవారికిtalachinavaariki=those who think; అల్పంalpam= little;బగుదవుagudavu(agudavu)= (You) become
దరిమలgarimala= (Garimala) Among Greatness/with dignity ; మిమునేmimune= You only, ఘనమనిghanamani= noble; తలచినtalachina= if thought, ఘనబుద్ధులకుghanabuddulaku= for noble minded people, ఘనుడవుghanuDavu= You are noble.
Meaning:
Shakteyas rightly believe you to be a form of Shakti.
Your devotees pray seeing you in various methods,thoughts, power.
With riches, if you are thought by the petty-minded, so petty do you become.
With greatness, if you are thought as noble by the noble minded, you are noble.
Discussion:
Annamayya beautifully descibes that God is not only limited to God forms, but also to the abstract non-living methods, thoughts and power. He explains by giving an example that for petty-minded you are petty and for noble minded you are noble. An imporatant thing I observed that Annamayya makes it a point to mention every possible perception of God. So his actual point is God does not care what one perceives Him to be for He is great, and further gives the liberty of perceiving Him to be what ever you want/can. Even if it is petty, He doesnot mind being petty to them.I am stressing this point again that Annamayya stresses the greatness of God and not the means or the perception of someone. I somehow don't see the meaning of the words used at the begining of the last two lines Sirula and garimala.If somebody can help me with that I would be with peace in my quest. Let me quote my question " why does Annamayya say Sirula in the beginning of the sentence. I think even in its absence, the sentence makes complete sense. I strongly believe that Annamayya has a hidden or ostentious meaning to it which I am unable to see. Same is the case with GArimala in the next sentence." Help would be appreciated. An important observation from the last two stanzas is that he(Annamayya) uses different verbs to describe the way He(God) is perceived. For example,Vaishnavas koluthuru(worship/treat),Vedanthulu palukuduru( the Vendantists:)read), Shaivas thalathuru(think),Kapalis pogududuru(praise), Shakyeyas nammuduru(believe). Annamayya never repeats a verb and each of them actually describes the way of worship by that particular sect too. I believe there is more meaning to each verb than what is ostensible and really wish I could get to know that.Well, for now, devour the beauty in this piece of work literally.
నీవలన కొరతే లేదు మరి నీరు కొలది తామరవు
ఆవల భాగీరధి దరి బావుల ఆ జలమే ఊరినయట్లు
శ్రీ వేంకటపతి నీవైతే మము చేకొని వున్న దైవ(ము)మని
ఈవలనే నీ శరణనిఎదను, ఇదియే పరతత్వము నాకు
nee valana koratae laedu mari neeru koladi taamaravu
సరిsari= rightly; మిమ్ముదురు (I think it is nammuduru)nammuduru= believe; సాక్తేయులుsakhteylu= Shakteyas; శక్తిshakti =Shakti;రూపుroopu= figure, form; నీవనుచుneevanuchu= saying You
దరిశనములు=sights; మిముmimu= You; నానాnana= various; విధులనుvidhulanu= methods, తలుపులtalupula= thoughts, intention; కొలదులkoladula= Power, glory; భజింతురుbhajinthuru= pray
సిరులsirula= riches, wealth; మిమునేmimune= You only; అల్పబుద్దిalpabuddi= narrow minded; తలచినవారికిtalachinavaariki=those who think; అల్పంalpam= little;బగుదవుagudavu(agudavu)= (You) become
దరిమలgarimala= (Garimala) Among Greatness/with dignity ; మిమునేmimune= You only, ఘనమనిghanamani= noble; తలచినtalachina= if thought, ఘనబుద్ధులకుghanabuddulaku= for noble minded people, ఘనుడవుghanuDavu= You are noble.
Meaning:
Shakteyas rightly believe you to be a form of Shakti.
Your devotees pray seeing you in various methods,thoughts, power.
With riches, if you are thought by the petty-minded, so petty do you become.
With greatness, if you are thought as noble by the noble minded, you are noble.
Discussion:
Annamayya beautifully descibes that God is not only limited to God forms, but also to the abstract non-living methods, thoughts and power. He explains by giving an example that for petty-minded you are petty and for noble minded you are noble. An imporatant thing I observed that Annamayya makes it a point to mention every possible perception of God. So his actual point is God does not care what one perceives Him to be for He is great, and further gives the liberty of perceiving Him to be what ever you want/can. Even if it is petty, He doesnot mind being petty to them.I am stressing this point again that Annamayya stresses the greatness of God and not the means or the perception of someone. I somehow don't see the meaning of the words used at the begining of the last two lines Sirula and garimala.If somebody can help me with that I would be with peace in my quest. Let me quote my question " why does Annamayya say Sirula in the beginning of the sentence. I think even in its absence, the sentence makes complete sense. I strongly believe that Annamayya has a hidden or ostentious meaning to it which I am unable to see. Same is the case with GArimala in the next sentence." Help would be appreciated. An important observation from the last two stanzas is that he(Annamayya) uses different verbs to describe the way He(God) is perceived. For example,Vaishnavas koluthuru(worship/treat),Vedanthulu palukuduru( the Vendantists:)read), Shaivas thalathuru(think),Kapalis pogududuru(praise), Shakyeyas nammuduru(believe). Annamayya never repeats a verb and each of them actually describes the way of worship by that particular sect too. I believe there is more meaning to each verb than what is ostensible and really wish I could get to know that.Well, for now, devour the beauty in this piece of work literally.
