Heenudaina nannu dechchi - హీనుడైన నన్ను దెచ్చి
Annamayya Keerthana Lyrics in Telugu & English with Meaning and Audio
Heenudaina nannu dechchi: a lowly devotee wonders why the Lord has honoured him so much. Illustration created with AI for this post.
Heenudaina nannu dechchi (హీనుఁడైన నన్నుఁ దెచ్చి యింతగా మన్నించితివి) is an adhyatma (spiritual) keerthana by the 15th-century composer-saint Annamacharya (Annamayya), set in raga Devagandhari. It is a song of wonder and humility. The poet says that the Lord took a lowly person like him and honoured him so much. He then goes through the qualities a person might claim in order to deserve such grace: a mind free of attachment, great penance, faultless conduct, control of the senses, great charity, knowledge, devotion. He says that he has none of them, and asks again and again how the Lord's compassion came to rest on him. The last line calls himself only a creature in the ocean of worldly life. The song is sung and composed by G. Balakrishna Prasad, and you can listen to it in the player placed after the English transliteration. Below you will find the lyrics in Telugu, an easy-to-read English transliteration, the audio, word notes, and the meaning in English and Telugu.
Also written as: Heenudaina nannu dechchi, Hinudaina nannu dechi, Hinudaina nannu dechchi yintaga manninchitivi, హీనుఁడైన నన్నుఁ దెచ్చి.
హీనుఁడైన నన్నుఁ దెచ్చి యింతగా మన్నించితివి అన్నమయ్య కీర్తన (రాగం: దేవగాంధారి) సాహిత్యం, తెలుగు మరియు ఇంగ్లీష్ లిరిక్స్, భావము, ఆడియోతో.
Annamayya Keerthana Lyrics in Telugu & English
Song details
| Composer | Annamacharya (Annamayya) |
| వాగ్గేయకార | తాళ్లపాక అన్నమాచార్య |
| Category | Adhyatma sankeertana (అధ్యాత్మ సంకీర్తన) |
| Raga | Devagandhari (దేవగాంధారి) |
| Rekhu (copper plate) | 232-2 |
| Volume (Samputam) | 3-181 |
| Deity | Sri Venkateswara (Tirumala) |
| Singer & music (audio) | G Balakrishna Prasad |
| Courtesy | TTD & Sri Venkateswara Recording Project |
| Language | Telugu |
హీనుఁడైన నన్నుఁ దెచ్చి – Telugu lyrics
హీనుఁడైన నన్నుఁ దెచ్చి యింతగా మన్నించితివి
దానవారి నీవు సేసే తగవిట్టిదయ్యా ॥పల్లవి॥
విరతి బొందినయట్టి విమలచిత్తుఁడఁ గాను
ధరణి నెక్కుడయిన తపసిఁ గాను
అరుదుగ గెంటులేని ఆచారవంతుఁడఁ గాను
హరి నీకరుణ నాపై నంటుటెట్లయ్యా ॥హీనుఁ॥
చేముంచి యిందరిలోన జితేంద్రియుఁడఁ గాను
భూమెల్లా దానమిచ్చిన పుణ్యుఁడఁ గాను
దోమటికర్మాలు సేసి తుదకెక్కేవాఁడఁ గాను
యేమిటికిఁ గాచితివో యిది సోద్యమయ్యా ॥హీనుఁ॥
వివరించి తెలిసిన విజ్ఞాని తొలుతఁ గాను
తవిలి నీ భక్తిగల ధన్యుఁడఁ గాను
భవసాగరములోని ప్రాణిమాత్ర మింతే నేను
యివల శ్రీవేంకటేశ యెట్టేలితివయ్యా ॥హీనుఁ॥
Heenudaina nannu dechchi – lyrics in English (transliteration)
hInuDaina nannu dechchi yiMtagA manniMchitivi
dAnavAri nIvu sEsE tagaviTTidayyA ||pallavi||
virati boMdinayaTTi vimalachittuDa gAnu
dharaNi nekkuDayina tapasi gAnu
aruduga geMTulEni AchAravaMtuDa gAnu
hari nIkaruNa nApai naMTuTeTlayyA ||hInu||
chEmuMchi yiMdarilOna jitEMdriyuDa gAnu
bhUmellA dAnamichchina puNyuDa gAnu
dOmaTikarmAlu sEsi tudakekkEvADa gAnu
yEmiTiki gAchitivO yidi sOdyamayyA ||hInu||
vivariMchi telisina vij~nAni toluta gAnu
tavili nI bhaktigala dhanyuDa gAnu
bhavasAgaramulOni prANimAtra miMtE nEnu
yivala SrIvEMkaTESa yeTTElitivayyA ||hInu||
Audio by G BALAKRISHNA PRASAD:
Singer & Composer: G Balakrishna Prasad garu. (Courtesy: TTD & Sri Venkateswara Recording Project, as written in the YouTube description.) All rights belong to the artist, TTD and the channel owner.
