Neetho Yuddhamu Cheya 8 నీతో యుధ్ధము చేయ నో~మ్పఁ గవితా

నీతో యుధ్ధము చేయ నో~మ్పఁ గవితా నిర్మాణశక్తి న్నినుం

Neeto Yuddhamu Cheya Nopam Gavita NirmanaShaktin NiNun

బ్రీతుఞ్జేయగలేను నీకొఱకు దణ్డ్రిఞ్జమ్పగా~జ్జాల నా

BreetunJeyagaLenu NeeKoraku Dandrin JampagaJaala Naa

చేతన్ రోకట నిన్నుమొత్తవెఱతుఞ్జీకాకు నాభక్తి యే

Chetan Rokata Ninnu MothaVeratun Jeekaaku Naa Bhakti Ye

రీతిన్నాకి~గ్క నిన్ను జూడగలుగన్ శ్రీ కాళహస్తీశ్వరా! || ౧ ||

ReetinNaakigka Ninnu JoodaGalugun Sri Kalahastiswara!

1. గవితా : గవితా = కవితా : Poetry
2. నిర్మాణశక్తి : Ability to compose
3. న్నినుం : You, Thee, Thou, referring to Lord Shiva.
4. బ్రీతుఞ్జేయగలేను : = ప్రీతున్  + చేయగలేను : ప్రీతి = Joy, pleasure, delight, happiness, love, affection. చేయగలేను = Here unable to conciliate the Lord
5. నీకొఱకు : For want of You or On behalf of You
6. దణ్డ్రిఞ్జమ్పగా~జ్జాల : తండ్రి  + ని  + చంపగా  + జాల = Cannot kill my father
7. నా చేతన్ : In my hands
8. రోకట : A rice pounder, a Pestle
9. మొత్తవెఱతు : మోత + వెఱతు : మోత = To attack or hit; వెఱతు = To scare or terrify
10. ఞ్జీకాకు : చీకాకు = To be vexed, harassed, puzzled or tormented
11. యే రీతిన్నాకి~గ్క : యే  + రీతి + ని  + నాకికా : రీతి = Manner, mode, method ; Here it's referred to as "In what way can I" 
12. జూడగలుగన్ : చూడ  + గలుగున్ = Ability to see You.

I can't wage a war against You

or placate You with my poetical skills

 nor can I slay my father to appease you

or terrify You holding a pestle

vexed with my devotion

how can I descry You?

Sri Kalahastiswara! 

Mahakavi Dhurjati, in this poem gives references to tales of the Nayanars (read below) and how each of them demonstrated their utmost devotion to the Lord and in-turn, how Lord Shiva pleased by their adoration revealed Himself to each one of them. 

The poet compares his devotion with Kannapa Nayanar, in his previous birth as Arjuna he waged a war with the Lord and pleased Him with his valor; Sambandar Nayanar who mesmerized everyone including the Lord with his poetical skills; Chandeshwara Nayanar who killed his father for insulting the Lord and Siruthondar Nayanar and Seelavathi for pleasing the Lord by serving His devotees. 

Lord Shiva impressed by the undaunted devotion, appeared in front of all the 4 Nayanars including Seelavathi.

The poet is expressing his frustration by comparing his own detestable devotion to the Lord with that of the the Nayanars, and ponders what else he can do, that can give him an opportunity to catch a sight of the Lord.

63 Nayanars (+ 1 unofficial Nayanar Manickavasagar)

Below is a brief introduction to the four Nayanars mentioned in this poem and how they demonstrated their devotion to the Lord.

1. Kannappa Nayanar (నీతో యుధ్ధము చేయ నోఁపఁ): Also known as Bhakta Kannappa, was born in a hunting family near Sri Kalahasti. In his previous birth Kannappa was Arjuna among the Pandavas. With a desire to seek the divine weapon, Pasupathastra, Arjuna meditated on Lord Shiva. The Lord wanted to test Arjuna and entered into the forest as an animal hunter, an altercation between the two over a hunt, resulted in a battle. The Lord impressed by Arjuna's valor reveals Himself and gifts the Pasupathastra to Arjuna. However, Arjuna's inability to recognize the Lord prevents him from breaking the cycle of life and death, and therefore had to take a rebirth in Kali Yuga as Kannapa Nayanar to attain moksha.

   

   Kannappa Nayanar

2. Thiru Gnyana Sambandar (గవితా నిర్మాణశక్తి న్నినుం బ్రీతుంజేయగలేను): He was a 7th century C.E., young Shaiva poet-saint of Tamilnadu and was prominent among all the 63 Nayanars. His rendition of poetry is said to have cured people who suffered serious ailments and the Lord pleased by his poetical skills has rewarded him with many riches and blessing.

