Mankuthimmana Kagga
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Mankuthimmana Kagga is one of the most famous and popular major literary works in Kannada, composed by Dr. D. V. Gundappa (known by the name D V G), and published in 1943. It is widely regarded as a masterpiece among the Kannada speaking population of southern India. It is infact called the Bhagavad Gita in Kannada. The title of this work can be translated as "Song of Mankutimma". Kagga is a beautiful and profound collection of 945 poems. Each poem is of four lines. Some of the poems are in old Kannda style (haLegannada). Kagga poems are profound, yet poetic. Most of these can be sung.
Popularity
Kagga explores deeper questions of life, contemplates on the meaning of ultimate truth (reality) and advises us to lead a balanced life in this complex ever changing world. Thus Kagga advises us to follow the middle path extending one hand towards the ultimate truth and the other hand to the phenomnal world. The message of many of the songs from Kagga is samatwa.
Kagga is so popular in Kannada literature that most of the Kannada speaking folks are familiar with at least a few of the poems from this great work even if they have not read it. Poems like
- Hullaagu BettadaDi, manege malligeyaagu
- Kallaagu kashtagaLa maLe suriye
- Bella sakkareyaagu deena durbalarige
- EllaroLagondaagu Mankuthimma
are but few of the poems quite well known to the people familiar with Kannada literature.
The Spirit of Kagga
One of the popular poems from this work "Hullagu bettadadi" translated below, conveys the spirit of Kagga.
Be a (gentle) blade of grass at the foot of the mountain; and jasmine flower at home
Be (strong) like a rock when the fate pours (torrential) rain of difficulties on you
Be sweet like sugar and jaggery to the poor and weak
Be one with all, Mankutimma.
This short beautiful poem holds the key for leading a balanced living. It advises us to be humble and gentle yet strong. The song says be humble like a blade of grass at the foot of the mountain and spread your fragrance like a gentle jasmine flower. The metaphor of gentle blade of grass near the foot of the mountain is very profound. When the rain pours over the mountains, when the mighty winds blow, the tall trees on the mountains may fall down, but the gentle grass blade will bend and survive. The tall trees are "too proud" to bend and surrender to the winds. The humble blade of grass will bend and surrender to the mighty wind. Thus this song tells us one of the secret of life. The secret in life lies in learning how to survive by understanding the humbleness of gentle blade of grass. This poem says do not always stand like a proud tall tree, but bend like a gentle blade of grass when the winds blow. But when the fate brings its own share of difficulties, be ready to face them like a rock. Become a solid rock and face all the difficulties in life. Be gentle and send your fragrance in all directions like jasmine flower, but also learn to face the difficulties like a rock. Be strong but yet be compassionate to the poor, weak and down trodden. Do all you can to help the poor and the needy. In the last line this poem tells us to lead a harmonious life by becoming one with all the people.
In these short four lines, this poem teaches us the secret of how to lead a balanced harmonius life, emphasizing gentleness, humbleness, compassion on the one hand and strength on the other hand. The poem explains in simple poetical images one of the message of Bhagavad Gita, samatwam, balance in life (SAMATWAM YOGA UCCHATE).
Significance
Manku Thimmana Kagga explores the complexity of life, the various aspects of life - in a simple set of striking words.
An instance (roughly translated to English):
Life is a Horse driven cart, Fate its driver
You're the horse, Passengers - as allotted by God
Sometimes rides a bride, sometimes a corpse
When stumbled, there's always the earth - says Manku Thimma
Another excerpt (Translation) :
Be like the tiny grass that grows
In the crevices of a giant mountain's feet,
Be like the fragrant jasmine flower
Which fills up the air with perfume sweet,
Stand like a rock if destiny cruel
Showered you with hardships, big and small,
Be sweet as rock candy to people in distress,
O naive one, just be one among all.
Gauravisu jeevanava Gauravisu chetanava
Aaradoo jagavendu bedavenisadiru
Horuvude jeevan samruddigosuga ninage
Daari aatmounnatige – Mankutimma
Value the life, Respect the souls. This universe is yours and everyone’s Universe is not meant only for your uplift But the journey strengthen your soul.
This is another gem to lead life
Sources for studying Kagga
Thimmaguruvina Darshana
By Prof.H.S.Lakshminarayana Bhatta The book also titled as "Gundopanishad" is an analytical study of the 945 verses of Kagga. The unique feature of the book is that the author has revived the context based division of the verses as adopted in the very early editions of the "Mankutimmana Kagga adding a distinctiveness to the division through his vast experience and deep rooted study of the work. The book is internally classified into four chapters titled - "Antharanga (Innerworld)", "Jeevanadhi(River of Life)", "Chaithanya(Spirit)" and "Neethisutragalu(Moral rules)". A distinct feature of the division is the classification is based on the commonness of the message delivered in the verses. It not only provides a short, relevant commentary of the verse but also provides meanings for the difficult words used in the verses and suggests the best way of splitting the compound phrase. In the end, the author provides an insight into DVG's other works which convey many valuable thoughts worth remembering and practising in Life. The author also lists out short phrases from the versus termed as "Thimma Guruvina Sutragalu" which by themselves convey various vagaries and nuances of Life and the best way to beat them and lead a contended Life.
Kaggakkondu Kaipidi
By D.R. Venkataraman This is a great book for studying and understanding the deeper meaning of Kagga. It is a pleasure to read this book. It is well written, from a disciple of Dr. DVG
Thus Sang Mankutimma
By A. Narasimha Bhatt This is an excellent English translation. It helps a lot in uderstanding the meaning of some of the difficult poems written in old Kannada style.
Mankutimmana Kagga - Notable commentaries
By Swami Brahmananda
Swami Brhmananda and Swami Chidananda have talked extensively on Kagga. These talks are available on tape recordings from Chinmaya Mission. These talks help us to understand how the philosophy of Kagga is well grounded and based on the principles of Vedanata philosophy.
Prof.HS Lakshminarayana Bhatta is a Retired Professor of Physics with a passion for spreading literature to the common man. He is popularly known as "kaggada Bhattaru" and has delivered thousands of lectures on Kagga. He has also released four tapes and CDs which contain commentaries on selected verses of Kagga that blend philosophy with practicality.
Shataavadhaani Dr R Ganesh, notable multi-faceted erudite of our times, is known for his series of lectures (at various places) on Mankutimmana Kagga. Also is Dr R Ganesh quotes many of DVG's works in his lecturers on various subjects. Sagar Music has released the audio cassettes of Dr R Ganesh talking on Kagga. [1]