Ecstasy (A Poem) - Translation of Telugu Original

Ecstasy

Whether

In the world famous Whitehouse’s bedroom

Or, in Waldorf’s bridal suite

Whether

On a swan-shaped divan bed

Or upon a down filled quilt …

Can it equal the pleasure (comfort)

(Of a night) in the thick fragrance

Of Cashmere bouquet, in the fanning

Breezes of Rangoon creeper

On a newar bed, in Relangi

Alone in the company of (ones) lady,

Imbibing the nectar of delicate lips

However great ones wealth, status

May be

Is it possible to feel true ecstatic joy?

Extremely rare, in life, for sure!

O, mind! (Translated from author's Telugu poem)

 రసానుభూతి

ప్రపంచ ప్రఖ్యాత శ్వేతసౌధ శయనగృహమైన నేమి

లేక వాల్డర్ఫ్‌ చిటారుకొమ్మపై వధూకక్షద్వయమైన నేమి

హంసతూలికా తల్పమైన నేమి, నునిమెత్తని ఈకలబొంతపై నేమి

అల రేలంగిలో నవ్వారు మంచముపై

గుండుమల్లి పొదల సువాసనలో, రాధా మనోహరముల చుంబన వీవనలో

ఏకాంతములో నిజకాంత సుకుమార మృదుమధురాధర రసాస్వాదనలో

కల సౌఖ్యము కలదే, మనసా?

ధనభాగ్యములెంతయుండినను నిజ రసానుభూతి అనంద మబ్బునా?బహు దుర్లభము సుమా

- అత్రి

- atri

 rasaanubhuuti

prapampanca prakhyaata swEtasaudha SayanagRhamaina nEmi

lEka vaalDarph ciTaarukommapai vadhuukakshadwayamaina nEmi

hamsatuulikaa talpamaina nEmi, nunimettani iikalabontapai nEmi

ala rElangilO navvaaru mancamupai

gunDumalli podala suvaasanalO, raadhaa manOharamula cumbana viivanalO

EkaantamulO nijakaanta sukumaara mRdumadhuraadhara rasaaswaadanalO

kala saukhyamu kaladE, manasaa?

dhanabhaagyamulentayunDinanu nija rasaanubhuuti ananda mabbunaa?bahu durlabhamu sumaa#

Copyright 2021 by the author

Riches (A Poem)

sirulu

                                        - (atri)

lEvu sirulu vaDDiikaasula vaani hunDiilalO

lEvu okka taamara mogga mugdha lachchi vadda

lEvu kubEra bokkasamuna madiiya bojja gaNapatiki unDraaLLu

lEnivaaDanipinchukonu bhasmalEpita bhikshakuDu Sivunivadda

kalavu palu rahasyapu maNimaanyamulu, bhuvanaika sundaradhanamul

kaladu samastajagadhdhanaraasi aa peddamma annapuurNamma bhaanDamulO 

సిరులు

                                        - (అత్రి)

లేవు సిరులు వడ్డీకాసుల వాని హుండీలలో

లేవు ఒక్క తామర మొగ్గ ముగ్ధ లచ్చి వద్ద

లేవు కుబేర బొక్కసమున మదీయ బొజ్జ గణపతికి ఉండ్రాళ్ళు

లేనివాడనిపించుకొను భస్మలేపిత భిక్షకుడు శివునివద్ద

కలవు పలు రహస్యపు మణిమాన్యములు, భువనైక సుందరధనముల్

కలదు సమస్తజగధ్ధనరాసి ఆ పెద్దమ్మ అన్నపూర్ణమ్మ భాండములో Copyright 2009 by the author

Riches

No riches in Balaji’s hundis

No, not a single lotus with the demure Lakshmi

And in Kubera’s godown

There aren’t enough modakas for my Ganesa

Yet

There are many hidden stones, and one-of-a-kind

Rare treasures with Siva, that wandering mendicant

With ashes all over His body

And the largest collection of treasure cosmic safe

Is with

The great Mother (aunt), Annapurna

Concealed in the stone-studded silver jar

In Her hand

(This is a translation of the Telugu poem “sirulu”, by the author)

