Seshappa Kavi "Sri Narasimha Shatakamu"
I was skimming through a Telugu book on the "Sri Narasimha Shatakam", orginally claimed to be written by Sri Seshappa Kavi with commentary by Vidwan, Kasireddy Venkatapathi Reddy. (First published in 2001 December by Sri Paavani Seva Samithi, Hyderabad).
In the Preface, I found something very interesting and thought of just posting it to my blog, with needful translation of Mr.Reddy's original words in Telugu.
Here it goes:
"nrusimhaa raamakrishneShu Shaadgunyam paripooritham", this Sanskrit phase means that: Narasimha avatara (the lion-faced incarnation of Vishnu) has the quality of "opulence" (aishwaryamu), Rama has the quality of opulence plus "pleasantness" (maadhuryamu) and Krishna combines the qualities of opulence, pleasantness along with "vigor or prowess" (veeryamu). Thus these qualities have become a completeness through these three avataras. In Telugu, there were 3 "shataka"s (a collection of hundred poems) dedicated to each of these avataras, namely:
1) Sri Narasimha Shatakam
2) Dhaasharadhi Shatakam (Rama)
3) Sri Krishna Shatakam
Of the 23 incarnations of Sri Maha Vishnu, according to all puranas, except for the three stated above, none are associated with the pre-fixed title "Sri". These three incarnations have the nature of Vishnu deep-rooted within them.
"Sri Raama Raama Raamethi, Rame Raame Manorame, Sahasranaama tat tulyam Raama naama varaanane": according to this famous sloka, chanting the name of Rama once is equivalent to chanting the thousand names of Vishnu (Vishnu Sahasranamasttotram). That is the reason why the name of Rama, earned the "Sri" title.
Narasimha swamy always has Lakshmi in His proximity. Hence a 'Sri' for Him.
And "Krishnasthu bhagawaan swayam", roughly, Krishna is the God Himself, hence He is always Sri Krishna.
Similarly another extract, on the influence of Bammera Pothana on Seshappa Kavi:
Every poem of the Sri Narasimha Shatakam, clearly proves that Seshappa Kavi has mastered the Pothana's literary magnum opus "SrimadhaandhramahaaBhaagavatam" and had studied it in depth. For instance in the 74th poem, where he questions on the subject saying "why should caste or creed become a criteria to be blessed by Sri Hari?", quoting examples of Vyaasa, Viduraa, Vaalmiki, he also quotes :"Sri Suka", which is noteworthy. The first time "Suka" was called "Sri Suka" was by Bammera Potana and the only other who used the same is again our Seshappa.
It is important to note something here: the three words Hamsa--Parama Hamsa--Sri Parama Hamsa, have different annotations and meanings. The one who meditates on Brahman is Hamsa (check out the word "So Ham"), the deity who shines with the attributes of motionless and life (compare stillness,as in death and movement, as in life) is Parama Hamsa and that who is free of stillness (irrationality) and is full of life (Spirit and sensation) is Sri Parama Hamsa. Seers and philosophers have called "Sri Suka" as "Sri Parama Hamsa". Our beloved Seshappa clearly knows that "Suka" is not an ordinary "Suka", but "Sri Suka".
About Seshappa Kavi (very very brief):
Seshappa Kavi, according to the book, could have approximately during 1800 AD. He belonged to Dharmapuri, a holy place on the banks of Godavari River in the Telangana region. He was a poet who dedicated his life to Sri Narasimha Swamy.
He wrote two Shatakams. The first centennial is called "Sri NRukEsaree" shatakam. The second is the Sri Narasimha Shatakam. He claimed his "linguistic" skills are plain ordinary. Along with his skills with the language, he was a highly devout person and this shows in most of his poems.
Also, it seems from many of his poems that he lived in dire poverty and sometimes had to plead and take help of scoundrels to survive, for basic needs of food.
I will try to put in more details about him as I read through the book in future posts.
- Siddartha Pamulaparty
27 June 2008.
In the Preface, I found something very interesting and thought of just posting it to my blog, with needful translation of Mr.Reddy's original words in Telugu.
