Keris Tindih -- The Neutralizer

[ganjawulung]

Hi All,

Some Javanese believed (still believe?) that if you have more than one keris, you'd better have a neutralizer-keris. And that would be a "Keris Tindih". Usually, the Keris Tindih bears dhapur "Betok". And the best tindih is Jalak Budo, or just Betok.

Good Betok and Jalak Budo, supposed to be made in 9th and 10th century. Or at least, Singasari era in 11th century. This Betok (see picture), is the younger Betok. Supposed to be from Pajajaran era (13th century?). It bears pamor "Janur Sinebit" or say it "Torn Coco's Leaves". The sheath is from "mangga hutan" (forest mango) wood, style "sandang walikat" with Jawa Deman (modified by Madurese carver) ivory hilt.

I got this Betok from Cirebon. And I do hope you don't disturb with this "no good" picture..

[Marcokeris]

Ganja!
IMO: Wonderfulll!!
Also ivory hit is beautifull

[Raden Usman Djogja]

hi Gonjo,

nice keris.
is your keris' shape jalak budho or sombro?

I also got information that keris tindih is for neutralizing other kerises especially an agresive one. A question remained is to neutralize from what? If the purpose of keris tindih is to neutralize other keris power, so you must take keris tindih far away from the keris which you want to activate its power. Vice versa, you must bring it together whenever you want to deactivate its influence.

other way to neutralize, as I heart, is by "panthek with gold/silver". Guys, what is "panthek" in English? Please give me an English word you know whenever I ask, so here at least I can learn keris, supranatural and english. thank in advance.

Usmen

Usmen

[A. G. Maisey]

Raden, a "panthek" is a wooden wedge, or a dowel made from bambu or wood.Like the pins and wedges used in some furniture construction, or in village house frames.

If the word is used in association with a keris it is probably---strictly speaking---incorrect, "paku" would be better.

But in any case, what is meant is that a small gold pin can be inserted into the blade. I've seen this done in a number of places:- into the gonjo, into somewhere in the sorsoran, I've even seen 7 gold pins inlaid into the pesi.I once found a gold pin in the base of the blade, under the gonjo, where it could not be seen.

[ganjawulung]

Originally Posted by Raden Usman Djogja

...Guys, what is "panthek" in English? Please give me an English word you know whenever I ask, so here at least I can learn keris, supranatural and english. thank in advance...

Raden,

Maybe "panthek" is drilling... But I don't see the correlation between panthek and tindih. Or "tindik" (with "k")? Sometimes, people gave tindik to a blade. In some "kujang" (special pusaka from West Java) had tindik. In Kalimantan too, a "powerful" mandau (their traditional sword) had "tindik" too (although the local name, of course, is not tindhik as Javanese says). The many tindhik a mandau has, the more powerful the mandau. (One tindhik in a mandau, means one human head had been slashed with that weapon...).

About "Jalak Budo", here is an example (See picture below). I have two Jalak Budo, and this is one of them. This Jalak Budo, supposed to be from "budo era" around 10th century. Look at the "stoney" iron of the blade, and a little bit clayish..
The hilt, is "kalawija" (unordinary), with elephant-head figure..

Ganjawulung

[Raden Usman Djogja]

Alan,

Yes, I agree with you that my "terminology" is incorrect if our point of view is the technical aspect. However, as I know "panthek" has two meanings. The first one is you have already elaborated.

The second one, "panthek" is either bamboo, wood or metal which is used for special purpose. Even, visually, it is a pin or PAKU (gold, silver or triple blended metals), if it is for spiritual purpose, people call it "panthek" or "susuk". It is called "susuk" when it is injected to human body (for example to control pegnacy in medical field or to make attractive in spiritual field).

