I am presenting what my father, Sri Kuntimaddi Seshasarma, presented as
kavitaa gOshTi some time in 1957. The text, scribbled on pages, I found buried
in his shelf when I went to India to attend his funeral, this May. Of course
it was written for entertainment. It is fun too since both chando and
non-chado padyamulu are there. If you don#t like it, just delete it - but no
flames please.
Although the gOshTi was in telugu, except for where it is essential I am
providing a verbatim in English for easy reading. Remember the discussion was
based on the presentation made to all the pundits assembled at that time. A note
- I am transcribing this based on the handwritten manuscript which is 40 years
old. Someplace hand writing was not legible. Hence all of the mistakes could
not be attributed to my typing skills or to my ITRAN transliteration skills.
Pundits on the net, are welcome to correct the mistakes.
KAVITAAGOSHTI
by
Kuntimaddi Seshasarma
Rangamu: Andhra University - candrasaala.
Kaalamu: July, 17, 1957 - 4:00 pm
Adhyakshulu: Sree Ganti Somayaajulu , members include Sri S.V. Jogaarao and
other prominent pundits.
Adhyakshulu: Upto now we have heard Sri Sundara Rama Sastri#s beautiful
translation of Soundaryalahari. Now we will hear Sri Kuntimaddi Seshasarma.
K. Seshasarma: adhyakshaa! sabhaastaanulaaraa! namashshatamulu.
kavitaavadanaantarEshhu Eshhaa manisham sancharatiihatE namassyaaH|
kavayOhitayaa yayaajanaanaam jatukalpam dravataamupaitichEtaH||
This slokam I wrote when I was a student. In this in addition to expressing
reverence to all poets, the nature of poetry is also given. dEnni vinaDaMtO
hRudayam draveebhaavaanni pondutundO adii kavitvam. (please note there is no
reference to chandas or lack of it here).
Kavitwam is of two types: poDi kavitvaM - taDi kavitvaM
1. poDi kavitvaM svaruupaM chittaginchanDi.
(abridged version of his discussion) In this form of poetry there are no special
words - pratipadaartha sambhandham not important - #vaakyam nunDii ekaa yakii
amaantangaa sahRuDainavaaniki vaakyartham - lot lot meaning - vaccEstundi.
Therefore I hope the panDits here will not ask for pratipadaartham - please
listen to the example: (this should be read in one streatch to get the lot-lot
meaning!)
#idi naa gOni sanchi - idE naa gOni sanchi-
daridra kaTika jeevita shatachchhidrachalisankaTa-
gaaDhagaralatamaHpaTalajaMjhuuvaataarbhaTilO
nasti naasti shankaa sukha lavalEshaM naakOsham
Ekaika mahaa ODa - bratukaika tODu neeDa
- idi naa gOni sanchi.....#
There was an applause in the audience.
President: Please read it again -
Seshasarma -reads again.
Adhyakshulu: Is this poetry?
A member from the audience (Gouri Shankara Sastry): Why not? Definitely
poetry. He already gave us the lakshna before for it. hRudayaanni
draviibhavimpa cEyaDamE kadaanDee vaarannadi. Even our ancestors have said:
sadyaH para nirvyati kaavya prayOjanM - We all enjoyed it. There was an
expressive smile on everybody#s face. The applause we heard was the direct
evidence. Therefore this comes under uttamOttama kaavyam.
Adhyakshulu: sarE. kuurchODi. In this poem Sarma gaaru nETi padapadaartha
svaruupa JNaanamuu, samaasa JNaanamuu, lEni kavimanyulanu parOkshamgaa
aakshEpistuunnaaranipinchutuundi.
#shatachchhidrachali sankaTa# anE ari samaasaalu, ananvitaalaina gaaDhagarala
tamaHpaTala jaMjhuuvaataaluu, and in #mahaaODa bratukaina tODuniiDa# , telugu
samskrita padaalaku samskritii sandhii - vaarini vekkirimpuu - viinitO
paripushTamaina haasamu - haasya rasangaa meeru anubhavincaaru - kaana idi
uttama kaavyam annaru Gouri Sastry gaaru - kaaniinDi - caala santosham.
Sree Jogaaraavu gaaru: Sir meeru prouDhi gaa vraasaaraa?
Adhyakshulu: Why ask him? We got the lot-lot meaning intended, and also the
implied vekkirimpu, also. Please proceed.
