The white smoke of the juniper rises
Fragrant and dense from the burning coals,
Billowing into an empty shining sky,
A vast mirror-like expanse
Unclouded by the shadow or birth or fear of death.
There, descending on this perfumed bridge of smoke and longing,
Swirling and roaring in the smoke clouds, as in a gathering storm,
Surrounded by a host of mounted Drala and Werma warriors,
Whose golden armor and steel sword blades glitter like lightning,
Rides the great and ever-youthful conqueror
Gesar, King of Ling, Lord of the Four kinds of warrior,
Destroyer of the four great demons who enslave men’s minds.
He rules over the high snow mountains and the rolling plains.
He conquers fear, doubt, corruption and deceit in the hearts of men,
And is the great friend and protector of the life of all.
His reddish-brown face is implacable and his dark eyes fathomless.
His ferocious tiger smile is enticing.
His crystal helmet blazes like the sun.
His silver shield shines like the moon.
His chain-mail armor glitters like the stars.
He wears a tiger-skin quiver and his arrows are lightning itself.
His leopard-skin bow case holds the black bow of the north wind.
His sharp crystal sword is the invincible wisdom of spontaneous liberation.
With his right hand, he raises a terrifying whip that slashes through all deceptions,
And with his left, he raises a victorious banner the color of the dawn.
With saddle and bridle of pure white jade, he rides the miracle horse,
Kyang Go Karkar, who is the power of confidence, the wind of winds.
Gesar and his host of warriors gallop down the bridge of billowing smoke
Like a thunderstorm sweeping across a desert plain.
The thunder and roar of their charge overwhelm the fearful,
And their violent cries of Kl and SO paralyze all cowardice.
Gesar comes like a wheel of iron rolling across the sky,
And the earth becomes still.
Anonymous (12th century) Tibet
Translated by Douglas J. Penick
Source: The warrior song of King Gesar by Douglas J. Penick, Wisdom Publications, 1996
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please keep your comments relevant and free from abusive language. Thank you. Note that comments are moderated so it may be a day or two before your comment is posted - irrelevant or abusive comments will not be published.