Verses 680–689

680. What has palm toddy to do with gentle behaviour; why all this care about appearances that are merely with a view to gaining bread? To what end is this body, which is destined to the earth of the cemetery.

681. If you powder nitre and tulasi (buds) together, amalgamate then upon gold; mix the milk of the dushta plant and mingle these upon a plate of copper which will thus become gold.

682. If thou pour milk in and boil it the tin will shine. If thou observe the proper moment and take it off the fire, it will turn to silver. This is no lie but the truth, Iswara.

683. If thou take a certain medicine thou shalt be able to rise from the earth; if thou take a certain mixture thou shalt be glorious. There is also a drug that quelleth fever.

684. Cattle that fall down in the staggers if they are fired and thus come to life again. Shall the milk of fired buffalo be held vile.

685. If he receive great wealth, he forbears to take it; he reviles the respectable and drives them off till they fly. Will a cow of degraded blood acknowledge the noble?

686. Numerous as creeds be they are not permanent in the earth. Truth is but one in the earth. It consists in leaving every creed and beholding the very deity.

687. In the real composition (lit. rising) of a cloud within the cloud there is thunder and thunderbolts in abundance. Then to understand what "cloud" implies and the might embodied in it is great task (revise).

688. If a seed be damaged, it cannot grow; if the seed be not injured, it grows. Then surely the seed alone is Viswakarma, the creator.

689. Though you hear of him, be not thou ever united to him, If thou see and unite with him, your desires will unite in affection. If from merely hearing of him thou be united to him, your love will depart. Such is love that originates in hearsay and sight.