Be Foolishly in Love

A spirit that lives in this world
and does not wear the shirt of love,
such an existence is a deep disgrace.
Be foolishly in love,
because love is all there is.

There is no way into presence
except through a love exchange.

If someone asks,
But what is love? answer,
Dissolving the will.

True freedom comes to those
who have escaped the questions
of freewill and fate.

Love is an emperor.
The two worlds play across him.
He barely notices their tumbling game.

Love and lover live in eternity.
Other desires are substitutes
for that way of being.

How long do you lay embracing a corpse?
Love rather the soul, which cannot be held.

Anything born in spring dies in the fall,
but love is not seasonal.

With wine pressed from grapes,
expect a hangover.

But this love path has no expectations.
You are uneasy riding the body?
Dismount.
Travel lighter.
Wings will be given.

Be clear like a mirror
reflecting nothing.

Be clean of pictures and the worry
that comes with images.

Gaze into what is not ashamed
or afraid of any truth.

Contain all human faces in your own
without any judgment of them.

Be pure emptiness.
What is inside that? you ask.
Silence is all I can say.

Lovers have some secrets
That they keep.

---by Rumi

The Praise of Mahakala

 
The ancien Buddhist prayer to Mahakala.

Let me eloquently praise in rhymes
Your mighty wisdom renowned to all
With four arms and unique face
With three red circular eyes
With naturally growing yellow hair
With teeth grinding an entire human
You uproot sins of passion
With a sword in your front right hand
You disperse countless doubts
With a skull in your other hand
You crush the asuras on high
With a spear in your upper left hand
Holding an open trident
In your next lower hand
With a lean young face
With an elephant-skin robe
With an open back-vestment connected to
A half-cut of cowskin
With a heroic-hearted lion as
An earring on your right ear
With a dark and speckled snake as
An earring on your left ear too
...
With prayer beads linked around your neck
With a black snake as your belt
With might that is capable of everything
With a bald donkey mount
As your amazing wheel-vehicle
Making the sun in the blue sky
Rise by your sweat
Mahakala, who adorns admirably
His legs with metal chains
If your voice is heard
Firm Mount Sumeru quakes
Mahakala, who makes quiver from the depths
The hearts of bloody enemies
Though you are of a peaceful spirit
You frighten demons and hindrances
Mahakala, who leads towards alaraa
By showing an aguulsan quality
The wise divine Mahakala
Who by working various wonders
Did subject before himself
The powerful gods and asuras
Punish, luminous Mahakala
The evil rebellious spirits
Who destroy religion and dharma
Though outwardly of the Well-Departed (Buddha).
Give rest in peace, Mahakala
To all friendly sentient beings
While protecting scholars and the devout
...
May we shatter by your strength
Bloody enemy demons
Who speak sweetly in the ear
Yet wish evil in their hearts
Attach yourself to and protect, Mahakala
The lord of dharma, king and queen
Teachers, ministers, sons and daughters
Nobles and sons-in-law, each and everyone.
By the merit of praising in these rhymes
Your holiness’ mighty wisdom
May all beings reach nirvana
And may this cycle become empty
May the monk Choiji-Odser
Who summarizing all your mighty wisdom
Melodically offers these rhymed praises
...
If they sing with their melodious song
May all illnesses and demons be pacified
And each become Buddhas at the end.

St. Francis of Assisi's Prayer

St. Francis of Assisi's prayer in praise of God given to Brother Leo.

You are holy, Lord, the only God,
and Your deeds are wonderful.
You are strong.
You are great.
You are the Most High.
You are Almighty.
You, Holy Father are King of heaven and earth.
You are Three and One, Lord God, all Good.
You are Good, all Good, supreme Good, Lord God, living and true.
You are love. You are wisdom.
You are humility. You are endurance.
You are rest. You are peace.
You are joy and gladness.
You are justice and moderation.
You are all our riches, and You suffice for us.
You are beauty.
You are gentleness.
You are our protector.
You are our guardian and defender.
You are our courage. You are our haven and our hope.
You are our faith, our great consolation.
You are our eternal life, Great and Wonderful Lord,
God Almighty, Merciful Saviour.

Dhafer Youssef - Winds And Shadows

 Dhafer Youssef and Divine shadows Orchestra.

Lost in Myself

Lost in myself
     I reappeared
          I know not where
a drop that rose
     from the sea and fell
          and dissolved again;
a shadow
     that stretched itself out
          at dawn,
when the sun
     reached noon
          I disappeared.
I have no news
     of my coming
          or passing away--
the whole thing
     happened quicker
          than a breath;
ask no questions
     of the moth.
          In the candle flame
of his face
     I have forgotten
          all the answers.
In the way of love
     there must be knowledge
          and ignorance
so I have become
     both a dullard
          and a sage;
one must be
     an eye and yet
          not see
so I am blind
     and yet I still
          perceive,
Dust
     be on my head
          if I can say
where I
     in bewilderment
          have wandered:
Attar
     watched his heart
          transcend both worlds
and under its shadow
     now is gone mad
          with love.

