Verses of
Yogi Vemana
Translated from the Telugu by
C.P. Brown
[1829]
YOGI VEMANA
Translated from the Telugu VersesThose that bear (see) us and those we bear (or see),knowing their deaths are at hand, and knowing our own, delusion suffers us not to know this. But her house deserted!
761
Though he read all that can be read and attain ample discrimination but how shall the hypocrite (consider) attain beatitude--like as the wandering wishes of a dog though lying at ease on the hearth.762
If you seat a dog in a royal sedan, it cannot remain fixed in one mind. Thus cannot the man of ignorant mind restrain his soul.763
p. 187Born on the earth, growing up in earth how shall a man quit the earth and attain heaven. The bliss of heaven does not exist in this earth.
764
What has the sage to do with rites? The sage requires no concealment; if the excellent man possesses undefiled wisdom he shall in this earth attain deliverance from all earthly ties.765
He who offering erroneous prayers for wealth attain good works, through that wealth shall not attain honour. By honouring a teacher, he shall comprehend the greatness of the divine glory, and shine for .ever. (a loose version)766
To be subject to (joined with) desire and avarice is a great grief. He that quits desire is the perfect man. If avarice leave thee thou shalt know the bliss of the next world.767
Like him who, knowing the suitability of stones uniteth stones into a binding; if like him, thou know the desirable arrangement of thy mind and thus order thy mind--hereby shalt thou know the divinity and thenceforth live in happiness.p. 188
768
Bearing a load of (a toom full of) jonna a stupid bullock still wears a bell proudly on its neck; while it wears a bell and serves, blows follow it.769
The excellence of him that is united with the deity is known to himself alone. How can others comprehend it? If he be himself become the God why should he worship him?770
In the worship of God, in the temples, he showed us a path saying. There is the God. If ye understood it, this entire world is that deity which is origin of all the Gods.771
All virtue combined became man, and he was produced; all sin combined, and woman (fiend) was born. Knowing woman to be evil, yet when ye see her ye fear to abhor her.772
If a whore, faithful, comes perpetually she is not faithful but death. If death enters your house, will she not devour you?p. 189
773
If you do not put a basketful of bran before it, the she buffalo you have bought will not let you milk. He can you vainly love a dancing girl?774
What does the arrogant high way man know of (care for poverty? As you call out for mercy he merely breaks your head) What does the young prostitute care about considering virtues of the faithful wife?775
A house without a liberal man is a great demon street; a word void of wisdom is a blow with a stone; a loveless whore is a murderess.776
He that says not thus large are her eyes, thus large her breasts, and who shines not thus entangled doth not desert devotion--this is the permanent sage.777
p. 190This body is a leathern puppet with joints--a vessel full of lies. A shiftless whore, an entangled car--who can describe its abominations.
778
We must of necessity ramble as far as the mind rambles and must turn when the mind turns. He that roams and rambles--he seems as a God.779
This is not a tattered cloth, says the recluse, but a fair vest; this is not a foul body but beatitude. Behold and wander at the greatness of him who is devoted to the Supreme.780
Happy is he who without considering this or that place, everywhere dwells as Siva. To them of understanding he appears as a God.781
Taking the flesh as a covering does the deceived creature devour flesh, If he were released from the flesh could he speak?p. 191
782
The talker shall in one way or another perish surely, the wise shall alone be happy and glorious in the earth; let disputes be ceased from and thus shall the yogee attain overwhelming ecstasy and thus gain perfection. (very hard)783
Who are those that hear of or have seen the deity. Those who have heard of him alone see him. Gaze steadily on him whether in the form of ocean or any other.784
Ignorant that the deity shines abroad in the earth, why should ye search imagining him elsewhere? That the deity exists within thee is truth.785
Surely void of the creator exists not the creation The creator formed it diversely. Look to that external world. Look to that eternal world that is without creator.786
p. 192He that perceiveth not him shall never become him. He who is in them is His. He that hath seen Him is himself the yogee.
