Friday, December 13, 2013

alara chanchalamaina...

Annamayya once again illustrates his adept and grip over the Telugu language by presenting this keerthana about Lord Venkateswara's swing.  The theme of this keerthan is swing and so every sentence ends with "swing". He makes this more pleasant by making it sound like a lullaby that gives out the essence of life with a higher intellectual description, atleast in the first few stanzas.

Priya sisters rendition of the song can be found here.

అలర చంచలమైన ఆత్మలందుండ నీ యలవాటు చేసె నీవుయ్యాల
పలుమారు నుఛ్ఛ్వాస పవనమందుండ నీ భావంబు దెలిపె నీ వుయ్యాల
alara chaMchalamaina aatmalaMduMDa nee yalavaaTu chaese neevuyyaala
palumaaru nuChChvaasa pavanamaMduMDa nee bhaavaMbu delipe nee vuyyaala

Word-Word:
అలరalara=to blossom/shine; చంచలమైనchanchalamaina(chanchalamu+aina)= transient +that which is; ఆత్మలందుండ నీaatmalandundani(atmala+andu+undani)=in soul+in+present; యలవాటుalavatu=habituated; చేసెchese=made/done; నీnee= your;వుయ్యాలvuyyala=swing;
పలుమారుpalu maru=(many times; నుఛ్ఛ్వాసuchchvasa=breath/consolation; పవనpavanamu= wind; మందుండandunda=present inside; నీnee=your; భావంబుbhavambu=intention/purpose; దెలిపెtelipe=to inform/tell; నీnee=your; వుయ్యాలvuyyala=swing.
Meaning:
The blooming transience present in the souls is habituated to you by your swing;
Many times, present in the breating air, your intention/purpose tells, your swing.
Discussion:
 There are two aspects in each sentence. Lets look at the first sentence. Firstly Annamayya tells us the transient/changing nature present in the soul that is always blooming. So the change is always blooming and new. To that transience, according to Annamayya, the swing brings out steadiness by habituating/ accustoming the soul to the Lord. So in other words, Annamayya is describing how the Lord's swinging ceremony makes everyone to focus on the Lord.
The second sentence starts off with the breathing air. We breathe every time but it is only sometimes that we think of it or focus on it. So Annamayya says that in that breathing air, the whole feeling/purpose of the Lord is present. According to him, that feeling/purpose is sensed /taught by the "swing". There are a lot of things common with breathing and the swinging. They are rhythmic and they involve air.  As we know, focusing on breathing is a meditation technique too.

ఉదాయాస్త శైలంబు లొనర కంభములైన వుడుమండలము మోచె నుయ్యాల
అదన ఆకాశపదము అడ్డౌదూలంబైన అఖిలంబు నిండె నీ వుయ్యాల
udaayaasta SailaMbu lonara kaMbhamulaina buDumaMDalamu mOche nuyyaala
adana aakaaSapadamu aDDaudoolaMbaina akhilaMbu niMDe nee buyyaala
Word-Word:
ఉదాయాస్తudayastha=(udaya+astha=morning+end) sunrise to sunset; శైలంబుshailambu=on mountain; లొనరlona=inside; కంభములైనkambhamulaina(kambhamulu+aina)=vertical columns+to be; వుడుvuduvu= star; మండలముmandalamu=galaxy; మోచెmoche=to bear; నుయ్యాలvuyyala=swing;
అదనadana=excess; ఆకాశaakasha=sky;పదముpadam=foot; అడ్డౌadda=cross/transverse;దూలంబైన doolambaina (doolambu+aina)=beam+that is; అఖిలంబుakhilambu= all; నిండెninde=to fill; నీnee=your; వుయ్యాలvuyyala= swing.
Meaning:
On the  inside of  the sunrise and sunset like mountains, as  vertical column( is your swing), the starry galaxy is bore by your swing.
The excessive sky's feet having become the cross beam, the entire space is filled by your swing..
Discussion:
This stanza is a little tricky to understand with the words Annamayya uses. I'm confused as to why he used "udayastha shailambu". I hope I got the words right! Any help would be appreciated. But from one of the comments in this post, I realised that, the play of words, especially the prepositions should be right to get it. Here is what I infer....On the inside of the mountains, formed by sunrise and sunset on both sides, as vertical columns, is the swing, that bears the galaxies.  I guess this is confusing because there is a simile in a simile :). The first simile is that mountains are the vertical columns of the swing. The simile in the simile is that the mountains are not actual mountains but the "sun rise and sunset". That means that in between the sunrise and sunset is the swing. And we know that in between the sunrise and sun set is the "day and night", but Annamayya says that the swing is inbetween(lonara) ,thus refering to day and night as the swinging from one side to another.
The second line presents an interesting fact, that Annamayya knew/believed, during 15 century; that the sky is limitless. So he uses "sky's feet " as the  cross beam. Though he is not completely right technically in describing that, this is a poem and artistic liberty should be credited.

