shiva parvati raasa leela image
Shivashakti Raasa Leela.. Similar to Lord Krishna’s Raasalila, the Raasa Leela of Lord Shiva which is known as Sri ShivShakti Rasalila (Expression of divine love by Shiv and Shakti by the way of dancing and hugging each other), is the divine dance performance of Lord Shiva and Shakti, which was performed daily, daily, in Mount Kailasha, and this wonderful event was mentioned in our famous Hindu epics such as the Shiva Maha Purana and also in other Holy texts related with Lord Shiva. Rasalila would be played by stage artists during the time of Shiva Ratri Festival day, mostly in the North Indian Temples, in order to express the divine love shown by Lord Shiva and Ma Shakti Devi, which is highly a divine one!
This Rasalila was happened in order to show that there must not be any barrier between the God and Goddess, and of course, between male and female gender! God never find partiality with his devotees, and he also didn’t see the caste, creed, gender and religion of his devotees. According to Lord Shiva, he loves all the people, and he also wishes his devotees to love him, in order to give his spiritual bliss. As per the holy Shiva Purana, when Lord Shiva had performed his divine dance along with Ma Shakti Devi, in Mount Kailasha, apart from the sages, gods, demi gods and goddesses, even the divine animals like cows, and birds like parrots, were eagerly watched and also raised a melodious sound, in order to express their happiness.
The Rasa Lila was taken place during one fine Shiva Ratri day in Mount Kailash, when the Devotees of Lord Shiva expressed their wish to Lord Shiva to perform divine dance along with his consort Ma Shakti Devi. Lord Shiva has done this act, in order to express his pure love towards his consort Ma Shakti Devi, and he also advises us to keep bhakti sincere bhakti on them.
As per the holy Shiva Purana, whoever hears or gives lectures about the Shiva Shakti Rasa lila to others, would get the entire grace of Shivshakti.
This Rasalila is also explained in detail in some Shaivite Texts, which can be read by us in order to get more and more divine pleasure.
During ancient period, the Rasa Lila performances would also be done by the stage artists in temples like Tiruvanammalai and Srisailam, by the devotees of Lord Shiva. The 17th century Shiva Devotee Sri Mageswarachariar, once gave lectures on Shiva Purana in the famous Srisailam Shiva Temple, Andhra Pradesh. Lord Shiva had eagerly watched the divine discourses of Sri Mageswarachariar, and especially, he was very much satisfied with his performance, when he gave lectures from the Chapter, Sri Shivshakti Raasa Leela.
In the dream of Sri Mageswarachariar, Lord Shiva had appeared, and asked him to give more and more lectures about his Rasalila, since he was very much attracted with his melodious way of presenting the Shivshakti Rasalila. Sri Mageswarachariar had happily agreed, and he gave discourses on Shivshakti Rasalila for many times in the Srisailam Shiva Temple, in order to please the devotees of Lord Shiva and also to please the great Lord Sri Srisailam Malligarjuna and Ma Brahmarambika.
“OM SRI SHIVSHAKTI NAMO NAMAHA”
WRITTEN BY
R. HARISHANKAR