Prosperity

Part I: Happy Birthday

Bonu, my love, my sister, Aritri,

Soldier, maker of your own destiny,

You have grown and gained prosperity,

With house and home, friends and family

All the comforts of life at your feet

 

May you enjoy these and more,

May every year have bounties in store,

May you always help those who are in need,

May you never succumb to greed,

May your wisdom ever increase.

 

You can stop reading here seriously,

عيد ميلاد سعيد (Eid milad saeid), may you be happy,

But if you want to read, I have a story,

Whose meaning I hope you can see,

And live your life accordingly.

 

Part II: Kubera

 

Long ago in the Vedas it is told,

How all creation came to unfold,

There were Gods and Demons, but Bonu did you know?

That apart from these, there were the Others also?

Who were to the humans neither friend nor foe.

 

They were thieves and tricksters, prostitutes and spies,

All useful in their own way, but universally despised,

Which is why they were categorised,

As the amitra jana, the unfriendly ones,

Neither loved nor hated, merely utilized.

 

By those who wanted money, but did not want to earn,

They turned to these outcasts in order to learn,

How to get rich quick at others' expense,

And thus thrived an underworld so dense,

That the wealth of society accumulated in their dens.

 

That is how the king of their secret society

A creature named Kubera, came to be,

The epitome of opulence, the master of stealth,

Even before Lakṣmī became a Goddess,

Kubera was Dhanada, the (original) giver of wealth

 

Stories were written about him, he was invoked,

At coronations, births and weddings, so he'd be stoked,

And grant boons of power and of course hard cash,

But that did not last, and his stocks crashed,

He was replaced by a new Goddess at last.

 

Part III: Lakṣmī

 

Some say she is the daughter of the sea

Others say she was born of a muni

We know her as the Goddess Lakṣmī

Seated on a lotus, decked in finery

Worshipped always by all and sundry

 

But why does this powerful Lady,

Bow always at her husband's feet?

Why when we say 'Lakṣmī has come',

(At the birth of a daughter)

We mean it sarcastically?

 

Before she was known as a Goddess you see,

She was just the representation of money,

To be owned and used at others' mercy,

Just like a woman under Patriarchy.

(And that's why she's a 'she' not a 'he')

 

Wealth circulates, luck is unpredictable,

But she is blamed and called चञ्चला (Chanchalā) the fickle,

Men ruin themselves trying to possess her,

When they fail they call her जया (Jayā) the indomitable,

And proceed to weave an elaborate fable.

 

Of how Vishnu tamed her, made her his wife,

Raped her as Tulsi, made her take her own life,

Because in the end, even the most precious prize,

Is but an object, to be used or abused,

That's why Bonu I hope you realize.

 

Neither the pursuer nor the pursued be,

Lead your life with equanimity,

I know you're the champion of frugality,

This is just a reminder, queen; Forgive me,

For being worried sometimes, as your Didi

Once more on your annual coming of age,

Didi has this special message,

Happy Birthday sister, may you have many more,

May you visit and be welcome at any shore,

May sorrow and woe be gone from your door.

 

वेदोक्त रात्रिसूक्तम् (Vedokta Rātrisūktam)

उत्पत्ति: ऋग्वेदसंहितायां दशमं मण्डलं, १२७ सप्तविंशत्युत्तरशततमं सूक्तम् ।
Source: Rigveda, Book 10, Sukta 127
Order: Phonetic devanagari verse, Literal translation preserving word order (L), Simple translation (S), Explanation (E)


1. रात्री॒ व्य॑ख्यदाय॒ती पु॑रु॒त्रा दे॒व्य१॒॑क्षभिः॑ । विश्वा॒ अधि॒ श्रियो᳚ऽधित ॥

L: The Goddess Night approaches, looking upon many places with her many eyes, bearing many fortunes.

S: The world has many aspects, and the Goddess Night sees them all with her many eyes as she approaches, bringing many kinds of providence.

