Mantras keris and empu

Pusaka · 15th December 2015, 05:29 PM

I have heard that empu will chant mantras over a keris blade to give it life. My question is how could a Muslim empu be chanting mantras of Hindu origin or was this practice changed in Muslim parts, if so what did they supplement the practice with.

Do we have any example of these mantras published ?

More generally the offerings and ritual used by the empu must have changed as the religion changed ?

Would it be right to say then that only Hindu parts are still faithful to the original rituals whilst others have replaced it with Muslim prayers?

A. G. Maisey · 15th December 2015, 09:48 PM

Pusaka, the questions you have raised here cannot be adequately answered in an online forum. My remarks will be brief.

The domination of Jawa by Islam occurred in three major stages, first there was the establishment of trading enclaves along the north coast, these enclaves were under the control of Muslim traders from the west and from China, they inter-married with the sisters and daughters of the Majapahit nobles, who were also traders, and who controlled the greater area of the north coast.

Then there was a period of warfare whereby the House of Majapahit, which was already in collapse because of internal dispute, was washed away by military means. Following the initial victories by Muslim forces there was ongoing warfare for a number of years to attempt to get rid of the last remnant of Hindu areas in Jawa. This was only partially successful.

In fact, the removal of Majapahit from the political scene was not about religion, it was about power, wealth and control, but the main instigator of military force against Majapahit was Muslim, he was Raden Patah, son of Brawijaya V from a Chinese wife.

The third stage was the on-going Islamisation of the Javanese people.

As Islam began its domination of Jawa it tended not to use force against the common people, but rather to use a gentle , all-inclusive approach, that absorbed both Javanese indigenous beliefs and traditions, as well as Hindu beliefs and traditions. In the 16th - 17th centuries there was a strong Sufic influence in Central Jawa, and this in turn harmonised with Javanese ways and beliefs.

In the royal courts there is a strong under-current of Hindu and Javanese indigenous belief right through until today.

In Hindu Jawa the keris had an entirely different nature to the nature of the keris under Islam, much of what is accepted about the keris today is the result of 500 years of Islamic influence, and this of course penetrates every aspect of keris culture, including its production.

However, even though the nature of the keris has changed from what it was in 14th century Jawa, it is still the essential icon of Jawa, along with the Gunungan, with which it has an indissoluble tie.

With the collapse of Majapahit, the pandes of Majapahit migrated principally to Bali, and the original nature of the keris was preserved for a very lengthy period. It is difficult now to know just how long it was preserved, but it may have been an element of Balinese belief up until the Klungkung Puputan. Regrettably the old Balinese belief systems surrounding the keris seem to have been forgotten. Tattered remnants are all that remain of the beliefs of the classical periods of Javanese history.

As I have remarked, these are very, very brief comments and are only a rough outline of the matter. To gain a better understanding we need to devote ourselves to the study of socio-religious history of both Jawa and Bali from about 900CE through to about 1940CE.

In respect of mantras used for anything. A mantra should only be known to a person who has been empowered to use it.

Pusaka · 16th December 2015, 01:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

With the collapse of Majapahit, the pandes of Majapahit migrated principally to Bali, and the original nature of the keris was preserved for a very lengthy period. It is difficult now to know just how long it was preserved, but it may have been an element of Balinese belief up until the Klungkung Puputan. Regrettably the old Balinese belief systems surrounding the keris seem to have been forgotten. Tattered remnants are all that remain of the beliefs of the classical periods of Javanese history.

Interesting, if all that remains is tattered remnants it could be argued that a "real" keris has not been produced for some time?

It would follow that the only "real" keris today are antique ones

Rick · 16th December 2015, 03:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pusaka

Interesting, if all that remains is tattered remnants it could be argued that a "real" keris has not been produced for some time?

It would follow that the only "real" keris today are antique ones

So, I guess this begs the question:

Can a "Real" Keris be made today?
And.
What exactly is a "Real" Keris?

