Sunday, February 24, 2013
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Unmasked
Love is divine, Love the divine,
Me and my heart shall be the shrine.
Will will come, from the mind of mine,
when my mind and soul, together they interwine.
Living in delusion, Alas! I have been,
with a clouded mind, and the truth unseen.
You waken me up, thank you O Lord!
bless me the Will, it will be my sword.
I will try to take off the mask,
difficult yes! but not an impossible task.
Gracious will be the way, I live,
for I have a pure & sublime love, to give.
Sunday, January 22, 2006
Annamacharya
"venkaTAdri samam sthAnam, brahmANDe nAsti kinchana venkateSa samo devo, na bhUto na bhaviSyati!"
There is no place in the entire universe that equals Venkatadri(Tirumala), the place where the Lord resides and there is no God, neither in the past nor in the future who equals Venkateswara(Balaji).
"Whenever the earth is permeated with sins, Lord Vishnu takes it upon himself to cleanse it by some means - the stick and carrot policy of punishment or appeasement. This time he chose to win over people through Bhakti and music."
Sri Tallapaka ANNAMACHARYA(1408-1503) the mystic saint composer of the 15th century is the earliest known musician of South India to compose SANKIRTHANAS(devotional songs) in praise of LORD VENKATESWARA(Balaji), the deity of Seven Hills in Tirumala and a manifestation of Lord Vishnu himself. Annamcharya is believed to be the incarnation of Lord Venkateswara's NANDAKA(sword). Annamacharya is the greatest of the poets born in the Tallapaka family of poets, music composers and scholars in Telugu and Sankrit popularized the Srivaishnava faith in Andhra Pradesh in the 15th and 16th centuries.
A holy couple, Narayana Suri and Lakkamamba, did not have children for a long time who then visited Tirumala Temple and while they were prostrating in front of the DHWAJA STHAMBHA(holy pillar), a dazzling brilliance from the sword of Lord Venkateswara struck them like a lightening. Eventually a boy was born to them and they named him Annamayya. Annamayya became Annamacharya when the sage Ghana Vishnu at Tirumala converted him into a Vaishnavaite at the age of 8, the age at which he ran away to Tirupati and lived in Tirumala for some time and was initiated into Sri Vaishnava faith. He then read many vedas and excelled in his knowledge.
Sometime later his people sought him out and took him home where he was married. His marriage did not interfere with his spiritual interests and he became a disciple of the saint Shathakopayati of Ahobalam and studied all the sacred texts. Although he propitiated other deities like Rama, Krishna, Narasimha and Vitthala, he viewed them as forms of Venkateswara, the Ultimate Reality. He spent the rest of his life in his lord's service and devoting his time between TAllapAka and Tirumala.
During his long and prolific career, Annamacharya composed 32,000 Sankirtanas, 12 Satakas (sets of hundred verses), Ramayana in the form of Dwipada, SankIrtana Lakshanam (Characteristics of sankIrtanas), Sringaara Manjari, and Venkatachala Mahatmamyam. His works were mostly in Telugu and Sanskrit.
Annamacharya wrote the sankirtanas on palm leaves and later his son Pedda Tirumalacharya got them engraved on copper plates. But for reasons not known, most of these copper plates lay hidden in a rock built cell opposite to Hundi in the Tirumala temple unnoticed for over 400 years. In 1922, twenty five hundred copper plates, comprising of about 14,000 sankIrtanas and a few other works were found there which was later named as SANKIRTHANA BHANDAGAR(Devotional Songs Warehouse). Ever since the discovery of this lost treasure, Tirumala Tirupati Devastanams (TTD) and other organizations in India are working hard to promote the music and literature of Annamacharya. Traditionally his songs are classified into Adhyaatama(devotional), Sringaara(romantic) samkirtanaas.
Many renowned musicians of the south like Late Sri Rallapalli Ananthakrishna Sharma, Sri Nedunuri Krishnamurthy, Sri M.Bala MuraliKrishna, and Sri G.Balakrishna Prasad have composed music to some of these songs in various genres enabling these magical verses to be cherished musically and have blessed the devotees of lord sri venkateshwara and the greatest saint Sri Tallapaka annamcharya to have the fruits of these priceless sankirthanas.
