Ekkadi manusha janmam....

Annamayya presents his view on the purpose of human life in this simple, easy to understand keerthana.This is one of those keerthanas, which is more a self-appraisal of life by Annamayya. The desolating tone set in this piece urges one to ponder on the purpose of human life.
It is believed in Hinduism that the soul takes up "Human" life only after serving animal life forms. Animals do not have the discirmination of good/bad/choice etc. They go by instincts, and are only serving to satisfy one of the prominent desires attached to the soul. Human life is intended to work towards salvation/liberation (moksha) and the purposes are given by the four "purusharthas" : dharma-artha-kama-moksha. This keerthana has more dept to it than just the meaning it puts forth and a little complicated for me to explain it here.  In this keerthana, the dejected Annamayya rhetorically asks as to what use is the Human life if one doesnot work towards the path of salvation and still is attached to the worldly illusions.

A heart-touching rendition by Priya sisters can be found here.

ప|| ఎక్కడి మానుష జన్మం బెత్తిన ఫలమే మున్నది |
నిక్కము నిన్నే నమ్మితి నీ చిత్తంబికను ||
 pa|| ekkaDi mAnuSha janmaM bettina PalamE munnadi |
nikkamu ninnE nammiti nI cittaMbikanu ||
Word-word:
ఎక్కడిekkaDi= where from? మానుషmAnuSha= Human's; జన్మంjanmam= life/birth; ఎత్తినettina= to have taken; ఫలము phalamu= fruit/use; ఏమున్నదిemunnadi= what is there?  |
నిక్కముNikkamu= truthfully; నిన్నే ninne= you only; నమ్మితినీnammithini= I trusted;  చిత్తంబికనుchittambikanu (chittamu+ikanu)= mind/heart+hereafter ||
 Meaning:
  Where from is this human's birth? What use is it to have taken it(human's birth).
truthfully I have trusted you (only) all my heart/mind.

చ|| మరవను ఆహారంబును మరవను సంసార సుఖము | మరవను యింద్రియ భోగము మాధవ నీ మాయ ||
మరచెద సుఙ్ణానంబును మరచెద తత్త్వ రహస్యము | మరచెద గురువును దైవము మాధవ నీ మాయ ||
 ca|| maravanu AhAraMbunu maravanu saMsAra suKamu | maravanu yiMdriya BOgamu mAdhava nI mAya |
maraceda su~mNAnaMbunu maraceda tattva rahaSyamu | maraceda guruvunu daivamu mAdhava nI mAya ||
 Word-Word:
మరవనుmaravanu= wont forget; ఆహారంబునుaaharambunu= food; మరవనుmaravanu= won't forget; సంసారsamsara= the family life; సుఖముsukhamu=pleasures |
మరవనుmaravanu= wont forget; యింద్రియindriya= sensory; భోగముbhoogamu= pleasures/luxuries; మాధవmaadhava= Madhava; నీnee= your; మాయmaaya=illusion ||
మరచెదmarecheda= will forget; సుఙ్ణానంబునుsugnanambunu= good knowledge; మరచెదmarecheda= will forget; తత్త్వtatva=the 96 properties of human body(mind, body and soul!); రహస్యముrahasyamu=secret |
మరచెదmarecheda= will forget; గురువునుGuruvunu= teacher; దైవము daivamu= God/diety; మాధవ maadhava= madhava! నీnee= your;  మాయmaaya=illusion ||
Meaning:
 I wont forget food, the pleasures of family life, wont forget the sensory luxuries, Madhava! this is your created illusion..
I will forget the good knowledge I learnt, Will forget the human body secrets; will forget teacher and God. Madhava! this is your created illusion....
 