నీవలన కొరతే లేదు మరి నీరు కొలది తామరవు
ఆవల భాగీరధి దరి బావుల ఆ జలమే ఊరినయట్లు
శ్రీ వేంకటపతి నీవైతే మము చేకొని వున్న దైవ(ము)మని
ఈవలనే నీ శరణనిఎదను, ఇదియే పరతత్వము నాకు
nee valana koratae laedu mari neeru koladi taamaravu
aavala bhaagiradhi dari baavula aa jalamae oorinayatlu
Sree Vaenkatapati neevaithae mamu chaekoni vunna daivamani
eevalanae nee saraNani aedanu idiyae paratatvamu naaku
నీవలనneevalana= Because of You; కొరతేkorathey= Insufficiency; లేదుledu= (is) not there; మరిmari= as; నీరుneeru=water; కొలదిkoladi= in propotion; తామరవుtaamaravu= Lotus
ఆవలaavala= beyond,on that side; భాగీరధిbhagirathi= the source of GAnges; దరిdari=shore, banks; బావులbaavula=wells; ఆaa=that; జలమేjalame=water only; ఊరినయట్లుoorinayatlu= to spring with water, wetted by the water;
శ్రీ వేంకటపతిSri venkatapati= Sri Venkatapati; నీవైతేneevaithey=If you are; మముmamu=me,us; చేకొనిcheekoni=receive, accept; వున్నunna= there; దైవ(ము)మనిdaivamu=God you are;
ఈee=this;వలనేvalaneee= because of; నీnee=Your; శరణనిsaraNani=Protection;ఎదనుedunu=wish,in heart; ఇదిidi=this;యేye =only is; పరతత్వముparatatvamu= Supreme Truth; నాకుnaaku=to me.
Meaning:
There is no deficiency(misery) because of You, as You are the Lotus that grows according to water;
Beyond and near by the Ganges, just as the wells are filled with the same water;
If You are Lord Venkatapathi,You are the one who has to accepted me(us).
Just because of this, I wish you take me to Shelter.This is the only Supreme Truth to me. Discussion: Where He is present, there is no misery. He grows into one's perception just the same way as the Lotus grows according to the quantity of water.Remember that Annamayya's point is not about the quantity of water( the capacity of perception) as most people would mistake it to be. It is about the greatness of God to be whatever/how much ever one perceives him to be. The wells on the shores of Ganga ooze out the same water as Ganga. In this line Annamayya stresses the point that where ever the well can be within the shores limit of Ganga, it is the same water that springs out of them, just as whatever one's perception about God be, whatever sect /religion hone might follow, the fact is that it is the same God. Well, I should say that this last stanza has made me aware of the little facts of nature I did not know. The first analogy is about the growth of lotus in water, the second one is about the geography and underground water resources and their origin.It goes unsaid that poets have to be knowledgeble in many subjects, to spice up their poetry full of flavor :).
I had a little difficulty in connecting the meanings to a sentence. I could not have extracted the actual flavor of Annamayya. I would be really grateful if a knowledgeable person would correct me if I am wrong.
References:
[1] A Telugu-English dictionary By P. Sankaranarayana, google books.
[2] Wikipedia
నీవలనneevalana= Because of You; కొరతేkorathey= Insufficiency; లేదుledu= (is) not there; మరిmari= as; నీరుneeru=water; కొలదిkoladi= in propotion; తామరవుtaamaravu= Lotus
ఆవలaavala= beyond,on that side; భాగీరధిbhagirathi= the source of GAnges; దరిdari=shore, banks; బావులbaavula=wells; ఆaa=that; జలమేjalame=water only; ఊరినయట్లుoorinayatlu= to spring with water, wetted by the water;
శ్రీ వేంకటపతిSri venkatapati= Sri Venkatapati; నీవైతేneevaithey=If you are; మముmamu=me,us; చేకొనిcheekoni=receive, accept; వున్నunna= there; దైవ(ము)మనిdaivamu=God you are;
ఈee=this;వలనేvalaneee= because of; నీnee=Your; శరణనిsaraNani=Protection;ఎదనుedunu=wish,in heart; ఇదిidi=this;యేye =only is; పరతత్వముparatatvamu= Supreme Truth; నాకుnaaku=to me.
Meaning:
There is no deficiency(misery) because of You, as You are the Lotus that grows according to water;
Beyond and near by the Ganges, just as the wells are filled with the same water;
If You are Lord Venkatapathi,You are the one who has to accepted me(us).
Just because of this, I wish you take me to Shelter.This is the only Supreme Truth to me. Discussion: Where He is present, there is no misery. He grows into one's perception just the same way as the Lotus grows according to the quantity of water.Remember that Annamayya's point is not about the quantity of water( the capacity of perception) as most people would mistake it to be. It is about the greatness of God to be whatever/how much ever one perceives him to be. The wells on the shores of Ganga ooze out the same water as Ganga. In this line Annamayya stresses the point that where ever the well can be within the shores limit of Ganga, it is the same water that springs out of them, just as whatever one's perception about God be, whatever sect /religion hone might follow, the fact is that it is the same God. Well, I should say that this last stanza has made me aware of the little facts of nature I did not know. The first analogy is about the growth of lotus in water, the second one is about the geography and underground water resources and their origin.It goes unsaid that poets have to be knowledgeble in many subjects, to spice up their poetry full of flavor :).
I had a little difficulty in connecting the meanings to a sentence. I could not have extracted the actual flavor of Annamayya. I would be really grateful if a knowledgeable person would correct me if I am wrong.
References:
[1] A Telugu-English dictionary By P. Sankaranarayana, google books.
[2] Wikipedia