What is in those holy verses? Why are they so captivating? What is in them that fascinate millions? Why are people addicted to them and what makes them immensely devoted to those songs and fill there heart with blissful devotion? Are they so eternal, so sublime?
How to start? Where to start? ..... If left alone in eternal space where there is only dazzling light all around and the very ambience is filled with the name of god, the sole odour that you ever smell is his fragrance, the very thing that you see is god himself and whatever you speak comes out as his name, is what I have to picture in words!! Is it my boon that I am writing about those magical verses or is it my doom that I dont have any words to illustrate what can only be felt by those blessed singers and even more blessed audience of those sankirthanams. Though it is quite unjustified to translate those sanskrit and telugu utterences of a great saint in english by a layman like me, I would like to take the privilege & pleasure of putting forth the essence of those songs in my own way.
"entamAtramuna evvaru talachina antamAtramey neevu" which says "O Lord !!! what one conceives you as, is what you are..." Is there any better qualified way to manifest the supreme power, the almighty, the lord of the lords? "vaishnavaites pray you as Lord Vishnu, Shaivas pray you as Lord Shiva and great scholars themselves call you as the parabrahma. For those who think less of you, you are lesser and for those who think great of you, you are greater... " and so it goes. This is one of the most popular sankirthanams of Annamacharya.
Annamayya's songs, which he considered as "flower- offerings" to God are his outstanding achievements. He praises Venkateswara, describes his love for Him, argues and quarrels with Him, meditates on His attributes, confesses his failures and apprehensions, and surrenders himself to Him in them. He says, "Your omnipotent name has all vedas imbibed in it. Narada maharshi ( saint ) chanted your name as Narayana, Prahlada reached upto you praying you as Narasimha, Vibhishan sought you calling you Rama, Dhruva called you Vasudeva, Arjuna saw you in Krishna, and I call you as Venkatesha. How does it ever matter what we call you as, when you are always there to stand beside us."
The power of those songs are incredible. Rather than calling them as songs, we can call them as Mantras (magical words), the reasons being many. They have saved lives, cured diseases and brought peace in lives. They make you forget all your agonies. They take you to feel the eternal bliss. They are meditative all the way. There are thousands of homes in which these songs are heard the whole day, everyday. Yes.. I am a witness. At this point, I would regret if I dont share this experience of mine with the readers. My father, one of the pioneers in the field of Annamcharya sankeerthanams, as usually was rendering these songs in one of his concerts. It is quite common that people of diverse cultures and from many parts of the state attend his concerts. That day, a muslim, who was present there among the audience, told my mom, "I can't understand what that great man is singing, but his songs are enthralling me and refraining me from taking my leave. After all, God is one". This is just one among hundreds of such experiences that I have had. There is no exaggeration in saying it out, I think, that even atheists will give themselves a second thought if they listen to those songs. Its all in the glory of those rich, powerful and soulstirring songs which simply can spellbound anyone.
To demonstrate such mystical events, I don't think there is any better example than the life of Annamayya itself. Once, Salava Narasingaraya, a king asked annamayya to sing a song praising him(the king) which was modestly detested by Annamayya. The king, who was infuriated, then imprisoned Annamayya and commanded soldiers to torture him(Annamayya). Annamayya then sang a song "Nee daasula bhangamulu neevu chootuvaa.." which means "Can you see the abshment of your devotees??.." for which the iron chains with which he was tied broke. The king, who dismissed the evidences of his soldiers, himself came then and tied Annamayya with iron chains. Annamayya then sang another song "Aakati velala alapyna velalanu tekuva hari naamamey dikku mari ledu.." which says "in those tough times, oh Hari (lord)!! your name is the only help that I can seek for ...". The chain again got dismantled by the power of divinity. The king regretted and at a later stage helped in engraving Annamacharya sankeerthanams on copper plates.
