I invented kaośikii on September 6th [1978]. This dance is both an exercise, and a medicine for twenty-two diseases. It is a sort of panacea for almost all female diseases, and for many male diseases in younger boys. It is a medicine for most liver diseases. It assures safe deliveries for women, and also checks the advent of old age. It is a medicine.

Táńd́ava – which was not invented by me, but by Sadáshiva some seven thousand years ago – 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. But it is not for women.

In Sanskrit, tańd́u means “of jumping habit”. You see, when rice is prepared from paddy [in the traditional rural way] the paddy and rice jump. Because of this, rice is called tańd́ulam in Sanskrit. Tańd́u plus the suffix sna makes táńd́ava, the dance where jumping is the main thing. Now this dance was invented by Sadáshiva to maintain the physical and psychic purity of sádhakas. That may help them in their spiritual progress. And Párvatii, the spouse of Shiva, invented lalita mármika, which means “voice of the inner spirit”. The dance used for kiirtana is lalita mármika. It represents the inner voice of the spiritual aspirant. The main thing in lalita mármika is the expression through mudrá. In táńd́ava there is no mudrá.

Among the disciples, among the devotees, there was an altercation as to which dance should be accepted. It was decided that both should be equally accepted and equally respected. And as a result of this adjustment between táńd́ava and lalita, Indian music was started – it is known as “Indo-Aryan” music. Indian music is divided into two schools, the Áryávarta School and the Dákśinátya School. The common name for the Áryávarta School is Hindustani Sangeet, and that for the Dákśinátya School is Karnataka Sangeet. As a result of this adjustment, Indian music was started. It was started by Sadáshiva, and that is why He is called Nat́arája: Nádatanunát́eshaḿ [“The One whose very body is made out of the náda – the primordial sound – is the Lord of the Dance.”]. This adjustment first created the Indian tála. The first letter of táńd́ava is ta, and the first letter of lalita is la – tála was created in Indian music.

Lalita is to be used during kiirtana. It is the only dance which is universally accepted as the best dance for kiirtana. Táńd́ava 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 mashála [torch] or a d́amvaru [small drum].⁽¹⁾ This is the rule. So táńd́ava represents the eternal fight, the fight for survival, the fight to maintain existence, the fight to establish oneself as a man in this world.

Now during Mahácakra⁽²⁾ and several other discourses, there has been a vijaya for devotees. You know, in Sanskrit there are two similar words, jaya and vijaya. Jaya means “victory”, victory over the inimical force, but victory of temporary nature. When the enemy is defeated, you become a jayii; but in the next phase or in the next moment the enemy may again rise up, become victorious – you may be defeated. And what is vijaya? Vijaya means “victory of a permanent nature when the enemy is completely destroyed”. I think during the past few discourses there has been a vijaya for devotees.

In the course of spiritual achievement, spiritual progress, the jiṋánii is alone in the field, as indeed is the karmii. But the devotee⁽³⁾ is always sitting on the lap of the Cosmic Father and is never alone. In the shástras it has been said that the devotees know that the Cosmic Father maintains His relationship with His children always through ota yoga and prota yoga.

What is ota yoga? The Cosmic Father has a direct relationship with each and every entity of this world, animate or inanimate. Not a single grain of sand nor a single blade of grass is neglected by Him. All are his affectionate children. This is His ota yoga.⁽⁴⁾ Each and every entity, animate or inanimate, has a direct link with Him, and thus nobody can ever be alone in the world. It is His duty to look after His children. So a devotee can never develop the psychology of melancholia.

You know, “melancholia” means to feel hopeless, helpless – “There is no one to love me.” Devotees never feel this type of melancholia, because they know that they are always with their Supreme Father. But jiṋániis suffer from such diseases. You will find psychic diseases, insanity mostly, among jiṋániis, among so-called learned and intellectual people. Bhaktas, however, never suffer from these diseases. They are free from all psychic diseases. And the devotee’s march is a march to serve the Supreme Entity in a better way, not to attain any emancipation or salvation.

The devotees know that whatever their Supreme Father will do for them is best for them. They never ask for anything, mundane, supramundane or psychic, because they know their actual needs, their actual necessities, are better known to their Father. A child of two months does not know what it requires; its mother knows. It is solely dependent upon its mother. Similarly, devotees are solely dependent on the Cosmic Father, and for that reason the Cosmic Father has a special responsibility for the devotees.

I have already said that devotees never develop any psychological ailment or psychological depression, even if they are sinners. You know, while moving along the road, your body or your clothes may come in contact with dust and dirt – this is what is called “sin” in society. And if your body or your clothes become filthy due to any sort of dirt or dust, others may laugh at you, others may ridicule you, others may hate you, but your father cannot ridicule you, cannot hate you, cannot laugh at you. What is his duty? Then and there he will come and put you on his lap and clean you. He will wash your clothes and say, “Oh, my child, while moving along the road, be a bit careful.” This is the relationship of the Cosmic Father with pápiis [sinners]. And the devotees know this.

But the jiṋániis and karmiis say that each and every action has an equal and opposite reaction, provided that the three fundamental relative factors remain unchanged. Very dangerous, very dangerous! And that is why they suffer from so many psychic diseases; they are afraid of the sins they have committed in the past. But the devotees know, “My Father is there; He may punish me, but He will free me from all those bondages, all those fetters.” So devotees are always carefree. And as I told you, devotees are cunning people. Not only are they intelligent, they are also cunning. That is why I said that devotees are A-grade intellectuals.

