venkateswaravishnuannamacharyaannamayya

𑌨𑌾𑌨𑌾𑌟𑌿 𑌬𑌤𑍁𑌕𑍁 𑌨𑌾𑌟𑌕𑌮𑍁

నానాటి బతుకు నాటకము in Grantha · 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

🕉️ hindu·📿 1× repetitions·🕐 Morning or evening prayer; during Venkateswara worship and on Saturdays (sacred to Balaji)·📜 Telugu keertana of Annamacharya (Annamayya), in praise of Lord Venkateswara (15th century CE)

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हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ English සිංහල𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

Origin & Story

Telugu keertana of Annamacharya (Annamayya), in praise of Lord Venkateswara (15th century CE) · Annamacharya (Tallapaka Annamayya) · 1408-1503 CE

Annamacharya was born at Tallapaka and from childhood was wholly devoted to Lord Venkateswara of Tirumala, on whom he composed tens of thousands of keertanas of devotion and philosophy. In 'Nanati Batuku Natakamu' he reflects on the impermanence of worldly life, calling it a passing drama, and points beyond it to liberation under the Lord's eternal reign. Many of his songs, including this, were inscribed on copper plates preserved in the Tirumala temple.

✦ As told in scripture

Tradition holds that Annamacharya's 32,000 songs flowed by the direct grace of Lord Venkateswara, and that the copper plates bearing them, hidden for centuries in a vault at Tirumala, were rediscovered intact — as if the Lord Himself had preserved His devotee's songs of detachment and devotion for all ages.

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Complete Text with Meaning

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Verse 1

𑌨𑌾𑌨𑌾𑌟𑌿 𑌬𑌤𑍁𑌕𑍁 𑌨𑌾𑌟𑌕𑌮𑍁 𑌕𑌾𑌨𑌕 𑌕𑌨𑍍𑌨𑌦𑌿 𑌕𑍈𑌵𑌲𑍍𑌯𑌮𑍁

nānāṭi batuku nāṭakamu kānaka kannadi kaivalyamu

Meaning:यह दिन-प्रतिदिन का जीवन मात्र एक नाटक है, एक खेल; और जो समस्त सामान्य दृष्टि से परे झलकता है, वही मोक्ष (कैवल्य) है। (यह भगवान वेंकटेश पर अन्नमाचार्य की सर्वाधिक प्रिय तेलुगु कीर्तनों में से एक है, जो वैराग्य सिखाती है।)

Verse 2

𑌪𑍁𑌟𑍍𑌟𑍁𑌟𑌯𑍁 𑌨𑌿𑌜𑌮𑍁 𑌪𑍋𑌵𑍁𑌟𑌯𑍁 𑌨𑌿𑌜𑌮𑍁 𑌨𑌟𑍍𑌟 𑌨𑌡𑌿𑌮𑌿 𑌪𑌨𑌿 𑌨𑌾𑌟𑌕𑌮𑍁 𑌯𑍇̀𑌟𑍍𑌟 𑌨𑍇̀𑌦𑍁𑌟 𑌗𑌲𑌦𑌿𑌦𑍇̀ 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌪𑌂𑌚𑌮𑍁 𑌕𑌟𑍍𑌟 𑌗𑌡𑌪𑌟𑌿𑌦𑌿 𑌕𑍈𑌵𑌲𑍍𑌯𑌮𑍁

puṭṭuṭayu nijamu pōvuṭayu nijamu naṭṭa naḍimi pani nāṭakamu yeṭṭa neduṭa galadide prapañcamu kaṭṭa gaḍapaṭidi kaivalyamu

Meaning:जन्म लेना सत्य है, और मरना सत्य है; किंतु इन दोनों के बीच के समस्त कार्य मात्र एक खेल हैं। यह संसार जो हमारी आँखों के सामने फैला है, यहीं है — फिर भी इस सबके अंत में मोक्ष खड़ा है।

Verse 3

𑌕𑍁𑌡𑌿𑌚𑍇𑌦𑌨𑍍𑌨𑌮𑍁 𑌕𑍋𑌕 𑌚𑍁𑌟𑍍𑌟𑍇̀𑌡𑌿𑌦𑌿 𑌨𑌡𑍁𑌮𑌂𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌪𑍁 𑌪𑌨𑌿 𑌨𑌾𑌟𑌕𑌮𑍁 𑌵𑍋̀𑌡𑌿𑌗𑌟𑍍𑌟𑍁𑌕𑍋̀𑌨𑌿𑌨 𑌵𑍁𑌭𑌯 𑌕𑌰𑍍𑌮𑌮𑍁𑌲𑍁 𑌗𑌡𑌿𑌦𑌾𑌟𑌿𑌨𑌪𑍁𑌡𑍇̀ 𑌕𑍈𑌵𑌲𑍍𑌯𑌮𑍁

kuḍicēdannamu kōka cuṭṭeḍidi naḍumantrapu pani nāṭakamu voḍigaṭṭukonina vubhaya karmamulu gaḍidāṭinapuḍe kaivalyamu

