Arcanum Zero, the Fool / Le mat / El tonto

The worm is twisting on the hook,
the dog is howling at the moon.
We've almost reached the end of the book,
and he will make his exit soon.

Le ver se tord sur le crochet,
le chien hurle à la lune.
Nous avons presque atteint la fin du livre,
et il fera sa sortie bientôt.

El gusano se retuerce en el anzuelo
El perro está aullando a la luna.
Casi hemos llegado al final del libro,
y él hará su salida pronto.

Text © 2017-2019 by Donald Jacobson Traxler.

kIlakastotram 9

यो निष्कीलां विधायैनां चण्डीं जपति नित्यशः | 
स सिद्धः स गणः सोऽथ गन्धर्वो जायतॆ ध्रुवम् || 9 ||

yo niShkIlAM vidhAyainAM chaNDIM japati nityashaH |

sa siddhaH sa gaNaH so.atha gandharvo jAyatE dhruvam || 9 ||

Whoever constantly chants this Chandi, unlocked, in the proper manner,

becomes a perfected one, one of the divine retinue, even a heavenly singer, at the first verse.

kIlakastotram 8

ददाति प्रतिगृहणाति नान्यथैषा प्रसीदति | 
इत्थं रूपॆण कीलॆन महादॆवॆन कीलितम् || 8 ||

dadAti pratigRRihaNAti nAnyathaiShA prasIdati |

itthaM rUpENa kIlEna mahAdEvEna kIlitam || 8 ||

He gives and he receives, in no other way is she pleased.

Thus, it was locked as with a pin by MahAdeva.

. 

kIlakastotram 7

सोऽपि क्षॆममवाप्नोति सर्वमॆव न संशयः | 
कृष्णायां वा चतुर्दश्यामष्टम्यां वा समाहितः || 7 ||

so.api kShEmamavApnoti sarvamEva na saMshayaH |

kRRiShNAyAM vA chaturdashyAmaShTamyAM vA samAhitaH || 7 ||

Without doubt, he (who recites it) properly on either the fourteenth or the eighth 

day of the dark half of the lunar cycle obtains all well-being.

kIlakastotram 6

स्तोत्रं वै चण्डिकायास्तु तच्च गुह्यं चकार सः | 
समाप्नोति स पुन्यॆन तां यथावन्निमन्त्रणाम् || 6 ||

stotraM vai chaNDikAyAstu tachcha guhyaM chakAra saH |

samApnoti sa punyEna tAM yathAvannimantraNAm || 6 ||

And He made this hymn to ChaNDikA secret.

He (the one who recites) reaches Her through merit according to the recitations.

kIlakastotram 5

समग्राण्यपि सॆत्स्यन्ति लोकशङ्कामिमां हरः | 
कृत्वा निमन्त्रयामास सर्वमॆवमिदं शुभम् || 5 ||

samagrANyapi sEtsyanti lokashaN^kAmimAM haraH |

kRRitvA nimantrayAmAsa sarvamEvamidaM shubham || 5 ||

Hara, having created this doubt in the world,
also created this whole auspiciousness.

kIlakastotram 4

न मन्त्रो नौषधं तस्य न किञ्चिदपि विद्यतॆ | 
विना जप्यॆन सिद्ध्यॆत्तु सर्वमुच्चाटनादिकम् || 4 ||

na mantro nauShadhaM tasya na kiJNchidapi vidyatE |

vinA japyEna siddhyEttu sarvamuchchATanAdikam || 4 ||

Without this chanting no mantra or medicine or anything else is known

that can succeed in keeping away all adversity.

kIlakastotram 3

सिद्ध्यन्त्युच्चाटनादीनि कर्माणि सकलान्यपि | 
एतॆन स्तुवतां दॆवी स्तोत्रवृन्दॆन भक्तितः || 3 ||

siddhyantyuchchATanAdIni karmANi sakalAnyapi |

etEna stuvatAM dEvI stotravRRindEna bhaktitaH || 3 ||

All actions against adversity are able to be brought to perfection
by those who are devoted to praising the Devi with this multitude of hymns.

