Verses of
Yogi Vemana
Translated from the Telugu by
C.P. Brown
[1829]
YOGI VEMANA
Translated from the Telugu VersesIf ignorant of service how can they become slaves? Ignorant of the Vaishnava belief how can ye be Vaishnavite? While living, why do ye suffer burning like corpses? (i.e., smear yourselves with ashes)
861
If the pollutions caused by a birth or a death be real, and if the qualities communicated by that touch be destroyed to what end is it for a soul to become a hermit.p. 209
862
Shall the wicked, being produced through carnal desire, talking vainly, with false words and deceiving men and twisting about to get money, shall such a one become a teacher?863
Unable to discern that this world is a delusion, some talk of the smock and some of the langoti. These are mere tricks of the privities.864
The noble Brahmin goes to eat the vile funeral cakes of the ruined wretch. The Brahmin's wife haunts the marriage house; first they lose caste and then character.865
In the night of ignorance doth the goddess of delusion wear her petticoat and conceal herself; in the daytime of wisdom, when about her work she looses her petticoat; this is no prostitute but an edged sword in the hand.866
They are puffed up and cry I will perform a sacrifice, these who fill their bellies with the liquor vulva, these sons of whore brag nobly in their assemblies.p. 210
867
He calls men sudras and says begone thou sudra; this is a pariar worse than a pariar. If he says I am a twice born does he thereby become one?868
Born and dying in ignorance of his prior state before all men, are they ensnared by their lusts? To what end do they leave wisdom and roam the earth.869
These heroes--the Brahmins, Kshatrias and Vaisyas and Brahma, Vishnu and Siva all these are beasts. Ignorant of the divinity have they adopted forms thus diversified,870
Defilement appears no where in the least but exists in our ideas; whoever considers it will see that the beauty of the world is in truth extreme. If thy ignorance depart, wisdom shall shine with thee.871
p. 211Those who abuse the practice of wearing ashes on the forehead, that is, the Vaishnavites yet perform their funerals with fire and thus become the portion of the fire. They the Saivites who equally abuse the wearing of earth, by burying their dead become earth.
Thus the advantage of all their mutual abuse discovers itself in their shame,
872
However great the spell be, not even Brahma can utter it undefiled with spittle. But with what mouth is it they talk of spittle and defilement thereby.873
While the fire in our body is ignited and burns, to what end do (the Vaishnavites) burn their corpses. By merely burning does he become mighty?874
To put cord over the neck as the Lingamites and then to suppose that their soodra-ism has departed, this is mere (inferior sense) folly; if thy mind be not settled, will a cord give thee caste?875
p. 212Wearing a silk vest and putting the Vaishnavite streak on their forehead, the Vaishnava sect has exalted its head in the earth. By the contrivance of numberless fopperies has the Vishnava sect been ruined.
876
If thou eat the body of a beast that eats pure grass they call you a pariar. Yet if he eat fowls and pigs (which are the foulest of feeders) a man is called wise.877
If you go seasonably to the abode of Ranga (in the Cauveri) you will find the charming smell of toddy. Truly this is scorn of the lord of the world. (The Vaishnavites drink toddy while worshipping.)878
In the house of the body a wild fire blazes with hunger; why should you burn your bodies? This is mere deception or perhaps this is punishment inflicted on the Dasoos. (This is a sneer at Vaishnavites.)879
They find fault with the well used by the village and are delighted with the water in which a holy man's feet have been washed. What profit is there in foot washings?p. 213
880
Those who understand omens and the interpretation of moles, are not to be met with in the Iron age. For their own profit men will explain the virtue of these. In cases where fortune meets us, these are accepted as its tokens.881
A parcel of old whores (windows) join together in this age and through devotion to Siva forsooth go on dancing. Shall such hypocrisy obtain them felicity.882
He who cannot at first apply himself to restrain his passions, when he dies, seeks to become a devotee; void of purity of heart, how should beatitude appertain to him.883
He who has learnt to die, all his turning sanyasi is merely as though he at last lost his caste; the sin of doing this alone is certain. There is no ulterior profit in it.884
p. 214The leaving (spittle) of a pretty white dog are pure in our eyes. The spittle of a young dancing girl is acceptable to us. These vile leavings are precious everywhere. Then why are the leavings of those we love evil in our sight.
885
However much you wash it well, (does) the defilement of the mouth depart? That alone is a mouth (which does not speak falsehood); that daily speak falsehood is not a mouth but a mouth below.886
Binding the linga fairly on their body, but unable to fix his faith on that lingam, failing of beatitude, they perish in their folly.887
All those who trust in Vishnu fall to the share of white earth; to what end are these disputes and sects (dissensions) in religion. The Lingadharies become the portion of earth,888
When he proceeds from his mother's womb, had he a lingam along with him? Then what a joke it is for him to wear one afterwards.p. 215
889
The Vaishnava sect puts on a silk turban and silk vest, and is puffed up in the earth. These are mere semblances and the emptiness of the Vaishnava creed,890
Unable to know the great secret, they continue and frame religions, and merely give sorrow to each other, like as a dog that is agitated at the sight of a mirror,891
You see that those endowed with form all possess the first image. Why should ye value this man or that as a superior. If ignorant of this principle, how shall he attain happiness?892
A pariar eats flesh, all other people eat fat--are not they one caste? They do not see that all castes are in fact one.893
Why dost again and again abuse a pariar? Are not his blood and flesh and thine one? Of what caste is he who is immingled with him? The deity animates his entire works.p. 216
894
When people see those who wear ashes they imagine that they contract inequity from them. When they see the Namadharies (Vaishnavities) they consider it healing. What are the ashes, and what the white clay (of the Vaishnavites) in the eyes of the supreme.895
Those who are divided into sects are ten thousands. This is merely for filling their bellies--they cannot see the divine spirit. Can cranes however many they assemble, devour ships?896
By slaughtering the animals that eat grass men become pariars in the earth. But what sort of caste is that, that eats pigs and fowls (as the respectable classes do) that devour the dung of all?897
If men in the earth choose to take pipe clay and soften it well, then put it smoothly on their foreheads it is merely a mark, and thereby men cannot become Vaishnavites.898
p. 217Though thou put on the mark and call thyself a (servant) adiya as the Vaishnavites do and eat chewed pawn, bow down and call thyself a Dasee--This is all merely a means of subsistence but no ground for happiness.
899
We see that men are like barber's basin, common to all; then, while they thus are mingled, why babble about their castes. Put thy right hand on their heads and expose this to their ridicule,900
(My humble salutations to Sreeman C P Brown for the collection)
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