The celestial experience of Lalleshuri

Lalleshuri was a master literary artist besides an ascetic of the highest order. Her poetic compositions, an explicit expression of her personal spiritual experience and knowledge combined with high poetic genius is almost unprecedented in the world of literature. She had attained all the peaks of personal realization and all the divine secrets had clearly opened for her. A fully realized soul and an incarnation of Lord Shiva she describes her personal celestial experience and achievements in her various vaakhs obviously to show a clear path for the seeker in the divine journey.
Lall bo drayas kapse posh sachey, Kaed te doen kaernam yachey gath
Tih yali khaernas zaavij tanchey, woveir vane gayam alaenchey lath.
Doeb yaeli chaewnas doeb kani paethy, Saz taey saaban maechnam yaechey
Saechan yaeli firnam hani hani kaechy, Ade Lalli mae praevem parmay gath.
In a beautiful metaphor she describes the journey of a cotton flower to its culmination into a beautiful garment worthy to be worn by a king. She says she was born as a cotton flower, a symbol of innocence and purity. Soon the cotton wool was collected and given for carding, essentially an excruciating process. She was later taken by a weaver who gave her again several knocks and beatings to make the thread out of it capable to be taken to the weaving-loom for weaving a coarse cloth where also she had again to face the painful process but she withstood. The cloth thus woven was further taken by the washer-man who washed it by beating repeatedly on his washing stone after applying soaps and detergents. Then the tailor took over who mercilessly cut her into pieces and joined them by sewing with sharp needles to give it finally the shape of a beautiful garment worthy to be worn by a king. Lalleshuri has in this very beautiful metaphor clearly pointed out that the journey towards spiritual awakening and liberation from the worldly bondage is not so simple. One has to pass through lots of tests and tribulations just like the cotton flower but the end is quite rewarding.
Saras seity sodah korum, Haras kaerem gode seevan
Shairas peithe kane nachan duothum, Gachan deithem aayam pach.
Lalleshuri says it was a clear agreement of convenience with her lord that she shunned all worldly desires and dedicated herself fully in continuous service and spent several days in washing the divine feet with the tears of her devotion. Quite strange, at the end of a hectic struggle when she was crowned with success she saw her lord nowhere else but on her own head dancing with joy. She was now able to understand that her lord was always with her, quite near her than everything else. This gave her the ultimate satisfaction whatever she had wished for and strived for long was satisfactorily achieved by her. Thus Lalleshuri brings home to the seeker that only with selfless devotion and complete surrender can one reach the height of enlightenment.
Wuchaan bo chaes saersey andhar, Wuchum prazlan sarsey manz
Boozith te roozeth wuch haras, ghare chuey tasunduy bo kuese Lall.
On getting awakened to the ultimate reality Lalleshuri felt the dazzling presence of her Lord in everything around including her own self. She experienced the profusely glaring Lord Shiva everywhere and not a single object without His presence. Lalleshuri was nowhere seen and her existence reduced to nothingness. It also indicates the insignificance of the human body once one reaches the celestial heights. The message here is clear that the whole creation is the representation of the Lord with all its constituents the essential glimpses of the supreme. One who is lifted above this temporal existence by the power of spiritual advancement enjoys the fruit of this celestial experience. For him the distinction between man and God vanishes. To him the whole creation seems to be the embodiment of the Lord and the existence of the seeker reduced to merely a naught.
Azappa gaytray hamas hamas zapith, Aham traewith ada soye rath
Yaem trov aham su rood panay, bae no aasun chuy wopdeesh.
While describing her personal mystic voyage, Lalleshuri sets a guideline for the seeker in the path to eternity. She guides him to follow the regular routine of the systematic recitation of Gaytrai Mantra corresponding to the beats of his breath on the condition of having renounced the entire worldly ego and false worldly attachments. One who succeeds in overcoming these impediments in the path to salvation naturally becomes one with the supreme losing all his personal identity and this as per Lalleshuri is the basic and the highest lesson for the seeker towards awakening. The two conditions laid down for spiritual advancement, shunning ego and the subsequent surrender of personal identity are worthy of prime attention and following.
Abhyse kiney vikas pholum, Soprakash zonum yohuy deih
Prakash dhyan mokh yee dorum, sokhey borum korum teiy.
Lalleshuri says further that her individual self transformed into a glorious spiritual entity by persistent meditation and practice of yoga. She was able to realize the eternal truth in the same body of flesh and blood and thus her human existence proved a safe vehicle for her development to present stage of emancipation. Here the stress is again laid upon the importance of the human body in the pursuit of divine realization as without it no transformation of spirit is possible so Lalleshuri refutes the theory of the neglect and persecution of human body while proceeding on the celestial path.
Chaith novuy chandram novuy, Zal mei deothum novum novuy
Yane lalle mey tan man novuy, Tane Lall bo naevey naevey chaes
The vaakh is a superb poetic composition with a strange jugglery of words for their diverse meaning and expression. In her ecstasy of achievement Lalleshuri feels herself completely transformed on her having washed her whole person both interior and exterior with the celestial waters and to her amazement the sun and moon and the whole world along with her own self looks entirely reformed, all new, beautiful and fresh.
Gagane paethe bootal shiv yaeli dyeothum, Ravas labem na rozan shaai
Sirye kay prabhave shivmaiy zonum, Zal gav thalas saet meelith kyah.
Lalleshuri, in further expression of her personal experience says that she has experienced the whole universe as an embodiment of Lord Shiva extended from the highest skies to the deepest extensions of the underworld in such a huge form that there seemed no place for the Sun to show its face except for a few sunbeams that fell on the earth exhibiting a superb spectacle of water and land mingled on its surface. The whole depiction suggests the essential spirit of Kashmir Shaivism that the universe as a whole is the personification of Lord Shiva or Shiva Darshan.
Swargas feeres bergas bergas, Torgas khaesith maerim choh
Andh no lobum chaenis vargas, bae kose Lal Ded mae kyah naav
Lalleshuri says she toured all the heavens riding on her celestial horse and enjoyed the sights and scenes throughout. She was really amazed to witness the expanse of her Lord’s influences and was almost lost to her own self finding that there was none called Lal-Ded found anywhere and it was only her transformed self without any name or identity, fully merged with the supreme. The condition expressed here is the ultimate final stage of extreme joy and satisfaction which the seeker is able to experience beyond which nothing remains to be realized. It is the ultimate truth that every conscious devotee wishes to achieve, to be one with the supreme on losing all traces of individual identity. It’s again like a drop of water losing its personal name and identity when merged with the great waters of the ocean.
Vavech grayah paanas vuchum, Paanas denthem soore ranghe vaes
Dyanas andhar dame dame meeleis, Goenan trovum muchrith bar
Pawan te praan somuy dyothum, Meelith roodum shere khor taene
Deeh yali mothum ade kyah motum, Na kune pawan tae na kune praan.
During her celestial journey into the space, Lalleshuri says she experienced the weightlessness of her body and seemed to have turned herself into deep grayish white colour. In the situation she got intermittently absorbed into deep meditation keeping all doors open to incoming spiritual experiences. Thus she enjoyed the fruits of her awakening into the divine world of ecstasy. In the absence of air in the space she felt her own spirit mingled with the air around her thus forming a single whole and floating in the space wholly from head to feet. It further suggests the complete union of the individual soul with the super soul without any trace left of the body structure or its constituents after its essential function is over. The seeker upon his full awakening forgets all interests of the body or the worldly existence and gets mingled with the absolute leaving no traces of his formal existence.
Shiv chuiy thali thali rozaan, Mo zaan heiund te musalman
Truk aii chukh panun paan par zaan, soey chaiy sahibas seitey zany zaan
