Meaning for Madhyamavati Saptaratna, Sundara nandakumara

[Ana]

Hi

Here is the lyrics for the Madhyamavati saptaratna, Sundara nandakumara. I would like to know the meaning for this composition.

TIA

sundara nandakumAra. rAgA: madhyamAvati. Adi tALA

P: sundara nandakumAra surucira nava tuLasi hAra

A: mandara giridhara dhiRA gOvardanadhara yamunAvihAra

C: prANanAtha rAjagOpAlA rAdhikAlOla grhANa rAjagOpAla

1: bhAsamAna kamaladaLa vikasita samAna lOcana madhumura mOcana
rAsagAna rasikavara surucira suvarNa cArusimhAsana-midam grhANa

2: amarAdhipa sannuta padapankaja nava yauvana manmatha manmathakara
sumana gOpIjana sammata sumana sAkSatayuta pAdyamidam sangrhANa

3: sarvamangaLa surAsura vandita nakanakanakamaNi kinkiNi sincita
garvita dAnava khaNDita mangaLa kalashasthitam arkyamidam sangrhANa

4: kamalAkara muraLidhara musalItara sOdara murabhIkara ati ati
ramaNiya tava yamunA shubhajala samAyuktam AchamanIyam sangrhANa

5: gOpakula tilaka malayaja tilaka manOhara mOhita lOka vilOcana
shObhaniya rAdhAmukha ramaNa sugandha manOhara dhUpamidam grhANa

6: nava nava pallava mallikAdi valayita vanamAlikAbharaNa mrgamada
tilakaphAla kanaka cEla nIla sarOruha tara karnadhyuti jAla
lAvaNya mrdu mandahAsa vadanAmbuja ravikOTi tEjarAja
mAdhava halatara sOdara shubhakara mangaLakara dIpamidam sangrhANa

7: pAyasAdaya soopa rucikaratara pAkatOka navanIta chASkulya
dadhinava phala citrAnna samanvita SaDrasayuta bhuktamidam sangrhANa

8: gOpIjana mana ranjana madhu muraLIdhara darAdharAruNa karavita
poogiphala samyukta nAga vallIdaLayuta tAmbUlamidam grhANa

9: kalyANaguna karuNAlavAla kALIya phaNa pada lOla

chANUra baka pralambaka chakaTa dhEnukAdi kula kAla
candra varNa manamOhana nava vraja sundarI gaNavilOla
vENugAna viSANa daraNa priya gOsamUha hrdipAla
viTapa mUla navanIta nijakara dharOttama gOkulabAla

[krishnaa]

I am starting the translation but definitely i will need help.. .so all rasikas are welcome with additions and corrections...

In this kriti, the poet is offering the SODaSOpacara pUjA to sRI kRSNa.

sundara nandakumAra. rAgA: madhyamAvati. Adi tALA

P: sundara nandakumAra surucira nava tuLasi hAra
O beautiful(sundara) son of nanda(nandakumAra), decorated with fresh(nava) and attractive(surucira) garlands of tulasI(tulasI hAra)!

A: mandara giridhara dhiRA gOvardanadhara yamunAvihAra
O you, who lifted the mountain(giridhara) mandara, who lifts the mountain gOvardhana and who roams(vihAra) on the banks of the river yamunA.
[in this verse, i think the poet means that the same personality who lifted up the mandara mountain in his incarnation as kUrma has now appeared as govardhana giridhara]


C: prANanAtha rAjagOpAlA rAdhikAlOla grhANa rAjagOpAla
O lord of my life(prAnanAtha), beloved of sRI rAdhikA(rAdhikAlOla)! O rAjagopAla, do accept it!

