muLLu koneya mElE mUru kereya katti

By: Shri Kesava Rao Tadipatri

Art by Smt.Vani Rao, Baton Rouge,LA
Audio by Smt.Shubha Rao,TX
Dasarapada sheet
muLLu koneya mElE mUru kereya kaTTi
eraDu tuMbadu oMdu tuMbalE illa
tuMbalillada kerege baMdaru mUvaru oDDaru
ibbaru kuMTaru obbage kAlE illa
kAlillada oDDage koTTaru mUru emmegaLa ,
eraDu baraDu oMdake karuvE illa
karuvillada emmege koTTaru mUru honnugaLa,
eraDu savakalu oMdu sallalE illa
salladidda honnige baMdaru mUvaru nOTagAraru
ibbaru kuruDaru obbage kaNNE illa
kaNNillada nOTagArage koTTaru mUru UrugaLa
eraDu hALu oMdakke okkalE illa
okkalillada Urige baMdaru mUvaru kuMbAraru
ibbaru choMcharu obbage kayyE illa
kai illada kuMbAranu mADida mUru maDikegaLa
eraDu oDaku oMdakke buDavE illa
buDavillada maDikege hAkidaru mUru akkikALa
eraDu bEyadu oMdu bEyalE illa
bEyalillada akkige baMdaru mUvaru neMTaru
ibbaru uNNaru obbage hasivE illa
hasive illada neMTage koTTaru mUru ToNapegaLa
eraDu tAkadu oMdu tAkalE illa
tAkalillada ToNapeya tAkisi sadgatIya
nIyabEku puraMdara viThThala rAya

ಮುಳ್ಳು ಕೊನೆಯ ಮೇಲೇ ಮೂರು ಕೆರೆಯ ಕಟ್ಟಿ
ಎರಡು ತುಂಬದು ಒಂದು ತುಂಬಲೇ ಇಲ್ಲ
ತುಂಬಲಿಲ್ಲದ ಕೆರೆಗೆ ಬಂದರು ಮೂವರು ಒಡ್ಡರು 
ಇಬ್ಬರು ಕುಂಟರು ಒಬ್ಬಗೆ ಕಾಲೇ ಇಲ್ಲ
ಕಾಲಿಲ್ಲದ ಒಡ್ಡಗೆ ಕೊಟ್ಟರು ಮೂರು ಎಮ್ಮೆಗಳ , 
ಎರಡು ಬರಡು ಒಂದಕೆ ಕರುವೇ ಇಲ್ಲ
ಕರುವಿಲ್ಲದ ಎಮ್ಮೆಗೆ ಕೊಟ್ಟರು ಮೂರು ಹೊನ್ನುಗಳ, 
ಎರಡು ಸವಕಲು ಒಂದು ಸಲ್ಲಲೇ ಇಲ್ಲ
ಸಲ್ಲದಿದ್ದ ಹೊನ್ನಿಗೆ ಬಂದರು ಮೂವರು ನೋಟಗಾರರು
ಇಬ್ಬರು ಕುರುಡರು ಒಬ್ಬಗೆ ಕಣ್ಣೇ ಇಲ್ಲ
ಕಣ್ಣಿಲ್ಲದ ನೋಟಗಾರಗೆ ಕೊಟ್ಟರು ಮೂರು ಊರುಗಳ
ಎರಡು ಹಾಳು ಒಂದಕ್ಕೆ ಒಕ್ಕಲೇ ಇಲ್ಲ
ಒಕ್ಕಲಿಲ್ಲದ ಊರಿಗೆ ಬಂದರು ಮೂವರು ಕುಂಬಾರರು
ಇಬ್ಬರು ಚೊಂಚರು ಒಬ್ಬಗೆ ಕಯ್ಯೇ ಇಲ್ಲ
ಕೈ ಇಲ್ಲದ ಕುಂಬಾರನು ಮಾಡಿದ ಮೂರು ಮಡಿಕೆಗಳ
ಎರಡು ಒಡಕು ಒಂದಕ್ಕೆ ಬುಡವೇ ಇಲ್ಲ
ಬುಡವಿಲ್ಲದ ಮಡಿಕೆಗೆ ಹಾಕಿದರು ಮೂರು ಅಕ್ಕಿಕಾಳ
ಎರಡು ಬೇಯದು ಒಂದು ಬೇಯಲೇ ಇಲ್ಲ
ಬೇಯಲಿಲ್ಲದ ಅಕ್ಕಿಗೆ ಬಂದರು ಮೂವರು ನೆಂಟರು
ಇಬ್ಬರು ಉಣ್ಣರು ಒಬ್ಬಗೆ ಹಸಿವೇ ಇಲ್ಲ
ಹಸಿವೆ ಇಲ್ಲದ ನೆಂಟಗೆ ಕೊಟ್ಟರು ಮೂರು ಟೊಣಪೆಗಳ
ಎರಡು ತಾಕದು ಒಂದು ತಾಕಲೇ ಇಲ್ಲ
ತಾಕಲಿಲ್ಲದ ಟೊಣಪೆಯ ತಾಕಿಸಿ ಸದ್ಗತೀಯ
ನೀಯಬೇಕು ಪುರಂದರ ವಿಠ್ಠಲ ರಾಯ

