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[APRIL 5, 1872.
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
To Kasi, still to Kasi º Ye haste in foot-sore plight, Although you go and bathe there Will black be changed to white 2 If, all allurements shunning, Your senses be repressed,
“Kási, Käsi" endru nir Kal kadukka vodurir, Kási Ödi ādinum
Karuppu vellei akumö 2 Aseibasam vittu nir
Eivarum odunginal,
The sacred wave of Kasi
Kási nirum ummulê
Kānalākum unmeiyê.
Will well within your breast ! STANZAS FROM THE LAMENTATION OF PATTIRAGIRIYAR.
PUTTIRAGIRIYAR PULAMBAL.
Manatei woru villákki, Vân poriyeinänäkki, Yenatarivei ambākki, Yeyvatu'ini—Yekkālam 2
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
Ayum kaleikal ellām Arāyntu pārttatinpin Ni andriyondrum ilā Nisang känbat'—Ekkālam 2
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 2 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,
Ganjā abin mayakkam Kallundu vădămal Panjā vamirtam ni Pagaruvatum—Ekkālam 2
To thee alone, by thee impelled, may dart?
The five-fold sweetnessS of thy nectar give 2 When, ah when,
Pattrattru ni ril
Padar Tâmarei ilei pôl Suttrattei nikki manam
Dúra nirpat’—Ekkālam 2
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 2 When, ah when,
Angåramum adakki, Eimbulanei suttaruttu, Tângămal tăngi Sugam peruvat'—Ekkālam 2 Māyā piravi Mayakattei fidaruttu Kāya puri köttei
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 2 When, ah when, Cleaving through all this birth's illusions vain Shall I to my last spiritual state attain P
Kei kolvat'—Ekkālam? Sattirattei suttu
Sathur mareiyei poy fikki Sūttirattei kandu
Sugam peruvat"—Ekkālam 2
When, ah when, Burning the Shastras, deeming the Vedas four Mere lies, shall I the Mystery explore, And perfect bliss attain for evermore ?'ſ When, ah when, Laying aside,bound fast,” the Shastra's lore Wholly distrusting, too, the Vedas four,
Sattirattei katti Sathur mareiyei poyakki Süttirattei kandu
Tuyararupat'—Ekkālam 7
- Kasi, this is the Tamil name for Benares.
+ The Tamilians speak of five bodily organs just as we
i.i.
do. 1. The feeling—of the surface of 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. Al
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 Eng
though the leaf of the lotus lies outspread on the surface
lish phrase “shelving a book.” The Tamil book is writ ten on palmyra leaves: these leaves are strung together by a cord. When you open the book, you first undo that
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
ragiriyar speaks of “binding up the Shastras,” he means,—
this stanza one in the Nalvari beginning-" Ellāppadiyā umenninălivvudambu,” &c.
portion of the cord which is bound round the whole. When you close it, you reverse this operation. Thus when Patti close and shelve them as useless in your search after the great Mystery of Future Existence.