Here it goes:
"nrusimhaa raamakrishneShu Shaadgunyam paripooritham", this Sanskrit phase means that: Narasimha avatara (the lion-faced incarnation of Vishnu) has the quality of "opulence" (aishwaryamu), Rama has the quality of opulence plus "pleasantness" (maadhuryamu) and Krishna combines the qualities of opulence, pleasantness along with "vigor or prowess" (veeryamu). Thus these qualities have become a completeness through these three avataras. In Telugu, there were 3 "shataka"s (a collection of hundred poems) dedicated to each of these avataras, namely:
1) Sri Narasimha Shatakam
2) Dhaasharadhi Shatakam (Rama)
3) Sri Krishna Shatakam
Of the 23 incarnations of Sri Maha Vishnu, according to all puranas, except for the three stated above, none are associated with the pre-fixed title "Sri". These three incarnations have the nature of Vishnu deep-rooted within them.
"Sri Raama Raama Raamethi, Rame Raame Manorame, Sahasranaama tat tulyam Raama naama varaanane": according to this famous sloka, chanting the name of Rama once is equivalent to chanting the thousand names of Vishnu (Vishnu Sahasranamasttotram). That is the reason why the name of Rama, earned the "Sri" title.
Narasimha swamy always has Lakshmi in His proximity. Hence a 'Sri' for Him.
And "Krishnasthu bhagawaan swayam", roughly, Krishna is the God Himself, hence He is always Sri Krishna.
Similarly another extract, on the influence of Bammera Pothana on Seshappa Kavi:
Every poem of the Sri Narasimha Shatakam, clearly proves that Seshappa Kavi has mastered the Pothana's literary magnum opus "SrimadhaandhramahaaBhaagavatam" and had studied it in depth. For instance in the 74th poem, where he questions on the subject saying "why should caste or creed become a criteria to be blessed by Sri Hari?", quoting examples of Vyaasa, Viduraa, Vaalmiki, he also quotes :"Sri Suka", which is noteworthy. The first time "Suka" was called "Sri Suka" was by Bammera Potana and the only other who used the same is again our Seshappa.
It is important to note something here: the three words Hamsa--Parama Hamsa--Sri Parama Hamsa, have different annotations and meanings. The one who meditates on Brahman is Hamsa (check out the word "So Ham"), the deity who shines with the attributes of motionless and life (compare stillness,as in death and movement, as in life) is Parama Hamsa and that who is free of stillness (irrationality) and is full of life (Spirit and sensation) is Sri Parama Hamsa. Seers and philosophers have called "Sri Suka" as "Sri Parama Hamsa". Our beloved Seshappa clearly knows that "Suka" is not an ordinary "Suka", but "Sri Suka".
About Seshappa Kavi (very very brief):
Seshappa Kavi, according to the book, could have approximately during 1800 AD. He belonged to Dharmapuri, a holy place on the banks of Godavari River in the Telangana region. He was a poet who dedicated his life to Sri Narasimha Swamy.
He wrote two Shatakams. The first centennial is called "Sri NRukEsaree" shatakam. The second is the Sri Narasimha Shatakam. He claimed his "linguistic" skills are plain ordinary. Along with his skills with the language, he was a highly devout person and this shows in most of his poems.
Also, it seems from many of his poems that he lived in dire poverty and sometimes had to plead and take help of scoundrels to survive, for basic needs of food.
I will try to put in more details about him as I read through the book in future posts.
- Siddartha Pamulaparty
27 June 2008.
Comments
Recenlty, I came across Narasimha Shatakam when my father was going through it. When I went to the Sri Laxi Narasimha Swamy temple at Dharmapuri also the priest told me to read Narasimha Shatakam. You can download telugu .pdf from http://srilakshminarasimha.org/Narasimha-Shatakam.htm. S.P. Balasubraman sang this shatakam. I also came across another location http://www.archive.org/details/NarasimhaSatakam read it as poems.
Lava Kumar