It is well known that some of the "dasara pada-s" are quite riddle-some and carry a very deep meaning.
One such song of PurandaradAsa is given below, with an attempt to give a brief gist.

1.muLLu koneya mElE mUru kereya katti
eradu thumbadhu omdhu thumbalE illa
ಮುಳ್ಳು ಕೊನೆಯ ಮೇಲೇ ಮೂರು ಕೆರೆಯ ಕಟ್ಟಿ
ಎರಡು ತುಂಬದು ಒಂದು ತುಂಬಲೇ ಇಲ್ಲ
Outer meaning:
Three lakes are built on the tip of a thorn and two cannot be filled and one is not filled.
Inner meaning:
Tip of a thorn represents infinitesimally small entity.
Here it means jIva. why?
"ashvabAlAgramAdAya vibhajya shatadhA hi tat.h |
punashcha shatadhA bhinnaM kiyanmAnaM bhavishyati|
tAvad.hbrahmAdi\- jIvAnAM parimANaM prakIrtitaM ||"

अश्वबालाग्रमादाय विभज्य शतधा हि तत्‌।
पुनश्च शतधा भिन्नं कियन्मानं भविष्यति।
तावद्‌ब्रह्मादि- जीवानां परिमाणं प्रकीर्तितं॥

If one takes the tip of horse's tail and splits into one hundred parts and takes one part and further divides into one hundred parts, that is known to be the size of the jIvas starting from Brahma. Lake represents body. The jIva or svarUpadeha is surrounded by three bodies - anAdi linga shaIra, aniruddha deha and sthUla deha (gross body, which we all see).
The first two dehas, viz. linga deha and aniruddha deha cannot be filled with sAdhanodka (meaning not possible to accomplish sAdhana), while the gross body is needed for sAdhana. But even this is not filled because our sAdhana is not yet complete or I am not doing enough sAdhana.

"sADhana sharIravidhu nI dhayadhi kottadhdhu sADhAraNavalla sADhupriyane".
"ಸಾಧನ ಶರೀರವಿದು ನೀ ದಯದಿ ಕೊಟ್ಟದ್ದು ಸಾಧಾರಣವಲ್ಲ ಸಾಧುಪ್ರಿಯನೆ".

2.thumbalilladha kerege bamdharu mUvaru oddaru
ibbaru kumtaru obbage kAlE illa
ತುಂಬಲಿಲ್ಲದ ಕೆರೆಗೆ ಬಂದರು ಮೂವರು ಒಡ್ಡರು
ಇಬ್ಬರು ಕುಂಟರು ಒಬ್ಬಗೆ ಕಾಲೇ ಇಲ್ಲ
Outer meaning: 
For the lake that is not filled, came three stone-cutters or diggers. Two are lame and one does not have legs. Three stone-workers are three stages that happen to the gross body - boyhood, youth and old age.
Inner meaning:
Boyhood and old age are like lame. In boyhood, one is immature and indulges in playing and fun. In old age infirmity, weakness and fatigue set in. Thus these two are hard to utilize for sAdhana. While in youth, one has lot of strength to do sAdhana, but there is no full effort or willingness to indulge fully. Thus not having leg is like not having willingness.

