పోతన భాగవత మకరందములు - 3

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శా. అమ్మా! మన్ను దినంగ నే శిశువునో యా కొంటినో వెఱ్రినో
నమ్మంజూడకు వీరిమాటలు మదిన్ నన్నీవు కొట్టంగ వీ
రిమ్మార్గమ్ము ఘటించి చెప్పెదరు కాదేనిన్ మదీయాస్యగం
ధమ్మఘ్రాణము సేసి నావచనముల్ దప్పైన దండింపవే.
క. ఆలలితాంగి కనుంగొనె బాలునిముఖమందు జలధిపర్వతవనభూ
గోళశిఖితరణిశశిదిక్పాలాదికరండమైన బ్రహ్మాండంబున్.

మ. కలయో వైష్ణవమాయయో యితరసంకల్పార్ధమో సత్యమో
తలపన్ నేరక యున్నదాననొ యశొదాదేవిఁగానో పర
స్థలమో బాలకుఁడెంత యీతనిముఖస్థంబై యజాండంబు ప్ర
జ్వలమై యుండుట కేమిహేతువొ మహాశ్చర్యంబు చింతింపఁగన్.

The context here is another "leela" of the beloved Krishna, the most favorite of the 10 avatarams in the Bhagavatham, that He shows His foster mother Yashodha Devi, the entire Cosmic Universe within His mouth, thus providing her the "gyana" about the Universe!!


Now, here are three different types of Telugu padyams by grammar and metre (chandassu) and how lovely they are!!

In the first one, a "Shaardoola vikreeditham", young Krishna is speaking to Yashoda Devi thus:

"Mother! How could I eat mud being a young boy? I am neither hungry, nor am I crazy! Do not believe the words of these people, who purposefully are diluting your mind so that you should punish me by beating! Please trust my words and check my mouth for yourself , before you decide to punish me!"


In the second one, a "Kanda padyam", the poet describes what the mother discovers:


" Yashoda Devi, then witnessed in the mouth of Krishna, the Oceans, the Mountains, the Forests, the Earth (the whole globe), the Fire, the Sun, the Eight Directional heads and the entire Universe, as it were, packed into a small box!"


And in the third one, a "Mathebha", the poet further describes this wondrous experience of Yashoda Devi:

"Yashoda Devi spoke to herself : Is this a dream? Or is this Vaishnava Maaya (Vishnu's Maya/ Magic)? Or is this some other kind of higher purpose of meaning?

I am unable to comprehend, if this is Truth!! Am I in a strange place, elsewhere? What could cause such a young kid, to have His face filled with bright shining Universe!! I wonder in awe!!"


The "leela" as such might be that Krishna, as part of His debts to mother Yashoda, was helping her realize the Universe and cosmic knowledge, enabling her to seek liberation from the karmic world.

As for the beautiful Telugu verses, once again, Pothana as usual, did wonders.

For instance in a two-line Kanda padyam, he tried to show the entire Universe!! Now that's something!! It is probably things like this, which developed Telugu as a very popular and well-liked language! (According to Wikipedia, presently "Telugu is one of the top fifteen most widely spoken languages in the world ...")

I know that my attempt here to translate these to English is in vain, and unworthy, as I could not justify the beauty of grammar, metre and meaning of these padyas.


Note: Here is a link to the grammatical nuances of Telugu padya's :




Siddartha Pamulaparty

Dt: 17 May 2008.

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