Tuesday, June 2, 2015

rama chandrudithadu

In this song, Annamayya describes the perception of Rama to the various people associated to him(Rama). While most of the characters are very popular, the one unfamiliar character that is introduced to me in this song is that of Guha, the Nishada King. As in most of his keerthanas, Annamayya refers to the celestial wish-fulfilling things- kamadhenu(wish-fulfilling cow), kalpatharu(wish-fulfilling tree), chinthamani(soccer's stone), parijathamu (ever-blossoming tree).

Annamayya talks about a one person related to Rama in each line of the stanza and uses the word "paalita" meaning "pertaining to" to present what Rama meant to these people, except for the last line where he presents a generic perception of Rama by his devotees/servants/people in general.
You can find the rendition of this song by clicking here. This song apparently is one of the oldest versions by P. Susheela, which used to be played in temples, especially early in the morning.

రామచంద్రుడితడు రఘువీరుడు
కామిత ఫలములీయ గలిగెనిందరికి

Word-Word:
రామచంద్రుడితడుramachandruDithadu(rama+chandruDu+ithadu)=(Rama+moon+he is) రఘుraghu= Raghu dynasty; వీరుడుveerudu= valiant man;
కామితkamita=wished; ఫలములీయగలిగెనిందరికిphalamuliyyagaligenindariki (phalamulu+iyya+ galigine+ indariki)=fruits+give+can/able+to all these people
Meaning:
RamaChandra is he, the Raghu dynasty's valiant
Wishful fruits giver to all these people;

గౌతము భార్యపాలిటి కామధేనువితడు
ఘాతల కౌశికుపాలి కల్పవృక్షము
సీతాదేవి పాలిటి చింతామణి యితడు
యీతడు దాసుల పాలిటి యిహపర దైవము

Word-word:
గౌతమGautama= Sage Gautama; భార్యbharya= wife; పాలిటిpaaliTa= pertaining to her; కామధేనువితడుkamadhenuvithaDu(kamadhenuvu+ithaDu)=(wish-fulfilling cow+he is)
ఘాతలghatala=damaged/troubled; కౌశికుkoushiku=Vishwamitra;పాలిpali= pertaining to him; కల్పవృక్షముkalpavrukshamu= wish-fulfilling tree;
సీతాదేవిSita Devi= Rama's wife; పాలిటిpaliTa= pertaining to her; చింతామణిchintamani= wish-fulfilling gem; యితడుyithaDu= he is;
యీతడుYithadu= he is; దాసులdasula= servants; పాలిటిpaliTa= pertaining to them; యిహపరihapara(iha+para)=(this and other) usually used for worlds as this and other worlds; దైవముdaivamu= God
Meaning:
To Gautama's wife , as wish-fulfilling cow is he
To troubled Koushika, he is the wish-fulfilling tree
To Sita Devi, as wish-fulfilling gem(soccer's stone) he is
He to his servants, he is this and other world God.
Discussion:
In this stanza, Annamayya describes what Rama is to Ahilya, Vishwamitra, Sita and Rama's servants. Ahilya, a woman turned into stone by her husband sage Gautama, due to a misunderstanding wherein Indra,  disguised as Gautama, copulates with Ahilya. Unaware of Indra's deception, Gautama curses Ahilya thinking that Ahilya committed adultery. However, the curse is supposed to be nullified when a pious man physically contacts the stone. Apparently, when Rama on his way from helping Vishwamitra to Seetha's swayamvara accidentally places his foot on the stone and Ahilya is brought back to life.
Vishwamitra's actual name is Koushika. He gains his sobriquet/epithet of Vishwamitra meaning friend of the universe and giving up the energy of his penance 8 times(not sure the exact number) in helping his friends(Vishwa+mitra= universe+friend). So Vishwamitra and his disciples are disturbed/harrassed from doing their rituals and penance by mischevious demons. Vishwamitra seeks Rama's help in controlling or killing the demons. Rama is believed to have finished education just then from Guru Vashista. Rama kills several demons including Tataki and Subahu.
The last two lines are self explanatory. To Sita, since he is her husband, he is like the Chintamani (soccer's stone). and to Rama's servants, Rama is the only God they know, in this and other world.

పరగసుగ్రీవుపాలి పరమ బంధువితడు
సరిహనుమంతుపాలి సామ్రాజ్యము
నిరతి విభీషణునిపాలి నిధానము
యీతడుగరిమజనకు పాలి ఘనపారిజాతము
Word-Word:
పరగparaga= agreeably; సుగ్రీవుsugriva= Sugriva;పాలిpali= pertaining to; పరమparama= supreme; బంధువితడుbandhuvithaDu(bandhuvu+ithaDu)=relative+He is
సరిsari= good;హనుమంతుhanumanthu= Hanuman; పాలిpali= pertaining to; సామ్రాజ్యముsaamrarajyamu=complete sovereignty
నిరతిnirathi= excessively devoted; విభీషణునిvibheeshanuni= to Vibhisheena; పాలిpali= pertaining to; నిధానముnidhanamu= treasure;
యీతడుyeethaDu= He;గరిమgarima= earth;జనకుjanaku= to the people; పాలిpaali= pertaining to ఘనghana=great; పారిజాతముparijathamu= eternal blossoming tree;
Meaning:
To amiable Sugriva the supreme relative he is
To the good Hanuman he is complete sovereignty
To the excessively devoted Vibheeshana he is treasure
He, to the earth's people, is the eternal blossoming tree
Discussion:
Rama helps Sugriva fight his brother Vaali and win over his kingdom and wife whom Vaali kidnaps as vengence for a misunderstanding that his brother Sugriva wantedly trapped him in a cave during Vaali's duel with a rakshasha to get the throne. Vaali had the boon of getting additional half of the strenghth of his opponent. Hence during his duel with Sugriva, Rama secretly attacks Vaali with arrows, there by helping Sugriva to win. Hence to Sugriva, Rama is above his own brother Vaali.
Hanuman's complete devotion to Rama is very well-known. Vibheeshana and Hanuman are epitomes of ideal devotees. To Vibheeshana, brother of Ravana, Rama is the source of devotion, a great treasure.

