Potana-The Poet

Preamble

While I was residing outside India, I came to know that there are several Andhra children who did not have the opportunity to learn to read and write Telugu language, in fact, my son can not read and write Telugu. My daughter learnt to read and write Telugu only when she came back to Andhra Pradesh, when she was 14 years old.

I then realized that by not being able to read and write the mother tongue (for whatever reason) these children are deprived of several beautiful stories, dramas, novels and a host of other literature. I thought I will attempt to fill this gap by writing in English some interesting stories that I heard or read in my childhood.

This is the first of such stories.

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Potana-The Poet

There are three sacred books for us Hindus, called the Ramayana, the Mahabharatha and the Mahabhagavatha. As you all know, Valmiki originally wrote the Ramayana in Sanskrit and Veda Vyas wrote both the epics, the Mahabharatha and the Mahabhagavatha, involving Srikrishna.

Almost every Hindu knows that Ramayana deals with Ram and his three younger brothers, his trials and travails and how his wife was kidnapped by Ravana and how he rescued his wife Sita by waging successful war with Ravana, killing the demon king in the process.

The Mahabharatha deals with two sets of Kshatriya cousins, the Kauravas and the Pandavas and their fights for power, kingdom and wealth, with intricate political strategies, tricks and counter tricks on each other. The story eventually culminates in an epic battle in a place called Kurukshethra, in which the evil plotting Kauravas are all killed by the virtuous Pandavas.

The Mahabhagavatha deals exclusively with Srikrishna; his birth, how he was brought up, his education, friends, marriages and his achievements and various other feats. The epic also includes some stories about Vishnu, the god of whom Krishna was an avatar.

All these famous works are translated in to Telugu by famous poets like Bhaskara (who translated the Ramayana), Nannaya, Tikkana and Errapragada (who translated the Mahabharatha) and Bammera Potana who translated the Bhagavatha.

In the Bhagavatha there is this tale called ‘Gajendra Moksham’. Briefly, the story is that there was this elephant king who, with his entire retinue, went into a lake to bathe in a jungle. There lived a ferocious but small crocodile in that same lake.

The crocodile caught hold of this elephant king’s leg in his jaws and these animals fought for a long time; at the end when the elephant realized that it was about to lose, it turns to Vishnu and prays to him. Lord Vihnu then comes from his abode in a great hurry and saves the elephant king.

In this chapter that is dealing with the Gajendra moksham, Potana writes some sensitive and impressive poems.

Incidentally, in the Bhagavatha the chapters are called ‘skanda’ and they are mentioned numerically like Prathama (First) skanda, Dwiteeya (Second) skanda, Triteeya (Third) skanda and so on; in the Mahabharatha the chapters are known as Parva; they are named like Aadi Parva, Sabha Parva etc.; in the Ramayana they are known as Kaanda like Ayodhya Kaanda, Baala kaanda, Kishkindha kaanda, Sundara kaanda etc.

There is a story about the writing of these poems too; apparently Potana was stuck when he had to describe how and where Lord Vishnu was when Gajendra (elephant king) began praying for Him. He abandoned his papyrus and stylus and told his daughter that he was going out for a walk to figure out how to write that scene.

After a little time when his daughter came in to the verandah she found her father writing feverishly with great concentration.

After almost an hour or so Poatana came in to the house with a disappointed and dejected look on his face. When the daughter asked as to why he was still in low spirits though only few moments ago he was writing so passionately that he did not even notice her brief entry in to verandah, Potana was quite surprised. He ran in to the verandah and looked at his papers and there was this poem neatly written that he was struggling to write all day.

It goes like this: “ ala vaikuntha purambu lo nagarilo naamoola saudhamabu daapala, mandara vanataram…”

It narrates how Vishnu was in a corner of Vaikuntham (his town) with his consort and wife, Laxmi--we are given to understand that she is eternally massaging his legs and feet to relieve him of pain…perhaps Vishnu goes jogging every other hour!.

