This keerthana is Annamayya's way of extending appreciation or as he says in Telugu "changu bhala" to the Venkatesha's wife. Annamayya through his "Changu bhala" has this uncanny essence of not only implying that the poet wants to extend appreciation but also urging others indirectly to extend appreciation. As each sentence in anupallavi and every two-lines in the quartet that follow end with "changu bhala", giving it an rejoicing rhythm. This song is similar to "neerajanam" song that extends auspicious wishes.
Annamayya as in "ammamma emamma... " and other songs, does not mention if this is dedicated to Lakshmi (sri devi) or Bhoodevi and wittily dedicates this song to the wife of Venkatesha by referring to her as the "beautiful mother". Most of the lines are direct descriptions with little to no allusions.
Click here for Balakrishna prasad's rendition of the song.
చక్కని తల్లికి చాంగుభళా తన
చక్కెర మోవికి చాంగుభళా
Chakkani talliki changu bala
Annamayya as in "ammamma emamma... " and other songs, does not mention if this is dedicated to Lakshmi (sri devi) or Bhoodevi and wittily dedicates this song to the wife of Venkatesha by referring to her as the "beautiful mother". Most of the lines are direct descriptions with little to no allusions.
Click here for Balakrishna prasad's rendition of the song.
చక్కని తల్లికి చాంగుభళా తన
చక్కెర మోవికి చాంగుభళా
Chakkani talliki changu bala
thana chekkara moviki changu bala
Word-Word:
చక్కనిchakkani=beautiful/good; తల్లికిtalliki=to the mother; చాంగుchangu= extend; భళాbhala= good/ well done!an interjection of appreciation
తనthani= of her; చక్కెరchekkara= sugary/sweet; మోవికిmoviki= to the lip; చాంగుchangu= extend; భళాbhala= well done, bravo! an interjection to describe praise/appreciation
Meaning:
To the good mother extend appreciation;
to her sweet lips extend appreciation;
కులికెడి మురిపెపు కుమ్మరింపు తన
సళుపు జూపులకు చాంగుభళా
పలుకుల సొంపుల బతితో గసరెడి
చలముల యలుకకు చాంగుభళా
Kulikedi muripepu kummarimpu thana
saLupu joopulaku changu bhala
palukula sompula bathitho gasaredi
chalamula yalukaku changu bhala
Word-Word:
కులికెడిkulikedi=a graceful movement; మురిపెపుmurupapu=rejoicing; కుమ్మరింపుkummarimpu= pouring out; తనthana=her;
సళుపుsalupu=of beautiful; జూపులకుjoopulaku= to stares; చాంగుభళా
పలుకులpalukula=words as one talks; సొంపులsompula=beautiful/graceful; పతితోbathitho =with husband; గసరెడిgasaredi=chide/rebuke;
చలములchalamula=unsteady/trembling; యలుకకుyalukaku=displeasure; చాంగుభళాchangu bhala
Meaning:
with graceful movements of rejoice that are pouring out; to her
beautiful stares extend appreciation
with graceful words, chiding her husband
to the unsteady displeasure extend appreciation
Discussion:
The lady of the poem gracefully rejoices and shows that rejoice through her eyes and stares. To such beautiful stares, Annamayya says that may good wishes be extended. With words of uncanny grace/beauty, the lady chides her husband with a displeasure that is short-term(unsteady). To such fleeting displeasure Annamayya wishes to extend appreciation.
I have a feeling that the lyrics are missing a "thana" "తన" at the end of third line. Annamayya usually does not stray from his set format for a poem. In this poem, he ends the first and third line in the stanza with "thana" meaning her. But this stanza for some reason does not have "thana" in the third line (!!???).