3.kAlilladha oddage kottaru mUru emmegaLa ,
eradu baradu omdhakkaruvE illa
ಕಾಲಿಲ್ಲದ ಒಡ್ಡಗೆ ಕೊಟ್ಟರು ಮೂರು ಎಮ್ಮೆಗಳ ,
ಎರಡು ಬರಡು ಒಂದಕೆ ಕರುವೇ ಇಲ್ಲ
Outer meaning: 
Three buffalos are given to the legless worker. Two are barren and one does not have calf.
Inner meaning:
The three buffalos are the three desires known as IshhaNatraya - wife, children and wealth. It is well known that when youth sets in, the three desires set in. Wife and children are hindrances to dharmasAdhana. One may argue what if they are cooperative in dharmasAdhana. But, still the bandha/bondage is a handicap in doing full sAdhana. Wealth need not be dharmapratibandhaka and instead it can be only dharmasAdhana. But more often than not, it is used for pleasure seeking only. Thus its not having calf is like its not having "dharma-chitta" (transferred epithet - the person does not utilize all wealth only for dharmakAryas).

4.karuvilladha emmege kottaru mUru honnugaLa,
eradu savakalu omdhu sallalE illa
ಕರುವಿಲ್ಲದ ಎಮ್ಮೆಗೆ ಕೊಟ್ಟರು ಮೂರು ಹೊನ್ನುಗಳ,
ಎರಡು ಸವಕಲು ಒಂದು ಸಲ್ಲಲೇ ಇಲ್ಲ
Outer meaning:
Three gold piles were given to the calfless buffalo. Two were utilized and one was never
utilized.
Inner meaning:
One buys items with gold. The wealth can be spent in three ways -
1. spend in dharma mArga
2. spend in adharmamarga
3. let it rot like a miser.
One may observe that it takes the course of the last two. This is how the wealth is utilized. The first one - dharma marga - is not utilized at all.

5.salladhidhdha honnige bamdharu mUvaru notagAraru
ibbaru kurudaru obbage kaNNE illa
ಸಲ್ಲದಿದ್ದ ಹೊನ್ನಿಗೆ ಬಂದರು ಮೂವರು ನೋಟಗಾರರು
ಇಬ್ಬರು ಕುರುಡರು ಒಬ್ಬಗೆ ಕಣ್ಣೇ ಇಲ್ಲ
Outer meaning: 
For the wealth, which is not utilized in dharma mArga, came three debtors. Two are blind and one does not have eyes.
Inner meaning:
The three debtors are the three kinds of karmas
1. Sanchita 2. AgAmi and 3. PrArabdha
One does not know what the first two are and so they are like blind. One can gauge the third one as that is reflected in what happens to us all our life. Thus it is perceivable, but still one is so engrossed in materialistic pleasures, that one has no eye to see the third one also.

6.kaNNilladha notagArage kottaru mUru UrugaLa
eradu hALu omdhakke okkalE illa
ಕಣ್ಣಿಲ್ಲದ ನೋಟಗಾರಗೆ ಕೊಟ್ಟರು ಮೂರು ಊರುಗಳ
ಎರಡು ಹಾಳು ಒಂದಕ್ಕೆ ಒಕ್ಕಲೇ ಇಲ್ಲ
Outer meaning: 
Three towns are given to the eyeless debtor. Two are deserted and one does not have any inhabitants.
Inner meaning:
All the ones, who are undergoing prArabdha, are equipped with three guNa-s - sattva, rajas, tamas.
Rajas and tamas cannot lead to moxa and so they are like deserted towns. Even though sattva mArga can lead to moxa, one does not use it for that and so it is like having no inhabitants.

7.okkalilladha Urige bamdharu mUvaru kumbAraru
ibbaru chomcharu obbage kayyE illa
ಒಕ್ಕಲಿಲ್ಲದ ಊರಿಗೆ ಬಂದರು ಮೂವರು ಕುಂಬಾರರು
ಇಬ್ಬರು ಚೊಂಚರು ಒಬ್ಬಗೆ ಕಯ್ಯೇ ಇಲ್ಲ
 Outer meaning:
Three pot makers came to the town without inhabitants. Two are have crippled arms and one does not have arm.
Inner meaning:
Sattva guNa can be further sattvatamas, sattvarajas and sattvasattva. The three abhimAni devatas for
these are Rudra, Brahma and Vishnu respectively. Rudra and Brahma are not independent and so they
are crippled (svatantro bhagavAn.h vishhNuH - only Lord Vishnu is independent). Though Vishnu is
independent and capable of giving us moxa, He has not relieved us from this saMsAra. Thus "not having arm/hand" is to be taken figuratively to mean not wiling to help us.

