Saints & Sages

Lalla - Ded

Like all great saints, Lalla Ded, also known as Lalla-Maj & Lalleshwari, came upon scene to redress the sufferings of Kashmiris. Through her Vaakhs, she brought solace to the bruised hearts of the people among whom she lived.

The life of Lalla Ded is shrouded in myth, miracle and legend. Miracles and legends have been associated with Lalla Ded from her very birth. Some of the legends are :-

a) In her in-laws, she was known ‘Padmavati’. She was cruelly treated by her mother-in-law. She would serve food to Lalla, spreading a thin  layer of cooked rice, to cover ‘Kajwat’ (a lump of stone). Once she was asked by the ladies at the river bank, what she had for dinner on previous night. That night there was a great feast at her inlaw’s place. Lalla replied, “Hond maran ya kath, Lalli nilawath tsali no zanh”.

b) Once, when after her meditation, as usual, at ‘Nata Keshava Bhairva’, with pitcher of water on her head, Lalla entered the compound of her house. Her husband, in his rage, struck the pitcher with a stick. The pitcher broke and water stood frozen on her head till she filled all pots in the kitchen. She threw what remained of it, outside, which surprisingly, collected into pond. That pond came to be known as “Lalla Trag” - The pond of Lalla.

c) It is said in “Tarik-i-Hussaini” that Nund Rishi was once breaking into a house, as ordered to do so by his step brothers, who were thieves by profession. Lalla passed by, rebuked Nunda and told him that he will not get anything at poor man’s house. She advised him to go to big house of God and break into it, perhaps in that way, he might obtain something worthy and great. After  that Nunda rishi gave up stealing and entered a cave at ‘Kaimuh’, for penance and prayers.

d) Once Siddha Shrikantha was having bath in the river. He noticed, little above, Lalla was scrubbing the outside of an earthen pot. He remarked, “What use this scrubbing the pot outside, when dirt inside is not removed.”  Lalla retorted, “What profits it to bathe to cleanse the body while the inner Self is not purified.?”

The Yogeswari is called Lalla because she was seeker of truth. ‘Lal’ is a Kashmiri derivative of Sanskrit ‘Lalasa’ meaning ‘to obtain’, ‘to long for’, ‘to seek’. She says in the following Vakh, that she was called ‘Lalla’ because she sought the truth, after burning up the impurities of her mind and resigned completely to Him:

The great saint, ‘Lalla-Maj’ was born to help overcome troubles, pains and human insanity. Her sayings act as a healing balm to people, which stand true and good for all times. In the warring world of today, especially Kashmir, her Vaakhs have relevance, more than ever before. In the following Vaakh, she brings message of hope and encourages not to give way to fear and despondence. “The Lord is there to worry for you. Be patient and wait for His grace-His divine call”.

Nund Rishi

Sheikh Nur-Ud-Din Rishi, commonly knows as Nund Rishi - Nund Riyosh, was born in 1375 A.D. at village Kaimuh, district Anantnag, in the home of Salar Sanz, a Hindu, who later embraced Islam & was renamed Sheikh Salar-ud-Din. The great Nunda Rishi’s spiritual eminence and moral rectitude won him the designation of Sheikh-Ul-Alam.

There is saying current even today in Kashmir - Yina mandachhokh na, chena chhukh mandachhan (Ashamed you were not of being born, why should you be shy of suckling now). It is said when Nunda Rishi was born, he would not suckle at his mother’s breast till Lalla Ded unexpectedly appeared at the house, patted the baby and with these words asked him to draw milk from the breast of his mother, which he did.

The Sage started life n.mp3ally. He married and had two issues. But the things around him made him intensely sad. He took to caves for penance and meditation. He lived for 12 years in wilderness. Thus nature became the Nund Rishi’s first teacher. Later in life, he is said to have received the blessings of four Muslim divines of high spiritual attainments.

He preached non-violence, non-killing and adopted the severe self discipline. His poetry has glow of spirituality around it. He also talks of inequality, injustice, tyranny and social evils. He always stressed the unity of Hindus and Muslims. To serve the mankind, is noblest service and way to God. He made his poetry the message of his faith, love and brotherhood.

He, in his Shruks, talks of the shephered who followed Siva (Lord) and entering H.mp3ukh along with the Lord, disappeared. Nund Rishi prays - “Oh Lord, bestow a similar boon upon me”.

Nund Rishi craves for that what was attained by Lalla Ded and cries :

(It was Lalla of Padmanpora, who drank, in long draught, nectar Divine. A beloved Avtar She was to us too. May thou Lord bestow a similar boon upon me.)

Roopa Bhavani

Roopa Bhavani shines as a bright star in the galaxy of mystic saints. She was born in 1624 A.D. to Sampat Majya, wife of Madhav Joo Dhar. Madhav joo was a pious scholar, who was great bakht of Godess Sharika and lived at Safa Kadal, Srinagar. Roopa Bhavani’s father was her guru. She was married to Hiranand Sapru. Her married life was unhappy. Her mother-in-law, Samp Kuj and her husband, always found fault with her. She renounced the worldly life and wandered to a number of places in the Valley.

Roopa Bhavani did meditation and intense tapasya in Manigaam near Lar, in Waskura near Gandherbal and in Cheshma-i-Sahbi near Chashma Shahi. In the year 1721 A.D., Roopa Bhavani’s soul took flight for ever. Kashmiri Pandits, out of great reverence and respect, keep a fast on her death anniversary, which is known as ‘Sahib Saptami’.

Roopa Bhavani used Kashmiri as medium for expressing her thoughts and teachings knows as ‘Shruk’ (Shalok). She has enunciated the same truth what she visualised through her mystic approach, Sadhana and Yoga. She recognises the grace of the great Shiv Yogini Lalleshwari, Guru Madhava and Shiva :

 She gave message of peace, love and brotherhood. She aff.mp3ed that all are equal in the eyes of God. For attaining Samaadhi, she says, “The seeker has to undergo the penance, self discipline and devotion.” She mentions that man is accountable for his own K.mp3a - deeds, as he has the freedom of choosing his course of action. She says, “Take it for certain that Lord is very close to you, sitting in your vessel (body). You need not go anywhere in search of the Lord.” Her blessings are filled with deep love, compassion and hope. She says :

 (The darkness of ignorance will vanish, and the Sun of knowledge will lead us to ‘Sahaj-Vichar’ - the essence of Divine Knowledge.)
 

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