Don’t Despise Me by Akkmahadevi

Akkmahadevi Introduction

Akka Mahadevi ಅಕ್ಕ ಮಹಾದೇವಿ (c.1130–1160) was one of the early female poets of the Kannada literature and a prominent person in the Lingayatism sect of Hinduism in the 12th century. Her 430 extant Vachana poems (a form of spontaneous mystical poems), and the two short writings called Mantrogopya and the Yogangatrividhi are considered her most notable contribution to Kannada literature. 

She composed fewer poems than other saints of the movement. The term Akka ("elder Sister") is an honorific (a title or word implying or expressing respect) given to her by great Lingayat saints such as Basavanna, Siddharama and Allamaprabhu and an indication of her high place in the spiritual discussions held at the "Anubhava Mantapa".  She is seen as an inspirational woman in Kannada literature and in the history of Karnataka. She considered the god Shiva ('Chenna Mallikarjuna') as her husband, (traditionally understood as the 'madhura bhava' or 'madhurya' form of devotion).

Akka Mahadevi was born in Udutadi, near Shivamogga in the Indian state of the Karnataka around 1130. Some scholars suggest that she was born to a couple named Nirmalshetti and Sumati, who were both devotees of Para Shiva.

Mahadevi was a saint of the Bhakti movement and is a famous Kannada poet. Her many devotional poems showcase her powerful faith and adherence to her faith, even throughout a life that made such devotions truly difficult for her. Don’t Despise Me is one such poem that has made her the well-known and respected figure she is today.

Theme

 ‘Don’t Despise Me’ by Akka Mahadevi is a plea (request, statement) to the listener. It showcases the poet’s devotion and adherence (attachment ) to her faith.

Don’t Despise Me – Poem (Despise - underestimate)

Don’t despise me as

She who has no one

I’m not one to be afraid,

Whatever you do.

I exist (being, ಅಸ್ತಿತ್ವದಲ್ಲಿದೆ.) chewing dry leaves.

My life resting on a knife edge

If you must torment me,

Chennamallikarjuna,

My life, my body

I’ll offer you and be cleansed. 

 

Poem Summary

Don’t Despise Me 

As Akka Mahadevi’s poems, including Don’t Despise Me, were originally written in Kannada, it is possible that some of the more subtle nuances of her writings have been lost in translation, so elements of the work such as rhyme and rhythm cannot be properly analyzed in English, as they are simply not there.

 Lines 1-4

Don’t despise me as

She who has no one

I’m not one to be afraid,

Whatever you do.

Akka Mahadevi begins Don’t Despise Me with the titular concept, written seemingly as a plea (request) to the reader. The careful division of the lines allows each individual idea that forms the sentence to stand on its own. The speaker — presumably Mahadevi herself — is able to divide her first thought into four important ideas: the plea to not be abandoned, the loneliness of the speaker herself, her fearlessness, and the incredible potential for fearlessness she could have had.

That she states that she will not be afraid, no matter what may come her way suggests that “don’t despise me,” while worded as a kind of begging (as “despise” is a fairly strong word to have used), can also be read as a statement of resolve, or even judgment — Mahadevi’s way of saying that there is no logical premise from which to judge her loneliness.

The idea of being despised for being along is a curious one in a contemporary context, however in Akka Mahadevi’s time, it was much more unusual to be alone, particularly for a woman, and her gender and place in society would have drawn considerable scorn from the people around her — but she does not care. The mixed themes of abandonment and confidence create a unique juxtaposition (Jux/ta/position - occurs when two things are placed side by side for comparison) that forms a strong sense of character around Don’t Despise Me, and gives the reader a seemingly genuine insight into Akka Mahadevi.

 Lines 5-6

I exist chewing dry leaves.

My life resting on a knife edge

The next two lines of Don’t Despise Me describe the speaker in a literal, and then metaphorical (symbolize) sense. When Mahadevi describes herself as existing on dry leaves, it seems likely that this is meant in a literal sense; that the speaker lives an impoverished life, and has to live that life one day at a time. That the phrase used is “I exist,” rather than “I live,” says a great deal about the scarcity of that life. In the next line, she describes her life as “resting on a knife edge,” which is a very powerful metaphor for that scarce life. A knife’s edge is typically a very fine line, as though the life itself feels like a lengthy balancing act.

 

 

The knife also likely symbolizes the danger of the speaker’s daily life — few things are as uncomfortable as resting on a blade’s edge! In an objective sense, the speaker’s life seems remarkably difficult and very stressful; she lives on the barest minimum and in constant danger, both from the scarcity of her sustenance and potentially from others who may despise her for the way she lives her life.

 

 Lines 7-10

If you must torment me, (mental suffering)

Chennamallikarjuna,

My life, my body

I’ll offer you and be cleansed. (Free (someone) from sin or guilt)

Don’t Despise Me concludes with an address to Chennamallikarjuna. Chenna Mallikarjuna is another term to refer to Shiva, the Supreme Being for the Shaivism sect of Hinduism, and one of the most important deities (god or goddess) of Hinduism as a whole.

 

In another juxtaposition, (Jux/ta/position - occurs when two things are placed side by side for comparison) the speaker addresses Shiva as a tormentor (ಹಿಂಸಕ, physical suffering on someone) in a worshipping sense, concluding the work by offering herself, body and spirit, to the deity to be cleansed. It introduces an important theme into the work: devotion, and devotion in particular for the spiritual aspect of the universe.

 

Describing her existence as “torment” is in line with the previous aspects of the poem, but the shift towards a devotional tone adds a new dimension to the work. Akka Mahadevi acknowledges the pain of her physical existence while taking comfort in her spiritual life. Even when she has only dry leaves to eat, and feels as though she lives her life on a knife’s edge, she feels clean because her devotion to her faith keeps her strong.

 

From everything that is presently known about Akka Mahadevi, it is very likely that Don’t Despise Me is based on her own day-to-day experiences, living, as she did, impoverished and alone, but with incredible faith. Don’t Despise Me demonstrates her fearlessness and confidence, along with her contentedness with the life she dared choose to live.