One song a day at least, and thus he composed 32,000 songs. Each song is a mantra in itself. Even in these time where movie songs are so much heard on media, Annamacharya songs have their own stature, its own set of audience, not in thousands but in millions. Only such marvelous songs from an extraordinary saint can captivate so many hearts. Mine is one among them.
There is no place in the entire universe that equals Venkatadri(Tirumala), the place where the Lord resides and there is no God, neither in the past nor in the future who equals Venkateswara(Balaji).
"Whenever the earth is permeated with sins, Lord Vishnu takes it upon himself to cleanse it by some means - the stick and carrot policy of punishment or appeasement. This time he chose to win over people through Bhakti and music."
Sri Tallapaka ANNAMACHARYA(1408-1503) the mystic saint composer of the 15th century is the earliest known musician of South India to compose SANKIRTHANAS(devotional songs) in praise of LORD VENKATESWARA(Balaji), the deity of Seven Hills in Tirumala and a manifestation of Lord Vishnu himself. Annamcharya is believed to be the incarnation of Lord Venkateswara's NANDAKA(sword). Annamacharya is the greatest of the poets born in the Tallapaka family of poets, music composers and scholars in Telugu and Sankrit popularized the Srivaishnava faith in Andhra Pradesh in the 15th and 16th centuries.
A holy couple, Narayana Suri and Lakkamamba, did not have children for a long time who then visited Tirumala Temple and while they were prostrating in front of the DHWAJA STHAMBHA(holy pillar), a dazzling brilliance from the sword of Lord Venkateswara struck them like a lightening. Eventually a boy was born to them and they named him Annamayya. Annamayya became Annamacharya when the sage Ghana Vishnu at Tirumala converted him into a Vaishnavaite at the age of 8, the age at which he ran away to Tirupati and lived in Tirumala for some time and was initiated into Sri Vaishnava faith. He then read many vedas and excelled in his knowledge.
Sometime later his people sought him out and took him home where he was married. His marriage did not interfere with his spiritual interests and he became a disciple of the saint Shathakopayati of Ahobalam and studied all the sacred texts. Although he propitiated other deities like Rama, Krishna, Narasimha and Vitthala, he viewed them as forms of Venkateswara, the Ultimate Reality. He spent the rest of his life in his lord's service and devoting his time between TAllapAka and Tirumala.
During his long and prolific career, Annamacharya composed 32,000 Sankirtanas, 12 Satakas (sets of hundred verses), Ramayana in the form of Dwipada, SankIrtana Lakshanam (Characteristics of sankIrtanas), Sringaara Manjari, and Venkatachala Mahatmamyam. His works were mostly in Telugu and Sanskrit.
Annamacharya wrote the sankirtanas on palm leaves and later his son Pedda Tirumalacharya got them engraved on copper plates. But for reasons not known, most of these copper plates lay hidden in a rock built cell opposite to Hundi in the Tirumala temple unnoticed for over 400 years. In 1922, twenty five hundred copper plates, comprising of about 14,000 sankIrtanas and a few other works were found there which was later named as SANKIRTHANA BHANDAGAR(Devotional Songs Warehouse). Ever since the discovery of this lost treasure, Tirumala Tirupati Devastanams (TTD) and other organizations in India are working hard to promote the music and literature of Annamacharya. Traditionally his songs are classified into Adhyaatama(devotional), Sringaara(romantic) samkirtanaas.
Many renowned musicians of the south like Late Sri Rallapalli Ananthakrishna Sharma, Sri Nedunuri Krishnamurthy, Sri M.Bala MuraliKrishna, and Sri G.Balakrishna Prasad have composed music to some of these songs in various genres enabling these magical verses to be cherished musically and have blessed the devotees of lord sri venkateshwara and the greatest saint Sri Tallapaka annamcharya to have the fruits of these priceless sankirthanas.
What is in those holy verses? Why are they so captivating? What is in them that fascinate millions? Why are people addicted to them and what makes them immensely devoted to those songs and fill there heart with blissful devotion? Are they so eternal, so sublime?
