This keerthana is one of the Sankrit kritis by Annamayya describing the ten Avataras or incarnations of Vishnu along with a few other adjectives used to describe Vishnu. Even though the first line starts with dola(swing) seva tone, he later switches to describing the ten avataras of Vishnu. The structure of each stanza has 2 lines each in a stanza. The first line in each stanza describes the incarnations considered to be part of the ten main incarnations or "Dasavatara", while the second line describes adjectives related to the mentioned avataras or less significant names of the Lord. The first two charanams/stanzas mention 4 avatars each while the last stanza mentions the last two avataras.
Here is the link to MS SUbba LAkshmi's redition of the same keerthana. The tune is catchy and soothing.
Pallavi
డోలాయాo, చల డోలాయాo, హరి డోలాయాo
ḍōlāyāṃ cala ḍolāyāṃ harē ḍolāyām ||
Word to word meaning:
డోలాయాoDolayam= Swing; చలcala= Goddess Lakshmi; డోలాయాodolayam= Swing; హరిhare= Hari, Vishnu; డోలాయాodolayam
Meaning: " Swing Godess Lakshmi, Swing Lord Hari,...swing...."
Discussion:
Annamayya must have composed this song for Swami vari "Dolotsvam" which is the seva during which Venkateswara swamy, along with his wife(wives?) is swung on a swing. So here Ananmayya starts his first line where he says "Swing Godess Lakshmi, swing Hari". The music and lyrics makes one's heart swing along with the Lord and Lakshmi.
Charanam
మీన కూర్మ వరాహ మృగపతి అవతారా
దానవారె గుణశౌర్యే ధరణిధర మరుజనక
mīna kūrma varāha mṛgapati avatāra |
dānavārē guṇaṣaurē dharaṇīdhara maru janaka||
Word to word meaning:
మీనmīna= Fish; కూర్మkūrma= Turtle; వరాహvarāha= boar; మృగపతిmṛgapati=King of Animals(Lion man); అవతారాavatāra =incarnation|
దానవారెdānavārē( danava+ari)= (Demon+enemy), an Epithet of Vishnu; గుణguṇa= quality, character;శౌర్యేṣaurē= courageous, valor;ధరణిధర dharaṇī+dhara= One who bore the Earth ; మరుmaru(marudu)=Cupid; జనక janaka=father
Meaning:"Fish,Turtle,Boar, Lion-man incarnator, the genorous-giver, the one with courageous-character, the bearer of Earth, the Father of Cupid..."
Discussion: In the first sentence of this stanza, Annamayya begins the avataras of Vishnu, starting with Meenavatara, the Fish-form of incarnation, the Kurma-avatara,(Turtle-form), the varaha(Boar) avatara. There are some interesting analogies related to Lord Vishnu's avataras. Let's understand the stories behind each of the vatara, briefly.
In "Meenavatara", Lord Vishnu appeared as a fish to Manu and warned him about the impending flood that was to drown the earth. He was suggested to build a ship and have all the medicinal herbs, animals, and the seven sages with him. So in Meenavatara, Vishnu was only a messenger and did not kill any demon.
In Kurma avatara, when the gods and demons, wanted a foundation on which they can place the mountain Mandara to churn the ocean. Lord Vishnu assumed the form of a turtle and bore the Mandara mountain on his back. SO in Kurma avatara, Vishnu was more a helper and did not kill any asurs/demons.
In Narsimha avatara,he took the form of Lion-man(half Lion and half man) to kill the demon Hiranyakashyap, since he had the boon of not to be killed by a man or an animal. From this vatar on-wards, Vishnu is supposed to have killed the evil.
If one looks at the progression of the avataras, it is amazing to find that it actually depicts the evolution of living forms.The aquatic animals (fish) were first vetebrates, then came the ambhibians(turtle), and then followed the land animals and mammals (Lion). Just a off-track thought. Some may disagree with the analogy.
The second sentence in the stanza presents the adjectives that describe the various qualities of Vishnu. DanaVari is the enemy of Danava(demons). GunaSOurye means the courageous one, maru janaka is the father of the Marudu(Cupid). Pradhyumna is considered to be an incarnation of Cupid, and Krishna is his father, hence the name "marujanaka".
వామన రామ రామ వరకృష్ణ అవతార
శ్యామలాంగా రంగ రంగ సామజవరద మురహరణ
vāmana rāma rāma varakṛṣṇa avatāra |
śyāmalāṅgā raṅga raṅga sāmajavarada muraharaṇa ||
Word to word meaning:
వామనvāmana= Dwarf; రామrāma= Rama(Parushurama); రామrāma= King Rama; వరకృష్ణvarakṛṣṇa= the blessed Krishna; అవతార avatāra |
శ్యామలśyāmala= Dark ; అంగాāṅgā=parts; రంగ రంగraṅga raṅga ;సామజsāmaja=elephant; వరదvarada=giver of boons; మురహరణ muraharaṇa= Killer of Demon Mura ||
Meaning:"Vamana, Rama (Parushu Rama), Rama (Ayodhya's King Rama), Vara Krishna incarnator, the dark-skinned one, also called ranga, the giver of boons to the elephant, Killer of the Demon Mura..."
