Kagga 243
D. V. Gundappa · 1887–1975 · from the Kannada original

Transliteration
samavartigaLu jagadoLibbarE diTavariyeyamarAjanobba jAThararAjanobbashramavananudinamumAgipanobbanellavanushamisi mugisuvanobba – MANKUTIMMA
Interpretation
In this smorgasbord of dochotomies that the Universe is, there are only two phenomena that affect every individual uniformaly irrespective of their age, caste, creed, religion or financial status
One is hunger and the other is death…both are inevitable & both strike every individual human being uniformly without exception
These two phenomenon are singularly responsible for all the progress that man has made in this Universe so far…and have also been the prime cause for all man-made destruction & misery
Mankutimma, the pangs of hunger is so powerful that it not only forces man to take action to satiate it temporarily; but also creates ambition in his mind to innovate & discover. Similar is the fear of death…when these consequences are used constructively, it results in progress of mankind at large; however, it has also been responsible for avoidable large-scale destruction seen in the Universe
Did this poetry & its translation speak to you?
