Sumati Shatakam - padyam and Commentary

After a long time let us once again peep into the wisdom of Sumati Shatakam.

Baddena the poet addresses the good mind the Sumati…

Word of advice to an imbecile is an effort wasted after all ...

పగ వలదెవ్వరితోడను

వగవంగావలదు లేమి వచ్చిన పిదపన్

తెగనాడవలదు సభలను

మగువకు మనసియ్యవలదు మహిలో సుమతీ

Paga valadevvari tODanu

vagavangA valadu lEmi vacchina pidapan

teganADa valadu saBhalanu

maguvaku manasiyyavaladu mahilO sumatI

పగ = animosity

వలదు = not required

ఎవ్వరితోడను = with anyone

వగవంగావలదు = don’t cry or feel sad

లేమి = poverty

వచ్చిన = having come

పిదపన్ - after

తెగనాడవలదు = don’t criticise

సభలను = courts or meetings

మగువకు = to a woman

మనసు = heart

ఇయ్యవలదు = don’t give

మహిలో = on the land

సుమతీ = Oh the good minded one…

Here poet proposes four things to be avoided.

Three of them for the mind. And may be one more for the tongue…

Or is that also for the mind also?

Make friends and not enemies is the good advice here. Hatred or bickering with none that too. It is easy to understand. Even if anyone harms you, it is to forgive the person and forget the incident. You can live happily. If one carries the ill will in the heart, life becomes miserable. One keeps thinking of somehow squaring up the matter. It makes one venomous. Bad in nature! Ghalib says

Kuch is tarah zindagi ko asaan kar liya mein nay

Kisiko baksh diya, kisise maafi maang liya mein ne…

I made my life easier this way… some I have forgiven and with others I have apologized…

No time to make friends and keep smiling… where do you find it to fume and blow your top off?

Poverty of money is no poverty at all. I have been living as happily as anyone without much money in the pocket. Forget about the bank! As long as you control your needs you live happily. There is enough in this world for my needs and not for my greed. Once you had money. Now it is gone, isn’t it? It is better. Life is giving you a chance to taste poverty too. Otherwise you never know what hunger is! In poverty what little comes to hand appears great, if you can imagine. So poverty is not for lamenting. It is for being one with majority of humanity…

Do you go to meetings and congregations? Do you really? Somehow I find myself in meetings very often. They pull me there per force even. Poet says not to critical at such assemblies. Good about it. Listen what is spoken by the others. If you have a point against one or all of them, simply say so, but not keep raving there only. Many people feel that critics are seen as special people. They think that they are noticed better. Not exactly so. Criticism is good but at the right place and time only. That is why poet asks you to behave when a lot of people are around. All of them need not react well to your ranting even if it has substance.

Bah… Baddena too warns men to keep away from fairer sex. He asks men never to lose heart to one of that class. Was he a broken heart? He must have been one surely. Is the Shatakam meant to be read only by menfolk and not women? Every once in a while I find this question staring me in the face. Earlier days writers and poets never too womenfolk into account while composing their works.

A Sumati could be a man and equally well a woman! But the last part of the verse cautions men against falling in love with females! That was how the society behaved. Male chauvinism at every step…

I do not really know what love is. I also feel all these songs and dances in the name of love too absurd to be devoted time. But the world looks like is going round and round along the wheel called love. Anyone who was successful and lived happily can say that love is divine, love is God and all that kitsch. One failed or seen other fail would suggest a la Baddena.

A little verse goes with a longish commentary perhaps. Tell me if you find this meaningful at all.

 Vijayagopal....

Sumati Padyam - Coward Captain

Here is Sumati padyam after a long time.
As usual, it is simple but interesting!

వరపైన చేను దున్నకు

కరవైనను బంధుజనులకడ కేగకుమీ
పరులకు మర్మము సెప్పకు
పిరికికి దళవాయితనము బెట్టకు సుమతీ

varapaina cEnu dunnaku
karavainanu bandhujanulakaDa kEgakumI
parulaku marmamu seppaku
pirikiki daLvAyitanamu beTTaku sumatI

వరపైన = when there are no rains
చేను = the field
దున్నకు = don’t till
కరవైనను = even in famine
బంధుజనులకడకు = to the relatives
ఏగకుమీ = don’t go
పరులకు = to the others
మర్మము = secret
సెప్పకు = don’t tell
పిరికికి = to a coward
దళవాయితనము = captaincy
పెట్టకు = don’t give
సుమతీ = Oh! The wise one!

An excellent poem with some simple truths!

Don’t till the land when they are no rains! On the face of it this looks so simple. Who would try to till the land when there are no rains? No one with the head on the shoulders! I see something deeper here. Baddena wants tell that one should know the timing for doing anything. For every act there is a right time. Like tilling the land is meaningful only after enough rains! When the land id dry, it is meaningless to try tilling it! Even eating without hunger is equally meaningless!

