Hindu Vedic Philosophy (The Paramardha Tattwam)

Translated from the Telugu by

C.P. Brown

[1829]

 

Translated from the Telugu Verses




Reading, reading, reading still reading and still reading. Reading and reading, reading, some reading yet he cannot read so as to discern the great secret.
Who are those we everywhere term wife and husband. If thou will (take the trouble to) carefully view them, the truth is evident; but no one can see the joints of puppets (lit. skin images).
Take cow's butter and boil it well, mingle vegetables with it (branchless fruits). It is tasteless. The noblest of tastes is that of beatitude.
When we are born in the womb of our mother, at first, we had not clothing, nor shall have it at our latter end. Is not it then a joke for us to wear clothing in our intermediate life?
p. 104
Like as a dog while hunting for bran that falls in with a heap of rice seizes it; thus does the wealth of the merchant fall to the lot of the hard and the cruel,
The Vaishnavites are saws in the assembly of kings (causing dissension). These are the chief gamblers of gamblers. They know not counsel but are swift in their eagerness for wealth.
The vile, leaves the man of worth and lauds the vile? Every man praises those who resemble him (asinus asinum fricat). Can a block give sense to a beam?
Why should a pearled tire (papita) be given to shaven widow instead of to a wife possessed of all charms? Why should a lame horse have a tasselled saddle.
Those men in the world who are faithful (satya) they shall also obtain wisdom worthily. When faith and wisdom are expired, a man becomes a Brahmin, twice born. What hath he who has attained to do with learning. (The poet evidently had a double meaning, sneering at Brahmins.)
p. 105
Taking fire in their hands yet scoffiing at God, the Brahmins have become debased; wandering in many diverse paths, all the Brahmins are ruined.
The leaf platters of Brahmins are the share of dogs of the street and the platters of pariahs alone are honoured. The platters thus honoured become the share of Brahmins.
A Brahmin will eat bone-food in which pounded skeleton is mingled. A married woman becomes a pēratālu. These give up their caste and character through excess of avarice.
What sort of caste is theirs who swallow the bearings of those demon--gods that devour palmwine and flesh. Thou with faith worship Siva they fail of becoming happiness.
Thou in the great destruction (the pralaya) all men were destroyed by the servants (pramatha) of Siva, yet have the Brahmins become enable to comprehend this.
p. 107
The Vishnava sect is mere talk. There are no others more fallen than these wretches. Shall beatitude be attained by any sinner? (lit. by all hard men).
By birth a soodra--how can he become perfect (the best of the good)? The soodra state to a woman in every respect--his mother being a soodra how is he a Brahmin?
Whose son in this world is Brahma? If thou enquire whose son is Vishnu; if thou plainly enquire whose son is Siva? Men are ignorant of shame who dare call these persons gods.
The mother of the (setti) washerman caste washes menstrous garments, their father, great as he carries about grain. What is the pomp of these sons of asses?
Rambha, the celestial dancer seized the Somayaji (scorned him) and disgraced him, she covets with the somayaji, casting him down. Thus was it that this fellow gained the fruit of his sacrifices.
p. 107
A man may get the title of dasari if merely has the fancy. He may be called jangam if he will give up a regular life. But he cannot be called Brahmin by any means.
You let your son eat off the same plate of whatever he be a son, you swallow his leavings--you cannot even see the least of true knowledge.
The comatees fall down at the gate of him that gives interest--he suffers the pains of hell. They will give you a penny or a farthing but nothing respectable.
