Aasha Khosa/New Delhi

Around four decades ago, Ghulam Mustafa Khawaja was working on his doctoral thesis in Philosophy at the Rajasthan University, Jaipur, where his teacher Prof Daya Krishna sought to strike up a conversation with him on Shiva Sutras, key scriptures of Kashmiri Shaivism.

The Kashmiri scholar wore a blank expression and said, “I have never heard of it”.

“Prof Krishna scolded me. He told me it was a shame for a Kashmiri not to know his rich history and one of the greatest philosophies of the world,” said G M Khawaja, who is better known by his pen name of Prof. Meem Hai Zaffar.

Meem Hai Zaffar Avtar Mota (from latter's blog)

Professor told him, “You people have a great tradition of explaining philosophy in poetry.” Prof Daya Krishna is one of the great authorities on the Indian and Western philosophies who had taught in the USA as well.

He was referring to the ninth-century scripture of Rishi Vasugupta which is one of the basic books on Shaiva darshan (Philosophy), which originated in Kashmir from 850 BC and later spread to the rest of India.

Shiva Sutras are a collection of 77 aphorisms that form the foundation of the tradition of spiritual mysticism known as Kashmiri Shaivism which has Shiva as a formless supreme principle manifesting the universe.

Speaking with Awaz-the Voice around Mahashivratri, the major festival of Kashmiri Pandits which they call Herath, Meem Hai Zaffar said after this conversation he soon bought the book -Shiv Sutras - an English translation of the original Sanskrit.

“I read it and immediately fell in love with it, Ever since I have always kept it with me. Sometimes, if I mistakenly leave it at places like airports, I quickly buy a new book,” he says.

Meem Hai Zaffar translated Shiva Sutraa, a poetic scripture into the Kashmiri language – both in Devnagri and Nastlik scripts for which he was conferred the Sahitya Academy award for best translation in 2014.

.His idea was that unless people read the ancient scripture in their language, these would sound complex, and therefore younger generations would not get to know their rich past.

Though he joined the J&K education department as a lecturer of philosophy and rose to become a professor at the University of Kashmir, his quest for knowledge of his legacy of Kashmir Shaivism continued. “I am not an authority on Kashmiri Shaivism, but have done a lot of study of Shaiva-darshan for my work.”

He studied Sanskrit for his research work.

Meem Hai Zaffar with his books

About Shiva Sutra, he says the story of Rishi Vasugupta. The great sage of Kashmir was told in his dream that he must search for Shiva Sutras in the jungle of Harwan which are kept under a rock. He immediately left for Harvan and began his search for the Sutras. After a long search, he touched a massive boulder and it moved. Under it, he found the Shiva Sutras, the divine message.

The rock under which the divine message was is still located inside the Dachigam National Park known for Hngul, the Kashmiri stag, and is called Shankar Pal (Pal means boulder in the Kashmiri language).

Shiva Sutra thus became the first divine text written by a human being, he says.

Prof. Meem Hai Zaffar has recently translated Acharya Kshemraja’s Sutra titled ‘Pratibhigyan-Hridayam’ into Kashmiri Language as ‘Prazneth Hund Gash’ or ‘Splendor of Recognition’. This is his second published work dealing with Kashmir’s Shaiv Darshana.

Autar Mota, an author and Kashmiri cultural activist writes about Prof Zaffar’s work, “I am beholden to Prof  Meem Hai Zaffar for gifting me his latest. This double script gives the book a broad-based readership. A great attempt to reach the constituency of expected readers. All the Sutras are with detailed commentary in Kashmiri that simplifies them for a layman who is not well versed with Kashmir's  Shaiv - Darshana .”

Prof Zaffar rues the fact that while scholars worldwide are showing keen interest in Kashmir’s philosophy, especially Shaiva darshan, the younger generation and a vast section of Kashmiris in general are still ignorant about their glorious heritage.”

He has an explanation for Kashmiris not taking pride in their rixch intellectual past and looks like Shiv Sutras. “It is easy to comprehend. I believe, that because it has not been taught to us in our native language or mother tongue, that’s why it seems difficult. Everybody feels proud of this heritage but a few know what this is all about. For me, Kashmir’s Shaiva Darshana is a great civilizational link to our past and has a great promise for our future.”

Meem Hai Zaffar with one of his books

He says every individual and every society needs to know its roots. It gives a sense of historical continuity. Not only Shaivism but ancient intellectual and spiritual traditions are ingrained in the DNA of every Kashmiri. It is in his conduct, logic, art, poetry, behavior, and thought process. How can he opt to remain ignorant about it? ”

He says scriptures like Shiva Sutras are not meant to be kept in a museum or library as “the books run in the blood of Kashmiris.”

“Shaivism is reflected in the parameters of thought of Kashmiris and their behavior.” He refers to Sheikh Nurudin Noorani alias Nund Rishi, a Sufi sage and mystic poet Lalleshwari whose Shruk and Vaakh respectively at times appear like "beautifully translated verses of Shiva Sutras."

Meem Hai Zaffar also worked with JNU and the central University, Jammu, lives in Kashmir.

He plans to translate Acharya Uptaldeva’s Isvara Pratyabhijna Karika (Verses on the Recognition of the Lord), a central text for the Pratyabhijna school of Shaiva Philosophy.

“This is turning out to be my most challenging project because I have to do a lot of research.”

READ MORE: Maha Shivratri is a day of inner awakening

The book is based on the Shaivittes’ argument to counter the Buddhist philosophy of life.