I wrote about SrImad AndhrabhAgavatham a couple of years ago. This is an all time great work of poet pOthana in the 14th century. The work is celebrated for its devotional overtones, story telling, amazing use of the Telugu language, lucidity and simplicity. A study of this is as much a treat in knowing the mythology as it is about an appreciation of Telugu grammar and above all it drives home the requirement for bhakthi in each of the seeker to attract the grace of the Lord.
Please visit the web site: telugu bhAgavatham. It is an outstanding work of a team of volunteers led by brahmaSrI sAmbaSiva rao gAru, who in the purity of their heart and their labor of love have undertaken the task to digitize the work and bring it forth to devotees along with word meaning and overall import of each poem. There are nearly 10000 padyams in this work. The work is also available as an Android app.
For a long time I've been asked by my non telugu friends if an English adaptation of the great work of pOthana is available. I haven't found any. While sending a-padyam-a-day to my Telugu friends I was inspired to this idea of translating a-padyam-a-day from chaste Telugu to manageable English. So here is an attempt, starting with the tenth canto of bhAgavatham, the chapter that describes the life of srI kriShNa. I'll keep updating this page every 2-3 days, so please keep coming back.
10.1-1.
Oh, the One Who has broken the bow of Siva;
Oh, the One Who protects indrA and his ilk by slaying his
enemies;
Oh, the One Who is the crest jewel of the highly esteemed
kAkutsA dynasty;
Your glory, oh king srIrAma, is spread all over like the
light of full moon;
Kindly accept this offering of mine.
10.1-2.
sUta,
the sage highly skilled in the narration of purANas said to the ones of great
attributes - Saunaka et al, “Parikshit submitted thus to the great sage Suka…”
10.1-3.
You have narrated to me the stories of the dynasties of
solar and lunar lineage. I have listened with great sense of awe, the lives
and conducts of great kings in these lineages.
10.1-4.
How did the birth of Sri Mahavishnu happen in the clan of
yAdavAs, the men of great character? How did HE grow up among them, what sport
did he resort to in various times. Kindly describe these to me.
10.1-5.
The praise of srI mahAvishnu is the pill for the ills of
mundane ways of life. Joy wells up in the heart when you listen to it. Those
desirous of liberation seek it. Only an animalic person would ever say his ears
had enough of it (hari’s praise).
10.1-6.
The army of the kauravas led by bhISHma is invincible even
for the gods. With what kind of boat did my forefathers conquer this sea of an
army as easily as crossing the stride of a child!
10.1-7.
I was lifeless in the womb of my mother having been hit by
aSwathhAma when the Lord holding the discus came to save me and provide a heir
for the sons of kunti
10.1-8.
HE, the purusHA principle, fills Himself in the entire Time
and Forms and is present within and without every single being. Being present
so, He confers liberation on all the beings (jIvas) by saving them from the
cycle of birth and death. Kindly describe to me in detail the life of such
purushOttama.
10.1-9.
Best among yOgis, you have told me that balarAma is the son of rOhiNi. How then was he present in the womb of dEvaki without being in another body? Why and how did the lotus eyed kriShna leave his father's house and go to the village rEpalle (brindAvan). In whose home did He stay there and what all acts did he perform there? Why did He have to kill his maternal uncle kamsA? How long did he live on the earth? How many consorts did He have? How was He disposed towards them? What all did He do there? Please be kind to describe to me the entire story of mAdhava.
10.1-10.
Further, parikShith submitted thus.
10.1-11.
My body is sustained by drinking deep the nectar of the stories of hari that is emanating from the lotus of your face. Depression has deserted me. Both thirst and hunger have departed from me. My mind is thrilled with excitement.
10.1-12.
Hearing these words of the king, that son of vyAsa, Suka spoke as follows.
10.1-13.
The stories of viShnu purify the ones desirous of always listening to His stories and also the ones who recount those just as the holy stream of water that emanates from His lotus feet.
10.1-14.
O King, listen! Earlier as thousands of demonic kings spread their might on earth, replete with regal pomp and conceit, mother Earth having been unable to bear them any more, took the form of gOmAtha (cow) and approached the lotus-born brahmA crying inconsolably. Lord brahmA calmed and consoled the desolate mother Earth with his speech and contemplated on the course of action. He went to seek help of srImahAviSHNu along with mother Earth and other gods. Contemplating on Lord viSHNu through the hymn purusha sUktam, He entered in to the wondrous samAdhi state. Returning from that deep state of communion with the Lord viSHNu, the One born from the water-born lotus (brahmA) addressed the gods and mother Earth with love and happiness about the voice of God that He heard in that state.
10.1-15.
O gods, please go and incarnate on the earth with your attributes in the clan of yAdavas. The Lord of lakshmi will happily be born as vasudEva's son and relieve the burden of mother Earth.
10.1-16.
O angels, the daughters of the gods, please deign to incarnate on the earth with beautiful forms in order to serve the Lord hari. AdisEsha, the serpent on which Lord rests will precede Him and be born as His elder brother and bring joy to Him.
10.1-17.
Goddess mAyA, the illusory power that drives the whole world and causes infatuation in the unrealized will also incarnate with her attributes as per the order of the Lord and carry out a specific task.
10.1-18.
Thus, having convinced the gods and consoled the mother Earth, Lord brahmA left for His abode.
(Moving over to the earth) Then the lord of the yadUs, sUrasEna made mathurA his capital city and ruled over the states of sUrasEna and mAthurA.
10.1-19.
O King, in earlier times that city of mathurA where the Lord of prosperity nArAyaNa happily and lovingly resided became the prime city for all the kings of the yAdava clan.
The stories of viShnu purify the ones desirous of always listening to His stories and also the ones who recount those just as the holy stream of water that emanates from His lotus feet.
10.1-14.
O King, listen! Earlier as thousands of demonic kings spread their might on earth, replete with regal pomp and conceit, mother Earth having been unable to bear them any more, took the form of gOmAtha (cow) and approached the lotus-born brahmA crying inconsolably. Lord brahmA calmed and consoled the desolate mother Earth with his speech and contemplated on the course of action. He went to seek help of srImahAviSHNu along with mother Earth and other gods. Contemplating on Lord viSHNu through the hymn purusha sUktam, He entered in to the wondrous samAdhi state. Returning from that deep state of communion with the Lord viSHNu, the One born from the water-born lotus (brahmA) addressed the gods and mother Earth with love and happiness about the voice of God that He heard in that state.
10.1-15.
O gods, please go and incarnate on the earth with your attributes in the clan of yAdavas. The Lord of lakshmi will happily be born as vasudEva's son and relieve the burden of mother Earth.
10.1-16.
O angels, the daughters of the gods, please deign to incarnate on the earth with beautiful forms in order to serve the Lord hari. AdisEsha, the serpent on which Lord rests will precede Him and be born as His elder brother and bring joy to Him.
10.1-17.
Goddess mAyA, the illusory power that drives the whole world and causes infatuation in the unrealized will also incarnate with her attributes as per the order of the Lord and carry out a specific task.
10.1-18.
Thus, having convinced the gods and consoled the mother Earth, Lord brahmA left for His abode.
(Moving over to the earth) Then the lord of the yadUs, sUrasEna made mathurA his capital city and ruled over the states of sUrasEna and mAthurA.
10.1-19.
O King, in earlier times that city of mathurA where the Lord of prosperity nArAyaNa happily and lovingly resided became the prime city for all the kings of the yAdava clan.
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