The choreography begins with the concept of Sakthi, the universal energy symbolized by the Mother Goddess. No matter ever comes into action without Sakthi. The king of Dance, lord Siva represents the universal matter. Their unison is every action we perceive in the universe. Thus, the living world cannot be conceived in the absence of such harmonious unity. This scientific concept is well corroborated by the first verse in Aadi Sankaracharya’s Soundaryalahari, which commences with the words… Sivassakthya yuktho yadi bhavati saktha:

The choreography continues with the verse from Taithareeya Upanishad which explains the union of matter with energy evolved the five elements, the panchabhootas, sky, wind, fire, earth and water. From this great amalgam of the five elements evolved the floral world that still stand as the source of nutrition for the world of fauna which evolved in due course. The highest evolved animal is Human, in whom each cell pulsates with matter and energy. Every Human is a microcosm, a prototype of the universe which is the macrocosm.

The universal energy referred to as Kundalini remains in every Human being as a three and half circle of coil, like a serpent, in the mooladhara chakra at the tip of the spinal cord. By austere practices this energy unwinds & rises up in twisted swirls invoking the other five chakras, the energy sensitive wheels, which lie one above the other in specific planes of the body axis, ending in the brain. Adi Sankaracharya says in Soudaryalahari that the earth is connected to the Mooladhara Chakra, Water to the Manipoora Chakra, Fire to the Swadhistana Chakra, air to the Anahatha charka, sky to the Vishuddhi chaka and above that in between the eyelids is the Ajna chakra and in the bottom of the brain is the Sahasrara chakra (the wheel of thousand lotus).

The Kundalini leads through each of the above Chakras (wheels) step by step. Once all these chakras are invoked, it reaches the Sahasrara and the human being experiences the ultimate truth, the very cause of existence & the eternal continuum in the universe. The choreography ends with the realization of the eternal truth with the verses from Aadi Sankaracharya’s Soundaryalahari commencing with the words…..Pradeepajwaalabir divasakara neeraanjanavidhi:

He says: - “In the rituals I offer neerajana, the action with a lighted lamp, as the sun rays reverently adore the Sun. When I offer airghya, the water, it’s like the moon rays producing droplets of water by falling on the moon-stone. When I do tarppana with the sea water, it’s returned to the great ocean. Oh! Mother! I realize, everything comes from you and returns to you. Hence, the words I wrote are all from you and with all reverence and the love of a son I return them to you, prostrating at your solemn feet.

Poetry, Dance or any art is a gift from the Mother Nature. We are entitled to accept the gift, work with it for self and social evolution, but with no personal claims. This is the highest action in shedding our egoistic encrustations; a constant reminder to every human being.

The New Indian Express
Preview of Panchabootha