One word is “Yes”, One word is “No”
To these Two tricks, the mind is subject
“Yes” leads to bondage, “No” to liberation
To the wise who know, this is the Path (to liberation).
Birth is the same, Death is the same (for all)
The accumulated body is subject to the Two
Birth is uncertain, but Death is certain
Verily, to the wise, this is the Idea
This World is the same, The Great-Beyond is same, (for all)
The soul, by its fortunes, is subject to the Two
Immutable Sri Venkatesa is the Creator of both worlds
To all those who seek Refuge, He is Eterenal!
This hymn is composed by Sage Patanjali, (the author of योगसूत्रम्). It is remarkable in completely avoiding long vowels(ā, ī, ū, ē, ō, ai, au). Where ever a heavy syllable is needed, Patanjali employs an anusvara (ṅ, ñ, ṇ, n, m) in stead, and occasionally other consonant endings. So visually the hymn does not contain feet like का, की, कू, को, कौ do; or horns like के, कै, को, कौ do. This is an astounding feat given that every fourth syllable needs to be a heavy syllable (guru). As a result, you will hear the nasal sound anusvara every fourth syllable! Also not very coincidentally, Patañjali's name itself does not contain legs or horns!
There are two stories regarding its origin.
1) Patanjali goes to see Śiva at Chidambaram and his assistant Nandi, the bull does not let him in. To teach him a lesson, Patanjali composes a hymn without feet or horns, thus symbolically cutting Nandi's feet and horns leading to his humiliation. Śiva gives darśan and also dances to the song's rhythmic tune.
2) Once Sage Vyāghrapāda (व्याघ्रपादः) teases patanjali, saying "How can you see the Cosmic Dance of the Lord, when you do not even have horns or feet". Patanjali composes this hymn as an answer, symbolically cutting Vyāghrapāda's (meaning Tiger-foot) feet.
The meter for this song is also called चरणशृङ्गरहितम्.
There are 26 syllables per line. Each line goes as
ननन्नन ननन्नन ननन्नन ननन्नन ननन्नन ननन्नन ननं or
ततंतत ततंतत ततंतत ततंतत ततंतत ततंतत ततं
I used the source and meaning from this page, which says...
The translation of the hymn is based on Smt . Usha Bhise's and is taken from the book `caranasrngarahitam natarajastotram.' This book also contains a sanskrit commentary on this stotra by Chandrakala . The book was published by Bharati Samskrta Vidya Niketanam in 1992.
सद्-अञ्चित appropriately-bent मुद्-अञ्चित delightfully-bent निकुञ्चित contracted पदं feet
झलझलञ् jhala-jhala चलित moving मञ्जु lovely कटकम् bracelet
As his feet move appropriately and delightfully in dance, so does his lovely bracelet sounding "jhala-jhala".
पतञ्जलि Patanjali दृग्-अञ्जनम् eye-ointment अन्-अञ्जनम् para-brahman अचञ्चल-पदं still-realm
जनन भञ्जन birthlessness (salvation) करम् giver
He is the ointment to Patanjali's eyes to see the Supreme Stillness of ParaBrahman and attain salvation.
कदम्ब-रुचिम् kadamba-coloured
अम्बर-वसं sky-clad
परमम् Supreme
अम्बुद-कदम्बक cloud-collection-like विडम्बक resembling गलम् throat
He is white like the kadamba flowers. The sky is his garment. He is supreme. His throat is dark like a mass of dark clouds.
चिद्-अम्बुधि consciousness-ocean मणिं jewel
बुध wise हृद्-अम्बुज heart-lotus रविं sun
He is the jewel of the ocean of consciousness. He is the sun unto the lotus that is the wise man's heart.
पर-चिदम्बर-नटं Supreme-Chidambara-Nateśa
हृदि in-heart भज worship
Worship in your heart that Supreme Lord Nateśa of Cidambaram (Dancer in the Space of Consciousness).
हरं Hara
त्रिपुर three-sites (mind-body-world) भञ्जनं destroyer
अनन्तकृत infinite-serpent (Ananta)-adorned कङ्कणम् bracelet
अखण्ड-दयम् infinite-grace अन्त-रहितं endless
Hara has destroyed Tripura (the three cities of distraction mind, body and world) .
