Judgement of King Uchchala

Sham S. Misri

King Harsha Dev’s reign in Kashmir lasted from 1089 – 1101 A.D. (He is not the emperor Harsha who ruled in India from 606-647 A.D.) King Harsha Dev had two cousins, Uchchala and Sussala. The year 1099 A.D. witnessed plague, plunder, flood and famine. Uchchala and Sussala fled in 1100 A.D. to Rajapuri. Uchchala, a cousin of Harsha Dev became a rebel and defeated Harsha Dev. He then took the possession of the capital. Harsha’s queens burnt themselves in the palace, while he himself took refuge in a Matha.     

Uchchala (1101-1111 A, D.) was a very energetic man. There is an interesting story told by Kalhana about this ruler in Rajatarangini.

In Uchchala’s rule there was a man who had accumulated a large sum of money. He wanted to keep some money safe against the rainy day. After much thought, he decided to keep the money with a merchant, with whom he had acquaintance.  The merchant was happy at the proposal.

“You are a very wise man,” the merchant said to the man.

“One should always keep some money safe for some unexpected trouble. How much do you want to deposit with me?”

“I will deposit a lakh of dinars (currency coins) with you.” Said the man.

“A lakh. That is fine.” replied the merchant.

“I will take good care of it. You can take small amounts of money whenever you want.”

The man trusted the merchant and went his home and told his wife about this plan.”

“But can he be trusted,” asked his wife.

“Of course, he is trustworthy!” exclaimed the man.

“I have no doubts about him. He is well known in the city. Our money is safe with him.”

As days passed, the man would take small amounts of money from him to meet his petty expenses.

Nearly twenty five years passed in this manner. The man had a son who had grown by now.

One day as usual the man went to the merchant and asked for some money. The merchant refused to pay. The merchant’s face was red with anger.

“What money do you want now?” the merchant said.

He showed the man his account book.

“There is hardly any money left from the original amount. You have almost spent the whole money.”

The man was shocked to hear all about this. He did not utter a word. The merchant then showed him the account book.

“See here. Three hundred dinars for repairs of house. Six hundred for land purchase. Five hundred for   religious function. Etc.etc.” The list was unending.

The man had not taken so much of money from the merchant.

“And you must pay me the interest,” concluded the merchant.

So, there was a law suit between the merchant and the man which the court could not decide.

This case came to the notice of king Uccala. He demanded that the account books of the merchant be shown to him. The merchant had fraudulently recorded the entries in the account book. 

Uccala ordered the merchant that if any portion of the money was still with him and that he should produce before the king prior to his judgement.

The money was brought. Among the coins, he found coins of his own reign. But the deposit had been kept with the merchant when (Kalsha 1091-99 A.D.) was ruling; it was twenty years before Uccala’s reign had commenced.  So it was evident that the deposit had been used for other purposes by the merchant. The king then declared his judgement, stating that the man must pay to the merchant interest on what he had taken from him from time to time up to date, and, the merchant too must pay the man interest on the full one lakh of dinars from the time of its being deposited together with the amount of the deposit.

Bhagwan Gopi Nath (1898-1968)

Sham S. Misri
Bhagwan Gopinath was born in a Kashmiri pandit family of Bhans, in a locality called Bhan Mohalla, in the city of Srinagar in Kashmir. He was a mystic saint of 20th century Kashmir in India. He spent most of his time meditating at various shrines in Kashmir. He is known to have donated all his ancestral inheritance to his step-mother. His mother died when he was 12 years old and his father died when he was around 30 years old. He completed his education till middle grade from a local Christian missionary school called Tyndale Biscoe School, at Fateh Kadal, Srinagar.

He practiced some form of tantric spiritual practices during this time. During this stage, he is a said to have practiced some technique of meditation that would seemingly help him control elements (called tattvas) like fire and water out of the total 36 such elements enumerated in Kashmir Shaivism. He started the practice while keeping himself in a dark room for many years. He was found talking to and directing invisible people at times. Various parts of his body like his shoulders and knees were seen shuddering at times.

