Darshan of Lord Shiva; to Sanjay Patnaik

[Guest guest]

Dear Sanjay:

You don't happen to be related to Devraj Patnaik of

the Chitralekha Dance Company in Burlington, Ontario,

are you? It was my privilege to have darshan of Lord

Shiva through this young man's incredible dancing,

when I attended a presentation of "The Nine Moods of

Durga" around 1996-7. Devraj Patnaik is a master of

Orissan dancing, and he opened the presentation with

an "Invocation of Lord Shiva". My friend and I arrived

late, and we hurried into the theatre and sat down.

There had been no time to read the program, so we had

no idea at the time what was being performed. While

watching, something happened, and suddenly he seemed

to become about 10 feet tall and his presence FILLED

the theatre..it was quite remarkable! I might also

mention I was NOT under the influence of any ganja or

anything, and neither was my friend! I nudged her with

my elbow and asked "Did you see that?" She replied

"Yes", without taking her eyes from the stage. After a

few moments it was plain that it was a legend of Shiva

that was being enacted...Kama had just shot Shiva with

a flower arrow. I held my breath, convinced for a

second that fire was REALLY going to come out of his

third eye, so strong was the Presence! Later on,

Devraj played the role of Mahishasura, and his sister,

Ellora Patnaik, also a talented dancer (but not quite

in the same way as her brother!)played Durga. I was

thankful he had played Lord Shiva first, so powerful

was his portrayal of the buffalo-demon! After the

show, I waited to meet him; I simply HAD to speak to

him! When he finally came out, I was stunned to find

he was only about 5'4"...I TOWERED over him! I

complimented him on his dancing and he humbly disowned

my compliments in the Indian way. Then I asked him if

he knew what had happened during his performance. I

told him "You turned into Lord Shiva! My girlfriend

here saw it too!" He stared at me, and held out his

hands and we looked at each other, clasping hands for

a moment, then he took my friend's hand too. Nothing

was said, we just pranamed to each other, and turned

away silently. It was an tremendously powerful moment.

I never forgot that incredible darshan.

Lilith M.

--- Sanjay Patnaik <sanjaypatnaik2004

wrote:

>

> Dear Friends,

>

> Accept my regards. Really this is the best group in

> the World.

>

> Friends, when we say the word "Mother':

>

> Q)1 what images come to our mind?

>

> Q2) Do we find ourselves thinking of a personal

> relation, Or do we remember a specific act of

> motherliness that was bestowed on us?

>

> Sanjay Patnaik

>

>

>

>