Monday, July 1, 2013

Potana Mahabhagavatam: A Series of Interludes in Quest of Salvation or Liberation


Every literature is credited for its rich variety of contributions in all kinds of genres. Telugu literature is specially acclaimed for its rich poetic output by famous poets like Nannaya, Tikkana, Errana, Potana and Srinadha. Among all the well-known poets of Telugu literature, Potana has a pivotal place for translating Sanskrit Bhagavata Puranam into Andhra Mahabhagavatam that stands unique and distinctive in multifarious aspects. The well-coveted work is known for Bhakti, the deep devotion and total surrender to God.   It is also known for its lucidity as it is within the reach of a common man. Every Telugu speaker quotes some verses from it in one or the other context. Finally, it has won encomiums for its figurative language. It therefore secures for him unrivalled fame as the crown jewel of Telugu literature for its unmatched merits.    

Potana, popularly known as Bammera Potana, was a farmer as well as a scholar of Telugu and Sanskrit languages, hailing from Bammera, a village from Warangal district of Telangana region. He adopted the farming vocation to be independent rather than to be dependent on the patron-kings. His maiden contribution, Bogini Dandakam was however dedicated to his patron-king, Sarvajana Singha Bhoopala, a popular Sanskrit playwright.  He, who was devotional to Lord Shiva in his youth, became the deep devotee and ardent adorer of Lord Vishnu, treating both the gods with equal devotion and adoration. He firmly believes in the opinion that it is a blemish on the part of people if they fail to worship Lord Shiva with folded meditative hands and Lord Vishnu with mouthful hymnal chants:

Chetularanga Shivuni pujimpadeni
Noru novvanga Hari keerthi salupadeni

As a poet, Potana considered poetry not only a divine art and worthy offering to Lord Rama, one of the incarnations of Lord Vishnu; .but also a supreme source for all to achieve salvation. He therefore dedicated his magnum opus, Andhra Mahabhagavatam to the Lord. He did not believe in hero-worship or king-worship. His sole aim was salvation through divine-worship and divine grace. Like Rabindranath Tagore, he felt that his appropriate offering to God is his supreme art of poetry. He, both as a poet and man, deeply loves compassion and truth and all should practice them to be worthy as human beings as not to be traitors to their mothers:
    
Dayayu satyambulonuga thalupadeni
            Kaluganetiki tallula kadupuchetu.

For Potana, through compassion and truth one can attain the status of divinity. He teaches morals and advises all to follow them scrupulously for the freedom of the soul. He at the same time feels that compassion and truth are really relevant and essentially concomitant for social reform especially in the present days of false values.  He identifies with the devotional characters of Mahabhagavatham like Prahlada and the elephant king, Gajendra who seek deliverance through the Divine grace as the Divine is the ultimate powers for the granting of salvation. A deep devotion and total surrender in the Divine bestows on Prahlada protection against the demon, Hiranyakasipu’s ordeals and hazards. Prahlada overcomes all these in deep meditation to Lord Srihari (Vishnu).His father Demon commands him to relinquish his meditation to Lord Srihari but he does not obey. He positively takes them all and remains unshaken in mind and unhurt in body. He treats his deep adoration to Sri Hari as the fittest and the most welcome one in quest of salvation despite a series of interludes. He gives the most convincing and fitting reply against his father’s blind wish through a series of living allusions. He cannot be away from his most wishful mellifluous meditation to Lord Srihari in the way the bee does not hover round grass flowers while reveling the sweet honey of the hibiscus, the regal swan does not like to swim in the ocean while swimming in the breeze of the Ganges, the cuckoo does not search for the old leaves while relishing the juices of tender leaflets, and the chakora (partridge) does not fly in gloomy places while being inspired by the full-moon:
    
            Mandara makaranda madhuryamunadelu madhupambu vovune madnamulaku
Nirmala mandakini veechikala dugu rayancha sanune tharanginulaku
Lalitha rasala pallava khadiyai chokku koyila cherune kutajamulaku
Boornendu chandrika spuritha chakora marugune sandhraneeharamulaku.

