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

Framing Krishna

Framing Krishna

From Dharmasala, B brought us a great gift: A Batik of Radha and Krishna, elegantly seated on the bank of Yamuna, in the midst of ponna (punnaga, Indian-Laurel tree) trees, with an on-looking peacock on the side. It is a large multi-colored painting, stretching to 55 “ x 45 “. For more than two years, we just let it hang on the wall, held by thumb tacks on its corners. Though the painting is magnificent, we did it a great disservice by not providing a suitable frame.

But how to frame our loving Krishna? If Yasoda could not tie Him with a rope even after trying many times (the rope was always two inches short!), then how could we frame this large unwieldy painting? In India, of course, I could either visit a framing shop or hire a carpenter – but here in U.S., it is not that easy.  For a mere 27” x 18” painting, one shop has quoted a whopping price of $ 250. To spend hundreds of dollars just on a frame, it is not a Monet, some may say. For us, this Radha Krishna painting is more valuable, much more than a Monet. Sadly, we do not know the painter’s identity! He or she must be one of those great anonymous painters. Like the painters of Ajanta frescos. Not only the painting has multiple colors and hues, it has thin delicate golden lines and dots – decorating the borders of Radha’s dress, bangles, and the mysterious flute.

Finally I determined to do the framing, all by myself. I did not formally learn carpentry, though many years ago, I watched for hours at length, carpenters working on complex projects. They would make their own (bamboo or date palm) dowels, varnish, and hand sand the teak and rosewood surfaces. Also, once I happened to observe a team of metal workers design a large drop ceiling and install it piece by piece at a height of 15-20 feet above ground. Then too, the skilled workers made their own metal rivets, and rigged up a fast assembly process to fabricate a metal grid (skeleton). I was always impressed by their design skills, intuition, and imagination. That they were able to make their own punching tool bit (via hardened steel), punch holes, join frames with rivets – it was a true testimony to their metal shop skills; earlier they had worked on the massive Godavari bridge and other large structures.

During my pre-college days, I was lucky to witness several oil-painting, sculpture, and art exhibitions. I remember vividly a traveling exhibit of Lalita Kala Akademi. It was conducted singlehandedly by a local wife and husband team– a Paris trained artist couple, Mrs. & Mr. B. Karuna Rao. Before the (public) opening, Mr. Rao took me around all the paintings; he was checking to see the lighting, proper height of each painting, and other mechanical effects. Then while leisurely walking around the exhibits, I got to appreciate each painting, learned to decipher what the artist was trying to communicate. There, I was introduced to modern art and a little bit of cubism. Walking around the exhibits, and with the help of an accomplished artist, I learnt about color, medium, style, and content. Much later I got a chance to see the original works of Gauguin, Monet, Ravi Varma, Michelangelo, and others.

      There, in our coastal town, in one of the meetings of the local Women’s Association, Mrs. Karuna Rao made a simple plea: “Please, I have nothing against you framing and decorating your house with lots of (mass produced) posters – of mythological figures, leaders, or movie actors. But, buy at least one or two paintings, sketches, water color paintings, or any art piece made by a local artist. It need not be the most expensive art piece. That’s the only way we can sustain and encourage art in our daily life.” Many years later I came to appreciate what she meant. A piece of art, it doesn’t have to be a million dollar painting, can certainly broaden a person’s horizon; it can truly shatter the burdensome egotism and narcissistic tendencies.

Now, coming to the framing job at hand. I tried all the framing stores around here and browsed some Internet sites too. Yet, nothing satisfied me. The only solution I could think of – is to buy (wooden) molding from the Home Depot and make a custom frame myself. I considered various metal framings too. Metal framing will need welding and elaborate mechanism to attach the fabric to the edges. I selected an L ( cross section) shaped pine moulding (1-1/16” x 11/16”), made rough cuts at the store, and came home with four pieces. Next, I stained all the pieces with Minwax Cherry color (to protect from seasonal fluctuations in temperature and moisture). Ideally, I should have made a detailed drawing of the painting and frame. But I took a chance and plunged into the project just with gut feeling and intuition.