How to start? Where to start? ..... If left alone in eternal space where there is only dazzling light all around and the very ambience is filled with the name of god, the sole odour that you ever smell is his fragrance, the very thing that you see is god himself and whatever you speak comes out as his name, is what I have to picture in words!! Is it my boon that I am writing about those magical verses or is it my doom that I dont have any words to illustrate what can only be felt by those blessed singers and even more blessed audience of those sankirthanams. Though it is quite unjustified to translate those sanskrit and telugu utterences of a great saint in english by a layman like me, I would like to take the privilege & pleasure of putting forth the essence of those songs in my own way.
"entamAtramuna evvaru talachina antamAtramey neevu" which says "O Lord !!! what one conceives you as, is what you are..." Is there any better qualified way to manifest the supreme power, the almighty, the lord of the lords? "vaishnavaites pray you as Lord Vishnu, Shaivas pray you as Lord Shiva and great scholars themselves call you as the parabrahma. For those who think less of you, you are lesser and for those who think great of you, you are greater... " and so it goes. This is one of the most popular sankirthanams of Annamacharya.
Annamayya's songs, which he considered as "flower- offerings" to God are his outstanding achievements. He praises Venkateswara, describes his love for Him, argues and quarrels with Him, meditates on His attributes, confesses his failures and apprehensions, and surrenders himself to Him in them. He says, "Your omnipotent name has all vedas imbibed in it. Narada maharshi ( saint ) chanted your name as Narayana, Prahlada reached upto you praying you as Narasimha, Vibhishan sought you calling you Rama, Dhruva called you Vasudeva, Arjuna saw you in Krishna, and I call you as Venkatesha. How does it ever matter what we call you as, when you are always there to stand beside us."
The power of those songs are incredible. Rather than calling them as songs, we can call them as Mantras (magical words), the reasons being many. They have saved lives, cured diseases and brought peace in lives. They make you forget all your agonies. They take you to feel the eternal bliss. They are meditative all the way. There are thousands of homes in which these songs are heard the whole day, everyday. Yes.. I am a witness. At this point, I would regret if I dont share this experience of mine with the readers. My father, one of the pioneers in the field of Annamcharya sankeerthanams, as usually was rendering these songs in one of his concerts. It is quite common that people of diverse cultures and from many parts of the state attend his concerts. That day, a muslim, who was present there among the audience, told my mom, "I can't understand what that great man is singing, but his songs are enthralling me and refraining me from taking my leave. After all, God is one". This is just one among hundreds of such experiences that I have had. There is no exaggeration in saying it out, I think, that even atheists will give themselves a second thought if they listen to those songs. Its all in the glory of those rich, powerful and soulstirring songs which simply can spellbound anyone.
To demonstrate such mystical events, I don't think there is any better example than the life of Annamayya itself. Once, Salava Narasingaraya, a king asked annamayya to sing a song praising him(the king) which was modestly detested by Annamayya. The king, who was infuriated, then imprisoned Annamayya and commanded soldiers to torture him(Annamayya). Annamayya then sang a song "Nee daasula bhangamulu neevu chootuvaa.." which means "Can you see the abshment of your devotees??.." for which the iron chains with which he was tied broke. The king, who dismissed the evidences of his soldiers, himself came then and tied Annamayya with iron chains. Annamayya then sang another song "Aakati velala alapyna velalanu tekuva hari naamamey dikku mari ledu.." which says "in those tough times, oh Hari (lord)!! your name is the only help that I can seek for ...". The chain again got dismantled by the power of divinity. The king regretted and at a later stage helped in engraving Annamacharya sankeerthanams on copper plates.
One song a day at least, and thus he composed 32,000 songs. Each song is a mantra in itself. Even in these time where movie songs are so much heard on media, Annamacharya songs have their own stature, its own set of audience, not in thousands but in millions. Only such marvelous songs from an extraordinary saint can captivate so many hearts. Mine is one among them.
