Song of the Supreme – Deepavu Ninnade Gaaliyu Ninnade

Song of the Supreme – Deepavu Ninnade Gaaliyu Ninnade

It was a typical winter dusk. I had just returned from an exhausting trek from the mountains. I had spent most of the day in silence, since my energy had been focused on the ascension. Those who trek know well that trekking is mediation. Or at least, trekking takes them to a meditative state. As one treks, not only does the physical self ascends, but also turns the inner-self into an introspective mode. The so-called ‘exhaustion’ is basically the process of silencing the body and mind.

I returned to my shack situated at the fringe line of the wilderness. The sun had disappeared long ago, and the sky was dark. The sparkling stars started appearing in the sky – one by one. It was a cold winter night, and I felt an urge to drink some chai. I went to a local chai-stall which was situated nearby. As I was sipping my hot cup of chai, my calm mind was soaking in the shower of sounds made by the crickets. This was an aural treat for someone like me who lived in the city. Then the chaiwala must have felt that it was time to entertain his customers. He turned on his vintage cassette player. It started to play a song: a lady starts singing alaap, which mesmerized my mind. I felt as if the singer was completely venting out whatever was within her, perhaps, surrendering to someone. To sum it up – the melody was such that it invoked a sense of emptiness created out of completely drenching out one’s feelings. The alaap lasted for a minute or two. There was a very brief silence. And then the singer, M. D. Pallavi began to sing - Deepavu Ninnade Gaaliyu Ninnade..

For the next few minutes, I felt the pairs of oppositional ideas appearing and disappearing within me. The power of music and the depth in meaning was such that although the song lasted for six minutes, it took me weeks to come out of that trance. Deepavu Ninnade is a song written by the celebrated Kannada poet of Navya literary era – Dr. K. S. Narasimhaswamy. Although I had listened to this song several times back in high school, it was in this moment of stillness that the song finally entered my being. To me, this song is the song of the Supreme. I would even affirm that it is the ultimate prayer that anyone can offer.





The song begins with the line-
ದೀಪವು ನಿನ್ನದೆ ಗಾಳಿಯು ನಿನ್ನದೆ ಆರದಿರಲಿ ಬೆಳಕು
The poet pleads, “The light (lamp) is yours and the storm is yours as well. Let the lamp do not blow out.” 
Although it is not clear to whom the poet is addressing these words, it is evident that he holds a view that an invisible force is behind the working of light and storm. In my opinion, it is the Supreme Self that drives the fate of light and the storm.

The verse continues-
ಕಡಲು ನಿನ್ನದೆ ಹಡಗು ನಿನ್ನದೆ, ಮುಳುಗದಿರಲಿ ಬದುಕು
“The shore is yours and the ship is yours as well. Let the life do not sink”. 
The poet is trying to say that the hardships in life, as well as the redemption from it are originating from the same source. He hopes that the ship (which is our Self) safely reaches the harbor (the abode of Supreme) without sinking in the waters of despair. In other words, he hopes, one must not give up on life.

ಬೆಟ್ಟವು ನಿನ್ನದೆ, ಬಯಲು ನಿನ್ನದೆ, ಹಬ್ಬಿ ನಗಲಿ ಪ್ರೀತಿ
“The mountain is yours and the plains are yours as well. Let the love stretch throughout - spreading smiles”.
One may perceive life as a mountain to be conquered, or a vast plain to be explored. In whichever way one may perceive life, the poet wishes that it should be filled only with love that joyfully blossoms everywhere.

The song continues -
ನೆಳಲೋ ಬಿಸಿಲೋ ಎಲ್ಲವೂ ನಿನ್ನದೆ ಇರಲಿ ಏಕರೀತಿ
“Be it the shady clouds, or the scorching sunlight. It is all yours. So receive it alike”. 
These words speak on the lines of self acceptance. Whether the life is moving in a smooth pace, or is amidst harsh times, accept them alike. The poet is hinting that one thing is not the opposite of the other, but rather, it is the absence of the other. Moreover, the poet specifies, “it is all yours”. This means, the good and bad times in life are not the results of our fate, but rather our response to those circumstances.

ಆಗೂಂದು ಸಿಡಿಲು, ಈಗೊಂದು ಮುಗಿಲು ನಿನಗೆ ಅಲಂಕಾರ
“Be it that thunder of the past or the clouds in the present. They decorate your being.” 
Rather than judging situations to be good or bad, one must accept them unconditionally as they beautify life. It is only during hard times that one’s strength is demonstrated. Similarly, it is the pursuit of happiness that inspires one to keep moving ahead in life.

ಅಲ್ಲೊಂದು ಹಕ್ಕಿ, ಇಲ್ಲೊಂದು ಮುಗುಳು, ನಿನಗೆ ನಮಸ್ಕಾರ
“The chirping birds and the smiling faces are salutations to you”. 
At this point, the poet has succeeded in establishing the link between the inner Self and the Supreme Self. It is left to the reader to interpret whom is the poet addressing. Is it the grace of the Supreme Self that guides one in life? Or is it one’s attitude towards life that makes him Supreme? The poet says, simple things in life such as a singing bird or a smiling face are the indicators of grace that exists in the world. These are simple actions, which act as great salutation to the light within one’s Self (or to the supreme Self).

ಅಲ್ಲಿ ರಣದುಂದುಭಿ, ಇಲ್ಲೊಂದು ವೀಣೆ, ನಿನ್ನ ಪ್ರತಿಧ್ವನಿ
“Be it the cries of the war, or the melodies of a Veena. Both of them are your echo”. 
 On a similar note like the previous lines, the poet says the catastrophic crisis, as well as the aesthetic pleasures in life come from the same origin (and with a similar objective). While the former may potentially disrupt the Self, the latter will instigate ignorance in the Self. It may also be understood that one must regard the harsh criticism and the alluring praises equally.
Finally the poet concludes by saying-

ಆ ಮಹಾಕಾವ್ಯ, ಈ ಭಾವಗೀತೆ ನಿನ್ನ ಪದಧ್ವನಿ
“Be it a great Epic, or be it a thoughtful poem. They are all your words”. 
Mahakavya or the great Epic strictly follows certain literary rules that have been formulated ages ago. On the other hand, Bhavagite is a poetic genre in Kannada literary canon that emerged in the twentieth century. Bhavagite (such as the current poem being discussed) can be simply translated as a ‘thoughtful poem’. Such poems are experimental in nature, and also deviate from the classical Epics in terms of compositional styles and narrative modes. The poet suggests that although these two forms of poetry deviate in style, their objective is nonetheless the same (i.e. to convey the message of the Supreme/Self). In other words, literature is an instrument through which the voice of the Supreme is manifested.

There are several factors that add to the beauty of this song. While the lyrics itself is bold, deep and enlightening, the music adds an extra layer of beauty to it. The use of Bhogavasanta raga is what invokes the sense of ‘honesty, boldness, confession, revelation, emptiness, fulfilment, hope, nihilism and acceptance’ in the melody. In conclusion, Deepavu Ninnade Gaaliyu Ninnade is a song to the Self, by the Self and for the Self. It is a reminder of who we truly are. It is the ultimate prayer to our inner Self.


Endnotes:

The English translation of this song is an approximation. It is done so to retain the aesthetics of narration, without deviating from the poet's intentions.

• Image Source: Internet
• Song link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzXb9Qsbqk4