kIlakastotram 2

सर्वमॆतद्विजानीयान्मन्त्राणामपि कीलकम् | 
सोऽपि क्षॆममवाप्नोति सततं जप्यतत्परः || 2 ||

sarvamEtadvijAnIyAnmantrANAmapi kIlakam |

so.api kShEmamavApnoti satataM japyatatparaH || 2 ||

Understanding all this, the key of the verses,

and always reciting it, one obtains well-being (or safety, peace, happiness, protection).

kIlakastotram 1

ॐ नमश्चण्डिकायै

मार्कण्डॆय उवाच | 

ॐ विशुद्धञानदॆहाय त्रिवॆदीदिव्यचक्षुषॆ |
 श्रॆयःप्राप्तिनिमित्ताय नमः सोमार्धधारिणॆ || 1 ||

OM namashchaNDikAyai

mArkaNDEya uvAcha |

OM vishuddhaJNAnadEhAya trivEdIdivyachakShuShE |

shrEyaHprAptinimittAya namaH somArdhadhAriNE || 1 ||

Om. Salutation to ChaNDikA

MArkaNDEya said:

Om. To him whose body is pure knowledge, whose divine eyes are the three Vedas,

to him who is the cause of attaining the Supreme, salutation to the One who wears the half-moon.

What follows is not poetry; it is rage. It is rage that could not be contained except at the risk of a deep and lasting depression. It is rage against criminal injustice of which we are the victims. It is rage against all that is pure evil.

It is not only the Trump voters who have been played, though that is now obvious; it is all of us, and we are still being played. We are, first of all, being played by Vladimir Putin, whose agenda it is to weaken us and other Western countries by sowing divisions within them. We are further being played by the narcissistic moron currently masquerading as a legitimate President. Trump happily implements Putin’s agenda, pitting South against North, White against Black, NASCAR against NFL and NBA, and the flag-waving, phony patriotism of a Vietnam-war draft dodger against the legitimate protests of real patriots who want America’s symbols to really mean what they claim to mean.

Those protests, by the way, are protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution, for which Trump has little or no regard. His heroes are authoritarians such as Duterte and Erdogan (to whom the traitor Trump apologized for the faces of Americans having gotten in the way of the fists and sticks of Erdogan’s goons, on American soil).

We have a “President” who cares nothing about human rights, and lavishes adulation on dictators who care as little about them as he. In this, he is following in the footsteps of his father, who was active in the KKK. He has called White Supremacists and neo-Nazis “very fine people,” and referred to Black athletes as “sons of bitches.” His racism runs deep, which is why he sees nothing amiss in criticizing the people of Puerto Rico, who are US citizens (most of them currently lacking safe drinking water), and comparing them unfavorably to the people of Texas and Florida, instead of offering them timely disaster relief.

Trump is not a leader; he is a sower of division in the service of a foreign power. He is a modern Benedict Arnold who would sell out the country that has been good to him all his life for a few pieces of silver or a few million in Russian loans and help in stealing an election. He would divide us all to save his own sorry ass from the prison where he belongs and to distract us from what he does not want us to think about: Russia. Don’t let him do it.

Don’t let him do it.

This Whole Planet

This whole planet
is my home,
my roots go
everywhere.
My culture,
my traditions
are those of
all humans.
How can I raise one
above another?
Nagna says:
Other lives follow me
wherever I go.

--Nagna Devidas (Donald Traxler)

यह संपूर्ण ग्रह
मेरा घर है,
मेरी जड़ें चलें
हर जगह।
मेरी संस्कृति,
मेरी परंपराएं
वे हैं
सभी मनुष्यों
मैं एक कैसे बढ़ा सकता हूँ
दूसरे से ऊपर?
नग्न कहते हैं:
अन्य जीवन मेरे पीछे आते हैं
जहाँ भी मैं जाता हूँ।

Where Can We Go?

Where can we go
to escape the stench
of patriarchy?
Nagna says:
I haven't found
such a place.

--Nagna Devidas (Donald Traxler)

हम कहां जा सकते हैं
बदबू से बचने के लिए
पितृसत्ता का?
नग्न कहते हैं:
मुझे नहीं मिला है
ऐसी जगह

I Work, as Night is Falling

I work, as night is falling,
trying to protect
the Boss's tools.
What more can I do,
than I have done?
Nagna says:
Only the Boss will know,
and She will reveal it.

