The Flower Garland and the Sword
The flower garland and the sword,
From safety to the brink,
It’s all a case of binaries,
For that is how we think.
The flower garland and the sword,
As old as yang and yin:
One is all about going out,
The other, going in.
Ah, but it’s not such a simple thing
This business of yang and yin,
It’s not as clear as black and white,
Or piety and sin.
Brahma is the God without,
Atma, God within.
Women look for Brahma God,
The Atma is for men.
But that’s because what each one owns
Is the other’s secret need,
The man has always held the sword,
While woman holds the seed.
And so, the woman wants the world
The man, he wants repose.
The woman yearns to wield the sword,
The man to hold the rose.
Now please don’t get all huffy, folks,
I don’t want it on the chin.
Sexual identities in themselves,
Are not of gold, but tin.
The identity of Brahma and Self
Is where the Srutis end;
And the unity of opposites
Is where the genders bend.
The sexes are our greatest clue
To Sri Jugal Kishor,
Where contrasts are at last resolved,
And One makes love not war.
From GD. Again, see the Rabindranath poem.
Comments
The Jewel Garland of Hymns in Praise of the Guru, composed by Sri Govinda Kaula1"
1. Venerable Govinda, bestower of light and knowledge, Sage Kaula, whose excellence shines, arranging gifts of grace. Auspicious Guru, rising to protect and praise, a treasure within, a garland of virtues shining.
Salutations to the Goddess ||
Om, salutations to Sri Guru and Lord Shiva ||
Salutations to Sri Ganesha ||
May there be auspiciousness ||
He who abandons the delusional ignorance and reveals his true, pure form, which is beyond the grasp of ordinary people, is the great Lord, praised by divine sages. With a compassionate glance, he instantly liberates devoted souls who are bound by their own limitations. The great Guru of the Kaula lineage, the lord of speech, I praise him, the great Sahib || 1 ||
From a single aspect of his limitless power, the entire existence unfolds, and in an instant, it is all pervaded, transcending the illusion of time. His ever-flowing, complete, and pure presence pervades all worlds, the treasure of divine bliss, the jewel of consciousness, the great Sahib, Lord Shiva || 2 ||
In the beginning, illuminating the entire cosmos from the base chakra, taking refuge in the effulgent light, and possessing a nectar-like body with lotus-like hands and feet, he is praised by the sacred texts. Showering the nectar of immortality upon gods, sages, ancestors, and karmic beings, the cosmic abode of Shambhu is revealed, I worship the one known as Sahib || 3 ||
The creator who is pleased by the worship of his lotus feet, bestows creation upon the universe. Lord Vishnu and his friend Jishnu protect from dissolution through the worship of the lotus feet, and Rudra, along with Shesha and Sadashiva, maintain the three worlds through the power of their brows * * * *? Yashavi * * || 4 ||
You are independent, delighting in devotion, and hold sway over the hearts of your devotees, O Lord, You are the refuge of the universe, the source of all beings, and the eternal truth that is never forsaken. You possess complete knowledge of creation, preservation, and dissolution, and you are beyond the limitations of the cosmos. You are the treasure of compassion, the supreme glory, O great Sahib, I praise you || 5 ||
He who awakens all living beings from the slumber of illusion and creates them anew, as well as their transformations, is himself unchanging. In the singular and the multiple, through the waves of his own power, he engages in his divine play, appearing like countless forms, I meditate on that great Sahib || 7 ||
He is the free-spirited creator in the path of reasoning, the victor in the Sankhya philosophy, the revered one in the Jain tradition. In the science of sound, he is the essence of speech, united with the cosmic law in the realm of action, and the singer in the path of devotion. He is the one and only Brahman, the essence of the Vedas, the radiant Lord Hari sung in the Vaishnava tradition. In the Shaiva tradition, he is the ever-auspicious Shambhu, the incomparable and pure one, I take refuge in that great Sahib || 8 ||
He is eternally full of bliss, free from disease and unaffected by the phases of time, always laughing. Beyond duality, without beginning or end, he is the essence of non-dual consciousness, the unchanging and supreme art, the pure and ultimate Guru, the all-pervading Lord, unparalleled and eternal, I remember the great Sahib || 9 ||
Illuminating everything with the radiance of his reflection, delighting the senses, and surrounded by light. By him, even before the day, truth and knowledge are infused with brilliant energy. He spreads his pure, self-revealing, and auspicious nature for the sake of his beloved disciples, the compassionate Shiva, the ever-new, I adore the great Sahib, my Guru || 10 ||
On the earth, with the end of his arm adorned with the crescent moon, he has the radiant gaze of Lord Shiva. He is indeed Shankaranatha, dwelling in the body of the Guru, bestowing direct realization of the non-dual supreme truth through his gaze and his uplifting speech. I bow to you, O Shiva, the great Sahib, the essence of existence and consciousness || 12 ||
From his two feet flows the divine nectar that constantly satisfies and nurtures the devotees who take refuge in his lotus feet. The great Sahib, the supreme Shiva, who gladly grants lordship to his devotees, adorned by their praises, I remember him || 13 ||