Lord Shiva is present everywhere, in every object, every person and thing. As such there is no reason to discriminate between a person from another, a Hindu from a Muslim or anything like that. The wisdom lies instead in considering ones own self a stranger by giving least importance to its interests and pleasures and simply act for the realization of the ultimate truth of this universe which is the real purpose of coming in this human form after changing numerous other life forms. Only this life form is capable to seek and approach the abode of the Lord for the ultimate fulfillment of purpose so it is only the wise who seek the right path to recognize Shiva everywhere, in every object and every form. How childish is it to discriminate one from another when every form and shape is the abode of Shiva, the supreme lord.
Aami pane soedras navi chaes lamaan, Kati bozei daiy myon maeti diyi taar
Aamain takain poeyn zan shaman, zuw chum bramaan ghare gache haa.
In this superb poetic marvel and a very popular Vaakh Lalleshuri describes her journey through life. She says she is pulling along the boat of her life through the murky waters of the sea of life pulling at the frail untwisted cotton thread praying constantly to her lord to help her across. She compares her life to unbaked earthen dishes filled with water gradually seeping through ready to fall apart, but she is still hopeful and aspiring to get liberated from the agony of life and reach her real home, the house of her Lord. The metaphor used here is very appropriate. There is a permanent danger to this boat sailing through the turbulent ocean of life to get detached from the path of salvation and get lost. The pulls and pressures of worldly attachments are so hard that there is always a danger of going astray from the reality. Moreover the life process is such a frail experiment that it’s liable to fall off with the smallest provocation like the dishes of unbaked clay filled with water.
Shuneuk maedaan kadum paen paanas, Mai Lalli roozem na bodh naey hosh
Vaizey sapedes paanay paanas, Ade kami hilli phoel Lalli pamposh.
Lalleshuri says she toured alone the highest reaches of space during her celestial journey. Though she lost all consciousness of her body sensations during the travel but gained gradually the awakening of her real self which gained for her the great satisfaction of achievement and she felt elated enormously and got awakened to the inner recesses of her Lord’s chambers. The achievement described here is compared to a lotus flower sprouting out of the dirty muddy surface of wet lowlands which indicates to Lalleshuri’s down to earth background and the subsequent achievements high up into the skies.
Sheooneke maedaane waare waare paekzey, tate chey baed baed doeb tay naar
Amey naaray aend aend neerzay, tate chaey durlab saheze vaichaar.
Lalleshuri cautions the seeker to traverse the plains of the space very carefully as there are lots of big ditches and fissures ready to gulp you instantly indicating the deviations that a seeker has to overcome on way to the eternal truth that lies beyond. The seeker has to manage avoiding all these digressions, the task that’s very hard to undertake but with determination and devotion things go easy though there is no occasion for the seeker to concentrate on the truth of his journey.
Soen thav thaje taiy hosh thav phokas, Loleke naray sorus vaichaar
Suey ras sartale wavath pyayee, ade soen sapdey kundan kaar
Chaet chay yirnay gyane dokray, paet kanas kuney taar.
Lalleshuri advises the seeker to take extreme caution and concentrate fully on his Sadhna and avoid all distraction of thought in his path to salvation. She compares the process beautifully to the working of a goldsmith, who with his knack and presence of mind succeeds in extracting pure gold out of various impurities. She refers allegorically to a goldsmith collecting pure gold in the form of a thin wire. She advises the seeker to be continuously in line with the exhalation and inhalation of breath exactly as the goldsmith does not fail to direct the air current of his bellow directly into the dross to separate it clearly from the pure gold. He uses his sharp intellect and presence of mind for his maximum advantage and in the same manner the seeker in the path of divinity can achieve his goal soon if he uses the skills of his patience, sacrifice and devotion in ample measure in the proper direction. The allegorical description is the example of supreme poetic genius in its exactness of comparison and vivid description.
Sarafas nishe kahwache kharun, Rache rache tolun choene ma haar
Chawuhme baazare pahe lagey, penchehme sapdakh kundan kaar
Shatwuheme baazare molum sapdey, paanay grakh tay paanay swarnkaar
The stages that a seeker has to encounter in his path to divinity are discussed in this couplet but again allegorically with reference to the working of a goldsmith. After a seeker crosses the first stage of his Sadhna, he has to present himself before his master (teacher) for his first test just as the goldsmith takes his gold to the market to verify its purity. The disciple is then tested for 24 days by his master and on passing out successfully he is honoured graciously on 25th day. On 26th day, which is the day of great celebration for the pupil, there is an automatic feeling of divine realization in the mind of the seeker and he becomes one with his master and his Lord. The wall of separation between the seeker and the sought vanishes and he turns into the absolute truth and tranquility.
Daemy dhitthu'm gaej dazeveney, daemy dhitthu'm dheh nate naar
Daemy dhitthu'm pandavan haenz maeji, daemy dhitthu'm kraeji maas.
Lalleshuri indicates here the shifting values of the world where nothing is stable and everything is liable to change with time. One who is rich today can lose all his wealth instantly and reduce to poverty tomorrow. A household enjoying prosperity of all kind today can be a pauper the other day. A happy mother with five sons brave, strong and prosperous like five Pandvas of Mahabharata today can be just like a destitute and issueless woman tomorrow. This is the fact of life that one has to face while following the ordinary existence. The only thing that’s eternal is the God’s name and those who achieve life’s real object, i.e. the realization of eternal truth and reality. The purpose of elucidating this particular fact of life here is to throw light upon the instability of ordinary life and its interests compared to the eternal life of an awakened soul.
Sourga jame praewith alakh prowum, daeg lalenaewem daye saenz praey
Poet zoene wothith moet wuznowum, chaen te malae kulis paeth naender chaey
Lalleshuri says that she achieved her celestial robes only by renouncing fully the worldly attractions. She continuously bore in her heart the love of her lord like an unavoidable shooting pain which one is compelled to bear for fear of death. She continued getting up very early before dawn, the most appropriate time for such worship and awakening her love, her Lord. Lalleshuri enjoins upon the seeker to understand the facts and not be merely busy with the worldly pleasures as if enjoying deep sleep on the branch of a tree with nice air blowing to and fro but liable to fall off any time. Here Lalleshuri stresses upon attaching ones heart continuously to the thought of the Lord along with renunciation of the worldly attractions besides the auspiciousness of the before dawn time for worships.
Latan hund maaz laryom wattan, akey haewnam akichey wath
Yim yim bozan tim kone mattan, Lalli booz shatan kuney kath
Lalleshuri says that her journey towards eternity was so hectic that while traversing endlessly the flesh of the soles of her feet tore off and mixed with the dust of the road. Her master continued leading her till her fulfillment though the strange thing about it was that the Lord was present everywhere and there was no need to travel so hard but to seek Him within the recesses of ones own self. Lalleshuri says whoever knew it danced with joy as she told everybody about this hard reality as it proved an answer to all the questions raised there.
Lall bo chayas suman baghe baras, Wuchum shivas shakti meelith te wah
Tati lai karem tath amrit saras, Zinday maras mai kare kyah.
Lalleshuri describes her supreme realization and says that she entered the garden of beautiful flowers indicating the abode of Lord Shiva on the crown of her head. There she saw Shiva and Shakti mingled into one, the highest stage of Kundalini Yoga. She enjoyed the scene, took deep into the lake of overflowing divine nectar and became eternal, one with the supreme. She achieved this all through the temporal human body as only it has the capacity to be used for such celestial experience. Now for Lalleshuri the purpose of her existence has finished having achieved its ultimate purpose of merging with the eternal soul. She calls it her voluntary death while alive, an activity performed by only the highest awakened souls...... (to be continued)

