Yogi Vemana
A poet of the people, a philosopher of equality and a fighting saint, Vemana was unique in many ways. His teachings have much contemporary relevance for he was a dreamer of one world and of the universal brotherhood of man. There is no agreement among the scholors regarding the year of birth of the get poet.No definite dates are, therefore, available regarding his birth or death. However, Vemana is believed to have lived in the later half of the seventeenth century and the first decades of the eighteenth century. He had spent the best part of his life in the Cuddapah and Kurnool Districts of Andhra Pradesh.
A farmer by profession, Vemana was not designed to lead an easy life. He had more than an ordinary man's share of trials and tribulations, and they at once toughened and refined him into a remarkable man. His original insight and varied experiences enabled him to propound three trends in philosophy, a social philosophy, an ethical philosophy and a religious philosophy.
Vemana was an advocate of human equality. He believed that there can be no equality as long as caste and class barriers are not done away with and so he attacked these evils tooth and nail.
Vemana's language is chaste and crisp ;his diction is limpid and smooth, his analogies fresh and bold. His poetry is a spring, pupae and spontaneous and original in thought and style. The metre chosen by Vemana for his poetry is ataveladi. literal meaning is 'A dancing damsel', and Vemana made it dance exquisitely. In his thought, Vemana is akin to Tiruvalluvar, kabir andSarvajna. He is a bard of universal man. His conception of oneness of man is indeed so grand, so all inclusive that he urges-Serve food to all all the people of the world in one plate; make them dine together forgettingall their differences; and with uplifted handbless them live like one.
Some of his famous poems in Telugu script followed by the meaning in English are appended below:
1. The yogi named Vemana hath shone forth in the world; bow to him, ye men of virtue! While ye reverence him he will bestow on your sustenence and perfection. Listen, O Vema, dear to the lord of all!
2. When I cry "Speak, O God," why speakest thou not? O speak to me, and powerfully! Speak, O father, surely I shall recognize thy voice
3. Observances void of purity of heart! To what end are they? To what end is preperation of food without cleansing the vessel? Void of purity of mind, to what end is the worship of god?
4. One real and good sapphire is enough why collect a basketfull of glittering, sparkling stones? Consider then, is not one verse if worth reading, sufficient?
5. While he looks to thee, O God, he forgets thee. How shall a man learn to know himself and thee.?
6. Who is the joyful man? Who is unhappy? If thou seek to know this, this is as evident as the sun shining down into a vessel of water.
7. Even as a lamp shines in a glass vase, thus shineth wisdom dwelling in the bodies of men of understanding
8. A false teacher restraints us in all our acts. The middling, ordinary teacher makes a multitude of senseless spells. But the good one combines the whole power of excellence.
9. Profitless are those men who will bestow neither meat nor drink: what though they be born in the world ? what though they die? Are not the white ants of the hillock also born? And do they not die also?
10. Is not the dying of all those we bring forth and of those who bring us forth, an evidence to us ? Shall our life be to us as the eternity of God?
11. Whatever he may read who is devoid of understanding, his virtue continues only so long as he is reading; even as a frog is dignified only so long as it is seated on the lotus leaf.
12. At the sight of women the cupidinous man quits his meal, being stricken with the of desire; even as the grasshopper delights in viewing the fire that will destroy it.
13. Grass he created for cattle: wind as food for serpent: earth for the earth-worm, forgetting none: behold how he hath prepared food for all the inhabitants of the globe!
14. No man’s disposition will alter, say what we may; neither can a dog’s tail be made straight: the stubborn women will even put her husband in a basket and sell him.
15. The root-worm destroys the tree; the sap-worm destroys the herb; and the backbiter ruins every good quality.
16. Salt and camphor are of one semblance; but if examine and try the flavors, their tastes are diverse: thus do the excellent differ from other men.
17. Before the spirit depart give vital medicines and stay the soul in life; but when the soul hath departed, to what end are receiving remedies.
18. Truth and falsehood the great spirit alone knows: water alone truely knows the declivity and the rising ground: and the mother alone knows the generation of her son and who is his father.
19. Though the limbs all wither, the teeth drop out, and the body tremble greatly with decrepitude; though they be infirm with age, cupidity will never leave man.
