Raas Leela – the Dance of Passion

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Raas Leela TheDance of PassionRaas leela, the joyful dance of Krishna and thegopis has been immortalized in legend. But what isits significance, and why was even Shiva, theMahadeva, attracted to it? Lets find out.

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Raas leela, the joyful dance of Krishna and the gopis has beenimmortalized in legend. But what is its significance, and why was evenShiva, the Mahadeva, attracted to it? Lets find out from Sadhguru.

Sadhguru: There is something very feminine about celebration.Whether a man celebrates or a woman celebrates, celebration isessentially feminine. There is a very beautiful story in theMahabharata to describe the significance of being feminine. Whenat eight years of age, Krishna moved from Gokula to Vrindhavan, hebecame immensely popular among the village folk. It was at thetime of the Holi festival, just after spring when everything is in fullbloom. On a certain evening, a full moon day, the boys and girls ofthe village gathered on the banks of river Yamuna. They startedplaying and having fun throwing water and sand at each other.After some time, the play broke into a dance. And they danced anddanced because they were in such an exuberant and joyful state. Butslowly, one by one, the clumsier ones dropped off. When Krishnasaw this, he took out his flute and started to play. His play was soenchanting that everyone gathered around him and once againswayed, for almost half the night.

This is the first incident of Raas Leela, where a simple joyfulmingling of people rose to a transcendental state. The word raasliterally means juice, but it can also indicate passion. So this wasthe dance of passion. The fragrance of this dance spread. Peoplecame to know that on full moon nights at midnight, this dance



happened, and the numbersof those who participatedincreased.

It also fell on Shivas earsthat on full moon nights, afantastic dance happens onthe banks of the riverYamuna.He became awarethat people just danced theirway to what he had achievedthrough meditation. Shiva isNataraja, the Lord of Dance.This is something which isunique to India only Indiangods dance. If they fall inlove, they dance. If they getecstatic, they dance. If they get angry, they dance. So being the Lordof Dance, Shiva was very amused that this little boy, his devotee,was taking people to transcendental states simply by dancing andblowing upon his flute. He wanted to witness this.

He walked from the Himalayas to the banks of the river Yamunaand said to a boatman who was there, Please take me across toVrindhavan. I want to see Krishnas Raas. The boat man replied,You cannot go like this. When you go to the Raas, Krishna is theonly man, everyone else is a woman. If you want to go, you have togo as a woman.



Shiva is considered the ultimate of the masculine the purushaamong purushas. So it was a strange request, that Shiva had tobecome a woman. But the Raas was in full swing and Shiva wantedto go there. So the boatman said, If you must go, you must wearwomans clothing.

Shiva looked around. Noone was looking, so he said, Okay, give methe gopis clothes. He wore the clothes of a gopi and went across.He is such a sport.

This story signifies that essentially, the nature of celebration isfeminine. Feminine means exuberance. And that is how you shouldbe every moment of your life exuberantly alive. What is the pointin being half alive? We did not come here to avoid life, we came toknow and experience life. And you cannot experience life unless youkeep yourself as intense and exuberant as possible. Your whole life,your very existence should become a celebration. If your life has tobecome a celebration, you have to become absolutely joyful withinyourself. And this is not just empty talk such a thing is possible.There is a whole science through which you can create the rightkind of chemistry within yourself to become joyful by your ownnature.

More Krishna Stories

More Mahabharata Stories



Images courtesy: Orissa paintings from Disha Gadhiya

Krishna et les Gopi (MNAAG / musee Guimet) by dalbera

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trsDiplomatique 3monthsagoShiva,whatnow?Hasanybodyherereadthe"Purusha"Sukta?

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Abhi 2yearsagoimpressive

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Jaya 2yearsagoKrishnawhat'sthesecretthatevenshivahadtobecomegopikapleasereveal.

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Raas Leela – the Dance of Passion

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