Menaka, born in a family of talented artists, danced as easily as she learnt to tread her first footsteps. The little girl danced when happy and she danced when she was sad. She danced when the cuckoos cooed and when the golden amaltas and the fiery gulmohar lit up the scorching summer sky. She hopped with the frogs and swayed with the peacocks when it rained.

Menaka blossomed into a promising young dancer, expressing inner beauty and the joy of life through her art. Her mere presence scattered happiness all around.

Initiation into the Paramparā

Menaka was put into the folds of a great Guru and she grew in name, fame and glory. She never failed to express herself on stage and impress audiences far and wide. Her effortless and natural poise made the erudite appreciate her and she made her way into the hearts of people.

The completeness, experienced by her through dance from a very young age, enhanced with every added chapter in life’s journey. She saw different places and experienced differed cultures. Each journey was unique and she loved the trips.

The Trap of Saṁsāra

Seeing people queued up to see her dance wherever she went, Menaka unfortunately began perceiving her art as a tool for self-aggrandisation. As she began charging value for her invaluable art to keep pace with peer-pressure, her mirthful chirpiness suffered. The moment her dance came to be dictated by the ‘market’, she lost her joy and freedom.

In the midst of the rat-race, she was invited to partner the government in its public diplomacy initiative, aimed at taking culture to foreign audiences. She did not know whether to get overjoyed at the added feathers on her cap or to sulk at being swayed into a current which could even become a ‘trap’.

Soon, the initial excitement of these limited stages in the performing arena waned. The trips started becoming monotonous and sometimes stressful. Each audience was new and different, each organisation required innovations and she was unable to see any more sense in pursuing the path relentlessly.

“Is it all worth it? The desire to possess something and the happiness in procuring the same is so temporal. It soon vanishes to lead to yet another desire…..” she pondered.

She regretted the lack of inspiration in her career. She returned payments when she found organisers looking for measly entertainment. Conflict-ridden, she craved for a fresh breath-- a change-- a feel of the unchanging ‘bliss’-- if ever there was anything like that!

Thankfully, before her frustrations lead her to depression, she embarked on the path of introspection. She realised that it was the joy of the dance itself, that she spread, that made her the beloved of everyone.

It was not she but the Lord seated in her form that blended into the infinite.

What then should be her new role? Was it not solely to take the message of divinity to the world by dancing for dance’s sake? Why should anyone else dictate her path while the Lord was waiting to command the mind-body-spirit instrument in her? Could she not become His instrument for universal joy?

Sagely Counsel

It was then that Menaka decided to come back home to seek the guidance of her master, her father.

“Appā,” she said, sobbing inconsolably as soon as she saw him, “I feel utterly miserable. I am upset that the pure art is tarnished by not-so-pure people who are powerful, with money and position. People want fast music, sensuous dance, students want quick results and tradition is getting hurled out.

“Where is the Dharma that is preached on stage, but hardly practiced off it? I seem to be pulled into a vicious tide and it seems unstoppable. Whenever I resist anything of this kind, I lag behind those who clinch every vantage point.

“I then start reinventing and reincarnating the art. But then it boils down to yet another new wheel, ready to crush me...the culture-vultures, I try to always dodge, re-appear…

“I get demotivated. My real job is not to please anyone, but my Nataraja….. To gain oneness with Him. I cannot demean the glorious art or the devoted artist in me. At times, I think I am wasting time chasing my own tail.”

The master immediately recognised what was ailing his beloved daughter. He was, after all, a man who had mellowed over a lifetime. He had seen it all, and he knew well the value of life experience. It was he who had wanted Menaka to see the world and gain first-hand knowledge, before leading her to the next stage of life.

He reminded her of her own greatness and that of her art. He explained to her the futility of the frantic life she was pursuing.

“Daughter dear,” he addressed her compassionately and said, “the seeming pleasure you experienced while globetrotting was, in fact, a mere reflection of the true joy that you always are. Recognise your Self as the fountain source of all happiness. Once you do that, you will see that you are liberated from the vicious cycle of saṁsāra.

“As nāṭyopāsakas or practitioners of nāṭya, we are all yogīs and remember that Yoga is nothing but clearing the restless waves of thought, stilling the mind and abiding as the Self.

“Our true worth lies in contentment. It is that which is true happiness and peace. And it is that which propels our art, the nāṭya,” he suggested to her.