Discussion: After Narsimha avatara, Vishnu took the form of a Dwarf. He then was born as a Brahmin Parushu Rama. Then took the form of the Kshatriya Rama. He also took the form of the Yadava King, Krishna. Please refer to my previous blog "brahma kadigina padamu" for more details about Vamana avatara, Parushu rama.
The second sentence as in the first stanza are basically adjectives to describe Vishnu. He is the dark-skinned one(krishna), also Ranga, the protecter of Elephant(refer to Brahma kadigina padam for the story related to elephant), he is the killer of the Demon Mura, who captivated sixteen thousand maidens.
దారున బుద్ధ కలికి దశ విధ అవతార
సీరపాణె గోశమనె శ్రీ వేంకటగిరి కూటనిలయ
dāruṇa buddha kaliki daśavidha avatāra |
śīrapāṇē gōsamāṇē śrī vēṅkaṭagiri kūṭanilayā ||
Word to word meaning:
దారునdāruṇa= Earth??unexpectedly, suddenly; బుద్ధbuddha= Buddha; కలికి kaliki దశ విధdaśavidha(dasa+vidha)= (ten+ways)ten types, అవతార avatāra= incarnation;
సీరపాణెśīrapāṇē= Epi. of Balarama; One who holds Plough; గోశమనెgōsamāṇē=(go +samane= cow+appeasing) one who appeases the cows; śrī vēṅkaṭagiri= VenkataHills(tirupati) kūṭa= summit of a mountain; nilayā =one who lives||
Meaning:" The Budha and the Kalki, the one with ten different incarnations, the Holder of Plough(Balrama),the appeaser of the cows, the one whose abode is the summit of Venkatagiri Mountain"
Discussion: Annamayya finishes the ten avatara descriptions of Vishnu with Budha and Kalki. Kalki is supposed to be the final avatar of Vishnu, who would rescue the world during a holocost that is meant to end all evil. The second line according to the pattern of this piece, are adjectives. According to Bhagavath purana Balrama is an incarnation too, however, Bhagavath purana describes about 22 incarnations and not the popular ten incarnations. So, Annamayya describes, Seera pani(holder of plough), the one who resides in Venkata giri....Swing , swing with Lakshmi, Swing hari......
I could not find the meaning of Gosamane. Any help would be appreciated. I could have had the word wrong too... I thank one of the readers who commented and gave me the meaning of "gosamane".
So there is a belief that the Buddha who is considered to be Vishnu Avatar is not Gautama Budha and that He is a different Budha. Will update the post as I research more and find proper descriptions. In the meantime if anybody could enlighten more on the subject, please feel free to comment. :)
Here is the link to MS SUbba LAkshmi's redition of the same keerthana. The tune is catchy and soothing.
Pallavi
డోలాయాo, చల డోలాయాo, హరి డోలాయాo
ḍōlāyāṃ cala ḍolāyāṃ harē ḍolāyām ||
Word to word meaning:
డోలాయాoDolayam= Swing; చలcala= Goddess Lakshmi; డోలాయాodolayam= Swing; హరిhare= Hari, Vishnu; డోలాయాodolayam
Meaning: " Swing Godess Lakshmi, Swing Lord Hari,...swing...."
Discussion:
Annamayya must have composed this song for Swami vari "Dolotsvam" which is the seva during which Venkateswara swamy, along with his wife(wives?) is swung on a swing. So here Ananmayya starts his first line where he says "Swing Godess Lakshmi, swing Hari". The music and lyrics makes one's heart swing along with the Lord and Lakshmi.
Charanam
మీన కూర్మ వరాహ మృగపతి అవతారా
దానవారె గుణశౌర్యే ధరణిధర మరుజనక
mīna kūrma varāha mṛgapati avatāra |
dānavārē guṇaṣaurē dharaṇīdhara maru janaka||
Word to word meaning:
మీనmīna= Fish; కూర్మkūrma= Turtle; వరాహvarāha= boar; మృగపతిmṛgapati=King of Animals(Lion man); అవతారాavatāra =incarnation|
దానవారెdānavārē( danava+ari)= (Demon+enemy), an Epithet of Vishnu; గుణguṇa= quality, character;శౌర్యేṣaurē= courageous, valor;ధరణిధర dharaṇī+dhara= One who bore the Earth ; మరుmaru(marudu)=Cupid; జనక janaka=father
Meaning:"Fish,Turtle,Boar, Lion-man incarnator, the genorous-giver, the one with courageous-character, the bearer of Earth, the Father of Cupid..."
Discussion: In the first sentence of this stanza, Annamayya begins the avataras of Vishnu, starting with Meenavatara, the Fish-form of incarnation, the Kurma-avatara,(Turtle-form), the varaha(Boar) avatara. There are some interesting analogies related to Lord Vishnu's avataras. Let's understand the stories behind each of the vatara, briefly.