I hope my explanation will clearer my point of view, regarding with a word "panthek". Other example is Meneng and Lerem in Javanese language. Both words mean the state of motionless. However, javanese people tend to interpret "Meneng" different from "Lerem". Meneng is total motionless (physical and emotional). Lerem is partial motionless. During physical motionless, their emotional aspects (mind and heart) are still working. So, usually we face the situation whenever there are young people brawled, the elder person will say "lerem please" instead of "meneng please". So, in certain situation, there is a person looking for "a special nail" and metioning for "manthek". He should use it for spiritual purpose.

Okay, I do not want to defend my statement further. What I want is to follow where the river flows. As keris with luks, I want to "ngeluk" whenever there is a stone in front of my way. Instead of breaking stones, the final destination is to reach the ocean of wisdom.

[A. G. Maisey]

Thank you Raden for expanding my knowledge of the Javanese language.

I have only ever heard the pin, inserted in keris to reduce its heat, referred to as a paku or a pasak, now I have learnt that some people also refer to it as a panthek.

Similarly, I have understood---and in fact only ever heard--- "lerem" to mean "to calm down", whilst "meneng" I have understood as "to be quiet".A question of two minutes ago to another native speaker of Javanese has given me the meaning of "to shut your eyes" for merem.

You have taught me entirely different meanings.

This is the difference between a native speaker of a language and one who has only limited understanding.

Would you be so kind as to tell me the area of Jawa where you learnt these meanings?

Thank you.

[Raden Usman Djogja]

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

Would you be so kind as to tell me the area of Jawa where you learnt these meanings?

Thank you.

Alan,

wouw... simple question but hard to answer.

I grew up in Rejodani, Sleman, Yogyakarta.
One of my hobbies was travelling. Attending from one Profesor/Kiai/Dukun/Talisman to another, starting whom lived near from till whom lived quite far from my home: Kaliurang, Magelang, Bantul, Yogya, Gunung Kidul, Klaten, Salatiga, Wonogiri, Temanggung, Purworejo, Purwokerto, Cilacap, Wonogiri, Pacitan, Bojonegoro, Demak, Kudus, Surakarta, Karanganyar, Ponorogo and so on and so on. Most of them spoke Javanese.
Once upon the time, I got those words I told to you already.

If I may know, where do you live now? Cause you said " another native spreaker". I hope... you live in either Surakarta, Jogjakarta or Semarang right now ang have been for a long time. So, I can communicate directly with you in Javanese. Ups, but, I will broke the regulation of this thread. English forum.
Well, I want to be obedient to follow the rule wherever I am

Usmen

[ganjawulung]

Originally Posted by Raden Usman Djogja

nice keris.
is your keris' shape jalak budho or sombro?

I also got information that keris tindih is for neutralizing other kerises especially an agresive one. A question remained is to neutralize from what? If the purpose of keris tindih is to neutralize other keris power, so you must take keris tindih far away from the keris which you want to activate its power. Vice versa, you must bring it together whenever you want to deactivate its influence.

The first keris with pamor "janur sinebit" is keris betok. Dapur betok has a different proportion: although the blade is wider than normal keris, the length is shorter. Betok has no "ricikan" (details). Only "gandik polos" (without "sekar kacang" or "kembang kacang"). Different tangguh, different style too. Especially betok from Pajajaran era (11-12th century, not 13th century as I told before), the entire blade is thinner than betok from Singasari era (13th century) for instance.

Jalak Budo, usually thicker than Pajajaran betok. It has "sogokan" (front sogokan thinner than the rear). The blade of old Jalak Budo is very specific: looks like stone, clay, and many old traces in the blade. Every collector (I don't mention, traditional owner of kerises by heritage), is usually eager to have Jalak Budo as keris tindih.

Maybe "the neutralizer" is not the right word. Keris tindih, is used to minimize the negative influence of "bad" kerises. Some believe also, that keris tindih is meant for "mediating" the strong influences among the kerises. So, actually "neutralizing" may be is not the right English word (?).

