Friday, January 30, 2015

bhavamulona bahyamu nanduna

 In this poem, Annamayya explains the significance of each of Venkatesha's names. Interestingly, he uses a different verb to describe the way the name has to be said. For example, he says "Serve by saying Govinda", "search by saying Vishnu", "seek shelter by saying Achyutha".  There is a far more intellectual and spiritual intention to this Annamayya's poem that can be explained easily.I am just attempting to bring forth the literal meaning and leaving it to the readers to delve deeper and contemplate for spiritual contention.

MS Subbalakshmi's rendition of the song can be found here.

భావములోన బాహ్యమునందును, గోవిందగోవిందయని కొలువవో మనసా
bhAvamu lOna bAhyamu nanduna, gOvinda gOvinda ani koluvavO manasA ...
Word-Word:
భావముbhavamu= heart/mind;లోనlona= with/in; బాహ్యమునందునుbahyamunanduna (bahyamu+ nanduna)=(exterior+on) on the exterior, గోవింద GovindaగోవిందGovinda; యనిani= say; కొలువవో koluvavo= serve, O!;మనసాmanasa=mind
Meaning:
In heart and outwardly, "Govinda Govinda" say and serve O mind!
Discussion:
Annamayya urges his mind to serve both externally and internally, by saying "Govinda".  Govinda actually translates to (go+vinda= cow+appease) one who appeases the cows. Annamayya explains the way to use that name to serve.

హరియవతారములే అఖిలదేవతలు హరిలోనివే బ్రహ్మాణ్డములు
హరినామములే అన్ని మంత్రములు హరిహరి హరిహరి యనవోమనసా
hari avathAramule akhila dEvatalu, hari lonive brahmAnDammulu
hari nAmamule anni manthramulu, hari hari hari hari ~ hari anavo manasa ...
Word-Word:
హరిHari= hari;యవతారములేavatharamule= incarnations only; అఖిలakhila= all; దేవతలుdevathalu= Gods; హరిHari= లోనివేLonive= inside+only; బ్రహ్మాణ్డములుbrahmandamulu= galaxies;
హరిHari= నామములేnamamule=names only; అన్నిanni= all; మంత్రములుmantramulu= mantras; హరిహరి Hari Hari హరిహరిHari Hari యనవోanavo= say, O!;మనసాmanasa=mind
Meaning:
Hari's incarnations are all that of Gods;inside Hari are all the galaxies;
Hari's names are all the mantras/chants; "HariHari, HariHari" say O! mind
Discussion:
The lines are self-explanatory. "Hari" literally translates to "one who steals"

విష్ణుని మహిమలే విహిత కర్మములు విష్ణుని పొగడెడి వేదంబులు
విష్ణుడొక్కడె విశ్వాంతరాత్ముడు విష్ణువు విష్ణువని వెదకవో మనసా
vishnuni mahimalE vihita karmamulu, vishnuni pogaDeDi vEdammulu
vishnuDu okkaDE vishvAntarAthmuDu, vishnuvu vishnuvani vedakavo manasA ...
Word-Word:
విష్ణునిVishnuni=the omni-present one; మహిమలేmahimale= miracles; విహిత= ordained; కర్మములు karmamulu= action/deeds;విష్ణునిVishnuni= of Vishnu; పొగడెడిpogadide= praise; వేదంబులుvedambulu= vedas;
విష్ణుడొక్కడెVishnudokkade(Vishnudu+okkade)= Visnu+alone; విశ్వాంతరాత్ముడుVishwantaratmudu (Vishwa+antaratmudu) =(the universe+residing in inner soul) the univesal supreme soul;  విష్ణువు Vishnuvu విష్ణువనిVishnuvu+ani=Vishnu+say; వెదకవోvedakavo=search, O!; మనసాmanasa=mind!
Meaning:
Vishnu's miracles are the ordained actions; Of Vishnu praise the Vedas;
Vishnu alone is the universal supreme soul; "Vishnu Vishnu" say and search, O mind!
Discussion:
Vishnu literally translates to omni-present. Hence, all the miracles are ordained actions of the omni-present one. It is this omni-present being that the Vedas talk about. Since he is omni present, He resides in every soul in the universe. For me, the gist  and irony with which Annamayya says "search" for (the omni-present )Vishnu is the best description I have read.

అచ్యుతుడితడె ఆదియునంత్యము అచ్యుతుడే అసురాంతకుడు
అచ్యుతుడు శ్రీవేంకటాద్రిమీదనిదె అచ్యుత అచ్యుత శరణనవో మనసా
Achyuthudithade Adiyu nantyamu, Achyuthude asurAntakudu
Achyuthudu Sri venkatadri meedA neeve, Achyutha Achyutha Sharananavo manasA ...
Word-Word:
అచ్యుతుడితడె(achyuthudu+ithade)=(eternal+he only)  ఆదియుaadiyu= the beginning; నంత్యముantyamu= end; అచ్యుతుడేachyuthude= Achyutha himself; అసురాంతకుడుasurantakudu(asura+antakudu)=(demon+one who ends/destroys) demon destructor;
అచ్యుతుడుachyuthudu= The Achyutha;  శ్రీవేంకటాద్రిSri venkatadri= the Venkata hill; మీదనిదెmeedanide(meedane?)= upon; అచ్యుత Achyutha; అచ్యుతAchyutha; శరణనవో sharananao (sharanu+anavo)= (seek shelter+say) say to seek shelter; మనసాmanasa=mind!
Meaning:
He is eternal; the beginning and the end; Achyutha is the demon-destroyer;
Achyutha is on Venkata hill; "Achyutha Achyutha" say and seek shelter, o mind!
Discussion:
 Achyutha translates to eternal.  In this stanza, Annamayya aptly urges his mind to seek shelter with the "Achyutha" since He is the beginning and also the end.

Any suggestions and/ comments to help in better understanding the poem are appreciated :).

References:
[1]http://annamacharya-lyrics.blogspot.com/2006/09/10bhavamulona-bahyamunandunu.html

9 comments:

  1. Thanks, this was very helpful and very well translated.Yes,search the omnipresent, was so fantastically said!

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  2. Thanks, this was very helpful and very well translated.Yes,search the omnipresent, was so fantastically said!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Replies
    1. Thank you for your comment . I am glad that you found this helpful.

      Best,

      Delete
  4. Excellent translation and explanation. Thank you!

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  5. Vihitha meaning ordained .is there any meaning tell us

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    Replies
    1. Hello, I am not sure I understand your question. Vihitha means that which is already dictated to happen(ordained etymologically means ordered/destined to happen)

      Delete
  6. Thanks a lot to Google and whoever has given the word-to-word meaning. Thanks alot for making wise

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  7. Thanks a lot. Details were very much useful.

    ReplyDelete