Given water, water everywhere,
What value is pot-ful water?
To a Brahmin knowing his Self well,
What worth Vedic scriptures would spell? || 2.46 ||
Here is the transliteration with the meanings of Sanskrit words:
yāvān artha udapāne sarvatah samplutah-udake |
tāvān sarveśhu vedeśhu brāhmaņasya vijānatah ||
yāvān: as much, so much; arthah: value, meaningfulness, use; udapāne: in a small volume of water in a vessel; sarvatah: everywhere, on all side; sampluta-: over-flowing; udake: in water, in lake/well etc; tāvān: that much, so much; sarveśhu: in all; vedeśhu: in the Vedas; brāhmaņasya: of a Brahmin, of one who knows Brahman; vijānatah: one knowing well, wise (one knowning the self) .
Note:This verse, among the trickiest, is interpreted by many in many different ways. The version given here I think is most relevant.
Knowledge of Vedas (compared to water in a well)of course is blissful, meaningful. But when you reach a state of ‘bliss beyond' (knowledge of Brahman, Self) , it is like getting a huge reservoir of water.
Topic: ocean, water
A wonderful poem imbued with wisdom. I am not knowledgeable with Vedas but your Notes made me understand this beautiful song of life. Brilliantly penned.
You have touched upon a point I always strongly feel about. Some poems deliberately keep things vague and open for wild interpretations.... under-punctuation is one, extremely vague syntax, using puns when should be avoided, and the like.... Thanks for visiting poems on such esoteric subject matters generally not in favour today. It shows your genuine interest in good poetry of what so type.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
Muse of love and life! ! Water! ! ! ! ! ! Much needed. Thanks for sharing this poem with us.
Thanks again for visiting this translation