Lalleshuri --- The essential purpose of human life

Lalleshuri wanted to bring home to man that his life is a rare occasion to work for the purity of soul and realization of the divine in one’s own being besides freedom from the cycle of life and death. There is no use of excessive attachment in worldly affairs as it is all transitory so each moment of life is to be spent for its real purpose, the pursuit of the awakening of self and liberation from the cycle of life and death. The human life is a rare opportunity provided to man after changing lots of other body forms to struggle for its liberation. For a vigilant seeker all roads towards enlightenment of self are always open and it is only the will and determination that takes him to his goal. The presence of the Lord can be visualized in all living and non living things so there is no dearth of resource. The only hurdle is the ceaseless attachment of worldly affairs which confines man to the futile pursuit of worldly possessions, family, children, wealth and the like thus ignoring the essential purpose though knowing precisely that these things cannot last beyond his present life which has to end very soon.
Tale chyui zuis tay pyathe chukh nachan, Vante maali vonde kave pachan chyui
Soruy sombrith yatyee chyui mochan, Wante maali ann kave rochaan chyui.
Lalla castigates the erring man asking him how he relishes his food and drink when he knows that he has to leave this world alone leaving behind all the worldly possessions collected by him. It is just like a dancer dancing overhead with full ease knowing fully well there is a yawning pit underneath which would invariably engulf him. The lure of the world is no doubt overpowering and man does not come out of this web though there are enough resources available for the liberation of soul and the indications of the presence of the Lord are not scarce as they are found everywhere. Lalla was an incarnation of Lord Shiva and a messenger from God to awaken the masses from the deep slumber induced by worldly attractions. Her orations are clear teachings for making life worthwhile and come nearer to the grace of the Lord.
Shiv chyui zaevuil zaal wahraavith, Kranzan manz chyai taerith kath
Zinde nyae vuchhan ade kate mareth, Pane manze paan kad vaichaarith kath.
The presence of the Lord (Shiva) can be felt everywhere. There is not a single object living or non-living that does not exhibit the presence of Lord. It is the vigilant eye that can explore the celestial existence but only in life not after death. Lalla wants to bring home to man here that one can strive to reach the highest stage of realization only through human existence, the opportunity that one gets after passing through lots and lots of bodies in the cycle of life and death. Unfortunate as it is, the opportunity is missed by one and all except quite a few who realize the truth of their existence. The significance of the human body as stressed here is important quite in contrast to the view of various theories in the context. The body is the only ladder that can take the seeker to the heavens though there is no doubt that once the finite merges with the infinite the body becomes immaterial.
Naar gachei chaalun te aar gachei gaalun, Odur gachei kadun wopal-haakas te handey
Hade gachei ratun te made gachei waalun, Veih gachei chalun ade achak grandey
Shoob gachei kanchein loob gachei maarun, Paan gachei naavun amey seindey.
Lalla pinpoints here necessary values for higher life-- one should be composed and calm in the face of strongest provocation of anger and rid himself of the unnatural sympathy for the worldly suffering which is the result of past karma. It’s like taking out all moisture out of fresh veggies which is its life which seems unnatural but leads to higher life. All worldly desires and sensual pleasures should be kept under control and all kind of ego shunned. One can reach a higher stage of realization only when one is able to display extreme patience in controlling the baser elements of human life. It’s good to have a worthwhile outer aspect but it should not give rise to any kind of greed for the worldly pleasures. Lalla says one should take a deep bath in the egoless and selfless clean waters of the ocean of divinity.
Asee aasy te asee aasav, Asey dor kaer patevath
Shivas sori na zyon tay marun, Ravas sori na ategath.
Lalla says we have had an existence in the past and will have it in the future too. The process has been continuing throughout ages, each life gets dissolved after getting reborn in various forms. It’s not going to stop as each life is destined to perish as the cycle of Sun which goes on rising daily in the east and setting daily in the west. The idea here is to remind the seeker about the hard reality of all life processes and that the choice is left with the human being to either get involved in the false worldly pleasures or seek the goal of righteousness which would ultimately free him from the shackles of life and death and merge him with the ultimate truth.
Maney push taey yach poshany, Bhaveik kosam laegzais poozay
Shishras goed dizyas zalchee daany, Choepi manther shankar soe aatame wuzay.
Lalla gives a beautiful description of the worthy devotion of the Lord with the flowers collected by the florist of the pure consciousness and the garlands prepared by the deepest faith. Only the prettiest flowers of the sincere devotion and love of the Lord are to be offered in the prayers. The lord should be bathed in the purest water of the dew drops collected from the fresh rose petals only at dawn. Now the sacred mantras that are to be offered to the Lord in the prayers is only the calm and the silence adopted in the meditation by great sages and that’s only capable to awaken the grace of Lord Shiva.
Razae hamse aasith loguth koeluy, Kustam choeluy kyahtam heath
Grate gow band tay gratan hyot goluy, Grate wol choeluy phal phoel heath.
Lalla gives an excellent description of a very hard reality of life, i.e. the end of life or death. She compares the activities of a person to the life of a royal swan which is famous for its flying high and singing in high ecstasy and freedom over open water bodies and marshy lands. Now Lalla questions the just dead person in a high ironic note, “What has happened to you? You were just now singing and enjoying life like a royal swan! What has made you such incapable of even an ordinary speech? Somebody has taken something out of you such that the grinding stone mill inside you has stopped working and probably the master of the mill, the miller has escaped away with the grains he had come to grind at your mill.” Actually the essence of life, the soul, has gone away unnoticed and the mill has stopped working instantly and the grains have choked and the miller has ran away with the grains unnoticed. Thus Lalla explains when death approaches the soul departs along with the accumulated fruit of the action of life and is drawn to such a state which is suitable to it. The description indicates to the ego of a human being who unmindful of the eminent and sudden end of life goes on collecting material wealth ignoring the essential requirement of life, i.e. seeking the ultimate truth for himself.
Kyaah kara paantsan dahan ta kaahan, Vakhshun yath leyji yim karith gay
Saerey samahan yeythi razi lamahan, Ada kyaazi raavhe kaahan gaav.
Lalla indicates to the damage caused by the body instincts in achieving the goals in personal awakening. Anger, envy, greed, attachment and ego are the worst hurdles in the path of spiritual development. These instincts produced by five sense organs controlled by the mind itself as their master are individually responsible for misleading the mind towards directions that keep us away from the real path of existence. Had all the senses and their respective organs in the body along with their master 'the mind' joined together in good faith, to pull on the rope of this life's boat, why should all the eleven pulling on together, lose the cow, i.e. the essential spirit of the body. As such, a human being capable of attaining the highest attributes of awakening in its lifetime becomes the captive of these bad instincts produced by none other than his own sense organs and the mind together thus losing the essential occasion of crossing the ocean of ignorance and achieving salvation........ (to be continued)

Lalleshuri on Pranayama

The control or regulation of breath (Prana) is called Pranayama. All the functions of the body are directly or indirectly related to Prana. Pranayama on one hand has the capacity of freeing the mind of untruthfulness, ignorance and other painful and unpleasant experiences of the body and mind and on the other helping in the meditative process to arouse the Kundalini Sakhti and bring it up to the crown of head. It is a systematic exercise of respiration which makes the lungs stronger, improves blood circulation and enables a man to lead a healthy and long life. Lalla is essentially a great advocate of the practice of Yoga particularly Pranayama for achieving perfection in meditative process. She stresses upon the seeker to dedicate on Pranayama and beautifully compares the process with the working of a goldsmith who diligently directs the air current into his fire-place to heat up the material to separate the impurities out of gold. Lalla advises the seeker in the divine path to systematically practice breath exercise so that the gold of his devotion is sorted out exclusively pure to achieve the desired goal.
Soen thav thaji tay hosh thav phokas, Lolaki nare sorus vaichar
Soey ras sartali vavath pyayee, Ade soen sapdye kundan kaar.
Sincere devotion and extreme love of the Lord serves as catalyst in the process of the achievement of all spiritual goals just as a goldsmith succeeds in getting the purest form of gold without hurdles with the process of catalysis. The practice of breath (Pranayama) is the choicest exercise in Yoga which has the capacity to give an instant lift to the seeker.
Dwadash mandlas yas deevas thaji, Naasik pavan daari anahat rav
Swayam kalpane antah chaji, Suy deev tay archun kas.
Lalla says, ‘One who has got the perfection in Yoga, i.e. the supreme realization of self through deep devotion and practice of Pranayama, is the highest achiever in Yoga. He is also the one who has succeeded in awakening the supreme power of Kundalini Shakti to the crown of his head through the practice of the subtle flow of Prana through his nostrils. This is the supreme spiritual achievement where the distinction between the Lord and the seeker vanishes, and there remains none else for the devotee to worship except his own self.’
Dama-dam kormas daman halay, Prazleom deep te nanyayam zaat
Andraem prakash neabar chotum, Gati rotum te kaermas thaph.
Lalla says, ‘I continued with the inhalation and exhalation of breath (Pranayama) uninterruptedly till my inner consciousness began to glow brightly and I recognized my real self. My inner realization began showing its impact outside and my whole being changed with a celestial glow on my face. I caught hold of my changed self firmly with further meditation and didn’t let it go till I held incessantly a clear view of my Lord before me.’
Daman bastay ditto dil, Damnas yithe damaan khaar
Shaestras soen gaechey haesil, Wune chaiy sul te chandun yaar.
Lalla calls upon the seeker to devote himself deeply to the practice of Pranayama as a goldsmith who works on his instrument which throws a current of air continuously on to the burning coal in his fireplace to separate pure gold from the dross. Similarly the continuous practice of exhalation and inhalation of breath will help the seeker concentrate on his inner self to liberate it from the bondages of the worldly attractions and get nearer to the Lord. All worldly glamour is compared to the black iron which can be transformed into pure gold of divine awakening with uninterrupted practice of Yoga.
Pranas saety lai yali karem, Dyanas thavnam ne roznas shaai
Kayas andar soruy vuchum, Payas povum te kaedmas graai
Lalla describes her own experience of Pranayama when she became an adept in the process; she lost all her consciousness of self and experienced all the contours of the cosmos in her own self. She got clear awakening of all the divine secrets and there remained nothing unrealized for her. Here Lalla indicates to her ultimate divine realization through the practice of Pranayama and the subsequent awakening of Kundalini Sakhti to its highest stage which opens all the doors of awakening for the seeker.
Pawan te praan somuy dyuthum, Meelith roodum sheri khor taaen
Dhih yali mothum adhe kyah motum, Na kuni pavan tay na kuni praan.
On achieving higher concentration in meditation the seeker does not find any difference between the normal respiration and the practice of Pranayama as his normal respiration becomes such a controlled process that the body does not require the normal breathing as with the impact of the meditative process almost all the normal functions of the body cease to be and the whole system is controlled by a higher regulation. ...... (to be continued)