--Nagna Devidas (Donald Traxler)

मैं काम करता हूँ, जैसे रात गिरता है,
रक्षा करने की कोशिश कर रहा है
बॉस टूल
मेरे द्वारा और क्या किया जा सकता है,
मैंने क्या किया है?
नग्न कहते हैं:
केवल मालिक को पता चल जाएगा
और वह इसे प्रकट करेगी।

The Inner Time-frame

For some of us to appear
on the inner time-frame,
conditions on the outer
must also be right.
Nagna says:
We must not leave
our Mother's sight.

--Nagna Devidas (Donald Traxler)

हम में से कुछ को प्रकट होने के लिए
आंतरिक समय-फ्रेम पर
बाहरी स्थितियां
भी सही होना चाहिए
नग्न कहते हैं:
हमें नहीं छोड़ना चाहिए
हमारी मां की दृष्टि

argalAstotram 27

इदं स्तोत्रं पठित्वा तु महास्तोत्रं पठॆन्नरः | 
सप्तशतीं समाराध्य वरमाप्नोति दुर्लभम् || 27 ||

idaM stotraM paThitvA tu mahAstotraM paThEnnaraH |

saptashatIM samArAdhya varamApnoti durlabham || 27 ||

Having recited this hymn, one should recite the great hymn of seven hundred verses, 

and fulfilling that, one receives what is excellent and difficult to obtain.

                                     ॐ नमश्चण्डिकायै

                            OM namashchaNDikAyai

argalAstotram 26

तारिणी दुर्गसंसारसागरस्याचलोद्भवॆ | 
रूपं दॆहि जयं दॆहि यशो दॆहि द्विषो जहि || 26 ||

tAriNI durgasaMsArasAgarasyAchalodbhavE |

rUpaM dEhi jayaM dEhi yasho dEhi dviSho jahi || 26 ||

O saving raft who are the unmoving source of the ocean of samsara, which is difficult to cross,

give form, give victory, give glory, and kill the enemies.

ॐ
In the past 24 hours, the poetry blog has had 122 visits, of which 111 were to the three verses of the argalAstotram, an anga of the Devimahatmyam, that I published today. This is evidence of an extraordinary amount of interest, which I was not expecting and was totally unprepared for when I began this project. With only two verses to go to complete this text, I'm not sure what I will take up next, but will gladly accept guidance, from wherever it may come.

argalAstotram 25

भार्यां मनोरमां दॆहि मनोवृत्तानुसारिणीम् | 

रूपं दॆहि जयं दॆहि यशो दॆहि द्विषो जहि || 25 ||

bhAryAM manoramAM dEhi manovRRittAnusAriNIm |

rUpaM dEhi jayaM dEhi yasho dEhi dviSho jahi || 25 ||

Grant me a wife who is charming and of a following disposition.

Give form, give victory, give glory, and kill the enemies.

argalAstotram 24

दॆवि भक्तजनोद्दामदत्तानन्दोदयॆऽम्बिकॆ | 
रूपं दॆहि जयं दॆहि यशो दॆहि द्विषो जहि || 24 ||

dEvi bhaktajanoddAmadattAnandodayE.ambikE |

rUpaM dEhi jayaM dEhi yasho dEhi dviSho jahi || 24 ||

O Devi AmbikA, giving rise to limitless bliss in your devotees,

give form, give victory, give glory, and kill the enemies.

argalAstotram 23

इन्द्राणीपतिसद्भावपूजितॆ परमॆश्वरि | 
रूपं दॆहि जयं दॆहि यशो दॆहि द्विषो जहि || 23 ||

indrANIpatisadbhAvapUjitE paramEshvari |

rUpaM dEhi jayaM dEhi yasho dEhi dviSho jahi || 23 ||

O supreme ruler, worshiped with real feeling by IndrANI's lord,

give form, give victory, give glory, and kill the enemies.

argalAstotram 22

हिमाचलसुतानाथसंस्तुतॆ परमॆश्वरि | 
रूपं दॆहि जयं दॆहि यशो दॆहि द्विषो जहि || 22 ||

himAchalasutAnAthasaMstutE paramEshvari |

rUpaM dEhi jayaM dEhi yasho dEhi dviSho jahi || 22 ||

O supreme ruler, praised by Parvati's lord Shiva,

give form, give victory, give glory, and kill the enemies.