Copyright 2021 by the author 

Lyrics of "jnana mosaga" kirtana

గమన శ్రమ రాగము

రూపక తాళము  

జ్ఞాన మొసగ రాదా గరుడ గమన వాదా

నీనామమున నా మది నిర్మల మైనది

జీవాత్ముండు పరమాత్ముండు

పదు నాలుగు లోకములు

నర కిన్నర కింపురుష

నారదాది మునులు

పరిపూర్ణ నిష్కళంక 

నిరవది సుఖదాయక

వర త్యాగరాజాది వారము తాననే జ్ఞానము

gamana Srama raagam

ruupaka taaLam

jnaana mosaga raadaa garuDa gamana vaadaa

niinaamamuna naa madi nirmala mainadi

jiivaatmunDu paramaatmunDu

padu naalugu lOkamulu

nara kinnara kimpurusha

naaradaadi munulu

paripuurNa nishkaLanka 

niravadi sukhadaayaka

vara tyaagaraajaadi vaaramu taananE jnaanamu

(I like this song for two reasons: i) It has deep meaning and covers all the essential canonical tenets of Hindu faith. ii) Though my musical abilities are very limited, I learnt this song's melody and music on my own. We can ponder, meditate, and understand this composition slowly to get its full effect. I'll give the meaning later.) Copyright 2021 by the author

Essential Works of Hinduism - II

Essential Works of Hinduism –II

We have just touched the Srimad-Bhagavatam earlier. Here, we mostly refer to Sri Potana’s Telugu translation. Bammera Potana is considered as a “natural Pandita” – as a natural well-versed poet scholar. The edition we’ve in our puja room contains some sections from the original Sanskrit text also; in the extended preface the editor gives a comparative analysis of the Telugu translation with the original Sanskrit slokas. 

In these brief articles I want the reader to get acquainted with a variety of texts. Some books will be a little hard to comprehend (and fully absorb the subtleties) but some others are easy to understand at a first attempt, at least superficially. Most if not all will produce a salutary effect when they are read with diligence and full attentive mind. I leave the question of “doubt” (or healthy skepticism) in these discussions. The reader can refer to the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna for some guidance in this regard. 

Hindu faith involves not just book reading – it also demands the individual to practice certain aspects like singing, chanting, and silently contemplating on the stories and the countless (thousand) names of Hari. As a beginner one can start with following truth (with appropriate caveats for exception). A great guru of Varanasi has a generous simple suggestion: “We need not read all the books to progress in our faith. Just three or four books are enough. We only have a finite time at our disposal.”

Our Telugu Srimad-Bhagavatam book has many chapters. Depending on our mood (or current predicament) we may pick the chapter on Gajendra, Rukmini, Kuchela, Dhruva, Krishna, Bhishma, or Uddhava. Of course, there are many more valuable sections. The reader need not take my word but many Telugu families have benefited by reading Potana; and they still do. Certainly the flowing poems have become popular with the Telugu community and many can spontaneously rattle off famous lines from Gajendra or Prahlada. I’m sure many young girls got married happily and numerous indigent families got timely help through browsing the pages of Ambarisha or Kuchela. 

Now, if I may, I want to address the issue of English translations (of Hindu Sanskrit texts) and why and when such attempts fail. We’ll also look into the factor of “emotional state” while reading Sanskrit Stotras, Puranas, and the three canonical works (i.e., Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Srimad-Bhagavatam). Hopefully with proper enquiry and reflection the reader can appreciate the necessity of learning Indian languages (vernacular) and Sanskrit. To fully appreciate bhakti feeling, we have to learn a bit of poetry, lyrics, and singing. In English we have excellent examples of moving poetry by Wordsworth, Keats, Dylan Thomas, and many others. When we read sections of ‘Daffodils’,  ‘Lucy Gray’ or ‘Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey’ we are intensely moved. Some sensitive readers even develop teary eyes effortlessly. Similarly we may get emotionally alert (awakened) when we read the English translation of Kalidasa (by Ryder). Still, if I have to measure carefully and proclaim – I would say the Kalidasa English translation does not come close to the heights of Telugu translations. Why? You may ask. That is the trouble with translations. Only authors, poets, and linguists know the pains of translation. Every author from Rabindranath Tagore, Nabokov, to A K Ramanujan struggled with translations. Even when I do perfectly faithful translations of Annamayya or Tyagaraja I feel utterly dissatisfied. Because the precious music and vibrating sound is lost. The English poetic translations may or may not move the reader’s heart. There is no guarantee of the emotional effects like catharsis or joy. This is the supreme reason why I try to shun all English translations of Upanishads, Puranas, and Bhagavad-Gita. Added to the loss of musicality and lyricism, English translations also suffer from distortions, lack of fidelity, and many times they miss entirely the target. As Sri Shanmukha Sarma eloquently explains, the Hindu Puranic stories encapsulate two or three levels: a) They try to teach us the essence of Parameswara in words. This itself is an impossible task – to try to convey indescribable thing in words. b) They contain hidden mantras. c) Listening and meditating on the stories itself bestows unique benefits on the sincere devotee. In English translations these matters are either totally lost or they cannot be transmitted through the foreign (non-Hindu) culture laden vocabulary poor English. There are no English equivalent words for the Sanskrit phrases: satya, dharma, sanyas, or moksha. Desperately we use and cling to approximate words like truth, righteousness, renunciation, and salvation. So, that is my brief against English translations.