Kashmir Shaivism------- II

Kashmir Shaivism is believed to have commenced around 8th or 9th century A.D. with the writings by Vasugupta. Since then, the written teachings of various scholars continued and some of the scriptures have become very common. Vasugupta is said to have lived near Mahadeva Mountain behind the present Shalimar Gardens near Srinagar. It’s said that Lord Shiva came in his dream and instructed him to go to a certain rock near there. He went there to find that the teachings called Shiva Sutras were inscribed on it. The rock is still there and is called Shivpal and people till now visit there to pay respects. A number of commentaries have been written by Vasugupta’s contemporaries and successors. Most famous of them is Kshemeraja’s Vimarshini (10th Century A.D) which has been translated into English by Jaideva Singh and Swami Lakshman Joo. Another is a commentary called the Varttika by Baskara (11th century) translated into English by Mark Dyczkowski. The Shaivite Master Swami Lakshman Joo Raina was recognized as the last authority of Kashmir Shaivism in the oral tradition till he passed away in 1991. He dedicated his full life to the philosophy and practice of Kashmir Shaivism, and lectured extensively on the subject for the uplift of all spiritual seekers and to preserve this great tradition for future generation.
It is a non-dual (advaita) school of philosophy which takes as its source the ninety-two Tantras of Lord Shiva. This includes the sixty-four monastic Bhairava Tantras, the eighteen mono-dualistic Rudra Tantras, and the ten dualistic Shiva Tantras. This philosophical tradition is also known by its adherents as Trika. It is called Trika because it encompasses the threefold signs of man and his world. These three signs are Shiva, his Shakti (energy), and Jiva (individual ). Also signified are three primary energies: para (supreme) energy, para-para (combination of highest and lowest) energy. and apara (lowest) energy. These are also termed iccha Shakti, the energy of will, jnana Shakti, the energy of knowledge, and kriya Shakti, the energy of action. These three energies represent the threefold activities of the world: knower, knowing, and known. Kashmir Shaivism also known as the Trika tradition encompasses four systems of philosophy: the Pratyabhijna system, the Kula system, the Krama system, and the Spanda system.
Kashmir has produced scores of lesser known scholars who have immensely contributed to the philosophy and practiced for their personal liberation. Lalleshuri (Lalded) was the great exponent of Shaivism. She has explained in her Vaakhs the terse principals of Shaivism in very simple language for the common man to follow and practice....... (to be continued)

Kashmir Shaivism ----- I

Kashmir Shaivism is a unique Kashmir based age old Hindu philosophy of God realization famous worldwide for its authenticity and depth. In describing the nature of reality, the Kashmir Shaiva explains that there is only One Being, called Lord Shiva. This Being is the nature and existence of all beings. This Being is defined as being filled with the infinite light (prakasa) of God Consciousness. The Shaiva also holds that the objective world, although experienced as separate from one's self, does not have a separate existence. It is the energy (Shakti) of Shiva. Although one might conclude that the world is separate from his energy, thinking that his energy is the separate formal cause of the objective world. It is not. The objective world, comprised of the collection of objects, cognitions, and limited subjects, is nothing more than the expansion of the divine Shakti. It is not separate from Shiva's energy. Lord Shiva is the energy holder (Shaktiman) and the objective universe is his energy, his Shakti. The teaching of Kashmir Shaivism is so rich and detailed in its descriptions of what it reveals as the ascent of individual consciousness to universal God Consciousness (Parama Shiva) that it has been characterized as a mystical geography of awareness. It includes a highly developed system of spirituality that emphasizes not only the intellectual understanding of its concepts, but also the direct realization, the direct experience, of its truth......... (to be continued)

KP's --- people with an eventful past....IV

The blessings of the gods played their part every time whenever the worst was to happen with Pandits in Kashmir. There was no stone unturned to remove all the traces of Hindu culture in the valley from time to time. Not to speak of the famous temple complexes, grand learning institutions, museums and libraries along with their magnificent buildings all of them razed to the ground one by one, numerous temples of less importance in far off villages and towns were not spared. The modest temples in small towns and villages were preferably converted into mosques after their total population got converted. In this way Kashmir lost her rich treasury of Hindu culture and civilization collected through thousands of years of pristine glory. All libraries and museums full of rare manuscripts on language and literature, culture and art, religion and theology and above all recorded history of thousands of years were burnt to ashes as the forces ensured that no old records survive to bear testimony to the old Hindu culture. Efforts were made to write histories afresh in place of the old and hide the facts about old glorious Hindu past.
In spite of this all a good number of important Hindu installations remained in tact, probably the forces couldn’t face the obvious spiritual powers invested in them. There are many legends attached with these left over temples and places of worship, though in the memory lane only how the forces were compelled to stop arson when unable to face the strange miraculous powers invested in them. Certain highly awakened living saints and wandering ascetics from time to time played their essential role in saving various Pandits from converting and places of worship from destruction by standing guard with their personal and spiritual influence. It’s essential to mention here that more than ninety five percent of the Muslim population in Kashmir are descendents of converted Hindus excepting a few families whose forefathers had been called from outside and settled in different places to propagate Islam and help conversion. These recent converts continued with some of their age-old customs and celebrations including due reverence for some important Hindu gods and temples and strangely the trend still continues with Kashmir Muslims. Some Hindu temples in the valley are equally revered by Muslims as some Muslim Dargahs are places for frequent visits by Pandits and the common man proudly calls it Kashmiriyat or a mixed culture with sufficient tolerence for each other's religious sentiment though the facts are quite different....... (to be continued)

KP's ------ people with an eventful past ----III

Another event worth recording here is the glorious sacrifice of the ninth Sikh Guru His Holiness Guru Teg Bahadur whom a delegation of Kashmiri Pandits headed by Pandit Kripa Ram met at Anandpur Sahib (Punjab) with a request to save them from the forced conversion and the worst atrocities committed on them by Aurangzeb and his Governor. The Guru Sahib was so much moved by the condition and supplications of the KP’s that he asked the Pandits to challenge the King if Guru Teg Bahadur accepted to embrace Islam all Hindus would convert unanimously. Then Guru Sahib preceded to Delhi to meet the King but was arrested in the way and offered many tempting offers to convert along with severe threats of torture and death in case of refusal. The companions of Guru Sahib were subjected to most brutal tortures and killed in worst brutality in his presence. At last Guru Sahib was ferociously beheaded in the premises of Kotwalli, Chandni Chowk Delhi. The supreme sacrifice of Guru Teg Bahadur Sahib created a huge furore in the hearts of depressed Hindus of India and especially Pandits of Kashmir who resolved to die than to submit before the cruelty of Aurangzeb and his men. This supreme sacrifice actually paved the way for the Hindu flag still standing high in the Valley otherwise nobody could imagine the presence of even a single Hindu trace in the face of the iron hand that was used to convert fully the valley ethos into a pure Muslim Land.--- (to be continued)