కిన్నెరతో పతి కెలన నిలుచు తన
చన్ను మెఱుగులకు చాంగుభళా
ఉన్నతి బతిపై నొరగి నిలుచు తన
సన్నపు నడిమికి చాంగుభళా
Kinneratho pathi kelana niluchu thana
channu merugulaku changu bhala
unnathi bathi pai norigi niluchu thana
sannapu nadumuku changu bhala
Word-word:
కిన్నెరతోKinneratho= with a kind of lute/stringed instument; పతిpathi= husband; కెలనkelana=by side; నిలుచుniluchu= stand; తనthana=her
చన్నుchannu= to be befitting/proper; మెఱుగులకుmerugulaku=to the lustre; చాంగుభళా
ఉన్నతిunnathi= lofty/high; పతిpathi= husband; పైpai=on; నొరగిorigi=to rest/lie down; నిలుచుniluchu= to stand; తనthana= to her;
సన్నపుsannapu= thin/lean; నడిమికిnadumuku= to the waist; చాంగుభళాchangu bhala
Meaning:
With a lute, beside her husband as she stands, to her
befitting lustre, extend appreciation;
On her elevated/high husband (as she) rests to stand, to her
lean waist, extend appreciation;
Discussion:
A "kinnera" is a stringed instrument like a veena. This refers to Lakshmi holding a musical instrument by Venkatesha's side. Annamayya says that Lakshmi, being wife of Venkatesa, has the privilege of resting on her Lofty husband usually by the waist. To her waist, which rests on the lofty Venkatesa, Annamayya wishes to extend appreciation.
జందెపు ముత్యపు సరులహారముల
చందన గంధికి చాంగుభళా
విందయి వెంకట విభుబెన చినతన
సంది దండలకు చాంగుభళా
jandheapu muthyapu sarulahaaramula
chandana gandhiki changu bhala
vidhiyi venkata vibhu banechina thana
sandhi dandalaku changu bhala
Word-Word:
జందెపుjandhepu=of the sacred thread worn across shoulder by higher castes(Brahmins and Vaishyas) in Hinduism; ముత్యపుmuthyapu=of the pearl; సరులsarula=grains (may be sirula= jewels); హారములhaaramula= necklaces;
చందనchandana=sandalwood; గంధికిgandhiki=to the smell; చాంగుభళాchangu bhala
విందయిvindhiyi(vindu+ayi)=(pleasure/feast+become) వెంకటvenkata =Venkata hill;విభుబెనచిన vibhubanechina (vibhuvu+anachina)=(Lord+suppress); తనthana=to her;
సంధి sandhi=union, joining; దండలకుdandalaku=nearness, proximity; చాంగుభళాchangu bhala
Meaning:
the sacred thread, of the pearls (jewels???) in necklaces
sandalwood scent extend appreciation
Becoming a pleasant Venkata's Lord suppression by her
close union, extend appreciation
Discussion:
I am slightly not sure of the first two lines, I'll try guessing the meaning going by the word-word meaning. Annamayya is referring to the thread that make the necklaces with gems/pearls. I am assuming that most of the sacred threads used in rituals in Hinduism are smeared in sandalwood paste. Hence, Annamayya says that to the sandal scent from the threads of the pearl and jewel necklaces, he wishes appreciation.
Lord Venkatesa is suppressed by her close union i.e. Venkatesa bears her displeasure with pleasure due to his respect for their close union. To such close union, Annamayya wishes to extend appreciation.
As always, any suggestions and comments to help in better understanding of this poem are appreciated.
Reference:
[1]http://annamacharya-lyrics.blogspot.com/2006/11/60chakkanithallikichangubhala.html
[2] Paluri Shankarnarayana, Telugu to English dictionary
[3] andhrabharathi.org
తనthani= of her; చక్కెరchekkara= sugary/sweet; మోవికిmoviki= to the lip; చాంగుchangu= extend; భళాbhala= well done, bravo! an interjection to describe praise/appreciation
Meaning:
To the good mother extend appreciation;
to her sweet lips extend appreciation;
కులికెడి మురిపెపు కుమ్మరింపు తన
సళుపు జూపులకు చాంగుభళా
పలుకుల సొంపుల బతితో గసరెడి
చలముల యలుకకు చాంగుభళా
Kulikedi muripepu kummarimpu thana
saLupu joopulaku changu bhala
palukula sompula bathitho gasaredi
chalamula yalukaku changu bhala
Word-Word:
కులికెడిkulikedi=a graceful movement; మురిపెపుmurupapu=rejoicing; కుమ్మరింపుkummarimpu= pouring out; తనthana=her;
సళుపుsalupu=of beautiful; జూపులకుjoopulaku= to stares; చాంగుభళా
పలుకులpalukula=words as one talks; సొంపులsompula=beautiful/graceful; పతితోbathitho =with husband; గసరెడిgasaredi=chide/rebuke;
చలములchalamula=unsteady/trembling; యలుకకుyalukaku=displeasure; చాంగుభళాchangu bhala
Meaning:
with graceful movements of rejoice that are pouring out; to her
beautiful stares extend appreciation
with graceful words, chiding her husband
to the unsteady displeasure extend appreciation
Discussion:
The lady of the poem gracefully rejoices and shows that rejoice through her eyes and stares. To such beautiful stares, Annamayya says that may good wishes be extended. With words of uncanny grace/beauty, the lady chides her husband with a displeasure that is short-term(unsteady). To such fleeting displeasure Annamayya wishes to extend appreciation.