Sombro, according to Bambang Harsrinuksmo's Ensiklopedi, is a very famous female empu from Pajajaran kingdom (11th century). The wellknown style of betok Sombro usually thin blade but strong enough, cannot be bent. And in the end of the Sombro's peksi there is a hole, believed to be use to take the blade with cord, and put the cord around the hips.

Mas Boedi, will you help me to give more information on this, please...

[Boedhi Adhitya]

Mas Ganjawulung, I believe you've already gave some good explanation regarding keris tindih.

IMHO, tindih, in this context, would be better to be translated as 'suppress'. So, keris tindih is a 'suppressor' to, as Ganjawulung already said, the negative effect of 'bad keris', usually a keris which has 'panas' ('hot') or 'galak' (fierce) attribute. Why do we keep such a bad keris ? Perhaps because it is a fine and rare blade, or more commonly, because we simply don't know which one is bad, and as precaution, we keep a 'suppressor', just in case. At least, it gives a relief to it's believer.

Why jalak/bethok budho? Budha or budho doesn't mean Budha (religion) in this context. In Javanese context, it means archaic or ancient. In Javanese language, 'wong budho' means a simple and naive person. Thus, jalak/bethok budho is archaic/ancient jalak/bethok. It should be made from 'besi budho', the oldest iron. It is believed that the 'tuah' of besi budho is 'asrep/dingin' (cold), and the empu's prayer while making this blade is to bring 'slamet' (safe/wellbeing) to the bearer. 'Slamet' is a very strong word in Javanese culture. IMHO, it could take an exclusive book just to explain the meaning of slamet and it's important position in Javanese culture. Thus, armed with besi budho and empu's prayer, jalak/bethok budho will suppress (or 'lerem') every hot and fierce kerises. In the 'spirit point of view', no younger spirit who resides in younger, hot and fierce kerises would dare against an old,wise and 'ampuh/sakti' priest who resides in jalak/bethok budho. Then, they should behave accordingly.

Keris Sombro, and any other 'bethok' is also believed to have similar characteristic to jalak/bethok budho, especially in empu's prayer. Ni Mbok Sombro was a woman, so in the 'spirit point of view' : Since there is a lady in the house, all the naughty boys should behave and being polite

Gold is also believed as having a neutralizing effect. Only 24k gold works, and this time, 'neutralizing' is a proper word. Some elders prefer keris without gold as powerful pusaka, since the presence of gold would nullify or at least reduce it's potential power. So, use gold sparingly
Please remind that some kind of serasah/inlay and rajah, e.g. kala cakra and raja sulaeman, are believed to add 'more power' to the keris.

It is worth to note that what I've described here is common beliefs in Javanese or Javanese-influenced collectors. Any other beliefs/opinions may exist, and sometimes against each other. No 'right or wrong' answer here. All true to it's believers. Other keris culture may also vary.

[ganjawulung]

Mas Boedi,

Thanks a lot, for giving the complete explanations on keris tindih and betok, jalak budo. I hope you don't feel disturbed with my posting, showing the complete blade of my Jalak Budo.

Every Jalak Budo doesn't need the hilt-ring, because Jalak Budo always has a "methuk". Like the "methuk" at the end of every tombak or spear.

Ganjawulung

[A. G. Maisey]

Thank you for your detailed response, Raden.

I cannot claim the breadth of experience that you have, I am not a native speaker of Javanese, and in fact I speak Javanese very badly, but I do have a very wide Javanese vocabulary, and can usually follow a Javanese conversation.Additionally, I have some small understanding of Old Javanese.

I have spent time in Jawa every year since around 1966---did miss a couple of years around 1968-1970, and 1980-1981. During the last 25 years my residence has been in Palur, about 8KM or so out of Solo.I returned to Australia from Solo a couple of weeks ago.