1: bhAsamAna kamaladaLa vikasita samAna lOcana madhumura mOcana
rAsagAna rasikavara surucira suvarNa cArusimhAsana-midam grhANa
one who is very radiant(bhAsamAna) and has the eyes(locana) like(samAna) a fully blossomed(vikasita) lotus flower(kamaladala)! The destroyer(mocana) of the demons madhU and mUra! The expert(vara) rasika in the melody of rAsa(rAsagAna)! Please do accept(grhAna) this(idam) beautiful(surucira) golden(suvarNa) seat(simhAsanam)!

i will continue soon...
hope this hepls

[krishnaa]

2: amarAdhipa sannuta padapankaja nava yauvana manmatha manmathakara
sumana gOpIjana sammata sumana sAkSatayuta pAdyamidam sangrhANa
one whose lotus feet(pada - feet, pankaja - lotus) are worshipped(sannuta) by indra(amara- devas, adhipa - lord/king)! one who resembles fresh(nava) youth(yauvana)! one whose form(AkAra) even attracts cupid himself!
[manam mathati iti manmathah - one who is capable of churning the heart is known as manmatha...
tasya manam mathati iti manmatha manmathah - one who is capable of churning the heart of manmatha is known as manmatha manmatha... here churning means churning for love)
one who is always consents to the gopIs (gopI sammata), please accept(sangrhANa) this pAdyam with(yuta) akSata)
[pAdyam is the washing of the feet. akSata is the unbroken rice grains which are offered to show respect while washing feet or while putting TIkA.]
i do not understand the meaning of sumana in this caranam... sumana literally means flower

[rshankar]

krishnaa - couldn't sumana also be interpreted as su (good/kind) mana (hearted)?

[Rajani]

krishnaa - wonderful!

Sumana also means Devas

[Ana]

Thanks, Krishnaa, Rajani and R Shankar This is most informative. I look forward to more...

[krishnaa]

Thanks Ravi and Rajani!
Ana, you are welcome!

Ravi, i also thought about the same meaning you mentioned.
Rajani, thanks for the addition.

[krishnaa]

3: sarvamangaLa surAsura vandita nakanakanakamaNi kinkiNi sincita
garvita dAnava khaNDita mangaLa kalashasthitam arkyamidam sangrhANa
One who is all(sarva) auspiciousness(mangala) personified, one who is worshipped(vandita) by both devas(sura) and demons(asura), one who is adorned(sincita) with a waistbelt(kinkiNi)! O you who destroyed(khanDita) the egoistic(garvita) demons(dAnava), please accept(sangrhANa) this arghyam which is placed(sthitam) in an auspicious(mangala) water-pot(kalaSa)!
[arghyam is the respectful sprinkling of water on the arrival of a guest/elderly person/respected person]
someone please help with the meaning of nakanakanakamaNi...

4: kamalAkara muraLidhara musalItara sOdara murabhIkara ati ati
ramaNiya tava yamunA shubhajala samAyuktam AchamanIyam sangrhANa
o flute player(muralIdhara)! brother(sOdara) of the wielder of the mUsala(mUsalI - balarAma)! you frightened the demon mUra (murabhIkara) to a very high extent(ati ati)! Please accept this AcamanIyam consisting of (samAyuktam) the auspicious waters(shubhajala) of your (tava) own yamunA!
[AcamanIyam is the water offered for rinsing the mouth]

[rshankar]

krishnaa in 4, I think it should be musalIdhara - wielder (dhara) of the club/plough-share (haladhara) - and not musalItara

[krishnaa]

Ravi,
mUsalI itself means wielder of mUsala. just like we have names of sri hari like vanamAlI - one wears the vanamAlA, cakrI - one who wields the cakram. i will find out what it the significance of tara. maybe the word is supposed to be mUasaladhara...

[PUNARVASU]

krishnaa - wonderful!

Sumana also means Devas

'ashtalakshmi stotram starts with 'sumanasa vandita'- I think his also also means the same as 'sumana'.

[krishnaa]

5: gOpakula tilaka malayaja tilaka manOhara mOhita lOka vilOcana
shObhaniya rAdhAmukha ramaNa sugandha manOhara dhUpamidam grhANa
The foremost(tilaka) in the clan(kula) of the cowherds(gOpa), one whose forehead is annointed with sandalwood(malayaja tilaka), one who easily steals the hearts of his onlookers(manOhara)! One whose eyes(vilOcana) have captivated(mOhita) the entire world(lOka)! The delighter(ramaNa) of sRI rAdhikAs glamorous(shObhanIya) face(mukha)! Please accept(grhANa) this dhUpam which has a lovely(manOhara) smell(sugandha)!
[the hill from which alot of sandalwood is produced is known as malaya, thus sandalwood is described as malayaja - born from malaya...]