Word notes
- Heenudu (హీనుఁడు): a lowly, unworthy person; one lacking in merit.
- Dechchi (తెచ్చి): having brought (me near).
- Yintaga (యింతగా): so much, to this extent.
- Manninchitivi (మన్నించితివి): you honoured, you favoured, you forgave.
- Danavari (దానవారి): the enemy of the demons (danavas), a name for Vishnu.
- Tagavu (తగవు): a way of acting, the right of the matter. Tagavittidayya means "this is how you act".
- Virati (విరతి): detachment, freedom from worldly desire.
- Vimala-chittudu (విమలచిత్తుఁడు): a person with a pure mind.
- ...Da ganu (...డఁ గాను): "I am not a ..." The poet uses this phrase in each verse to deny that he has any of the qualities named.
- Dharani nekkudayina (ధరణి నెక్కుడయిన): greater than anyone on earth.
- Tapasi (తపసి): a sage who practises penance.
- Aruduga (అరుదుగ): rarely, in an uncommon way.
- Gentulemi (గెంటులేని): without a fault, without a blemish. The word is old Telugu, so this is one reading.
- Acharavantudu (ఆచారవంతుఁడు): a person of good conduct and discipline.
- Karuna (కరుణ): compassion.
- Nantutetlayya (నంటుటెట్లయ్యా): how does it touch, how does it attach itself?
- Chemunchi (చేముంచి): a word of old Telugu; read here as "among all these people, taking charge". The meaning is tentative.
- Jitendriyudu (జితేంద్రియుఁడు): one who has conquered the senses.
- Bhumella danamichchina (భూమెల్లా దానమిచ్చిన): one who gave away the whole earth in charity.
- Punyudu (పుణ్యుఁడు): a person of merit.
- Domati-karmalu (దోమటికర్మాలు): a hard phrase in old Telugu. It is read here as rites and works of worldly effort, so the meaning is tentative.
- Tudakekkevadu (తుదకెక్కేవాఁడు): one who reaches the end, one who attains the goal.
- Yemitiki gachitivo (యేమిటికిఁ గాచితివో): for what reason did you protect me?
- Sodyamu (సోద్యము): a wonder, something astonishing.
- Vivarinchi telisina (వివరించి తెలిసిన): one who has understood after careful study.
- Vijnani (విజ్ఞాని): a person of knowledge.
- Tavili (తవిలి): having held on firmly, with eagerness.
- Dhanyudu (ధన్యుఁడు): a blessed, fortunate person.
- Bhava-sagaramu (భవసాగరము): the ocean of worldly life (samsara).
- Pranimatra (ప్రాణిమాత్ర): a mere living creature.
- Yivala (యివల): now, on this side.
- Sri Venkatesa (శ్రీవేంకటేశ): Sri Venkateswara.
- Yettelitivayya (యెట్టేలితివయ్యా): how did you take me and rule over me?
Meaning of Heenudaina nannu dechchi (in English)
This is a summary of the idea of the song, not a word-for-word translation. A few phrases (especially in the second verse) are old Telugu and can be read in more than one way, so please treat this as one reading.
- Pallavi: You took a lowly person like me and honoured me so much. O enemy of the demons, this is how you act.
- First charanam: I am not a pure-minded person who has gained detachment. I am not a sage greater than any on earth. I am not a person of rare, faultless conduct. O Hari, how does your compassion come to rest on me?