The infinite serpent Ananta is his bracelet. He and his grace are endless.
विरिञ्चि creator सुर-संहित god-assemblage पुरन्धर Indra विचिन्तित meditated पदं position
तरुण-चन्द्र-मकुटम् young-moon-crown
The assemblage of gods including Brahma and Indra medidtate on his feet. The young moon is his crown.
परं Supreme
पद foot विखण्डित crushed यमं Yama/Death
भसित ashed मण्डित adorned तनुं body
मदन Cupid/lust वञ्चन cheating परं keen
Supreme, having crushed death by his foot. His body is ash lain. He is keen on cheating lust.
चिरन्तनम् eternal
अमुं Him
प्रणव Om सञ्चित accumulated निधिं treasure
Eternal, he is the accumulated treasure of Om.
पर चिदम्बर नटं हृदि भज
अवन्तम् protector
अखिलं whole
जगद् world अभङ्ग unbroken गुण qualities तुङ्गम् lofty
अमतं uncontemplateable
धृत-विधुं wearing-moon
He protects the whole world. Uncontemplatable owing to his flawless loftiness. Moon bearing.
सुरसरित् Ganga तरङ्ग waves निकुरम्ब flock धृति holding लम्पट desirous जटं hairs
शमन death दम्भ pride सुहरं supresser
भव birth हरम् remover
His hairs are eager to hold the waves of Ganga in. He humiliated death and gives salvation.
शिवं Shiva
दश-दिग्-अन्तर ten-directional-space विजृम्भित-करं expanded-hands
कर hand लसन् dance/play मृग-शिशुं doe
पशु-पतिं animal-lord
Shiva, expands his hands to give the ten directions. A doe plays in the hands of the Lord of creatures.
हरं Hara
शशि moon धनञ्जय fire पतङ्ग sun नयनं eyes
Hara has the moon and the fiery sun as eyes.
परचिदम्बर नटं हृदि भज
अनन्त innumerable नव-रत्न nine-gems विलसत् shining कटक bracelet किङ्किणि bell
झलं झल jhalan-jhala झलं झल jhalan-jhala रवं sound
His brilliant bracelet, adorned with innumerable gems of all nine kinds, with bells sounding "jhalam jhala".
मुकुन्द Viṣṇu विधि Brahma हस्तगत hand-borne मद्दल drum लय-ध्वनि rhythmic-sound
धिमिद्-धिमित dhimid-dhimid नर्तन-पदम् dancing-foot
As Viṣṇu and Brahma, with drums in their hands, play "dhimid dhimid", his feet dance.
शकुन्त-रथ bird/Garuda-chariot (Viṣṇu) बर्हि-रथ peacock-chariot (Kārthikeya) नन्दि-मुख Nandi-headed/etc. शृङ्गि-रिटि-भृङ्गि śṅgi, riti & bhṛṅgi गण-सङ्घ gaṇa-company निकटम् proximate
Eagle-riding Viṣṇu, peacock-riding Kārthikeya, Nandi-led gaṇas like śṅgi, riti, bhṛṅgi, etc. are near Him.
सनन्द-सनक sananda, sanaka प्रमुख headed/etc. वन्दित bowed पदं foot
Saints led by Sananda and Sanaka bow to him
परचिदम्बर नटं हृदि भज
अनन्त endless महसं might
त्रिदश 33 gods वन्द्य bowed चरणं feet
मुनि saint हृद् heart अन्तर inside वसन्तम् spring
अमलम् flawless
His might endless, the gods bow down to his feet. He brings Spring to the heart of the saints. He is Perfect.
कबन्ध water वियत् sky इन्दु moon अवनि earth गन्धवह smell-carrier (wind) वह्नि fire मख-बन्धु sacrifice-bound (Atma) रवि sun मञ्जु lovely वपुषम् form
Water, sky, moon, earth, wind, fire, Atma, sun make his lovely form.
अनन्त endless विभवं majesty
त्रिजगद् three-worlds अन्तर inside मणिं jewel
त्रिनयनं three-eyes
त्रिपुर three-cities खण्डन destroyer परम् inclined
His majesty is endless. He is the most precious of the three worlds. Three-eyed, he is inclined on destroying Tripura.