Each of the Hindu Triumvarate (Gods) have their own towns- Siva’s town is called Kailash; Vishnu’s, as we have seen above, Vaikunth and Bramha’s town is known as Satya lok.

Potana’s next poem goes thus: “Sirikin jeppadu, Sankha Chakra yugamun chedoyi sandhimpado….”

Apparently Vishnu just got up from his seat--the great snake, Vasuki--and left in a great hurry as soon as he heard Gajendra’s prayer.

That is, neither did he tell his wife where he was going, nor did he pick up his weapons like Chakra (the disk), Gada (the mace) Sankha (the conch). He just ran in such a great hurry that he did not even notice his clothes getting disheveled.

The poet is trying tell us that when a devotee calls the Lord sincerely, God comes to him instantly, without ANY delay at all.

When this poem was read by Srinath, another great Telugu poet, who also happens to be the brother-in-law of Potana, he burst out laughing till his belly ached. Potana who was reading out the poems to seek Srinath’s opinion could not understand it and felt insulted.

Srinath immediately tried to explain the reason for his impolite laughter. He said ‘Baava! It is understandable that Srihari (Lord Vishnu) left Vaikunth in a tearing hurry to save his devotee Gajendra. But what is the use of his presence at that lake without any of his weapons?

Obviously Vishnu knows that he was going there to rescue Gajendra and that more than likely, there would be a fight. Then what was he thinking when he rushed to the spot without any weapons to fight with? Your poem does not make sense. It is exaggeration. Perhaps you may want to rewrite that portion.’

Potana listened to him very carefully and patiently. He agreed with Srinath and said that he will think about it.

Now, we need a little bit of backstory.

Srinath was a great poet in his own right. He wrote some great books like Sringaara Naishadham, in honor of some kings and some princes; the royalty was so pleased that they showered him with gifts and wealth. Srinath suggested that Potana also do the same and earn great wealth.

But Potana’s ideas were different. He wished to utilize his creative talent for writing in praise of only the Lord and certainly not any mere mortals even if they were powerful kings. Potana declared that he did not care much for worldly wealth. He wrote and dedicated his works to the Lord himself and no one else.

This was one point on which both these poets often clashed verbally. As a consequence, Potana lived in abject poverty and Srinath led an opulent life style.

That after noon after eating a more than sumptuous lunch cooked by Potana’s wife (Srinath’s sister), Srinath was taking a nap with his wife in the guest bedroom. Just as his eyes closed, he heard a great big noise and he got up completely flustered. As he was getting up, Potana rushed in without even knocking and shouted, ‘Bava, your son fell in the well in our back yard as he was playing, we must—’

Srinath ran to the back yard with his wife in tow, before Potana could complete his sentence. Srinath was running round the well nervously, weeping loudly and screaming his son’s name. He did not realize that the juice of the betel nuts he had been chewing was streaming down his lower lip, his hair was all disheveled, he was without shoes and his face was looking grotesque with anguish; in short he made a ghastly sight.

Potana walked calmly to him and asked him, ‘Bava, what are you doing? Didn’t I tell you that your son fell in the well? Why did you come bare-handed? You should have brought in some rope or some other device or should have called a swimmer to rescue the boy; what is the use of your coming here empty handed?’

Srinath could not control his anger and burst out at Potana. He said that he had just rushed to the well as soon as he heard the news. Just then his son came out smiling from the kitchen, safe and sound. Srinath was understandably flabbergasted and grateful that the boy was safe.

Potana explained then that it was all a farce and Srinath’s son had never been in danger. It was a big stone which Potana had thrown in the well to make such big noise.

Potana then explained to Srinath, ‘Baava, when you heard the news of your son falling in the well, you ran instantly without another thought. Similarly, Lord Vishnu rushed to Ganjendra as soon as he heard his devotee’s prayers because we are all the children of the Lord. ‘

Srinath admitted that he was wrong and Potana was right.

And so it was that Potana’s MahaBhagavatha achieved lasting fame.

Sarve jannassukhino bhavantu: ‘May all mankind be happy.’