KP's---people with an eventful past....II

The modern times witnessed the total face of Kashmir changed from chaste Hindu cult to the fundamentalist Muslim way of life. Down to the period of Budshah (Sultan Zain-Ul-Abidin) son of Sultan Sikandar (the iconoclast) at whose hands the worst happened in this calm happy abode of the gods, the conditions remained unchanged. However, in the reign of Budshah, the Hindus began showing their presence in very small numbers as the king was lenient towards them and allowed them to settle of their own. This change of heart was actually the result of a serious illness of the King Budshah and the miraculous treatment and cure by one noted KP physician, Shree Bhat by name. It’s said on his recovery Shree Bhat was asked to name a reward for the miraculous treatment of the King and strangely he didn’t ask anything for himself but urged the king to be patient towards his KP brethren by allowing them to live comfortably at their places and take steps to call back all those who had fled for their lives outside or were hiding at unknown places. The King responded immediately and thus began an era of consolidation for the left over Pandits of Kashmir in the valley. So by their capacity to accommodate in the new environment the KPs started living with their Muslim neighbours very humbly. They continued their religious pursuits and learning and tried to maintain their distinct cultural identity. The left-over places of worship were maintained and looked after but they had to accept the supremacy of their Muslim lords and thus adapted themselves according to the new environment. But unfortunately their woes had not entirely come to an end. There was much more suffering in their lot. In AD 1586 Kashmir was captured by the Mughal Kings and became part of the vast empire of Mughals. The reign of Akbar , Jahangir and Shahjahan was an era of consolidation and peace but Aurangzeb, son of Shahjahan resumed the reign of terror for Hindus and it was again the worst period for Kashmir Pandits as the king wanted all of them either converted or put to sword. Sher Afghan who was appointed the Governor of Kashmir had ordered all the left over temples of Kashmir converted into mosques and wholesale conversion of all Hindus. After the death of Aurangzeb in 1753 Kashmir came under the rule of Afghans and the atrocities on KPs continued unabated. They crossed all limits of cruelty in converting the left over Pandits who were practically hiding in forest areas and other unknown places. Rewards were given to people for killing Pandits wherever found and they were hounded as the animals of prey. Kashmir had no longer remained a Hindu Kashmir as the new lords tried to change her wholly by building powerful installations of Muslim culture and religion in place of old intricate Hindu fabric.
Surprisingly everything seemed to have changed on the face of it but strangely the basic elements remained unchanged in the valley. The traces remained there and showed their influence on everything. The solid deep roots of Hindu culture remained embedded under the soil of the changed environment and the change at times seemed superficial. Every new structure had its original roots alive sprouting their influence every now and then although the forces tried to cut them as deep as possible. As such Kashmir culture gave rise to a synthesis of the old order and the new change. Various indications in the form of a mixed culture were seen here and there. Some time a Muslim poet sang the glories of Hindu mythology or a saint became an adorer of Hindu gods and traditions, quite contrary to the beliefs of Muslim extremist attitude of religion. This attitude usually angered the religious bigots of the time but strangely enough the public at large didn’t raise objections to it but rather cherished such orations.----- (to be continued)

Kashmiri Pandits ---- people with an eventful past

The Hindus from Kashmir, called Kashmiri Pandits (KP) are the aboriginal people of Kashmir with an uninterrupted history of thousands of years and the direct descendents of those highly awakened saints and sages of prehistoric times who lived a noble life here and left indelible impressions of their high spiritual achievements on this land. KP culture is enormously rich in terms of an established religious and social order with sound foundations laid and enriched from time to time by great saints and savants of the highest order for thousands of years. The uniqueness of the order thus established has been a source of great pride not only for the KPs but for the masses of the rest of India who treat Kashmir Hindu way of life a prime example in the field of religious and spiritual excellence. KP is the sole heir to this rich heritage inherited by them directly from their forefathers developed through a long history of their Tapasya and Sadhana. For a long time Kashmir enjoyed a prosperous and peaceful environment under Hindu rulers and was thus decorated with thousands of most beautiful Hindu temples and other institutions of learning so much so that numerous religious scholars came here to quench their thirst for knowledge, enjoy the beauty of the temples and visit her famous pilgrimage spots established through intense devotion of numerous highly awakened saints of yore. But unfortunately this prosperity and Hindu dominance did not last longer and in the early fourteenth century the face of this kingdom began to change rapidly with foreign influences trying to change the Hindu character forcefully with deceit and coercion so much so that within less than half a century most of the Hindus were converted to new faith and the rest were either killed or had fled for their lives. Hindus, now called Kashmir Pandits were reduced to a miniscule minority but they showed courage, withstood and tried adapting themselves to the new circumstances and preserving their cherished cultural heritage. Though they continued to be continuously under pressure to adopt the new found ways of life, they resisted strongly and didn’t compromise on the basic tenets of their ancient culture and faith. -------- (to be continued)

Lalleshuri and Kundalini Yoga

Lalleshuri followed Trikka or Kashmir Shaivism which adopts Laya Yoga popularly known as Kundalini Yoga in Kashmir in her spiritual advancement and liberation. In her immortal poetic compositions (Vaakhs) besides laying down a moral code she has prescribed definite regulations for the realization of the divine in ones own being. In order to understand the Vaakhs of Lalla one has to be acquainted with the Kundalini Shakti and its importance in the awakening of human spirit in accordance with Kashmir Shaivism. Kundalini is believed to be a source of infinite energy (Shakti) in the form of a coiled serpent seated at the lower end of the spinal cord around the genital part of the human body (Swayambu). The energy is aroused and brought up to the crown of the head, the highest seat of cosmic energy centre (Sahasrara) considered the abode of Lord Shiva, through deep concentration of mind, mantras and yogic exercises especially Pranayama. According to this Yoga there are six Chakras (Muladhara, Svadhishthana, Manipura, Anahata, Visudha, and Ajna) or centers of cosmic power in the human body. The Kundalini Shakti, when aroused travels up through these chakras and reaches finally to Sahasrar Chakra which is located at crown of the head inside the brain where it becomes one with Lord Shiva, the ultimate goal of all spiritual seekers and a source of unlimited joy and achievement. According to Kashmir Shaiva Philosophy Lord Shiva is the principal deity controlling the universe. The lord has two aspects, Shiva and Shakti though the two are the same, the two sides of a coin. Man's spiritual goal is to establish identity of the two in his own being. Since man is unable to control the waywardness of the mind and shed the shackles of worldly attachments and thus goes on living many lives without performing the actual purpose of life. The unnerving task here is to experience the truth of life and get detached from the glamour of actual life and virtually die before death to the worldly attractions. Laya Yoga or the awakening of Kundalini is a way of attaining this goal. The wavering mind is controlled by concentrating on a vital energy centered in the body called Susmna Nadi and thus the uneven movement of Prana and Apana is brought to uniformity by the practice of breath control (Pranayama). The Susmna nadi extends from the Muladhara right up to Sahasrara in the crown of the head along the spinal cord. It is through this subtle mystical corridor that Kundalini Sakhti rises upwards to meet her consort Shiva in that thousand-petalled lotus of Sahasrara. Within these two extremes are six centres of energy called chakras or lotuses as indicated above. There are also two other Nadis running parallel to the Susmna. These are Ida and Pingla. Prana flows through Ida while apana flows through Pigla. The inhalation and exhalation of breath are kept in perfect balance through the practice of yoga. All the Nadis join at the two eyebrows' junction called Triveni, symbolic confluence of Ganga, Jamuna and Saraswati. The Kundalini Shakti which normally lies dormant is awakened by yogic exercises and it cuts its way through the six chakras to meet her consort Shiva in Sahasrara. Prana goes upwards while Apana downwards. To attain this spiritual goal, man has to control five Pranas, ten Indriyas and their controller, the wavering mind. This is done through Abhyas or Yoga practice. It is here that the seeker enjoys the taste of the Amrit flowing from Shashkala or the digit of the moon. Lalleshuri (Lalded) has described her personal achievement of arousing Kundalini and enjoying the overflowing Shashkala in the following Vaakh:
Shie van chaetith shashkal wuzem, Prakrath henzem pawnie seitee,
Loleki narie wanlij buzem, Shankar lobum tami sietee.
Lalla reached her desired goal and enjoyed the nectar trickled from Shashkala after she crossed the rugged path of six forests indicating the six Chakras as mentioned above. She says it was the result of her heart stirring devotion, deep concentration, sustained breath exercise and bringing under control all worldly desires and senses that she reached her goal. She says precisely, “The whole world shrunk for me in the inhalation and exhalation of my breath and while I roasted my heart in the heat of the love of my Lord, I found Him.” By the concentration of mind mental fluctuations, false knowledge, all kinds of illusions and conditions analogous to sleep are brought under control, a stage in which the soul sours beyond the three Gunas: Satva, Rajas and Tamas.
Tsitta-twaruge vagi hyath ro'ttum, Tseylith milavith dashinaaddi vaav,
Tavay sheyshikal veyglith vatsham, Shuunyas shuunyaah miilith gav.
Lalla says she reined in the fast running steed of her mind, i.e. controlled the overpowering senses and by constant practice and meditation succeeded in bringing the proper alignment of wavering Prana through Nadis till she achieved the final goal of guiding the Kundalini Shakti to its destination, the crown of the head. It’s here that she enjoyed the nectar of the mystic moon (Sheshkal) which came overflowing upon her whole body and the void merged with the cosmic void i.e. she became immortal and an integral part of the supreme soul which is the ultimate perfection of the individual soul to become one with the cosmic soul or Parmatama. Lalleshuri gives a lucid description of her mystic experience in her poetic compositions which goes to her credit as besides a highly accomplished Yogini she was a celestial poet with a definite mission of not only achieving her own liberation but also setting a precept for the coming generations to follow.
Lall bo chayas suman baghe baras, Wuchum shivas shakti meelith te wah
Tati lai karem tath amrit saras, Zinday maras mai kaream kyah.
Lalla describes her extreme ecstasy upon her realization of the ultimate reality and says that she entered the garden of beautiful flowers indicating the abode of Shiva on the crown of her head. There she saw Shiva and Shakti mingled into one, the most coveted stage of all Yogis and the final stage of Kundalini Jagran. She enjoys the scene, takes deep into the lake of overflowing divine nectar and becomes eternal, one with the supreme. She achieved this all by experiencing virtual death to worldly desires before the actual death. This is a stage for the saints of high order to be quite unconcerned about their body and its needs as the purpose of body for them is over as they’ve become one with the absolute. So for Lalla also the purpose of the existence of her mortal frame has finished having achieved its eternal purpose of merging with the ultimate truth i.e. Lord Shiva, so she claims to be dead though living in the eyes of the people outside. She’s absorbed completely with her lord and has little care about her body needs.
Dokh chen traivith mokh wuch haras, Taile dezei parma saras manz thah
Chal zanun chuey naar bhava saras, chukh zan kad tul shah maaras baal.
Lalla calls the Kundalini Shakti seated in the form of a serpent at the base of the spinal cord a Shah-Maar (Royal Serpent) the source of unlimited energy and liable to be awakened and made to travel upward by sustained devotion. She calls upon the devotee to lift the massive lid, allegorically a big mountain off the container of the Shah-Maar (the dormant Kundalini Shakti) i.e. awaken it by the power of devotion and controlling all the worldly desires and body pleasures as these are the worst enemies of all devotion and development in the path of spiritual advancement. Lalla calls upon the seeker to shun all worldly fears and surrender completely to the wishes of the Lord and dive deep into the celestial waters of His blessings present at the crown of head, the abode of the lord.
Lalli Guer bramande pethe kane vuchum, Sheshkal vaechem paadan taney
Gyaneke amrite prakrath barem, loobey morum ande wand taney.
On her ultimate achievement of establishing Shiva and Shakti in her own being through arousing the Kundalini Shakti and bringing up to the crown of her head Lalla was astonished to see her master (Guru) seated on the top of her head while the overflowing Sheshkal had flooded her whole body till it had reached her feet which indicates that she was filled with the divine nectar or Amrit or in other words she had got awakened fully about the full secret of the universe and everything had unfolded clearly before her and nothing had remained unachieved for her holy person. She had naturally shed all the worldly desires especially the ego, which is the worst enemy in the path of spiritual development. It also indicates the fact that Guru is the ultimate lord for all purposes for a seeker and there remains no need to approach anything else for ones development whatsoever except ones spiritual master.