Even when famished don’t go to the relatives is the meaning of the second line. Yes, it is meaningless again to seek help from the relatives, more so if they are close! It is a friend who may be approached for help but not a brother or sister. In Telugu there is a saying which asks not to go to a sister when in bad situations. Sister may sympathise. But not her family members! You should know to whom to turn to when in need, is the advice here!

Don’t divulge your secrets to the others! Can there be a better advice? Who is this other person? Who are the people in his or her inner circle? If you tell something to me thinking I am reliable, I would tell it to another person whom I consider equally reliable. But, does this third person fall in the same circle as you? Once the cat is out of the bag, you do not have any control over it! It is better to keep a secret as what it is! A secret!!

(There is an interesting story about this coward captain!)

(We shall share it later!)

Don’t give the responsibility of leading the army to a coward! This does not need any expansion at all! A coward can never be a leader and not the least to an army!!

Classic wisdom at its best!!

Sumati Padyam on Leadership

ఒక యూరికి నొక కరణము
నొక తీర్పరియైనగాక నొగి దరచైనన్
గకవికలు గాక యుండునె?
సకలంబును గొట్టువడక సహజము సుమతీ

Oka yUriki noka karaNamu
noka tIrpariyainagAka nogi daracainan
gakavikalu gAka yunDune?
sakalambunu gottuvadaka sahajamu sumatI

ఒక యూరికిన్ = For a village

ఒక కరణము = One accountant

ఒక తీర్పరియైనగాక = One Judge

ఒగి దరచైనన్ = If there are more

గకవికలు గాక యుండునె? = Would it not be confusion?

సకలంబును = Everything

గొట్టువడక = without becoming problematic

సహజము = It is natural

సుమతీ = Oh the Wise one

These days we talk of collective leadership.
The management may be good enough as long as there is harmony among the leaders .
We are witness to the problems of collective leadership at the top level.
Half the time the leaders spend their days in keeping the flock together.
Baddena identified this problem long ago.
He says there should be only one person looking after the money matters of the village.
Karanams were the revenue officers at the village level till recently.
There cannoot be more than one such officer for a village says the poet.
Similarly the one who discharges justice at the village also should be only one person.
This is a point for discussion now!
If there is only one person giving judgements would he become autocratic?
History has such examples.
The poets questions that if there are more people involved in the affairs of the village, would it not naturally lead the situation into chaos?
 
It is always told that too many cooks spoil the broth.
Poet thus recommends a solid leadership!
On th whole he means that we have to be conscious about the quality of teh leadership and think well before selecting a leader. 
 
The verses in the Satakams are based on the collective experiences.
With passing times some of these ideas may call for a review.
 
Classic wisdom makes us think!!
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Sumati Satakam - The Mouth

ఇమ్ముగ జదువని నోరును,
నమ్మాయని పిలిచి యన్నమడుగని నోరున్
తమ్ములబిలువని నోరును
గుమ్మరి మనుదవ్వినట్టి గుంటర సుమతీ

immuga jaduvani nOrunu
nammAyani bilici yannamadugano nOrun
tammula biluvani nOrunu
gummari manudavvinaTTi gunTara sumatI

ఇమ్ముగ = very well
చదువని = not read
నోరును,= mouth
అమ్మాయని = saying Oh Mother!
పిలిచి = calling
అన్నము = food
అడుగని = not asking for
నోరున్ = mouth
తమ్ముల = brothers
పిలువని = not calling
నోరును = mouth
కుమ్మరి = potter
మను(మన్ను) = earth
తవ్వినట్టి = dug out
గుంటర = a pit
సుమతీ = oh the wise one!

Purport:

Oh, the wise one! Man has to study well to be wise. He should call out for the mother with love and respect and request her for food. He should show all his love for the people younger to him and always call them to his fold. For all these things, the organ in the body to be used is the mouth. If one does not do all these good things with the mouth, it is only comparable to a pit from which potter has already dug out the useful mud.

Vemana uses the word Chaduvani, which roughly means one that does not read out. It could also mean study. Vemana has used as many classical expressions in his verses as he used colloquial ones. So, we may interpret the first line of this poem as the mouth which does not read out a poem or prose well, or one that has not studied the books well. Calling out for mother and asking for food is the common thing that even as a child we learnt. There is also saying that unless called even the mother would not give food. Here, perhaps Vemana means that one should know the art of asking for his needs and requirements. If you do not ask and expect others to fulfil your needs, you will only be unhappy. If you ask, there is a possibility that the needs will be supplied. A mother would always wait for her child to ask for food. If you ask, she would only be too happy to feed. After you learn the art of asking what you want, you should think of those who are yet to master the craft. You have your little brothers and sisters looking for your guidance and leadership. You should always plead their cases also. If you don’t do these things, the voice tool you have is useless. The mouth that does not do good things and is used only to eat is like the pit from where the potter has dug out the mud. A pit is a pit. It could be of some use. But the one from which the useful mud is removed is good for only dumping waste. The mouth thus will be a dumping pit and the food eaten is equivalent to garbage.