argalAstotram 21

कृष्णॆन संस्तुतॆ दॆवि शश्वद्भक्त्या सदाम्बिकॆ | 
रूपं दॆहि जयं दॆहि यशो दॆहि द्विषो जहि || 21 ||

kRRiShNEna saMstutE dEvi shashvadbhaktyA sadAmbikE |

rUpaM dEhi jayaM dEhi yasho dEhi dviSho jahi || 21 ||

O Devi, eternal mother,praised by Krishna with constant devotion,

give form, give victory, give glory, and kill the enemies.

argalAstotram 20

चतुर्भुजॆ चतुर्वक्त्रसंस्तुतॆ परमॆश्वरि | 

रूपं दॆहि जयं दॆहि यशो दॆहि द्विषो जहि || 20 ||

chaturbhujE chaturvaktrasaMstutE paramEshvari |

rUpaM dEhi jayaM dEhi yasho dEhi dviSho jahi || 20 ||

O four-armed one, praised by the four-faced one (BrahmA), supreme ruler,

give form, give victory, give glory, and kill the enemies.

argalAstotram 19

प्रचण्डदैत्य दर्पघ्नॆ चण्डिकॆ प्रणताय मॆ | 
रूपं दॆहि जयं दॆहि यशो दॆहि द्विषो जहि || 19 ||

prachaNDadaitya darpaghnE chaNDikE praNatAya mE |

rUpaM dEhi jayaM dEhi yasho dEhi dviSho jahi || 19 ||

O ChaNDikA, destroyer of the pride of daityas, to me who am bowed down,

give form, give victory, give glory, and kill the enemies.

argalAstotram 18

दॆवि प्रचण्डदोर्दण्डदैत्यदर्पनिषूदिनि | 
रूपं दॆहि जयं दॆहि यशो दॆहि द्विषो जहि || 18 ||

dEvi prachaNDadordaNDadaityadarpaniShUdini |

rUpaM dEhi jayaM dEhi yasho dEhi dviSho jahi || 18 ||

O Devi, destroyer of the pride of daityas with your long arm,

give form, give victory, give glory, and kill the enemies.

argalAstotram 17

विद्यावन्तं यशस्वन्तं लक्ष्मीवन्तञ्च मां कुरु | 
रूपं दॆहि जयं दॆहि यशो दॆहि द्विषो जहि || 17 ||

vidyAvantaM yashasvantaM lakShmIvantaJNcha mAM kuru |

rUpaM dEhi jayaM dEhi yasho dEhi dviSho jahi || 17 ||

Make me the possessor of knowledge, fame, and wealth.

Give form, give victory, give glory, and kill the enemies.

argalAstotram 16

सुरासुरशिरोरत्ननिघृष्टचरणॆऽम्बिकॆ | 

रूपं दॆहि जयं दॆहि यशो दॆहि द्विषो जहि || 16 ||

surAsurashiroratnanighRRiShTacharaNE.ambikE |

rUpaM dEhi jayaM dEhi yasho dEhi dviSho jahi || 16 ||

O AmbikA, whose feet are polished by the head-jewels of suras and asuras,

give form, give victory, give glory, and kill the enemies.

argalAstotram 15

विधॆहि द्विषतां नाशं विधॆहि बलमुच्चकैः | 
रूपं दॆहि जयं दॆहि यशो दॆहि द्विषो जहि || 15 ||

vidhEhi dviShatAM nAshaM vidhEhi balamuchchakaiH |

rUpaM dEhi jayaM dEhi yasho dEhi dviSho jahi || 15 ||

Grant destruction of my enemies, grant great strength.

Give form, give victory, give glory, and kill the enemies.

argalAstotram 14

विधॆहि दॆवि कल्याणं विधॆहि विपुलां श्रियम् | 
रूपं दॆहि जयं दॆहि यशो दॆहि द्विषो जहि || 14 ||

vidhEhi dEvi kalyANaM vidhEhi vipulAM shriyam |

rUpaM dEhi jayaM dEhi yasho dEhi dviSho jahi || 14 ||

Grant, O Devi, good fortune/virtue, and confer abundant wealth.

Give form, give victory, give glory, and kill the enemies.

