keris and spirit

[Raden Usman Djogja]

to "some people", spiritual aspect of keris is the most important and sacred.

in the modern business methodology, there is a maxim "first think first"

back to "some people", instead of "first think first", they follow other maxim "most consider last"

hundred aspects of keris, but to summarize it, three consecutive aspects of keris are technical, aestethical and spiritual aspects.

usually, they will examine a keris from spiritual aspect after they consider that keris has passed the examination based on aesthetical standards.

normally, a beautiful keris has excellent technical aspects.

but, if any one wants to consider "spiritual aspect" first then other later, it is up to them since there is no single rule must be followed.

if I am not mistaken, the image of heirlooms of Yogyakarta Sultanate can be seen in a certain book ( I forget the title, perhaps "Yogyakarta Heritage"). There are images of Kiai Joko Piturun, Kiai Kopek [?], Kiai Toyotinaban, etc. imho, even those kerises have been defeated by nature (corrotion), I still can see that its aesthetical dan technical aspects are excellent. (even, as Alan said, actually it is not sufficient to give a comment on those kerises just from pictures without touching directly..... who am I? btw, if there is an opportunity to touch them... it is the honour, pray for me Alan, someday I will ever grasp it once or twice)

into the image in this thread, I just blindly guess, an unordinary keris kolobendu owned by Ganjawulung has excellent in both technical and aesthetical aspects. so... perhaps we can continue to ask Gonjo to elaborate the last aspect

[ganjawulung]

Originally Posted by Raden Usman Djogja

... into the image in this thread, I just blindly guess, an unordinary keris kolobendu owned by Ganjawulung has excellent in both technical and aesthetical aspects. so... perhaps we can continue to ask Gonjo to elaborate the last aspect

Dear Raden,

Anything related to this aspect is very, very personal... Or talk about it personally...

Ganjawulung

[Raden Usman Djogja]

Originally Posted by ganjawulung

Dear Raden,

Anything related to this aspect is very, very personal... Or talk about it personally...

Ganjawulung

dear Gonjo,

Yes, I can understand if it is very personal matter for you. Sorry for asking it publicly. please, forget all about that question.

Usman

[David]

Bram, thank you so much for the additional translation. It seems to be a powerful chant. I wish i could hear the song sung for greater understanding. Doyou know of any recordings of it?
Thanks also for your other translations.

[ganjawulung]

Originally Posted by Raden Usman Djogja

dear Gonjo,

Yes, I can understand if it is very personal matter for you. Sorry for asking it publicly. please, forget all about that question.

Usman

Dear Raden,

What I mean with "personal", is about experiencing "the spiritual aspect" of keris or kerises you have. I don't have hard feeling with your question, Raden...

The first "lesson" for me in the past was "buying spiritual things" from kerises. And what happened is, I bought kerises with so much mythology in them. And blindly believed that my keris such and such has the power of this and this. And my another keris is made by that "hebat" (excellent) empu, and not Aeng Tong Tong one... And so on..

Yes, every keris lover usually has "spiritual experience" on kerises. But usually it is more useful to me, and maybe not for other people. Everyone, has different experience. I don't even want to differ, whether this keris is a "tourist keris" or a "spiritual keris". Actually, keris is a personal thing. What is not personal, is "non-spiritual" aspect.

I knew a very good "dalang" (puppet leather player?), Ki Timbul Hadiprayitno from Yogyakarta. He showed me someday in his house, his very favorite keris. "Spiritual keris" for him, that gave him "strength" when he plays the puppets in front of the people for the whole night long... And it was really "a tourist keris" quality, and I believe was made in Madura, if you regard the "naga" relief. Is it the only keris he has? Of course not. He has even much much better kerises. But still, he always wear that "tourist keris" while he "ndalang" (playing puppets in front of public).

He just told me, that the keris was given by a very ordinary man, a very simple man in one evening. And Ki Timbul always wear this "tourist keris" quality of Nagasasra everytime he plays the puppet. And not wearing the better kerises he has. Why? Just ask Mr Timbul in Bantul, Yogyakarta..

