[1] There seems to be a play on the word lama (bla ma), which means both guru and “highest.” In the title, “Devotion” is placed next to lama with no grammar particle clarifying the relation. Such juxtapositions usually indicate apposition. In between lama and practice/path (lam khyer), there is a genitive particle making “highest” the qualifier of “practice.” The short colophon arranges “devotion” and lama a little differently, where lama is given first in the accusative case, followed by devotion. In this arrangement, the meaning is clearly “devotion to the lama/guru.”

​

[2] This line is rendered loosely, simply for stylistic reasons. The general meaning is unambiguous. A literal translation could be “Bless potency/power/mastery to blaze in my speech.” When we refer to someone with excellent skill in speech, we often say they have great “command.”

​

Published: September 2022

​