Meaning:जो अन्न हम खाते हैं, जो वस्त्र हम लपेटते हैं — ये बीच के कार्य मात्र एक खेल हैं। दोनों प्रकार के कर्म, पुण्य और पाप, जो हम अपनी गोद में बटोरते हैं — उनसे पार जाने पर ही मोक्ष है।

Verse 4

𑌤𑍇̀𑌗𑌦𑍁 𑌪𑌾𑌪𑌮𑍁 𑌤𑍀𑌰𑌦𑍁 𑌪𑍁𑌣𑍍𑌯𑌮𑍁 𑌨𑌗𑌿 𑌨𑌗𑌿 𑌕𑌾𑌲𑌮𑍁 𑌨𑌾𑌟𑌕𑌮𑍁 𑌯𑍇̀𑌗𑍁𑌵𑌨𑍇̀ 𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌵𑍇𑌂𑌕𑌟𑍇𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌰𑍁 𑌡𑍇𑌲𑌿𑌕𑍇 𑌗𑌗𑌨𑌮𑍁 𑌮𑍀𑌦𑌿𑌦𑌿 𑌕𑍈𑌵𑌲𑍍𑌯𑌮𑍁

tegadu pāpamu tīradu puṇyamu nagi nagi kālamu nāṭakamu yeguvane śrīvēṅkaṭēśvaru ḍēlikē gaganamu mīdidi kaivalyamu

Meaning:पाप इतनी सहजता से नहीं कटता, न पुण्य इतनी सहजता से चुकता है; और इस प्रकार, हँसते-हँसते, काल स्वयं एक खेल है। ऊपर, भगवान श्रीवेंकटेश सब पर शासन करते हैं — और जो आकाश से भी परे है, वही मोक्ष है।

Word-by-Word Meaning

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𑌨𑌾𑌨𑌾𑌟𑌿 𑌬𑌤𑍁𑌕𑍁🔊nānāṭi batukuDay-to-day life / this everyday existence.

𑌨𑌾𑌟𑌕𑌮𑍁🔊nāṭakamuIs (merely) a drama, a play.

𑌕𑌾𑌨𑌕 𑌕𑌨𑍍𑌨𑌦𑌿 𑌕𑍈𑌵𑌲𑍍𑌯𑌮𑍁🔊kānaka kannadi kaivalyamuThat which is seen without (ordinary) seeing — beyond it — is liberation (kaivalya).

𑌪𑍁𑌟𑍍𑌟𑍁𑌟𑌯𑍁 𑌨𑌿𑌜𑌮𑍁 𑌪𑍋𑌵𑍁𑌟𑌯𑍁 𑌨𑌿𑌜𑌮𑍁🔊puṭṭuṭayu nijamu pōvuṭayu nijamuBeing born is real, and dying is real (both are certain).

𑌨𑌟𑍍𑌟 𑌨𑌡𑌿𑌮𑌿 𑌪𑌨𑌿 𑌨𑌾𑌟𑌕𑌮𑍁🔊naṭṭa naḍimi pani nāṭakamuBut the doings in the very middle (between birth and death) are (just) a play.

𑌯𑍇̀𑌟𑍍𑌟 𑌨𑍇̀𑌦𑍁𑌟 𑌗𑌲𑌦𑌿𑌦𑍇̀ 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌪𑌂𑌚𑌮𑍁🔊yeṭṭa neduṭa galadide prapañcamuRight here before our eyes is this world (the visible universe).

𑌕𑌟𑍍𑌟 𑌗𑌡𑌪𑌟𑌿𑌦𑌿 𑌕𑍈𑌵𑌲𑍍𑌯𑌮𑍁🔊kaṭṭa gaḍapaṭidi kaivalyamuBut at the very last end (of it all) is liberation.

𑌕𑍁𑌡𑌿𑌚𑍇𑌦𑌨𑍍𑌨𑌮𑍁🔊kuḍicēdannamuThe food that we eat.

𑌕𑍋𑌕 𑌚𑍁𑌟𑍍𑌟𑍇̀𑌡𑌿𑌦𑌿🔊kōka cuṭṭeḍidiThe cloth that we wrap (wear) about ourselves.

𑌨𑌡𑍁𑌮𑌂𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌪𑍁 𑌪𑌨𑌿 𑌨𑌾𑌟𑌕𑌮𑍁🔊naḍumantrapu pani nāṭakamuThese in-between affairs are (only) a play.

