Note :
In this section let us talk about the shyamala dandakam by mahakavi kalidasa, which again has a practical significance in reference to art and culture. While one might argue on as to how this shyamala dandakam is related to dance and music, other devine practices, one needs to understand that in the last stanza of the this dandakam it engulfs whole of the theology of reciting this shyamala dandakam, telling that O Devi!, the soul or essence of all holy waters, all tantras, all mantras, all chakras (symbols), all psychic powers, all seats of power, all philosophy, all knowledge, all yogas, all musical sounds, all vedas, all speech, all worlds, all divisions and all austerities, who is everywhere, who is all forms, who is the Mother of all the worlds please save me, save me, I prostrate before you, I prostrate before you, I prostrate before you. The point over here is that, as an individual when a dancer dances, he or she does have all these qualities inbibed.
At the same time it talks about the purusha and prakrithi as well in one of the lines. That is shiva and shakthi as a single entity. Very importantly in one of the direct meaning is inferred , “whose gait is leisurely, who is the repository of all fine arts, whose neck is like the conch emerging from the milky ocean of the high tide of beauty caused by the rising moon of freshness of youth, delicate and beautiful.”
|माणिक्यवीणामुपलालयन्तीं मदालासां मञ्जुलवाग्विलासाम् । माहेन्द्रनीलद्युतिकोमलाङ्गीं मातंगकन्यां सततं स्मरामि ॥१॥ I always meditate on the daughter of Matanga Maharshi who playfully holds a Veena made of Mankikya, who is lazy by intoxication, whose speech is picturesque and beautiful and whose body is resplendent like the dark blue gemstone.
चतुर्भुजे चन्द्रकलावतंसे कुचोन्नते कुङ्कुमरागशोणे । पुण्ड्रेक्षुपाशाङ्कुशपुष्पबाण- हस्ते नमस्ते जगदेकमातः ॥२॥
O The Mother of the Worlds who has four hands, whose head is adorned with the crescent moon, who has a full bosom, who has a complexion red as kukum and who carries in her hands a bow of sugarcane, arrows of flowers, the rope and the ankusa (goad), my prostrations before you.
माता मरकतश्यामा मातङ्गी मदशालिनी । कटाक्षयतु कल्याणी कदंबवनवासिनी ॥३॥
May the Mother, who is dark as the marakata gemstone, who is the daughter of Matanga maharshi, who is exuberant, who is auspicious and who abides in the kadamba forest, cast on me the glances from her eye-corners.
जय मातंगतनये जय नीलोत्पलद्युते । जय संगीतरसिके जय लीलाशुकप्रिये ॥४॥
Victory to the daughter of Matanga. Victory to the one who has the complexion of the dark blue lily. Victory to the one who enjoys and appreciates music. Victory to the one who is fond of the playful parrot.
जय जननि सुधासमुद्रान्तरुद्यन्मणिद्वीप-संरूढ-बिल्वाटवीमध्य- कल्पद्रुमाकल्प-कादम्बकान्तार-वासप्रिये, कृत्तिवासप्रिये, सर्वलोकप्रिये !
(Victory to the Divine Mother) who is the darling of Siva and the whole world and who likes to live in the forest of kalpavriksha-like kadamba trees surrounding which is a forest of bilwa trees on the island of Manidweep in the midst of the ocean of nectar.
सादरारब्ध-संगीत-संभावना-संभ्रमालोल-नीपस्रगाबद्ध-चूलीसनाथत्रिके, सानुमत्पुत्रिके !
(Victory to the Divine Mother) who is the daughter of Himavan, whose locks, around which are tied garlands of nipa which oscillate when she nods in appreciation of the melodious music started in her honour.
शेखरीभूत-शीतांशुरेखा-मयूखावलीबद्ध-सुस्निग्ध-नीलालकश्रेणि-शृंगारिते, लोकसंभाविते !
(Victory to the Divine Mother) who is worshipped by the people and whose beauty is enhanced by the dark blue locks which are smooth and which are illumined by the rays from the crescent moon adorning her forehead.
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