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102
"Kasi, Kasi" endru nîr Kal kadukka vodurir, Kasi ôdi âdinum
Karuppu vellei akumô? Aseibasam vittu nîr
Eivarum odunginal, Kâsi nîrum ummulê Kanalâkum unmeiyê.
PUTTIRAGIRIYAR PULAMBAL
Manatei woru villakki, Vân poriyei nânâkki, Yenatarivei ambâkki,
Yeyvatu'ini-Yekkalam ?
Ayum kaleikal ellâm Arâyntu pârttatinpin Ni andri yondrum ilâ
Nisang kânbat-Ekkalam ?
Ganja abin mayakkam Kallundu vâdâmal Panja vamirtam nî
Pagaruvatum-Ekkalam?
Pattrattru niril Padar Tâmarei ilei pôl Suttrattei nikki manam
Dara nirpat-Ekkalam?
Angaramum adakki, Eimbulanei suttaruttu, Tângâmal tangi
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
Sugam peruvat'-Ekkalam?
Mâyâ piravi Mayakattei aidaruttu Kaya puri kottei
Kei kolvat-Ekkalam?
Sattirattei suttu Sathur mareiyei poy akki Sattirattei kandu
Sugam peruvat-Ekkalam?
Sattirattei katti
Sathur mareiyei poy akki Sattirattei kandu
Tuyararapat-Ekkålam?
Kasi, this is the Tamil name for Benares.
The Tamilians speak of five bodily organs just as we do. 1. The feeling-of the surface of the body. 2. The taste of the mouth. 3. The seeing-of the eye. 4. The smelling of the nose. 5. The hearing-of the ear.
Literally-Ganja, a plant with narcotic properties.
It is supposed that ambrosia contains the following five delicacies:-Milk, ghi, sugar, curds, and honey.
The author alludes to a supposed natural fact. Although the leaf of the lotus lies outspread on the surface of the water, yet water adheres not to it, nor interpenetrates it. Water poured upon the leaf leaves no apparent moisture behind. The Tamil scholar would do well to compare with. this stanza one in the Nalvari beginning,-" Ellappadiyaamenninalivvudambu," &c.
[APRIL 5, 1872.
To Kasi, still to Kasi
Ye haste in foot-sore plight, Although you go and bathe there
Will black be changed to white? If, all allurements shunning,
Your senses be repressed, The sacred wave of Kasi
Will well within your breast! STANZAS FROM THE LAMENTATION OF PATTIRAGIRIYAR.
When, ah when,
Shalt thou, O Lord, bend as a bow, my mind; And like a string, thereto, my sensest bind; That all the arrowy thoughts within my heart To thee alone, by thee impelled, may dart? When, ah when, Shall I perceive, after that I have pored O'er all the wisdom in all writings stored, The truth-that nothing is, save thee O Lord? When, ah when,
To me, whose lips narcotic drugst have stain'd, Who have eat opium, and have spirits drain'd' Wilt thou, that I may without withering live, The five-fold sweetness§ of thy nectar give?
When, ah when, Like lotus-leaves, which o'er the water grow Yet to the water no adherence show, From those who my own kith and kindred are, Shall I in mind stand separate and far?
When, ah when,
Will the blest time of bliss attained arrive When I annihilate these senses five, Suppress my pride, and my tir'd being steep In that existence which is sleepless sleep?
When, ah when, Cleaving through all this birth's illusions vain Shall I to my last spiritual state attain ?
When, ah when, Burning the Shastras, deeming the Vedas four Mere lies, shall I the Mystery explore, And perfect bliss attain for evermore?¶
When, ah when,
Laying aside,bound fast, the Shastra's lore Wholly distrusting, too, the Vedas four, Shall I the Mystery know, and grieve no more?
This is the most famous of all Puttiragiriyar's stanzas. In one edition of his Lamentations occurs the same verse in an altered form,-the translation of which I also give. (See the subsequent stanza, and notice that he is made to say not that the Shastras should be burnt, but that they should be bound up.)
This expression is the Tamil equivalent for our English phrase "shelving a book." The Tamil book is written on palmyra leaves: these leaves are strung together by a cord. When you open the book; you first undo that portion of the cord thich is bound round the whole. When you close it, you reverse this operation. Thus when P ttiragiriyar speaks of "binding up the Shastras," he means,close and shelve them as useless in your search after the great Mystery of Future Existence.