Seshasarma: The second kind - taDi kavitvaM is subdivided further into four
types:
1. tattaDi kavitvaM 2. cittaDi kavitvaM 3. puttaDi kavitvaM 4.
tottaDi kavitvaM.
tattaDi kavitvaM: That is without fullstops and camas, - anargaLa gangaa jharii
vEgantO saagipOyEdi. gangaa jharilO paDina padaarthamu andukOraanaTTu deeni
padaarthaalu okka paTTuna dorikEvi gaavu.(chaduvu tunnappuDu).
Please note that in this the whole kavitvaM may not be tattaDi, only parts of it
could be.
Here is an example that contains tattaDi kavitvaM:
The scene is one beggar in frnt of a rich man#s house standing with his
jOle(bag). Without asking for alms, he was looking up and down. A passerby
questions him. ( of course in poetry -why he is standing without begging). The
beggar's response is an example for the tattaDi kavitvam.
The paserby:
yaacakaa! Ela shreemadgRuhangaNamuna
ningi cuucucu teliyaka nilici naavu?
jOle yappuDe ninDegaabOlu:(lEka) puurva
bhagyavRuttamu talapuna baarenaa? madi
sphurinchenaa sirula yasthirata? rOta
galigenaa bichchapun guuTi kaDula meeda?
evvarEmanna kasarina Evagimpo?
lEka talapOsitO daiva leela sunta?
Emi cheppuma, jaDataku nEmi katamu?
The beggar's response is an example for the tattaDi kavitvaM.
gaganachumbi sudhamshu kaanta nirmita chandra-
shaalaagra sancharatsaayaahna sukumaara-
saamOda vidyudvyajana samiiraNanunna-
dainikaayaasulai tanisi tanmayulouTa
bhagyavantula vantu: (one should read upto this in one gulp to keep the
flow like gangaa jharii!)
bharmaDOlaa hamsa
tuula talpa svayaMdOlanaapaarava
shyaantargataananta sampatsamutRunna
chintulai sukhanidra jendi tanivonduTalu
bhagyavantula vantu:(take a breadth again)
svarNabhuujana pratya
vasita naanaapuupa paayasaannaapuurNa
jaTharashramOlludhana sakta shayyaabhOga
bhuukkulai yuurchuTalu bhaagyavantula vantu:
souvarNa manDagOjjvala ratna rOchista
ragita mRudu sundarakshEma samvyaana
suunamaalaa mukhacuurNa pishhTaata maM-
galyaadi bhOga bhaagyamulu vaarala vantu:
............
idanDii tattaDi kavitvaM.
Adhyakshulu: aa baagundanDii gurram douDu diisinaTlE vundi.
Member: # mukhacuurNam# for todays - face powder - ku sanskritiikaranam
baagalEdanDii. pishTaatamu - this is pishTamO, pishTaatamO - is not clear. Then
you used - mangalyam- may be it should be maagalyam?
Adhyakshulu: jharii vEgamlO daaTipOyina padaarthaalu labhyam kaavani vaarE
annaaru gadanDii! ayinaa a tattaDini nilavEsi padaalu grahincinaaru. mari
ceppanDi aacaaryuluu. vaari sandEhaM tiirchanDi.
Seshasarma: mukhacuurNam ani nEnu srushTinchinadi gaadu. Kaalidaasu
RaghuvanshamlO - udyaana varNanalO -
#bhavikaram mukhacuurNa mRutushriyaH
kusumakE sararENuvaLi vrajaassa pavanO
pavanOddhta manvayuH# ani prayOgincinaaDu.
He did not have the english version of #face powder# at that time. kaana
mukhachuurNam #face powder# ku anuvaadam kaadu.
ika pishTaatamu - scented dust - ani vaaDutuunnaaru - alaatidi mankuu vunDEdi -
by the by
# pishTaataH paTavaasakaH# ani amaramu.
ika mangalyamu - malle puula vaasana nichchu dhuupadravyam.