---by Farid ud-Din Attar

Hymn to Kāla

A hymn to Kāla or Time. From Atharva Veda (Book 19, Hymn 53).

Prolific, thousand-eyed, and undecaying, a horse with seven reins Time bears us onward.
  Sages inspired with holy knowledge mount him: his chariot
   wheels are all the worlds of creatures.
This Time hath seven rolling wheels and seven naves immorality
   is the chariot's axle.
This Time brings hitherward all worlds about us: as primal Deity is he entreated.
On Time is laid an overflowing beaker: this we behold in many a place appearing.
  He carries from us all these worlds of creatures. They call him Kāla in the loftiest heaven.
He only made the worlds of life, he only gathered the worlds
   of living things together.
Their son did he become who was their Father:
  no other higher power than he existeth.
Kāla created yonder heaven,
  and Kāla made these realms of earth.
By Kāla, stirred to motion,
  both what is and what shall be expand.
Kāla created land;
  the Sun in Kāla hath his light and heat.
In Kāla rest all things that be:
  in Kāla doth the eye discern.
In Kāla mind, in Kāla breath,
  in Kāla name are fixt and joined.
These living creatures, one and all,
  rejoice when Kāla hath approached.
Kāla embraces Holy Fire, the Highest, Brahma in himself.
  Yea, Kāla, who was father of Prajāpati, is Lord of All.
He made, he stirred this universe to motion,
  and on him it rests.
He, Kāla, having now become Brahma,
  holds Parameshthin up.
Kāla created living things and, first of all, Prajāpati.
  From Kāla self-made Kasyapa, from Kāla Holy Fire was born.
From Kāla sprang the Waters, sprang the regions, Brahma,
  Holy Fire.
The Sun ascends by Kāla,
  and in Kāla sinks again to rest.
By Kāla freshly blows the wind, mighty through Kāla is the
  Earth: on Kāla rests the mighty Sky.
In Kāla erst the text produced what is and what is yet to be.
  From Kāla sprang the Richas, and from Kāla was the Yajus born.
They formed in Kāla sacrifice, eternal portion for the Gods.
  In Kāla the Gandharvas and Apsarasas and worlds abide.
Atharvan and this Angiras in Kāla are supreme o'er heaven.
  Both this world and the world that is most lofty, the pure
   worlds and pure intermediate spaces,—
Yea, having conquered all the worlds by Brahma, Kāla as God
  Supreme is supplicated.

Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen

Now I've heard there was a secret chord
That David played, and it pleased the Lord
But you don't really care for music, do you?
It goes like this
The fourth, the fifth
The minor fall, the major lift
The baffled king composing
Hallelujah Hallelujah
Your faith was strong but you needed proof
You saw her bathing on the roof
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you
She tied you to a kitchen chair
She broke your throne, and she cut your hair
And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
You say I took the name in vain
I don't even know the name
But if I did, well really, what's it to you?
There's a blaze of light
In every word
It doesn't matter which you heard
The holy or the broken Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
I did my best, it wasn't much
I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch
I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you
And even though it all went wrong
I'll stand before the Lord of Song
With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah...

Saraswati Stuti by Yajnavalkya

krupaam kurum jaganmaatarmevam hatatejasam |
gurushaapaat smrutibhrashTam vidyaaheenam cha duhkhitam ||
gyaanam dehi smrutim dehi vidyaam vidyaabhidevate |
pratibhaam kavitaam dehi shaktim shishya prabodhineem ||
granthakartrutva shaktim cha sushishya supratishThitam |
pratibhaam satsabhaayaam cha vichaarakshamataam shubham||
luptam sarvam daivavashaatraveebhootam punah kuru |
yathaankuram bhasmani cha karoti devataa punaha || 4 ||
brahmasvaroopaa paramaa jyotiroopaa sanaatanee |
sarvavidyaadhidevee yaa tasmai vaaNyai namo namaha || 5 ||
yayaa vinaa jagat sarvam shasvajjeevanmrutam sadaa |
gyaanaadhidevee yaa tasyai sarasvatyai namo namaha || 6 ||
yayaa vinaa jagat sarvam mookamunmuktavat sadaa |
vaagadhishThaatru devee yaa tasyai vaaNyai namo namaha ||
himachandana kundendu kumudaam bhoja sannibhaa |
varNaadhi devee yaa tasyai chaakshuraayai namo namaha || 8 ||

visargabindu maatraaNaam yadadhishThaanameva cha |
ityam tvam geeyase sadbhir bhaaratyai te namo namaha || 9 ||