Ganjawulung

[David]

Originally Posted by ganjawulung

Yes, every keris lover usually has "spiritual experience" on kerises. But usually it is more useful to me, and maybe not for other people. Everyone, has different experience. I don't even want to differ, whether this keris is a "tourist keris" or a "spiritual keris". Actually, keris is a personal thing. What is not personal, is "non-spiritual" aspect.

I knew a very good "dalang" (puppet leather player?), Ki Timbul Hadiprayitno from Yogyakarta. He showed me someday in his house, his very favorite keris. "Spiritual keris" for him, that gave him "strength" when he plays the puppets in front of the people for the whole night long... And it was really "a tourist keris" quality, and I believe was made in Madura, if you regard the "naga" relief. Is it the only keris he has? Of course not. He has even much much better kerises. But still, he always wear that "tourist keris" while he "ndalang" (playing puppets in front of public).

He just told me, that the keris was given by a very ordinary man, a very simple man in one evening. And Ki Timbul always wear this "tourist keris" quality of Nagasasra everytime he plays the puppet. And not wearing the better kerises he has. Why? Just ask Mr Timbul in Bantul, Yogyakarta..

Ganjawulung

Ganja, i find so much truth in these words. Magick and spiritual intent is indeed a very personal affair and power can be embued into a keris (or any object) at many places along it's life by many different people. It doesn't necessarily need to originate with the empu who made the keris. I believe that in the right hands a contempory (or even a "tourist" keris) can become a very powerful spiritual tool. I believe this because essentially the "true" power resides within the practioner. This is not to say that some keris do not carry a power of their own, but i can't see that power being of much use if one is unable to access the power within themselves.

[ganjawulung]

Originally Posted by David

...Magick and spiritual intent is indeed a very personal affair and power can be embued into a keris (or any object) at many places along it's life by many different people. It doesn't necessarily need to originate with the empu who made the keris. I believe that in the right hands a contempory (or even a "tourist" keris) can become a very powerful spiritual tool. I believe this because essentially the "true" power resides within the practioner...

Yes David,

I've learned much from the simplicity of Ki Timbul Hadiprayitno. I met him in Bantul last March, a couple weeks after his dwelling place was flatted and levelled to earth by the giant earth-quake in that area.

Property, wealth, rank, position, profession according to him are only entrusted goods from God. They are not eternal. And from that encounter on March, I saw that Ki Timbul show this strong character of "he is what he is". He is aware of himself, being a common people. His formal title, Kanjeng Raden Tumenggung (KRT) Cerma Manggala -- given by the late Sultan Hamengku Buwono IX more than 30 years ago -- is only entrusted goods too. Ki Timbul (more than 70) is aware, he is "only" the Nagasasra with the quality of "tourist keris", although the keris' sheath is made of beautiful ivory, the pendhok is "suasa" (copper-gold mixture), gold keris ring and his keris' hilt is made of ivory...

Ki Timbul is one of the best "spiritual dhalang" or wayang puppet-player in Java nowadays...

Ganjawulung

[Raden Usman Djogja]

Originally Posted by David

.... I believe this because essentially the "true" power resides within the practioner...

David and Gonjo,

I do believe as you, the true power resides within the practioner. However, some people believe keris has power which influencing the practioner/holder. Which one is true? Perhaps, none holds "absolute" truth. It is like chicken and eggs enigma. Which one comes first.

The moderate people would say there is co-relation between them, practioner and keris. Based on the corelationship amongst them, the power has multiplied exponentially.

I do really want to have an opportunity to discuss spiritual aspects of shadow puppet, keris and local values with Ki Timbul "The Dalang". I used to listen to his performance whenever the local broadcaster (usually GCD FM) programmed it on air. Sometimes, I followed it from the begining to the end. Sometimes, just in goro-goro part.

[What do you translate Dalang and Goro-Goro in English?]

Someday, I had discussed with an ordinary dalang about something which he considered as a pusaka. He preferred to pick up not a personal example but in general. Usually, a dalang has a thing which is considered as pusaka. It can be a keris, an akik (stone), one of his gamelan instruments or one of his puppets. None knows because, usually, he keeps it secretly. Some dalangs, use it whenever they perform shadow puppet. Some dalangs, instead of using it when performing shadow, they use it when they do ritual works (meditation, "nayuh", contemplation, and so on). The dalangs have vary opinions about a time or condition which is considered as a sacred part then they consider an neccessity to hold "his pusaka".