सनन्द sananda मुनि saint वन्दित bowed पदं feet
सकरुणं kind
Saint Sananda bows to his feet. He is merciful.
पर चिदम्बर नटं हृदि भज
अचिन्त्यम् unfathomable
अलि bee वृन्द multitude रुचि colored बन्धुर lovely गलं throat
कुरित sounded(?) कुन्द oleander निकुरम्ब multitude धवलम् white
Unfathomable, his throat is lovely like a bunch of bees, he is white like a bunch of oleanders.
मुकुन्द Viṣṇu सुर god वृन्द multitude बल-हन्तृ Bala-killer (Indra) कृत done वन्दन salutation लसन्तम् shining
अहि snake कुण्डल earring धरम् wearer
He shines as Viṣṇu, the gods and Indra (the slayer of Bala) salute. He wears a snake as earring.
अकम्पम् unshakable
अनुकम्पित shaken by रतिं love
सुजन good people मङ्गल wellness निधिं reservioir
गज-हरं elephant-slayer
पशु-पतिम् beast-lord
Unshakeable, he is shaken by love nonetheless. He is a treasure for good people. The elephant slaying Lord of beasts.
धनञ्जय Arjuna नुतं praised
प्रणत Bowed रञ्जन delighting परं keen
Praised by Arjuna, he is keen on delighting those who bow to him.
पर चिदम्बर नटं हृदि भज
परं Supreme
सुरवरं God finest
पुरहरं city-slayer
पशुपतिं cattle-lord
जनित begetter दन्ति-मुख tooth-face (Ganesha) षण्मुखम् six-face (Kumara)
अमुं Him
Him, the Supreme God, city-slayer, cattle-lord and father of Ganeśa and Kumara.
मृडं Shiva
कनक golden पिङ्गल tawny जटं haired
सनक sanaka पङ्कज mud-born (lotus) रविं sun
सुमनसं good-heart
हिम-रुचिम् snow-colored
He is Mṛḍa, with golden and tawny hair. To the lotus like Sanaka, he is the Sun. Good hearted and snow-white.
असङ्घ unattached मनसं mind
जलधि ocean जन्म born करलं poison कवलयन्तम् swallower
अतुलं peerless
गुण quality निधिम् treasure
Unattached in mind. Swallower of the ocean born poison. Peerless and a treasure trove of good qualities.
सनन्द sananda वरदं boon-giver
शमितम् calm
इन्दु moon वदनं face
He gives boons to Sananda. He is calm and has a moon-like face.
पर चिदम्बर नटं हृदि भज
अजं Unborn
क्षिति-रथं earth-chariot
भुजग-पुङ्गव snake-finest(Vasuki) गुणं bow-string
कनक-शृङ्गि gold-peaked(Meru) धनुषं bow
Beginningless. The earth is his chariot. Vasuki, the snake is his bow-string. Meru with its golden peaks his bow.
करलसत् hand-playing कुरङ्ग antelope
पृथु big टङ्क sword परशुं axe
रुचिर bright कुङ्कुम-रुचिं turmeric-colored डमरुकं drum
च and
दधतम् carrier
An antelope plays in his hand. A big sword, an axe, and a turmeric-bright drum, he carries too.
मुकुन्द Mukunda विशिखं arrow
नमत् saluting अवन्ध्य worth-while फलदं fruit-giver
निगम Vedas वृन्द multitude तुरगं horse
निरुपमं peerless
Mukunda is his arrow. He gives worth-while fruits to the devoted. The vedas together are his horses. He is beyond compare.
सचण्डिकम् with chandika
अमुं him
झटिति in an instant संहृत killed पुरं city
He is with Chandika and slays Tripura in an instant.
परचिदम्बर नटं हृदि भज
अनङ्ग bodyless(Cupid) परिपन्थिनम् obstructor
अजं birthless
क्षिति earth धुरन्धरम् burden-bearing
अलं Abundantly
करुणयन्तम् kind
अखिलं all being
He obstructs Lust; is unborn; bears the all-bearing earth; is abundantly kind and all being.