6: nava nava pallava mallikAdi valayita vanamAlikAbharaNa mrgamada
tilakabhAla kanaka cEla nIla sarOruha tara karnadhyuti jAla
lAvaNya mrdu mandahAsa vadanAmbuja ravikOTi tEjarAja
mAdhava halatara sOdara shubhakara mangaLakara dIpamidam sangrhANa
One who is beautified(valayita) with fresh(nava) leaves and various type of flowers(mallikAdI) and bedecked(AbharaNa) with a vanamAlA! One whose forehead(bhAla) is decorated with musk(mrgamada) and one who is dressed in golden(kanaka) garments(cEla)! The lustre(dyuti) of your youthful form(lAvanya) surpasses the beauty of a blue(nIla) lotus(saroruha), you have a soft(mrdu) slight(manda) smile(hAsa), the great lustre(tEjarAja) of your lotus(ambuja) face(vadana) represents that of a thousand(koTi) suns(ravi)! O husband(dhava) of sRI(mA), brother(sOdara) of the wielder(dhara) of the plough(hala), please accept(sangrhANa) this(idam) auspicious(shubhakara mangalakara) offering of lamps(dIpam)!
[the garland(vanamAlA) that sRI kRSNa wears is described to have five colours of flowers - blue, red, white, yellow and green.
musk - kastUrI - is begotten from the navel of the kRSNa deer, the deer unware of the origin of the smell runs about looking for it the source of it and hence it is also known as mrgamada]

[rshankar]

krishnaa great job!

As krishnaa translates, it has eventually dawned on me that this is a composition where Sri OVK is asking his Lord SrI rAjagOpAlA to accept the offerings of a 'sampradAya pUjA' - starting with - cArusimhAsanm (Asanam), pAdyam, arghyam, AcamanIyam, dhUpam, dIpam, bhuktam (naivEdyam), tAmbUlam - in short, a 'samastOpacAra pUjA'! Very nice!!

[krishnaa]

Thanks alot Ravi!
Yes this is the description of sampradAya pUja - SODaSopacara pUjA as we usually call it in north india!
it is a very beautiful kriti.... with lots of elaboration on sRI kRSNa's form and virtues... a pleasure to translate!

[krishnaa]

7: pAyasAdaya soopa rucikaratara pAkatOka navanIta chASkulya
dadhinava phala citrAnna samanvita SaDrasayuta bhuktamidam sangrhANa
Including(Adaya) payasam and fifferent kinds of dAl(soopa), tasty(rucikara) edibles(pAka), butter(navanIta), fresh curd(dadhinava), friuts(phala) and different types of grains(citrAnna), embedded(samanvita) with the six(SAd) rasas, please accept(sangrhANa) these foodstuffs(bhuktamidam!
[rasikas please help ith the words i have left out...]


8: gOpIjana mana ranjana madhu muraLIdhara darAdharAruNa karavita
poogiphala samyukta nAga vallIdaLayuta tAmbUlamidam grhANa
O delighter(ranjana) of the gOpis(gOpIjana) hearts(mana), sweet(madhu) flute player(muralIdhara)! Together with supArI(poogiphala) and betel-leaves(nAgavallIdala), plaese accept(grhANa) this tAmbUlam!
[rasikas please help with the english meaning of supArI...
tAmbUlam are the mouth fresheners]

[krishnaa]

9: kalyANaguna karuNAlavAla kALIya phaNa pada lOla
chANUra baka pralambaka chakaTa dhEnukAdi kula kAla
candra varNa manamOhana nava vraja sundarI gaNavilOla
vENugAna viSANa daraNa priya gOsamUha hrdipAla
viTapa mUla navanIta nijakara dharOttama gOkulabAla
O you whose virtues are full of auspiciousness(kalyANaguNa), the very merciful one(karuNAlavAla), one who feet(pada) take pleasure(lOla) in dancing on the hoods(phaNa) of the kAlIya serpent, one who is death personified(kAla) for the clan(kula) of demons like chANUra, baka, pralamba, chakaTa ans dhenuka, one whose form(varNa) is as soothing as the moon(candra), then enchanter(mOhana) of everyones heart(mana), one who is very fond(vilOla) of the melodies(gAna) sung by the young(nava) damsels(sundarI) of vraja, the benefitter(pAla) of the hearts(hrdi) of the group of cows(gosamUha) one who holds(dhara) butter(navanIta) in his handa(nija kara), the best(uttama) among the young children(bAla) of gokula!
[i do not understand the meaning of viTapa mUla.... which literally would mean the root of a tree... but i dont know how it fits here,,,
also someone please help with the meaning of venugana visana darana priya...]

sorry for holding this last verse for a long time...
i hope this translation helps...