Tuesday, February 15, 2005
My Dream Lady
Oh..I am enthralled
A belle lady spellbound me
Feelings of agony in my heart
I have gone insipid, What did she?
Took me to meadows, did smooch me
Lulled me on her, cherubic was she.
Grown up the dawn & was too me
Forsaken fell I , there wasn't she.
Squealing went I, woke up at once
found the realm as it was
felt then I, that was a dream
Yet grieves me, yearned her my heart.
A belle lady spellbound me
Feelings of agony in my heart
I have gone insipid, What did she?
Took me to meadows, did smooch me
Lulled me on her, cherubic was she.
Grown up the dawn & was too me
Forsaken fell I , there wasn't she.
Squealing went I, woke up at once
found the realm as it was
felt then I, that was a dream
Yet grieves me, yearned her my heart.
Heart Felt
The moment u left me,
my heart sank in agony.
My life getting lurid,
leaving me insipid.
A great pain of clouds,
from the ocean sublime - my Heart,
reaching the endless sky - my Eyes
turning me pale with raining tears.
Never could I know the reason why
my heart went crazy of u?
Might be the reason says my moan,
that I don't have that relation of my own.
my heart sank in agony.
My life getting lurid,
leaving me insipid.
A great pain of clouds,
from the ocean sublime - my Heart,
reaching the endless sky - my Eyes
turning me pale with raining tears.
Never could I know the reason why
my heart went crazy of u?
Might be the reason says my moan,
that I don't have that relation of my own.
Monday, February 14, 2005
Love for Love's Sake
Whether the storms quiver the woods,
whether the quakes tremor the lands,
whether the oceans submerge the shores,
whether the flares fire the worlds..
whether the laws burn in fallacy,
whether the humanity vanishes in time,
whether the blood sheds in rivers,
whether the spirits cry in pain..
whether the angels go frail,
whether the god plays a bystander,
whether the Judgment day comes,
I'll love you & love you forever.
whether the quakes tremor the lands,
whether the oceans submerge the shores,
whether the flares fire the worlds..
whether the laws burn in fallacy,
whether the humanity vanishes in time,
whether the blood sheds in rivers,
whether the spirits cry in pain..
whether the angels go frail,
whether the god plays a bystander,
whether the Judgment day comes,
I'll love you & love you forever.
Colors of Life
Be like a VIOLET & look charming.
Unlike a fog in INDIGO , be clear.
Be tranquil & cordial like a deep BLUE sea.
Have a lushing GREEN heart, to pacify others.
Never ever have YELLOW in u,be candid.
Rise like the sun in ORANGE, look bright to all.
Have a RED heart for those who love u.
All together, a light life in WHITE,
pleasant & clear, for u & for all.
Petals of My Rose
It was mine when I was a lad
then became that of nature
When days of charm came
I lost it, not yet mine.
Lost in meadows once on a morn
when I was lurking in nature
came across an angel , a diva
and then started my grief
Once my heart was like a blushing rose
red & roving but happy ever all
what did the woman, don't I know.
Lost the petals of my rose.
then became that of nature
When days of charm came
I lost it, not yet mine.
Lost in meadows once on a morn
when I was lurking in nature
came across an angel , a diva
and then started my grief
Once my heart was like a blushing rose
red & roving but happy ever all
what did the woman, don't I know.
Lost the petals of my rose.
Don't Kiss Me GoodBye
Nights fell in my life
shrouded darkness all around.
No beams , no shadows
still alive i'm cos of u.
Came in u , when I was lonesome.
Blessed me the flavour of love.
Charmed I am , oh angelic
can't live without u
All I need is u
u alone & ur love to love me
ur smile to pacify my heart.
Don't kiss me goodbye.
shrouded darkness all around.
No beams , no shadows
still alive i'm cos of u.
Came in u , when I was lonesome.
Blessed me the flavour of love.
Charmed I am , oh angelic
can't live without u
All I need is u
u alone & ur love to love me
ur smile to pacify my heart.
Don't kiss me goodbye.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)