(rendered into English by Dr. Sista Shanta)
(Continued from the Previous Issue)
I was planning to compose a song on Nannagaru. Mother is Nannagaru’s better half, inseparable like the Ardhanariswara – concept.
Many of us visit Mother. She cooks food for all of us with great love. It is possible because of Nannagaru’s liberal nature. At that point of time there was no Annapurnalayam. Nannagaru provided the comfort of a place to stay and food. When compared to his generous nature everything else fades away into insignificance.
While Mother was creating an ideal, model society with her affection and kindness, by supporting her and being a prop to her, he played a very significant role. When I realized his greatness, goodness and benevolence I was greatly impressed and I wanted to compose a song about him. “Brahmanda Vamshabdhi Tilaka” (The paragon of the family name called Brahmandam) is the 24th song written on 26th and 27th of September, 1957.
Come oh golden sapling on earth
(Bhuviloni bangaru molaka)
The paragon of the Brahmanda family
(Brahmanda vamshabdhi tilaka)
This is the burden of the song. This song is modeled on a popular private song “come oh golden uncle” (ravoyi bangaru mama). In the early days I used to address Nannagaru as Uncle. My family name is “Mannava” and Mother’s family name before her marriage was also “Mannava”. So I was her nephew and her husband my uncle. But because she is the mother, as her husband, I started addressing him as Nannagaru, later.
One without a beginning or an end
Bestowing wisdom on the ignorant
Who are unaware of their true existence
Showering affection – all smiles
While my Mother speaks sweetly
Come oh ye part the prop to my Mother.
When husband and wife are made for each other, such a pair is usually addressed as Parrot and Maina in Telugu (chilaka gorinka)
This is the first verse. “The one who realizes one’s true nature knows everything under the sun” is an explicit statement made by Mother.
“You see only one side of an object dear. But there is also the other side. What is that? That is you. Though you can see everything you are unable to see yourself.” This is the Truth Mother revealed for the first time. Full moon light, new moon darkness; festivities – Natural calamities; one who is born opulent – one who is born in penury… we observe many such events and people. According to the circumstances we weep and smile. But all this has the reverse side, the second side and the one who sees the other side is the seer. And the true seer sees both sides. This is the clarification Mother gives. This is the ultimate state in Advaita. Everything is a manifestation of the “supreme power” Shakti.
Thus she bestows the knowledge of the absolute, eternal Truth on the ignorant, as effortlessly and simply as she would feed morsels of food to small children “everything is Truth;” says Mother, the embodiment of knowledge. (Jnana Prasoon Amba). To such a lady of wisdom, whose very words are nectarine, Brahmandam Nageswara Rao garu alias Nannagaru is the support. I feel the pair, Mother and Nannagaru are like the proverbial parrot and maina. Therefore I addressed Nannagaru as the parrot.
No cages – no bondage
With increasing delight eternally happy
To the elated beings on this golden earth
Let my Mother’s golden words flow
Come like the creator to spread fragrance.
This is the second verse.
Nannagaru did not put any restrictions or fix boundaries either for Mother or for the visitors and declared “these people should come” “only these people should come”. These people are with you and they should conduct themselves only in this manner etc. He did not place any hurdles in anyone’s path. Because of his grace we all are fortunate to speak to her, to be with her, and even touch her. My infinite gratitude to Nannagaru and thousands of prostrations at his feet.
Therefore I sang “No cage, no attachment”. This describes the two stages in the Dvaita philosophy viz. to be in the same premises (salokya), sarupya to acquire a similar form as the deity you worship, and as in Advaita to merge or become one with the deity, sayujya. Bal Gangadhar Tilak, one of the foremost and committed freedom fighters declared that “freedom is our birth right”. Similarly everyone felt that it is his/her right to walk straight to Mother because she is his/her’s alone exclusively.
Here the words ‘pongaaru praanulu” the elated beings – refers to her children, the infinite brood of Mother. “Navanavonmesha mai”, “nitya santosha mai” with increasing delight and eternal happiness. “Creation, sustenance and dissolution” is an on-going process that takes place ceaselessly. Childhood, youth, old age, birth and death are not pertaining only to the living beings, but the so called inert objects like mud, rubies and stone also go through the same process. The greatness of this unique quality is described in the Vedas as “Sadyojatam prapadye ami ami sadiya jaataaya vai namo namah❞ i.e. I worship the god who manifests on the spot according to the need and the desire of the hour; to such a one my prostrations. In this manner I eulogize him. The pearls referred to in the song are the innumerable children of Mother whom she considers as very special like pearls. “Bangaaru vasudha” golden earth is Mother’s womb. Mother with her (sankalpa) powerful will bring on to this earth the pearl like children. The seeds that are sown by Mother need water to germinate. And it is the duty of Nannagaru to water the soil. There is an adage in Telugu Language which says that he who has transplanted the seedlings will have to water them too. (naaru poosina vaade neeru postaadu). So I said “come down as Brahman, shower the perfumed water oh parrot!.
“Nannagaru! Brahmavai neeru poyadaaniki randi” I welcomed Nannagaru “please come down as Brahman to water the plants”. And he himself is the golden sapling, the divine father. When I sang this song instead of singing “bangaaru molaka” I sang “bangaaru gilaka” Nannagaru was amused and Mother had a beautiful smile on her face. It is a natural reaction. When a child jumps on the chest of the parents they only rejoice, they never get angry.