What a way of putting ideas!!
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Sumati Satakam - Padyam

కనకపు సింహాసనమున
శునకము గూర్చుండ బెట్టి శుభలగ్నమునం
దొనరగ బట్టము గట్టిన
వెనుకటి గుణమేల మాను వినురా సుమతీ

kanakapu simhAsanamuna
shunakamu gUrchund betti shubhalagnamunan
donaraga pattamu gattina
Venukati gunamEla mAnu vinurA sumatI

కనకపు = golden
సింహాసనమున = on the throne
శునకము = dog
కూర్చుండ బెట్టి = made to sit
శుభలగ్నమునందు = on an auspicious moment
ఒనరగ = to suit
పట్టము గట్టిన = perform incarnation
వెనుకటి = olden
గుణము = character
ఏల = why
మాను = will stop
వినురా = listen
సుమతీ = Oh! The wise one

Meaning

Oh the wise one! On an auspicious occasion, you can make a dog to sit on the throne and make it the king. But, because of that, the dog cannot change its old habits. Please listen.

Each thing and living being has its own characteristics. It is natural. Sugar being sweet and salt being salty is natural. Water is fluid and ice is solid. They have to be like that. A dog will be a dog and a cat will be a cat. They would not change. Man after all is a man. But, interestingly the characters of each one are different. They are either good or bad. Sometimes good and sometimes bad. A naturally wile person will never become a virtuous one overnight. A good man will not turn villain either easily. Hence, we have to deal with people after learning about their nature. Simply because people change place or face, they cannot become someone else.

Let us enjoy classical wisdom!!
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Sumati Satakam - 12

(The picture has nothing to do with the post please!)

Sumati padyam

కరణముల ననుసరించక

విరసంబున దిన్న తిండి వికటించు జుమీ

యిరుసున గందెన బెట్టక

పరమేశ్వరు బండియైన పారదు సుమతీ

Meaning of the words roughly.

కరణములను = the village account keeper

అనుసరించక = without following

విరసంబున = in confrontation

తిన్న తిండి = food that is eaten

వికటించు జుమీ = will cause distress

యిరుసున = on the axle

కందెన బెట్టక = without adding lubricant

పరమేశ్వరు బండియైన = even the cart or chariot of the supreme lord

పారదు = will not move

సుమతీ = O, the wise one!

We are all now victims of corruption in the administrative mechanism.

Perhaps this was the case even in the days of Baddena who wrote Sumati Satakam.

In this verse Baddena tells the world that people have to go by the wishes of account keepers.

They are now called the revenue officers.

He tells that food eaten against their wishes will not be digested.

Moreover, it will cause illness.

It means without satisfying the officers you cannot keep your wealth.

If you keep it, it will cause you troubles.

As an example he says that the lubricant in a vehicles axle as a necessity.

Even if the vehicle belongs to the Supreme lord, it still requires lubricant!

Bribes have several interesting names and lubricant could be one among them!

All the Bofors and the current Raja case are all a different game.

There also, since the fellows have not taken care of all the concerned people, things get to a wrong position. On the whole the poet says that enjoying wealth all by yourself is not good. That is the positive message we have to derive from the poem. This is not to glorify bribery. But to tell that you have to take care of people who take care of your affairs.

Does that mean you have to pay people for everything?

These days, employees get their wages from the Government. Not satisfied with that they look for additional appeasements. That is out and out bad.

When Baddena wrote these lines village accountants must have had a bad time with low emoluments.

Meaning of verses change with time, I feel!

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Sumati Satakam 11

సుమతి శతకం

పగ వలదెవ్వరితోడను

వగవంగా వలదు లేమి వచ్చినపిదపన్

దెగనాడవలదు సభలను

మగువకు మనసియ్యవలదు మహిలో సుమతీ

paga valadevvari tOdanu

vagavangA valadu lEmi vacchina tOdan

deganAdavaladu sabhalanu

maguvaku manasiyyavaladu mahilO sumatI

పగ = Enmity

వలదు = should not be there

ఎవ్వరితోడను = with anyone

వగవంగా వలదు = Don’t repent

లేమి = poverty

వచ్చిన పిదపన్ = after coming

తెగనాడవలదు = Don’t talk harsh words

సభలను = in a meeting

మగువకు = to a lady

మనసియ్యవలదు = Don’t give your heart

మహిలో = in this land

సుమతీ = Oh the wise one

Oh, the wise one! Don’t have enmity with anyone on this earth. Don’t feel bad when poverty overtakes you. In a congregation do not talk in a way that hurts the feelings of people. Don’t fall in love with a lady, says Baddena in this padyam.