𑌵𑍋̀𑌡𑌿𑌗𑌟𑍍𑌟𑍁𑌕𑍋̀𑌨𑌿𑌨 𑌵𑍁𑌭𑌯 𑌕𑌰𑍍𑌮𑌮𑍁𑌲𑍁🔊voḍigaṭṭukonina vubhaya karmamuluThe two kinds of karma (good and bad) that we tie up in our lap (accumulate).

𑌗𑌡𑌿𑌦𑌾𑌟𑌿𑌨𑌪𑍁𑌡𑍇̀ 𑌕𑍈𑌵𑌲𑍍𑌯𑌮𑍁🔊gaḍidāṭinapuḍe kaivalyamuOnly when we cross the threshold (beyond them) is there liberation.

𑌤𑍇̀𑌗𑌦𑍁 𑌪𑌾𑌪𑌮𑍁 𑌤𑍀𑌰𑌦𑍁 𑌪𑍁𑌣𑍍𑌯𑌮𑍁🔊tegadu pāpamu tīradu puṇyamuSin is not (easily) cut off, merit is not (easily) exhausted.

𑌨𑌗𑌿 𑌨𑌗𑌿 𑌕𑌾𑌲𑌮𑍁 𑌨𑌾𑌟𑌕𑌮𑍁🔊nagi nagi kālamu nāṭakamuLaughing and laughing, (the passing of) time is a play.

𑌯𑍇̀𑌗𑍁𑌵𑌨𑍇̀ 𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌵𑍇𑌂𑌕𑌟𑍇𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌰𑍁𑌡𑍇𑌲𑌿𑌕𑍇🔊yeguvane śrīvēṅkaṭēśvaruḍēlikēUp above, Lord Sri Venkateswara rules (as the master of all).

𑌗𑌗𑌨𑌮𑍁 𑌮𑍀𑌦𑌿𑌦𑌿 𑌕𑍈𑌵𑌲𑍍𑌯𑌮𑍁🔊gaganamu mīdidi kaivalyamuThat which is above the sky (transcendent) — that is liberation.

Benefits of Chanting నానాటి బతుకు నాటకము

✦

A profound teaching of detachment (vairagya) — that worldly life is a passing play and liberation is the true goal.

✦

Calms the mind and loosens attachment to gains and losses, gently turning the heart toward God.

✦

Among the most cherished of Annamayya's keertanas in praise of Lord Venkateswara of Tirumala.

✦

Sung in devotion to Venkateswara (Balaji), especially when seeking peace, perspective and renunciation.

✦

Reminds the devotee that beyond birth, death and karma stands the eternal kaivalya under the Lord's reign.

How to Chant నానాటి బతుకు నాటకము

Repetitions1times

Best TimeMorning or evening prayer; during Venkateswara worship and on Saturdays (sacred to Balaji)

FaceFacing the deity of Venkateswara / Vishnu or east

Sit before an image of Lord Venkateswara (Balaji) and sing or recite the keertana slowly, contemplating its message of detachment — that life is a play and only liberation is real. Annamayya's songs are meant to be sung; if recited, chant the pallavi 'Nanati batuku natakamu' as a refrain after each charanam, letting the heart rest in the thought of the eternal.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete నానాటి బతుకు నాటకము written in the Grantha script — the same Sanskrit/Hindi verses, transliterated character-by-character so you can read and chant comfortably. Tap any line (or the ▶ button) to hear it recited aloud.

Yes — only the script changes; the words and their meaning are the original. The verse-by-verse meaning, benefits and how-to-chant guidance on this page apply exactly the same.

It is a famous Telugu keertana by the saint-composer Annamacharya (Annamayya), teaching that day-to-day life is merely a drama and that true reality is liberation (kaivalya), which lies beyond the world. It is one of his most loved philosophical songs in praise of Lord Venkateswara.

Annamacharya (Annamayya, 1408-1503) was a great saint-poet and the earliest known composer (Pada-kavita Pitamaha) of Carnatic music, devoted to Lord Venkateswara of Tirumala. He is said to have composed 32,000 keertanas, many engraved on copper plates preserved at Tirumala.

It teaches detachment (vairagya): birth and death are real, but everything in between — eating, dressing, gathering merit and sin — is only a passing play. Only liberation, which lies beyond the visible world and even the sky where Venkateswara reigns, is the abiding truth and the soul's goal.

Kaivalya means liberation or final emancipation — the soul's release from the cycle of birth and death and its abiding in its true, eternal nature. In this keertana, Annamayya repeatedly contrasts the fleeting 'natakam' (drama) of life with the lasting reality of kaivalya.