Hindu Vedic Philosophy (The Paramardha Tattwam)

Translated from the Telugu by

C.P. Brown

[1829]

 

Translated from the Telugu Verses


 
Through a selfish spirit it is that we say of any one thing, I cannot live (or get on) without this. To have it, but to know you cannot perceive it, go to. This is the bond of the worldly life.
What though we learn and know whence we came and where we go; it is but like the coming or going of sleep. The birth and departure of the soul, these behold, form the divine state and are alone of importance.
All men are bound in the cords of their lusts, shining in their dignity. They cannot sever it with the sword of wisdom.
Who are ye that ye should be able to walk independently of the endless course of time. Relinquish all your idiotic properties and walk, O men in the paths of beatitude.
What has become of all the noble race that lived of all? They might have exalted them in the world. To crush their enemies none has prevailed besides Siva.
p. 274
Things that are produced from earth we separate from earth and dress them again in an earthen vessel; at what strong love we feel for the earthen vessel?
Vegetables without salt are to the taste vile as (salt ground) barren land. A ruined wretch is he that hath no shoes and the man out of debt is the richest of the wealthy.
The egg in the womb dwells in the body. By the course of breath it pleasantly rambles. This is like austerity in a vine-yard (under a palm tree). When shall he attain bliss.
How is instruction gained? He cannot see the top of his head. It is good to seek him, the deity who dwells on the top of your head. That skilful man who comprehends his head, takes beatitude by violence.
In truth, worth is the source of a faithful intention; devoid of faith thou shalt not attain bliss. What is this we call bliss? Thou art thyself its origin.
p. 275
Formerly Boya Kannappa drew near to the three-eyed god and became beatified. Purity of heart is the root of all acceptable worship.
Time is the effective form of Siva. Time is the duration of God. How shalt a fool know the meaning of true happiness?
By means of a name, a country becomes a holy ground. Thus have stones, through names become kings (i.e., idols). By names have water become all holy streams.
For garden herbs, for spontaneous vegetables, for bran and for empty ears (of corn), those jack asses who for such boons as these have written poems and have become as great as the truly excellent.
When we were born in the womb of our mother at first we not clothing nor shall have at our latter end. Is not it then a joke for us to wear clothing in our intermediate life?
p. 276
There is no artist in the land nobler than the creator. Draw near with delight to him the lord of all; who is greater than that artist; are men to revile the creator.
If he knows not how to restrain his five senses, and cannot (hold) check the flame of the fire within, and if he has not singleness of heart how shall he regenerate?
He considereth himself the teacher of all the tribes (castes) but knoweth not death, this son of a pariar, when this teacher dies he is vile as the crow that never had a teacher.
He that cannot restrain his mind is in his soul even lower than a pariar, after death hell shall be his fate. O men!
Is not it wrong to call that man living soul who can perceive no beauty in the deity Where is the linga? Where is the Zangam? (i.e., what has such a Zangam to do with the linga).
p. 277
Relinquish the degraded commerce of excessive sensual delights (Lit. delights of the five senses) and truly become part of the divine self. Let not the internal vision desire the pleasures of eyesights. Call not merely with thy mouth on god, O Vema!
Externally ye suspend the lingam to a number of threads and daub yourselves externally with ashes, yet cannot see that God who dwells externally in all space,
When God ordered the world to proceed by means of death and birth, the name of teacher is attached to him; false is the teacher who knoweth not that his own death is certain.
See these robbers call themselves teachers--void of knowledge, ignorant of themselves--these unprofitable sons of slave.
p. 278
There is not a single teacher who can show us the (gurutu) truth, not one excellent scholar is there who discerneth the truth. A teacher and a wise pupil are rare as a hare's horns.
Setting up a teacher in even each religion, not even one man hath attained bliss. They worship unblushing teachers.
One is born only to devour food, and perishes, another is born to attain beatitude, and perishes. To attain power another becomes a pariar...
They talk and say there is a teacher in each sect--O ye pariars! ignorant of hidden truth. He that calls himself, dies a crow devoid of instructor.
In the evening the Brahmin performs the religious draughts. The king mounts the sedan, in this earthly dwelling. The cobbler dances a jig. The disease is healed by medicine.
p. 279
First knowledge, thereby...let not the pious entertain doubts; without the illumination of a lamp shall darkness be dissipated?
Knowing that the body will perish in the ground, yet through great attachment a man nourishes it. Lo! Lo! like as if he should cut off his nee and set himself to drink the blood,
How large this exterior may be. I know not what connection there is between the divinity and this world. In the estimation of the wise how large is the sun, Thus musing they are evidently alarmed. (exemplification of doubt.) ("sunt qui formidive nulla Imbuti spectent")
If rain raineth, the field fruiteth. If rain fall not, it is soon dried up. Thus is the field ordained as sustenance to all.
He that speaketh the truth (tatwa) is to be met with some where in the earth. But he who knows the truth is no where found. If he should exist, he is certainly imperceptible to us.
p. 280
He who being charitable in his mind considers the hungry guest as God, and without the least heat (displeasure) gives him a mouthful (as much as a nut) of food, this is the man who can cry avaunt to yama (death) and slay him.
Our connections (family) being about us and living in sweet enjoyment, in the midst of them their ruler (the soul) sits. O ye men attain the dwelling of God; there alone is true happiness found.
After you have boiled vegetables, is it possible to pick out the straws? Sense would teach you to gather them before boiling, After you have lost all you possessed where is charity (dharma).
Where trees are produced, fruits also flourish, They must be cut down (or gathered) with a knife. If you dress and eat them, you will know their quality.
p. 281
