Translation of "ne pogadakunte"

Translation of “nE pogaDakunTE “

So what?

What do You lack?

What do You miss?

If I don’t praise (Your glory)

You know my mind (Don’t You?)

Those, who dwell in Your grace

Like

The Suka, Sanaka,

Prahlada, Narada

Rudra (Siva)

And other devotees

(When) They all worship You

So what?

What do You lack?

For

Providing food and sustenance

There, are

My wife, scholars, and community

For helping with (music lessons and) singing hymns

I’ve the

Son of Wind (Hanuman)

Now

Daksha, Indra, and other celestials

Have become very dear relatives

O Lord with lotus eyes

The One extolled by Sri Tyagaraja

Being a boy

If I don’t praise (Your glory)

What do you lack?

You know my mind.

Tyagayya (at times I prefer to call him Tyagayya, cf. Annamayya) profusely acknowledges the debt to elders, teachers, contemporary society, and ancient rishis in a number of songs. In some instances he may have expressed a slight difference of opinion with cohorts (nadupai palikeru comes to mind). But wherever he expressed gratitude, his sentiments were always warm and heartfelt. I sense a feeling of authentic thankful gesture in this song and “danDamu peTTEnuraa kOdanDapaaNi cuuDaraa” (see one of my older posts at Sulekha).

[This is a translation of the Tyagayya kriti, “nE pogaDakunTE niikEmi kodavO?”. I learnt the song from a cassette (rendition) by Dr. Balamurali. I hope younger artists like Dr. Pantula Rama will one day present their own interpretation of such timeless compositions. Certainly there is a vast reservoir of musical talent hidden in today’s youngsters – one fervently hopes budding singers remain optimistic, persevere, and pursue Indian classical music either as a vocation or avocation. Money or no money, awards or no awards. Per se, art has its own rewards.]

I will post the lyrics (and perhaps commentary) in a future write-up.  Copyright © 2013