He is the essence of stars, the saviour of existence, accompanied by immortals, and the lord of all worlds. He is the treasure trove of all scriptural nectar, the perfect seer, the eternal one, the greatest and most resplendent light among lights. Reflecting on the true nature of his own self, I worship the great Sahib, the supreme Shiva || 14 ||
From his speech, skilled in destroying the sorrows of the bowed, flows the divine Ganges. With the sanctified, gracious gaze of the sages, he purifies the contaminated and extends the flow of divine wisdom. The supreme lord of the universe, the best of Gurus, the doer of good, I bow to the omnipresent Sahib || 15 ||
Lakshmi, who is inseparably devoted to the lotus feet of the Lord of the world, has abandoned her artificial nature and is firmly established in true joy. The Lord, full of divine power, bestows both enjoyment and liberation, I bow to the great Sahib, the Lord Shrinatha, the Guru of the lineage || 17 ||
As the sky is all-pervading, as the cool moon is pleasing, as Janardana is worshipped by the celestial beings. The ever-resplendent lord of the three worlds, the moon-like lord of lords, the eternal refuge for devotees of Mahesh, I praise you, O Sahib, O Shambhu, the possessor of supreme power, the dispeller of all sorrows ||| 18 ||
O great Sahib, you are the fire that consumes the darkness of ignorance, the great time that devours time itself. You are Indra, Varuna, the wind, the sweet enemy of Madhu, the all-accomplished lord of lords, the great Guru Mahesh || 19 ||
He has the moon and the sun as his eyes, the eight powers as his limbs, the sky as his head, and the earth as his feet. He has the ocean in his belly, the fire in his face, and his speech is subtle nectar. He has directions as his ears, and the earth as his feet, the life of the world, the fierce one. I meditate on the great Sahib, Shrinatha, the amazing form, the resplendent one || 20 ||
The compassionate Lord of the Universe, Bhairava, is joined with the joyful goddess. Through the initiation of the sacred tradition, the great adepts receive the knowledge of esoteric doctrines. Though unmanifest, he is the embodiment of mercy and the ocean of divine wisdom. I praise the Lord Sahibam, the glorious master of the Kaula tradition || 22 ||
That which is full of the power of emptiness, the source of all qualities, and the formless abode of supreme bliss pervades the entire world. Known as both dual and non-dual, this form is sung by sages and great yogis. I take refuge in that supremely blissful Lord Sahibam, who is the essence of consciousness || 23 ||
With the blessings of Brahma and Saraswati, I stand before you, filled with love. Joined with the foremost of gods, such as Mahasena, I constantly praise the great guru who is supreme among the world. I bow to that form of Lord Sahibam, who is Parashiva and the refuge for everyone || 24 ||
O Lord of all gods, the divine one who is both mantra and mantrika, residing in the Kaula tradition, may you be free from fear. I bow down to the ever-youthful Lord, whose form is embraced by Shakti, and whose face is always radiant with joy || 25 ||
I praise you, the destroyer of duality and the sun that dispels darkness, who is the support of the three worlds. By offering your holy feet to Shiva, our sins are destroyed and we become devoted to you. Victory to the auspicious padukas! || 26 ||
O Lord, who can meditate on your form as the creator of time and space? How can one perform worship for you, who gives meaning to the universe? I surrender to you, the greatest of gurus, who is the embodiment of truth, peace, and supreme bliss || 28||
Having bathed with the purified essence of the moon's nectar, sprinkling the earth with the nectar of consciousness, and illuminating the highest knowledge with divine splendour, I worship the Lord Sahibam, the abode of the divine couple || 29 ||
Whether one is ignorant, wise, or somewhere in between, the shelter of your feet removes enmity and brings peace. Forgiveness is like a rain cloud that extinguishes the fires of worldly existence. Pleasure and yoga both lead to purification through the celebration of your padukas. I praise you, the compassionate and ever-present Lord Sahibam, Shankara || 30 ||
By the grace of the Lord, this hymn called "The Glorious Jewel Garland of Hymns in Praise of the Great Lord of the Kaula Tradition, Sri Sahibam" has been composed with 31 verses, including the heart's gemstones, and is offered with utmost devotion to the lotus feet of the great teacher for his pleasure and satisfaction || 31 ||
By worshipping the lotus feet of this Lord, one attains His supreme grace. The all-pervading, blissful consciousness that illuminates everything is known as the light of the cosmos. Salutations to the Goddess || 32 ||
The Lord of the Universe, whose glory is praised in the sacred scriptures and the shining moon of logic, is pleased by the festival of worshipping His lotus feet. Sri Govinda offers this hymn with nine gemstones, which bestow both worldly enjoyment and spiritual liberation upon those who recite it with devotion and wisdom || 33 ||
This concludes the "Garland of Gems in Praise of the Guru" composed by Sri Govinda Kaula, the devoted disciple of the great Maheshvara Acharya and Sri Jyotishprakasha Kaulananda. It was completed in the year 39 of the Samvat era on the tenth day of the bright half of the month of Vaivatidaśasyāṃ. This work is to be understood by the wise ||
Sanskrit Manuscript Source: Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin Preussischer Kulturbesitz Orientabteilung Hs Or. 11126 Vollst.