You see, the path of dharma is kut́ila for those jiṋániis and karmiis, but for devotees it is straight. Dharmasya kut́ila gatih [“The path of dharma is kut́ila, tortuous”].

It is kut́ila for whom? For jiṋániis and karmiis?

Kśurasya dhárá nishitá duratyayá durgaḿ pathastad kavayo vadanti.

[The edge of a razor is very sharp and difficult to walk on. Similarly, the path to the Absolute is difficult to follow. This is what realized persons say.]

Those jiṋániis will say, “It is a dangerous path!” – durgaḿ pathastad kavayo vadanti. In Vedic Sanskrit, kavi means “learned man”, “scholar”, not “poet”. (In laokika [comparatively recent] Sanskrit, kavi means “poet”.) Those scholars, those jiṋániis, say it is a durgam path. What does durgam mean? “Not easy to move”. But what is it for a devotee? Sukhamanantamánandam [“Spiritual bliss is equal to infinite pleasure”]. It is a straight path, it is a movement that ends in union with the Supreme Father. So there is nothing durgam in it; rather it is very easy, it is very natural. So my advice to you all is, feel His existence within your “I” feeling.

Shrutayo vibhinnáh smrtayo vibhinnáh
Naekamuniryasya mataḿ nábhinnam;
Dharmasya tattvaḿ nihitaḿ guháyáḿ
Mahájano yena gatah sa pantháh.

[The scriptures differ, the social codes differ; each sage has a different opinion. The essence of dharma lies deep in the mind; the path followed by realized persons is the true path.]

So many scriptures say so many things. What is an ordinary person to do? Which scripture is to be followed and which is not to be followed? What is what and which is which? A person may be in a dilemma to decide what to do, and what not to do. Shrutayo vibhinnáh – “The scriptures vary from one another.” Smrtayo vibhinnáh (smrti means “social code”) – “social codes also vary from one another.” In the past there was Nárada Saḿhitá, Parásara Saḿhitá, Manu Smrti; and now all the smrtis have been replaced by the Hindu Code Bill. There are so many social codes. What is an ordinary person to do?

The pandits, the propounders of those social codes, vary from one another. One says, “Do this.” Another says, “No, no, no, do this.” Somebody will say that while doing your upásaná [prayers] you should face east; some will say, “No, no, no, face west.” What are ordinary persons to do? They are at a loss to know what to do.

Shrutayo vibhinnáh smrtayo vibhinnáh
Naekamuniryasya mataḿ nábhinnam;
Dharmasya tattvaḿ nihitaḿ guháyáḿ
Mahájano yena gatah sa pantháh.

“There is not a single muni who does not differ from other munis.” Muni means “intellectual”. Muni means maniiśi – “intellectual”. However, Tantra says, “No, no, no, those intellectuals are not munis.” According to Tantra, muni means, Na munih dugdhabálakah munih saḿliina mánasah – “Those so-called intellectuals, so-called scholars, are not actually munis, or actually intellectuals.” Munih saḿliina mánasah – “Those whose minds have become one with the Supreme Entity, whose mánasa has become saḿliina with Parama Puruśa, are munis.” Naekamunir yasya mataḿ na bhinnam.

Now what is one to do then? How to solve this knotty problem? Dharmasya tattvaḿ nihitaḿ guháyám – “The inner spirit of dharma, the inner secret of dharma, lies coverted within your very ‘I’ feeling.” In each and every person there is this “I” feeling. “I am” – Aham asmi. This “I” feeling, this feeling of “I exist”, is called guhá. The spirit of dharma, the spirit of Parama Puruśa, lies hidden within your “I” feeling. So in order to get Him, in order to discover Him, search within your “I” feeling, and not hither and thither – not on this tiirtham [site of pilgrimage] or that tiirtham.

Idaḿ tiirtham idaḿ tiirthaḿ bhramanti támasáh janáh;
Átmatiirthaḿ na jánanti kathaḿ mokśa varánane.

Párvatii asks Shiva, “What is the best tiirtha?” Shiva says, támasáh janáh – “Those who are guided by the static principle, those who are guided by támasika propensities, move from one place to another in search of tiirtham.” In Sanskrit, tiirtham means “the point that touches this world, that connects this world with that world”. That connecting point, that common point, is called tiirtha. Tiirasthaḿ ityarthe tiirtham. Tiirasthaḿ means “the point where the water of a river touches the bank”.

Such people move from one place to another in search of tiirtham. Átmatiirthaḿ na jánanti – “they do not know that the actual tiirtham lies within the átman”… kathaḿ mokśa varáńane – “They can never attain salvation.” This was the reply of Shiva.

Dharmasya tattvaḿ nihitaḿ guháyám;
Mahájano yena gatah sah panthá.

Mahájana means mahat jana. Mahat jana means “devotee”. So a sádhaka, a spiritual aspirant, is to follow a devotee, not a jiṋánii, because the devotee knows the secret of how to satisfy Him. And when one comes in contact with Him, one will know all the secrets of the universe. Because all the secrets of the universe are known only to Parama Puruśa, and to nobody else, not to any jiṋániis or any [karmiis].

Footnotes

(1) I.e., one may use a torch or a d́ambaru in the right hand. See "Táńd́ava Dance – What and Why?" in Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 10. –Trans.

(2) Ananda Marga Dharma Mahácakra was a special spiritual gathering addressed by the guru. –Eds.

(3) Jiṋána, karma and bhakti are forms of spiritual practice which emphasize, respectively, discrimination, selfless action, and devotion. –Eds.

(4) Just as ota yoga means the Cosmic Father’s relationship with each entity individually, prota yoga means His relationship with all collectively. –Eds.