I have a feeling that the lyrics are missing a "thana" "తన" at the end of third line. Annamayya usually does not stray from his set format for a poem. In this poem, he ends the first and third line in the stanza with "thana" meaning her. But this stanza for some reason does not have "thana" in the third line (!!???).
కిన్నెరతో పతి కెలన నిలుచు తన
చన్ను మెఱుగులకు చాంగుభళా
ఉన్నతి బతిపై నొరగి నిలుచు తన
సన్నపు నడిమికి చాంగుభళా
Kinneratho pathi kelana niluchu thana
channu merugulaku changu bhala
unnathi bathi pai norigi niluchu thana
sannapu nadumuku changu bhala
Word-word:
కిన్నెరతోKinneratho= with a kind of lute/stringed instument; పతిpathi= husband; కెలనkelana=by side; నిలుచుniluchu= stand; తనthana=her
చన్నుchannu= to be befitting/proper; మెఱుగులకుmerugulaku=to the lustre; చాంగుభళా
ఉన్నతిunnathi= lofty/high; పతిpathi= husband; పైpai=on; నొరగిorigi=to rest/lie down; నిలుచుniluchu= to stand; తనthana= to her;
సన్నపుsannapu= thin/lean; నడిమికిnadumuku= to the waist; చాంగుభళాchangu bhala
Meaning:
With a lute, beside her husband as she stands, to her
befitting lustre, extend appreciation;
On her elevated/high husband (as she) rests to stand, to her
lean waist, extend appreciation;
Discussion:
A "kinnera" is a stringed instrument like a veena. This refers to Lakshmi holding a musical instrument by Venkatesha's side. Annamayya says that Lakshmi, being wife of Venkatesa, has the privilege of resting on her Lofty husband usually by the waist. To her waist, which rests on the lofty Venkatesa, Annamayya wishes to extend appreciation.
జందెపు ముత్యపు సరులహారముల
చందన గంధికి చాంగుభళా
విందయి వెంకట విభుబెన చినతన
సంది దండలకు చాంగుభళా
jandheapu muthyapu sarulahaaramula
chandana gandhiki changu bhala
vidhiyi venkata vibhu banechina thana
sandhi dandalaku changu bhala
Word-Word:
జందెపుjandhepu=of the sacred thread worn across shoulder by higher castes(Brahmins and Vaishyas) in Hinduism; ముత్యపుmuthyapu=of the pearl; సరులsarula=grains (may be sirula= jewels); హారములhaaramula= necklaces;
చందనchandana=sandalwood; గంధికిgandhiki=to the smell; చాంగుభళాchangu bhala
విందయిvindhiyi(vindu+ayi)=(pleasure/feast+become) వెంకటvenkata =Venkata hill;విభుబెనచిన vibhubanechina (vibhuvu+anachina)=(Lord+suppress); తనthana=to her;
సంధి sandhi=union, joining; దండలకుdandalaku=nearness, proximity; చాంగుభళాchangu bhala
Meaning:
the sacred thread, of the pearls (jewels???) in necklaces
sandalwood scent extend appreciation
Becoming a pleasant Venkata's Lord suppression by her
close union, extend appreciation
Discussion:
I am slightly not sure of the first two lines, I'll try guessing the meaning going by the word-word meaning. Annamayya is referring to the thread that make the necklaces with gems/pearls. I am assuming that most of the sacred threads used in rituals in Hinduism are smeared in sandalwood paste. Hence, Annamayya says that to the sandal scent from the threads of the pearl and jewel necklaces, he wishes appreciation.
Lord Venkatesa is suppressed by her close union i.e. Venkatesa bears her displeasure with pleasure due to his respect for their close union. To such close union, Annamayya wishes to extend appreciation.
As always, any suggestions and comments to help in better understanding of this poem are appreciated.
Reference:
[1]http://annamacharya-lyrics.blogspot.com/2006/11/60chakkanithallikichangubhala.html
[2] Paluri Shankarnarayana, Telugu to English dictionary
[3] andhrabharathi.org
