MA ANNALAKSHIAMMA

 

MA Annalakshiamma (12^th century AD) also called as Annakka was a popular Telugu devotional poet, who wrote the most popular text, Sri Shiva Shakti Kalyanam in Telugu language. She was the daughter of the famous singer-poet Sarveshwara.

Mata Annakka was considered as a divine incarnation of Mata Annapurna’s food pot (Amudha Surabhi- which contains unlimited food). Annakka was born in a Brahmin’s family, and she is considered as the first and foremost Telugu woman poet. After she had married with the great scholar and poet Sri Mahadev, she served as a dutiful wife to her husband, and behaved kindly with everyone. Even though, she was an expert in writing poems, but, she didn’t showed pride with others. She was a noble woman, who was liked by everyone, due to her good nature. She has sung lot of songs in praise of Shiva and Parvati, and she was appreciated for her good works, and apart from singing songs, daily she used to provide free food to more than 100 people at her home.

Annakka’s main work, Sri Shiva Shakti Kalyanam contains the details about the marriage of Lord Shiva with Ma Parvati, and about their love and affection which they used to shower with each other. Apart from that, she also wrote several bhakti poems in praise of Lord Vinayaka and Muruga. She was a chaste woman, who contains very good qualities, and lived a pious life. After her death, it is believed that, she has reached the abode of Lord Shiva, the Holy Mount Kailash, and it is believed that she is still serving Ma Shakti Devi in the Shiva Loka in a pleasing manner.

Some of her devotional quotes are as follows:-

If everyone considers their homes as the holy Mountain Kailash, then along with their family, they could peacefully live in their homes.

If Shiva and Shakti doesn’t protect us, then who else would protect us!

In my eyes, all the men appear like Shiva and all the women appear like Ma Shakti Devi.

If we simply waste our time in eating and sleeping, then when we could taste the sweetness of Shiva Bhakti!

I don’t want to live even in the abode of Devaru Sri Indrudu, since I want to live only at the abode of Lord Shivashankara.

Don’t do gossips and fights, listen to the wonderful discourses, read the holy Shiva Puran, eat Shiva, Drink Shiva and breathe Shiva. Keep telling SHIVA, SHIVA, SHIVA for so many times in a day.

Time once lost cannot be brought again. Our time must be properly utilised by chanting the Shiva Mantra, “OM NAMAH SHIVAHA”.

Consider lust as the worst dust, anger would lead to danger and causing sins would lead you into the path of hell.

Provide food to the hunger, poor and tired travellers, and then you could be able to see the face of Lord Shiva on their faces.

Let us worship the holy woman and be blessed.

“OM MATA ANNALAKSHIAMMA NAMAHA”

WRITTEN BY

R.HARISHANKAR