Bikram Subba
English Translation: Manprasad Subba
And came the auspicious day at last
The groom was joined by the moon and stars
Creeper as turban coiled around his head
Umbrella of arum leaf spread overhead
Delightful music the waterfalls played.
As there the groom’s entourage reached
With all sobrieties they took their seats.
***
Clad in home-spun gunyu and choli
A newly bloomed flower looked she
In the cloud-palanquin swaying gently
With a garland held with both hands
Sumnima appeared to face Paruhang
Glancing at sores on the groom’s face
The bride stopped moving her pace.
A commotion arose with questioning eyes
Everyone’s confused and couldn’t surmise.
Sumnima spoke, ‘Leper is he.
‘No! He mustn’t be brought to me.
No need of groom, single will I live
This country he must be made to leave.’
Paruhang then stepped forward
Uttered the words from his heart
Paruhang: About my physique never did I lie
Accepted your love when I was to die
One who humiliates me
Is certainly my enemy
I’ll take revenge some other day
Let us leave now without delay.
With dream shattered, excitement doused
All the joys were covered in shroud
O God! What a terrible fate!
Even foes be spared from such state.
Sumnima stood quiet by the cave
All stood there quite astounded
Shouted she then to all to leave,
With eyes in tears while chest heaved.
***
Paruhang burned with fire of fury
Sought to avenge his deep injury
Fumed as he was his body shook
Biting his own lip he somehow took
Control of himself, but emotion spilled
And everything on earth by drought was hit
Rivers and cascades, ponds and springs
All dried and the plants went drying
Not a drop came out from the spring
How to life could a creature cling?
Thirst burned like a forest-fire
Hoped for a dew drop in the morning
But no leaf for dew to descend on
Bird’s tear-drops could not be drunk
No respite in the night or at dawn
To grave by thirst all’s being drawn
Asleep or awake, one saw all dry
Adding more misery the sun did rise
No cool water to make life stir
Earth was burning and full of scars
He turned out a sinner to be shackled
His eyes should at once be skewered
Why such a wrath against the earth?
He forbade water too from springing forth.
Revenge so cruel and devastating!
O come someone to explain me.
Sumnima babbled in indignation
Restlessness caused her exhaustion
Exhausted she sat under peepal tree
Her heart beat faster as though fleeing
Her eyes moved round to look for water
But saw everything burnt with fire.
A bird danced flapping its wings
Up and down the high cliff
It might’ve got the water somewhere
And it may bring to this thirsty creature
It saw a yam plant between two rocks
And on its broad leaf a few drops.
The bird came with water in its beak
And impatiently trembling she took it
Thirst quenched and the cloud appeared
And started singing the song of drizzle
Who was behind such mystery and magic?
Drought-hit earth heard life’s music.
All this must be the Almighty’s act
River again flowed along its tract
The chest was again full of life
Blood ran with hearty notes alive.
This is how a deity took his birth-
No form and hue but divine power
She began offering the incense fragrant
And lit diyo of her great devotion.
Seeing all these Paruhang smiled
Thus avenging he felt satisfied.
‘She worships me with dhupauro in hand,
Puts vermillion on siundo in my name!’
Life returned from the farthest edge
Head bowed low in deep reverence
Faith strong grew in divine power
And also in His retributive anger
To God they sang hymns to appease
In hymn they found amrita and peace.
They took it as prasad from God
That ran like a drug in their blood
One who stretches a helping hand
Receives love and respect from all
One who distances in time of need
Meets his end being left derelict
Sumni and Paru quarrel a while
But missed each other day and night
Spring’s visit made forest suave
And filled the urn of heart with love
Dry banks of eyes flooded with tears
Haze of the heart was all washed clear
‘What is it that moves inside me?
And I feel tendency of vomiting’
She wondered at her own figure
What’s this sickness that gives pleasure?
Sometimes she feels confused, nervous
She had had never such an experience
Sometimes she feels her blood boiling
In the heart she feels someone singing
‘Is my body really diseased?
Sometimes I feel my breath ceased
Am I encircled by ghosts and apparitions?’
And Thrush came to help her as a shaman.
