Lord of the Dance

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Dear Linda --

 

You don't have to search for apochryphal "Celtic

shamanic songs" to find the Lord of the Dance. Lord

Shiva is known to Hindus the world over as Nataraj

(the King of Dancers). If Swamiji emulates Nataraj,

then Shree Maa may well accompany him as Parvati, who

matches him step for step.

 

Ursula LeGuin, a noted Science Fiction writer, has a

collection of her poems titled "Hard Words," many of

which have Hindu themes. One ("The Dancing at

Tillai") contains this fragment:

 

Do you hear the drumming, child?

Do you see the fires?

See how my Lord bears drum and flame.

The right hand says be not afraid,

The left hand points to the dancing foot.

River and moon are in his hair.

His lifted foot is grace,

His lowered foot is sleep.

He dances in the center, there

And there, and there.

All time, all space

The arch of all the stars contains his splendor....

 

Come, child, to the dancing at Tillai.

 

The song, "The Lord of the Dance," originated as a

Christmas hymn about Jesus. American Neo-Pagans

re-wrote it to honor the Horned God of Wicca (inspired

by the Celtic stag-antlered deity, Cernunnos).

 

Of course, Lord Shiva is also often portrayed with a

tiny stag dancing on the palm of his hand. No need to

tie tree branches to your head. Your kundalini shakti

rises like antlers from your Sahasranama (crown)

chakra!

 

Namaste and blessed be,

-- Len/ Kalipadma

 

 

 

Sat, 7 May 2005 10:57:28 EDT

nierika

Re: To Henny on names for Swamiji

 

 

Henny wrote:

 

He who is Lord of the Dance

He who moves in his own rhythm

He who dances to the music of the spheres

He who makes the universe dance in delight

 

 

 

Dear Henny ~ I loved all your names for Swamiji, but

especially these having to do with dancing. Do you

know of the ancient song, "Lord of the Dance"? It

is beautiful ... an old, perhaps Celtic shamanic song.

When it was sung, the people attacted tree branches to

their heads so they looked like stags, and

they danced around. And I guess if Swamiji is the

Lord of the Dance, then Shree Maa must be the Lady of

the Dance.

 

Jai Maa , Jai Swamiji ~ Linda

 

 

 

 

 

 

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In a message dated 5/8/05 12:36:02 A.M. Mountain Daylight Time, kalipadma108 writes:

LordShiva is known to Hindus the world over as Nataraj(the King of Dancers).

Om Sivaya

This is about Chidambaram Temple and Siva Nataraja "A gateway to the

crown chakra. The mystical vessel where innumerable streams of

spiritual energy unite together in a vibrant knot. A point at the

junction of the thousand paths where present past and future meet to

form an entity beyond time, beyond any conditioning. Here in

Chidambaram, deep in southern India, carved into the granite stones

of the ritual grounds, the knowledge of the ancient Seers come to

life. The temple of Chidambaram is the home of the Dancing Shiva,

Lord of the Cosmic Dance, Shiva Nataraja. Nataraja dances the dance

of the atoms, stars and galaxies.

Shiva, who is the presiding deity of this temple, is worshipped here

in three aspects: as form, the image of Nataraja; as formless form, a

crystal Lingam; and as formless, a mysterious mantra invoking a

formless Yantra. Besides being one of the largest temples in India,

it is one of the very few temples practicing the Vedic tradition and

rituals. The Vedic doctrine centers on the performance of the yagna

or Fire-sacrifice. This doctrine has been preserved by a community of

hereditary priests in an unbroken, oral tradition. Called

Deekshithars, they have been the guardians of the temple and its

traditions since prehistoric times."

Om Namah Sivaya

Kanda