My plan was to use the vertical face for spreading the fabric (it would run parallel to the wall) and fold the borders twice, and hold the entire painting taut with the help of staples or thumb tacks. Multiple measurements are a must (the old adage: Measure twice and cut once) to avoid disasters. If the frame is a bit large, then there may not be enough fabric to secure properly with staples. If the frame is a bit small, then precious painting area may get wrapped up on the side edges or even end up behind the frame. Ideally we would like to use all (or at least most ) of the painting area for exhibiting (viewing). The artist may or may not give us enough room to work with. In extreme cases, we may have to stitch additional cloth on the four edges to give us enough leeway for framing. Luckily I did not get into major hurdles as I worked into the project.

I made 45° angle cuts (total eight cuts) with a miter saw, all by hand. But how to glue them into a perfect rectangle? A local framing shop owner came to my rescue. She had two miter vices for joining the corners at a perfect 90° angle. So, after two days (we left the glued joints for twelve hours for complete curing), a well made rectangular frame (55 “ x 44 “) emerged. The corners were held by four headless nails in addition to wood glue. Still, the frame was a bit shaky and weak. The corners were reinforced with flat L – shaped brass coated brackets. I added two slotted light weight (galvanized) steel vertical bars to the frame. With that the frame became quite rigid and strong. Two small rectangular Styrofoam (left over’s from packing boxes) pieces were attached to the steel bars; these would keep the fabric from falling into a concave shape in the middle.

     Mounting the fabric tightly on to the frame is a delicate task. First, temporary thumb tacks were used to hold the fabric on all four sides. A no. staple gun was used. Though I wanted to use brass (or other non-rusting) staples, I could not find any moderately priced staples in local stores. There are some stainless steel staples, but they are very expensive, and you a need a new staple gun too. At a space of 3-4 inches, the entire fabric was tautly held by staples. Often I had to use a hammer blow to drive down the staple fully into the wooden frame. Due the recoil (I think), the staples stood up a bit (about 1/8 “) after the first strike. I did not use any glue to hold down the fabric edges; with staples, it would be easier to dismantle the painting from the frame for a future repair or upgrade. So, finally the marvelous painting adorned a light weight, sturdy wooden frame. Then, V suggested a brilliant idea: “Why don’t you cover the sides with something, to hide the staples?” A 3M purple color electric tape did the job. It added one more layer of protection – the plastic tape blended well with the border. 

Originally I had planned for a backlight illumination for the painting. That has to wait for another day. I am still searching for a reasonably priced, cool, light weight lamp(s). Maybe, I will install a metal halide discharge miniature lamp, which I discovered in the attic collection. The total cost of framing came to about $ 30. Plus, of course, the labor of love – I enjoyed every minute of it. One can still add an outer perimeter of ornamental wooden framing (Floater Frame). But it will add extra weight, transforming it into a gaudy museum piece.  

Several individuals helped me in this project. I must acknowledge the hand of an invisible force – it guided me gently to successful completion. Copyright © 2013

(Dedicated to all the anonymous artists and sculptors, particularly of Indian subcontinent)

Lyrics of "manasa sancharare"

Time is flowing fast like the spring flow in northeast. Of the many things that are dear to my heart - one stands out. The timeless compositions of Brahmendra Swami. A great composition always starts in "a heart in heightened state", reaches many innocent hearts via a faithful singer. Much can be said about these rare gems of lyrical composition. I have to post my feelings and comments about these lyrics later, if and when I get time to ponder on them. For now, I want to record these lyrics in Telugu script for the benefit of many friends across the globe. Obviously the compositions are in Sanskrit. With sincere respects to the great Swami, the kind Paramacharya of Kanchi, and many others. Though I refrain from naming them, I bow to all of them, with absolute humility. May their compassionate looks, guide me like a glade, through the forest...I learnt the song from listening to Dr. Balamuralikrishna, I think there is a version by Dr. Bhanumati, and of course, the song is in the movie, "Sankarabharanam" too. I have greatly benefited from the website of Kanchi Kamakoti; my umpteen thanks to the organization and its people.