His devotees have found it difficult to classify his spiritual journey into a particular school of Indian philosophical thought. Its widely believed that he must have followed the tenets of trika doctrine of Advaita (non-dual) Kashmir Shaivism (in which, the Goddess Bhairavi-Aghoreshwari is enthroned above God Bhairava and is the main ideal of worship with Jnana (knowledge), Iccha (will) and Kriya (action) having had a dominating influence on him.

Once, while explaining the inter-relation of various spiritual disciplines in realizing God, he said: " think of Brahman (God without a form) as a tree and if one sits on any one of its branches (various spiritual disciplines), the same goal will be reached in each case."

He once remarked: "Omkara (Hindu Symbol) is the "throat" of Godhead and nothing is possible without it".

Once, while visiting the shrine of Amarnath, he is said to have remarked: "Shiva is dancing everywhere" and afterwards, was seen in a joyful mood the whole day. He would keep incense sticks burning in flames instead of letting them smolder as he had an affinity for light sources. Sometimes he would also keep the oblations, offered in the fire pot, burning in flames and also referred to it as the "feet" of Lord Narayana.

He would refer to his legs as mere "logs of wood" and the body as "food" for the God of death (Mahakal) and as such didn't consider physical body as the end-all be-all of human existence.

He wouldn't advise anyone to give up one's family and household in pursuit of self-realization but guided people only if they practiced celibacy.

One should cultivate and preserve the three virtues of righteous moral conduct, viz straightforwardness, honesty and purity in thought, word and deed.

Self realization comes when one bids farewell to ones ego. Lust is the biggest impediment in ones spiritual development.  A seeker must surrender onto guru’s feet with all his heart and soul.  One should always contribute to charity to not let greed settle in. In culture

The Legend of Nagas

Sham S. Misri
 (From Rajatarangini)

The Nagas had been directed to live in the lakes in Kashmir by Lord Vishnu. To avoid contact with people they preferred to live in their underwater kingdoms. They lived on fresh grain that they carried off, disguised as storms and rains.

A tale of a Brahmin Vishakha, who was drawn into the Naga world, is as follows.

One day in Narapura, Vishakha, who was resting near a pond and eating his porridge, saw two beautiful maidens step forth from a groove of creepers. To his surprise, they started eating the pods of the Kacchagaccha grass that grew in that meadow.

Overwhelmed by pity, Vishakha approached them. “Please eat this porridge,” he said, offering it to them.

They accepted it eagerly and while they ate, he fetched them some water to drink.

Vishakha could contain his curiosity no longer. “Who are you, and why are you reduced to eating this tasteless grass?” he asked.

“We are the daughters of the Naga Sushravas who dwells in this pond,” answered one.

“I am Iravati and this is my younger sister, Chandralekha. We have nothing pleasant to eat, so why should we not eat this grass?”

“What is the cause of your poverty?” asked Vishakha.

“Our father will tell you,” said Iravati.

“You can meet him during the festival of Takshanaka naga pilgrimage. He has a hair tuft dripping with water and we will be with him.”

The maidens then disappeared and Vishakha awaited the festival with impatience.

On the appointed day, he searched the crowds and spectators and spotted the naga Sushravas.

The naga greeted him. “My daughters have told me about you,” he said.

“I want to know the cause of your misfortune,” said Vishakha. “If it is my power to help, I would gladly do so.”

The naga smiled. “I should not make a secret of this matter, since my daughters have drawn you into it. Do you see the ascetic who is seated at the foot of the tree?”

Vishakha nodded and the naga continued. “He guards the fields yonder and he does not permit himself or anyone to touch the fresh crop. Unless he eats it, we cannot eat. Can you break the ascetic’s vow?”

“I will try my best,” promised Vishakha and went away. Vishakha was thinking of ways to outwit the field guard.