ज्वलन्तम् burning अनलं fire दधतम् holding
अन्तक death रिपुं enemy
सततम् always इन्द्रमुख Indra-etc. वन्दित bowed पदम् feet
Holding a fire, he vanquishes Death, while Indra and other gods bow to his feet constantly.
उदञ्चत् raising अरविन्द-कुल-बन्धु lotus-family-friend (sun) शत hundred बिम्ब images रुचि bright संहति multitude सुगन्धि fragrant वपुषं body
His body has the lustre of a hundred lotus-loving images of the raising sun, and is fragrant.
पतञ्जलि-नुतं patanjali-praised
प्रणव omkara पञ्चर शुकं cage-bird
He is praised by Patanjali and can be captured in the cage of Omkara (by chanting).
पर चिदम्बर नटं हृदि भज
इति स्तवममुं भुजगपुङ्गव कृतं प्रतिदिनं पठति यः कृतमुखः
सदः प्रभुपद द्वितयदर्शनपदं सुललितं चरण शृङ्ग रहितम् ।
सरःप्रभव सम्भव हरित्पति हरिप्रमुख दिव्यनुत शङ्करपदं
स गच्छति परं न तु जनुर्जलनिधिं परमदुःखजनकं दुरितदम् ॥ १०॥
इति Thus स्तवम् hymn अमुं This भुजग-पुङ्गव snake-finest (patanjali) कृतं written
प्रति-दिनं everyday पठति reads
यः who कृत-मुखः clever
Thus is his hymn, written by Patanjali, the great snake.
The astute who every day reads this...
सदस् seat/assembly
प्रभु-पद-द्वितय Lord's feet two दर्शन beholding पदं status
सुललितं playful चरण feet शृङ्ग horns रहितम् lacking
... playful hymn without feet(long vowels) or horns(diphtongs) will earn a seat to behold the feet of the Lord.
सरस्-प्रभव-सम्भव pond-born-born (lotus-born (Brahma)) हरित्-पति direction- kings हरि-प्रमुख Hari-etc. दिव्य-नुत divinity-praised शङ्कर-पदं Sankara's abode
Brahma, Dikpālas, Hari and other gods praise his abode which...
स He गच्छति attains परं Supreme
न Not तु indeed
जनुर् birth जलनिधिं ocean परम-दुःख great-sorrow जनकं giving
दुरित-दम् sin-giving
...is Supreme, he(the reader) attains; and not indeed the ocean of birth full of sorrows and sins!
śrīmat-tvadīya caritāmṛtam-annamārya pītvāpi naiva suhitā manujā bhaveyuḥ
tvaṃ veṅkaṭācalapateriva bhakti-sāraṃ
śrī-tāḻḻapāka-guru-deva namo namas-te ō Annamārya,(Annamayya) the auspicious nectar of your story having drunk may the people never be satiated (i.e. May people never tire of hearing your story) You are like the essence of Venkatāchalapati's Bhakti
ō śrī tāḻḻapāka gurudēva, salutations to you
pa|| ekkaḍi mānuṣa janmaṃb-ettina phalam-em-unnadi | nikkamu ninne nammiti nī cittaṃb-ikanu || Where is the fruit of having a human birth? Truly I trust you, It's as you Will now ||
ca|| maravanu āhāraṃbunu maravanu saṃsāra sukhamu | maravanu yiṃdriya bhogamu mādhava nī māya | I don't forget food, don't forget worldly comforts, don't forget sensory pleasure, O Mādhava, by your māya | maracda sujñānaṃbunu maracda tattva rahasyamu | maracda guruvunu daivamu mādhava nī māya || However, I do forget good knowledge, forget secret of self, forget Guru and God, O Mādhava, by your māya ||
ca|| viḍuvanu pāpamu puṇyamu viḍuvanu nā durguṇamulu | viḍuvanu mikkili yāsalu viṣṇuḍa nīmāya | I don't let go of deeds virtuous or vicious, don't let go my bad tendencies, don't let go great desires, O Viṣṇo, by your māya | viḍiceda ṣaṭkarmaṃbulu viḍiceda vairāgyaṃbunu | viḍiceda nācāraṃbunu viṣṇuḍa nīmāya || However, I do let go mandated rituals, let go dispassion for the mundane, let go tradition, O Viṣṇo, by your māya ||
ca|| tagileda bahu laṃpaṭamula tagileda bahu baṃdhambula | tagulanu mokṣapu mārgamu talapuna yentainā |
I contact many desires, contact great bondage, however, I don't contact the path to liberation even in thought | agapaḍi śrī venkaṭeśvara antaryāmivai | nagi nagi nanu nīveliti nākā yī māya ||
Apparently, śrī venkaṭeśvara, being the Indwelling Supreme Soul, smiling, you rule me, how then for me thismāya ||
Synopsis:
I was recently told at a Prince Rama Varma concert that this song (popularized by hig guru, Sri Mangalampalli Bala Murali Krishna) is actually written by Annamacharya's son.
