Baba
Symbols: snake & fire
Namaskar,
In day to day life, people are affected - positively and negatively - by what they see, hear, touch, smell, and taste etc. The tanmatras or inferences a person receives through the ten motor and sensory organs affect the mind.
That is why Sadguru Baba warns sadhakas not to see those things that degrade the mind; rather, one should hear and see those things that will inspire and uplift the mind. The theory is that what one sees and hears etc, one experiences as a vibration in the mind.
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For instance, if you saw one criminal viciously whipping an innocent person who was crying out loudly in pain, then naturally that would affect your mind. Or suppose there was a dead body fermenting along the road and animals were dragging it and pecking at the intestines. That is a gory, gruesome scene. People do not like to see such things that adversely affect their mind and state of being.
On the other end of the spectrum, in the field of dharma there are various symbols that bring a positive feeling in the mind.
Tandava represents fight against death
In our tandava dance, a few different symbols are used including a skull and / or a torch. During the light of day - when everyone can see - then a skull is used when dancing tandava. This skull symbolises death. Its meaning is purely symbolic; we do not view the skull in and of itself as a ritual. The proof is that when night falls, then tandava is not done with a skull. Because nobody can see a skull in the dark of night. Instead a torch is used to signify death. One of the main themes is that the tandava dance represents the fight against death. Here is more about this tantric dance.
Why use skull during day & not night
The tandava dance has many benefits. Dancing tandava makes a person fearless, courageous, and long-lived. The sadhaka is fighting against death. In particular, the skull, snake, or fire represent death. When dancing, one of these three symbols of death - the skull, snake, or fire - will be held in the left hand. The right hand will hold either the dagger or trident. The dagger and trident represent the spirit of fight - rising up against all obstacles and degrading forces. These various symbols remind the spectators of the significance of the dance. So such symbols play a vital role.
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That is why in the daytime, when one can see the skull, then the tandava dance is done holding a skull. Because it is visible at that time and that skull reminds the spectators that death can come at any moment and we have to fight. In contrast, during the dark of night, it is useless to dance tandava holding the skull because no one can see it. So its symbolic meaning will not strike in the mind. The spectators will not get that external reminder because in the dark of the night the skull cannot be seen. That is why when dancing tandava in the dark hours, then fire is used instead to represent death. The flame of the torch lights up in the darkness so everyone can see it - and that fire represents death.
Some kapalikas need not use a skull
But in no case - under no circumstances - do we worship those tools, i.e. skull, torch, dagger etc. Those symbols merely remind the spectators how tandava is the fight against death. And those tools (i.e. skull, torch, dagger etc) are not more important than the practice itself. Verily, one can dance tandava without any of those symbols and still derive the maximum physiological benefit. And this applies to other practices as well. For instance, certain types of kapalikas need not use a skull when doing their night sadhana / kapalik meditation.
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Fighting against death with your weapon
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, "Ta'n'd'ava is a heroic dance, showing the fight between life and death. The knife represents life, represents your vital stamina, and the skull represents the death that wants to destroy you. You are fighting against death with your weapon, be it a knife or a trishula (trident). And as per the rule, during the day, if one so desires, one may use a live snake in place of the skull; and at night one may use a fire masha'la [torch].... This is the rule. So ta'n'd'ava represents the eternal fight, the fight for survival, the fight to maintain existence, the fight to establish oneself as a man in this world." (1)
Such external reminders are needed. All kinds of groups, movements, companies, and countries use some type of symbol or logo - to help rally the people around their slogan and agenda. Failing that, people forget about that message. So one can think of the skull as one small external symbol that represents death while the dagger stands for the spirit of fight.
Why dancers wear red clothing
Another important factor is that those tandava dancers wear red clothing. The colour red represents the mutative principle. When a dancer wears that colour it means he has control over that principle, and he is above that. The red garment means, "I am established above rajoguna [the mutative factor]; rajoguna is my outer clothing; I am not rajogunii." The red color is indicative of rajoguna. (2)
Taken altogether, the skull, snake, fire, dagger, trident (trishul) and red clothing represent the philosophy of tandava.
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Get biological benefits by just dancing
If nothing is used, i.e. if no symbol is used, still one gets the biological benefit just by doing the dance. That is why on various occasions, tandava is done without any of these symbols such as when dancing at midnight etc. Kapalikas may also dance tandava during the night. So the symbols are not needed to get the benefits; doing the dance itself is the operative factor.