The following day the ascetic was in his hut. Vishakha crept up and dropped some fresh corn into the food that was cooking outside in a dish. He then returned and watched from a distance. The ascetic emerged after a while, and removing the dish from the fire began to eat the food. As soon as he had done so, the naga Sushravas carried off the rich harvest disguised as rain. (The nagas were supposed to take the form of hailstorms to obtain food.)

The next day, as Vishakha wandered near the pond, the naga rose from its depths. “You have freed us from misery.” he said.  “Allow us to honour you in our place.”

So Vishakha spent a few days in underwater kingdom of nagas.

The two maidens worked hard to make his stay comfortable.

One day Vishakha approached the naga. “You have given me great pleasure,” he said.” But I desire to return to my land now. Please give me leave to do so.”

The naga permitted and said,” Is there anything else you desire?”

“I want to marry Chandralekha, your younger daughter,” said Vishakha.

The naga hesitated. “You are not allowed to do this alliance, “he said.”Yet we owe you much and I cannot refuse you. Chandralekha is yours.”

The marriage of Chandralekha and Vishakha took place. After marriage, the couple left for Narapura. They had the blessings of the Nagas. They lived happily.

One day, king Nara’s soldiers passed by and caught sight of the beautiful Chandralekha. When they reported this thing to the king, he declared,”such beauty should belong to me and not to a mere Brahmin.”

Not long after, a horse strayed in the courtyard of Vishakha’s house and began eating rice that was drying in the sun.

Chandralekha ran up and slapped the horse. As it ran away, the golden imprint of Chandrasekhar’s hand appeared on its body.

The king’s spies brought the horse before the king.

The king gazed at the golden mark. “Such beautiful fingers!” he cried.

“Such a perfect hand! I must have Chandralekha. Go and bring her to me.”

Thus Vishakha was approached by the king’s men. “Our king wants your wife,” they said.

“We have come to take her.”

“I will not give her,” said Vishakha.

“Tell the king she is mine.”

When the king heard the reply from Vishakha, he boomed with anger.

“I will go there myself and take her away.”

That night he visited Chandralekha and Vishakha.

“Vishakha, I desire your beautiful wife,” he said. Give her to me and I will make you a very wealthy man.”

“I will not part with Chandralekha for mere riches, “replied Vishakha.

Sir it is your duty to protect your subjects, not harass them.”

“You fool”, shouted the king. “You will regret this.”

He left in rage, and Chandralekha trembled with fear.

“What shall we do?” Chandralekha cried.

“Do not worry. Vishakha embraced her. I will never allow them take you.

After some time the couple was rudely awakened by the cries of soldiers.

“They have come to take you away,” whispered Vishakha. “Come, we will leave by the back door.”

They came out of the house, into the dense bushes and ran till they reached the  pond.

They jumped in and entered his kingdom. When the naga saw the harassed couple, he was furious. His appearance caused to form dense clouds in the early morning sky, plunging the land into darkness. He rained fearful thunderbolts on the town to burn it and its king Nara.

The screams of the people rent the air as they tried to escape the leaping flames. The River Vitasta was soon swollen with the bodies of the burnt men and animals.

“Let us move away from this place,” said Naga Sushravas to Vishakha.

“We will find a new home”.

The Lake that he created as his new home on a far off mountain is there to this day. So is a lake nearby, the Jamtrisaras, (son in law’s), where Vishakha, who became a naga by Sushravas favour, resided.

As for the king, he was destroyed with his people for daring to trifle with naga’s daughter.  

Zain-ul-Abidin: The King of Kashmir.

Sham S. Misri

Zain-ul-Abidin, popularly known as Bud Shah (1420 AD), was the king of Kashmir. His court was full of poets and musicians. He introduced Persian as the new official language. He introduced the art of weaving and paper making. In fact, Zain-ul-Abidin, an inspired ruler ended the forced conversion of Hindus and declared an office order that those Hindus who had been converted in this fashion be allowed to return to their own faith. He even provided Hindus with subsidies enabling them to rebuild the temples his father had destroyed. The different ethnic and religious groups were still not allowed to intermarry, but they learned to live side by side amicably enough. Zain-ul-Abidin organized visits to Iran and Central Asia so that his subjects could learn bookbinding and woodcarving, as well as how to make carpets and Shawls, thereby laying the foundation for the shawl making for which Kashmir was famous.