పదిలముగ వేదములు బంగారు చేరులై పట్టివెరపై తోచెనుయ్యాల
వదలకిటు ధర్మదేవత పీఠమై మిగుల వర్ణింప నరుదాయె వుయ్యాల
padilamuga vaedamulu baMgaaru chaerulai paTTiverapai tOchenuyyaala
vadalakiTu dharmadaevata peeThamai migula varNiMpa narudaaye vuyyaala
Word-Word:
పదిలముగpadilamuga=with caution/care; వేదములుvedamulu=the Vedas; బంగారుbangaru= golden; చేరులై cherulai=to be near;పట్టిpatti=hold/on account of;వెరపైverapai=vera+pai=fear/surprise+on; తోచెtoche= to push; నుయ్యాలvuyyala= swing;
వదలకిటుvadlakitu(vadalaku+itu)=don't leave+this way; ధర్మdharma= the rules of law/Dharma;దేవతdevatha=god; పీఠమైpeethamu= a lofty seat; మిగులmigula=to leave/vacant/ the remaining; వర్ణింపvarnimpa= to describe; నరుదాయెarudaye(arudu+aye)= scarce+tobe; వుయ్యాలvuyyala=swing;
Meaning:
With caution, the Vedas, as the golden near ones/kin, hold and with fear push your swing;
Without leaving this way, the Dharma God having become the seat, the rest is too little to describe your swing...
Discussion:
 In this stanza, Annamayya describes how the Lord is swung by Vedas and Dharma. Annamayya describes how the Vedas, being the nearest ones to the Lord, hold the swing with caution and with fear, push it. This basically describes the swinging method. One has to cautiously hold the swing when it comes back and push it. There is always fear if the push is forceful to knock the person off the swing. The Dharma or law is the seat, that does not leave, and with these two(vedas and the dharma), everything else is too little to describe the swing.

మేలు కట్లయి మీకు మేఘమండలమెల్ల మెరుగునకు మెరుగాయె వుయ్యాల
నీలశైలము వంటి నీ మేని కాంతికి నిజమైన తొడవాయె వుయ్యాల
maelu kaTlayi meeku maeghamaNNalamella merugunaku merugaaye vuyyaala
neelaSailamu vaMTi nee maeni kaaMtiki nijamaina toDavaaye vuyyaala
Word-Word:
మేలుకట్లయిmelukatlayi(melukattu+ayi)=(acanopy+become)becoming a canopy; మీకుmeeku= to you; మేఘమండలమెల్లmeghamandalammella(megha+mandalamu+ella)=the cloud sphere+all) all the cloud sphere/stratosphere; మెరుగునకుmerugunaku= for brilliance/shine/advantage; మెరుగాయెmerugaye= have become brilliant/advantageous/to take credit; వుయ్యాలvuyyala= swing;
నీలశైలముneelashilamu(neela+shailamu)=blue+mountain; వంటిvanti= like/similar; నీnee=your; మేనిmeni=brilliance/lustre; కాంతికిkanthiki= to the light/illuminous; నిజమైనnijamaina= truthfully; తొడవాయెthodavaye (thoda+aye)=ornament+ has become; వుయ్యాల
Meaning:
Having become a canopy to you, all the cloud-region for brilliance sake have become brilliant
For the blue-mountain-like your brilliance's-lustre/light,   the true ornament has your swing become.
Discussion:
Remember that Annamayya has already described the sky as the cross beam for the swing. He cleverly describes that the clouds form canopy or a shelter. The Lord's lustre is blue, like the blue mountain. To such lustre, the swing is like an ornament.