Prahlada’s deep meditation to God is not averted by deadly commands of his father Hiranyakasipu as his sole goal is communion with God. For him life is God and He is to take care of life. He seeks deliverance for his father demon also.  During the avatars like Lord Varaha, Lord Rama and Lord Krishna, the Lord saves devotee and grants him salvation.   Potana has a strong faith that He comes to our rescue by punishing evil-doers and peril-creators in the way Lord Krishna comes to the rescue of Dhrowpadhi. Like a shepherd He looks after His sheep at all times for their safety as He is the Savior of not only mankind but also other livings. He comes to the rescue of a true devotee and grants him salvation too. God possesses overflowing compassion for him who surrenders by seeking refuge in Him. Potana himself gets the divine grace for his true devotion. For the description of ‘vaikuntam’ he started and completed only the first line: Ala vaikuntapurambulo nagarilo a mula soudhambu dapala. He was not able to complete the other three lines of the quatrain. Lord Rama came in the guise of him, the devotee-poet and completed the three lines to his pleasant surprise.                       

Potata, as a poet, never takes any credit for translating Andhra Mahabhagavatham. He said that he was instrumental in this yeoman contribution.  He states the fact that it is Bhagavatham that speaks; and Lord Rama who makes him speak it:
           
Palikedidhi Bhagavathamata
            Palikincheduvadu Ramabhadrundata
            
Through Bhagavatam, Potana has the sole goal of salvation, the freedom of the soul, his deliverance after a series of interludes. As a devotee, he aspires for ardent adoration for God, as man he aims at deep devotion and as a poet he wants freedom to offer his work to Lord Rama in quest of salvation. His sacred work of Mahabhagavatham leads him to salvation.  Why does somebody else speak so?     
           
…      …    …    …     …    Ne
            Palikina bhavaharamagunata
            Palikeda verokandu gadha palukaganela.   
                 
As a poet, Potana portrays in Andhra Mahabhagavatham, the sense of devotion towards God on the part of a true devotee and presents the ways to attain salvation. For his true devotion to God, he is called Bhakta Potana. When he is in deep meditation, Lord Rama appears in the form of a king and apprises him of the need for the translation of Vyasa’s Sankrit Mahabhagavatham into Telugu. He readily accepts to undertake the stupendous work with excellent dexterity and ardent dedication. He skillfully handles the concept of devotion, Bhakti. The wide popularity of the book is ascribed to the theme of salvation. It is God’s infinite mercy alone that grants His devotee salvation and captures a special mention in Bhakti literature especially in Andhra Mahabhagavatham.  

Potana starts his Andhra Mahabhagavatham with the invocation in the epic tradition of Milton’s Paradise Lost: ‘to justify the ways of God to man’. Potana’s epic of epics reflects the theme in the other way round that it is to justify ways of God to a true devotee, the Bhagavatha.  He prays to God in the form of a hymn like Milton who stats his epic with an invocation. He admits that God can bestow on His devotee the shower of blessings for due reward through divine grace. He prays for kaivalya. God is now here to save the universe and care for His devotees. He punishes the sinners. He creates the universe as a part of His lila. He is none but Lord Krishna, Son of Yasoda:
           
Kaivalyapadambu jerutakai chintinchadani lokara   
            Kshaikarambagu bhakti palana kala samrambhakun danavo
            Drekasthambaku kelilola vilasaddrugjala sambhuta na
            Nakunjata bhavandakumbbhaku maha nandangana dhimbakun

Andhra Mahabhagavatham is of a series of epics in twelve cantos with the inroads into the salvation of the soul. It reflects technical brilliance and artistic excellence in portraying the theme of salvation. It is distinctive for its use of figures of speech especially similes and metaphors. Potana employs the figures of speech for telling effect and realistic picturesque. The use of figurative language and samasas, excellent clusters of words is an integral part of Andhra Mahabhagavatham to enrich his bhakti lyrics. He describes the battle of Satyabhama, accompanied by Lord Krishna, presenting it visual effect with snapshot details. The battle is the rain in the field with infinite arrows shot by her. He uses a series of metaphors for dramatic effect in the quatrain. Satyabhama is lightning, Lord Krishna is the dark blue cloud, the arrows are constant rain drops, etc. The battle as a whole is the rainy season with the constant shower of rain:
           
