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)