It is just like how a child eats and derives the benefits of that food without knowing how the digestive system works; still that child will get the nutritional value of that food. Just as a nutritionist or dietitian gets the benefit of eating. The dietitian is aware of the food value and the child is not, but both get the benefit.
Or think of it this way: Suppose you see one ship sailing with the Indian flag, and another vessel that does not have any flag. Both boats will move across the ocean and reach their destination. But regarding the second ship, no one will know to which country it belongs. Whereas with the first ship, those standing on the shore will feel comforted seeing that Indian ship come towards the Indian shore.
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Just as both ships will sail whether they have a flag or not, similarly those doing tandava - either with or without the skull - get the benefit of the practice.
Namaskar,
in Him,
Gopinath
India: tandava carries a dramatically different meaning
If the theory, principles, and philosophy of tandava are not taught then people forget the meaning and overall significance - and even stop doing the practice. They drift far away and create some false meaning.
When Lord Shiva invented the tandava dance then certainly He imparted the philosophy and benefits as well. But slowly over time, that idea was lost and ultimately people forgot everything. Such that now on Indian soil, for non-margiis the term tandava carries a dramatically different meaning from its tantric origin. Now non-margiis in India do not view tandava as a highly useful and beneficial dance. Instead, they think that it is one deadly, dangerous event.
For instance, let’s say a fire struck an area and ravaged the houses etc, or let’s say a tornado wiped out all the buildings of a particular region. Then the people will say that "the tandava of a tornado", or "the tandava of a fire" occurred. Because they associate tandava with any destructive event. If something really bad happens in any sphere of life then they refer to that destruction as tandava. So the general populace has utterly lost the entire inner spirit of tandava.
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That is why it is so important to teach everyone that tandava is the fight against death.
Only physical exercise for the brain
Ananda Marga ideology says, "The primordial phase of Oriental dance, is táńd́ava. It is not a very easy job either. The knees must cross the navel. When they cross the navel it is called Brahma táńd́ava. When they cross the anáhata [mid-point of the chest] it is called Viśńu táńd́ava. When they cross this portion [indicates the throat], it is called Rudra táńd́ava. It is very difficult to dance Rudra táńd́ava. It requires long practice." (3)
Ananda Marga ideology states, "[Tandava] is an all-corporal exercise, an exercise for the entire body, including the brain. (There are intellectual exercises for the brain, but hardly any physical exercise. In fact, táńd́ava is the only physical exercise for the brain.) And among all dances it is the best." (4)
Based on the principle of survival
Ananda Marga ideology states, "Why is it called táńd́ava? In Sanskrit tańd́ means “to jump”. Tańd́u means “of jumping habit”. Táńd́ava means “having the use of tańd́u, the use of jumping”. But jumping in the proper style, not in a disorderly manner. You should learn it properly in a disciplined way."
"And táńd́ava represents life; you know Tantra is a cult of life, it is not a cult of death. For Tantra you should be strong physically, mentally and spiritually. First in the present tense; Lord Shiva says all your expressions, all your manifestations, must be based on the present tense. So this táńd́ava is the starting phase of Tantra."
"This táńd́ava I said represents life, it represents vitality. There are so many forces that want to destroy you, so many forces that are inimical to you by nature. Say a snake – a snake is a born enemy. There are many such born enemies. As Tantra represents life, táńd́ava says that one’s spirit should be based on vitality, based on the principle of survival."
"This human skull represents death. You are surrounded by death, but you must not be defeated, you must not develop the psychology of fear or defeatism. So the knife is with you to fight against death. Yours is a fight for survival. In the daytime one may also use a snake to represent death – not an ordinary snake, but a venomous snake. In India our boys dance with a snake. But at nighttime neither a skull nor a snake will be visible. Here there is light, they will be visible, but in a burial ground, in a cremation ground, where there is darkness, a snake or skull will not be visible. There you may use fire to represent death."
"This is the spirit of Tantra. To fight, to fight for survival. [[It is the normal wont of all living beings to fight for survival.]]" (5)
More benefits of tandava
This is a dance of courage and valour that positively affects the secretion of the male hormone - testosterone. The main benefit of tandava is gained when one is jumping and both feet are in the air. Thus jumping high is essential.