E: The theme of the verse is plurality. The world has many places, which undergo many seasons, and in fact there is more than one world. She has many eyes (not just two) and she looks through all of them, at all aspects. She comes bearing many fortunes, both in the sense of wealth, and in the sense of luck.

2. ओर्व॑प्रा॒ अम॑र्त्या नि॒वतो॑ दे॒व्यु१॒॑द्वत॑: । ज्योति॑षा बाधते॒ तम॑: ॥

L: The immortal Goddess occupies all dimensions of space, both causing the darkness and countering it with light.

S: The Goddess spans all of time (is immortal), fills all of space and contains within her both darkness (absence of the sun) and the light that ends it (the moon and stars).

E: The theme here is that the Goddess is all-encompassing.

3. निरु॒ स्वसा॑रमस्कृतो॒षसं॑ दे॒व्या॑य॒ती । अपेदु॑ हासते॒ तम॑: ॥

L: The Goddess as she approaches brings her sister, the Goddess Dawn, after her, and thus ends the darkness.

S: The Goddess brings her sister, the Goddess Dawn, in tow, and thus darkness gives way to light.

E: The idea is that the Goddess does not come alone. She and her sister come in turns, bringing darkness and light.

4. सा नो॑ अ॒द्य यस्या॑ व॒यं नि ते॒ याम॒न्नवि॑क्ष्महि । वृ॒क्षे न व॑स॒तिं वय॑: ॥

L: May she favour us, at whose advent we settle down, just as birds do in their arboreal nests.

S: Her advent makes us settle down, just as birds do in their nests. May she always favour us.

E: This is where the prayer starts. We seek the blessings of the Night, who causes us to seek shelter and repose.

5. नि ग्रामा॑सो अविक्षत॒ नि प॒द्वन्तो॒ नि प॒क्षिण॑: । नि श्ये॒नास॑श्चिद॒र्थिन॑: ॥

L: The villagers (humans), those with legs (beasts), and those with wings (birds) all settle down, even the birds that seek prey.

S: Villagers, beasts and even birds pursuing prey settle down at her advent.

E: The emphasis is on the Night being a time where all activity stops

6. या॒वया॑ वृ॒क्यं१॒॑ वृकं॑ य॒वय॑ स्ते॒नमू॑र्म्ये । अथा॑ नः सु॒तरा॑ भव ॥

L: O Goddess Ūrmyā, keep away the she-wolf, the he-wolf and those who steal, and become easy to pass.

S: O Goddess Night, keep danger at bay - be they wolves or thieves, and be safe for us to pass.

E: While actual thieves and wolves are a material threat IRL (and are more likely to appear at night), in this verse they also represent other spiritual dangers. It is particularly curious that the female and male wolves are mentioned separately. But we don’t have enough context to determine the exact nature of the spiritual dangers being referred to. It is totally open to interpretation. For example, the Gitā Press translation interprets the wolves as desire, i.e. that which gives birth to sin (female wolf) and the sin itself (male wolf).

7. उप॑ मा॒ पेपि॑श॒त्तम॑: कृ॒ष्णं व्य॑क्तमस्थित । उष॑ ऋ॒णेव॑ यातय ॥

L: The blue-black darkness appears; O Goddess Dawn, clear it as if it were a debt.

S: O Goddess Dawn, clear the blue-black darkness, just as wealth clears debt.

E: A clear night sky can be ablaze with stars (especially in the pre-industrial era), but nights can be cloudy and/or moonless too. This verse appeals to the sister of the Goddess Night, to dispel the darkness that Night herself cannot dispel on her own.

The imagery in this verse is especially interesting. The first part of the verse specifically attributes a colour to the darkness. That means the darkness is not impenetrable, and it does reflect some light. So, all hope is not lost. 

The imagery of darkness being cleared as if it were debt ties back to the first verse in which the Goddess Night comes bearing fortunes.

