Article - Nritta - The journey into Shanta rasa - Padmaja Suresh

All dancers have to look deep and answer what nritta means to them, causes in them and the spectators. The avid sishya in me was introspecting. 'Laya', taken from ‘Pralaya’ is dissolution, absorption and concentration. Shuddha Nritta is pure, it’s Tala – Laya, the dance of Shakti and Shiva, Bindu and Nada. Nritt – aa / to cause to dance, blends male and female principles - Tadatmya identified as Ardhanareeswara. A cosmic creative vibration, Sphota / Nada, gets consolidated into Sabda Brahman or differentiated sound energy, symbolized by OM. From this arises cosmic intelligence, the creative spirit. Nritta is this pure creation, sustenance and destruction. Science today (Quantum physics) calls that GOD PARTICLE, the atomic dance of Nataraja. Nataraja does the Tandava in Shambhavi mudra, the meditative eyes in samadhi. He is NIRGUNA PARABRAHMAN in this perfect Jnani’s posture. The steady breath and the balance mean that the Naadis of Ida, Pingala and Sushumna or the sun, moon and fire are purified and the Vayus /Pancha Pranas are ascending towards the thousand petalled lotus of Sahasrara Chakra. It is the outwardly depiction of the inwardly esoteric Sri Chakra, consisting of the shapes and designs like the triangle integral in Bharatanatyam, besides others and constantly tapping to the sound. It is the fire of the mystery of Kundalini- serpent power. How can one do nritta well unless one practices and maintains the Asanas and Pranayama as in Yoga and tunes to music?


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