Thrush came and felt Sumnima’s pulse
He trembled in his shamanic trance
The pulse revealed what was the cause
And that was to be conveyed to all
Again he pondered deeply with
Odd – even number of Rudraksha beads.
Odd and even, even and odd
He explores the meaning in the occult.
Diving into the mystical number
He finds the meaning and tells her:
Thrush: You are safe from evil infection
It’s a symptom common to women
You are now going to be a mother,
A mother to expand this creation
In your womb an embryo is growing
With your warm blood it is growing.
Sumnima was utterly astounded
‘But how?’ she asked her own self
Who might be the baby’s father?
She came out in search of answer.
Sumnima: No one have I married yet
Nor with any one have I slept.
Be a mother without husband?
What shall I say when questioned?
Thrush: Try to recall what had occurred
Stir your memory that might’ve blurred
I speak what’s revealed to me
Did you meet someone somewhere? Tell me.
Going back to each of the days past
She couldn’t find a clue to that
Exhausted, Sumni gave a long sigh
And turned towards Thrush helplessly
Thrush shook, in his hand thick foliage
In which he saw her with bride’s visage
Thrush: Towards a man you were drawn
And bride you quietly did become
As you saw his sore-covered face
You inflicted upon him a disgrace
He blew the fire of wrath on earth
And it turned like a burning hearth
You were about to die of thirst
And two drops of semen he dropped
You slaked your thirst with his dews
That made its way into your womb
This is what I see with shamanic eye
I tell you everything without a lie.
Sumnima: God! That’s what’d exactly happened
I’d indeed drunk the liquid drops
I didn’t know it was semen drops
I’m innocent for whatever happened.
Even if I knew what’s what
I couldn’t but drink to remain alive
The drops like amrita worked wonder
In desiccated body life did stir
Blessed be he who brings contentment
Tell me, O Thrush! Who’s that savior?
I’ll worship him with all my fervor.
He might surely be a great soul
To him I’ll submit my life whole.
Thrush closed eyes to see the unseen
And unraveling the event he did begin:
Thrush: What to the Man did you utter?
Rude were you while in love.
You kept your love imprisoned within
Despised him outwardly but longed within
Both you affect going separate ways
While love led you both to one direction
Man and woman the pair of passion
The most beautiful song of creation
You also crooned this very song
You got the meaning now. Am I wrong?
Vision ceased. Now usual self was Thrush
And Sumni felt helplessly embarrassed.
In abashment her eyes lowered
Heart-beat dropped to a normal chord.
Accepting his customary reward
Thrush quietly took leave of her
As he flew on his way back home
The sun in the west was already crimson.
***
From the sky descends the light
To play on the earth till twilight
Then with dew-drops comes the night
To stay until the dawn alights
Time moves with day and night
Watches the stars with clouds pushed aside
This is how a few months go by
Embryo grows to be the child
Sometimes it moves in Sumni’s womb
Sometimes she does feel rather worn
Sometimes her body tremors like quake
And she feels her heart give a sudden shake.
***
Sumnima now frequently felt movements in her womb
Mischievously disrupting her sleep so full of dreams
Sometimes she heard “Aama!” from within the womb
Does some discomfort make it do such an abrupt move?
Bulged belly and open heart like some honey-comb
Now her heart beat with joy, now quite burdened.
What entered inside that tamed her burning youth?
On life’s lovely plant a new creation seemed to shoot.
With divine will to make creation move further ahead
Ningwafumang has assigned me the task of bearing babe.
As Sumnima thought of this she felt contented
And set her loom to weave the patterns she wanted.
Birds would come to sing and dance on the bakaina tree
And she made out in her own way what the birds said.
She saw in clouds her Man’s letters sailing in the sky
From the peaks of Himalaya they flew and soared high.
When in the sky cloud appeared she let her tears flow
But revolving of butter-like cloud made her heart glow.
Sometimes cloud hid itself and she would utterly wonder
She would then feel quite deserted and be quiet in despair.
Sometimes a corner of the sky sounded with flash of light
And a murky stream nimbly flowed in a serpentine flight
These must be the loving pranks Paruhang did perform
Shower of his love thoroughly drenched my bulging form.
Now I regret for all the insults I inflicted upon Man
After all I’ve fallen in love with the very same Man.