[keerthi]

The beauty of the imagery in venkatakavi's poetry that we can understand is equalled by the exasperating and knotty passages that we don't understand... It is possible that the untrammeled flow of poetic vision and ideas the kavi had, were clothed in a lyric that didn't necessarily conform with all the grammar that we try to keep in mind..

Krishnaa, your translation is really good..!


C1. The destroyer(mocana) of the demons madhU and mUra!

Could it be salvator/ liberator of Madhu and mura..?

C3. sumana-gOpI-jana-sammata sumanasa-akSata-yuta pAdyam idam sangrhANa

Could this be read as O lord acquiescent (sammata) with the pure hearted (su-mana) cowherdesses (gOpI jana) accept (sangrhANa) this (idam) pAdyam(water for washing feet) along with flowers and whole rice grains (sumanasa-akSata-yuta)

C3. naka-naka-naka / naga-naga-naga-naga..

the word naga means mountain/sun.. it is used in hindi to mean gem, and the similar sounding tamizh word nagai means jewel..
It could mean jewels bright like several suns, or may be an onomatopoeia for the jewels/ornaments..


C4. muraLidhara musalItara sOdara murabhIkara..

It may be better to read it as musalI-vara-sOdara... musalAdhara is also wrong.. the plough is musala and not musalA.. and my version also keeps with the syllabic pattern set by muralidhara and murabhIkara

C6. krishnaa said One who is beautified(valayita)

valayita translates to encircled/engirdled/sheathed..

C6. nIla-sarOruha-dhara-karna-dyuti-jAla translates to

One whose ear is adorned with a blue lotus..

C7. pAka tOka navanIta chASkulya ??????

The second word could be dOGha - a rustic word for milk.. the fourth word could be a slavic naivEdyaM from the sound of it..!

C8. ...darAdharAruNa karavita
poogiphala samyukta nAga vallIdaLayuta tAmbUlam

Most of my sahitya speculations are shots in the dark, and are as liable to be wrong, as they are to be right..

Not accounting for the first dara, the text may be adhara-aruNa- kara/ aruna-Akara vITa-pUgi-phala etc.,

which will translate to the lip-reddening (adhara-aruNa- kara/ aruna-Akara) pAn/ betel quid (vITa)*[1] and areca nuts (pUgi-phala)


C9. pralambaka chakaTa dhEnukAdi kula kAla

shakaTa..? the cart demon..

candra varNa manamOhana - This may be a very special usage in that it anticipates thyagaraja's usage of chanduru varnuni in the sing 'EndarO mahanubhavulu'.. If venkatakavi preceded tyagaraja, this usage gives a precedent and hence legitimacy for thAgayya's construction..

vENu-gAna viSANa-dharaNa-priya - viSANa can mean tusk or horn.. Here it may refer to the 'kombu' a bugle fashioned out of cattle horn, which cowherds used to carry, and use..

gOsamUha hrdipAla - ???? UVS kavi revels in these samAsa compounds of the 'aluk' variety particularly, he has a propensity to use hRdi, where hRd would be the norm..

As to the meaning, it is anybody's guess..

viTapa mUla navanIta... here it merely means that he is seated/standind at the foot of a tree... This is a classic depiction of lord KRSNa in pictures/icons/poetry (vide the sahasranAma prefatory cchAyAyam parijAtasya etc.,)

Footnote - [1] - betel quid (vITa)* - Another of my hair-brained speculations, this word is more familiar, in its feminised form vItikA, which in kannaDa and telugu has morphed into vIlyE (ele) for betel leaf and viDEmu for pAn respectively (vide tyagayya's song viDEmu sEyavE)

[krishnaa]

Thanks alot Keerthi!!!

is there any audio available online???

[keerthi]

look here.. http://sangeethapriya.org/tributes/ovk/ ... index.html