8.kai illadha kumbAranu mAdidha mUru madikegaLa
eradu odaku omdhakke budavE illa
ಕೈ ಇಲ್ಲದ ಕುಂಬಾರನು ಮಾಡಿದ ಮೂರು ಮಡಿಕೆಗಳ
ಎರಡು ಒಡಕು ಒಂದಕ್ಕೆ ಬುಡವೇ ಇಲ್ಲ
 Outer meaning:
The One unwilling to use hands, made three pots - two have holes (broken) and one does not have bottom.
Inner meaning:
Vishnu, who is has not used His hand to help us, gave three tools - knowledge, detachment and devotion.
 We don't have knowledge and detachment and so they are broken. We try to have devotion, but devotion without knowledge and detachment is like a bottomless pot. Devotion must have the support of knowledge and detachment. Otherwise it is futile.

9.budavillada madikege hAkidharu mUru akkikALa
eradu bEyadhu omdhu bEyalE illa
ಬುಡವಿಲ್ಲದ ಮಡಿಕೆಗೆ ಹಾಕಿದರು ಮೂರು ಅಕ್ಕಿಕಾಳ
ಎರಡು ಬೇಯದು ಒಂದು ಬೇಯಲೇ ಇಲ್ಲ 
Outer meaning: Three rice grains were put in this bottomless pot. Two cannot get cooked and one did not get cooked at all.
Inner meaning:
The bottomless devotion has three forms which are like thee rice grains - sAttvika bhakti, Rajasika
bhakti and tAmasika bhakti. Rajasika bhakti and tAmasika bhakti cannot lead us to moxa and so they
cannot get cooked. sAttvika bhakti can lead us to moxa, but we are not utilizing it and so this did not get cooked at all.

10.bEyalilladha akkige bamdharu mUvaru nemtaru
ibbaru uNNaru obbage hasivE illa
ಬೇಯಲಿಲ್ಲದ ಅಕ್ಕಿಗೆ ಬಂದರು ಮೂವರು ನೆಂಟರು
ಇಬ್ಬರು ಉಣ್ಣರು ಒಬ್ಬಗೆ ಹಸಿವೇ ಇಲ್ಲ
Outer meaning:
Three relatives came to this uncooked grain. Two don't eat and one is not hungry.
Inner meaning:
This sAttvika bhakti can be exercized by the three "karaNa-s" (means, known as trikaraNa-s), viz. mind, word and body (thought, speech and action). Speech and action without thought cannot lead us to moxa. Also as body gets destroyed, the tongue and body cannot taste the moxarasa. Mind and chitj~nAna can lead us to moxa, but the jij~nAsa itself is lacking. The mind is not hungry.

11.hasive illadha nemtage kottaru mUru toNapegaLa
eradu thAkadhu omdhu thAkalE illa
ಹಸಿವೆ ಇಲ್ಲದ ನೆಂಟಗೆ ಕೊಟ್ಟರು ಮೂರು ಟೊಣಪೆಗಳ
ಎರಡು ತಾಕದು ಒಂದು ತಾಕಲೇ ಇಲ್ಲ
Outer meaning:
This hungerless relative is given (hit with) three cudgels (punishing rods). Two can't touch and one dosn't touch.
Inner meaning:
The mind is put to pain by the sorrows of past, future and current births. We have no clue about the past and future births. Thus we don't remember those pains and so they can't touch. We experience the pain of current birth and so it certainly can have impact on us; but unfortunately, it is not having an impact on us.

12.thAkalilladha toNapeya thAkisi sadhgathIya
nIyabEku puramdhara viTTala rAya
ತಾಕಲಿಲ್ಲದ ಟೊಣಪೆಯ ತಾಕಿಸಿ ಸದ್ಗತೀಯ
ನೀಯಬೇಕು ಪುರಂದರ ವಿಠ್ಠಲ ರಾಯ
Outer meaning:
By making the untouching cudgel touch us, Oh Purandara viTThala! please grant us moxa.
Inner meaning:
By making us realize the impact of the sorrow of current birth, Oh Purandara viTThala! guide us on
the path of moxa by giving knowledge, devotion and detachment and grace us with moxa.

Shri KrishnArpanamastu !!

Other Purandara dasara Kritis


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