Here the poet tells the world about four things to be abhorred. Two of them are related to the mind, one each to the deeds and words. Enmity is related to anger. Sadness here is about stinginess. Harsh words are about wickedness and love is lust. Thus out of the six avoidables ie. Kama, krodha, moha, lobha, mada, matsarya four are mentioned in this poem.

Enmity and finding fault in others is a habit.  With that one gets angry for sure. There are some who always look for good in everything. Such people will never have any enemies. Forgiveness is the ebst of the human qualities. With that you can win our even the worst of the enemy. Enmity can be bought over by love. Like water dowses a fire, calmness and forgiveness can dowse the problems arising out of worst relationships among people.

That is about the first part of the poem.

A lot can be said about poverty. If poverty comes, there is no use crying about it. If you can, do something to come out of it. It is unwise rejoice in riches and feel bad about poverty. Poverty makes one shy of the world.  That leads to lack of confidence. One becomes dejected and thinks of renunciation. Great people said that poverty leads to all kinds of bad things in life, if one loses confidence.

One has to be cautious when speaking to a collection of people. It is necessary to keep good relations and reputation in the society. Even when what you are telling is truth, it has to be told in a way not to hurt anyone.

Long discourses are made about love. Love for the fellow beings and other creatures are more important than loving a woman. Love for women historically caused a lot of turmoil. Wars are fought for them. Dynasties feel down for them. Few are the people who successfully lived with a loved female. Less said about this is better.

Satakams are fountain heads of knowledge. They can be interpreted in lengthy discourses. Even that is bad perhaps. Wise people can understand for themselves even when told in a single word!!

Suamti Satakam 10

Sumati Stakam 10

మాటకు బ్రాణము సత్యము
కోటకు బ్రాణంబు సుభటకోటి ధరిత్రిన్
బోటికి బ్రాణము మానము
చీటికి బ్రాణంబు వ్రాలు సిద్ధము సుమతీ

mAtaku brANamu satyamu
kOtaku brAnambu subhata kOti dharitrin
bOtiki brANamu mAnamu
chItiki brANambu vrAlu siddhamu sumatI

మాటకు = for an uttering
ప్రాణము = life
సత్యము = truth
కోటకు = for a fort
ప్రాణంబు = life
సుభటకోటి = a collection of good army
ధరిత్రిన్ = on the earth
బోటికి = for a woman
ప్రాణము = life
మానము = chastity or modesty
చీటికి = for a slip or letter
ప్రాణంబు = life
వ్రాలు = the writing or the signature
సిద్ధము = this is ready or true
సుమతీ = Oh! The wise one!!

The poet tells us what makes certain things valid and valuable.
He says for an utterance or a spoken word to be valid, it has to be true. He says the truth is the life for the word.
Similarly the life for a fort is the army of good soldiers who can protect it. Only a fort with good protection is a real fort.
A woman is a woman when her modesty is intact. One who is chaste is a respectable woman. In poetic parlance, it is said that this chastity is the life for the woman.
Ultimately the poet says that the life of a letter is the signature affixed on it. A signature gives life to a slip or a letter. It makes it valid. A letter without authentication has no value of its own.

In one poem Baddena has commented on four different things. The four things namely, the uttered word, a fortress, a woman and a letter or as different from each other as chalk from cheese. The four Telugu words anyway rhyme. Has he picked up these things just because they rhyme?
You cannot answer such questions. Poets are said to be without control. Nirankushah Kavayaha!
I get one thing to my mind though. In these days of e- everything, even printed letters and communications do not bear any signature. They even declare that since it is an electronic document it does not need any authentication. An e-mail can be sent with a signature which is not exactly what people knew as signature till recently!!

Sumati Satakam 9

నమ్మకు సుంకరి, జూదరి,
నమ్మకుమగసాలెవాని, నటువెలయాలిన్
నమ్మకు మంగడివానిని,
నమ్మకుమీ వామహస్తు నవనిని సుమతీ

nammaku sunkari jUdari
nammakumagasalevani, natuvelayalin
nammakumangadi vanini
nammakumI vamahastu navanini sumatI

నమ్మకు = Don’t believe
సుంకరి = One who collects taxes
జూదరి = Gambler
నమ్మకుము = Don’t believe
అగసాలెవానిని = Goldsmith
అటు = then
వెలయాలిన్ = whore
అంగడివానిని = Shopkeeper
నమ్మకుమీ = Don’t ever believe
వామహస్తుని = the left handed person
అవనిని = On this earth
సుమతీ = Oh! The wise one
This is an interesting poem by Baddena.
He cautions us not to believe certain people.

