Akka Mahadevi`s Poems

Akka Mahadevi is a 12th century Kannada Virasaivite saint poet. More of her poems are available in A. K. Ramanujan`s Speaking of Siva and H. S. Shivaprakash`s I Keep Vigil of Rudra. The following are translations of one poem by these two translators. The first one is the original.

1. ನೀರಕ್ಷೀರದಂತೆ ನೀನಿಪ್ಪೆಯಾಗಿ
ಆವುದು ಮುಂದು ಆವುದು ಹಿಂದು ಎಂದರಿಯೆ.
ಆವುದು ಕರ್ತೃ ಆವುದು ಭೃತ್ಯನೆಂದರಿಯೆ
ಆವುದು ಘನ ಆವುದು ಕಿರಿದೆಂದರಿಯೆ
ಚೆನ್ನಮಲ್ಲಿಕಾರ್ಜುನಯ್ಯಾ
ನೀನೊಲಿದು ಕೊಂಡಾಡಿದಡೆ ಇರುಹೆ ರುದ್ರನಾಗದೆ ಹೇಳಯ್ಯಾ.

2. You are like milk
in water: I cannot tell
what came before what after;
which is the master,
which the slave;
what`s big,
what`s small.

O lord white as jasmine
if an ant should love you
and praise you,
will he not grow
to demon powers?
(A. K. Ramanujan)

3. As you are like water in milk
I do not know
what`s first, what`s next
what`s master, what is slave,
O Chennamallikarjuna
By singing your praises with love
Will not an ant become Rudra?
(H. S. Shivaprakash)

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Bodhi Trust holds Da. Ra. Bendre Poetry Festival at Indian Institute of World Culture Auditorium, Basavanagudi, Bangalore 4 on March 20th at 10.00 am. H. S. Venkateshamurthy, Kannada poet, will preside over the function. C. R. Simha, Shrinivasa Prabhu, N. Mangala, Raghunandana, and  Kalpana Naganath, eminent theatre personalities, will recite/sing Bendre`s poems for nearly two hours. All are welcome.