The sayings of Lalleshuri ---II

A noteworthy aspect in Lalla’s mystic journey is her strong belief in the validity of divine word Aum in the awakening of human spirit. She was a great devotee of the sacred word and considered it the main stepping stone in the achievement of the desired goals in the spiritual path. She says:
Akuy aumkar yus nabi daray, Kumbkuy bramandas sum garay
Akuy manther yus chaitus karay, Tus saas mather kyah karay
One who is able to recite the divine word (Aum) in a way that it resounds on the beats of his or her naval region and makes a contact between the individual Prana and the cosmic consciousness can safely go across this temporal world (Samsara). The divine word is a single vehicle for the purpose and there is no need of any other support whatsoever.
Akuy Omkar yaile layi anum, vahi karum panun paan
Shai wath travith sath maarg rotum, taili Lal bo waaches prakash sthaan.
Lalla says when she got tuned to the recitation of Aum systematically; the impact was so great that her whole body turned red hot as burning coal. She shed all her worldly attachments and thoughts and continued on the divine path till she attained full spiritual enlightenment.
Dame dam man Omkar parnowum, panay paran panay bozan
Sooham padas aham golum, tyali Lal bo waeches prakash sthaan.
Lalla says that she made her mind or inner consciousness recite the divine word Aum systematically till the stage came when she lost her personal identity and she became one with her Lord. Strangely there remained none else to hear the sound but her own and gradually with the impact of the divine sound of Aum she took a deep celestial flight and reached the enlightened abode of the lord, termed as Prakash-Sthan.
Dil chae larey dare bar tropraevim, prane choor rotum te dyutmas dam
Hradye che koothari andar gundum, Omkay chobuke tulmas bam.
Lalla says she closed all the doors and windows of her body, i.e. didn’t allow any thoughts of worldly sensual pleasures enter her mind. She took the sacred thought of her Lord in the inner recesses of her heart and with systematic recitation of the divine word Aum which mingled with her inhalation and exhalation of breath she became one with her Lord........ (to be continued)

Kashmir Cultural Heritage ----- V

In spite of the mass conversions of Kashmir Hindus to Mohammedan faith for more than half a century and the worst treachery and carnage by kings and their cohorts to convert fully the Kashmir heritage by destroying almost all magnificent temples, burning all books and rich libraries which preserved the record of thousands of years of glorious Hindu period including rare literary manuscripts and finishing all established Hindu institutions of learning established for centuries Kashmir ethos didn’t change completely. It retained almost all essential traits of cherished Kashmir heritage especially the spirit of coexistence among the people of all faiths. The Hindus had now reduced to a miniscule minority but with the passage of time they learnt to live amicably with the majority community and enjoyed good relations and patronage from their neighbours mostly Muslims. With the passage of time and under favourable administrative control from time to time they gradually maintained the left over temples and religious institutions with their good mental capabilities. They never gave an occasion to take cudgels with the majority Muslim community on any issue and with their high academic brilliance they were able to hold many responsible jobs in the administration as everybody including the Muslim Lords trusted their ability and honest dealings. Sir Lawrence, who was the settlement Commissioner in Kashmir from 1889 to 1894 widely interacted with the people of Kashmir has written in his famous book ‘The valley of Kashmir’ that Kashmir Muslims still loved and cherished their ancestral ethos. The credit goes especially to Lalleshuri (Lalded) and her disciple Nunda Rishi who were widely honoured by all and sundry in the valley and who contributed greatly to the Hindu-Muslim amity by their unique poetic outpourings in the form of Vaakhs and Shrukhs. Kashmir has produced a good number of highly awakened saints and the influence of these saints and faquirs from both the communities has been tremendous and continues to be so even now in spite of severe reservations from the fanatic Muslims. People of all faiths visit these god men for their resurrection from worldly troubles and their word is widely respected by everyone. ------ (to be continued)