There is this tax collector, either at the city entrance or even at the burial ground. There are tax collectors in the village to assist the revenue officials. They were there in the olden days. They are there now also. Poet says not to believe them. Poet was upset by the ways of these people and their corrupt practices. So are the people in general. Then there is the person who gambles. One who gambles usually loses money. Then, the habit of gambling like liquor beckons him to come back to the play. He tries to borrow money. He may even tell that by the evening he will win a lot of money and return the investment. It is very likely that he again loses and can never repay. It is a fact that one should not entertain a habitual gambler.

Poet tells us not to believe the goldsmith. This person deals with a valuable material. It is very likely that he cheats people. There are many stories about the ways a goldsmith cheats. There is an interesting saying in Hindi which says that 100 toddy tappers are equal to a broker. 100 brokers are equal to a goldsmith. 100 of them are equal to a village Karanam or the land records man. Thus goes the list.
Poet also says not to believe women who sell herself. Less said about this the better.
Suggestion accepted hands down.

Next in the list of unbelievable people is the shopkeeper. Naturally this person is there to make profit by hook or crook. He will pass off bad material for good. He will jack up prices without reason etc.

The last one in the list is a left hander person. I really could not understand why this.
Are all the left handed people cheats? I don’t think so!

Baddena’s experience must be different.

సుమతి శతకం 8

ధనపతి సఖుడై యుండియు
నెనయంగా శివుడు భిక్షమెత్తగ వలసెన్
దనవారికెంత గలిగిన
తనభాగ్యమె తనకుగాక తథ్యము సుమతీ
Dhanapati sakhudai yundiyu
neneyangA sivudu biccmettga valasen
DanavArikenta galigina
Tana bhagyame tanakugAka tathyamu sumatI

ధనపతి = God of riches Kubera
సఖుడై = As friend
యుండియు in spite of being
నెనయంగా = If you consider
శివుడు = God Siva
భిక్షమెత్తగ వలసెన్ = had to beg
తనవారికి = to one’s own people
ఎంత గలిగిన = however much is there ( wealth)
తనభాగ్యమె = one’s own fortune
తనకుగాక = stays with one
తథ్యము = this is true
సుమతీ = Oh! The wise one

In this poem the poet talks about the futility of having rich friends and relatives. It is well known that the rich people are rich only because they don’t share their riches. If they really care about the have nots in their clan or circle and go on helping them, perhaps they will also ending up being on the same level.

As usual poet gives an example. Lord Siva is known for his life style. He has leather as the costume. Snakes are his ornaments. Ashes are his favorite talc. He lives in burial grounds. Interestingly the God of riches Kubera is Siva’s close friend. If Kubera intends, he can make Siva rich. At least, he can see that Siva makes a better appearance before the other gods. But, why would Kubera worry about Siva as long as he is happy with his portfolio. This is only an example. It is not that Siva needs someone’s help to live better. All said and done a good example with the old point of view.

Example aside the fact that rich people never think of making others comfortable remains. This is the fact the poet wants us to understand. There is no meaning in saying I know this man, I am related to that man. You can have rich, famous and powerful people in your circle. If your fortune, destiny is not what you want it to be, you will not have any benefit of being a friend and relative of people. It is your money that you can enjoy.
These days credit cards at some level are making a change. They are making some people rich without riches. You need not be rich and need not be in the circle of rich. It is a false position for some time and will disappear when matters come to an end.

సుమతి శతకం 7

నడువకుమీ తెరువొక్కట
గుడువకుమీ శత్రునింట కూరిమి తోడన్
ముడువకుమీ పరధనముల
నుడువకుమీ యొరుల మనసు నొవ్వగ సుమతీ

naduvakumI teruvokkata
guduvakumI satruninta kUrimi tOdan
muduvakumI paradhanamula
nuduvakumI yorula manasu novvaga sumatI

నడువకుమీ = don’t ever walk
తెరువు = the path
ఒక్కట = alone
గుడువకుమీ = don’t ever eat
శత్రునింట = in the enemies house
కూరిమి తోడన్ = with friendship
ముడువకుమీ = don’t ever pile up
పరధనముల = others wealth
నుడువకుమీ = don’t ever utter
యొరుల = other’s
మనసు = heart
నొవ్వగ = pain
సుమతీ = the wise one

The padyams in Sumati satakam are either a comment on the ways of the world or a piece of advice. This present poem is under the latter kind.
Poet advices us to desist from four things, that we may do without much thinking.