The "other native speaker" to whom I referred was my wife or more than 30 years. Since she is currently in Solo---she went back a week or so ago on family business--- I had to ring her to ask her, and when I rang, she gave her answer, but then threw my question to her niece and nephew, who proceeded to give a ten minute lecture on the ways in which these words can be used. If I had not cut the phone call short that lecture would have gone on for half an hour.
Actually, my court of final appeal on any Javanese meanings is my son-in-law, who comes from a slightly elevated family, and whom, by all accounts, uses Javanese to perfection--- a very rare trait at the present time, when all the literary people are telling us that Javanese is dying and that within a generation the only people who will be able to use the language will be professors in universities.

During the time I have spent in Jawa, I have not had any contact with professors, or kyais(when acting in this persona). I have had very considerable contact with people who are members of the keris trade, collectors, ordinary working people, both rural and urban,public servants, and the occasional dukun.
Although I have travelled through probably all of the areas you mention, 98% of my time has been spent in Solo, with the remnant 2% spent in East Jawa around Malang - Kediri.

I would guess that the way in which you use the words under discussion is the product of association with native speakers from a wider geographical area, and social strata that enters a slightly more spiritual zone than that to which I am accustomed.

What I do know is this---and I have my notebooks to ensure that my memory was not decieving me---Empu Suparman Supowijaya used either paku or pasak in conversations with me when discussing this matter of pins inserted into keris blades.It could be argued that this occurred because our conversations were in Indonesian, however, he invariably used Javanese words for all things to do with the keris, even though we were speaking Indonesian.

Again I thank you for adding to my knowledge. The variation in the Javanese language is a thing of endless fascination for me.

[Raden Usman Djogja]

Alan,

Whats?! you have been in Palur since '66. So, you are more native than me. Because at that time, I was still in the top of my father's manggo tree (aku isih neng pucuk wit "pelem"e Romoku).

Actually pelem means manggo. but peleme Romoku does not mean my father's manggo. it is tricky word.

Alan, since now, if there is different perception between us, you are right and I am wrong. The reason is I just started to know some words in '75 (10 years after your existence in Java).

Who is NATIVE? Since we dont inherit this world from our parents but borrow it from our children. I have sensitive feeling with a word NATIVE, especially whenever chatting with my daugther (s). The older one was born in Australia and the younger one was born in Africa a couple of weeks ago. When she feels Australian, I still cannot speak English well. When she wants to be Javanese, here, only her mother and father can understand well her language expression,.... poor. When she wants to be part of her recent classmates (french), I feel that I will be left behind sooner or later. I dont push my daughters to be Javanese since I realize that the world is much more wider than Java Island. I will let them growing up freely. But I have not prepared yet to face its consequence (no more phrase: like father like daughter). Perhaps, this phrase will insult young generation, even actually, meaningful for old generation.

OK... back to laptop/keris

Usmen

[A. G. Maisey]

No, no, Pak Usmen.

I have stayed in Palur for the times I have been in Jawa since about 1982.

Before that I used to stay in a house in a lane off Jalan Kratonan.

Before that I stayed in hotels.

I went to Solo for the first time in about 1974.

I use the word "native" to refer to one's native tongue. For example, I am a native speaker of English, somebody who was born and grew up in France would be a native speaker of French. Your native tongue is Javanese.And being a native speaker of Javanese, you have tricked me with your tricky manggo.One thing is certain, I am most definitely not more Javanese than you. I am 100% Aussie, with a thin veneer of Javanese style, when this is necessary.

Please accept my most sincere congratulations for the recent addition to your family.

[Raden Usman Djogja]

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

Please accept my most sincere congratulations for the recent addition to your family.

Alan,
thank you very much
Usman

[ganjawulung]

Hi All,

This is another Jalak Budo. The younger one. Probably from Singasari era or even younger. The blade is much bigger than the two first one. And some "sanak" (not too glitters) pamor in its blade. The sheath, also from forest mango wood. And the hilt, Cirebonese in the Islamic kingdom era..