Brahmins go on calling food and water defiled and throw them away ignorant of their nature. Food and drink are in truth Hari, Ha: a and Brahma indefilable by touch. They defile him alone who calls them defiled.
First by plunging in water Brahmin loses sight; by roaming he gains nothing but giddiness, by howling out the Vedas he turns into a dog.
p. 108
If we take no food, the fire within the belly feeds on its own impurity. Then how shall he become pure who fasts and thus devours foulness.
One may wear a longoti, and wish to have himself a mini but cannot cease from the cupidity of his heart; the semblance indeed is one way and the heart otherwise.
He who seeing men dying and who knoweth the divine nature as removed equally from the death and birth, who thinketh deeply in his mind and gazette in abstraction he shall attain beatitude.
Like when a frog when beholdeth a snake that snake swalloweth the frog with great eagerness. Thus is the soul absorbed in worldly pursuits--who can extricate the frog? Vemana knoweth how to free it--are thou involved in worldly pursuits? This book shall release thee.
p. 109
The verses of Vemana well considered admit of a thousand interpretations. If thou think on these, this shall produce refined wisdom in thee.
Let us look upon the fair assemblage of eighty four lakhs of animals as clearly the sons of Brahma; if thou attain wisdom thou hast the divinity.
The offspring of a multitude of all things and of all bodies and the five elements are born in this world. Those who fill their bellies with these cannot discern truth.
There being five joints (i.e., shoulders, thighs and neck) this car of the body goes about the world. If one joint be loosed that splendid car is ruined.
Quit the two weaknesses--hunger and thirst, the two of age and death, the two of pain and love, the two of pleasure and grief and the two of wisdom and ignorance. There is but one deity (in account) placed above the two mansions of the breast and forehead. Thus shall the gifted sage be happy gazing into his earthen vessel. (The signification of such riddles depends pp the fancy of the interpreter.)
p. 110
He that knoweth the sunrising and knows the course of the sun and who knows the sunset in its beauty--He that thus knows the sun, he is a part of the divinity.
As long as the body lasts we must alternately sink and rise in contemplation regarding the shacti or creative power. When her protection leaves us we begin to wish for it not before.
Casting out from the ship the seven dhatus, five pranas, six passions, eight (5 bhootas and 3 gunas) and one delusion, the king mounts the vessel and goes about. This is tatwa.
Fairly establishing the house built on one pillar with its six stores, how shall one make himself lord of that mansion.
To be united with six passions, grief at the last; to be united with the seven becometh a cause of weeping. To slay in unison of these (for these to perish) is wisdom.
p. 111
Relinquish the three affections, confuse the three, sink the three qualities, gunas, the three Gods and the three shareerams. The combination of the three, three and three form beatitude.
Believing the external world to be the divinity they scrutinise it. How should the external world (ed quod externumeast) of itself become divinity? Felicity exists in scrutinising that firmament within us that is the divinity.
Surely those are mad who, while there is one chief quality (satvika) in the three (rajasa, tamasa and satvika) leave it, unite the three, place them in their heart and unable to discern it are plunged in worldly pursuits.
Between the Ganga and the Yamuna (i.e., the two nostrils) there is a maid (spine) like a golden image, If thou unite thyself to her in love (i.e., meditation) without fail hereby shalt thou attain beatitude.
p. 112
Few millions of goats died; only did one monkey mount on a leaf when ten millions of those monkeys died, a fox cried co, co--This riddle signifies.