Once, the king was taken ill. He was down with an unknown disease.

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The Water Lady

Sham S. Misri

According to Chinese Legend, under the large spring was a village where a poor woman lived. She had her old mother-in-law with her who treated her badly. She made her do the entire house works like, to fetch water from the well, cooking the food and mending the clothes etc.

One day being upset, she said, “Death would be better than such a life.” When she was thinking about her unhappy marriage, she got up to throw herself into the river. Suddenly, an old woman appeared, and said, “Why do you want to die?” When the poor woman heard the kind expression she told her all her troubles. After listening to her story, the old woman gave her a magic rod and told her to strike the pail with this rod and it would be filled with water.

However, the old women told her beware of striking it twice. The poor woman thanked and returned home. When she secretly struck the pail, it got filled with water. She was very happy, as she no longer had to fetch water.

One day her mother-in-law accidentally saw her using the magic rod and stole her magic rod .She struck it once, twice, and in a flash the water poured out of the pail and covered the house and all the other houses in the whole village. Then, all the rich fields became one big lake.

When the poor woman saw what had happened, she could do nothing, since the old woman had not told her how to make the water stop, so she was drowned in the flood. The water is still flowing out the pail, which became a large spring.

Later the people in the village built a temple in honor of the poor woman, and called her the “Water Lady ".

Glimpses of Kashmir History:*001

^{Sham S. Misri}

Pre-Historic Times

There is a very interesting story about how Kashmir came into existence. It is said that a long time ago the whole area where Kashmir is now located was filled with water. It was a lake. This lake was extremely large and was called Satisar. According to the oldest book on Kashmir, “Nil mat Puran", in the Satisar lived some demons. The leader of these demons was a ferocious demon called Jaldev or Jalod Bowa. He tortured and devoured the people, who lived near mountain slopes. These demons would not allow anyone to settle down on the banks of Satisar.  If any saint or seer came for meditation, they would disturb and trouble him.

Hearing the suffering of the people, a great saint Kashyap by name, came to the rescue of the people here. It is said that Kashyap Rishi undertook a long penance in order to achieve the destruction of these demons. The goddess Sharika was very pleased with him. She came in the form of a mynah with a pebble in her beak. She dropped the pebble on the demon leader, and the demon was killed.  The pebble turned into a big mountain. People claim that the present Hari Parbat      (he: ri: parbath ‘mynah mountain') is the same mountain. By and by, Kashyap managed to have the lake drained. It is said that the water of this lake was drained through Baramulla. When the lake was drained, the land appeared.  Kashyap did not live alone in Kashmir. He invited Brahmins from other places to join him. The people named the valley as Kashyap-Mar and Kashyap-Pura. The ancient Greeks called it "Kasperia".  In modern times the people of Kashmir call it "Kasheer".

The Brahmins would stay in Kashmir in the summer, but in the winter they would go to warmer places. It was hard and dangerous to live in Kashmir during the winter. Kashmir was still full of aboriginal groups, such as, the di: th   and pesa: ts. They continued to trouble the new settlers. Kashyap Rishi had a son, Nila.  He found a way to appease the di: th   and the pesa: ts. He asked the Brahmins to make a gift of food to the di: th and pesa: ts of Kashmir. The food was offered to them on special days. These special days are celebrated by Kashmiri’s even today: gada: bath, khetsi: mavas, and kavi: punim, are some of these days.

The story is not merely a legend. Many scientists believe that the present location of Kashmir was at one time a huge lake.
Pre-historic explorations have discovered the occurrence of glacial cycles in the valley. The chief Geological formation of the ice-age here are the “Karewas ".  