పాలిండ్లు కదలగా పయ్యదలు రాపాడ భామినులు వడినూచు వుయ్యాల
వోలి బ్రహ్మాణ్డములు వొరుగునో యని భీతి నొయ్య నొయ్యనైరి వూచిరుయ్యాల
paaliMDlu kadalagaa payyadalu raapaaDa bhaaminulu vaDinoochu vuyyaala
vOli brahmaaNDamulu vorugunO yani bheeti noyya noyyanairi voochiruyyaala
Word-Word:
పాలిండ్లుpaalindlu=breasts; కదలగాkadalaga=as moved; పయ్యదలుpayyadalu=the garment over the breast; రాపాడraapadu= rub against each other; భామినులుbhaminulu= the ladies; వడినూచుvadinoochu=quickly perform/acted; వుయ్యాల
వోలిooli=a line; బ్రహ్మాణ్డములుbhrahmandamu= the universe; వొరుగునోorugunoo=will it bend?;  యనిyani=as if; భీతిbheethi= fear; నొయ్యoyyana=slowly/gently; నొయ్యనైరిoyyanairi(oyyana+airi)= (gentle+become)have become gentle; వూచి voochi= to rock (swing);రుయ్యాల
Meaning:
As the breasts moved and the upper garment rubbed over them, the ladies quickly acted(consciously adjust?) - (all this caused) by the swing
The lined universe as if will bend/fall, with (such) fear, slowly becoming gentle, rocked/swung the swing...
Discussion:
In this stanza, Annamayya shifts his focus from describing the swing to describing the scene with Lord's two wives swinging in the first line.The universe, fearing that it were falling, became consciously gentle as the swing was rocked.

కమలకును భూసతికి కదలు కదలకు మిమ్ము కౌగలింపగ జేసె నుయ్యాల
అమరాంగనలకు నీ హావ భావ విలాస మందంద చూపె నీ వుయ్యాల
kamalakunu bhoosatiki kadalu kadalaku mimmu kaugaliMpaga jaese nuyyaala
amaraaMganalaku nee haasa bhaava vilaasa maMdaMda choope nee vuyyaala
Word-Word:
కమలకునుkamalakuni= to Kamala(Lakshmi); భూసతికిbhoosathiki= to Earth-lady (bhoodevi); కదలుkadalu= to move; కదలకుkadalaku=not moving;  మిమ్ముmimmu= you; కౌగలింపగkouliginpa= to embrace; జేసెchese= to act/make; నుయ్యాలnuyyala= swing;
అమరాంగనలకుamarangulaku=properlyfit ones; నీnee=your; హావhaava=amorous gesture; భావbhava= meaning; విలాస మందందvilasamu+andanda= (affluence+here and there); చూపెchoope= shows; నీnee= your; వుయ్యాలvuyyala=swing.
Meaning:
To the moving Lakshmi and Bhoodevi,  the unmoving/steady you are made to be embraced, by the swing;
To the properly fit ones, your gestures, meaning, extravagance  here and there is shown by your swing
Discussion:
 The Lord as the caring husband is brought forth by the swing when his wives cling on to the steady Lord as they swing. This is a gesture that all unsteady minds can cling on to the steady Lord to prevent from falling.

కమలాసనాదులకు కన్నులకు పండుగై గణుతింప నరుదాయె వుయ్యాల
కమనీయ మూర్తి వేంకటశైలపతి నీకు కడువేడుకై వుండె వుయ్యాల
kamalaasanaadulaku kannulaku paMDugai gaNutiMpa narudaaye vuyyaala
kamaneeya moorti vaeMkaTaSailapati neeku kaDuvaeDukai vuMDe vuyyaala
Word-Word:
కమలాసనాదులకుkamalasanaadulaki(kamala+asana+nadhudu)=(Lotus+seated+Lord)Brahma; కన్నులకుkannulaku= to the eyes; పండుగైpandugai= as feastival; గణుతింపganuthimpa=praise; నరుదాయెarudaye=(scarce/little+have become)have become little;  వుయ్యాలvuyyala= swing;
కమనీయkamaneeya=charming; మూర్తిmoorthi=idol; వేంకటశైలVenkata+shaila=Venkata mountain;పతిpathi= master/lord; నీకుneeku=to you; కడుkadu=great;వేడుకైvedukai= as an event; వుండెvunde= stays; వుయ్యాలvuyyala=swing
Meaning:
To Brahma and all eyes, having become a festival, your swing becomes praise-defecit,
To the charming personality of Venkata mountain's Lord, to you, this swing happens to be a great event/function.