He asks us not to travel alone. In the good old days when there were not many facilities of conveyance, it was either by foot or a horse that people travelled. At best it could have been a cart. In all such cases if one is alone, there is every possibility that when there is a problem, there is no one to lend a helping hand. So, the advice is to travel in groups. In the present adys when one is either in the car or on a two wheeler, it is always advisable that you have company. It only means that the poet’s advice holds good even now.

Next things he cautions us is about not eating in the house of an enemy, even if the enemy shows a lot of friendly nature. It was a time when people were not secure. These days we rarely eat in other’s house and never in an enemy’s house. When you know that somebody is an enemy, we have to be cautious, even when they act like making friends with us.

The next advice is one about good nature. We all pine for money. We want to make money this way or that. In the name of making a quick buck, we may forget that ethics. As it is rightly said, there aren’t any free lunches available. We should work and expect some returns. There could be some other ways of making money. The poet cautions that trying to usurp the money of other people by any way is to be avoided. Naturally when you take other’s money, it is very likely that someone else will try taking it away from you. Hence the advice.

The last thing the poet cautions about is another thing that we may do without knowing what we are doing. We do talk. We talk our heart out without considering whether what we said would hurt the feelings of others, whether present there or away. Poet says we should desist from hurting others with our words. This is the worst thing we always commit and not even be aware that we have done it. This matter needs not much of detailing.

Sumati Satakam 6

తలనుండు విషము ఫణికిని
వెలయంగా దోకనుండు వృశ్చికమునకున్
దల దోక యనకనుండును
ఖలునకు నిలువెల్ల విషము గదరా సుమతీ

Talanundu vishamu phanikini
velayangA dOkanundu vrischikamunakun
dala dOka yanakanundunu
khalunaku niluvella vishamu gadarA sumatI

తలనుండు = it is in the head
విషము =Poison
ఫణికిని = for a snake
వెలయంగా దోకనుండు = it is in the tail
వృశ్చికమునకున్ = for a scorpion
తల = head
తోక = tail
యనకనుండును = it is there without consideration
ఖలునకు = for a bad man
నిలువెల్ల = all through the body
విషము = poison
గదరా = isn’t it
సుమతీ = oh wise one

This is a sharp poem condemning the venomous nature of wicked people. Such people indulge in words gestures and thoughts all soaked in venom. Whatever they do will be harmful to the others. There are plenty of such people even in today’s society.

Baddena sharply says only two things here. He compares the bad people with snakes and scorpions. A snake has its venom only in the head and a scorpion in its tail. The other parts of their body are absolutely harmless. It is common knowledge these days that snakes are eaten. For a bad person, there is no localization for the venom. Baddena says that all the parts of the body are as venomous as they could be.

A snake has its venom for only self defence. It is common knowledge that a snake will never bite a person without provocation. Actually the sanke is more afraid of people than the people about the snake. A scorpion is also is similar. Their nature is mis represented by the stories made up by people. A snake being revengeful is a myth. There are people who played with snakes and scorpions all through their lives.
Not so a bad person. Even a simple gesture of the eprson will be full of venom. I feel human beings are the most venomous creatures in this world. thay can torture the fellow beings without killing them. Killing will end the story, whereas a bad word will slowly poison the person and make them suffer whenever they think of it. Humans can cause trouble and thus can be called venomous.

This is an excellent poem typifying the sataka poetry of this genre.

Sumati Satakam 5

ఎప్పుడు దప్పులు వెదకెడు
నప్పురుషుని గొల్వగూడ దది యెట్లన్నన్‌
సర్పంబు పడగ నీడను
గప్ప వసించిన విధంబు గదరా సుమతీ
Eppudu dappulu vedakedu
Nappurushuni kolvakUdadadi yetlannan
Sarpambu pdaga nIdanu
Kappa vasincina viDamu gadarA sumatI

ఎప్పుడు =always
దప్పులు =errors
వెదకెడు =searching
ఆ =that
పురుషుని =man
గొల్వగూడదు =should not serve
అది యెట్లన్నన్‌ = how it is like
సర్పంబు = snake
పడగ నీడను = under the shade of hood
గప్ప =frog
వసించిన = living
విధంబు =type
గదరా సుమతీ
Baddena comments about masters who always look only for the mistakes in people.
This verse sharply tells that one should not serve a man who searches always for mistakes in people. He compares this with a frog living in the shadow of the snake’s hood.

It is always told that one should only look into the good qualities people have. Only then their mistakes even if they are there, would look simple. Forgiving them will also be easy. On the other hand if one is looking for only errors in people, ultimately even if there is a lot of good in them it all will become obscure in the light of all the negativity built up already.