yayaa vinaa sankhyaataa sankhyaam kartum na shakyate |
kaalasankhyaa svaroopaa yaa devee vyaakhyaadhishTaatru devataa || 10 ||
bhramasiddhaantaroopaa yaa tasyai devyai namo namaha |
smrutishaktih gyaanashaktih buddhishakti svaroopiNee || 11 ||
pratibhaa-kalpanaashaktiryaa cha tasmai namo namaha |
sanatkumaaro brahmaaNam gyaanam prapacCha yatra vai ||
babhoova jaDavatso api siddhaantam kartumakshamaha |
tadaa a ajagaama bhagavaanaatmaa shreekrushNa eeshvaraha ||
uvaacha sa cha taam stouhi vaaNeemishTaam prajaapate |
sa cha tushTaava tvaam brahmaachaagyayaa paramaatmanaha ||
chakaara tvatprasaadena tadaa siddhaanta muktamam |
yadaapyantam prapacCha gyaanamekam vasundharaa || 15 ||
babhoova mookavat so api siddhaantam kartumakshamaha |
tadaa tvaam sa cha tushTaava santrastah kashyapaagyayaa ||
tatashchakaara siddhaantam nirmalam bhramabhanjanam |
vyaasam puraaNasootram cha prapacCha vaalmeekam yadaa ||
mouneebhootah sa sasmaara tvaameva jagadambikaam |
tadaa chakaara siddhaantam tadvareNa muneeshvaraha || 18 ||
sampraapya nirmalam gyaanam pramaada dhvamsa kaaraNam |
puraaNasootram shrutvaa cha vyaasah krushNakalodbhavaha ||
tvaam sisheve cha dadhyou cha shatavarsham cha pushkare |
tadaa tvatto varam praapya satkaveendro babhoova ha || 20 ||
tadaa vedavibhaagam cha puraaNam cha chakaara sah |
yadaa mahendrah prapacCha tattvagyaanam sadaashivam ||
kshaNam tatvaameva samachintya tasmai gyaanam dadou vibhuhu |
prapacCha shabdashaastram cha mahendrashcha bruhaspatim ||
divyam varshasahasram cha sa tvaam dadhyou cha pushkare |
tadaa tvatto varam praapya divyavarsha sahasrakam || 23 ||
uvaacha shabdashaastram cha tadartham cha sureshvaram |
adhyaapitaashcha ye shishyaa airadheetam muneeshvarayeh ||
te cha tvaam parisamchitya pravartante sureshvareem |
tvam samstutaa poojitaa cha muneendraih manu maanavaihi ||
daityendraishcha suraishchaapi brahma vishNu shivaadibhihi |
jaDeebhootah sahasraasyah panchavaktrashchaturmukhaha ||
yaam stotum kimaham staumi taamekaasyena maanavaha |
ityuktvaa yaagyavalkyashcha bhaktinamraatma kandharaha ||
praNanaama niraahaaro rudoda cha muhurmuhuhu |
tadaa jyoteesvaroopaa saa tena drushTaapyuvaacha tam ||
sukaveendro bhavetyuktvaa vaikuNTham cha jagaamaha |
yaagyavalkya krutam vaaNee stotrametatu yah paThet || 29 ||
sa kaveendro mahaavaagmee bruhaspatisamo bhavet |
mahaa moorkhashcha durmedhaa varshamekam yadaa paThet |
sa panDitashcha medhaavee sukavishcha bhavet dhruvam ||

Om Aim Saraswatyai Namaha

The Need to Win

When an archer is shooting for fun

He has all his skill.

If he shoots for a brass buckle

He is already nervous.

If he shoots for a prize of gold

He goes blind

Or sees two targets –

He is out of his mind.

His skill has not changed,

But the prize divides him.

He cares

He thinks more of winning

Than of shooting –

And the need to win

Drains him of power.

---by Chuang Tzu

When Your Are Found

kadācitkvāpi labhyo’si yogenetīśa vañcanā /
anyathā sarvakakṣyāsu bhāsi bhaktimatāṁ katham //16//

When Your existence is found and realized at a particular period and at a particular place–say [within the] heart or between the two eyebrows or [some particular place] like that–and by the performance of some particular yoga, You are found, this kind of finding You is only a deceit to the finder. It is only a deceit or deception. Actually, they don’t find You. You are not found this way.

---from Śivastotrāvalī of Utpaladeva, translated by Swami Lakshmanjoo.

Shani Shloka

namaste koNa saMsthAya pingaLAya namostute
namaste babhrurUpaaya kriShNAyacha namostute
namaste roudradehAya namaste shAntakAya cha
namaste yamasangnAya namaste pourayevibho
namaste budharakShAya shanaishchara namostute ||

shanaishchara yama koNa pingaLa babhru kriShNa roudra antaka shouri manda namostute ||

Om Sham Shanaischaryaye Namaha

Enter the Door - 12

Ask and it will be given to you;
seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you.

--- Holy Bible, Matthew 7:7

She is...

From Tripura Rahasya, ch.V

For that Supreme Good One, my mother, is ever pure and clear, more extensive than space and subtler than the subtlest;
She is omniscient, yet of limited knowledge;
She works all, yet remains inactive;
She holds all, herself being unsupported;
all depend on her, and She is independent;
all forms are hers, but She is formless;
all belong to her, but She is unattached;
though illumining all, She is not known to any one under any circumstances;
She is Bliss, yet not blissful;
She has no father nor mother; innumerable are her daughters, like me.