Lastly we come to the most important concept, ‘ecstasy’ in our faith. This is well explained by Sri Ramakrishna and another great Swami of Varanasi. We recite Stotras (ex: Dakshinamurti) and sing bhajans (devotional songs) with the sole aim of focusing the mind on an embodiment (murti) of the ‘unknowable’. We cannot know these matters without the aid of Guru; but we must continue with the effort till ‘such grace’ dawns on us. In singing we can effortlessly reach the ecstatic state, perhaps for a millisecond. Our songs in Hindi, Telugu, Sanskrit, or other vernaculars help us reach that pure emotional state quickly – because they’re composed by great saints like Tulasi Das or Gopanna. Their signature, imprint, and benediction pervades through all such works. There is more to say here. Extraordinary scholars like Sri Madhusudana Saraswati probed into the connection between emotional state (sringara, karuna) and bhakti. Of course, Sri Jayadeva also wandered through the gardens of sringara extensively. When one listens to a large variety of world music across all languages, only then one can say definitely how deficient is English for expressing music. Here, I take the word of Dr. Balamuralikrishna: “In no foreign (non-Indian) language can you find the rich tapestry of tunes and melodies. With 72 mela-kirta ragas and half a dozen talas, you can generate so much variety. No country can beat that.” (To be Contd.) Copyright 2021 by the author 

P.S. A rare person with extraordinary language skills (ex: Sister Nivedita or Swami Vivekananda) can bring sense and fidelity to English translations. But it is a rare act. 

  

