Verses of
Yogi Vemana
Translated from the Telugu by
C.P. Brown
[1829]
YOGI VEMANA
Translated from the Telugu VersesIf we kill, sin is contracted; by not slaying virtue attaches But to the omniscient, whether he slay or save, neither attaches. How can that death be slain that thus slay Siva? (a very difficult grammatical construction to translate).
p. 264
1101
You may straighten a tree to prevent its being crooked. You may duly rectify stone but you cannot straighten the mind that it become not more crooked.1102
Whatever any one at any time advises, a man should listen to respectfully nor be hasty. After learning the truth he will become a steady character.1103
When their crimes fall on their head, they think of God. When they(fall with their heads under) live headlessly they think not on God. Like sinners do they make a noise as if in (or seeing) a dream, See they this? O Vema.1104
Words are produced by the thousand (let bags of wards come); yet by well weighing words, they become magic gems. By knowing the composition of words, thou with thy words gain perfection O, Vema!p. 265
1105
The mind is of tender age itself. The mind is still youth in all men. Mind witnesses to mind. No decrepitude affects the minds in the world, O Vema!1106
Though you have gained wealth you may not have got liberality. The wisdom of Brahma Deva is the wisdom of a fool (lit. slave). He gives wealth here and liberality there.1107
Looking and looking at himself he cannot perceive thee, O God. Looking and looking at thee he would forget himself. He that sees thee is the true saint.1108
The water poured at the root rises around the root and greatly increases the entire tree. In the same manner the soul pervades the entire body.1109
p. 267Surely the Vedas are all mere contention. Let ashes fill the contentious man's mouth; surely the vanquisher of the Vedas is Vemana. Surely it is our great object to know what is true happiness.
1110
If thou plant a tree carefully but give it no trellis, it will not grow but perish in this world. Thus it is with him who desireth wisdom but can obtain no teacher.1111
Shall not we cut down the forest of ignorance with the sword of knowledge? Let us not think on ignorance in our mind but look to the places where the light of wisdom is fixed!1112
Alas none knows intuition (yeriki for everiki). Though thou teach none can understand; by teaching and teaching understanding is produced. Excellent (or divine) is understanding if thou will view it.1113
p. 267Like as the (Parabhruta) cuckoo is reared by the crow, like as the worm comes to life by means of the wasp, thus is it that the fool pretends to be a teacher but cannot bestow perfection (moksha). The nature of the pupil does not depend on the teacher.
1114
If you take a vile fellow and give him wealth he will overthrow even the venerable. Does the dog that gnaws shoes know the sweetness of the sugar cane?1115
Beasts will not beg of beasts; the race of birds will not submissively ask of their equals. Is he a man who will not bestow when a man asks or is he a woman in the world, O Vema!1116
What though you have got a putti (1600 lbs) or only a cupful of chaff. There is not in it one grain in the world. Trouble only increases in proportion to the store of empty words. The more talk the more trouble.1117
By want of food they are in distress. How should the wisdom of such mere corpses become fruitless? If you pour water into an unbaked vessel will it remain there in?p. 268
1118
He was born in this land and grew up in this land but cannot bestow this land on any one. Alas the man of a foreign country is the king of the world. (Probably alludes to the Musalman Government.)1119
Why should all wisdom be published? Why should we receive the gifts of a sinner, O sage, ignorantly.1120
He that quitteth not a faithless friend--is he not a shepherd? (swain fool) Has any shepherd in the world horns (i.e. honour)?1121
What has a thief to do with good habits? What has a fornicator to do with worship and adoration? What in the world has a palmwine drinker to do with devotion?1122
This unstable body falls about like a dog; for many days chatters, he gives his body to the fire or to the jackals of the forest.p. 269
1123
Your wife is the property of others. Your wealth is the property of the whores. Your body is the property of earth. If you consider them in 'your mind, the virtue (i.e. practice) alone is yours.1124
If with thy whole heart thou seek and see that, think that it is of wondrous semblance; then shalt thou perceive that it pervades all space and is not of nature divisible.1125
How should he who is attached to (desires) sin think of the deity. How should the sinner be a teacher? Behold the mind of a fool. Does it know (Had) God?1126
To cleanse his mouth is a great trouble (nastiness) even to the great saint. Not even a son of Brahma can purify his mouth, But the mouth that speaks the truth is the purest in the world.1127
p. 270First it rises above the water and becomes a sprout; the sprout is itself both husband and son of the earth. The earth is the seed, to both mother and wife
1128
Who are the kings who always being engaged in the earth nourish the world? Whence does the title of great Lord attach to man?1129
In former time in the world a Boya man, when a tiger roared in the forests, held it to be a cruel beast, and slew it. The sin that he incurred hereby seized the Boysa and whelmed him.1130
From their birth they continually slay all animals, and become the garden bed of sin. Shall beatitude be attained by evil doers?1131
Animals that have tails, they get and cut their throats, they break the necks of all the goats of the flocks and as for the rest of the animals they burn and eat them.p. 271
1132
They will quit all tasks whatever and the men of the world long (lit. dwell) for the taste of the mouth (eloquence). If you say Devil, the girls are alarmed; all the world has become thus. O Vera I look well to thy words.1133
Look at your wife. She is shackles on your leg. All your children (in a row) are the rivets. All connections are like to a prison as you consider them closely.1134
He himself remain sunk in the ocean of love formed by the triple love of wife, offspring and wealth. In what way then should men be able to attain beatitude. When the song is ended we obtain the symphony.1135
Through those desires that have been wound about us ever since we were children-thus high are we entrapped by the names of relations, called younger sister, elder sister, mother and father.p. 272
1136
How many are thy mothers and fathers? How many births hast thou had? Again how many are the places where thou sufferest pain (or live)? The fool knoweth not, this is stable and this fluctuating.1137
That cannot perceive that life is unstable, thus mad men. They are puffed up here in the earth. All souls are surely in the sight of Yama like as goats bound for sacrifice.1138
When your father and mother are dead, you and your wife unite and look to building your house agreeably. Like as though a thief already fixed on the impaling post should ask for food.1139
Increase are decrease, consider, occur to all, however great. The body is not real, if you think on the facts. They cannot know this. What can we say to this.1140
(My humble salutations to Sreeman C P Brown for the collection)
0 responses to "Yogi Vemana Verses - 1101 to 1140"