సీతమ్మవారికి జోగుళము / Seetammavaariki joguLamu

Posting after a while and my apologies for not keeping up with posting over the last two weeks.  This poem in Telugu is a particular favourite but it is nigh impossible to translate into English.  Therefore, alongwith the Telugu original, am putting up the English transliteration.

సీతమ్మవారికి జోగుళము

 జోజో లాలి జోజో పాప

జోజో పాప చిన్న కణ్ణమ్మ

జోజో లాలి జోజో పాప

పడుకో పాప బంగారు బొమ్మ

జోజో లాలి జోజో పాప

ఆడింది చాలు ముత్యాలమ్మ

జోజో లాలి జోజో పాప

చందా మామ పడుకున్నాడు

జోజో లాలి జోజో పాప

నువ్వు పడుకో నా ముద్దు బొమ్మ

జోజో లాలి జోజో పాప

చిలక పిల్లలు పడుకొన్నావు

నువ్వు జిజపో నా చిన్న చిలక

జోజో లాలి జోజో పాప

స్వప్నాల్లకి వచ్చేకి చాల ఆతురము

ఉయ్యాలని తూగుతా పడుకో తల్లి

జోజో లాలి జోజో పాప

మా ఇంటి లక్ష్మి తల్లి సీతమ్మ

అవతరించి వచ్చావు బంగారు బొమ్మ

జోజో లాలి జోజో పాప

నవరత్న వజ్రాళ్ళు నాకు నువ్వమ్మ

నీ నవ్వె ముత్యాల్లు నిద్దర పోవమ్మ

జోజో లాలి జోజో పాప

నీ కంట్లో ఉలగాన్ని నేను చూసాను

నా కంట్లో నిన్ని పెట్టుకుంటానమ్మ

జోజో లాలి జోజో పాప

 -------రామాంజనేయ

Sītam'mavāriki jōguḷamu jōjō lāli jōjō pāpa jōjō pāpa cinna kaṇṇam'ma jōjō lāli jōjō pāpa paḍukō pāpa baṅgāru bom'ma jōjō lāli jōjō pāpa āḍindi cālu mutyālam'ma jōjō lāli jōjō pāpa candā māma paḍukunnāḍu jōjō lāli jōjō pāpa nuvvu paḍukō nā muddu bom'ma jōjō lāli jōjō pāpa cilaka pillalu paḍukonnāvu nuvvu jijapō nā cinna cilaka jōjō lāli jōjō pāpa svapnāllaki vaccēki cāla āturamu uyyālani tūgutā paḍukō talli jōjō lāli jōjō pāpa mā iṇṭi lakṣmi talli sītam'ma avatarin̄ci vaccāvu baṅgāru bom'ma jōjō lāli jōjō pāpa navaratna vajrāḷḷu nāku nuvvam'ma nī navve mutyāllu niddara pōvam'ma jōjō lāli jōjō pāpa nī kaṇṭlō ulagānni nēnu cūsānu nā kaṇṭlō ninni peṭṭukuṇṭānam'ma jōjō lāli jōjō pāpa -------rāmān̄janēya

ಕರುಣಾಳು ತಾಯಿಯೆ ದಯೆತೋರೆಯಾ / O Mother, kindness manifest, won’t you show mercy

ಕರುಣಾಳು ತಾಯಿಯೆ ದಯೆತೋರೆಯಾ

 

