[An essay by Mr. Bhattu Venkat Rao titled ‘Stanzas from Sumatii Satakamu’.]
‘Satakamu’ means ‘a book of 100 poems.’ The poems in a Telugu ‘Satakamu’ shall normally be of the same meter, the underlying theme shall generally be the same. One more characteristic of a ‘Sataka padyam’ is that it ends with a refrain formed with one or a group of words which is called ‘makutamu’. This ‘makutamu’ identifies the ‘Satakamu’; that means a book of poems that ends with the ‘makutamu’ ‘bhaaskaraa’is known as ‘bhaaskara Satakamu’, the book of poems that ends with the ‘makutamu’ ‘sumatii’ is known as ‘sumatii Satakamu’ and likewise the others, such as ‘daaSarathii Satakamu, veamana Satakamu’ etc.
Though the under-lying theme is the same, each poem in a ‘Satakamu’ can be independently read and the meaning enjoyed. The name given for this type of stand-alone single poem in Telugu classical poetry is ‘muktakamu’. Nannaya Bhattaaraka, a poet who lived in the first half of 11th Century AD, known as ‘aadi Kavi’ (the first poet so for as the Telugu classical metered poetry is concerned), while translating the ‘Sanskrit bharatam’ into Telugu, had interspersed the narration with ‘muktaka’ type of poems that teach wisdom and virtuous aspects of human nature. Taking cue from the method adopted by Nannaya, poets in the latter years had invented the method of composing such poems in hundreds and placing them in independent collections, theme wise, and had given the name ‘Satakamu’.
The first ‘Satakamu’ that appeared in Telugu classical literature is ‘sumatii Satakamu’ during 13th Century AD. It is believed that ‘sumatii Satakamu’ was written by a poet named ‘baddena’ who lived about the year 1260 AD. Some, however, believe that a poet named ‘bhiimana’, who lived around 11th Century AD wrote it. Whoever might have written this ‘sumatii Satakamu’, it is a very popular amongst the Telugu speaking household and poems from this Satakamu are recited and taught to children from the age of 4 or so. All the poems in this ‘sumati Satakamu’ were written in ‘kaMda’ meter.
In this short essay, four of the very popular stanzas are translated into English. A short note is also given for each poem to facilitate better understanding of the meaning of the poem.
aDigina jiitaMbiyyani
miDimealapu doranu golchi miDukuTa kaMTen
vaDi gala yeddula gaTTuka
maDi dunnuka bratuka vachchu mahiloe sumatii!
అడిగిన జీతంబియ్యని
మిడిమేలపు దొరను గొల్చి మిడుకుట కంటెన్
వడి గల యెద్దుల గట్టుక
మడి దున్నుక బ్రతుక వచ్చు మహిలో సుమతీ!
Instead of not getting wages when asked from an
Arrogant master and grieve time and again,
Better it is on earth to find two well-bodied oxen
And live by farming a piece of land, O fair minded one!
This is one of the best of best poems from sumatii Satakamu in which the poet suggests that it is not at all advisable to continue serving an arrogant master who is not kind enough to give the wages in time. Instead, he suggests the physically competent person who is expert in farming, to do the farming himself by borrowing a piece of land for yearly rent and live with self-respect and honor.
(2)
‘Who is a prudent person?’ This question may appear very simple. However, once we try to answer this question, we may feel that we do not find words that are perfectly correct and suitable to spell out the exact answer that forms in our understanding.
This question was answered by the poet of ‘sumatii Satakamu’ in the simplest way possible. Words used in this poem are the simplest amongst the Telugu words. One reading of the poem is enough; its meaning goes straight into the mind. No further explanations are required. This is the most popular of the poems that formed ‘sumatii Satakamu’:
eppaTi keyyedi prastuta
mappaTikaa maaTalaaDi yanyula manamul
noppiMchaka taanovvaka
tappiMchuka tiruguvaaDu dhanyuDu sumatii!”
ఎప్పటి కెయ్యెది ప్రస్తుత
మప్పటికా మాటలాడి యన్యుల మనముల్
నొప్పించక తానొవ్వక
తప్పించుక తిరుగువాడు ధన్యుడు సుమతీ!
He is the blessed one, who leaves the scene,
Managing the talk well to suit the situation,
Carefully weighing the words, not to hurt anyone,
Nor he be hurt by anyone, O fair-minded one!
(3)
Disposition is a genetic thing. Habits connected with the natural disposition do not die that easily. Some persons appear more deserving to do certain things. It is a natural phenomenon that certain individuals are very often found predisposed to perform certain jobs with a naturally gifted élan, which a person of different disposition, even when placed under the most amicable of circumstances, would find himself wanting and makes a fuss of the whole affair.
This common fact that comes into understanding during daily life experiences has been told in this poem of ‘sumatii Satakamu’, which is a very popular one and the first one to be recited to point out instances of undeserving authority:
kanakapu siMhaasanamuna
Sunakamu kuurchuMDabeTTi SubhalagnamunaM
donaraga baTTamu gaTTina
venakaTi guNamealamaanu vinaraa sumatii!
కనకపు సింహాసనమున
శునకము కూర్చుండబెట్టి శుభలగ్నమునం
దొనరగ బట్టము గట్టిన
వెనకటి గుణమేలమాను వినరా సుమతీ!
Even when it is customarily coronated
Under the finest of auspicious moments and
Made to be seated on a golden throne,
How a dog loses its disposition, O fair-minded one!
(4)
A person should know his limits and behave – this is the advice elders give to younger generation. This means, one has to behave within his own limits to keep his respect in society with others. With a view to imbue this advice to children, it was poetized in ‘sumatii Satakamu’ in the most apt and heartening way in the following poem:
kamalamulu niiTa baasina
kamalaaptuni raSmi soeki kamaaina bhaMgin
tamatama naval dappina
tama mitrulu SatrulouTa tadhyamu sumatii!
కమలములు నీట బాసిన
కమలాప్తుని రశ్మి సోకి కమలిన భంగిన్
తమతమ నెలవులు దప్పిన
తమ మిత్రులు శత్రులౌట తధ్యము సుమతీ!
As the lotuses placed out of pond waters wilt
Under the heat of the Sun, the one the dearest
To lotuses, it is certain that one’s own friend when
Adversely placed turns out foe, O fair-minded one!
It is a known fact that lotuses bloom during the day and lose their luster as the sun-shine disappears after sunset. The Sun is, therefore, considered in poetic sense as the dearest one to lotuses. However, even the Sun cannot control the harm that is done to the lotuses when the lotuses are placed out of the pond waters. Within minutes they wilt and lose the beauty and charm under the heat of the Sun, their own dearest friend. This phenomenon was hearteningly used by the poet of ‘sumatii Satakamu’ to convey the advice that a person should never try to be out of his own demeanor and behave out of context that results in things going against him. Knowingly placing oneself in a situation that is not friendly is a foolish adventure. Even the best of friends may not be in a position to save from such situations.
A retired employee. Interested in Telugu literature.