[One of the texts I have replaces "abundant" (vipulAM) with "supreme" (paramAM).]

argalAstotram 13

दॆहि सौभाग्यमारोग्यं दॆहि दॆवि परं सुखम् | 
रूपं दॆहि जयं दॆहि यशो दॆहि द्विषो जहि || 13 ||

dEhi saubhAgyamArogyaM dEhi dEvi paraM sukham |

rUpaM dEhi jayaM dEhi yasho dEhi dviSho jahi || 13 ||

Grant good luck and health, O Devi, grant supreme happiness.

Give form, give victory, give glory, and kill the enemies.

argalAstotram 12

चण्डिकॆ सततं युद्धे जयन्ति पापनाशिनि | 
रूपं दॆहि जयं दॆहि यशो दॆहि द्विषो जहि || 12 ||

chaNDikE satataM yuddhe jayanti pApanAshini |

rUpaM dEhi jayaM dEhi yasho dEhi dviSho jahi || 12 ||

O chaNDikA, always in battle, victorious destroyer of evil,

give form, give victory, give glory, and kill the enemies.

argalAstotram 11

स्तुवद्भ्यो भक्तिपूर्वं त्वां चण्डिकॆ व्याधिनाशिनि | 
रूपं दॆहि जयं दॆहि यशो दॆहि द्विषो जहि || 11 ||

stuvadbhyo bhaktipUrvaM tvAM chaNDikE vyAdhinAshini |

rUpaM dEhi jayaM dEhi yasho dEhi dviSho jahi || 11 ||

O chaNDikA, destroyer of the diseases of those who bow before you with devotion,

give form, give victory, give glory, and kill the enemies.

argalAstotram 10

नतॆभ्यः सर्वदा भक्त्या चापर्णॆ दुरितापहॆ | 
रूपं दॆहि जयं दॆहि यशो दॆहि द्विषो जहि || 10 ||

natEbhyaH sarvadA bhaktyA chAparNE duritApahE |

rUpaM dEhi jayaM dEhi yasho dEhi dviSho jahi || 10 ||

O aparNA, you who take away the difficulties/sins of those who always bow down to you with devotion,

give form, give victory, give glory, and kill the enemies.

 

There is no security in this world (with Hindi translation)

There is no security in this world.
You go where you go,
and you do your best.

Nagna says:
The only peace
is at the Mother's breast.

--Nagna Devidas (Donald Traxler)

इस दुनिया में कोई सुरक्षा नहीं है
जाओ जहां आप जाते हैं,
और अपना सर्वश्रेष्ठ करें
नग्न कहते हैं:
केवल शांति
माँ के स्तन में है

Today the poetry blog had 255 visits. I'm amazed. Much of it is due to the popularity of my posts on the argalAstotram, which is one of the "angas" (limbs, or ancillary texts) of the Devi Mahatmyam (Glorification of the Goddess). Much of the interest is from Canada (currently the top source of visits to the blog), so there must be a group there that is practicing this tradition. I hope they will contact me and introduce themselves.

argalAstotram 9

अचिन्त्यरूपचरितॆ सर्वशत्रुविनाशिनि | 

रूपं दॆहि जयं दॆहि यशो दॆहि द्विषो जहि || 9 ||

achintyarUpacharitE sarvashatruvinAshini |

rUpaM dEhi jayaM dEhi yasho dEhi dviSho jahi || 9 ||

O you of unthinkable form and deeds, destroyer of all enemies,

give form, give victory, give glory, and kill the enemies

argalAstotram 8

वन्दिताङ्घ्रियुगॆ दॆवि सर्वसौभाग्यदायिनि | 
रूपं दॆहि जयं दॆहि यशो दॆहि द्विषो जहि || 8 ||

vanditAN^ghriyugE dEvi sarvasaubhAgyadAyini |

rUpaM dEhi jayaM dEhi yasho dEhi dviSho jahi || 8 ||

O devi at whose feet we bow, bestower of all well-being,

give form, give victory, give glory, and kill the enemies.

argalAstotram 7

निशुम्भशुम्भनिर्नाशि त्रैलोक्यशुभदॆ नमः | 
रूपं दॆहि जयं दॆहि यशो दॆहि द्विषो जहि || 7 ||

nishumbhashumbhanirnAshi trailokyashubhadE namaH |

rUpaM dEhi jayaM dEhi yasho dEhi dviSho jahi || 7 ||

Salutation, O destroyer of nishumbha and shumbha and protector of beauty/auspiciousness in the three worlds.