The song renders beautifully in Telugu, making use of the lyrical beauty of the language. Like many of Annamayya's song, this song also ends with a twist. There is a contradiction in the end that he challenges. When the Lord is my indweller how can I have this illusion? I have used the signature of this song to overcome great fear that was brought up in meditation.
nām anām anant rahat hai dujā tatv n kohī kahe kabīr sūno bhaī sādho bhaṭak maro mat koī
The Name Unnamed remains eternal,
There is no duality whatsoever.
Says Kabir, listen fellow Sadhu,
Don't you get lost and die!
Commentary
This is a song that reminds us of the mortality of the world. Of everything in it. Everything! There are no exceptions. If it exists it has to die! This entire world is indeed the 'village' of the dead.
Saints, prophets, yogis (even when they are alive!), kings, their subjects, doctors, patients, sun, moon, earth, sky, worlds etc. Things are dying in multitudes (nines, tens and eighty eights). All the gods die in the play of time, there is no hope for and from any of them!
What does not die is what does not exist: the Dual of existence - that which does not exist but has a name - nay, an unnamed name! As it does not exist it does not know death. Excepting that unnamed name, there is nothing else at all! If we consider something else to exist, it will die. There is no second to the Name.
Kabir reminds you to not get lost in this world of duality, the dead one, and get lost in its play to only eventually die. In stead, focus on the unnamed name and transcend death.
Parallels
You can see parallels to this song in almost all world traditions.
1) Lao Tsu says "The name that can be named is not the eternal name", so an eternal name should indeed be unnamed!
2) The bible says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was indeed God"
3) The Bhagavad Gita says, "The beginning-less Supreme Brahman is neither said to exist, nor to not exist".
4) The Upanishad says, "There is no multiplicity, here what-so-ever".
Interpretation
If you want to avoid the trap of high rhetoric, you can just think of the song as a reminder to constantly chant the name of God.
This song by the 15th century Sufi poet Kabir who tries to tell
the untellable grandeur of Māyā as much more than a mere illusion. She
is a swindler alright but all that is perceived is Her, so even the Holy
Trinity are not above Her. So are not an ascetic, a priest, a yogi, a
devotee, a king, a merchant or a beggar!
māyā mahā-thagnī* ham jāni tirguṇ phas liye kar dole, bole madhurī bānī
Māyā the great thug(-ess), I have come to know.
Her hands sway, holding the three gunas*
She speaks in a sweet voice.
kesav ke kamlā ve baiṭi
śiva ki bhavan bhavānī paṇdā ke mūrat ve baiṭi tīrat main bhāyi pānī
For Kesava(Viśhṇu), She is seated as Lakṣmī
In Śiva's house, She is Bhavāni
For the priest, She is in the idol
At the pilgrimage, She is the holy water
yogi ke yogin ve baiṭi rāja ke ghar rāṇi kāhu ke hīra ve baiṭi kāhu ke kodi kani For the yogi She is the yogini
In the king's palace She is the queen
For some She is a diamond
For some She is a mere cowry
bhaktan ke bhaktin veh baithi brahma ke brahmani kahe kabir suno bhai sadho yeh sab akath kahani
For devotees She is the devotee(-ess)
For Brahma She is Brahmāṇi
Says Kabīr, listen fellow aspirants
Her tale is indeed an untellable tale
*thugs were a criminal tribe in India. thagni is a female thug!