మానస సంచరరే

బ్రహ్మణి మానస సంచరరే

శ్రీ రమణీ కుచ దుర్గ విహారే

సేవక జన మందిర మందారే

మద శిఖి  ఫించాలంకృత చికురే

మహనీయ కపోల విజిత ముకురే

పరమహంస ముఖ చంద్ర చకోరే

పరిపూరిత మురళీ రవ ధారే 

maanasa samchararE

brahmaNi maanasa samchararE

Srii ramaNii kucha durga vihaarE

sEvaka jana mandira mandaarE

mada Sikhi pinchaalamkRta chikurE

mahaniiya kapOla vijita mukurE

paramahamsa mukha chandra cakOrE

paripuurita muraLii rava dhaarE 

Copyright 2012 by the author

Translation of Dewan-E-Ghalib

Dewan-E-Ghalib

Translated by Dr. Krishna Moorthy Mudigonda

The legendary Urdu poet, Mirza Ghalib, needs no introduction. Many music buffs in the Indian subcontinent and a significant diasporic south Asian community have a loyal kinship with his ghazals, biography, and his personal foibles. The bilingual poet, Dasaradhi (himself a noted Urdu poet and translator of Ghalib) once quipped in exasperation: “How come people throng to buy admission tickets to get into Urdu poetry recitations? Even if we give free admission, hardly we get a sizeable crowd for Telugu poetry gatherings.”

At any (performing) art event, a more pertinent question is: How many in the audience can really understand a poet’s intent? Or plumb into the depths of a word or phrase? A poet like Ghalib tries to encapsulate many years of keen observation (of life, nature) into a few lines of lyrical, at times rhyming succinct expression. Learned Urdu scholars and academic professionals have spent entire lives in deciphering Ghalib’s craft and musing.

Luckily, today in this modern Internet age, there are quite a few helpful tools for Ghalib fans. Several digital Urdu dictionaries and helpful devices for  Urdu-to-English transliteration are available. The avid admirer can also access numerous Ghalib songs on the Internet (both in video and audio formats). From Suraiya to Jagjit Singh, many a singer has rendered  the poet’s ghazals. Though I came late to appreciate Urdu ghazals, by sheer accident two rare cassettes landed in my lap: One contains ghazals with Talat Mahmood’s silky voice and the other has a well known song by the late Jalib (dil ki baat). 
                                         ---

            Dr. Krishna Moorthy’s recent English translation of Ghalib’s magnum opus received several encomiums both at the state level (Andhra Pradesh) and national level: It was warmly received by Kakatiya University (Warangal), Osmania University, and the Ghalib society (New Delhi). The massive 500 pages work not only contains English translation of each ghazal, it includes the original Urdu version (in Urdu script), followed by an English transliteration. Thus, it makes the Urdu ghazals accessible to a wider readership across the English and Urdu (and Hindi) speaking world, spanning several continents.

            The translator’s early life was spent in Warangal and Vijayawada. It was there during his high school days, he got attracted to the Urdu language. He continued his fascination with the language, its lyrical poetry, and Ghalib. That he has been able to keep his abiding interest in Ghalib’s magnum opus, despite his busy medical profession is itself a wonder. Dr. Krishna Moorthy bestowed the same precision and finesse to the translation, as he would (bring his professional skills) to a complex medical case.

          

Excerpts

The design of creation is the complainant of whose mischief of creation?

The outfit of every embodiment of the created picture is papery (perishable)

Delving deep through the hard times in solitude! Don’t ask me about that!

