Beware of the The Notorious Six

Dear Friends, Greetings to you all, 

Last three weeks we have seen posts on how man can stoop down and how he/she can ascend to greater happiness dependending on one's own attachments and the desires based on the slokams by Sri Veda Vyasa Bhagavan and Jagad Guru Sri Adi Sankaracharya. Similar expressions and echo of these concepts are seen here in the poetry of Sri Pothanamathya. Sri Pothana (surname Bammera) (శ్రీ బమ్మెర పోతనామాత్య) is easily the most famous household name among all Telugu poets. His master creation, Andhra Maha Bhaagavathamu (ఆంధ్ర మహా భాగవతము) is the Telugu rendition of the ever revered scripture in Sanskit - the Bhaagavatha Puranam by Sage Veda Vyasa. Sri Pothana's poetry is very easy to understand and is in Dhraakshaa Paakam (ద్రాక్షా పాకము). The context here is - The young devotee Prahlaada is advising his father, the demon king Hiranya Kashipa on how best one can attain peace, happiness and be devoid of any enemies.

లోకములన్నియున్ గడియలోన జయించినవాడవింద్రియా

నీకము చిత్తమున్ గెలువనేరవు నిన్ను నిబద్ధుజేయు నీ

భీకర శత్రులార్వుర ప్రభిన్నుల జేసిన ప్రాణికోటిలో

నీకు విరోధి లేడొకడు నేర్పున జూడుము దా(మా)నవేశ్వరా!

लोकमुलन्नियुन् गडियलोन जयिन्चिनवाडवु इन्द्रिया 

नीकमु चित्तमुन् गेलुवनेरवु निन्नु निबद्धुजेयु नी 

भीकर शत्रुलार्वुर प्रभिन्नुल जेसिन प्राणिकोटिलो
 
नीकु विरोधि लेडोकडु नेर्पुन जूडुमु दा(मा)नवेश्वरा!

lokamulanniyun gadiyalona jayinchinavaadavu indhriyaa

neekamu chiththamun geluvanaeravu ninnu nibadhdhujaeyu nee

bheekara sathrulaarvura prabhinnula jaesina praanikotilo

neeku virodhi laedokadu naerpuna joodumu dhaa(maa)navaeshwaraa!

Bhaava or Purport

The Child Prodigy, Prahlaada says here to his father, “O! The emperor of demons, you have stupendously conquered all the three worlds (the three Bhoo, Bhuvar, Suvar lokams) within an ultra short time. (What a great and mighty achievement!). But, you have miserably failed to conquer the group of six indriyas (five sense organs + the mind). Beware of the SIX internal enemies in all of us (the Kaama, Krodha, Lobha, Moha, Mada and Maathsraya). Remember, verily these SIX are notorious, deadly, and immensely powerful and are the mighty chains that bind you mercilessly and take you as their slave. Annihilate them, if you can! Then, for sure, there will be no foe unconquered by you in this whole universe. Please, be wise enough to perceive this truth” This is a clarion call to all of us to try and conquer these internal enemies in us. (You may see our previous post, 'The Kaama and its notorious power' dated 02 Nov 08 for details of these SIX internal enemies). 

That is all for now, Bye till next week,

Regards

Dr Sarma

The Divine Mother Explained

Dear Friends,

Greetings and Best Wishes to You and Family on the Diwali Occassion.

Last week we have seen a post on the concept of the Divine mother from the Soundarya Lahari by Jagad Guru Sri Adi Sankaracharya. Similar expression and echo of the concept is seen here in the poetry of Sri Pothanamathya. Sri Pothana (surname Bammera) (శ్రీ బమ్మెర పోతనామాత్య) is easily the most famous household name among all Telugu poets. His master creation, Andhra Maha Bhaagavathamu (ఆంధ్ర మహా భాగవతము) is the Telugu rendition of the ever revered scripture in Sanskit - the Bhaagavatha Puranam by Sage Veda Vyasa.