Baddena compares the service of a man who looks for faults with the life of a frog under the snake’s hood. You can never be sure about your security in the situation. You never know when the frog is eaten or the when the man will harm the servant.

Even in the modern management it is clearly told that when the leader or the manager is giving feedback to the staff, initially all positive things should be taken into consideration. Only then the mistakes should be pointed out, so that they can be corrected. Fault finding should be an exercise towards improvement.

Sumati Satakam 4

సిరిదా వచ్చిన వచ్చును
సలలితముగ నారికేళ సలిలము భంగిన్
సిరిదా పోయిన పోవును
కరి మ్రింగిన వెలగపండు కరణిని సుమతీ
siridA vaccinavaccunu
salalitamuga nArikEla salilamu Bhangin
sirida pOyina pOvunu
kari mringina velagapandu karaNini sumati

సిరి = wealth
తాన్(దా) = by itself
వచ్చిన = when it comes
వచ్చును = will come
సలలితముగ = beautifully
నారికేళ = coconut
సలిలము = water
భంగిన్ = in the fashion
సిరిదా పోయిన పోవును = when wealth goes, it goes
కరి మ్రింగిన వెలగపండు కరణిని = like the wood apple that is gulped by an elephant
సుమతీ
One more poem on the vagaries of wealth. Baddena says that wealth comes like the water in the coconut, when it comes. It also disappears equally mysteriously like the contents of wood apple that an elephant has gulped.

This is an interesting poem. Those with a bit of scientific knowledge will question the content of it. But, poets are after all poets. They go by the understanding of the contemporary life.
Anyway, poet describes here the mysterious ways of the wealth. He says, when wealth come, it come s like the water in a coconut. For a common man, the existence of water in the coconut indeed is a mystery. How does the water get there? Even if one explains that it gets there through the roots, it still is a mystery. You never get to see the way it reaches there. Poet means that when money comes it comes in mysterious way. In the present day society, wealth either comes through hard work or some kind of cheating. I really do not know if there is any mystery in it. We can accept that strange are the ways through which money comes.
The second part of the poem is another problem. Poet says that when money goes also it is mysterious. It is indeed mysterious the way rich people gamble and lose money in business or speculation. The simile given here is interesting. Poet says that wealth disappears like the wood apple that is gulped by an elephant. Elephant need not gulp the wood apple as it is. It will crush it and enjoy the contents. It will even digest the fruit and perhaps the shell is not digested. In olden days, there was a belief that when the elephant gulps the wood apple even without crushing, the contents will be digested and empty shell comes out later. I am sure no one checked on this and even the intelligent poet followed the common understanding.
All said and done, we accept that the ways the wealth comes and goes are the strangest.

Sumati Satakam 3

ఎప్పుడు సంపదగలిగిన
అప్పుడు బంధువులు వత్తురది ఎట్లన్నన్
తెప్పలుగ చెరువు నిండిన
కప్పలు పదివేలు చేరు గదరా సుమతీ
eppudu sampada galigina
appudu banDuvulu vattiradi etlannan
teppaluga ceruvu nindina
kappalu padivElucEru gadarA sumatI

ఎప్పుడు = whenever
సంపదగలిగిన = riches come
అప్పుడు = then
బంధువులు వత్తురు = relatives will come
అది ఎట్లన్నన్ = If you ask how It is
తెప్పలుగ = plentiful
చెరువు నిండిన = if the tank is full (with water)
కప్పలు = frogs
పదివేలు = ten thousand
చేరు = will join
గదరా సుమతీ

When riches come to you relatives will also come to you. It is like when there are good rains and the tank is full, frogs will appear there in thousands. Another simple fact and the same as in the earlier padyam.
People will not really like you when you are poor. They will even keep distance from you, lest you may ask for some assistance. But when you are rich or you get to become rich, all these relatives who earlier have deserted you will come back to you as if nothing happened.
In all the Satakams, there will be a simple proposition and the same will be illustrated with some worldly phenomenon which is very well known.
Here the matter of relatives coming back is likened to the act of frogs. Frogs leave the tank when it dries up. Biology says that frogs will also dry up and wait till there is water. But, the poet does not take that into account. He simply says that the frogs will come back in thousands when the rains come and the tank is full of water. Frogs are not exactly in love with the tank. What they need is water. They will come when there is water.
Relatives also do not love you if you are poor. They are in love with the money that you have. So, they come to you only when you have money. People! Frog people! That is what the poet means.