In "Meenavatara", Lord Vishnu appeared as a fish to Manu and warned him about the impending flood that was to drown the earth. He was suggested to build a ship and have all the medicinal herbs, animals, and the seven sages with him. So in Meenavatara, Vishnu was only a messenger and did not kill any demon.
In Kurma avatara, when the gods and demons, wanted a foundation on which they can place the mountain Mandara to churn the ocean. Lord Vishnu assumed the form of a turtle and bore the Mandara mountain on his back. SO in Kurma avatara, Vishnu was more a helper and did not kill any asurs/demons.
In Narsimha avatara,he took the form of Lion-man(half Lion and half man) to kill the demon Hiranyakashyap, since he had the boon of not to be killed by a man or an animal. From this vatar on-wards, Vishnu is supposed to have killed the evil.
If one looks at the progression of the avataras, it is amazing to find that it actually depicts the evolution of living forms.The aquatic animals (fish) were first vetebrates, then came the ambhibians(turtle), and then followed the land animals and mammals (Lion). Just a off-track thought. Some may disagree with the analogy.
The second sentence in the stanza presents the adjectives that describe the various qualities of Vishnu. DanaVari is the enemy of Danava(demons). GunaSOurye means the courageous one, maru janaka is the father of the Marudu(Cupid). Pradhyumna is considered to be an incarnation of Cupid, and Krishna is his father, hence the name "marujanaka".
వామన రామ రామ వరకృష్ణ అవతార
శ్యామలాంగా రంగ రంగ సామజవరద మురహరణ
vāmana rāma rāma varakṛṣṇa avatāra |
śyāmalāṅgā raṅga raṅga sāmajavarada muraharaṇa ||
Word to word meaning:
వామనvāmana= Dwarf; రామrāma= Rama(Parushurama); రామrāma= King Rama; వరకృష్ణvarakṛṣṇa= the blessed Krishna; అవతార avatāra |
శ్యామలśyāmala= Dark ; అంగాāṅgā=parts; రంగ రంగraṅga raṅga ;సామజsāmaja=elephant; వరదvarada=giver of boons; మురహరణ muraharaṇa= Killer of Demon Mura ||
Meaning:"Vamana, Rama (Parushu Rama), Rama (Ayodhya's King Rama), Vara Krishna incarnator, the dark-skinned one, also called ranga, the giver of boons to the elephant, Killer of the Demon Mura..."
Discussion: After Narsimha avatara, Vishnu took the form of a Dwarf. He then was born as a Brahmin Parushu Rama. Then took the form of the Kshatriya Rama. He also took the form of the Yadava King, Krishna. Please refer to my previous blog "brahma kadigina padamu" for more details about Vamana avatara, Parushu rama.
The second sentence as in the first stanza are basically adjectives to describe Vishnu. He is the dark-skinned one(krishna), also Ranga, the protecter of Elephant(refer to Brahma kadigina padam for the story related to elephant), he is the killer of the Demon Mura, who captivated sixteen thousand maidens.
దారున బుద్ధ కలికి దశ విధ అవతార
సీరపాణె గోశమనె శ్రీ వేంకటగిరి కూటనిలయ
dāruṇa buddha kaliki daśavidha avatāra |
śīrapāṇē gōsamāṇē śrī vēṅkaṭagiri kūṭanilayā ||
Word to word meaning:
దారునdāruṇa= Earth??unexpectedly, suddenly; బుద్ధbuddha= Buddha; కలికి kaliki దశ విధdaśavidha(dasa+vidha)= (ten+ways)ten types, అవతార avatāra= incarnation;
సీరపాణెśīrapāṇē= Epi. of Balarama; One who holds Plough; గోశమనెgōsamāṇē=(go +samane= cow+appeasing) one who appeases the cows; śrī vēṅkaṭagiri= VenkataHills(tirupati) kūṭa= summit of a mountain; nilayā =one who lives||
Meaning:" The Budha and the Kalki, the one with ten different incarnations, the Holder of Plough(Balrama),the appeaser of the cows, the one whose abode is the summit of Venkatagiri Mountain"
Discussion: Annamayya finishes the ten avatara descriptions of Vishnu with Budha and Kalki. Kalki is supposed to be the final avatar of Vishnu, who would rescue the world during a holocost that is meant to end all evil. The second line according to the pattern of this piece, are adjectives. According to Bhagavath purana Balrama is an incarnation too, however, Bhagavath purana describes about 22 incarnations and not the popular ten incarnations. So, Annamayya describes, Seera pani(holder of plough), the one who resides in Venkata giri....Swing , swing with Lakshmi, Swing hari......
So there is a belief that the Buddha who is considered to be Vishnu Avatar is not Gautama Budha and that He is a different Budha. Will update the post as I research more and find proper descriptions. In the meantime if anybody could enlighten more on the subject, please feel free to comment. :)