Poetry is usually classified based on its ease of understandability, into three types. The easiest and sweetest is called the Dhraakshaa Paakam (ద్రాక్షా పాకము) meaning - like ready made grape juice. Moderately difficult, yet nectrine poetry is called the Ikshurasa Paakam (ఇక్షురస పాకము) meaning, we have to masticate and extract the sweetness just as from sugarcane; [Ikshu (ఇక్షు) = sugarcane]. The third order of poetry is called the Naarikelha Paakam (నారికేళ పాకము) meaning like the ripe coconut - we need to take out the outer thick fibrous cover, break the shell, scrape the white kernal and use it to prepare very tasty food and finally drink the coconut water inside - meaning a lot of effort and knowledge is required to imbibe such poetry. [Naarikaela (నారికేళ) is coconut]. 

Our Pothana's poetry is belongs to the first type - the Dhraakshaa Paakam (ద్రాక్షా పాకము)

1. అమ్మలగన్న యమ్మ ముగురమ్మల మూలపుటమ్మ చాల పె

   ద్దమ్మ సురారులమ్మ కడుపారడిపుచ్చినయమ్మ తన్ను లో

   నమ్మిన వేల్పుటమ్మల మనమ్ముల నుండెడియమ్మ దుర్గ మా

   యమ్మ కృపాబ్ధి యీవుత మహత్త్వ కవిత్వ పటుత్వ సంపదల్.

1. ammalaganna yamma mugurammal moolaputamma chaala pe

    dhdhamma suraarulamma kadupaaradi puchchinayamma thannu lo

    nammina vaelputammala manammula nundediyamma Durga maa

    yamma krupaabdhi yeevuta mahaththwa kavithwa patuthwa sampadal.

2. కొందరు కలదందురు నిను

    కొందరులేదందురీమే గుణి గాదనుచున్

    కొందరు కలదని లేదని

    కొందలమందుదురు నిను గూర్చి భవానీ !

2. kondharu kaladhanduru ninu

    kondharu laedhandhur eeme gunigaadhanuchun

    kondharu kaladhani laedhani  

    kondhalamandhudhuru ninu goorchi bhavaanee

3. నీ యంద సంభవించును

    నీ యంద వసించి యుండు నిఖిల జగంబుల్

    నీ యంద లయము బొందును

    నీ యుదరము సర్వ జనన స్థానము దేవీ !

3. nee yandha sambha vinchunu

    nee yandha vasinchi yundu nikhila jagambul

    nee yandha layamu pondhunu

    nee udaramu sarva janana sthaanamu daevee.

Purport or Bhaava

1. O ! Divine Mother, you are the mother of all mothers, you are the one, primordial (primeval) to the three famous goddesses, Lakshmi, Parvathi and Saraswathi, You are of insurmountable greatness. You are the one who cause misery and sorrow to the hearts of the mothers of all wicked (raakshasa) ones (by annihilating the wicked). All the celesteal demi goddesses ever worship you in their hearts for their prosperity. May be, we call you as DURGA (Dukh + Ga = Durga, meaning One who drives away all Dukha or sorrow) or better still rever you as our dearest Mother. May your mercy grant us the highest proficiency in whatever profession we have chosen !

2. Some always assert that You are existing (in a form). Some others assert that You are non existing in any formal name or form, emphasizing that you are beyond all qualities and attributes. Yet others ponder over on the intricacies of your existence and non existence. What can one say? (It is very much okay to worship the formal (saakaara) Almighty. It is equally okay to worship the formless (niraakaara) Almighty.)

3. All this sentient and insentient matter originates from You, takes shelter and nourishment in You and finally gets dissolved in You. Isn't Thy Uterus, the birth place of one and all. (By this, the poet means that the Divine Mother is verily mother Nature itself.) 

With best wishes, Bye till next week

Dr Sarma