The Sayings of Lalleshuri --- I

Yesterday I introduced the readers to Lalleshuri, the ascetic poet of the fourteenth century Kashmir. Her Vaakhs (sayings) have been especially very popular with everyone in Kashmir without the discrimination of faith. Muslims of the valley call her Lalla Aarifa, i.e. the great saint Lalla and follow religiously her sayings. The prominent aspect of Kashmir life and her people has always been the cordial coexistence of the people of all faiths in spite of the worst exploitations by the dividing forces from time to time. Lalleshuri has contributed greatly to strengthen this brotherhood among Hindus and Muslims in most telling circumstances. In one of her famous sayings Lalla stresses upon everybody that no Muslim or Hindu is your enemy, it’s your own self that’s your worst enemy as your personal ego and other worldly desires are the biggest hurdle in your spiritual advancement. Once you surrender yourself to the wishes of the Lord and reject your personal self you go nearer to the truth of life and become the beloved of the Lord. Lalla Vaakhs as available now are roughly two hundred. These wonderful compositions have travelled through memory lane safely with negligible distortion for hundreds of years for their popularity till recently in early twentieth century when these were compiled in a book form followed by some commentaries though enough work has not been done to popularize this high standard creative work as it deserved. These Vaakhs have been translated into English and some other languages too but are still hidden from the international attention. The reason may be the language which is spoken by very few people and naturally its worth is not duly publicized.
To sum up briefly it is a vast canvas with varied hues spread over by a great literary artist, a highly awakened Shaivite Yogini and a religious philosopher. Her sayings about the futility of worldly existence and the escape route through the practice of Yoga have received wide recognition and continue as such. She had detached herself completely from the material world and become a wandering ascetic displaying a frightful aura devoid even of her clothes to cover her nakedness. A Yugpursha and a living incarnation of Lord Shiva, she gave out rare gems in the common man’s word showing a clear path towards self realization. She has castigated man time and again for collection of material belongings ignoring the real divine treasure that only is capable to give safe passage through temporal existence. She was shocked to see people enjoying life’s glamour which they knew was nothing but an illusion and how eager she was to see people shun the lure of the world. Repeatedly she like a past master preacher stressed upon man not to take the false for the true. She says it was only their ignorance that bound them to the falsehood and thus waste the precious moments of their lives that could otherwise be fruitfully used for higher purpose. ----- (to be continued)

Lalleshuri ------ (Lal Ded)

It was in the middle of fourteenth century that a great ascetic poet was born in Kashmir within chaotic conditions of great upheaval that was shaking Kashmir to its root. Lalleshuri, fondly called Lalded (granny Lalla) was born in a Hindu home and married at a tender age. She wasn’t treated well at her in-laws and so she left home and took to the mantle of a wandering ascetic. She was actually meant for a much higher purpose of life and so under the guidance of her Guru (teacher) she achieved the highest goals of self realization. She, in her ecstasy of spiritual achievement gave out gems of her Vaakhs, the four line poetic compositions, extempore which were instantly committed to the public memory and for centuries preserved safely in the memory lane as a divine word. Her poetic compositions (Vaakhs) describe primarily her personal spiritual experience and serve as a guide for the seeker in the path of spiritual advancement. She emphasizes on controlling the overpowering senses and the wavering mind and concentrating on meditation and Yoga as a means to attain salvation, i.e. merging of individual soul with the universal consciousness. She stresses upon the suffering humanity to get awakened to the real purpose of life along with the futility of the glamour of worldly existence and also shows the escape route through the awakening of spirit and the practice of Yoga. The human life is full of miseries due to undue attachment to the worldly pleasures, pursuit of greed, power, riches and the ego. Lalla was not in favour of total renunciation or running away from the worldly responsibilities. She wished people to be the real human beings and work for the liberation from the worries of the world. The teachings of Lalla are a treasury of high moral and spiritual guidance for the seeker of truth and tranquility. Her universal appeal lies in the fact that she spoke in the idiom of the masses. She, in fact became the founder of modern Kashmiri, the language that with slight changes down the years continues to retain the infrastructure of Lalla's making.
Lalleshuri was very much dedicated to her Guru. While expressing her gratitude to her Guru in guiding her in all her progress she says that her Guru is both father and mother to her, who made her blind eyes capable to see, her bare body able to wear the celestial garments and thereby discriminate between falsehood and the truth. Lalleshuri has repeatedly described the importance of a teacher in the way to self realization. She says one who develops full faith in his Guru and follows religiously his directions, is able to control all five senses with the help of Gyan Yoga and succeeds in overcoming the sea of ignorance. He is lifted above the gross material world and all worldly events, joys and sorrows, sound immaterial to him. Lalla says in one popular Vaakh--- she asked her Guru a thousand times who was the one who was nameless and beyond comprehension but she didn’t get a reply. When she got tired by asking repeatedly and hence helpless she was suddenly satisfied without an answer and understood the truth of life and its creator who was responsible for all creation and still beyond comprehension. The purpose here is to bring home to the seeker that the Guru guides his disciple in all circumstances and the seeker doesn’t fall short of guidance in association with him. Lalla says she has washed her body with the Gangajal (water of the sacred Ganges) of the Gura-Shabda (word of her Guru) and thus attained pure salvation living the same material body. -------- (to be continued)

Kashmir Cultural Heritage ---IV

In about 1319 AD in Sehadeva’s reign a ferocious warrior Zulqadar Khan also called Dulchu invaded Kashmir with a huge force and the king fled for his life leaving the state in charge of the chief of his army Ramchandra besides the invader. Dulchu and his men created havoc by killing people mercilessly and breaking considerably the Hindu kingdom. Rinchana, a fugitive Buddhist prince from Ladakh who was given shelter by Sehadeva treacherously rose in revolt, killed Ramchandra and proclaimed himself the king. He also got Sahadeva killed and married Ramachandra’s daughter Kota Rani. He sincerely wished to convert to Hinduism but was opposed by the orthodox Brahmins of the valley. This infuriated Rinchana, he converted to Islam along with all the nobles in the court and took the name Saddruddin . He ruled for three years and it is said that most of the Buddhists in the valley also converted to Islam under his influence and almost all their monasteries were converted to mosques. Thus the Hindu Kashmir began losing her sheen though there was still the majority of Hindus. The worst blow came immediately after with the establishment of Shahmiri Sultanate with Shah Mir as King when hordes of missionaries, mostly Sayyids from Persia entered this land propagating Mohammedanism with full force and fury. In Quttubuddin’s rule Syed Ali Hamadani came to Kashmir first time in 1373 with 700 Sayyeds. They were received with all respect and posted at different important places to propagate Islam in the valley. Shah Hamadan is credited to have converted about forty thousand Brahmins to Islam. After Quttubuddin his son Sikander rose to power in a tender age. His minister Seha Bhat, a recent convert to Islam was all powerful. He left no stone unturned to Islamize Kashmir. He used all force to convert not only the people but almost all important religious installations of Hindus. It is said not a single village or town was left where the Hindu traces were not destroyed or converted. Sikandar is named butshikan (iconoclast) for his breaking of thousands of Hindu temples in Kashmir. His rule is considered to be the darkest period for the Hindus of Kashmir. After his death in about 1420 his son Ali Shah ascended the throne and he committed much more atrocities on the remaining Brahmins so much so that only eleven Hindu families remained in the valley and the rest converted, got killed or fled for their lives. ------ (to be continued)

Kashmir Cultural Heritage --- III

Kashmir enjoyed the heights of her development and prosperity for a long time under various Hindu rulers who put a stamp of their monarchy on this land by building numerous magnificent temples in memory of different Gods and Goddesses besides their grand personal palaces, some of them so beautiful and strong that withstood the vagaries of weather for hundreds of years. Some magnificent institutions of learning with grand buildings and infrastructure also came up which also served people for hundreds of years. This prosperity and boom in Hindu faith continued for centuries till Buddhism entered the valley and lots of people converted to that faith. Consequently numerous Buddhist installations came up in the valley especially under the rule of Ashoka after he converted to Buddhism. But the good thing about the new faith was that there was no major damage to the rich Hindu infrastructure that existed in Kashmir, though the new faith changed the face of Kashmir to a great extent but the majority of people continued as Hindus and there existed a considerable harmony between the two faiths. The fact that cannot be ignored is that Buddhism didn’t spread under any duress but it cannot be denied too that Hindu faith received a great setback under the Buddhist influence not only in Kashmir but also in the whole of India.

