Thursday, May 12, 2016
Lalla--poem
NOTICE: JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU THAT I HAVE NOW FOUND A NEW APARTMENT. IT IS IN FACT IN THE SAME BUILDING WHERE I LIVE AT PRESENT. I AM VERY HAPPY TO THINK OF THIS MUCH EASIER MOVE. THANKS TO ALL FOR YOUR GOOD THOUGHTS AND WISHES!
I traveled a long way seeking God
By Lalla
(14th Century)
English version by Swami Muktananda
I traveled a long way seeking God,
but when I finally gave up and turned back,
there He was, within me!
O Lalli!
Now why do you wander
like a beggar?
Make some effort,
and He will grant you
a vision of Himself
in the form of bliss
in your heart.
Here is a description from the Poetry Foundation:
Born in modern-day Kashmir, 14th-century Kashmiri saint and mystic poet Lal Ded (Mother Lalla), also known as Lalla or Lalleshwari, was married at the age of 12 into a family that was reported to have regularly mistreated her. After becoming a disciple of Sidh Srikanth, she renounced her material life and marriage to become a devotee of the god Shiva. As a mystic, she wandered naked, reciting her proverbs and quatrain-based poems. Lal Ded often used her poetry as a peaceful means of engagement with both Shaivism and Sufism.
(Image found on internet. It is, of course, merely an artist's rendering. Notice that she is holding the trident, which is the mark of a Shaivite.)