   

   Sambandar Nayanar

1. Once Sambandar wanted to visit the Shrine of Lord at Chenkattankudi, as he was preparing to leave for his journey, the Lord revealed Himself in the same form as He is in Chenkattankudi! 
2. In another incident, during Sambandar's stay at Sirkali he wanted to travel and see the of Lord Thoniappar. The Lord Himself, however, did not want His child to undertake this journey. The next morning, Sambandar went to the local temple for worship. There he saw Lord Thoniappar seated in front of him. 
3. Sambandar at his marriage, is said to have sung a poem praying for Moksha. The Lord granted his wish and said: ‘Oh Sambandar, you, your wife, and all those who witnessed your marriage will merge in the Siva Jyoti and come to Me.’ At once, an effulgent light emerged from the Lord. Before merging in that Light, Sambandar sang a poem known as the Panchakshara Padhyam. Then all those who were present, merged into the Light of Shiva.
3. Chandeshwara Nayanar (నీకొఱకు దండ్రింజంపగాఁజాల): Most Shaiva temples in South India (and as far as Combodia) have Chandeshwara Nayanar's shrine positioned within the first enclosure wall of the temple complex and to the North East of the Lingam. He is there typically shown seated, with one leg dangling downwards, a hand on one thigh and an axe clasped in the other.
   
   

   

   Chandeshwara Nayanar

   He is depicted as deeply lost in meditation and devotees snap their fingers or clap their hands to attract his attention. Another interpretation to this ritual relates to Chandeshwara being considered as the guardian of the temple belongings, devotees clap their hands to show that they are leaving the temple empty-handed.
1. Chandeshwara was born into a Brahmin family and was a child prodigy mastering all the vedas at a very young age. His family owned a lot of cows, soas a child, seeing all the surplus milk, Chandeshwara then made a makeshift Shivalingam with sand and started to perform Abhishekam to Lord Shiva everyday. As days went by it was brought to his father attention that his son was wasting milk everyday. His father was furious when he saw Chandeshwara pouring milk on the Lingam. In a fit of rage his father hit Chandeshwara with a stick but being in deep meditation Chandeshwara did not feel any pain nor notice anything. His father then threw the vessel containing the milk and kicked the Shivalingam. 
2. Chandeshwara then came to his senses and in a fit of rage, seeing his father commit a grave Shiva Aparadham, at once took the same stick his father used and hit hard on his father’s leg. 
3. The Lord wanted to test the devotion of Chandeshwara, just when the the stick was about to strike, it instantly transformed into an axe killing his father.  Chandeshwara was so engrossed in the worship, that he did not mind what had happened and continued the worship.
4. The Lord was impressed by this undaunted devotion and revealed Himself along with His consort Parvati before Chandeshwara and anointed him as the caretaker of His wealth.
4. Siruthondar Nayanar and Seelavathi (నా చేతన్ రోకట నిన్నుమొత్తవెఱతుం): Siruthondar (translates to small servant), before being transformed as a Shaiva Monk, was an army general (with original name of Paranjyotiar) of the great South Indian ruler Narasimhavarman 1 (mid 6th century C.E).
1. During his later life as a saint, Siruthondar considered himself as the servant of the Lord and His devotees. He would never eat a morsel of food without first feeding a devotee of Lord Shiva. Siruthondar even went to an extent of serving the meat of his own son to please Lord Shiva. The Lord was moved by the undaunted devotion of Siruthondar and brought his son back to his life. Siruthondar's popularity and fame grew far and wide with this incident.
2. As time went Siruthondar, considering himself as a favorite devotee of Lord Shiva, became arrogant towards other devotees and the Lord wanted to teach him a lesson. 
3. On the day of new moon (Amavasya) Lord Shiva disguised as a devotee accompanied Siruthondar to visit the house of a lady by name Seelavathi, who was also an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva. She also had a habit of serving food to the devotees of Lord Shiva before feeding herself and her son. She was pleased to have both at her home and as the guests were taking their baths before eating the food, Seelavathi started cooking scrumptious dishes.
4. Her son was tempted by the the aroma and started eating the food. In a fit of rage she grabbed the nearby pastel and hit her son, killing him instantly.
5. Undaunted by the incident she hid her son's dead body and continued to focus on her preparation to serve food to the guests.
6. As the guests were seated, Lord Shiva in disguise, requested Seelavathi to have her son join and eat the food along with them. Seelavathi politely evaded the request and asked the saints to start eating without her son.
7. The Lord however continued to insist that her son should join them. Seelavati eventually lost her patience and threatened Lord Shiva by holding the same pastel in hand, that she used to hit her son.
8. The Lord then ordered Seelavati to go out and call her son, she obeyed the Saint's request and went out and called her son by his name, and to her surprise she saw her son coming towards her to join the saints for food.
9. The Lord then revealed himself to Siruthondar, Seelavati and her son.
10. Siruthondar, realizing his mistake prostrated before the Lord and Seelavati and repented for his arrogance and the atrocities he had committed towards the devotees. 

nīto yudhdhamu ceya nompaṃ gavitā nirmāṇaśakti nninuṃ
brītuñjeyagalenu nīkoṟaku daṇḍriñjampagāñjāla nā
cetan rokaṭa ninnumottaveṟatuñjīkāku nābhakti ye
rītinnākiṅka ninnu jūḍagalugan śrī kāḷahastīśvarā! || 8 ||

నీతో యుధ్ధము చేయ నోఁపఁ గవితా నిర్మాణశక్తి న్నినుం

బ్రీతుంజేయగలేను నీకొఱకు దండ్రింజంపగాఁజాల నా

చేతన్ రోకట నిన్నుమొత్తవెఱతుంజీకాకు నాభక్తి యే

రీతిన్నాకిఁక నిన్ను జూడగలుగన్ శ్రీ కాళహస్తీశ్వరా! || 8 ||

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