ಕರುಣಾಳು ತಾಯಿಯೆ ದಯೆತೋರೆಯಾ

ನಿನ್ನೀ ಮಕ್ಕಳ ಸಲಹಲು ಬಾರೆಯಾ

ಭವಸಾಗರದುಸುಬಿನಲಿ ಸಿಲುಕಿಯೂ

ನಲಿವ ಅಂಧ ಮರುಳರ ಕಾಪಾಡೆಯಾ

ಅಂಧಃಕಾರವ ಸಂಹರಿಸಲು ಕಿಡಿ ಸಾಕು

ಕಿರುಬೆರಳ ನಖದ ಪ್ರಭೆ ದಯಪಾಲಿಸೆಯಾ

ನೋವಮರೆಸಲೊಂದು ಕಿರುನಗೆ ಸಾಕು

ಮುಖಾರವಿಂದ ದರುಶನವ ಕರುಣಿಸೆಯಾ

ಪಾಪವನರಿಯಲು ಪಶ್ಚಾತ್ತಾಪ ಬೇಕು

ಅದನಳಿಸಲು ಮನ್ನಿಪೊಂದು ಸಾಕು

ಅಭಯತೋರಿ ಪ್ರಾರಬ್ಧವನಳಿಸೆಯಾ

ಕರುಣಾಳು ತಾಯಿ ವಜ್ರಗರಿಕಾಂಬಿಕೆಯೆ

ಜೀವಿಗೆ ನಿನ್ನಲಿ ಆಶ್ರಯತೋರೆಯಾ

 

--------ರಾಮಾಂಜನೇಯ 

 

O Mother, kindness manifest, won’t you show mercy

 

O Mother, kindness manifest,

                won’t you show mercy

Come care for your little ones

And rescue the ignorant, rejoicing

In the quicksand that this world is

To drive away darkness

                a spark is enough

Won’t you grant the radiance

                of your little toe-nail?

To make one forget pain unbearable

                a little smile is all it takes

Won’t you bestow a glimpse

                of your radiant face?

To realise sin is repentance needed

To wash it away, what more than forgiveness?

Won’t you bless us

                and wipe accumulated sins

Kind mother Vajragarikambika

Won’t you grant me shelter?

 

--------Ram Sharaph

ತಾಯಿಯ ಕಂಡೆನೋ ಮಹತಾಯಿಯ ಕಂಡೆನೋ / Of the great Mother, I had a glimpse

ತಾಯಿಯ ಕಂಡೆನೋ ಮಹತಾಯಿಯ ಕಂಡೆನೋ

 