To whom am I to confide my whole new sensation?
Motions, emotions spring up from the bottom of my bosom.
Which direction might he be in? How to win him back?
With baby in womb in this separation all supports I lack.
Drifting of cloud may be perhaps the male-folk’s nature
That weaves rainbow on the loom of the gentle shower.
Or is it just my suspicion? Like touch-me-not I crunch.
Why is my mind narrow like an edge of stone sharpened?
Wringing this heart day and night streams and creeks sough
And on the edge of my heart hope like new leaves sprouts.
Thousands of despair, thousands of hopes surge in the breast
Songs of cuckoo and mynah penetrate the dense forest.
Every evening with loose earth-slope hope slides down
But in the morning it again rises even to lift the mountain.
Lark says the moon could not feel the throbs of love
Cauldron of cloud emptied, yet earth was dry as duck.
Slopes of hills smiled again with the lips of blossoms
On some unknown auspicious day to Man this heart opened.
I cannot help thinking of him, my whole system is saturated
Paruhang has become the one who now holds my breath.
He whom I called ugly now with god’s splendour appears
Single is the splendid moon in the midst of millions of stars.
Whose hand shall I hold when gripped by pangs of labour?
How shall I answer if our son wanted to know of his father?
Each morning fades in sickness and day leaves me in worry
Though you do not appear out here you dwell in my psyche.
I live here with desires at heart and endless ripples in mind
In each and every part of my body I feel the presence of Man.
Nine long months passed but Man did not turn up
Bird too didn’t sing well as heart had conjured up.
This time again tender flower-buds desire to open up
To adorn the breast of earth all the blossoms come up.
Arms of boughs do not appear without the trays of flower
This creation without ceasing quietly moves on ever.
All the flowers turn their eyes toward Sumni in wonder
Water-fall, in a sweet melody, sings a beauteous number.
Stepping on the lake, shaking the leaves the breeze dances
Blossomed boughs full of fragrance fill up the blue spaces.
Sumnima now began to feel some signs of uneasiness
It grew slowly into a pain of which she’d no experience.
Pulsation increased and all her nerves and heart quivered
Darkness seemed to have engulfed all the expanse of earth.
Sumnima writhed and screamed as the pain gripped her
To inform and call her trusted Thrush she then bid a bird.
So acute was the pang it seemed to end her life
Tiny creation in the womb, how to save its life?
Twists and turns in perspiration, oh what a pain it is!
Oh! This unendurable pain! O God! Relieve her of it.
She felt her breath being choked with the strange agony
It wrung heart and through the eyes salty water spilt.
At this time arrived Thrush with all his equipment
Held her wrist, felt the pulse, his breath paused for moments.
He knew at once Sumnima was seized by birth-pain
Thrush spoke as phedangma what he saw with his ken.
He fetched water to sprinkle over her unconscious face
All assembled to help Sumni regain her consciousness.
Some came forward to fan her with a broad bhorla leaf
Some attempted to awaken her by pressing her nostrils.
Lo! Slowly her eyes opened like breaking of cloud-mass
Again in her body, like spring season, there her life was.
In her eyes earth was reeling and darkness spread around
She then asked Thrush in her ailing, enfeebled sound –
What happened to me? Tell me, O Thrush, am I dying?
I believed myself to be a blossom but now am I falling?
Thrush: Birth and death are the laws made by Ningwafumang
Two rhythms of joy and sorrow make the worldly song.
One that’s come goes and by new old is replaced
If no new buds, how will creation move ahead?
O! Why to fear death since no one is immortal
Transient is our existence which none can forestall.
The day Ningwafumang spat on human face
Death found its way into each of human race.
We draw life from the air for a couple of days
We design life-patterns entwining light and shade.
Death comes, freezes blood and takes away life’s perfume
It lurks in mystery leaving behind a dark pall of gloom.
Our act of creation will be the victory over death
Smiling flower, sprouting seed keep the beauty saved.
You aren’t dying of this agony even if you wanted to
Your progeny will remain peopling the world, it’s true.
The auspicious moment has arrived to grasp you
You’re soon going to give birth to an offspring new,
Your progeny to inhabit this vast expanse of earth
Listen to the valley breeze singing to the coming birth.
