ॐ नमः शिवाय ॐ THE POEMS OF LALLA OF KASHMIR JK/NKK 27

JK/NKK 27
khènà khènà kara:n kun no va:takh,
na khènà gatshakh ahamkö:ri:     |
sômuy khè, ma:li, sômuy a:sakh
sami khènà màtsàrànay barànyèn tö:ri:

Eating too much will
get you nowhere,
not eating will
feed your ego.
If you eat moderately,
you yourself will be moderate.
Moderate eating
will open
the closed doors.

Note: The "closed doors" are probably the chakras. Lalla tells us in several places that she traversed all the chakras, reaching the highest, the sahasrara (thousand-petaled) lotus.

ॐ नमः शिवाय ॐ

ॐ नमः शिवाय ॐ THE POEMS OF LALLA OF KASHMIR JK/NKK 25

JK/NKK 25
zanàm prö:vith vèbhav na: tshonDum,
lu:ban bu:gan böràm nà pray     |
sômuy a:ha:r sèTha:h zonum,
tsôlum du:khà-va:v polum day     ||

In life I did not seek
wealth and luxury,
nor did I become attached
to greed and
sense-pleasures.
Moderate in food and drink,
I patiently faced
the winds of adversity,
and remained devoted
to God.

ॐ नमः शिवाय ॐ

ॐ नमः शिवाय ॐ THE POEMS OF LALLA OF KASHMIR JK/NKK 34

JK/NKK 34
treSi bvachi mo kreSina:vun,
ya:ny tshèyi ta:ny sanda:run dih     |
phraT con da:run tà pa:run,
kar vvapaka:run svay chay kray     ||

Don't subject your body
to hunger and thirst,
care for it
when it is famished.
To hell with your
concentration and
reciting.
Do good to others,
that is the real
(religious) practice.

Note: I have translated this because Jayalal Kaul included it in his watershed collection, but it isn't very well supported textually, and I have some doubts as to its authenticity.

ॐ नमः शिवाय ॐ

ॐ नमः शिवाय ॐ THE POEMS OF LALLA OF KASHMIR JK/NKK 33

JK/NKK 33
yèvà tà:r tsali tim ambar hèta:,
kSôd yèvà gali tim a:ha:r ann     |
tsèta: sva-para vètsa:ras pèta:,
tsèta: dihas va:n kya: van     ||

Wear only such clothing
as keeps away the cold,
eat only such food
as makes hunger disappear.
O mind, contemplate upon
the Self and the Supreme,
and give this counsel
to the body.

Note: There are several variants for the last two lines. I have chosen what is supported by the oldest texts and seems most likely to me.

ॐ नमः शिवाय ॐ

ॐ नमः शिवाय ॐ THE POEMS OF LALLA OF KASHMIR JK/NKK 31

JK/NKK 31
kandyo karakh kandi kande,
kandyo karakh kandi vèla:s     |
bu:gày mi:Thy ditith yath kande,
ath kandi roziy su:r natà sa:s     ||

O dweller in a body,
be not obsessed
with the body,
playing with it
wantonly,
giving it treats
and sweets.
Of this body
not even ashes
will remain.

ॐ नमः शिवाय ॐ

ॐ नमः शिवाय ॐ THE POEMS OF LALLA OF KASHMIR JK/NKK 40

JK/NKK 40
mu:D zö:nith tà pöSith ôn,
zôr tà kôl Srutàvôn zaD rupy a:s     |
yus yuth vaniy tas tyuth bol,
suy chuy tattvavidas abya:s     ||

Though you know,
act the fool,
seeing, be as one
who is blind.
Hearing and speaking,
be as one who
is deaf and dumb.
Whatever they tell you,
say the same.
This is the practice
of one who knows
the great truths.

Note: The word "tattvavidas," in the last line, literally means "one who knows the tattvas." The tattvas are the elemental principles upon which the cosmos is based.

ॐ नमः शिवाय ॐ

 

ॐ नमः शिवाय ॐ THE POEMS OF LALLA OF KASHMIR JK/NKK 39

JK/NKK 39
ö:sa: bol pöDinèm sa:sa:,
mè mani va:sa: khi:d na: hèye     |
bôh yôd sahazà Sankar bàkts a:sa:
makuris sa:sa: mal kya: pèye     ||

Let a thousand mouths
insult me,
in my mind
I'll feel no pain.
If I am a true devotee
of the Peacemaker (Shiva),
how can ashes stain
a mirror?

Note: Ashes were often used to polish the mirrors of Lalla's time.

ॐ नमः शिवाय ॐ