ತಾಯಿಯ ಕಂಡೆನೋ ಮಹತಾಯಿಯ ಕಂಡೆನೋ

ಮಗುವಿನ ನಗುವಲಿ ತಾಯಿಯ ಕಂಡೆನೋ

ಮಳೆಬಿಂದುಗಳಾಟದಲಿ ತಾಯಿಯ ಕಂಡೆನೋ

ಗಿಡಗಳ ನಲಿವಿನಲಿ ತಾಯಿಯ ಕಂಡೆನೋ

ನೀಲ್ಯಾಕಾಶದಲಿ ತಾಯಿಯ ಕಂಡೆನೋ

ಗುಡುಗು ಮಿಂಚುಗಳಲಿ ತಾಯಿಯ ಕಂಡೆನೋ

ಬೆಳದಿಂಗಳ ತಂಪಿನಲಿ ತಾಯಿಯ ಕಂಡೆನೋ

ಚಿಪ್ಪಿನ ನಲಿಪಲಿ ಮುತ್ಯಾಲಮ್ಮನ ಕಂಡೆನೋ

ನೇದಿಲೆಯ ನೋವಿನಲಿ ತಾಯಿಯ ಕಂಡೆನೋ

ಭೋರ್ಗರೆವೆ ಕಡಲ ಗರ್ಜನೆಯಲಿ ತಾಯಿಯ ಕಂಡೆನೋ

ಧೂಳ ಕಣ ಗಾತ್ರದಲಿ ಆಲವ ಕಂಡೆನೋ

ಕೇಳೋ ಜಗನ್ಮಾತೆಯ ಕಂಡೆನೋ

ಕರುವಿಗೆ ಹಾಲುಣಿಸುವ ತುರುವಲಿ

ಕರುಣಾಮಯಿಯ ಕಂಡೆನೋ

ಕೃಷ್ಣನ ಕಂಭಕೆ ಬಿಗಿದ ಯಶೋಧೆಯಲಿ

ವಾತ್ಸಲ್ಯದಾಯಿನಿಯ ಕಂಡೆನೋ

ಕಂದನ ಬಾಯಲಿ ಬೆಲ್ಲವ ಹಾಕುವ

ತಾಯಮಮತೆಯಲವಳ ಕಂಡೆನೋ

ಗಗನವ ಸೀಳುವ ಸಿಡಿಲ ಹುಯಿಲಲಿ

ರುದ್ರಭಯಂಕರ ಸ್ವರೂಪವ ಕಂಡೆನೋ

ಸೃಷ್ಟಿಯಲಿ ತಾಯಿಯ ಕಂಡೆನೋ

ದೃಷ್ಟಿಯಲಿ ತಾಯಿಯ ಕಂಡೆನೋ

ಅಂತರಾಳದಲಿ ತಾಯಿಯ ಕಂಡೆನೋ

ಕೇಳೋ ಜಗಜ್ಜನನಿ ಜಗದಂಬೆಯ ಕಂಡೆನೋ

ತಾಯಿ ವಜ್ರಗರಿಕಾಂಬಿಕೆಯ ಕಂಡೆನೋ.

 

-------ರಾಮಾಂಜನೇಯ

Of the great Mother, I had a glimpse

 

A glimpse I had, of Mother, great Mother

In the gurgling laugh of an infant, I glimpsed Her

In the play of rain drops, I glimpsed Her

In the joyful sway of trees, I glimpsed Her

In the clear blue sky, I glimpsed Her

In rumbling thunder and dazzling lightning, I glimpsed Her

In the coolness of moonlight, I glimpsed Her

In the rejoicing of the oyster, I saw the pearl hued One

In the pain of the nightingale, I glimpsed Her

In the crash and roar of the surf, I glimpsed Her

In the dust like seed, I glimpsed a massive banyan

Listen, mother of the worlds I glimpsed

In the cow suckling the calf,

I glimpsed Her, kindness manifest

In Yashodha who bound Krishna to a pillar

I glimpsed Her, overflowing with affection

In the love of a mother, who puts

a piece of jaggery in the child’s mouth

I glimpsed Her affectionate form

In the roaring lightning renting the skies asunder

I saw Her terrible rudra-bhayankara form

In creation I glimpsed Her

With sight I glimpsed Her

In the depths of my heart I glimpsed Her

Listen, I glimpsed Her, progenitor of the worlds,

                mother to all the worlds,

Mother Vajragarikambika I glimpsed.

 

----------Ram Sharaph

ದರುಶನವ ತೋರೆಯಾ ತಾಯಿ / Won't you grant a glimpse, Mother

ದರುಶನವ ತೋರೆಯಾ ತಾಯಿ

 

ದರುಶನವ ತೋರೆಯಾ ತಾಯಿ

ಕೋರಿ ಬಂದಿರುವೆ

ದಡಮೇಲೆ ಚಡಪಡಿಸುವ ಮೀನಿಗೆ

ಧಾರೆಯ ದಯಪಾಲಿಸೆಯಾ

ತೊರೆಯಲಿ ಮುಳುಗುವ ಜೀವಿಗೆ

ದಡವನು ತಾರೆಯಾ

ಭಕ್ತಿಸಾಗರದಿ ತೇಲುವವಗೆ

ಈಸುವುದ ಕಲಿಸೆಯಾ

ಮೂಢ ಮರುಳ ಭಕುತ

ಮುಮುಕ್ಷುವೂ ಅಲ್ಲ

ಜಿಜ್ಞಾಸುವೂ ಅಲ್ಲ

ದರುಶನ ಮಾತ್ರಕೆ

ಬಾಯಾರಿದ ಬಡವ

ಬಡವಂಗೆ ಭಿಕ್ಷೆಯ ಕರುಣಿಸೆಯಾ

ತಾಯಿ ವಜ್ರಗರಿಕಾಂಬಿಕೆಯೆ

ಈ ಮರುಳಂಗೆ

ದರುಶನವ ದಯಪಾಲಿಸೆಯಾ.