Your body now braces itself for the long awaited release
The first curtain of creation is about to rise and reveal.
As she listened, Sumnima felt a strange sort of sensation
The words worked like soothing balm and her pain lessened.
Blending the colors of joy and shyness she silently blushed
It was like plucking a flower stepping on the sliding earth.
The first shine of creation was reflected in the eyes
Crossing the sea of suffering the happiness wiped her cries.
After the hunt of wild fowls Thrush came back tired
He took his seat close to Sumnima with his day’s prize.
Cries of pain were heard again that filled the dark sky
No one knew then where the light of day had retired.
From all directions rose a storm with its dark countenance
The cave seemed too narrow and stuffed with all darkness.
The wind blew scattering the rain-drops like seeds
And rain lashed hard while running with great speed.
To burn the clouds streak of lightning ran across the sky
Beneath the beatings of rain and hail the poor earth did lie.
Sumnima was seized once again by the flood of pain
The creature inside, from being out, was in midway detained.
No way could be seen to make an unrestrained passage
How to win the benign touch of Ningwafumang’s rays?
Attending Thrush was also quite at his wit’s end
Nothing could he do but silently pray to Providence.
That very moment in the cave the woman’s scream rolled
It was as if the cave was struck by the mighty thunderbolt.
Thorn pierced and made its path with the flow of blood
Titichhara, a wild thorn, suddenly emerged on earth.
She expected a conquering son but here’s something else
And all over the surface of earth it by itself spread.
Now again the same pain visited to her like a foe
Her head spun and she felt her life dropping low.
It was as though to annihilate there was an earthquake
And rodhara, a wild weed, suddenly sprouted everywhere.
It was followed by shrubs and scrubs one after another
As she threw them they took root and spread all over.
Cat and tiger, bear and monkey were born afterward
Ape followed them and only in the end man appeared.
And she took in her warm lap both man and tiger
Feeding from her flowing breast both the babes she cared.
Bear also pushed its snout into the mother’s breast
With its tiny and tender arms the mother was caressed.
Thrush came with bow and arrow to the human-babe,
Sang the Mundhum placing the bow on the baby’s head
With his eyes closed he invoked his shamanic vision
By performing kachuro he then entered into revelation.
He gave the man malibaans bamboo to make bow and arrow
To worship ancestors Thrush himself bore a hollowed gourd.
It was now man to carry forward the created life ahead
All across the surface of earth his progeny will spread.
Man was named Lepmuhaang on an auspicious day
It will be he by whom on earth all beings will be led.
Ape and monkey left the cave and moved into the forest
Bear, tiger and man with their mother in the cave dwelt.
Cave, forest and murmuring brooks nurtured by the nature
Frolicking and playing freely they’re nourished by mother.
Tiger played and hunted alone and came back with deer
Lepmuhang would climb up the tree to pick guava and pear.
The idle Bear licked his legs and slept near the mother
When he smelt meat and fruits he opened his eyes to peer.
With a piece of malibaans bamboo Lepmuhaang made a bow
Aiming at tapering bamboo top he would shoot the arrow.
He would rarely miss the target whatever may it be
Once he shot at the stone and a fiery spark saw he.
The fire licked the woods and trees and plants were afire
Many wild animals couldn’t escape and were burnt alive.
Man’s tongue touched the taste of thus cooked meat
This is how the cooked things man learned to eat.
Tiger and man went out for hunt each and every morning
He climbed up the trees to see if the fruits are ripening.
Tiger sometimes would find nothing to slake his day’s hunger
Driven by hunger he would then say, ‘I will eat you, brother.’
***
Lepmuhang: You are not just hungry, I know
But a burning ill-will you show.
If you want to make me your meat
What will you give our mother to eat?
So let us rather go together
To find something for us and mother.
Tiger: On one condition I will agree
If nothing found, my food you’ll be.
Lepmuhang: If we failed I’ll be your meat
Or it may be death you’ll meet.
***
Both the siblings entered the forest
Perching on a slope they lay in wait
A stag came running that way
The arrow struck it near the chest.
The stag collapsed then and there
Upon its back pounced the tiger.
As it tossed the blood spilled
And soon its life was stilled.