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I will not surrender to destruction or death
Baba says, "The inner motivation of ta'n'd'ava is the following: 'Destruction is inevitable, but I will continue to fight against destruction through struggle'. So there is a skull in one hand and a dagger [or trident] in the other. The skull represents destruction, and the dagger represents fight. The underlying feeling is 'I will not surrender to destruction or death. I will continue the struggle with this dagger'." (6)
References
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 6, The Cosmic Father Has a Special Responsibility
2. Táńd́ava Dance – What and Why?, 20 April 1979, Kolkata
3. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 12, Dance, Mudrá and Tantra
4. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 6, The Cosmic Father Has a Special Responsibility
5. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 12, Dance, Mudrá and Tantra
6. 9 Nov 1978 Kolkata
== Section 2: Prabhat Samgiita ==
Mind is divinely intoxicated
"Aruńácale notun prabhát, elo áji elo..." (Prabhat Samgiita #4754)
Purport:
Salutations to Parama Purusa, today the glorious new crimson dawn has come; it has come by His grace. In this brilliant, new era, no longer should anyone remain drowsy or in a state of slumber. Now is not the time to look back and waste this precious moment. This is the time to rip off all those bondages of sa'dripu, as't'apa'sha, mohaja'l etc, since they hinder our forward progress. Now on this auspicious occasion we should move on and on towards the Goal, keeping the mind focused on Him.
In the past, before this auspicious hour, in that pitch-dark atmosphere you were unable to see. Your vision was enveloped by the cloak of deep darkness. You could not see; you could not understand what is right and what is wrong, i.e. what is dharma and what is sinful. In result, neither could you move forward, nor could you pull anyone towards the higher Goal. Do not waste your valuable time reminiscing about those dark days of old. Now you should forget those memories and throw away that retarded and detrimental thinking. Just think and ideate on Him because human life is an ideological flow. Parama Purusa is the Goal.
Behold! A new era has come. Look toward the eastern horizon, the crimson dawn has arrived with the seven-coloured chariot. It is so attractive and charming. By seeing this new era, the inhabitants of the whole planet have become completely captivated with joyous horripilation. Feeling the charged vibration, everyone is smiling in happiness. Behold, in this auspicious new dawn, even in the mud the lotus has blossomed. And by its aromatic fragrance the mind is divinely intoxicated. By the supreme grace of Parama Purusa ordinary people have started doing extraordinary things; and by that way the whole society is getting benefited in multifarious ways. The dark days have disappeared permanently; the era of neo-humanism has arrived. Now is the time to sing and dance and move forward towards Him...
Notes for Prabhat Samgiita #4754
[1] Sa'dripu: Ananda Marga philosophy says, "S'at' means 'six' and ripu means 'enemies'. These six faculties in human beings are termed as enemies, as they absorb the mind in crudeness and stop its march towards the subtle. The supreme rank for unit consciousness is subtle, and anything which holds it back from reaching the supreme rank, is its enemy. These six faculties are, therefore, termed as six enemies. Ka'ma (longing for earthly objects), krodha (anger), lobha (avarice), moha (blind attachment), mada (vanity) and ma'tsarya (envy) are the six enemies." (1)
[2] As't'a'pa'sha: Ananda Marga philosophy says, "As't'apa'sha means the eight fetters. Anyone bound by fetters will lose his capacity of movement. In the creation we find the movement of human beings is from the crude to the subtle. That is, human beings have to move towards the subtle, but by their leaning towards the eight fetters such as lajja', bhaya, and ghrn'a', they get absorbed in crude things only and their progress towards the subtle is stopped. Bhaya (fear), lajja' (shame), ghrn'a' (hatred), shaunka' (doubt), kula (high descent), shiila (complex of culture), ma'na (vanity) and jugupsa' (backbiting) are the eight fetters." (2)
[3] Mohaja'l: (Literal: 'Moha' meaning 'blind attachment' + 'Ja'l' meaning 'net'). When human beings get stuck in the net of blind attachment then they cannot proceed towards the Goal. This is Baba's warning so in the above song the sadhaka is paying heed to Baba's guideline and tossing aside this mohaja'l and advancing with the advent of the new crimson dawn.
References
1. Ananda Marga Elementary Philosophy, How Should Human Beings Live In This World?
2. Ananda Marga Elementary Philosophy, How Should Human Beings Live In This World?
== Section 3: Links ==
Other topics of interest