 

--------ರಾಮಾಂಜನೇಯ

Won’t you grant a glimpse, Mother

 

Won’t you grant a glimpse, Mother

I beseech

To the fish that thrashes on the shore

Won’t you grant a torrent

To the embodied drowning in the sweep

Won’t you grant the shore

To he floating on the ocean of bhakti

Won’t you teach how to swim

This ignorant bhakta is a fool

Neither does he seek salvation

Nor the depths of knowledge

The poor chap only thirsts

For a glimpse

Won’t you, to this beggar

grant alms, in your kindness

O Mother Vajragarikambika

To this deluded bhakta

Won’t you grant a glimpse

 

--------Ram Sharaph

ಮೂಗುತಿಯ ಕಂಡು ಬೆರಗಾದೆ ತಾಯಿ / I saw your nosering and was amazed Mother

ಮೂಗುತಿಯ ಕಂಡು ಬೆರಗಾದೆ ತಾಯಿ

 

ಮೂಗುತಿಯ ಬಿಂದುವೊಂದೊಂದರಲ್ಲೂ

ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಾಂಡವನೇ ಕಂಡಿರುವೆ

ಪ್ರಭೆಯಲಿ ಕಂಡೆ

ಶತಕೋಟಿ ಸೂರ್ಯಗಳ

ಕಾಲದ ಆದಿ ಅನಂತವ

ನೂರೆಂಟು ಕಾಲಗಳ

ತ್ರಿಮೂರ್ತಿಗಳ ಕಂಡೆ

ದೇವ ದೈತ್ಯರ ಕಂಡೆ

ಕಂಡೆ ನಾ ಬೆಳಕ

ಕಣ್ಣ ಕೋರೈಸುವ ಬೆಳಕ

ಆತ್ಮವ ಬೆಳಗುವ ಬೆಳಕ

ಆತ್ಮವ ಬೆಳೆಸುವ ಬೆಳಕ

ಅರಿವನು ಕಂಡೆ

ಅರಿವನು ಅರಿತೆ

ಶೂನ್ಯವ ಕಂಡೆ

ಸರ್ವವನೂ ಕಂಡೆ

ನನ್ನ ನಾ ಕಂಡೆ

ಆದರೂ ತಾಯಿ

ವಜ್ರಗರಿಕಾಂಬಿಕೆಯೆ

ನಿನ್ನನರಿಯದೆ ಹೋದೆ

ಅಖಿಲ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಾಂಡವ್ಯಾಪಿ

ಪರಬ್ರಹ್ಮ ಸೃಷ್ಟಿವಿಧಾತೆ

ಮಹಾಮಾತೆ ಜಗಜ್ಜನನಿ

ಮೂಗುತಿಯ ಗ್ರಹಿಸದೆ ಹೋದೆ

ನಿನ್ನಪಾರ ರೂಪವ

ಅರಿಯುವುದೆಂತು.

 

--------ರಾಮಾಂಜನೇಯ

 

I saw your nosering and was amazed Mother

  

In the tiniest patterns of your nosering

I saw all of creation

In its radiance I saw

A billion suns

Beginning and end of time

Hundreds of aeons

The trinity I saw

Gods and demons I saw

I saw light

Blinding dazzling light

Soul-illumining light

Soul redeeming light

Understanding, I saw

And that (understanding) I understood

I saw shoonya (nothingness)

I also saw everything

I saw myself too

But Mother Vajragarikambika

You, I failed to understand

O Mother, pervading all creation

Creator of parabrahman

determiner of the fate of creation

Mother of all worlds

I cannot even grasp

the immensity of your nose ring

How then can I even

begin to understand your infinite form?

