Rupa Bhawani

Rupa Bhawani was the second great mystic poet of 17th century. She had a great and deep experience of ups and downs of life. The worldly sufferings showed her the path of spiritual life. Her spiritual 'Guru' was her father Pandit Madhav Joo Dhar who initiated her into the mysteries and practices of yoga. She gave rich mystic poetry to Kashmiri language. In her poetry, we can find the influence of both Kashmir Shaivism and Islamic Sufism.

'Selflessness is the sign of the selfless;

Bow down at the door of the selfless.

The selfless are of the highest authority,

The kings of the time and the wearers of the crest and crown.

These lines show her spiritual understanding. According to her dissolution of self is essential for Realisation. Rupabhawani was a great preacher of yoga. She describes her yogic practice. The different stages of 'yoga' and awakening of Kundalini has been described in the simple language of common men:

I dashed down into the nether regions and brought thc vital breath up;

I got its clue out of earth and stones;

Then my kundalini woke up with nada;

I drank wine by the mouth,

I got the vital breath gathered it within myself;