Remember, Heart!

Poem by Pattinathar (or Thiruvenkadar), a prominent shaivite Tamil saint.

Remember, heart! Remember!

Remember Lord Shiva of the hall of reddish gold.

Remember, heart! Remember!

Cherish not the false chariot and the whirl wind
that is false life on this earth.

Cherish not the body.
Those that are born will die,
the dead will be born again;

What appeared will disappear,
and that which disappeared will reappear;

That which enlarged will shrink,
and the shrunk will enlarge;

That which is felt will be forgotten,
and the ones that forgotten will be perceived

That which mated will separate,
and the separated will mate again.

What is eaten turns to shit,
what is worn turns dirty;

What delighted turns disgusting,
and the disgusting turns delightful;

All these you realised;

Yet You were born birth after birth:
Killed all, and all that were slain slew you.

You ate all, and all that ate you;
You bore all and all that bore you;

Cherished everything,
and everything cherished you;

Exulted during prosperity, wept in poverty;

Rejoiced pleasure and pain on this vast land;

Experienced not leaving out a single thing;

Despite that you considered the water bubble as a bird's nest;

This mean retreat as stronger than stone.

 ---translated by A.Rajaram Brammarajan

OM NAMAH SHIVAYA