787
Seeing the love of women sages (sanyasees) will love them, being immersed in the infamy of the world; when it has caught a bird, the cat is happy.788
What does the dog know of the linga priests, God? What does the fox know of one meal a day and fasting? What does the obstinate fool know of the path of beatitude.789
A pot without a bottom is unprofitable, a devotee without strength of body is useless. He has become like a shaven widow woman alas, alas.790
It would be amazing if the ocean of six thousand paths should ever be so stirred up as to turn sweet. Though you should teach the knowledge of God in a thousand ways to a piece of wood, it would be vain, O Vema.p. 193
791
Though they search, they cannot discover that one God who alone is skilled in the scriptures; but the excellent man perceives Him in the earth. Him who is and is not, they cannot behold.792
Ignorant of the true nature of inferiority and superiority, through desire ye perform salutations. Who is the honoured, which is the worshipper? What intrinsic difference exists?793
If they see a sage, they who are bound in the ties of this world simply call him mad. They cannot quit their nature. If a fool should in this earth seek nature, shall he find it?794
Men devoid of wisdom are indeed multitudinous, but though thou examine no man of wisdom is to be perceived. Through the deceptions of nature we cannot perceive the divinity.795
p. 194When a plan is devised, unless it be performed, the hire is not given. Unless she satisfy your desire you would not give her a shilling. Thus is the teacher that bestows no beatitude is a son of apes!
796
When a pararamour takes one, is disgusted and leaves her; then (or afterwards), another takes and loves her. Will not dogs lick the leaf-plate that is tossed away after eating.797
When we see a girl and exclaim how large are her eyes and how fair her breasts, the mind is deluded and falls in love, unable to perceive Him who dwells within our mortal frame.798
He who through an airy nature falls in love is even ensnared by a girl with sunken eyes. He is born, lives, and again is born ceaselessly.799
Growing by sucking the breast, he falls in love with the breast. By her breast, beatitude becomes insipid. He who will lave the breast is a saint forever.800
Whatever creed we examine all are the creed of woman; besides, assuredly my creed is the creed of woman! For love is the aim of every enquiry. He who comprehendeth my creed he is the excellent.801
When the husband; son--both (join) at once look at the wife's breasts with constant gaze; the husband looks with desire for the flesh upon it, the son for milk within it.802
Being himself the son of another daughter the base wretch drives away his mother. Such blackguards are not produced even by boars.803
By building chatrams (inns) at every step and by possession and wealth they increase their splendour; where ever they wander their shadow follows them; i.e., God will reward them.804
p. 196You take a binding rope, bind and secure it. What theft has Lingadu stolen that he should be thus treated? Why is it that ye cannot be thus treated? Why is it that ye cannot see and worship the invisible atma linga?
805
To eat the caraca fruit (autaphrodisiac) and to bind his langoti tight, and to desert all women shew a vile nature. If thou bind it firmly (lit. pleasurably) to a twig, will an elephant remain fixed.806
Musing on a sweet lip, we forget all wisdom; how shall the man of devotion know Thee. O God! Through a sight of the yoni shall we forget (Parama yogam) meditation on the supreme.807
They cannot understand that there is but one God in the Siva, the Vishnu and all other creeds! Though these differ, can any diversity exist in truth (tatwa)?808
Illusion (or death) is not an inconstant woman with glancing eyes, wearing beads and earrings and mounting on her husband's shoulder, she delays not to slay those who yield to her.p. 197
809
Nourishing matted locks, to cry shame on the world, to distort all the limbs and all yogeeism (devoteeism)--This is to seize the woman of beatitude and kiss her.810
Who is unable to instruct the minds of those brutes clothed in human bodies who, while the mighty all exists within themselves seek him not within themselves but roam the earth to find him.811
All those who pride on themselves on having bathed in the Ganges are defeated and consider their acts as mere vexation; surely the holy water of Vema's wisdom is nobler than the stream of Ganges and Gaya.812
Mounting the steed of thy mind not knowing how to govern it perplexing it, why should the rider set out? Is Banares a dear friend of thine? Govern thy mind and thou shalt be independent of pilgrimage.p. 198
813
You put Siva, source of the Ganges, in the palm of your hand; and yet roam to the holy streams. This is like possessing butter and yet searching for melted butter.814
Why go to Mecca? Why return thence? Is not the only lord here with us? Allah Mohammad universally exists in his fullness. (spreads undivided, animates unspurt)815
The fool binds a linga to his throat, and this also being insufficient he climbs the mountain to visit the linga shine there at. Such a one can see beatitude?816
They who knowing not the God who dwelleth in their body, wander and become tenants of the holy springs. These are like the ass that beareth about the sandal tree.817
If thou perform bathing but give no charity thou gainest but the advantage of the plunge, void of instruction. Is not a fowl well versed in plunging in water?p. 199
O! ye! hypocrites, who ignorant of the revolution of time, continually perform the daily rites and (meditation) japa, what may be the path by which perfection is attainable through these rites and postures.
819
Some of these fools wander this starry land to worship. They go to Ramanatha (Rameswaram) and then suffer scorn. They go to Concan on pilgrimage but in truth merely to hear news that they had never heard.820
(My humble salutations to Sreeman C P Brown for the collection)
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