Lalla Vakhs: "Dead already" [transcreations]

The guru gave   but one instruction
  "gaze on the Atman   inwardly"
Lalla   heeding this one instruction
  started to wander   nakedly

A kingdon is gained   by weilding a sword
  attainment of heaven's by penance & giving
samadhi's attained   by heeding the guru
  you're pained or rewarded   by your own living

A thousand times   I nagged my guru
  how to define   the great Nameless?
asking-asking!     ...uselessly...
  the Nameless must be the source of this!

I came from the straight   & return to the straight
  how can the crooked lead me astray?
fear have I none   for aught in this world
  he knows me since always   & loves me today

By pampering the hungers   nowhere you get
  for penance & fasting   pride is your gain
be moderate in food   & modest in life
  certainly heavenly joy   you'll attain

Patience to live through   lightening & thunder
  patience to face   strange darkness at noon
patience to pass through   the mill of the grinder
  trust through it all   & he'll come to you soon

Let them mock   or call me names
why should I be distressed or pained?
  if I'm Shankara's   devotee
can ashes make the mirror stained?

Though you're wise   a fool become
  though you're sighted   be one blind
though you hear   be deaf & dumb
  endure it all   & truth you'll find

Weal or woe     let it come
  ears can't hear   & eyes lack sight
the voice you need sounds deep within
  even in wind   the lamp burns bright

You'll know no peace   if you're made a monarch
  give it all away   & you'll not feel steady
only the man without desire is deathless
  the gnostic   while alive   is dead already


[vakh #21]:
gwaran vo'nam kunuy vatsum
Neybra doupanam anndaray atsun;
Suy gav Lali mey vaakh ta vatsun,
Tavay mey hyotum nagay natsun.

[vakh #22]:
raajas baa'j ye'my kartal paa'j
Swargas baa'j chiy taph tay daan;
Sahazas baa'j yami gwarakath paaji
Paapa-pwanni baa'j chuy pananuy paan.

[vakh #24]:
gwaras pritshom saasi latte
Yas na ke'nh vanaan tas kyaah naav:
Pritshaan pritshaan thachis ta luusas,
Ke'nh nasa nishi kyaahtaam draav.

[vakh #26]:
Ayas ti syo'duy gatsha ti syo'duy
Se'dis hol me karem kyaah
Bo'h tas aahsas Agarai veyzay
Veydis ta veyndis kareym kyaah.

[vakh #27]:
khyana khyan karaan kun no vaatak
Na khyan gatshakh ahannkari:
Saomuy khey maali saomuy Asakh
Sami khyana mutsaranay barnyan taari.

[vakh #28]:
tsaalun chu vzmala ta trattay
Tsaalun chu mandinyan gattakaar
Tsaalun chu paan-panun kaddun grattay
Heyti maali santuush vaati paanay.*
* alt: ??

[vakh #39]:
A'saa bol pa'ddiy-nyam saasaa
Mey mani waasaa khiid na heaye;
Boh youd sahaza Shankar-bakts aasaa,
Makris saasaa mal kyaah peyye

[vakh #40]:
muudh zaa'niith pa'shith ta ko'r
koul shrutuvun zadd-ruupi aas,
Yus yih dapiy tas tiy boz
Yuhoy tattvavidis chuy abhyaas.

[vakh #42]:
rut ta krut soruy pazyam
Karnan na bozun, achin na baava,
Oruk dapun yeli vavaondi vuzeym
Ratandip prazaleym varzani vaava.

[vakh #48]:
hyath ka'rith raaj pheri-naa
Dith karith trapti na man;
Luub veyna ziiv marina,
Ziivanatay mari tay suy chuy jnaan.

---

This is the fourth little installment of verses from Lalla. Again, these English renderings of her pithy poems are my own new versifications, based on perusal of material found here.

note: can ashes make the mirror stained? -- metalic mirrors are polished with ashes. Ashes, of course, are also associated with Siva = Shankara.