Tsamar chather rath singh aasan

Tsa’mar cha’ther rath singh’aasan,
Ah’laad naa’tye-ras tuuli-pra’yank;
Kyaah mae’nith yate s’thaer aase’wun,
Kave zana kae’sy mar’nech shainkh!

“A royal hand-propelled fan, sunshade canopy and a chariot, merry revelries, delights of the theater and a royal bedstead with soft cotton fillings! How you enjoy these things? Do you imagine they can last ever for you? Or you believe these things dissipate the fear of death!”

Lalleshuri points out the real or perceived flaws in the royal life patterns of a worldly wealthy person, a baron or a king sitting on his royal chariot, the royal flying whisk moving to and fro overhead, a sunshade canopy and the throne, dancing girls presenting a theater show, resting on a comfortable cotton filled soft seat with soft pillows all around. Now Lalleshuri critically questions such a beneficiary the stability of these things saying, “How do you prefer indulging into such fineries and enjoyments? Would these things ever prove permanently stable for you or would you be able to continue them after you leave this body frame? Would these things save you ultimately from the fear of life and death?” The answer to all these queries is obviously in negative as all such worldly enjoyments are of no permanent substance and can be continued only till the end of the present life. All worldly glamour and enjoyments, wealth and status are just short-lived without any stability so it’s all futile to attach oneself to these transitory objects for a moment’s pleasure. Thus it’s again a reminder to the mortal being that the only thing that would serve the purpose is whatever work is done towards the realization of self and spiritual development

Chammar (H.P. Fan usually used in present day Gurudwars), Chatter (Royal embrella), Rath (Chariot), Singhasan (Royal Seat), ??????? Kyah (what), Meenith (to measure), yateh (Here), Sither(Permanent), KavZan(How it will? ), Kaesei (Get rid of), Marnech (Death), Shainkh (Doubt)

Lalleshwari Lal Ded of kashmir

Lalleshuri is one of the greatest representatives of Kashmir Shaivism commonly known as Trika-philosophy concerned with the three-fold existence of the Parma-Shiva  the universal being, Shakti -- the universal energy and Nara, the individual being.

The history of Kashmiri poetry commences with the Vaakhs of Lalleshuri as all great writers and poets before and even after preferred Sanskrit. She was not only a brilliant literary genius but also a highly awakened ascetic who had achieved all the heights of spiritual awakening by becoming one with her Lord.Her holy person was a living incarnation of Lord Shiva who had come with a mission to give eternal solace to the suffering masses of Kashmir divided in their faith and warring with each other.

The recognition that her Vaakhs received from the common man since their inception is unprecedented, so much so that her Vaakhs are sung morning and evening as a sacred word by devotees for the retribution of their sins. She encouraged people to live a life of piety and discipline and stressed that the real devotion of God was the service of the suffering man. Lalleshuri with her strong innate strength of conviction and sincere effort put to an end to the dismal era of persecution and vandalism. She encouraged compromise and affirmation. Having elected to tread the path of self-suffering, she became a model for millions of her country-men to abjure the mundane and propitiate the sublime. Thus the sufferings of the people lost its sting and they learnt to bear with.

Lalleshuri's Guru popularly known as Sedh Mol was in fact their family purohit and obviously well-versed in Kashmir Shaivism, a perfect yogi and an awakened soul. She gave Her a thorough grounding step by step till her final realization which is accepted by Lalleshuri in her various Vaakhs.Lalleshuri admits with pride that her master (Guru) is both father and mother to her who made her spiritually blind eyes capable to see. She confesses honestly that her Guru made her bare body wear the royal celestial garments and made it capable to stand upright. She further glorifies her Guru being the divine sight of her eyes and an equal partaker of the outcome of her good deeds and divine activities. Thus, as per Lalleshuri the role of a Guru in the path of spiritual advancement is too great to be ignored.

Lalleshuri (Lal-Ded) of Kashmir was a great devotee of the divine word OM (AUM). Under the guidance of her Guru Maharaj she seems to have done very deep mediations on the divine word OM and achieved her desired goals in her spiritual journey.

Lalleshuri has stressed upon the practice of Pranayama for the purpose of the basic wellbeing to the mental purification, meditation and all other spiritual attainments including Kundalini Jagran.

According to Kashmir Shaivism 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 shed the shackles of worldly attachments and thus he goes on living life after life without performing its actual purpose.

The formidable task here is to experience the truth 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)

Pranayama is the control or regulation of ‘Prana’ (breath). All the functions of our body are directly or indirectly related to Prana. It has been compared to and given the status of Brahma (the creator and the supreme being) from which this entire universe has emerged. Prana is present in all the cells of our body. The sense organs of the body take rest occasionally but the Prana is always active. Constant movement is its innate character. It provides energy to all our limbs, organs, brain and spinal cord. The sages of the Upanishads say, “Whatever is there in the universe, within or beyond our cognition, is all in the control of Prana.” Pranayama has the capacity of freeing the mind of ignorance, untruthfulness and all other painful and unpleasant experiences of the body and mind; and when the mind becomes clean it facilitates the seeker to concentrate on the desired spiritual goals and it becomes possible for him to progress furthering the direction of Dhyana and Samadhi.

By Yogaasanas we remove the distortions and disabilities of the physical body and bring it into discipline but Pranayama influences the subtle and the physical bodies in a greater measure than Yogaasanas do and that too in a perceptible manner. Physically Pranayama is a systematic exercise of respiration, which makes the lungs stronger, improves blood circulation and makes a person healthier and ensures a longer life. Inhalation (Purak) stimulates the system and fills the lungs with fresh air. Retaining the breath (Kumbak) raises internal temperature and plays an important role in increasing the absorption of oxygen. Exhalation (Rechak) causes the diaphragm to return to the original position and air full of toxins and impurities is forced out by the contraction of inter-costal muscles. The activities massage the abdominal muscles and tone up the working of various organs of the body.

Normally people are not in the habit of breathing deeply with the result that only one fourth of the lungs are brought into action as a routine. Most of the pores in the lungs do not get regular fresh oxygen and fall victim to disease. The regular Pranayama helps in flushing out all these pores with fresh air. The regular practitioners of Pranayama enjoy a long disease free life as numerous diseases are averted by the free flow of Prana in the body.