 

-------Ram Sharaph

ಭಕುತನೆಂದರೆ ಸೌಮಿತ್ರನಂತಿರಬೇಕು / A devotee should be like Saumitra

An explanation is given after the english translation ಭಕುತನೆಂದರೆ ಸೌಮಿತ್ರನಂತಿರಬೇಕು

ಭಕುತನೆಂದರೆ ಸೌಮಿತ್ರನಂತಿರಬೇಕು

ಸೇವೆಯನು ಸಲ್ಲಿಸಬೇಕು

ಅಹಂಕಾರವ ಸುಟ್ಟಿರಬೇಕು

ಅಹಂಕಾರವಿದ್ದೆಡೆ ಭಕುತಿ ಸಾಧ್ಯವೆ?

ಭಕುತನೆಂದರೆ ಲಕ್ಷ್ಮಣನಂತಿರಬೇಕು

ಚಿತ್ತ ಪರಿಶುದ್ಧವಾಗಿರಬೇಕು

ಹೊಗೆಯಾಡುವ ಚಿತ್ತದಿ

ಭಕುತಿ ಉಳಿವುದೆ ತಾಯಿ?

ಭಕುತನೆಂದರೆ ದಾಶರಥಿಯಂತಿರಬೇಕು

ಕಾಮದೆಣ್ಣೆಯನುರಿಸಿ

ಮನವ ಬೆಳಗಬೇಕು

ತಮವಿದ್ದೆಡೆ ಭಕುತಿ ಬೆಳೆವುದೆ?

ಭಕುತನೆಂದರೆ ಇಂದ್ರಜಿತಹರನಂತಿರಬೇಕು

ನಾಮಜಪದ ಮಹಿಮೆಯ ಅರಿವಿರಬೇಕು

ವಜ್ರಗರಿಕಾಂಬಿಕೆಯಲಿ ನಂಬುಗೆಯಿರಬೇಕು

ನಂಬುಗೆಯಿಲ್ಲದೆ ಭಕುತಿ ಬರುವುದೆ ತಾಯಿ?

ಭಕುತನೆಂದರೆ ಸೀತಾಭಗಿನೀಪತಿಯಂತಿರಬೇಕು

ಬಾಯ್ತೆರೆದರೆ ತಾಯನಾಮ ಮೊಳಗಬೇಕು

ಕಣ್ತೆರೆದರೆ ತಾಯರೂಪ ಕಾಣಬೇಕು

ಮನದಲಿ ಅವಳನಾಮ ತುಂಬಿರದೆ ಭಕುತಿ ಸಾಧ್ಯವೆ?

ಭಕುತನೆಂದರೆ ಶೇಷಾವತಾರನಂತಿರಬೇಕು

ಸುಖದುಃಖವೆಣಿಸದೆ ಕಜ್ಜಮಾಡಬೇಕು

ನೋವುನಲಿವಲಿ ಉರಿವ ಮನವು

ಭಕುತಿಯ ಪರಿಮಳ ಬೀರುವುದೆ?

ಭಕುತನೆಂದರೆ ರಾಮಭದ್ರನಂತಿರಬೇಕು

ಜಗದ ಕಲ್ಮಶವ ತೊಳೆಯಬೇಕು

ತೀರ್ಥವಿಲ್ಲದೆ ಪೂಜೆ ಸಲ್ಲುವುದೆ

ಸ್ವಾರ್ಥವಿದ್ದೆಡೆ ಭಕುತಿ ಫಲಿಸುವುದೆ?

ಭಕುತನೆಂದರೆ ರಾಮಾನುಜನಂತಿರಬೇಕು

ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಜ್ಞಾನರಸವ ಹಂಚಬೇಕು

ನೈವೇದ್ಯವಿಲ್ಲದೆ ಮರುಳರಿಗೆ

ಭಕುತಿಯ ಸವಿ ಭಾಸವಾಗುವುದೆ?