The Neolithic culture is indicated by the discovery of polished stone axes, hoes, pestle, and bone implements at Burzahom, ten miles east of, Srinagar. The Archaeological excavations done in 1960, found the silt beds, and pits indicating a settlement of early Pit dwellers whose date has tentatively been fixed at 3000 B.C.

Bahlol jandah

Sham S. Misri

Bahlol, jandah, tah, kashkul.

(Bahlol, a ragged habit, and an alms-bowl.)

Bahlol was a Kashmiri saint (fakir). He could well read and write. His brother Ali Mardan Khan was the governor of Kashmir under Shah Jehan’s reign about 1650 A.D. Bahlol did not care for the pomp and show of palace life of his brother. He did not wear the court dress but was happy in wearing of rags (jandah). He had kept an alms bowl (kashkul) for the collection of money. The fakir life of Bahlol was not pleasing to the governor, or to his ministers. Various plans were resorted to for getting Bahlol to accept some distinguished office in the service of the State. Somehow, Bahlol agreed. By the orders of his brother, the governor, he was appointed Deputy-Inspector in the state services. Things went happily for some time. One day it so happened that in the course of his office Bahlol had to ascertain whether the shopkeepers, bankers, baniyas', and others weights were correct or not. While fulfilling his duty honestly he discovered so much distress, fraud and trickery, etc. that he determined to know no more of it. He went back quickly to his house, and discarded the grand dress of a Deputy inspector, for the jandah kashkul. He then again led the life of a fakir.

 

The Beginning of Japan *

Sham S.Misri

Long time ago, there were many Gods living in the sky. When they looked down at the earth, there was nothing. The earth was covered by water. One day the Gods decided to make a country on the earth. They sent two Gods to do the job. All Gods gave a holy weapon to help the two Gods work.

The God and Goddess stood on a bridge between the sky and the earth. They put the weapon into the sea and stirred it well. When they picked it up, sea water dripped down from the edge of the weapon. The drops got into the sea, and they became Island. The God and the Goddess went down to the island. Then they built a holy pole and a large palace. They wanted to have more islands, so they decided to get married and have children.

The marriage ceremony was simple. They walked around a holy pole, and talked to each other. First the Goddess said, “What a great man you are?” Next the God said,” what a pretty women you are?.”  After they finished the ceremony, they had two babies, although both babies didn't have the right shape.

The two Gods rafted their babies down to the sea, they were worry about it very much; therefore, they went to the sky to ask for advices of many Gods. One God said that the marriage ceremony was wrong. Goddess shouldn't have spoken first. The two Gods went down to their palace and they acted on the advice, so they may have good babies. This time their babies became islands.

When they finished making islands, they tried to make many Gods such as God of wind, God of wood, God of sea and more. The Goddess died from getting burned when she delivered God of fire. Before she died, she had made fourteen islands and thirty five Gods. This was the beginning of Japan. That's why Japan consists of many small islands.

(*From the Legends of Japan)

Unicorn

Sham S. Misri

Unicorn was believed to be a horse like animal with single horn on its forehead.  This strange animal was known throughout Europe, Asia, and parts of Africa.  The ancient Greeks described it as a white horse with a purple head,  blue eyes,  and a long horn that was white at the bottom , black in the middle, and red at the top  Chinese knew the Unicorn as an animal with the body of a deer, the hoofs of a horse, and the tail of an ox. Its voice was like a deep bell. The people of medieval Europe knew the Unicorn as a pure white horse with a goat like beard, a lion’s tail, an ox’s hoofs, and a long spiraled horn. It lived in deserts and on high mountains. It was incredibly swift and could not be caught by hunters or traps. It could only be caught by a young, unmarried girl. If she would wait alone in a forest , a unicorn would come and lay its head in her lap , then tamely follow her , wherever she went.