To get through from day to night is like the task of bringing the rivulet of milk through mountain of Bastion by Farhad

The emotion of lack of control on desire is only to be seen to be believed

It can be seen that the desire has finally got out of bounds

….. ….

The scope of the style of my poetry is very hard for you to find

Ghalib! Even in the state of imprisonment, my feet are restless to get out

The iron chain of imprisonment is very weak, like a singed hair that has no strength! (Page 1, Naqsh Faryadi…)

--- --- ---

For a sigh to be effective, it needs a life time!

Who is going to live, till your beautiful hair are subdued!

….. ….

I understand, that you wouldn’t ignore me

But I would be turned into dust, by the time you become aware of my message

(page 133)

---- --- ---

Oh innocent heart! What has happened to you? At least you can tell me what is the remedy for this pain?

 ….. ….

Oh God! When there is no one except you in this world.

Then what is all this tumult and uproar about?

(Page 274, Dile naadaan!)

--- --- ---

These fragrant flowers and these green meadows! Where did they come from?

What is cloud? What is air (wind)? What is the essence of the nature?

….. ….

I fully realize that GHALIB is a sort of a useless person

But what have you to lose! If you can get him as your slave without having to pay anything, What’s so bad about it?

(Page 275)

--- --- ---

This world is nothing other than an expression of uniqueness of the beloved. “GOD”

Where would we all be if beauty itself is not seeking it’s own awareness?

….. ….

Watching the spectacle with so much dejection, that I neither have an admonition nor an enthusiasm.

So helpless I am, that despite having a desire I am neither able to care for the world, nor for the religion.

(Page 395)

 --- --- ---

It is wrong boast and Bragg about one’s smartness in worldly things and nor one is aware of the benefits of worship.

The world and faith are merely sediments in the cup of unknowing!

….. …

Union with beloved is like a paint on the back of a mirror, that is essential for the mirror to give an image!

….. …

Who has seen the passionate feelings of people of the world?

Who has seen the effect in the cries of broken hearts?

(Page 396)

--- --- ---

            
        Copies are available from the author. Soon, the book will be available in digital form, suitable for reading on electronic readers. Certainly without a question, this is a valuable addition to anyone's personal library and an invaluable compendium for all Ghalib enthusiasts. The translator richly deserves kudos for expending extraordinary effort, time, and patience.The publisher, Mrs. Shakuntala and Dr. Vijay Mohan Rao must be commended for their unstinted support to the project.

Copyright 2012

Telugu Encyclopedia of Sanatana Dharma

For quite some time, I have been thinking of writing about two issues in my blogs. One, about a very rare precious Telugu resource on the Internet. Second, about an extraordinary literary multi-linguist (polyglot) – Dr. (Prof.) P.S. Sastri. The latter, I will defer to a future time, as it needs more careful study and preparation.

            Today, I would like to dwell on this rare Telugu treasure. I came to know about it, just by pure chance when I was leisurely browsing the Kanchi Kamakoti organization’s website (http://www.kamakoti.org/telugu/). I cannot comment about their Tamil section as I can barely read the Tamil script. But the Telugu section is just superb – it is beyond any description, only superlatives (or hyperboles) can convey about its content, range of topics, and very (though I would not use the adjective, esoteric) rare works. Sitting in Northeast, continents away, in a remote place, how lucky am I to avail such works? At this site, I can read about Sri Ramana Maharishi, the Upanishads, puranic stories about Radha, Adi Sankara, and many more. I can read the original Sanskrit verses, their meaning in Telugu, and some very illuminating, one of a kind works in Telugu. I got to read about Sri Sadasiva Brahmendra Swami and his great musical compositions. Such a site is very rare indeed. If I am waxing eloquent, a bit rapidly typing sentences, it is because only a true aspirant (i.e., a sincere devotee) knows how difficult it is to get even a copy of Dakshinamurti Stotra or its faithful translation in a remote corner of the world. Even in India, in small places it is very difficult to get authoritative books on Sanatana Dharma, commentaries, or elegant helpful (lucid) translations in vernacular. Of course, publishers like Gita Press (of Gorakhpur), Gollapudi, and others are doing their best to promote awareness in Sanatana Dharma in all major Indian languages. Many publishers go out of their way to satisfy customers, as they would normally mail books to anywhere. Still, the exorbitant international shipping charges discourage many foreign readers; not everyone can splurge hundreds of dollars on books, CDs, or audios. Spiritual path may be strewn with many a hurdle, but (lack of) money is never one of them.