ಭಕುತನೆಂದರೆ ಸೀತೆಯ ಪೂಜಿಸುವವನಂತಿರಬೇಕು

ಆತ್ಮವನಾವರಿಸಿದ ಅಜ್ಞಾನವ ತೊರೆಯಬೇಕು

ಆತ್ಮವಲ್ಲದೆ ಭಕುತಿಯು ಬಲ್ಲದೆ

ಭಕುತಿಯಿಲ್ಲದೆ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮವು ಪಡೆಯಲು ಬಲ್ಲದೆ

ತಾಯಿ ವಜ್ರಗರಿಕಾಂಬಿಕೆಯೆ

ಪರಮಭಕ್ತ ಲಕ್ಷ್ಮಣನೇ ಧಕ್ಯ

ಭಕುತರಾಮ ಸೌಮಿತ್ರನಂತಾಗಲೆಂದು

ಹರಸಿ ಕರುಣಿಸು ತಾಯಿ.

--------ರಾಮಾಂಜನೇಯ

A devotee should be like Saumitra

A bhakta should be like Saumitra

He should offer service

Have burned ahamkara (ego)

Where ahamkara is present

can bhakti be present?

A bhakta should be like Lakshmana

His chitta should be pure

Can a chitta smouldering with smoke

Retain bhakti in it?

Bhakta should be like Daasharathi

Burn the oil of desires

And light the mind

In a place filled with darkness,

can bhakti ever flower?

Bhakta should be like Indrajita-hara

Who has a deep understanding

of the greatness of chanting Her name

And faith in Vajragarikambika

Without faith, is bhakti possible?

Bhakta should be like Seeta-bhagini-pati

He opens his mouth ever,

to only utter Mother’s name

And opens his eyes, to see her form

Without Her name reverberating

in the mind, is bhakti possible?

Bhakta should be like Shesha-avataara

Without bothering about pain or pleasure

should keep doing his duty

A mind that burns in pain and pleasure

Can it ever spread the fragrance of bhakti?

Bhakta should be like Ramabhadra

Wash the impurities of the world

Can there be pooja without teertham

Can bhakti fructify in him

who is filled with selfishness

Bhakta should be like Ramanuja

Spread around knowledge of Brahman

Can ordinary folk ever

Realise the sweetness of bhakti

without naivedyam?

Bhakta is one who worships Seeta

And discards the ignorance surrounding the Self (Atman)

Can any other than the Atma realise bhakti

Without bhakti can Brahman be realised?

Mother Vajragarikambika

Blessed is Lakshmana, the first among bhaktas

With your infinite kindness,

bless this Rama, your bhakta

That I may become like Saumitra

--------Ram Sharaph

In the previous poem (https://ramsharaph.blogspot.com/2020/07/how-should-devotee-be.html) Mother Vajragarikambika gave a hint as to the qualities of a bhakta. This was explained by comparing the qualities to such articles as camphor, vibhooti etc., A doubt can arise if these qualities can be found in a human? This is elaborated with the example of Lakshmana, Sri Ramachandra’s brother, and an ardent devotee of Seetamma, who he worshipped as a mother. Lakshmana has been addressed by various names here: Saumitra – son of Sumitra, Lakshmana – the name he is most popular with, Daasharathi – son of Dasharatha and this epithet is frequently used for Rama also, Indrajitahara – he who defeated Indrajit, Seeta-bhagini-pati – the husband of Sita’s sister (Urmila), Sheshavatara – incarnation of Adishesha, Ramabhadra – one who is dear to Rama, Ramanuja – Rama’s brother. Each of the examples given in the previous poem (https://ramsharaph.blogspot.com/2020/07/how-should-devotee-be.html) is further elaborated here. Some of the epithets have particular significance. Daasharathi means the son of Dashartha. Dasharatha, which means a person capable of riding a chariot yoked with ten horses, also means a person who has gained mastery over the ten sense organs (five organs of perception and five organs of action).