Leadership Transformation

The protagonist of our story immediately realised how she had suffered because she had become bound. Now enlightened and liberated, she dedicated her art to the Lord. Thus she secured for herself the position of social leadership and recognition as an invaluable citizen.

She taught for free, joyously sharing with every needy child, reaching out to places unknown, remote and deprived, where her work was hardly noticed by the urban elite. She braved the snobbish that jeered that she was trying to "elevate poor worms on to a cushion"-- take the elite art of the rich to the poor masses.

She emerged victorious when her slum dwelling students began getting high platforms to showcase their lessons. Menaka became the ‘messiah’ for so many, whose tears of joy reflected the value of her Nāṭya Sevā.

That was not all. Over her lifetime, through her creative work, Menaka influenced people and society. From student to teacher to choreographer to researcher to social worker and to a sought-after writer-philosopher, in all her roles she championed the art as the medium for transcendence.

By granting the vision of Ātmārāma, she enabled her students to gain the inner meaning of the apparent and relative role-playing. A great purpose to her art had emerged and she truly smiled from the bottom of her heart.

She roared again and again to her students: “It’s only in our culture, in the fine arts of our nation, that one’s aesthetic pursuit takes the inward route to the Nādabrahman. It is the infinite energy that vibrates as Consciousness, the Śiva-Śakti.

“My dear students, whether you are on or off stage, be witness to this real Self descending as the dancer-actor- The Nartaka Ātmā!

“Be repositories of this wisdom. Exude it. Shine as the guiding light to the world.”

Crowning Glory of Rāma Rājya

It was now a dream come true… A society, the like of which, the world had never seen before.

It was a state in which its citizens were ever in ecstasy. The society was self-sufficient, abundant and beautiful. Every river was protected and beautified. The roads and streets were bedecked with colourful and fragrant flowering plants.

There was no poverty since the well-to-do donated generously to support the poor. The citizens were literate, virtuous, happy and healthy. The society consisted of scholars who were all seekers of knowledge. They supported and encouraged talent of all genres.

People were contented with their own hard earned wealth. They lived long. They had large families and they took care of parents and children.

There were no thieves, and no one lied. People had their senses well in control. Everyone was loyal and devoted to the sovereign. The ministers were ever engaged in the welfare of citizens. The ministers did not hanker after power but rather, they were so good that power chased them.

Menaka, with her highly awakened team, achieved all this through her sheer dance. Through it she spread the values of dharma, artha, kāma and mokṣa, as prescribed by sage Bharata in his magnum opus, the Nāṭya Śāstra. The incredible scripture unites people, restores harmony and enables one to rise towards the realm of the spirit and at the same time, celebrate life.

Thus did our nāyikā unite with her Ātmārāmā and attain the crowning glory of Rāma Rājya.

(Published by Tattvāloka Online, May 2019)

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“CALLING ALL NĀṬYA UPĀSAKAS, PRACTITIONERS OF INDIAN CLASSICAL DANCE, TO UNITE. RĀMA RĀJYA IS OUR BIRTHRIGHT. LET US SEEK IT UNANIMOUSLY!”

Hon’ble P.M Sri Narendra Modi ji,

The nation is jubilant that you will continue to be our Prime Minister. You proved otherwise the opposition's claims and accusations. Congratulation and blessings (I am old enough to bless you like an elder brother).

Forget and forgive is the essence of our Sanātana Dharma. If there a little ego in you, throw it away and with magnanimity ask the opposition to join you to serve for the betterment of nation and bring peaceful coexistence. Let your government's focus be on peace and tranquility throughout the nation without any kind of violence (Ahimsā paramodharma) whatsoever.

First and foremost must be to bring peace in J&K and deal with terrorism vehemently and with utmost sincerely. To achieve this we need complete consensus and co-operation from all political parties. So please take them into confidence & request them to give ideas apart from putting across your suggestions for solving the problem.

Whatever said and done the ultimate goal is the well-being of the citizens and their prosperity. I have several suggestions for BJP to march forward if you are open to discussion.

AIM FOR A RĀMA RĀJYA WITHIN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS AND YOU WILL RETURN WITH THUMPING MAJORITY, BOTH IN DAKṢIṆ BHĀRAT AS WELL AS UTTAR BHĀRAT.

Nātyāchārya V.P. Dhananjayan

22-05-2019

Chennai