8. उप॑ ते॒ गा इ॒वाक॑रं वृणी॒ष्व दु॑हितर्दिवः । रात्रि॒ स्तोमं॒ न जि॒ग्युषे॑ ॥

L: Accept these cattle-like hymns, O daughter of heaven, Goddess Night, just as victors accept their spoils

S: O Goddess Night, daughter of heaven, accept these hymns, which are like the cattle and homage offered to victors of raids.

E: Vedic India had pastoral tribes that raided each other for cattle, and these raids or battles were often the subject of songs and stories. Hence the comparison to cattle and homage.

Indra and Hanuman

Invocation

 

Upon the waves of the milky ocean,

Using a coiled serpent as his bed,

Lies the shining deity Ranganatha

 

His lotus feet I always seek,

His praises I shall ever sing,

For wisdom lies therein.

 

Story

 

My dearest friend, sister mine,

You had always taken a shine,

To the bedtime stories I once told,

When you were not yet half as old

As you are today.

 

So I tell you another tale,

Of a hero you know and love,

Blessed with strength and fearlessness,

But was too young to know better

And abused it.

 

He liked fruits you see,

Because he was a monkey,

And in his childish fun,

Set his eyes upon the sun,

To eat it.

 

Monkey see and monkey do,

Doesn’t think things through,

Just to fulfil his desire,

Leaps high and flies higher

Into orbit.

 

Unlike another young man,

From another mythology,

Who flew wings held with wax,

Our monkey leapt into the sky,

And didn't die.

 

The sun looked at him and fled,

And to the other Gods he pled,

Save me from that crazy ape,

Who follows with mouth agape,

He'll kill me.

 

Then He who had a thousand eyes,

Firstborn of Aditi, ever wise,

Appeared at his brother's call,

And to stop the monkey small,

He punched him.

 

Mighty though he was, the ape,

Was no match for Indra the great,

And fell to the ground nearly dead,

But at his father Vayu's request,

Indra raised him.

 

Little monkey you are small but bold,

You will know better when you're old,

Until then your powers I keep,

Under lock and key, for you to use,

In emergency.

 

I resurrect you, said the King,

And heal your broken jaw,

Because in Sanskrit the same,

Is called a हनु (hanu), your name,

Shall be Hanuman.

 

Thus it happened when the time

To leap to Lanka came around

To rescue Sita and report to Ram

His awesome powers were unbound

The rest you know.

 

Benediction

 

Bonu, like your favourite God,

You have reached many heights,

The clan, the country and career,

All behold you with pride

And always will.

 

In telling you this ancient tale,

I hope to not only regale,

And pass the time, but also tell,

Know your powers and know also

Your limits.

 

Know your foes, choose your friends

For their bravery and good sense

So that they will not hesitate

To either praise you or punch you

To set you straight.

 

As in heaven the thunder wielder

As on earth the immortal ape

Guide their respective realms

So may my sister lead and protect

Her dependents.

मर्यादा

All is fair in love and war,

Quoth the party holding power,

And relentlessly pursued,

Both with equal attitude.

Did they think it would be kind,

That their lover would not mind,

Being treated just the same,

As some hapless hunting game?

 

And what of those who would fight,

For the causes that are right,

But severely lack the means,

To protect their hopes and dreams? 

So bear in mind before you raise

Your arms, or desire chase,

Let not your pleasure prevail,

Over the needs of the frail.

For as a better poet wrote,

It does transpire as in the quote,

That the strong who crush the weak

May not be shown the other cheek.

오세호 (Oh Se-ho)

Oh you poor broken boy
Raised by a tyrant
In a gilded cage

Oh father of this hateful man
Who follows his hateful parent
In a misguided rampage

Alas, alas! O destroyer you
Betrayer of friends
And teacher's woe

May 복수's 복수*
Not fail to reclaim your soul
May he further your goal

Dedicated to the antagonist of the drama My Strange Hero (aka Bok-su is back, 복수가 돌아왔다)

*pronounced Bok-su, it is the protagonist's name, and means 'revenge' in Korean

State of mind

Many screeds I read
Many creeds I repeat
Regardless of their merit I pay them heed
Ideas come and go in on a two-way street
My theories of everything will never be complete