As always, comments and suggestions to help improve the understanding of this keerthana are welcome.

References:
[1] http://annamacharya-lyrics.blogspot.com/2006/11/83bamdi-virichi_23.html
[2] Telugu to English Dictionary by Paluri Sankarnarayana.

20 comments:

  1. Very nice and thanks for this post. I got stuck with understanding this song and your discussion on the lyrics gave me some insight. Regarding
    'Udayasta sailambu...' . I think it describes the majestic swing and its action when the lord is on it.

    "Your swing's vertical pillars are made with dawn and dusk like mountains and the magneficient sky as the beam across. This swing is bearing the entire cosmos." I got this meaning from here http://www.sangeetasudha.org/annamacharya/vol2/a.html. To me it makes sense. Dawn and Dusk mark a day, the two different phases of day are dawn and dusk which again confirms to the soul of this song that 'chanchalam' (changing nature).

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    Replies
    1. 🙏... Thats another dimensional 🙏🙏... Thank you

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    2. Soul is not chanchalam. Its mind i guess

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  2. Hello Sadhana,
    Thanks a lot for your comment, as it has helped me to see the words in a differnt light altogether, that I missed last time. I'm not sure if we are on the same page though about the meaning, but I have updated my inference in the post.
    I am also happy that the post itself was of help to you.

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  3. Thanks for the great translation of this great keerthana. My understanding of the keerthana altogether changed.

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    Replies
    1. Hello Chandrababu,
      Thank you for your comment and I am happy that you found this blog helpful.

      Best,

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  4. Thanks for the great translation of this great keerthana. My understanding of the keerthana altogether changed.

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  5. Brought tears in my eyes. Beautiful meaning. Thank you

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    Replies
    1. True art that touches our heart does have such affect. Kudos to Annamayya who wrote his song! Thank you for taking time to comment.

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  6. I think in the second stanza about vedas, it is like this
    The four vedas are the four golden chains (cherulu also means chains) of the cradle where the hold on anything and fear of anything caused by him is the reason for the swing. Here annamayya is physically representing the parts of a cradle with the eternal things like sunrise and sunset as pillars his (vaman's foot) as the cross beam four Vedas as chains and the dharma as the base of the cradle mentioning the reason for swing.

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  7. Nice work sir....very well done :)

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  8. May be the first stanza speaks about the meditation aspect. When we concentrate on breath- palumaru uchwasa kavana mandunda, moving to and fro, it calms our unstable mind chanchala maina.Then we can understand him -bhavammu telisina.

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  9. Worthy job dear one. It helped me go deep into the esoteric meaning of the song. Thank you

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  10. Thanks for the enlightenment,the beauty is even without knowing the meaning ,you get the pleasure by just listening .. masterpiece.

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  11. amaranganalu divine damsels. Your interpretations are like machine translations. Sorry

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  12. Hi SivaChander,
    Thank you for taking time to comment. You are correct, it is "amaranganalu". I had the word wrong as "amaranga". I will correct it accordingly.
    However, I disagree with you that "all" my interpretations are "machine translations". Even though your comment is slightly negative, I know you mean well.
    Mistakes happen due to various reasons, but the important take away is to correct, understand and try not to repeat the same thing. Thanks,

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    Replies
    1. Don’t bother sir. You have done good job. Probably SIVASANKAR wanted to tell it was a verbatim translation and I am sure he appreciates your efforts.

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  13. The way of explanation is awesome. thanks for the blog. if the explanation is given in Telegu it would be good as a audio or text.

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  14. "కమలకును భూసతికి కదలు కదలకు మిమ్ము కౌగలింపగ జేసె నుయ్యాల"........
    ఇక్కడ కదులుతున్నది స్వామివారు (వుయ్యాలలో) ,
    ఒకవైపు లక్ష్మీదేవి , ఇంకొక వైపు పద్మావతి దేవి వుంది వుయ్యాలి నీ వూపుతున్నారు,
    (కడల్కుందా), వారికి చేరువైనప్పుడు కౌగిలింత అవుతుంది అని భావం లా అనిపిస్తుంది.

    I dont have any sufficient knowledge in telugu , its just what I comes in my mind. sorry if i am wrong.

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