Sumati satakam 2

చుట్టములు గాని వారలు
చుట్టములము నీకటంచు సొంపు దలిర్పన్‌
నెట్టుకొని యాశ్రయింతురు
గట్టిగ ద్రవ్యంబు గలుగ గదరా సుమతీ

Cuttamulu gAnivAralu
Cuttamulamu nIkatabcu sompu dalirpan
Nettukoni yashrayinturu
Gattiga dravyambu galuga gadarA sumati
చుట్టములు గాని వారలు = Those who are not your relatives
చుట్టములము నీకటంచు = saying that we are your relatives
సొంపు దలిర్పన్‌ = in a beautiful manner
నెట్టుకొని యాశ్రయింతురు come to your umbrage forcefully
గట్టిగ ద్రవ్యంబు గలుగ = when you beget a lot of property
గదరా సుమతీ isn’t it Oh! Wise one!
In Baddean’s Sumati satakam there are quite a few poem that explain the effect of wealth. Here he very simply says that when you acquire a lot of money and material, even those who are not your relatives will come to you against your wishes. They will claim that they are your relatives, per force.
Baddena, to me used the word “nettukoni” which literally means after pushing. If one has to be accepted as a friend or relative, it has to be with the acceptance of both the parties. Here, if you are rich, your acceptance becomes irrelevant. The way people push themselves into your domain, you will, perhaps, not have an option of accepting them.
In Telugu classical poetry there is a rule that the second letters in all the lines of the poem are the same. Cuttamu has a tta. Nettukoni has a tta. Then when the matter of the money has came the word used is not exactly necessary there. Money is not hard (gattiga). Interestingly in English money is sometimes called hard cash if it is cash and not kind, that is material. This is a coincidence. Baddena with this word meant a lot of wealth!
It is simply said here that if you become rich everyone claims that they are related to you. They expect you to share some of your wealth with them. A simple truth!

Sumati Satakam 1

Today I am starting with Sumati Satakam. People have liked the entries on Vemana Satakam. We will resume them after some time. Next few entries will be on Sumati Satakam. Kindly add your comments when you visit the blog. That will tell me where I am heading to and help me do the job better.

Here is the first entry. There is no sequence justification though.

తన కోపమె తన శత్రువు,
తన శాంతమె తనకు రక్ష, దయ చుట్టంబౌ
తన సంతోషమె స్వర్గము,
తన దుఃఖమె నరక మండ్రు తథ్యము సుమతీ
Tana kOpame tana satruvu
Tana sAntame tanaku raksha, daya cuttambou
Tana santOSame swargamu
Tana dukhame narakamandru, taTyamu sumati

తన కోపమె = one’s anger
తన శత్రువు,= is one’s enemy
తన శాంతమె = one’s peace
తనకు రక్ష, = is one’s protection
దయ = mercy
చుట్టంబౌ= will be a relative
తన సంతోషమె = one’s happiness
స్వర్గము,= is heaven
తన దుఃఖమె = one’s sorrow
నరకమండ్రు = is hell, they say
తథ్యము = this is a fact
సుమతీ = Oh! The one with good mind! ( The refrain in this Satakam or the hundred verses)

తన కోపమే తనను శత్రువులువలె బాధించును. తన శాంతమే తనను రక్షించును. తన దయయే తనకు చుట్టమువలె సహాయపడును. తన ఆనందమే తనకు ఇంద్రలోక సౌఖ్యము. తన దుఖమే తనకు నరకమగును. ఇది నిజము.
Oh, wise man! The knowledgeable people say that if one is having anger, it will trouble him like an enemy. But if one has a peaceful and tolerant countenance, it will protect him. If one is merciful and takes a sympathetic stand towards people, it will help him like as if it is a relative. If one is happy, there would be a feeling of being in the heaven. On the contrary if one is in sorrowful situation, life will be nothing less than hell.
Baddena, a poet philosopher composed poems in the form of Kanda (a metre in Telugu classical poetry) on the human qualities and virtues as well as vices. To write a good Kanda padyam was considered a great poetic feet. That too if it contains a lot of meaning in those four short lines, it would be a real treat to the reader. The refrain at the end of these verses is “Sumati”. Mati is the mind with the capacity of discrimination. “Su” is a qualifying word which means good. Baddena gave these verses to only those with understanding. A good word is as good as is understood. Music, however wonderful, is useless for a deaf person. Same is the case with good words. Sumati satakam is such a well known work that any Telugu person worth his salt will know at least one poem from it.
In this poem Baddena tells us about the mental status and the effect thereof. These verses hardly need any explanation. That is the beauty of these works. Anger harms. Good feelings will elevate your mood further. Happiness puts you on the top of the world, whereas sorrow throws one into an abyss called sorrow. One has to know how to control these feelings and keep self in good stead.
If we try to comment in detail, any amount of discussion can happen here.
I request friends who visit the blog to add a couple of words themselves about the poem.
Thanks.