In deep waters I hide
In deep waters I reside
The burden of this ocean I carry inside
Stirred by currents and eddies and the shifting tide
My mind is an arena where these thoughts collide

The tides of fiction, currents of affairs
With notions abstract
And pretensions of fact
They seek my attention, they give me nightmares
I cannot go without
They're all I think about

So I drown myself in vice
And my body pays the price
I can tolerate this pain
At least I'm not insane

(Sung to the tune of Gasoline, by Halsey)

화유기 2

(Hwayugi 2)

On the occasion of Vijayadaśami, and the departure of the Goddess, I wrote this summary of the mythological Korean Drama Hwayugi in Sanskrit, dedicating it to the Goddess Gwan-eum (Sanskrit: Avalokitasvarā) who secretly controls the plot of this story in the form of 'the peddler'. May the Goddess bless us all.

धर्मार्थकामदां देवीं नमामि शोकनाशिनीं ।
निर्वाणरूपांवरदां आर्यामवलोकितस्वराम् ।।

I bow to the noble Goddess Avalokitasvarā, who is the provider of dharma, artha and kāma, the destroyer of grief, the granter of boons and the embodiment of nirvāṇa.

बन्ध्नासित्वं हरिश्रेष्ठं चञ्चलं प्रीतिनिग्रहे ।
येनसः रतिमान्लेभे दैवैपि विजयं शुभम् ।।

You bind the best of monkeys, who is capricious, in the bonds of love, owing to which the smitten one achieves victory even over fate.

याजातातवप्रसादेन अहिंहन्यतेतया ।
सुबोधिनः च देवानाम् सिध्यतैवतारया ।। 

The dragon is slain by the woman born by your grace; (the mission) of Subodhi and the Gods is accomplished by that Avatar.

सुरासुरयोः मध्येत्वं संधिंघटयसिप्रियम् ।
रक्षसि वृशभपुत्रं क्षमसेतस्यमातरम् ।।

You cause a delightful union between the Gods and Monsters; you protect the son of the Bull and forgive his mother (i.e. the Bull's wife).

एषा कथा रमणीया कीर्तिभिः तव प्रेरिता ।
विरचिता हङ् स्वसृभ्यां भासतांमेहृदिसदा ।।

May this gratifying tale inspired by your exploits and composed by the two Hong sisters always shine in my heart.

Note: Feedback on errors in my Sanskrit composition are welcome. 

화유기

(Hwayugi)

Invocation

तुष्यत देव देवेश अन्याः श्रेष्ठाः च द्वादशाः ।
मोक्षयात तापात्दीनान्  श्रेयसि यान्तु ते सदा ।।

Tale

I dreamt I was Indiana Jones
Chased by a rolling stone
But the tunnel was a Mobius strip
And there was no way back home

The ceiling was broken in parts
Opening out to the sky

But for the purpose of escape
It was just a bit too high

On and on and on again
I ran then fell then walked
As soon as I thought it was gone
The stubborn stone appeared

Unable to run, unable to rest
Too hopeful to die
I was trapped in this cycle
Too weary even to cry

Cornered then I had no choice
But to turn around and look
And observe my nemesis
As the ground it shook

And I found the boulder then
Was of a curious sort
Just slow enough to outrun
But too fast for comfort

So placing my trust in my brains
And my heart in my hand
I braced myself for impact
Making it my last stand

Lo and behold! The boulder bold
Stopped right there in its track
The walls all came tumbling down
And I woke up on my back

This parable that Morpheus wove
I do now understand,
The Gods may write a cruel fate
But not one we can’t stand

With pluck and smarts and faith besides
All doom is overcome
The monkey with the heart of stone
Will to the monk succumb

Epilogue

I am no good at verse or to converse (to), but around good company I begin to think that although no meteor may cross my sky, the stars will always be bright.