Pusaka · 16th December 2015, 04:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick

So, I guess this begs the question:

Can a "Real" Keris be made today?
And.
What exactly is a "Real" Keris?

A "real" keris must then be a Keris hidup and not real must be a Keris mati

A. G. Maisey · 16th December 2015, 04:58 AM

A real keris is a keris that is accepted by the culture that owns the artifact.

Real keris are being produced right now, today.

The nature of the keris is not frozen in time, this is the reason that it has survived for over 1000 years.

It is not the place of anybody who is not a part of the owning culture to dictate to people within that culture what is appropriate for the culture.

15th December 2015, 05:29 PM	#1
Pusaka Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 341	Mantras keris and empu I have heard that empu will chant mantras over a keris blade to give it life. My question is how could a Muslim empu be chanting mantras of Hindu origin or was this practice changed in Muslim parts, if so what did they supplement the practice with. Do we have any example of these mantras published ? More generally the offerings and ritual used by the empu must have changed as the religion changed ? Would it be right to say then that only Hindu parts are still faithful to the original rituals whilst others have replaced it with Muslim prayers?

15th December 2015, 09:48 PM	#2
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,892	Pusaka, the questions you have raised here cannot be adequately answered in an online forum. My remarks will be brief. The domination of Jawa by Islam occurred in three major stages, first there was the establishment of trading enclaves along the north coast, these enclaves were under the control of Muslim traders from the west and from China, they inter-married with the sisters and daughters of the Majapahit nobles, who were also traders, and who controlled the greater area of the north coast. Then there was a period of warfare whereby the House of Majapahit, which was already in collapse because of internal dispute, was washed away by military means. Following the initial victories by Muslim forces there was ongoing warfare for a number of years to attempt to get rid of the last remnant of Hindu areas in Jawa. This was only partially successful. In fact, the removal of Majapahit from the political scene was not about religion, it was about power, wealth and control, but the main instigator of military force against Majapahit was Muslim, he was Raden Patah, son of Brawijaya V from a Chinese wife. The third stage was the on-going Islamisation of the Javanese people. As Islam began its domination of Jawa it tended not to use force against the common people, but rather to use a gentle , all-inclusive approach, that absorbed both Javanese indigenous beliefs and traditions, as well as Hindu beliefs and traditions. In the 16th - 17th centuries there was a strong Sufic influence in Central Jawa, and this in turn harmonised with Javanese ways and beliefs. In the royal courts there is a strong under-current of Hindu and Javanese indigenous belief right through until today. In Hindu Jawa the keris had an entirely different nature to the nature of the keris under Islam, much of what is accepted about the keris today is the result of 500 years of Islamic influence, and this of course penetrates every aspect of keris culture, including its production. However, even though the nature of the keris has changed from what it was in 14th century Jawa, it is still the essential icon of Jawa, along with the Gunungan, with which it has an indissoluble tie. With the collapse of Majapahit, the pandes of Majapahit migrated principally to Bali, and the original nature of the keris was preserved for a very lengthy period. It is difficult now to know just how long it was preserved, but it may have been an element of Balinese belief up until the Klungkung Puputan. Regrettably the old Balinese belief systems surrounding the keris seem to have been forgotten. Tattered remnants are all that remain of the beliefs of the classical periods of Javanese history. As I have remarked, these are very, very brief comments and are only a rough outline of the matter. To gain a better understanding we need to devote ourselves to the study of socio-religious history of both Jawa and Bali from about 900CE through to about 1940CE. In respect of mantras used for anything. A mantra should only be known to a person who has been empowered to use it.

16th December 2015, 04:58 AM	#6
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,892	A real keris is a keris that is accepted by the culture that owns the artifact. Real keris are being produced right now, today. The nature of the keris is not frozen in time, this is the reason that it has survived for over 1000 years. It is not the place of anybody who is not a part of the owning culture to dictate to people within that culture what is appropriate for the culture.