- Second charanam: I am not someone who has conquered his senses among all these people. I am not a person of merit who gave away the whole earth. I am not one who performs rites and reaches the goal. For what reason did you protect me? This is a wonder.
- Third charanam: I am not a wise person who has understood after careful study. I am not a blessed devotee who held on to you with eagerness. I am only a creature in the ocean of worldly life. O Sri Venkatesa, how did you take me as your own?
The song uses a list of denials. Annamayya names the things a person might offer as a reason for grace: detachment, penance, conduct, self-control, charity, knowledge and devotion. He then says that he has none of them. The effect is humble and joyful at the same time. If grace cannot be earned, it can only be a gift, and that is why the poet ends with a question and not a claim.
భావము (తెలుగులో)
ఈ కీర్తనలో అన్నమయ్య హీనుడినైన నన్ను చేరదీసి ఇంతగా మన్నించావు, దానవారీ, నీవు చేసే తగవు ఇదే అని ఆశ్చర్యపడుతున్నారు. మొదటి చరణంలో నేను వైరాగ్యం పొందిన నిర్మలచిత్తుడను కాను, భూమిపై అందరికంటే గొప్ప తపస్విని కాను, అరుదైన నిర్దోష ఆచారవంతుడను కాను, హరీ, మరి నీ కరుణ నాపై ఎలా అంటుకుంది అని అడుగుతున్నారు. రెండవ చరణంలో ఇంద్రియాలను జయించినవాడను కాను, భూమినంతా దానం చేసిన పుణ్యాత్ముడను కాను, కర్మలు చేసి గమ్యం చేరేవాడను కాను, ఎందుకు నన్ను కాపాడావో, ఇది ఆశ్చర్యమే అంటున్నారు. మూడవ చరణంలో విచారించి తెలుసుకున్న విజ్ఞానిని కాను, నీ భక్తి కలిగిన ధన్యుడను కాను, భవసాగరంలోని ఒక ప్రాణిని మాత్రమే, శ్రీవేంకటేశా, ఇప్పుడు నన్ను ఎలా ఏలుకున్నావు అని ముగిస్తున్నారు.
More audio versions
Listen to more Annamayya keerthanas on our Jukebox or find versions by different artists on Audios by Singers.
Frequently asked questions
Who wrote Heenudaina nannu dechchi?
Tallapaka Annamacharya (Annamayya), the 15th-century composer-saint.
Which raga is it in?
Devagandhari (దేవగాంధారి).
What are the rekhu and samputam numbers?
Rekhu 232-2, Samputam 3-181.
What does the keerthana say?
The poet says that the Lord took a lowly person like him and honoured him so much. He then says, verse after verse, that he is not pure-minded, not a great sage, not a person of faultless conduct, not self-controlled, not charitable, not wise and not a devotee. He asks how the Lord's grace came to rest on him.
What does "heenudu" mean?
It means a lowly or unworthy person, someone lacking in merit. In the song the poet uses it for himself.
What does "danavari" mean?
It means the enemy of the demons (danavas). It is a name of Vishnu, here used for Sri Venkateswara.
Who sang and composed the audio?
The singer and music composer is G. Balakrishna Prasad. The YouTube description gives the courtesy to TTD and the Sri Venkateswara Recording Project.
Where can I listen to it?
Use the YouTube player placed after the English transliteration on this page.
Source & credits
- Lyrics: Composed by Tallapaka Annamacharya (15th century, public domain). Reference numbers (rekhu 232-2, samputam 3-181) follow the TTD Annamacharya Sankeertanas edition.
- Audio: Sung and composed by G. Balakrishna Prasad. Courtesy TTD & Sri Venkateswara Recording Project, as written in the YouTube description. Embedded from YouTube. Rights belong to the artist, TTD and the channel owner.
- Transliteration, word notes and meaning: Original to the Annamayya Keerthanalu blog.
The keerthana text is by Annamacharya (public domain). Audio recordings and published editions belong to their respective owners. Shared for devotional and educational purposes. If you are a rights holder and want any content changed or removed, please tell us through the Contact page.
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Annamacharya's keerthanas are more than 500 years old. If you notice a spelling mistake, please tell us through the Contact page.