Jyavallidhwani garjanambuga sural saranga yudhambugan
            A villu indra sharasanamuga sarojaktundu meghambugan
            A vidyullata bhangi ninthi surajiddavagni magnambugan
            Bravutkalam chese banachaya mambashsheekara shrenigan.

There is no exaggeration to say that the sound echoes the sense in the stanza. Andhrabhagavatham refects the same telling effect as it is embedded with alakaras (figures of speech) and samasas (clusters of words) to facilitate the readers with the felicity of expressions. For example, ‘sarojakshundu’ is the word with the combination of two words: ’saroja’ and ‘akshundu’ mean ‘lotus’ and ‘one who possesses the eyes’ respectively. The cluster of words means ‘a person of lotus-like eyes’ i.e. ‘Lord Krishna’. Here the two words with individual meanings mean together some something else. It is ‘anya padartha pradhnam’. Such cluster or samasa is called ‘bahuvreehi’ and the most preferred one for felicity of expression. Potana is fond of extensive use of ‘samasas’ along with the figurative language, ‘alankaras’ like alliteration for musical effect and similes and metaphors for telling effect to result in the comprehensive understanding of the subject of liberation. Both the saint-poet and the devotee-reader feel that it is superbly suitable to the subtle subject of Bhakti literature like Andhra Mahabhagavatham and it is an undeniable fact and unquestionable trait for the epic stature.     

In the Bhagavatham, the three different characters- God, devotee and demon- are portrayed in every episode like Milton who similarly creates the characters: God, Adam and Satan in the Paradise Lost. The first one as per Potana and Milton is God who is the savior of His devotees at all odds and frauds; obstacles and hurdles; ills and perils. The second is the Bhagavatha, the bhakta or the true devotee like Prahlada for whom the demon Hiranyakasipu is the worst hazard in the path of devotion for his communion with God. In the Paradise Lost, Adam, who is innocent to represent the race of man eats the fruit of the forbidden tree to result in his disobedience on the beguiling force of Satan. The third one is the demon like Hiranyakasipu, Narakasura or Ravanasura, a representative of some or the other evil trait. He creates hazards in the path of devotion of good characters like Prahlada but they face them at ease against his surprise and surmise. In Milton, Satan, in spite of his unconquerable will, fails to go against God’s will in quest of retaliation and eventually experiences his defeat. 
       
Andhra Mahabhagavatham reflects the message that God has infinite grace to shower blessings on man in deep devotion and ardent adoration to Him for the sense of salvation or liberation which is the only essential goal for his communion with Him. Man in true devotion passes through a series of interludes to lay inroads into the path of salvation, the freedom or deliverance of the soul or liberation to be away from the petty circles of earthly life. The Bhagavatham is the tale of tales, telling about the bhagavatha (the true devotee of God). It is God to be pleased when His true devotees are rewarded and awarded; revered and honored. If it is contrary or any offence is committed to His true devotee, all the demons responsible for the sinful guilt and crime against God are punished. The Ambarisha-Durvasa episode of the Bhagavatham is the best example for this. It is Sage Durvasa, who offends Ambarisha, an absolute devotee and emperor of extreme humility; is duly punished in spite his approach to every god for protection. It is Hiranyakasipu, who compels Prahlada to forget Lord Vishnu, is slain in spite of all possible means to escape death. Every episode of the Bhagavatham narrates the story of a Bhagavatha, a true devotee who is rescued by God as He has divine grace for His devotees to grant them salvation which every pure heart  and high soul craves to secure in the path of  Bhakti.

                                                                                                                              TRIVENI

                                                                                                          Vol:82,  Jul-Sep. 2013