The search for God is an individual experience and finds fulfilment when He chooses to reveal His truth. A devotee’s path to realisation is founded on the awareness of one’s physical constraints and the perception of the undying self that yearns for God. If God is to be understood as formless, with no name, qualities, activities, etc., individual souls caught in the cycle of birth will never be able to even try to seek Him.
Out of His Sankalpa and His boundless compassion, He thus transforms Himself into this universe and engages in the acts of creation, protection, destruction, casting the veil of Maya, also known as Tirodana and granting grace. The ‘Linga’ and ‘Nataraja’ forms of Siva exemplify this truth, pointed out Nallur Sa Saravanan in a discourse.
The cosmic dance of Siva as Nataraja has attracted many devotees who are drawn by its symbolic impact. Karaikal Ammaiyar introduces the concept of Nataraja in the Bhakti cult. She renounces her appearance and chooses to live in the form of a mere skeleton. She undertakes a journey to Kailasa to have darshan of Siva and wishes to become His servant and sing the glory of His feet. She prays to Siva thus: ‘Grant me undying bliss and devotion and also freedom from birth. If by chance I have to be born as a result of my past karma, grant me the boon of always having you in my thoughts. Further grant me the boon by which I can behold your cosmic dance and sing your glory even as I serve your golden feet.’
She sees the cosmic dance of Siva in Thiruvalangadu and sings hymns in His praise. One has to seek God’s help to destroy the ego sense and pride inherent in each individual which is a hurdle to God-realisation.
