If they see

breasts and long hair coming

they call it woman,

if beards and whiskers

they call it man:

but,look, the self that hovers

in between

is neither man

nor woman

O Ramanatha

Suppose you cut a tall bamboo

in two;

make the bottom piece a woman,

the headpiece a man;

rub them together

till they kindle:

tell me now,

the fire that’s born,

is it male or female,

O Ramanatha?

These were writen by Devara Dasimayya in the 11th century. He also preached giving up meat.