#mangalyam malli gandhiyal# ani amaramu - idi maangalyamu kaadu.
intadaaka bhagyavantula gurinchi cheppinaamu - ika pEdavaari sangati -telugu
padaalatO gaani sarala samskrita padaalatO gaani saagipOtundi - idi tattaDi
kavitvaM ku pratyudaaharaNaM. chittagincanDi.
nii renDa rE yenDa ninDi tanDava maaDu
jaDi vaana yiida kasari kisumasa peTTu
iDu puurNi Evammu nesaginchu praagoTTu
madi daridrula paalu: madi talanpaga nippu
lu guriyu nenDalO dagajendi, chamaTOdchi
vaana gaaliyu naaka panipaaTalaku buuni
kashTinchi saadhinchi, kaDaku laabhamulanni
sirimantulaku noppa jeppi yaa puuTaku
kuuDa chaalani kuuli konuTa pEdala paalu:
irupuuTa pastunTa nara kuuDu noka puuTa
paasinaa pulasinaa parammanna mani tinTa
pEdasaadala paaTu: vEda nirNaya midaa?
oka vaipu niravadhi kottanga dhanaraashi
kaThina daaridryaadhakaarammu lokavaipu,
E dEvuDonarinche niidunduDuku sEta,
naa dayyamunu nevvararchinchu kujanunDu,
shreemantulE vaani sRushTinchu konnaru,
kaadEni diinulanu karuNimapaDaa sunta,
nityanaivEdyaala nirataarchanala chikku
vaDi naaDu, mOmOTa paDinaaDu kaabOlu,
kaadEni diinula karuNa juuDaDa konta,
kalavaari bhuushhaNOjjvala divya ratnamul
pEdavaarala vEDi svEda raktaashruvul
sapannu tunga nishaanta kuDya shrENi
charchiMpagaa nakinchana kiika soughambu
avani janminchina yanna dammula madhya
nii yantambEla? nii yabhaatam bEla?
ii vidhamgaa saagipOtundi. pai tattaDi kaavya lakshaNamindulO lEdanTa tellamu
gadanDii!
ika chittaDi kavitvaM - taDi anTe tEma - saaram - idi sphshaTamEgaa - chiru taDi
galadi - chittaDi kavitvaM. koddi paaTi saaraMgaladi. idi prachaaraaniki
upayOginchEdi. diini jiivitam kshanikaM. sadyaH para nirvEtE gaaka
svaabhipraaya prachaaramu prayOjanaM gaavaDamtO kaavyatva gouravam konta
tarigindi. shaatra vishamulu, matavishayamulu (karshika matam, biida
prajaaniika matam, congresu matam ilanTiki prachaaraaniki saadhanamga kavitvaM
anna maaTa)
Two examples: - Okati viJNaana vishayam
cheptaa nEnoka satyaM, andari janula kagatyaM,
nippuku niiTiki vairaM, adi mankE upakaaraM,
nippu niiTilO puTTindanTa, daanini chuustE diiniki manTaa,
aa renTiki pondika lEdanTa, adi unTE manakE tanTa,
-------- a deTlayyaa anTE -
koTTamu kaalindanTEnuu, niiLLanEvi lEkuntEnuu
aa pai nEnEM jeppEnuu, migilE dantaa buggEnuu.
tapEla madhyaa peTTaamanTE, niiLLu biyyam pOshaamanTE,
aDuguna manTalu vEshaamanTE, kaDupu ninDa bhOMjEshaamanTaa.
-------- kanuka nEMjeppE dEmanTE -
lOkamulOnii viruddha shaktula nokaTi to nokaTini danDinchi
okkaTi paTTuna maddhya vartitO naarenDinTini sandhinchi
jagadupakaaraM chEshaamanTE adiyE telivani nEnanTaa.
Second example for chittaDi kavitvaM:
kaTTanu guDDaku chaalii chaalaka tinDiki maaDii -
sEdyamu chEsii panDii panDani bhuumula nunDii
raitulu gaTTina sistu jiitamuu bhOnchEstuu
bojjalu berigina buddhulu tarigina udyOgastulu maaravalen
durahankaaramu jaaravalen.
bhaaratiiyulaku shiitOshhNaalaku
giTTani suuTu kOTuu buuTuu
nekTai vEshhaM tishTanmuutraM
bhashhaa daasyaM bhaavapu naichaM
nEDE tappaka maaravalen, maarEdaakaa pOravalen.
ityaadu lii gOshTiki chendinavi.
ika puttaDi kavitva lakshanamu rendava bhaagamulO.
Hari Om!
Sadananda
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What you have is His gift to you and what you do with what you have is your gift
to Him. - Swami Chinmayananda
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Naval Research Laboratory
Washington D.C. 20375
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