The Bell of Mithra

I found in an abandoned temple

A bell, wrapped in cobwebs and silence

That once honored an ancient deity

Who even now lay asleep within

Curious, my heathen hand

Reached out to the sacred metal

And along with the silvery peals

A whisper filled the air

Softly, it spoke of the memories

Of the exploits of that divinity

The prayers answered, The miracles wrought

The feats achieved by the devoted flock

Until one day when the winds of chance

Filled the sails of their ambitions

And drove them, each to divers ports

Away from their community

"Some carried the light of their faith"

Said the voice, "and that is why"

"Despite their distance and my age

Uninvoked, I am still alive"

"And who are you?", I asked the presence

"What is the faith that sustains you?

How is it that you fell asleep?

And how come you are now awake?"

"I am Mithra, Lord of the Covenant

Friendship is the faith that sustains me

Space and time may send me to slumber

But remembrance will awaken me"

"Whether you be part of a fleet

Or single ships that pass in the night

I am the basis of your joy

I am the pillar of your comfort"

"My bell is none but your lines and cables

Borne on pylons and buried under the sea

This copper and glass, it lies in wait

For those who would communicate"

"Dwell not on the encounters of the past

Or of the years lost in separation

But ring my bell, here and now

So new memories may be made"

And thus enlightened I dedicate

This year past and the year forthcoming

To the old friends in distant ports

To the new ones that are not yet so

Fortune I thank for bringing us together

More than once in our lifetime

But to you I owe a greater debt

For you have never let me go.

स्वयं विधाता

शिव - गौरी के चौसड़ के खेल में
हम गोटी नहीं खिलाड़ी हैं
करमजोग के जो है पुजारी 
पूजें उन्हें त्रिपुरारी है

Politic

Judge me, for my utility,
Engage with me, accordingly,
But know that I still have my own place,
In this impartial universe,
And you may hate, my existence,
(Or love it, or be indifferent)
But if you raise an eye at me,
Be prepared for my answering glance.

(#IAmNotCharlie #GoesBothWays)

Asynjor

Dominae, dominated thou art,
By the four laws of the multiverse.
Thou favour and scorn on thy whim,
Thy touch is both blessing and curse.
 
Devi, Devas lust after thee,
Their brothers fare no better.
But thou who art loyal to none,
Find thy fickle heart in a fetter.

Theá, thorny is the way,
Of those who would ignore thee,
Thou art denied by none but thyself,
I beg thee! Don't deny me.

Notes

4 laws:

1. Mortality - All that begins will have an end
2. Vulnerability - If you have a head, you will have a headache
3. Mutability - Change is the only constant
4. Love - Love will conquer all

Gravel - Part I

Hail! Samarkand, end of all roads

Proud abode of the great and good

Light of the desert, sight for sore eyes

Balm to the weary of heart and foot.

The sun sets on Her pearly domes

And shatters into a million lights

Her bazaars fill with men and wares

Her gardens with all earthly delights.

As they walk past Her blessed gates

Both men and beasts sigh in relief

For the day's journey has come to an end

And tomorrow is but a distant dream.

Among this throng of travellers

Is a Viking of the Russian tribe

And a Moroccan and a Chinaman

With a hundred more of every stripe.

They marvel at the sights and sounds

And enjoy the moonlit scented breeze

They plod along the winding lanes

In search of a meal and a place of ease.

Between the palm-lined cobbled streets

Runs a lonely dark gravel-lined lane

It harbours nought but a lonely inn

At whose door stood our heroes fain.

Well met good Sirs, the innkeeper said

Please step over my humble threshold

But the price of my hospitality

Mark thee! Is not to be paid in gold.

A tale I seek from each of you

In exchange for victuals and rest

As long as you can entertain me

Your honours can remain my guest.

Though puzzled by this clause unique

They entered and sat at his table

And as soon as their meal was done

The Moroccan began his fable.

Lovecraft Country

Having despoiled the old habitat till the earth screamed 'Begone!',

They look to new pastures for their tribes…

And the graves of the vanquished become the foundations of the towers of the victors..