Aja	a goat	Aja like wise means Brahma
Hari	a monkey,	Hari also means Vishnu
Siva	a fox,	Siva is Shiva who ultimately survives triumpth.

The tree of the back-bone is fixed on the fruit of its lower extremity and the wires of nerves are fixed. The fingers on those wires perform the (tripura tandava) dance of Siva in Tripura.
A cock touching sky and earth having horns protrude their points--splendour without a lamp shall shine.
At first it is a tree; at last it is not a bird; it has no mouth, but six fruits; it his not even one life and slays living creatures.
It hath no foot nor hand; but has a petticoat; no horn but rushes swiftly and bites at all men Without having practiced in a fencing school it slays us. This is a great marvel.
p. 113
He that has an external throat with his mouth feeds on leaves; he has one leg and is all to match he shines and talks in the courts of kings.
When acquainted with the path of great construction of the body (acunchana) if at any time thou disregard the moola bandhana all the old men in the world shall become youths. (This mystic fooling signifies that what is apparently the meanest is of the first consequence)
If fixing thy understanding thou look and behold the light of the moon (i.e.. breast)...(incomplete).
Maya is not in fact the daughter in-law. She is the wife of all men in the world. Behold, she is gold, but such as cannot be plundered (nonsense, useful for words).
Brahma became a horse Siva (Bhava) became the saddle; Adi Vishnu became the stirrup. He that mounts on this stud is either female or male. I know not which.
p. 114
The men subject to passions, on one side serpents (passions--indriya), crows on one side, the nine large tomcats (animal senses) on one side; the nine large paths, being restrained, the light (the soul) departed to the external, the tiger (ignorance), the fox (delusion) rose up and gazed; the dog (mind) perished--the men of the woods (apes) cried out, the soul has become Him, Him.
Meddle not with the (yoga) eight connections of the body, the six creeds or the three causes (mantra, laya, hatha). By the one remaining means (i.e., pure devotion) thou shalt attain happiness.
The spirit that is named without equal, having slain the being that formerly bore his name, and again caused him to return into life, Vemana can render his image (or brother) stable for ever. (Mystic raving)
p. 115
What wonder is it that the tree of wisdom should grow with its root upwards (in heaven) and its point downwards (in earth); over its root is a lustful elephant (the eye) walking. What is the wonder of this? Like a distinguished soldier, an elephant (ignorance) swallow an ant (wisdom), what the secret of a marvellous tree (the Sushumna nādam) that never was born, being produced in the earth, on (the body) a rock and if the chemanti flower (chrysanthemum Indicum) the mudricas be produced, what is the secret of the birth? Behold if the all knowing and learned men speak distinctly, Vema listen to them.
In the earth a frog (the mind) seized five serpents (passions) and suddenly swallowed them. What is this? Two
p. 116
men of the woods (apes i.e., wisdom and ignorance) came and by themselves of themselves swallowed their young (their acts i.e., annihilated them), to a fox (delusion) in the Iron age cāmadhenu was born. In what way was this? Possessing intellect there was an infant that chewed; what was this marvel (wisdom absorbing ignorance). In seven modes of existence, (mahattu, ahankara, shabda, sparsha, roopa, rasa, gandham) mercilessly was might (delusion) produced and agitated men. What is this? The all knowing sages that have declared this, listen to them O Vema.
What is the mystery of a fly that screamed out and swallowed a bed? How was a mace produced in jasmine blossoms? Amazing, on a (marri)neem tree (ignorance) plantain fruits (wisdom) were produced; how was this? What is that dancing that the flower bodied woman knows. How did the five coloured parrots have power to swallow five mountains. Thus have the wise of old taught, listen O Vema.
p. 117
He who comprehends the preceding three verses and can explain them truly he shall see Siva. What is there unknown to thee?
He who knows one, two, three and four, five, six, seven, eight, nine thus far, to the last what these are, that man is Vemana.
If they do not hesitate in 1006 ways water courses well turn as men turn. But a thousand ways are insufficient to teach the chief (root) wisdom to a piece of wood.
While impurities are perpetually flowing from the orifices of his body, how is it said that the recluse is thoroughly pure? O ye sheep who externally daub yourselves and fall into the hands of Fate!
In the eye flowing from moisture, in a boil flowing with matter, in a house the thatch of which is damaged, in a whirlwind,
p. 118
in the breast that the child sucks--how should there be any tightness?
If you say let us look behind, there is the well of (foulness) dirt. If you say let us look before, there is a nasty pit. Oh when they see a woman men fell down to pray her.
If fate (the female power) look at men they hide their faces. Unless ye eat the food of that Fate ye shall not be blest That power (fate) is the origin of the three Gods.
A girl is smart powder; but divinity is grain flour. The future state, in its excellence is fine calama flour. Can sages know the excellence of such flour.
If you say I will drink palm wine they abuse you violently; they abuse the entire body of him who drinks it. Yet he who drinks palm wine they entitle noble, for the recluse knows not the distinctions of good and evil.
p. 119
