Keris and Hantus

[Boedhi Adhitya]

Salam..

Well, TikiD, you are asking a tought matter. Here in Java, keris experts propose several theories to explain the keris "magical" qualities. I quote some of those theories :

1. These magical qualities came directly from The Almighty, through the empus. While the empu making a keris, the empu fasting and praying, asking for the "magical qualities" to The Almighty. Thus, if his pray answered, "magical qualities" would be inherent to the blade, and might stay forever.

2. The qualities came from the materials used. Traditional old books about kerises wrote many different kind of irons, with their "magical" qualities. With his knowledges, empu selected the material which had a "magical qualities", then processed the material to strenghten it's power. He may also combined some different material to give certain effects. This kind of powers might be felt as "vibrations".

3. The qualities came from the empus or "orang sakti", "powerful man", might be considered as "Qigong Master", who then, "fill" the kerises with power. Thus, this kind of "power" might come later, and not originally came from empus/makers. This kind of power might be also felt as "vibrations".

4. The most favorite theory , the power came from those "ghost", jinny, "khadam", "hantu" or anything, you name it Consider the keris as a house, and those "unseen creatures" are it's resident. The empus or "dukun/orang sakti" may have a certain "agreement" before put those creatures, for example, "the residents" have obligations to help the keris' owner, while he is in troubles. And just like the human-being, those creatures may or may not comply with the agreement. Then, you may sue them And just like the ordinary houses, the resident may not only one. They might be the whole families

Assesing keris power is a really subjective matter. A friend of mine, had brought his keris to several "dukun", the "orang sakti"/ shamans. Then, none of them saying a similar judgments about the keris' resident ! A dukun said, the resident is "an old, wise, man" while other said it is a female. Other said it's a young warrior while other even said there was none detected, and offering to "fill" the keris. Even the same dukun, with the same blade, may say something very different after several months later ! Well, you might ended up in confuse, yet you have spent your money a lot

Actually, it is the keris' owner himself who really knows about his kerises. But if you insist at doing so, I suggest you to find a friend or other who really know about keris or mastering an internal energy arts (such as master qigong or tai chi) and doesn't ask for money in doing such a thing.

Last but not least, personally, I believe in theory no. 1 and 2. While some creatures may reside in a blade, they are still a creature, and thus, subjected to death, and also have their own problems and fates. Until now, it's work for me, and it is OK But if you really serious, I suggest you to master the exoteric things, then after you master it, it will naturally brings you to the esoteric realms. Many "troubled kerises" may be detected form exoteric view. That is, those "troubled kerises" bear a fatal flaws within them.

salam..