            A sampling of some works at the Kanchi Kamakoti website: Ramana Maharishi by Suri Nagamma, Mahayogam (enunciated by Sri Ramana Maharishi), Na Ramudu ( = My Rama) by Viswanatha Satyanarayana, Sri Sri Sri Prabhudattaji, Biography of Sri Seshadri Swami, Bhakti Rasayanamu by Madhusudhana Saraswati, translated by Potukuchi Subhrahmanya Sastri, Ph.D. Obviously, there are many more gems of Bhakti literature, expositions of Hindu scriptures, and Hindu philosophy embedded in this Telugu section. I have not exhausted reading all of the books (or headings) in this vast repository. I do not think I will be able to read all of its content; life is too short. (I will elaborate on this point towards the end.) I do visit this site whenever I have a difficult question, when I am desperately searching for clarification of a tricky issue. Usually I come away with a clear(er) insight.

            To understand Hindu mythologies properly [let us leave aside for a moment -mistranslations, distortions, intentionally warped commentaries – because there is no time for “stupid, bad arguments”; there are lots of pseudo works parading in the garb of modern anthropological (abhorring interpretations – often they highlight the author’s ignorance rather than scholarship!) insights as great original books. One must exercise extreme caution in selecting “what to read”, otherwise one will be thrown off the track! ], we have to either learn Sanskrit a bit or be fully equipped in a regional language (Telugu, Gujarati, Bengali, etc.). Only the local language has an organic bonding with the (subcontinent) Indian soil, its ancient culture, and its ethos. English, sad to say this, does not have the required vocabulary. Besides, English words lack the proper etymological underpinnings to support Sanskrit. It cannot translate karma, dharma, punya, or maya (a point often emphasized by commentators like Sri Chaganti, Sri Pratyag Bodhananda, and others). Sure, there are some aborted attempts to find approximations for such profound words. But the translated English word (idiom) will not communicate the force (punch) of the original.

            Here, in these web pages, among these forests of thought provoking, very gentle meditative discourses, I am lucky to come across many names of my forefathers, great commentators, and numerous benedictory sermons of Paramacharya. Even in India, it is nearly impossible to come across such a wide range of books. Maybe, I can browse or borrow a few books from a local Rama Krishna Mission library. Still even such a task requires physical transportation and healthy body. Just with an Internet connection, any reader can access these works in her home, at all hours, across all continents.

            With much humility, I pay my gratitude and thanks to the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham for gifting such an invaluable treasure of wisdom (and knowledge) to many remote devotees. It is like a blessed “distant learning” portal. Many people must have contributed to this effort, to make it fully functional and successful. Computer (software & hardware) professionals, librarians, liberal donors, and certainly, lots of dedicated supervisory staff. From a far off place, I do not know their names. Yet, I feel as though they are helping me to progress on my arduous journey. I salute them with all my heart. Specially I must mention my gratitude to the Sadhana Grantha (Grandha) Mandali of Tenali (Sri Bulusu Suryaprakasa Sastry garu), who have graciously contributed many volumes to the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham.

            Reading a single poem, a single sentence, or one good book can change entire life. The innocent boy Dhruva (Pole star) and the more recent Balayogi (of Mummidivaram) episodes come to my mind. At a minimum, by reading these books, I may, at least partially, discharge my debt to the great eternally living rishis of India (Bharata-khanda).