Give form, give victory, give glory, and kill the enemies.

You may laugh at me (with Hindi translation)

You may laugh at me,
and if you do,
I'll be laughing,too.

Nagna says:
How can the Mother of the Universe
know about me?

--Nagna Devidas (Donald Traxler)

तुम मुझ पर हंस सकते हो
और यदि आप करते हैं,
मैं भी हँस रहा हूँ, भी
नग्न कहते हैं:
ब्रह्मांड की मां कैसे हो सकती है
मेरे बारे में पता है?

I am not on the auction block (with Hindi)

I am not on the auction block,
I've given myself away.
Nagna says:
My heart is with the Mother,
and here I'll stay.

--Nagna Devidas (Donald Traxler)

मैं नीलामी ब्लॉक पर नहीं हूं,
मैंने खुद को दिया है
नग्न कहते हैं:
मेरा दिल माँ के साथ है
और यहाँ मैं रहना होगा

argalAstotram 6

रक्तबीजवधॆ दॆवि चण्डमुण्डविनाशिनि | 
रूपं दॆहि जयं दॆहि यशो दॆहि द्विषो जहि || 6 ||

raktabIjavadhE dEvi chaNDamuNDavinAshini |

rUpaM dEhi jayaM dEhi yasho dEhi dviSho jahi || 6 ||

O Devi, slayer of RaktabIja  and destroyer of ChaNDa and MuNDa,

give form, give victory, give glory, and kill the enemies.

Please Don't Call Me a Teacher (with Hindi translation)

Please don't call me a teacher,
I'm not, and have no desire.
Teachers have lineage
from one master to another,
but my only guru
is just the Mother.

Nagna says:
I'm only stirring
the embers of the fire.

--Nagna Devidas (Donald Traxler)


कृपया मुझे एक शिक्षक न कहो,
मैं नहीं हूं और मेरी कोई इच्छा नहीं है
शिक्षक की वंशावली
एक मास्टर से दूसरे तक,
लेकिन मेरे गुरु
माँ है
नग्न कहते हैं:
मैं सिर्फ सरगर्मी हूँ
आग

argalAstotram 5

धूम्रनॆत्रवधॆ दॆवि धर्मकामार्थदायिनि | 
रूपं दॆहि जयं दॆहि यशो दॆहि द्विषो जहि || 5 ||

dhUmranEtravadhE dEvi dharmakAmArthadAyini |

rUpaM dEhi jayaM dEhi yasho dEhi dviSho jahi || 5 ||

O Devi, slayer of DhUmra, bestower of righteousness, desire, and riches,

give form, give victory, give glory, and kill the enemies.

argalAstotram 4

महिषासुरनिर्नाशि भक्तानां सुखदॆ नमः | 
रूपं दॆहि जयं दॆहि यशो दॆहि द्विषो जहि || 4 ||

mahiShAsuranirnAshi bhaktAnAM sukhadE namaH |

rUpaM dEhi jayaM dEhi yasho dEhi dviSho jahi || 4 ||

Salutation to you, destroyer of MahiShAsura, who give happiness to your devotees.

Give form, give victory, give glory, kill the enemies.

argalAstotram 3

मधुकैतभविध्वंसि विधातृवरदॆ नमः | 
रूपं दॆहि जयं दॆहि यशो दॆहि द्विषो जहि || 3 ||

madhukaitabhavidhvaMsi vidhAtRRivaradE namaH |
rUpaM dEhi jayaM dEhi yasho dEhi dviSho jahi || 3 ||

Salutation to you who. in granting a boon, destroyed Madhu and Kaitabha,
Give form, give victory, give glory, kill the enemies.

argalAstotram 2

जयन्ती मङ्गला काली भद्रकाली कपालिनी | 
दुर्गा शिवा क्षमा धात्री स्वाहा स्वधा नमोऽस्तु तॆ || 2 ||

jayantI maN^galA kAlI bhadrakAlI kapAlinI |

durgA shivA kShamA dhAtrI svAhA svadhA namo.astu tE || 2 ||

Victory to auspicious KAlI, BhadrakAlI, wearing skulls. May DurgA, the patient bearer of the earth, be auspicious. SvAhA, SvadhA, salutations be unto you!