Lyrics of "itti mudduladi" - Annamayya Kirtana

రాగం: ఆనంద భైరవి  తాళం: రూపక 

ఇట్టి ముద్దులాడి బాలు డేడవాడు వాని

బట్టి తెచ్చి పొట్టనిండ బాలు వోయరే

గామిడై పారితెంచి కాగెడి వెన్నెలలోన

చేమ పూవు కడియాల చేయి పెట్టి

చీమ గుట్టెనని తన చెక్కిట గన్నీరు జార

వేమరు వాపోయే వాని వెడ్డు వెట్టరే

ముచ్చువలె వచ్చి తన ముంగ మురువుల చేయి

తచ్చెడి పెరుగులోన దగబెట్టి

నొచ్చెనని చేయిదీసి నోర నెల్ల జొల్లుగార

వొచ్చెలి వాపోవువాని నూరడించరే

ఎప్పుడు వచ్చెనో మా యిల్లు చొచ్చి పెట్టెలోని

చెప్పరాని వుంగరాల చేయి పెట్టి

అప్పడైన వేంకటాద్రి అసవాలకుడు గాన

తప్పకుండ బెట్టె (బట్టి) వాని తలకెత్తరే

iTTi muddulaaDi baalu DaeDavaaDu vaani

baTTi techchi poTTaniMDa baalu vOyarae

gaamiDai paariteMchi kaageDi vennelalOna

chaema poovu kaDiyaala chaeyi peTTi

cheema guTTenani tana chekkiTa ganneeru jaara

vaemaru vaapOyae vaani veDDu veTTarae

muchchuvale vachchi tana muMga muruvula chaeyi

tachcheDi perugulOna dagabeTTi

nochchenani chaeyideesi nOra nella jollugaara

vochcheli vaapOvuvaani nooraDiMcharae

eppuDu vachchenO maa yillu chochchi peTTelOni

chepparaani vuMgaraala chaeyi peTTi

appaDaina vaeMkaTaadri asavaalakuDu gaana

tappakuMDa beTTe (baTTi) vaani talakettarae

(Here, we can easily visualize the scene with baby Sri Krishna in the midst of Yasoda and other Gopis. What a marvelous picture it is! I got introduced to this lovely baby song (sort of lullaby) through a dance program at TTD via a video. Immediately I got hooked to it. Who wouldn't? The great grand father Telugu lyrical composition really puts his poetical camera focussed on the little Krishna. What naughty things He does? First He puts His little hand in hot cream filled milk. Ouch! He thought it was some ant bite. We'll look into this song and explore it leisurely in another post. Who would not like to pick up this attractive baby and console with kisses? Lord Venkatesa is accessible to us in this musical piece, accessible so easily. The Lord who attends to all our murky earthly problems - the same Balaji needs comfort here. Where are His little scorched fingers? Let's apply some chilled butter or cool sandalwood paste. We can't bear the Lord's excruciating pain. Annamayya, wherever you are, you are truly blessed with such high level imagination, bhakti, language, and sincerity. How can we thank you? How can I express for being a great guru, in absentia? I bow to you with pure submission. Words are useless to express my gratitude.)

Essential Works of Hinduism

Essential Works of Hinduism

I give this list with abundance of humility. I am not qualified really for this task but even with reservations I venture this list for the beginners. Specifically I have in mind (the target audience) an innocent grand child, a youngster, or someone with deep longing to explore the essential Hinduism. This is not intended for critics who willfully distort and wantonly propagate wrong interpretations of the ancient faith for obtaining some professorial chair or some emolument. Such “interlopers” can find umpteen third rate works in English. Ideally, the guru (or someone like Sri Sivanandamurty) would provide guidance in all such matters. But for many beginners finding a guru (any guru) is difficult or some are utterly allergic to the concept of ‘guru’; even if one finds one may not fully repose faith in the guru. [I cannot recall now the exact source of this pithy illuminating statement: Even if the guru is imperfect, if the disciple sincerely believes in his (her) guru and follows till the end – then both the guru and the disciple would be uplifted and released with miraculous results!]

The Preparation

The earnest enquirer starts with a clean, clear mind. We approach each book, chapter, and paragraph with open mind free of all biases. (i.e., Avoid all cross talk. Look at the pure signal.) First we read each chapter with full proficiency in the original language (either Sanskrit or vernacular). We try to understand and get the essence of a story. Still, at the end our mind may be left with lingering doubts. Per se, such doubts may not do any harmful damage. We need lot of patience to continue the trek and wait for the day when all doubts will eventually be cleared. No point in hurrying or abandoning our project half way.

Now coming to the language. Foremost, we must learn our mother tongue, whatever it is – Hindi, Telugu, Gujarati, or Bengali, etc. If English is really the mother tongue, then we are in a pickle. Finding authentic (English) translations of many Indian original works is very arduous, extremely difficult, but not impossible. Now learning a language really means full proficiency in all the working modes like reading, speaking, and writing. In addition, we need some grasp of Sanskrit; at least we should be able to read and write the mother (lingua), i.e., Sanskrit of many languages (the large Indo-European family).

So, now we presume the reader (or whoever be the interested aspirant) knows a bit of Telugu, just enough to read in Telugu script.

1. Stotra-Kadambam (by Bala Saraswati Book Depot) స్త్రోత్ర కదంబము (బాలసరస్వతి  బుక్ డిపో) It is a small book comprising many valuable Slokas and Stotras. This pocket size book is very moderately priced (about 10 Rupees) making it accessible to many. The first page starts with invocation to Lord Ganesa. I’ve given the meaning of the sloka here: Ganesa's Grace

Sloka on Ganesa

Let us dwell on this first page for several minutes and meditate. Thus, we’ve started the exploration with a small yet auspicious step.

(The Internet savvy reader will find these slokas at several web sites. iPhone, laptop, or digital devices are handy for searching. But they also cause distraction to the mind. So, if there is no other way, print a page or two in Telugu (or other vernacular) script and use it to learn and pray. Keep away from diversions as much as possible. Also, be aware of typographical mistakes.) 