The horn of Unicorn had special power. If a snake poisoned the water of the animals drinking pool in the forest , the unicorn would stir the water with its horn and the poison would disappear. Kings, nobles and wealthy merchants were willing to pay a fortune for a wine cup made from a Unicorn’s horn. Such a cup, it was said, would change color if poison was added to it, warning the owner not to drink.

Nav Reh –Harbinger of Peace

Sham S. Misri

On the Nav-Reh of 23rd March, 2012, Mom (Sarla) and Dad (Bairaj) are at London and celebrate the festival here. With us are our daughter, son-in-law and our grand children. We being Kashmiri Pandits recall how we used to celebrate the day. Nav Reh is harbinger of peace and prosperity for us all. It is celebrated in every Kashmiri Pandits home on Amavasi, the last day of the year gone by. The day is celebrated with traditional gaiety and faith. We try to continue our tradition.

One day earlier to Nav-reh a thali or plate or any vessel is filled with paddy or rice. The New Year’s Panchang along with one of the pictures of any god or goddess (Maha Maya) is placed on the holy vessel. The vessel is decorated with spring flowers, Vhy (an herb), walnuts, inkpot, pen, salt, curds, cooked rice, and some currency. On the next day i.e. Nav-reh the eldest lady of the family gets up early in the morning and picks up the vessel in her hands and ensures that each and every member of the family first sees the ‘decorated thali' or the vessel with all the things, before their eyes catch sight of anything else on that day. This she does by entering all the rooms, early morning hours, where the family members are asleep. The family members on seeing the vessel carefully look at all the decorated items, kiss the pen, the picture of god or goddess, eat a grain of rice and put some money on the vessel. They prey to goddess to shower choicest blessings on mankind during the New Year. On this day we used to go to Hari Parbat, and to some gardens to enjoy almond blossoms. Whole day would be fun.

The Brahma Purana has mentioned that Brahma Ji created his universe under the supreme command of Maha Maya, hence the sanctity of the day is established and is celebrated in the whole of Bharat by Hindus.

Invention of the shoe

Sham S.Misri

A legend tells that long ago there lived a king in Madhya Pradesh, India. His name was Raja Bhim Singh. He was illiterate but clever and ruled with authority. The king was very fond of hunting.

One day it so happened that while Raja Bhim Singh was on one of his favourite hunting missions, a big thorn pierced into his foot. Raja Bhim Singh's foot bled. The courters were upset to see the king’s foot bleeding. They quickly removed the thorn, dressed up the wound and bandaged the king’s foot. Immediately thereafter, the courtiers suggested to the king that leather be spread over the roads and streets through which the king would move so that the same sad episode was not repeated.

The king readily agreed. A royal decree was issued that leather be spread on all the roads and streets over which the king used to walk.

The work of draping the roads and streets with leather began in full swing.

All the leather stocks in the kingdom got exhausted. When the news reached the king, he ordered   that all the animals be slaughtered to get more leather. Although the people felt outraged at this foolish order of the king, they felt helpless. Soon the stock of the domestic animals of the kingdom was exhausted. This was followed by killing wild animals so much so that even the forest was depleted of the animals.

          As luck would have it, the king’s spiritual priest happened to visit the city. This was done at the intervention of the people. On seeing the roads having been draped with leather he enquired about the reason there for. The king’s priest was informed about the thorn episode. Realising the king’s folly, he atone set for the Raj Mahal, the King’s palace.

 The king received his priest with open arms and after welcome formalities were over, the priest initiated the discussion about the huge loss of the animals and the consequences that would follow.

The king proudly told him that this had been done So that no thorn would ever harm, his feet again. In the heart of his hearts the high priest pitied the king. He thought for a while and then in a serious tone he told the king about the foolishness of the whole idea that was going to affect the very survival of the people. The priest came out with a suggestion and it was that the king would cover his feet with two small patches of leather, one each foot, to prevent them from any injury. This led to the birth of a shoe. Over the period of time many designs of the shoe came into form.