Later when Mahmood Ghaznavi attacked the plains of Punjab, he almost knocked at the doors of Kashmir and Kashmir didn’t remain the same. Many of its adjacent areas were influenced by Islam and gradually Muslim settlers and missionaries started entering Kashmir and thus started a big revolution that was to change the ancient Kashmir upside down. -------- (to be continued)

Kashmir Cultural Heritage ---- II

The background of common life-style of pre-historic Kashmir was discussed in my yesterday’s post. Thus Kashmir developed a unique culture almost unaffected by the rest of the world strictly according to Hindu Philosophy. Almost every nook and corner of the valley become a place of worship and the atmosphere highly spiritual and the places centers of attraction for whole of external population especially those interested in spiritual advancement. The periods that followed gave rise to a population of high-caste Hindus deeply rooted in the studies of scriptures and religiously disciplined life. Consequently with the passage of time the valley was decorated with great seats of learning and knowledge along with spots and places invested with great spiritual power so much so that Kashmir was called a Peetha of Siddhi and the Hindus of plains continued adoring her for being a source of inspiration to lots of knowledge hungry souls for all times to come. Great writers, poets, religious philosophers and thinkers appeared on the scene that created great works of literature, philosophy and theology attracting attention of philosophers and thinkers throughout the world. Great institutions of learning with grand buildings and libraries became centers of attraction for aspirants for exclusive knowledge and learning. Grand temple complexes, some of them great architectural marvels were built by Kings and rulers from time to time firstly to immortalize their personal existence and secondly as a contribution to the rich Kashmir culture. Kashmir developed her own unique religious philosophy Kashmir Shaivism to which great philosophers and thinkers of the valley contributed which is widely renowned throughout the world. Various saints of highest order practiced practically the new philosophy and achieved highest targets of awakening and became beacon lights for numerous knowledge hungry souls in and outside Kashmir. Various indications are available in the Hindu scriptures that some important events in theological history happened in Kashmir due to its authentic and renowned religious settings. Thus Kashmir enjoyed a rich religious and cultural boom for thousands of years while the rest of the world was mostly enveloped in the darkness of depravity and backwardness. -------- (to be continued)

Kashmir Cultural Heritage ---I

Kashmir is famous not only for its scenic beauty but also for its rich cultural heritage developed through thousands of years with its origin long ago when the water of the vast Satisar lake was drained out by the spiritual power of Great Maharishi Kahyap and the valley assumed its present shape. It might have taken a long time further to become habitable when the fame of the magnificent invigorating climate of Kashmir with her excellent spiritual environment spread far and wide. Soon it turned out to be the choicest spot for great seers, Rishis, Munees and highly awakened people worldwide for performing austerities and gain higher spiritual capacities in its cool environment away from the hustle and bustle of the common people. It’s only a long time further that the valley presented a picture of frequent settlements of people here and there but all of them the descendents of those great seers who had performed austerities for hundreds of years and achieved highest spiritual powers. Along with these settlements there were established many magical spots invested with great spiritual powers most of them the places where the ancient seers had performed their austerities, high on the mountain peaks or deep inside caves or in far away deep forests. Some of them were converted into highly venerated temples but most of them remained away from the public gaze and some of them found out incidentally by some stray visitor. It must have taken centuries for the valley to assume the position of a well developed society of a good population spread over the whole valley but the main concentration was on the banks of rivers and other water-bodies as all of them were mainly concerned with their spiritual pursuit which needed essentially to be nearer to the rivers and springs. Being the descendents of a chaste community of sages and saints here established certain set principles for chaste living according to pure Vedanta strictures and as per the local standards as the valley maintained minimum contacts with the rest of the world for its difficult location and weather conditions. Thus there developed a deeply religious life style with certain definite routine for the householders from morning till evening and any deviation from the set principles was taken very seriously. ------- (to be continued)

Nostalgia

I just chanced to see a post on the blog of a relative of mine who had recently visited his home back in Kashmir. Besides the expression of his personal feelings about visiting home after about two decades he has put some photographs of his broken vandalized house on the site. The pathetic images of the grand house which once stood tall graciously with more than two dozen inmates living there prompted me to imagine the nostalgia of lakhs of Pandits who flew for their lives in around January 1990 seeking refuge outside valley in most unfavourable circumstances for them just with a hope to return soon as the sitation improved but unfortunately it turned out only a nightmare and they continue as refugees in their own country for not less than nineteen years now. How they aspire to return home can be imagined by only those who are forced to leave their place of birth under such a death scare. It’s not their houses and properties only that these citizens of free India weep for but they weep for a lot more-- their roots, their age-old glorious culture, their temples and traditions, their peculiar habits and language and above all their Kashmir that is reputed to be the paradise on earth with its tall snow-clad mountains, deep valleys and crystal clear waters and invigorating climate. The most pathetic part of the story is that the authorities both at the state and central level have never taken the matter so seriously as it deserved, least counting on the impact of their absence from the valley on the Kashmir situation which is getting from bad to worse day by day. Kashmiri Pandits are staunch nationalists and such nationalism is almost missing in the valley now and how essential their presence is in the valley in the present circumstances and how it would contribute to the stability of the situation when the separatists are getting bolder day by day with open protests against India. None among the responsible politicians is able to estimate the importance of a Pandit in the valley for essentially these reasons besides the responsibility of the settlement of a displaced community in their own land. Kashmiri Pandits are fast losing their proud individual cultural identity as the new generation is getting mixed up with the people of the plains and distancing from their roots. This in fact is the worst tragedy that this community is experiencing and there is no one stopping this trend.

Snow in Kashmir

The cold winds that blow here in Delhi these days prompt me to reminisce a snowfall in Kashmir which has its own special charm. It transforms the Paradise on Earth to a fairyland when a sheet of snow covers everything and the leafless bare trees fall into a full fresh white bloom. A thick white blanket of snow covers everything and the best scene is witnessed when after a fresh snowfall the sun shows its bright face through a break in the dark clouds. The bright sunrays turn brighter with the bright reflection on the fresh white snow and the whole valley is covered with a bright silver cloak, a scene worthy to be described by only poets as the valley itself is changed into a poem. Snow in Kashmir does what a rose does in a garden of flowers which when blows takes the whole attention of a visitor as if it exists alone.

Kashmir Tour ---- II

Election, poll results, New Year celebrations et al being all over, let me concentrate a bit on Kashmir my love. Kashmir is truly famous worldwide for some world renowned spots especially, Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Sonamarg, Dal Lake, Cheshma Shahi etc but the fact about Kashmir is that everything there whichever catches the eye is attractive; be it a river, hill side, a rock, a stone, a road or a small flowing stream. The crystal clear flowing water in small and big rivers everywhere makes everything attractive except some urban areas where pollution has taken its toll. One Kashmir attraction that I'm going to make a report of is the CHINAR, a huge tree hundreds of years old with leaves of the shape of human hand. It's not a single tree or just a few of them but thousands found everywhere especially in plains that create a scene around providing shade and shelter for lots of people and animals alike with its wide projection of heavy foliage like a huge umbrella quite unlike all big trees seen in Indian plains as none of them can be compared to a Chinar in its beauty. The strange thing about them is that all of them, in such large numbers have been planted exclusively all over by people hundreds of years before and taken care of as you do for your personal garden. Since it takes a lot of care to grow and in not less than half a centuty it can reach its desired height and projection and that's why it's very difficult to grow a Chinar now and that's also the reason that their number has tremondously decreased especially after the current crisis in Kashmir. The Chinar is a protected tree by law and consequent upon the prevailing deterioration in law and order much damage has been caused to it as lots of them were felled illegally for its precious wood.
Chinar is one of the main attractions in Kashmir and it's beauty reaches its peak when its leaves take a golden colour in autumn before falling on the ground. The whole atmosphere takes a golden hue as the bulk of Chinar leaves is so huge that everywhere you see the gold of these leaves scattered and consequently thousands of tourists come here to see the golden colour of the Chinar of Kashmir. Indira Gandhi, the late Prime miniter of India had come to see the golden colour of Chinar only a few days before she was assassinated by the bullet of his bodyguard----- (to be continued)

New Year Day

New year day is a busy day. You get dozens of calls with the break of the day and responding all is simply courteous and ignoring any equally bad. You get bored getting some unwanted and out of the way messages and calls that keeps you busy almost upto noon. You do not at times relish this unwanted rush except a bit from your near and dear ones especially from your someone special. I was maneuvering myself along this almost unwanted rush in the morning when the call bell of my house rang and I got my old next door neighbour of mine intrude into my limited space. After usual pleasantries he wished me an affectionate Happy New Year and with a cheerful mood took to a very hot news in the morning paper and wanted me to give my opinion. I wanted to avoid him in the first instance but keeping in view his respectable gait I had to indulge into and gave a simple comment over the issue to which he snowballed into a hot debate and things went on dragging with me till I was almost late for everything including my important response notes for my office. Ultimately I played a trick of getting up with a startling exercise just to show my laziness. God helped and my guest also got up to leave. Thus started my new year today and what'll be its impact on the remaing days of the year is not surmised by me and I leave it for my readers to report for me.