For the soil is always fertilized by the blood of the slain, and the rivers dammed by their corpses…

'Tis but a pipe dream of some indifferent Deity…

It has no meaning save that which we give it.

Having befouled their native loam

Until it turned to salt and sand

They gather their kin and roam

The earth in search of virgin land

Armed and tooled they walk and run

Or sail or ride the beast and tides

They bring with them both Gods and men

And make foes of everyone besides

But when they are broken by their own wheel

And what is not barren no longer bare

The lands of others they seek to steal

And in their greed no effort spare

Thus do mighty nations stand

On the graves of those who fell

Their blood and flesh fertilize the land

Their bones arrest the rivers' swell

This world alas is but a pipe dream

Of some indifferent Omnipotent

It follows neither rule nor scheme

Save what we might find immanent

Compliments of...

The orange flame of the forest, is a tree.

And a reference, to my best friends,

Who are stout of heart, and of spirit free.

They jumped off a bridge today, tethered to a rope.

And swung out over a meandering river.

They are bananas, my friends.

Yet to my lost soul, they are a glorious ray of hope.

Reason

Cellulose, lignin, keratin, sporopollenin,

Cytosine, guanine, adenine and thymine,

Uracil and all kinds of porphyrins.

Words, food, water and love,

The true fourteen children of the sea.

Are for their own sake, justified by their own existence.

Rewarded with reason, we must investigate,

The reason behind our own existence.

Is not life a miracle enough to warrant its own sustenance?

Who decides the cost of money?

Who will question the curious?

Who, pray, will answer our prayers?

Answers

Misery is addictive, like alcohol,

A byproduct of life-giving grain

It deludes and clarifies in equal measure

It is the water in both cloud and rain.

Misery feeds many rivers

Many civilizations it maintains

'Tis the cloud that exhausts itself

To usher in the rainbows of gaiety.

Self awareness is a white elephant

Misery puts it to work

When questions plague the sober mind

The answers are not found, but decided.

Every breath is a step closer to death

Every memory swallowed by time

But not all the misery of the universe

Can negate the truth of eternal life.

Leaves and Inflorescences

O Parents of the world you are

Like the sun unto the lotuses

Who like their marsh-born counterparts

Bloom in the muddy realities

You have made our hearts of wood and fire

And our minds of lightning and steel

Yet in your mercy left us afloat

Like yachts in choppy seas

The heart knows all but does not infer,

It grows neither like rows of obedient corn,

Nor like the potatoes of rebellion,

It worships regardless of quality.

But where the heart is fickle,

The head is not; It is like an acorn,

It sprouts only on fertile soil,

And once germinated, cannot be uprooted.

In your wisdom you have severed,

The mortal ties between my beloved and me

You have left me alive, and useful still,

And I must stand up and think of India.

Although I will yet forge more friends,

In the fuming furnace of adversity,

How will I console my widowed mind

Where will I find such quality?

Shiwalik

On a cold winter night

When Jack Frost fluttered his eyes

In the first signs of wakefulness

The foothills bowed their fir-lined peaks.

Like tears from the eyes

Of a newly wed bride

The rain fell on the valley

And drenched our dreams.

We dreamt of fiery storms

That left us charred but alive

Our blistered feet unable to feel

The rosebuds underneath.

As we awoke with a start

Unable to grasp the difference

Between dream and reality

Time began to heal us.

Yet the heating and annealing

The hammering and beating

That temper good steel

Is hardly good for human healing.

And so even as we moved on

On cautious, bandaged feet

Our hearts leapt uncaringly

On their own jolly beat.

Where the tides would take us

We alas couldn't tell

But every river does find its way

Into the mighty ocean.

Non je regrette rien

I woke up this morning unadorned,

Shorn of the vestments of fret and care,

I woke up to a lovely winter morning,

The fire in the hearth still ablaze.

My eyes gummed in sleep, breath misty,

Untangling my legs from the sheets and dreams,

I hopped down from my feathery bed,

To meet the cold stone floor of reality.