Tiger ripped the carcass’s chest
Ate a part and left the rest.
Tiger: For today I am fully fed
Rest of the stuff you may take.
Lepmuhang: Our mother is waiting for us
For both of us she must be anxious
How can I fill my stomach alone?
For mother I will take it home.
How to eat? Raw is venison.
Let us carry it home in turn.
***
Tiger picked up the remains of stag
And swung to place it on his back
Tiger in front and Lepmuhang followed
The sun went down and dusk followed.
And demon-like darkness descended
While Lepmuhang sneaked into the cave
Mother’s face — a star in the cave
Seeing venison all was delighted.
They roasted and ate to their fill
And into their eyes sleep did steal.
Sumnima woke up in the midnight
And fire in the hearth started to light
Now the cold was dispelled from cave
It seemed that dawn had descended
Lepmuhang awoke as he felt warmth
While Tiger lay in deep slumber.
He thought to let his mother know
Of beastly intention Tiger showed.
Lepmuhang: Listen, mother, what Tiger says
He wants to make food of my flesh.
He’s not my brother but a foe
Caution him or I’ll use my bow.
Sumnima: He might just be making a fun
United, you’ll be harmed by none.
***
Dawn came in thin veil
as two muttered inside
Bumble-bees came humming
to the fragrant flowers outside.
For spring-water Lepmuhang left
Tiger yawned and raised its head
Idle bear still did no work
He still slept without a jerk
Sumnima intently looked at Tiger,
Posed herself as an interrogator:
Sumnima: Did you say you eat your brother?
Is he your enemy or own brother?
You may rather fall to his arrow
But a fratricide is not valor.
Your hostility helps enemy grow
And we all may fall in great sorrow.
Tiger: I had said that only in jest
Mother, you mustn’t judge in haste.
If he attempts to shoot at me
He will not at all be able to flee.
Sumnima: Sun and moon you’re born of me
Not brass but gold you should be.
Tiger: Whom do you regard as gold, mother?
In traits you human beings hardly differ.
Be careful not to rouse my wrath
Or else even you may not be spared.
Sumnima: Why do you so lose your temper?
Do you find mother’s love so bitter?
Such ire as yours may be in all.
Venom is it if turned to its call.
Tiger: I understand what you mean
But I’ll never let you win.
I’ll annihilate human race
And make this world my own place.
Sumnima: Don’t show your beastly zeal
My words will your ill-temper heal.
How will your fury lead the world?
How will you keep peace in the world?
Tiger: First I will slay the human beings
And choose my friend from other beings
No human will be in animal world
Now by no one here I will be stalled!
***
He treats even his mother as a foe
Beastliness may the world swallow.
It’s said Shiva had gulped the poison
But in Tiger it grew like venom.
Didn’t Shiva drink all the poison?
Or why should it fill each bosom?
One says, ‘I am the only great’.
The other says, ’In dust he’ll rest’.
Apocalypse takes hold of the earth
Creation brings out newer births.
Sumnima was again confounded
And to Lepmuhang she confided.
Sumnima: Tiger really seems an enemy
He threatens to kill even me
In fear my inner heart shivers
Tiger can’t take this creation further.
How will you play the bloody game?
And untangle this entanglement?
Lepmuhang: Do not worry for whatever occurs
This world is his who conquers.
To save mother and this creation
Onus is on me I must not shun.
Bless me, O mother! Triumph be mine
I pluck the stars and make the earth shine.
Sumnima: Mother only gives you birth
But it’s you who walk on earth.
Except love, what shall I speak?
But I see here a specter of conflict.
I wish Truth’s petals be unfurled
May there be peace in the world.
***
And Tiger took his own path
Mother felt an ache at heart
Lepmuhang set out in search of food
Looked up to trees for ripe fruit
The two brothers in divergence
Quietly parted their ways hence.
In them runs the blood of same hue
But different traits separate the two
In between them is their mother
Who to side with? She fails to ponder.
The sky grew grey with clouds again
Man drew his bow with an aim.
A boar fell after a terrible bounce
With this Lepmuhang was homebound.
Heavy in the sky the clouds hung
Wind was donning the cloak of storm.
Fresh grave on the path! Whose is this?
Legs protruded outside unburied.