20. If they see women, view wealth, or taste delicious sweets, will not desires be pronounced in all, even the best of men?
21. In an unsuitable place never let us hold ourselves superior. To be low is no humiliation. Small is the image of a hill in a mirror.
22. If thine own mind contain duplicity, others will, like thyself, use craft towards thee: but if dissimulation leave thy heart, none in the world will be deceitful towards thee.
23. Though a foe worthy of death fall into thy hand, afflict him no: Conciliate him by goodness and bid him depart. This is a death to him!
24. It is fit to perform no act tardily; if thou hurry it, it will itself become evil. If thou take and cast down a raw fruit, will it ripen?
25. In the waters a ship will float and swim smoothly: but if out, it cannot crawl even a cubit. Thus where he is not at home, the skillful is of no avail.
26. A crocodile while swimming in water will seize and destroy an elephant; but out of the stream it is discomfited even by a dog. Its might then is local, not individual.
27. If there be in a tribe one of excellence. The tribe becomes illustrious by reasons of his virtues, as the grove is distinguished for the sandal tree therein.
28. A pig will bring forth young at five or ten at a time: an elephant produces but one. Is not then one man truly excellent, enough?
29. Any one can instruct a man of understanding but it is not in the power of others to teach the vile: Is it possible to straighten the bend in the river.
30. The light man will always talk big, but the excellent speaks coolly. Consider, will gold ring like bell metal?
31. The vile countenances (or applauds) the vile, and agreeably to this the hard miser laud the mind of the fools: the swine delights in mud, will it take pleasure in rose water?
32. The Ganges flows with a tranquil course, but a foul stream rushes with a roar. Thus the base can never be mild as the noble.
33. If you have given your money to an evil man to follow him about in a folly. If a cat has seized a fowl will it answer to your call?
34. If a corpse leaves a miser’s house when he has given the money for the shroud and bier, "alas for the fees!" cried he, sobbing and sobbing as he weeps!
35. Coveting the gains of hard miser the poor man follows him and bends humbly: this attachment is like that of the fox to ram.
36. Would you kill a miser: no poison in the world is requisite: there is another mode; ask him for a penny and he will instantly fall dead.
37. All their words are a lie, their all heart is set on fraud. To what end then is the soul any longer? of what good is life? If thy word be truth, this is a hundred additional years of life.
38. In the day of wealth a man is puffed up, and cannot see others; when in poverty, he has nothing left to bestow: Is there any reason free from the ills both of riches and those of poverty.
39. Seeing he cannot see, he will not open that mouth of his. Hearing heareth not, through arrogance. Such is the disorder of the man of wealth!
40. To what end is an authority that can neither decide nor determine? Of what use is a genius who neither can join or loose? What good is there in the empty bragging of those who give neither meat nor drink?
41. He who neither eats for himself, nor will let his friends approach, the vicious brute, is like to a lifeless image(Scarecrow) made and set up in the field.
42. If a sinner in his former birth performed no virtue, all his longing for wealth is like seeking to reap when you have forgotten to sow
43. A lamp if supplied with oil, flames meetly: a light devoid of oil expires. Thus when the body ceases to live our thoughts perish with it.
44. He that, relying on the prince, ruins the land, the sorrows of the people shall reach him, and at last he shall fall. How long shall the bounding ball retain it’s elevation.
45. What is called sin does not pertain to any peculiar place; it is attached to (or mingled with) our own acts. It is better then to keep ones eye open, then to be a laborious performer of meritorious work.
46. Practicing the humanity of fox, and talking obsequiously, he heaps up all his wealth, and does not use it: thus is rice sprinkled at the mouth of bandicoot trap
47. When he departs this life his riches follows him not, neither when he returns on another transmigration; when he again dies he carries not his wealth with him: where does he go and where does his wealth go?
48. Naked was he born and naked does he depart. He that is in the body wanders the earth as though naked: Long as he live he cannot become doer of good.
49. Why make projects, saying, I will go to Casi (Benaras)? Why long after the noble holy springs? How shall that Beneras(Heaven ) be attained by the evil doer?
50. Though iron break twice or thrice, the smith knows how to heat and weld it. It the spirit break who shall restore It?
Rest of the poems in next update. Keep a watch on it!!
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