            The modern impatient English-only (semi) literate youth greedily wants these things translated into English. Hold that terrible ugly thought! Only great scholars like Dr. P. S. Sastri or Sister Nivedita can attempt such a task. Now, due to our misfortune, we do not have them among our midst anymore. Each age must bear its burdens and curses – and bear one must patiently, with a sense of total surrender to the Lord Venkateswara.

            A last word – we, I mean, most of us can read only so much. Very few (bless them, such great souls) can read all the eighteen puranas, the three epics (Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Srimad Bhagavatam), and the Bhagavad-Gita; ideally, one has to read each purana at least three times. But, mere reading can lead to other troubles: a false sense of pride, scholarliness, the weight of erudition, unnecessary ego, etc. So, since time is of essence (on this earthly planet), one should read only a modest number of books (This is not my original idea, I am paraphrasing here). And then, absorb the real “meaning” behind each text (verse, sentence, word, or syllable) and hastily move on to the real task at hand. And the real task, is, implementation (practice and more practice) with utmost care. Practice, patience, and extraordinary care, i.e., attention to the detail – all that matters finally.
Copyright by the author 2012

Lyrics of "manasuloni korika"

manasulOni kOrikaa telusu niiku prEmikaa

manasulOni kOrikaa, telusu prEma maalikaa

priyuni paTamu paaDuTaa 

vinta vinta vEDukaa 

paDati chEti mahima valana  

paTamu paaDe giitikaa 

cheliya niidu prEmayE viluvalEni kaanukaa

manasu tiira haayi, haayi

mana sudhaa kathaanika

మనసులోని కోరి(క)కా తెలుసు నీకు ప్రేమికా

మనసులోని కోరి(క)కా, తెలుసు ప్రేమ మాలికా

ప్రియుని పటము పాడుటా 

వింత వింత వేడుకా 

పడతి చేతి మహిమ వలన  

పటము పాడె గీతికా 

చెలియ నీదు ప్రేమయే 

విలువలేని కానుకా

మనసు తీర హాయి, హాయి

మన సుధా కథానిక

Lyrics: Arudra

P. Susheela and P.B. Srinivas

Movie: Bhishma (1962)

Transliteration generated by Lekhini 

Music: S. Rajeswararao

Telugu lyrics of "Sarasa sama dana"

raagam: kaapi naaraayaNi

taaLam: dESaadi

sarasa saama daana bhEda danDa catura

saaTi daiva mevare brOvarE

parama SaambhavaagrEsaru( Dagucu 

balku raavaNuDu taliyalEkapOye

hitavu maaTalentO baaga balkitivi

satamugaa nayOdhya niccE nanTivi

nata sahOdaruni raaju jEsiraaka

hatamu jEsitivi tyaagaraajanuta

రాగం: కాపి నారాయణి

తాళం: దేశాది

సరస సామ దాన భేద దండ చతుర

సాటి దైవ మెవరె బ్రోవరే

పరమ శాంభవాగ్రేసరు( డగుచు 

బల్కు రావణు(డు తలియలేకపోయె

హితవు మాటలెంతో బాగ బల్కితివి

సతముగా నయోధ్య నిచ్చే నంటివి

నత సహోదరుని రాజు( జేసిరాక

హతము జేసితివి త్యాగరాజనుత

(These lyrics were taken from a song book published by Gollapudi publishers, Rajahmundry. The Tyagaraja kirtanas were compiled by Ms. Syamasundari. I am extremely thankful both to the publisher and the Telugu scholar. The efforts of such earnest people are truly commendable; they've made the works of Tyagaraja and other classic Carnatic composers immensely accessible to many music fans, often of limited financial means. Once  I came across a Tyagaraja song book at Pittsburgh - it was priced at $ 25 or more. I was aghast!)