He gave them a close look to know
And began to dig out with an arrow
As he kept digging he knew more
Bearing clouds the wind blew more.
At last the corpse he pulled out of grave
It was his mother he’d left in the cave.
Whose act is it? He sought answer.
In him the vengeful thought did stir.
Lepmuhang was trembling with wrath
And wiping his eyes there he sat.
Thrush arrived and evoked his vision
He danced Chandi in the state of trance.
For ten thousand times round the corpse
He moved in the hope of the life’s return.
With healing roots and leaves of herbs
Kachuro was performed, vision called up
At long last Sumni seemed breathing
Lepmuhang saw this with eyes beaming.
‘What happened to you? Who dared it?
I will rain arrows until he’s split.’
‘Bear said that he would eat me
With gaping mouth and claws came he
My eyes saw everything reeling
I fell unconscious, my head spinning.’
She uttered drawing a long breath
Oh! This awful happening! She said.
***
Bearing his mother Lepmuhang returned
On shoulder the bow and quiver slung
Bear was seen walking into wood
He took an arrow and aimed to shoot
The arrow flew with a fiery speed
And forehead of the bear it straight hit
Seeing this, mother’s heart broke
To her offspring she went close
She wept and placed him on her lap
She called Thrush to witness that
Why this love? Lepmuhang asked,
Do you want to bring this enemy back?
Sumnima: Offspring born of me are not apart.
What do you know of mother’s heart?
A child innocently spoils something
All its mischief is worth excusing.
Go and bring things that may ignite
Fire of life in the fireplace of body
***
Thrush then left in search of a cure
With his claws the earth he scratched
At last a grey toad he could catch
With its brains he turned back.
He put the brains on Bear’s forehead
And covered with skin his torn head
Moments later he regained sense
Scared, he ran off into the forest.
***
With Sumni only Lepmuhang remained
She alone suffered her heart’s pain
Thousands are born of one mother
But they go apart from one another
Who goes where and dwells in what place?
This creation moves on with strange plays.
One’s own kin may turn out stranger
And a stranger may turn out to be a kin.
Mundane world but mysterious play
A mesh woven with love and hate.
***
The sun stretched its bright wings
The earth then began smiling
Ondong flowers looked all smile
Sekmuri was fragrant all the while.
In search of food flew the birds
Simal tree released the soft fluff.
The worldly fair with day plays
The sun measures the sky’s breadth.
It was midday in the forest
But Lepmuhang lay not at rest.
Armed with bow he lay in wait
Behind a bush with bated breath.
The sun went down and tired was he
There he was both hungry and angry.
Birds flew back to their nests
Chicks shrieked hoping for insects
A dusky twilight adorned the earth
Again to the stars the sky gave birth
Hungry and tired as he was
He moved wearily pace by pace
Lepmuhang walked back through forest
And thought of Tiger coming to avenge
Fear and worry squirmed over him
His mind now scared, now emboldened him.
‘If he attacked me I will face
Either I or he will be dead.
Nine arrows and one bow in hand
I will fight to make myself stand.’
In moments he heard Tiger roar
Murmur of the rivers and brooks it tore.
What he feared turned out to be true
And no hiding place was there in view.
Tiger now approached roaring angrily
But man must not leave cowardly.
Yet I should lean behind the tree
Or better climb up the tall tree.
Nine rungs of the Simal tree
Beneath it water-fall so giddy.
Bruising his chest he climbed up
Tiger on the ground, man on the top.
***
In the morning he’d asked mother
To light a Diyo in one corner.
If Sekmuri flower withered
I will have been killed by Tiger
And if shrivelled Ondong flower
Know that Tiger ceased to stir.
She saw her children in the blossoms
And felt an untold pain in her bosom.
Sometimes Diyo looked like a bud
Sometimes Ondong lifeless appeared.
Sometimes Sekmuri loosely hung
There life and death thus swung.
Ondong again looked bright green
On the gloomy wall she did lean.
When Sekmuri looked weary
She felt her heart turning dreary.
Now both the flowers seemed hung low
Now both seemed rising out of the throes.
Tears kept rolling down her cheeks
Mountain weeps and flow the creeks.
