Tandava: Difference between revisions

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'''''Táńd́ava''''' (Devanagari: ताण्डव) or '''''Tandava dance''''' (Devanagari: ताण्डव नृत्य) is a vigorous dance for male spiritual aspirants that was invented by [[Shiva]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Saḿgiita: Song, Dance and Instrumental|author=Anandamurti, Shrii Shrii|chapter=Shiva – the Embodiment of Saḿgiita}}</ref> The name of the dance is derived from the [[Samskrta]] word, ''tańd́u'', which means "jumping".<ref>{{cite book|title=Ananda Vacanamrtam Part 9|author=Anandamurti, Shrii Shrii|chapter="Wherever My Devotees Sing"}}</ref> In tandava, jumping is the main feature. Symbolically, the dance represents a fight against death and decay, the struggle of good to overcome evil.<ref>{{cite book|title=Ananda Vacanamrtam Part 5|author=Anandamurti, Shrii Shrii|chapter=[[Tandava Is a Fight|Táńd́ava Is a Fight]]}}</ref> "When Shiva Himself does this dance (''Shiva Nát́arája''), the dance becomes a metaphor in which Supreme Consciousness sends vibrations throughout the universe and causes all objects of the universe in turn to radiate vibrations."<ref>{{cite book|title=Namah Shivaya Shantaya|author=Anandamurti, Shrii Shrii|chapter=Glossary}}</ref>  

All male spiritual aspirants who are physically capable of doing so are encouraged to practice tandava. On the occasions of Dharma Mahásammelana (and, also formerly, Dharma Mahácakra), the performance of tandava was made compulsory Anandamurti. Furthermore, on those occasions a public procession with tandava dance was also compulsory.<ref>{{cite book|title=[[Ananda Marga Caryacarya Part 1]]|author=Anandamurti, Shrii Shrii|chapter=[[Dharma Mahacakra|Dharma Mahácakra]]}}</ref>

According to Ananda Coomaraswamy, tandava is a pictorial allegory of the five principal manifestations of eternal energy:<ref>[http://www.mahashivratri.org/shiva-tandava.html  Ananda Coomaraswamy, cited at www.mahashivratri.org]</ref>