By listening to the radio, I had a guessing that Ki Timbul had the elaboration of my questions. But in the end of 80s and the eraly of 90s, he was in his peak whilst I was just a student. It was difficult to have such opportunity. Usually, I chose to meet with people (dalang, dukun, kiai, et cetera et cetera) at a time "before" or "after" their peak seasons. To whom I considered him as "pre-peak somebody", I could listen to and learn his values on wish, hope, ambition and expected achievement. To whom I considered as "after-peak somebody", I could listen to and learn his recollection of golden career and unfinished hope, wisdom and the way he has already pathed. To whom I considered as "on air or on peak somebody", seemingly, they considered me as "a student with bugget package without any interesting offered" then leading to no substantial conversation.

[Kiai Carita]

Originally Posted by Raden Usman Djogja

...
I do really want to have an opportunity to discuss spiritual aspects of shadow puppet, keris and local values with Ki Timbul "The Dalang". I used to listen to his performance whenever the local broadcaster (usually GCD FM) programmed it on air. Sometimes, I followed it from the begining to the end. Sometimes, just in goro-goro part.

[What do you translate Dalang and Goro-Goro in English?]

Someday, I had discussed with an ordinary dalang about something which he considered as a pusaka. He preferred to pick up not a personal example but in general. Usually, a dalang has a thing which is considered as pusaka. It can be a keris, an akik (stone), one of his gamelan instruments or one of his puppets. None knows because, usually, he keeps it secretly. Some dalangs, use it whenever they perform shadow puppet. Some dalangs, instead of using it when performing shadow, they use it when they do ritual works (meditation, "nayuh", contemplation, and so on). The dalangs have vary opinions about a time or condition which is considered as a sacred part then they consider an neccessity to hold "his pusaka"....

Ki Timbul from Bantul is indeed a very good and respected dalang -in this case, dalang is shadow pupeteer (spl?) ... I studied breifly with him in the early / mid 80s. One thing I remember he said was that if you want to be a dalang, you must aspire to be more than famous (kondang), rather you should aspire to be accepted (ketrima). His training as a boy consisted of walking around Central and East Jawa, visiting elder dalangs and talking to people, appart from sitting behind his father handing him puppets in a show. Another Yogya dalang I like and studied with is Ki Hadi Sugito, who now doesn't perform any more, but was expert in goro-goro, especially in bringing the character Bagong to life. He invented 'Bagong Ratu' - a comedy when Bagong becomes king.

Goro-Goro is a part of the wayang kulit dramatic structure where the tides begin to turn for the good side and clown-gods (panakawan) appear. It is signalled by the suluk (sung poetry) Bumi gonjang-ganjing, langit kelap-kelap katon....ooooo...lir gencanging aris, denya ilang wewadhine, wadhananira kumel kucem rahnya maratani...hoooooong. The earth shakes, there is fire in the sky, the seas rise, women loose their shame, their looks are crumpled and the peasants' faces loose their shine....hooooooong! In the goro-goro, the good hero listens to the advice of the clown-gods and finds the strength to continue the struggle victoriousely.

David, if you google Pangkur Gedhong Kuning, you will find a page that refers to a CD in the US.

Most dalangs, have several pusaka in the form of an inherited puppet, a gamelan instrument, and a keris. Sometimes when they retire or even before that) they also are dukuns - like Ki Hadi Sugito from Wates.

Warm salaams,
Bram.

[ganjawulung]

Originally Posted by Raden Usman Djogja

I do really want to have an opportunity to discuss spiritual aspects of shadow puppet, keris and local values with Ki Timbul "The Dalang". I used to listen to his performance whenever the local broadcaster (usually GCD FM) programmed it on air. Sometimes, I followed it from the begining to the end. Sometimes, just in goro-goro part.

Yes Raden,

In my eyes, Ki Timbul is a "professor" of simplicity... These are two pictures of my old simple man, with his favorite Nagasasra...

Ganjawulung