BHARATANATYAM DANCE SHLOKAS

A Bharatnatyam Dancer/Natyakarini always starts and ends every session of dance with a Namaskaram or Obeisance. The dancer pays her respect to Lord Nataraja, the god of dance, to the Guru and to the Audience.

In the Bharatnatyam dance form there exists a rich tradition of devotional pieces in praise of many God and Goddesses of the Hindu religion and mythology. As such there are many items dedicated to Lord Shiva, Today we try to understand an often played Shloka in praise of Lord Nataraja, the Lord of Dance.

It’s a practice to recite the following shlokas before doing the namaskram. This shlokas is in praise of Lord Nataraja who is the embodiment of the four Abninayas.. Angikabhinaya, Vachikabhinaya, Aharyabhinaya, Satvikabhinaya.

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Natya Shloka
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“Aangikam Bhuvanam Yasya

Vachikam Sarva Vaanmayam

Ahaaryam Chandra Taaradi

Tam Vande Sattwikam Shivam”

Let us simply understand the meaning of this shloka word by words.

Hence, the above shloka means … 

We bow to the Lord Shiva, 

Whose body is the whole Universe, 

Whose speech is the entire languages,

And whose ornaments are the moon stars...

Aangikam – Body

Bhuvanam – Universe

Yasya – Whose

Vaachikam – Speech

Sarva – All

Vaanmayam – Languages (Sound)

Aaharyam – Ornaments

Chandra – Moon

Taara – Stars

Aadi – Etc.

Tam – That

Vande – Bow

Saatvikam – Pure

Shivam – Lord Shiva

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Guru Dhyanam Shloka

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Gururbrhama GururvishNuhu

Gururdevoa maheaShvarah

Guru SsaakshaatPara Brahma

Tasmai Shree Guravenamah

Meaning

Guruvu (Teacher) is Bhrama 

Guru is Vishnu

Guru is the Maheshwarah

Guru is the great God himself

we offer our obeisance to you.

Guruvu or Guru (Teacher or Master) is revered greatly by us as he is a wealth of knowledge. And by offering our sincere obedience to him we expect to gain knowledge from him. Master or Teacher is the one who would direct us to the path of Enlightenment, and save us from the darkness of ignorance. Hence Teacher should be given profound honour and respect.

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Natya Krama

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Yato hasta stato drishti

Yato drishti stato manah

Yato manah stato bhava

Yato bhava stato rasaha.

Meaning

Where the hand is, eyes should follow there

Where the eyes is, the mind should be there

Where the mind is, there goes the expression,

And where there is expression, there arises emotion.