Madhukara vrutti - Part 8
As the avadhuta wandered in the forest he observed bumblebees (bhramara) flitting from flower to flower extracting nectar with their long hairy tongues, to store and feed themselves, and their young ones. He watched with wonder, the delicate process of extraction of nectar. He marvelled at how the flowers were left unharmed. I must take in knowledge from every possible source. But like the bee extracts only the nectar I must also absorb the essence of the learnings, rejecting inconsequential information, thought the avadhuta.
While this observation of the avadhuta is part of the Avadhuta geethe, the fascinating phenomenon of honey-gathering by bees has been mentioned by many Hari-daasas.
Prasanna Venkata Daasa has in his song “Gelisu bhavava guru Hanumantha...” has compared Hanuman to a bee gathering nectar from the lotus feet of Govinda (Govindaanghri-bisaja-madhupa neenu).
In a popular song, Madhukara vrutti yennadu, Purandara Daasa says his occupation is the same as that of a honey-bee...He draws various comparisons - Just as the bee collects nectar from various flowers, the Daasa too collects alms from various houses; and also draws nectar from the lotus feet of the Lord, and so on...
Madhukara vrutti ennadu, adu balu chennadu || pallavi ||
Padumanabana padapadma madhupavemba || anu pallavi ||
Kaalige gejje katti neela varnana guna Alapisutta balu olaga maduvantha || 1 ||
Ranganathana guna hingade padutta Srungara nodutta kangala-anandavemba || 2 ||
Indiraapati Purandara Vittalanalli Chendada bhaktiyinda ananda paduvantha || 3 ||
Nearest meaning:
My occupation, the task of honey-bees, is wonderful!
To extract nectar from the lotus-feet of the lotus-navelled Lord...
To sing about the blue-hued Lord, to dance with feet adorned with anklets,
To spread the nectar of his glory, and to spend my life as an instrument of music...
To sing about while in no way diminishing the grandeur of Ranganatha
To drink the nectar of the sight of the splendidly bedecked Lord...
Purandara Vittala, the Lord of Indira, fills me with delight,
As I remain forever immersed in the nectar of his devotion!
To listen to various renditions of Madhukara vrutti ennadu:
Vidyabhushana
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLXzcDsKweU
Shashidhar Kote
Shankar Shanbhogue