తలప శబరిపాలి తత్వపు రహస్యము
అలరిగుహునిపాలి ఆదిమూలము
కలడన్నవారిపాలి కన్నులెదుటి మూరితి
వెలయ శ్రీవేంకటాద్రి విభుడితడు
Word-Word:
తలపtalapa= remembering/wishing; శబరిSabari= Sabari; పాలిPaali= pertaining to; తత్వపుtatvapu=of reality; రహస్యముrahasyamu= secret;
అలరిalari= pleasing;గుహునిGuhuni= Guha, a Nishada King , and a friend of Rama; పాలిpaali= pertaining to; ఆదిaadi= first; మూలముmoolamu= root;
కలడన్నkaladanna= one who says he is present;  వారిvaru= people;పాలిpaali= pertaining to; కన్నులెదుటిkannuleduTa(kannulu+eduTa)=(eyes+before) before eyes; మూరితిmoorithi= idol;
వెలయvelaya= shining; శ్రీవేంకటాద్రిSriVenkatadri= Sri Venkata mountain; విభుడితడుVibhuDitadu (VibhuDu+ithaDu)=(Lord+he is)
Meaning:
To the wishing Sabari, the reality secret
To Guha, he is the first foundation
For those who believe his presence, he is the idol in front of the eyes
The shining Venkata hill's Lord is he
Discussion:
Sabari is Rama's old devotee, who as her story goes, feeds Rama the berries that she herself tests by tasting them if they are sour.Apparently, she was a Nishada  by birth, but sought out the path of spirituality under Guru Matanga. Upon Matanga's instruction, Sabari waits for Rama to come and grant her the highest spiritual abode. So even in her old age, she brings fruits and due to her eye-sight loss, tests the berries by tasting hem with an intention of offering the best quality fruits.
Guha is the King of Nishada, and a friend of Rama, who comes to see Rama off when Rama accepts the 14 years of exile.

Any comments and/or suggestions to help in better understanding of this Keerthana are highly appreciated.

References:
[1]http://www.hithokthi.com/showthread.php/6725-Annamacharya-Keerthana-Lyrics-in-Telugu/page65
[2] http://www.valmikiramayan.net/ayodhya/sarga50/ayodhya_50_prose.htm
[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rama
[4] http://www.andhrabharati.com/dictionary/

13 comments:

  1. Hi,

    Really excellent job.. Adbutam ga undi mee way of writing.. If you don't mind can you post similar blog about keertana 'Meluko Hari krishna Adi purusha...'

    thanks,
    sankar.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for your comment Sankara Rao Bhatta. I am glad that you found this blog helpful. I will definitely post the meaning of "harikrishna meluko adipurusha...", but would usually take a month's time. Also, I would appreciate if you could provide me a link to the song, if possible.

      Best,

      Delete
  2. Hi,

    Thanks for replying. here is the link to that song by priya sisters. The first song in this video is 'harikrishna meluko'

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kifsnSqxbY4

    thanks,
    sankar.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That was quick! Thank you very much. I did not find this song by Priya sisters. It eases my job a lot once I have a song.
      Best,

      Delete
  3. Hi,

    if you are looking for lyrics.. you can find them below ( song 143 )

    http://www.hithokthi.com/showthread.php/6725-Annamacharya-Keerthana-Lyrics-in-Telugu/page15

    thanks,
    sankar

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi

      Did u find time to look into this

      Delete
    2. Hello Sankar, Thank you for checking back the blog. As promised, I posted the meaning and translation of " Harikrishna melukonu Adipurusha" with in a month, i.e., July 2015. If you check my posts in July, you will find the link to the post. In any case, here is the link to the translation
      http://annamayya-sankirthana.blogspot.com/2015/07/harikrishna-melukonu.html
      I am glad you checked by! Let me know if you have issues accessing the post.

      best regards,

      Delete
  4. Excellent sir... Kudos to the great composer Annamayya and to you for the elaboration!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Siva, Thank you for your comment! I am glad you found this post helpful.

      Best,

      Delete
  5. Efforts worth the blessings of Lord Sri Ram.

    ReplyDelete
  6. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  7. nice song
    Iliked it
    the ch are very nice
    I loved it...

    ReplyDelete
  8. Thank you for the exhaustive translation and meaning. The word-by-word translation is especially helpful!

    ReplyDelete