LAL DED
(b. 1320, Kashmir)




translated by Andrew Schelling

You are the earth, the sky,
the air, the day, the night.
You are the grain
the sandalwood paste
the water, flowers, and all else.
What could I possibly bring
as an offering?





Solitary, I roamed the extent of Space,
leaving calculation behind.
The place of the hidden Self
opened and suddenly
out of the filth
bloomed a lotus.





O Blue-Throated God
I have the same six constituents as you,
yet separate from you
I’m miserable.
Here’s the difference—
you have mastered the six
I’ve been robbed by them.

* The six kancukas, “husks” or “coverings” of existence in Kashmir Saivism: appearance, form, time, knowledge, passion, fate.

This selection, from a booklet published by Longhouse, is just short of a dozen translated poems that suggest a deep allegiance to the Kashmiri form of Siva worship, as worked up by Andrew Schelling from a much longer and life enforcing work. Poet, translator and teacher Andrew Schelling has for years been a pivoting influence and friend to many from the halls of montezuma Naropa Institute of Boulder Colorado.

© 2009 by Andrew Schelling & Longhouse Publishers