Mutely in torment Sumnima wept
She her heartbeat helplessly felt
Affection-laden bare breast
Seemed trampled by untold distress.
She even fainted and came back to sense
And to Ningwafumang she did protest –
What is it, God, this fight to the finish?
You create life here only to punish?
****
In the sky the moon restlessly wanders
And her sweats fall down as dew-drops
Tiger was up on the first rung of branch,
His mouth agape and his roar strange.
Bow-string stretched and an arrow darted
It swooped past close to Tiger’s head.
Lepmuhang on the eighth rung of the tree,
Can he fight alone with no way to flee?
Tiger clawed up to the second rung
Man’s second arrow sounded ‘Twang’
The arrow just missed the target
The animal to the upper bough stretched
Tiger relentlessly moved upward
The moon set while the clouds surged forward.
Darkness was being lifted by dawn
‘Now by Tiger I will be eaten
Eight of my arrows were in vain
Can this last one have him slain?’
He turned inward to listen to the heart
And there emerged an idea smart –
‘O brother Tiger! You’ll eat me any way
So I’ll myself enter your mouth agape.’
‘Man has now no way to escape
He’s here an object of my play.’
He took as a toy his adversary
And thought he achieved victory.
With eyes shut he widened his mouth
And there he looked too proud.
Taking one last arrow that remained
Lepmuhang shot with all his strength.
The arrow sped straight into the mouth
And he gave out a loud painful shout.
As he fell his weight pulled down all
The branches on one side of the Simal.
Thus the beastliness was vanquished
And human existence established.
Morning glowed and cloud was dispelled
With renewed life the Sekmuri revelled.
All the leaves of the Ondong dried
Sumni’s bosom pained at one side.
Tears in the eyes but smile on the lips
Both pain and pleasure the heart keeps.
Now she smiled, now she cried
Tear-filled eyes and cheeks she wiped.
Sumnima sat there awaiting her son
Sighs came out of her aching bosom.
One son’s gone while other survived
Cloud dispersed and the sun shone bright.
His face flushed with smile and vigor
Victorious but now defeated by hunger
Lepmuhang arrived deadly tired
Seeing him Sumnima was bewildered.
Sumnima: What happened, son? Are you safe?
Is the beast killed and humanity saved
He too was my own offspring
But he let himself go perverting
Yet I find it so hard to endure
Strange is to me all this nature
You survived but other is dead
In the heart an agony is laid.
One is the bosom for joy and pain
How can one heart these two contain?
Lepmuhang: Observe the cat to know of tiger,
For an enemy, observe own brother.’
This is what you would say, mother!
And this proved to be even truer.
I was goaded to slay or be slain
It was a crisis to save the creation.
I intended not such strife
But growing threats to my life
Forced me to find some way
To get rid of that dangerous sway.
Victory is mine, I ask for blessings
And make Mundhum for human beings.
Sumnima: The story of life makes the Mundhum
To all its verses I wish to croon.
Whenever life is ruined by beast
One should remember this story’s gist.
Shall I conclude this story here?
Recite the Mundhum far and near
The narrator calls it the way of life
Golden garland is the listener’s prize.
(The End)
Notes:
Gunyu: A Nepali-styled sari
Choli: Blouse
Dhupauro: A handy earthen pot which is filled with burning coal to burn incense dust
Siundo: Parting of hair on woman’s head
Amrita: A holy sweet drink
Prasad: Holy food offered to God
Rudraksha: Thorny seed of a kind of tree, used as holy beads
Diyo: A small, round-shaped and semi-flat earthen oil lamp
Bakaina: A kind of tree that blooms in tiny bluish white floers in spring season and in summer it bears bunches of seeds
Aama: Mother
Phedangma: A shamanic priest in Limbu ethnic group
Bhorla: A kind of plant with broad leaves
Kachuro: A kirati shamanic act in which a shaman performs slicing of ginger, each slice at one stroke, and thus speaks about what is not known to ordinary mortals.
Malibaans: A kind of bamboo
Chandi: A typical folk dance of Kirant Rai ethnic group
Ondong: A kind of sweet and fragrant flower
Sekmuri: Celery flower which is depicted in the Mundhum as the symbol of human life
Mundhum: Holy Kirant Limbu scripture based on oral tradition