ॐ नमः शिवाय ॐ THE POEMS OF LALLA OF KASHMIR JK/NKK 117

JK/NKK 117
dèn tshèzi tà razan a:se,
bu:tal gaganas-kun vèka:se     |
tsandri ra:hu-grôs ma:va:se,
Siva pu:zun gav tsit-a:tma:se     ||

The day ends
and night comes,
the earth reaches out
to meet the sky.
The newborn moon
swallows the eclipse-demon.
True worship of Shiva
is awareness
of the Self.

Note: This poem is full of difficult symbolism, and there are different opinions as to its interpretation. I believe that the poem is about the triumph of higher consciousness over ignorance. Rahu is the name of the eclipse demon in Indian mythology and astrology, and here symbolizes the darkness of ignorance. The moon symbolizes higher consciousness. Conscious awareness of the higher Self is the antidote to mundane ignorance, and is the true way to worship Shiva.

ॐ नमः शिवाय ॐ

ॐ नमः शिवाय ॐ THE POEMS OF LALLA OF KASHMIR

As currently planned, my Lalla collection will include transliterated original texts and translations of 146 poems. Of these, 138 have now been done, and eight have still to be done. These last few translations should be completed within the next week, so the culmination of a twenty-year project is very near. Any thoughts on the best way to publish this labor of love will be welcomed.

ॐ नमः शिवाय ॐ

ॐ नमः शिवाय ॐ THE POEMS OF LALLA OF KASHMIR JK/NKK 32

JK/NKK 32
Svamanà ga:run manz yath kande,
yath kandi dapa:n svaru:p na:v     |
lu:b mu:h tsaliy Su:b yiyi; kande,
yath kandi ti:z tay sor praka:S     ||

Search for the soul
in this very body,
this body that we call
by the name of Self.     |
Give up greed and delusion,
and this body will be glorious,
this body will shine
with a light like the sun.

ॐ नमः शिवाय ॐ

ॐ नमः शिवाय ॐ THE POEMS OF LALLA OF KASHMIR JK/NKK 60

JK/NKK 60
mö:rith pö:ntsh bu:th tim phal-hönDiy,
tsi:tan da:nà tà vakhur khèth     |
tadai za:nakh paramàpad tsönDi:,
hiSi: kôSi khor könh-ti na: khèth     ||

Kill the five demons
like fattened rams,
having fed them
on the ritual cakes
of self-awareness.
Then, O restless woman,
you will know the Supreme,
and breaking the rules
will do you no harm.

Note: The five "demons" are lust, anger, greed, etc. (kam, krodh, lu:b, and two others that I'm forgetting--perhaps a reader will remind me what the others are). According to Grierson, the phrase that I have translated as "breaking the rules" literally means "the left-handed conduct," which would suggest the "vama marga" form of Tantrism. Lalla may have meant that, but there are other possibilities.

ॐ नमः शिवाय ॐ

ॐ नमः शिवाय ॐ THE POEMS OF LALLA OF KASHMIR JK/NKK 116

JK/NKK 116
asi: ö:sy tay ösi: a:sav,
asiy dor kari patavath     |
Sivas sori nà zyun tà marun,
ravas sori nà atagath     ||

In the past we have been,
and we shall be again.
Through long ages
we have come and gone,
like Shiva's
creating and dissolving,
or the rising and setting
of the sun.

ॐ नमः शिवाय ॐ

ॐ नमः शिवाय ॐ THE POEMS OF LALLA OF KASHMIR JK/NKK 95

JK/NKK 95
he gvara: parameSvara:,
ba:vtam tsè chuy antar vyôd     |
dvaSivay vvapàd:n kandà-pura:,
huh kavà turun tà ha:h kavà tôt     ||

O supremely respected teacher,
explain to me, for you know
the inner meaning:
both breathings rise
from kanda-pura;
why is "huh" cold,
and "hah" hot?

Note: This question is answered in JK/NKK 96, previously translated. Kanda-pura means "city of the bulb," and indicates an area at or near the pubic mound.

ॐ नमः शिवाय ॐ

ॐ नमः शिवाय ॐ THE POEMS OF LALLA OF KASHMIR JK/NKK 42

JK/NKK 42
rut tà krut soruy pazèm,
kanan nà bozun achan nà ba:và     |
oruk dapun yèli vvandà vuzèm,
ratna-di:p prazàlèm varzàni va:và     ||

Both good and bad,
I must tolerate all.
My ears will not hear,
nor my eyes see.
When the inner call
rises in my mind,
the jewel light will
shine for me,
even in the wind
of the storm.

Note: In this poem Lalla completes and resolves the dialog she began with herself in JK/NKK 43, previously translated. It's about learning to be less sensitive to, or even ignore, the taunts and jeers of others.

ॐ नमः शिवाय ॐ