చ|| విడువను పాపము పుణ్యము విడువను నా దుర్గుణములు | విడువను మిక్కిలి యాసలు విష్ణుడ నీమాయ |
విడిచెద షట్కర్మంబులు విడిచెద వైరాగ్యంబును | విడిచెద నాచారంబును విష్ణుడ నీమాయ ||
 ca|| viDuvanu pApamu puNyamu viDuvanu nA durguNamulu |
viDuvanu mikkili yAsalu viShNuDa nImAya |
viDiceda ShaTkarmaMbulu viDiceda vairAgyaMbunu |
viDiceda nAcAraMbunu viShNuDa nImAya ||
word-Word:
విడువనుvidavanu= wont leave; పాపముpaapamu= sins; పుణ్యముpunyamu=moral or religious merit; విడువనుvidavanu= wont leave; నాnaa= my; దుర్గుణములుdurgunamulu= vices |
విడువనుvidavanu= wont leave; మిక్కిలిmikkili=excessive; యాసలుaasalu= wishes/wants; విష్ణుడ Vishnuda= Vishnu!!నీnee= your ;మాయ maaya=illusion|
విడిచెదvidicheda= will leave; షట్కర్మంబులుshatkarmambulu= the six karmas to clean the body; విడిచెదvidicheda= will leave; వైరాగ్యంబునుvairagyambunu= the detachment |
విడిచెదvidicheda= will leave; ఆ చారంబునుaacharambunu=rituals; విష్ణుడVishnuda= vishnu!! నీnee=your;మాయmaaya=illusion |
 Meaning:
I wont leave my sins and  merits. I wont leave my vices. I wll definitely not leave my excessive wants/desires. Vishnu!! this is all your created illusion.
I will leave the six karmas that clean the body; will leave the detachment, will leave the rituals. Vishnu!!this is all your created illusion.

చ|| తగిలెద బహు లంపటముల తగిలెద బహు బంధముల | తగులను మోక్షపు మార్గము తలపున యెంతైనా |
అగపడి శ్రీ వేంకటేశ్వర అంతర్యామివై | నగి నగి నను నీవేలితి నాకా యీమాయ ||
ca|| tagileda bahu laMpaTamula tagileda bahu baMdhamula |
tagulanu mOkShapu mArgamu talapuna yeMtainA |
agapaDi SrI vEMkaTESvara aMtaryAmivai |
nagi nagi nanu nIvEliti nAkA yImAya ||
Word-Word:
తగిలెదthagileda= will think; బహుbahu= various; లంపటములlampatamulu= troubles/impediments;  తగిలెదthagileda= will think; బహుbahu= various; బంధములbandhamula= relations/attachments |
తగులనుthagulanu= won't think; మోక్షపుmokshapu= of salvation; మార్గముmargamu= path; తలపున thalapuna= in thoughts;యెంతైనా enthaina= how much ever|
అగపడిagapadi=to appear/found; శ్రీ వేంకటేశ్వరSri Venkateshwara; అంతర్యామిantharyami= the omniscient; వైvai= to be; |
నగిnagi= to smile; నగిnagi= to smile; ననుnanu= me; నీవేలితిneevelithi= (neevu+elithi= you+reign)you reign me; నాకాnaaka= to me?; యీee= this;మాయmaaya= illusion ||
Meaning:
I will think of the various troubles; I will think of the various relationships/attachments. But will never think of the salvation path in my thoughts however possible!!
Having appeared as Sri Venkateswara, you are the omniscient one who reigns over me smilingly. Is this illusion to me(also?)
Discussion:
Annamayya says that he will always think of the various troubles he has in life, the various relations/relatives and attachments. but will never think of salvation path which is supposed to be the purpose of human life!
He says that Venkateswara swamy rules him with a smile and puts him in this illusion. He is sort of sarcastic that "You smile and rule me. You seem to be happy to be ruling over me but apparently you are tricking me. Why is this illusion to me???" It's as if he is asking I am your favorite right( becoz you rule me with a smile not a frown!)? Why dont you exempt me from this illusion?



References:
[1]lyrics from "annamayya
[2]http://annamacharya-lyrics.blogspot.com/2007/03/140ekkadi-manusha-janmam.html
[3]http://www.yogamag.net/archives/1991/cmay91/shat.shtml