*guṇā - Each of the three threads that weave the Universe.
धीरे-धीरे रे मना, धीरे सब कुछ होय ।
माली सिंचे सौ घड़ा, ॠतु आए फल होय ॥ dhīre-dhīre re manā, dhīre saba kucha hoya । mālī siṃce sau ghaḍā, ṝtu āe phala hoya ॥
Slowly slowly my mind, everything happens slowly.
The gardener may pour a hundred pots, but fruit comes only with season.
रूखी सूखी खायके ठंडा पानी पीव ।
देख पराई चूपडी मत ललचावे जीभ ॥ rūkhī sūkhī khāyake ṭhanḍā pānī pīva । dekha parāī cūpaḍī mata lalacāve jībha ॥
Eat your dry bread, and drink cold water.
But do not salivate at someone else's morsel.
करे बुराई सुख चाहे कैसे पावै कोई ।
बोय के पेड बबूल का आम कहाँ से होय ॥ kare burāī sukh cāhe kaise pāvai koī । boya ke peḍa babūla kā āma kahām̐ se hoya ॥
If you do bad, how can you expect comfort?
If you planted an Acacia, how can you expect Mangoes?
सुखिया ढूंढत मैं फिरूं , सुखिया मिलै न कोय ।
जाके आगे दुख कहूं, पहिले उठै रोय ॥ sukhiyā ḍhūṃḍhata maiṃ phirūṃ , sukhiyā milai na koya । jāke āge dukha kahūṃ, pahile uṭhai roya ॥
I went searching for a happy person, I could find none.
But when I asked for a miserable one, the very first one started to lament.
एक अचम्भा देखा रे भाई, ठाड़ा सिंह चरावै गाई। eka acambhā dekhā re bhāī, ṭhāḍā siṃha carāvai gāī।
Lo brother, I saw a wonder! The lion stood herding the cows!
पहले पूत पीछे भई माई, चेला के गुरु लगै पाई॥ pahale pūta pīche bhaī māī, celā ke guru lagai pāī॥
First the son was born, then the mother! The Guru falls at the feet of the disciple!
जल की मछली तरूवर व्याई, पकड़ि बिलाई मुर्गा खाई॥ jala kī machalī tarūvara vyāī, pakaḍai bilāī murgā khāī॥
The fish of the waters gave birth on a tree! The chicken caught and ate the cat!
बैलहि डारि गूँनि घरि आई, कुत्ता कूँ लै गई बिलाई॥ bailahi ḍāri gūni ghari āī, kuttā kū lai gaī bilāī॥
The ox put on reins and came home! The cat takes away the dog!
<<The following three verses are not sung in the above video>>
धरति उलटि आकासहि जाई। चिउटी के मुख हस्ति समाई॥ dharati ulaṭi ākāsahi jāī। ciuṭī ke mukha hasti samāī॥
The earth turned upside down to be the sky! In the ant's mouth the elephant fit!
बिन पौने जहं परबत उड़ै। जीव जन्तु सब बिरछा बुड़ै॥ bina paune jahaṃ parabata uḍaai। jīva jantu saba birachā buḍāi॥
Without wind the mountain flew! All living, all animals drowned in the tree!
सुखे सरवर उठै हिलोर। बिन जल चकबा करै किलोल॥ sukhe saravara uṭhai hilora। bina jala cakabā karai kilola॥
A wave arose in the dried up lake! The shelduck sploshed without any water!
तलि करि साषा उपरि करि मूल । बहुत भांति जड़ लागै फूल ॥ tali kari sāṣā upari kari mūla । bahuta bhāṃti jada lāgai phūla॥
The branches were on the ground and the trunk above! With very bright flowers on the roots!
कहै कबीर या पद कूं बूझै । ताकूं तीन्यूं त्रीभुवन सूझै ॥ kahai kabīra yā pada kūṃ būjhai । tākūṃ tīnyūṃ trībhuvana sūjhai॥
Says Kabir, who understands this song, to him the three worlds are deciphered.
Notes:
This poem/song of falls under the category of ulat-ved or absurd-knowledge. There are many such poems in the Kabir path (Kabirpanthi). Make whatever sense of it :)
