keris and spirit

[Kiai Carita]

Originally Posted by Raden Usman Djogja

Kiai Carito and Alam Shah,

Durga Kala = names of mother and son?

Durga = Devi Durga ?
Kala = Bethara/Bathara Kala (her son)?


Mring telenging jalanidhi(?)
or
Baliya mring asal neki!(?)
or
Mring telenging bawono(?)

I would like to know the "final" translation this rapal here in this thread. .....
regards,

Usman

Dear Raden Usman,

I learnt this poem years ago when I was 'nyantrik' in Bengkel Teater Rendra, and we were taught this song by a dancer from the Yogya kraton, mBak Lakshmi Simanjuntak (she was married to a Batak man). Rendra then used it in his "Selamatan Anak Cucu Sulaiman", or "Ritual of Solomons Children" - this showed in New York in the late 1980's, so David, there must be a recording from the New York shows somewhere. I use it as a closing for my English wayang kulit shows when in the UK. It is powerfull, no doubt about that.

I think the differences of the end words are not too relevant, but, Baliya mring asal neki, to me is more powerfull : Go back to where you came from, rather than the middle of the sea or the centre of the earth. When sung in english, the Om at the end of from also adds weight just like the Hindu chant Om. To translate it into any languange I would recomend the translator learn to sing it first - so you get a resemblance to the guru lagu (melody teacher) and guru wilangan (rhythm teacher) of the original.

I was taught that this was composed by Kanjeng Sunan Kalijaga, so in kerisology it is a tangguh Demak song. You can see in the words that it is Islam pushing out Hinduism. Durga and Kala, are Batari Durga and Batara Kala, that is why I translate it to Destruction and Time. In the UK the Hindu community might be offended if they hear a song attacking Durga.

Warm salaams,
Bram.