While there is still salt and tamarind fruits in the village why dread famine, O farmer! Is there no orpiment? Is there no tin? (That is, I advise you to poison yourselves either with natural poisons or with immoderate quantities of salt or tamarind acid).
If with a mouth defiled with spittle thou meditate on him, does the divinity thereby become spittle (in a thousand ways)? However many persons we name they are not thereby defiled.
He who in the budding of prosperity gives the gifts of a virgin (kanyadan), at the last the region of holiness shall be attained by him. This is the secret of Vedanta.
If seeing one man's wealth and strength, and desiring his gold, thou give him thy daughter (kanya) heaven exists not for thee. He who favouring the poor gives a female to him, what is the use of talking? He is the Parama Siva.
p. 282
The dowry (or gift in marriage) which is given through seeing and desiring, all possessions and good things perish. A disproportioned dowry produces much profits.
At the time when they give a daughter to a man of wealth, fools exult greatly. It is merely the result of their prayers. Will your pride remain stable?
Though he be devoid of learning, and void of money, if after all even a fool, or dumb, if she be grown you may give her to a favourite connection (bandhu).
He who takes a connection of his own and without reckoning his wealth, looks only to his age bestows the dowry and thus gives his daughter (woman) in marriage, this is the wisest of all.
If you bestow your daughter in marriage looking to wealth, it is as if you gaffe her for a price. The dignified way is to give her to an equal. If thou give her to a poor man, they remain entwined in close attachments.
p. 283
Giving one's daughter to a rich man is like the water of a well flowing into the sea. But a woman given to a poor man is like watering a lime tree with sea of water,
Through a man's wealth he gets an excellent wife (punyavati). Thus a fit husband is also gained by an excellent woman. By the fortune (bhagam) of both, friends and good sons and the eight blessings will be gained.
When a marriage contract (manuvu) is made by a rich man with a poor one, wealth and poverty became thereby united. What then is possession and what is poverty?
Mother, father, friends and relations, and all others will seek and desire a young man. They will give him the girl but not fortune with her.
p. 284
There is no place that exists not in the mind it is closely united with our acts, if we meditate on God in our hearts.
During his life he doth not restrain his lusts but when death comes, he turns recluse. Without thou quell thy mind, is beatitude attainable?
If thy eye be single, the knowledge shall be one like a man in this earth is united with a woman. Then shall thy interior be full of light like to the lord of the world.
Born in the dark, we grow up in the darkness. Why are we ensnared in the (concealment) darkness of delusion. If thou understand this darkness, this whole world shall appear to thee.
Not seeing the might of time and imagining that this present is perpetual they merely weary themselves. How is it that the men of this world can never discern this noble boon, the lapse of time.
p. 285
Through worshipping the three eyed in ignorant faith, in former time, Boya Kannappa became a sage. Did this happen through his worship? Wisdom was the cause.
If while we own the error of another we ourselves participate therein, the fortune we enjoy will perish. Is it not enough if water leaks out of a cracked pot (i.e., defect is merely less obvious)? (Olla Ollam melamopraction of pellat)
Shall the amorous, or he that is enslaved to cupidity or for wealth, or that is engrossed in attachment to his family or the stubborn, or he who (makes his face half) turns away his face, see heaven? Though these turn out of the way shall the words of Vemana ever fall to the ground?
By the spread of the passing wind, (water touched by it,) water acquires coolness. There is another secret hidden near to this, if men would understand it (the mind is similarly affected by outward occurrences).
p. 286
In this world there is not the blessing of complete happiness they say, how then should that happiness be attained in the next world? If death were not present with us from the first, how should it at last visit us. (Our ultimate good or bad fate is but a continuation of our present lot).
This frail body suffers numberless changes in many ways. Do we nourish and foster it? At last it is given to the funeral flames or to the foxes of the wilderness.
If a soldier skilled in war serves a base master he will disobey and turn again from seeking his favour. He will roam the towns and hamlets like a monkey.
Sand, coals, stones, grass, skin, dirt, sticks, where is the sinner who does not bless his teeth with some of these things.
Will not those who are ignorant of swimming fall into a deep well? How should those who understand swimming fall into the pit, alas, so as to be reduced to powder.
p. 287
If numerous vessels be placed in one house they are all in various shapes. If this diversity be removed, all will become space.
Why O ye men do ye always think on the body? Cannot ye perceive that the body is perishable? Like to a bandicote caught and dying in a trap.
If thou consider the deity far removed from thee, he shall be far from thee. If thou consider the body as his dwelling he shall dwell therein and if thou hold life to be his vehicle, such men shall remain stable as gods.
Classes and customs vary; but birth is one. Viands differ but hunger is one.
The Sun, Moon, Tusda, Woden (Bhouma), Thor (lit. the teacher, Brihaspati), Frida (sucra), and Saturn--These are signs only but each day is the same.
p. 288
What is Borax--a substance that is luminous coalesces with metals, uniting them in love. The life is united to the body in a similar manner.
He proceeded from woman and longs for woman. Why all this love of woman and affection for her. He who gives up woman shall gain wisdom.
All fear belongs to the animal body; if fear depart the whole essence shall become the divine spirit. All destruction belongs to the body and all victory to the soul.
Whatever difficulties a man meets within this world, it is not a place that can be instrumental to the attainment of the next world. Then they are not worthy however closely you view them.
p. 289
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.
If God be ours (if the Deity has been attained by us) in even the destruction, we shall rejoice in glorious majesty. He that knows not God shall remain a captive.


 End of Yogi Vemana Verses


(My humble salutations to Sreeman C P Brown for the collection)