The village of our body in which the deity dwells is Hill Town (the head); his is in back street (the spine). There in silence is the first house. We gaze and continually view it, this is the road of beatitude.
Quitting the bonds of the body he cannot go forth. Sargnee (Vishnu) walketh with delusion as, with his wife. If he, so mighty, is thus ensnared, what power had men to release themselves?
In Gandicōta there is a musk deer; it is not a great horseman. Be he great as he may be, that deer will mount (the hill) and overthrow him.
Pācanāti Reddee, and Mōtah Reddee and Tōta Pedda Yerra Reddee, these are all stubborn, wretches accomplished in all hardness. Thus have they gained celebrity.
Are all those creatures men who bear about sedan? He alone who enjoys himself within it is He (the God); shall the fruits of his good deeds be enjoyed by these base wretches?
p. 120
The accomplished sages all meet and forming the mental figure, purified it with lime of steel--surely then lime is not the source of all purity.
He who eats lime (of stone or shells) possesses the philosopher's stone, chunam that exceeds in the touch of gold, is better to Brahma and the rest.
Lime is the best of all matters. Lime displays the present world in the earth and it also shows us heaven.
He who eats lime will be delivered from the ties of relationship which shall all be calcined; can it remain permanent? (lit. in the path) To Vishnu, Siva and Brahma never have any power over lime.
By eating it have the demigods and munees attained immortality. But they who see and scorn it derive then beauty from it. When men eat it they become demigods.
p. 121
Is not the horse noble? Is not it all things? Cannot we attain Siva? If we meditate on him should we remain thus in darkness?
If a horse eat lime, it will grow great. How should it hereby attain and nourish the truth of desire. If a horse eat lime it shall become wise.
What is the purport of this world? Horse is the victorious steed. The horse is the highest of blessings. Horse signifies a pure substance.
There are seven living beings. The eighth (maya) is not living--all the mighty are in anxiety. If thou look into thy thought all words vary. (raving foolery).
If after mounting this creature, the horse, he cannot manage him, the tatwa yogee is in trouble. Let him mount the elephant of knowledge.
p. 122
He who closely views the firmament being as a globe and duly observes the moon above it; he who views this well shall find it is for his good.
He who builds a house on the open plain (bayalu) and void of discernment wanders confused, is a wretch given up to his lusts. He who knows the (bayalu) open heaven is himself the divinity.
Maya, the wife laughing, the husband is weeping (the soul), the wife delights in adultery. That adultery pervades all nature.
A wife (maya) who hath no figure loves her husband, a man void of vanity is a stabbing hero, a man who is diseased becomes a soldier of God.
p. 123
Whatever difficulties a man meets with in this world, it is not a place that can be instrumented to the attainment of the next world. Then they are not worthy however closely you view them.
How many are they that live on earth, in heaven, and between them has any one the power to count them; those who live are indeed those who die.
Though he can teach others and know for himself the instability of the body and the fleeting nature of wealth, he cannot yet attach himself to an adequate (illustrious) devotee and attain real perfection.
The sins that a wife commits, do with out fail fall on the husband. Of the good the husband does, half comes to the wife. Why is that we are not told that the sins of the husband also visit the wife.
p. 124
Whether misers or givers there is not one in this world, who asks not of his friends; he that gives not to others, consider him as the chief of misers.
However many famines and sudden deaths, and terribly severe diseases occur, if long life be abundantly possessed by the tribes of creatures, why should they so perpetually sorrow and why at every word should they, being fools say I have nothing? Behold, the merciful chief spirit is alone our refuge.
A house full of holes and a worthless wife are alike. Like to a worthless wife is an idiot son; like an idiot son is a jeerer.
If God be ours (if the deity has been attained by us) even the destruction we shall rejoice in glorious majesty, he that knows not god shall remain a captive.
In vessel of water the sky is visible, but in the absence of water how can the firmament appear therein? Regularly (or daily) comprehend thou the splendour of god in the vessel of the meditating intellect.
p. 125
He who makes his body to be as a mill, and his senses as the oxen, likewise converteth his acts into the oil seed. He through understanding shall like an oil-man with his soul his intellect shall as fine oil be freed from carnal impurities.
They who go on pilgrimages to sacred places travel league after league merely through forests, villages, lakes and rivers. This is the sum of their good works; whatever you wander (Vemadu) the divinity aideth and accompanieth you.
He who minutely views the soul in the body who showeth forth the body in the soul and who perceiveth the soul to be everywhere, he is become a part of the divinity,
What king is able to sustain and nourish the world composed (mingled) of earth and sky. How is it then that man assumes the name of (Lord of Earth) king?
p. 126
The wisdom of a wise man is of continual duration but the fool possesseth no knowledge. To know the wisdom of wisdom, this is the end of knowledge (tatwa).

Translated from the Telugu by

C.P. Brown

[1829]