2. Srimad-Bhagavatamu by Bammera Potana (Telugu translation from the original in Sanskrit. It contains lyrical poetry interspersed with musical sounding prose sections.) Copyright 2021 by the author

 (To be Continued) 

Orange Sun (Poem) with Telugu Translation

Orange Sun

Rage, rage on

The tarry smoke trails

Rage on

The in absentia send offs

Rage on for

Not having a sensitive king

For not choosing prescient

Smart incorruptible pols

Self flagellate with jute rope

For bunking math classes

Repent in leisure

For not understanding logarithm,

Compound interest,

Arithmetic series, geometric series,

And Fibonacci numbers

Drown in self-pity

And

Swim in the ocean of 

Endless sorrow

For not learning valuable

Ayurvedic, Siddha, and herbal medicines

From grand mother and great grand parents

For discarding valuable traditions

Of dietary habits and hygiene

For not imbibing the culinary

Skills of making idli and bread

From scratch

Bear the punishment for

Praying solely at the altar of exorbitant 

Modern medicine!

What’s to be expected?

When Dr. Har Gobind left dejected

And countless others -

Rest not

As long as the midnight oil burns on

Till the historians note

Every omission and each commission

Till every orphaned child

Is 

Put to sleep – with want in tummy   Copyright 2021 by the author

సిందూర సూర్య (కందిన సూరీడు)

రగిలిపో,రగిలిపో  

తారు క్రమ్మిన పొగ దారులకి (దారాలకి) 

రగిలిపో

నిర్జన ఏకాంతపు దూరపు విడ్కోలుల నివాళికి

రగిలిపో

రాజు సున్నిత హృదయుడు కానందుకు

(కోపముతో) రగిలిపో 

దూరదృష్టి కల తెలివైన నిజాయితీపరుల 

రాజకీయ నాయకులుని ఎన్నోకోనందులకు 

కొట్టుకో జనప నార తాడుతో (కొరడా) వీపుమీద 

లెక్కల క్లాసులు ఎగ గొట్టినందుకు 

చింతించు తీరిగ్గా -

లఘుగణిత, చక్ర వడ్డీ, సమాంతర

గుణోత్తర శ్రేణి, మరియు ఫిబొనాకీ అంకెలు

అర్ధంకానందుకు

ఆత్మ నిట్టూర్పుల్లోమునుగు

అనంత దుఃఖ సాగరములో

ఈదుకో - ఎందుకా 

విలువైన ఆయుర్వేద, సిద్ధ, మూలికా

వైద్య పద్ధతులు నేర్చుకోనందుకు

మామ్మ, ముత్తాతల వద్ద

అనర్ఘమైన ఆచార

ఆహార శుభ్రతలను (గంగలో) వదిలేసినందుకు

స్వతహాగా ఇడ్లి, రొట్టి (bread)     

 చేత్తో చెయ్యడం నేర్చుకోనందుకు

అఘోరించు శిక్షతో

చాలా ప్రియమైన ఇంగ్లీషు మందుల

గుడిముందు మ్రొక్కు కున్నందుకు

ఇంకేమి అవుతుంది?

ఎప్పుడైతే డాక్టరు హర గోబింద్ లాంటి

వాళ్ళు ఎందరో ఖిన్నులై వెళ్లిపోయారో

విశ్ర మించకు 

అర్ధరాత్రి నూనె దీపము వెలిగేవరకు

చరిత్రకారులు ప్రతి తప్పు, ప్రతి 

స్వార్ధపు వ్యవహారము వ్రాసే వరకు

ప్రతి అనాధ పిల్లని నిద్రపుచ్చే వరకు

ఖాళీ కడుపుతో (Copyright 2021 by the author)

(I dedicate the Telugu translation to my language teachers: My first class teacher who held my little right hand and introduced to the Telugu script on a slate with (stone) pencil. Mr. N. Gangadhara Sastri and Mr. Raju were the teachers in high school. Sri B. Venkateswarlu taught us in the college. There were several others who imparted the niceties of our mother tongue and helped us with imagination while exploring sections of Maha-bharata, Ramayana, and the poetical works of Srinadha and others. Whatever little I learnt about the great musical Telugu language, it is all due to the excellent instruction of my generous teachers. And they're all employed by the government institutions. Probably they were paid a pittance for their scholarship and qualifications. A rare phenomenon in the modern Andhra Pradesh or India for that matter!)