Verses of
Yogi Vemana
Translated from the Telugu by
C.P. Brown
[1829]
YOGI VEMANA
Translated from the Telugu VersesBy going a pilgrimage to Banares, and bathing on the Ganges ye indeed suffer hardship but shall never attain heaven. No more than a buffalo calf can resemble a cow by merely following about it.
821
If a fellow has gone to Banares what shall we say he has done? What if there had been something to cause his death and he had died on the road, his mind truly might still go to Kasi, but never can attain the better world.822
p. 200If he who go to Kasi with great enthusiasm when by the wisdom of God they change their bodies, in transmigration he gives half his merits to his wife, and has only half to himself.
823
They who go to Kasi, get trouble and nothing else; why should ye roam merely to get an itching in your feet. Will not women also for hire get water and bear it about for hire?824
A dog that has gone to Tirupati does not become a lion. A pig that goes to Kasi is no elephant. A whore that goes to the Sri Shylam is no modest woman.825
Ceasing from food and sleep, a fool utterly void of understanding, for the sake of beatitude, roams the earth; he rambles like a mad dog.826
He who calls himself a yogee, and gets together some of the components of yogeeism, and kills those who are in the world--that yogi who roams and robs men is no yogi but a (Ogu) vile wretch.p. 201
827
He who holds himself (a Paramahamsa) a perfect ascetic, by rarely wearing a dress and longs for the wealth of others 's no ascetic but (Parahimsa) death itself.828
Postures and the like, bathings in the worship, pilgrimage to Kasi or a system of good works unless thou stay thy mind however many such paths thou walk, know that they shall avail you nothing.They will journey on pilgrimages to Kasi and the bridge of Rameswaram. They can hereby behold piles of stones but not heaven, not even one of them.
830
If thou give food to Bramins, they say it will be profitable to thee; if you were to give it to dogs where would be the harm (inferiority)? They say that one soul resides (both here and there) in each.p. 202
831
The fool left his relations, bound himself with an iron langoti and quitting food and drink, and exceeded. If we give up the fluids of the body, can we attain perfection. How shall we have strength to worship?832
Plunging, plunging and plunging in holy streams, squatting and squatting in meditation, talking and talking, charms becoming leaner and leaner, roaming, roaming, roaming and roaming from sanctuary to sanctuary--ye turn giddy and are ruined.832
The impurities in the belly being the vilest of all, is the juice of food worse than that? Those therefore who fast, are fools unable to form comparisons.834
He ignorant of the being that dwelleth in the body, wanders in other pilgrimages is a fool. Does not a jackass thus roam bearing a pack saddle.835
p. 203That world hater (or recluse) who is attached only to using the words of stubbornness, no-where shall he attain the power of quelling death (yama). The recluse of the iron age is vile as the drinker of palm wine.
836
With their matted locks a fathom long, and their smearings of ashes, they forsooth are able to dispute the day with cupid himself and after all their very garments become the property (petticoats) of whores.837
By a bald, head, and white streaks of ashes and postures, and airy diet, by all this a man is not a yogi unless his inner man be right.838
If we look at the fine dresses (sects) they are marvellously foolish. Devotion does not hereby dwell in the soul. They merely form la startling appearance. They have neither the title nor the nature (viracti) of saints.839
If you see among harmless cattle, one handsome ox with horns, it is indeed superior. But is wisdom attained by the mere shaven baldness of the sanyasi? (who only resemble helpless widows in this fancy)840
p. 204The long windedness (lit. breath) of a fowl, the steadfast gaze of a frog--such follies are written by fate in the forehead of the devotee. This must surely befall him through his sins in a former birth.
841
If he rub ashes to his body and wear long locks, though he be a king he shall fail of heaven; however stiff a screen be, is it yet a door?842
While all the precepts declare Siva to be the divinity, they seek and worship other deities; surely Bramins are in the path of destruction.Hanging down their heads, void of the least patience opening and shutting his eyes and dumb--this is no wisdom but merely the residue of thy sins.
p. 205
Woe to the world that is full of the destruction of souls. But first the woe to the Brahma! View all the Gods! Woe to them all.
845
They call Brahma the author of the writing of fate in our foreheads. Perhaps Brahma, who dwelleth in the lotus (wrote) destined that his own head should cleave to the hand of (Bhava) Siva! (Siva smote Brahma on one head which was separated and cleave to his hand.)846
Those who believed in Siva have all become the share of the earth. Why then these disputes and discrimination of Gods. All the faithful to Vishnu have fallen to the shares of white ashes.847
It is impracticable to dress oblations for however great a God, without imbibing the favour (or scent). Thus he has your leavings while ye talk of "devoting and setting aside as holy". Ye are still biting your lips at it.848
The fool deceived becomes a devotee to Siva and submitted to slavish tasks. But the wise, an honoured, (badged) soldier is ever void of fear.p. 206
849
The skill of the laundress (who recognised the owner of each vest) is more than that of the bookworm. Better is a dog than Ganesha the dumpy king; noble is truth than all the Gods in the world.850
If we know ourselves, the Veda would be all fooling to us; a mizzling rain is all folly to the store of grain; publish thou in the world O Vema that the six sastras, and the Puranas are mere infelicity.851
All those of the race of Brahma are fallen creatures. Those of the race of Rishies are ruined. Will they call near them these hateful wretches nor detest them.852
Consider the words of Vemana as those of a mad man. Some fall into channels and some into streams (proverb); but a small proportion of them are removed out of the (Veda Sastra) scriptural level.853
p. 207In the thousand verses thus composed by Vemadu, many as are the bad, equally numerous are the good. Secrecy gives a charm to beauty and obscurity to wisdom; should not a lovely girl lie exposed naked on the couch.
854
Like mad foxes do the Bramins read the Veda perpetually howling it out. They know not its meanings. But Vemana knows the entire essence of the Vedas.855
All yagnas were invented for the sake of discovering the fornications of a wife and the periodical ceremonies to the end of knowing a mother's adulteries In so vile a way was the chapter of ceremonies invented.Note: At commencing the sacrifice called yagna the performer must require his wife to confess whether she has been untrue to him. The periodical ceremonies being performed to the late husband of a widow lead to the conviction, at least in her own mind, of her having been true or adulterous.
856
The height of excellence is to abstain from slaying. Thus say the Bramins, lords of earth and still commit slaughter of animals in sacrifice. Better is the chandala who devours dead cattle.857
p. 208They pinch and scrub their halters (nose ropes) and rub themselves to remove all dirt, and pour water into their privities. By thus cleansing the whole body do they attain felicity.
858
Pauper Bramins meet together and recite babbling charms and talk saying they will perform the initiation of a boy into their caste. Like the crow that has drunk the washing of rice and goes on crowing.859
Why take thy caste and pride thyself on it? Yea and what is the (twice born) Brahmin?860
(My humble salutations to Sreeman C P Brown for the collection)
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