In Natya-sastra it is stated that the art of dramatic performance incarnated in Treta-yuga. Treta-yuga is the second of four Great Ages and existed 2,5-1 million years ago. The revealed sciences of music, dance and drama have been carried down to modern mankind in an oral tradition from master to pupil. Although we can hardly imagine the recollection of huge quantities of data the brahmins practised the art of recitation of scriptures in that way. Certain factors, however, contributed to preserve the revealed knowledge (veda) for future generations. Vedic literature has been composed in verses of four lines which are easy to learn by heart. The men of old possessed greater intelligence and memory than we do today. The perfect grammar and idiom of Sanskrit poetry are hard to modify or to wreck.
In his service to lord Brahma, Bharata Muni systematized a variety of sciences and arts, such as literature, medicine, music, dance and drama to prevent any false transmission in the Age of Kali. Bharata Muni recorded the technique as well as the ceremonial rules and regulations for the performance of dance and drama in his Natya Sastra, 1,000-200 BC. The scripture is sometimes called the Fifth Veda, or Natya-veda. Bharata Muni has given full information on rasa-tattva, the meaning and expression of different bhavas as well as 360 different types of transcendental nayakas and nayikis (heroes and heroines) in the spiritual world. It has longtime been believed—a majority up untill today—that the Vedas are a mere collection of primitive verses. As a result of modern speculative philosophy and political prejudice in scientific research the Vedas are prevented to carry out their true nature, their spiritual qualities, their literary perfection and prehistorical values. Indeed, the information of the ancient Vedic history of mankind beginning at creation, the detailed accounts of an existence beyond universal creation and the systematic philosophy of an Absolute Truth would definitely expose the imperfection of the limited methods of sensoreal induction in empiric sciences, as well as the incompleteness and contradictions of the younger world religions. How was such intellectual and religious superiority at all to be accepted just after the dismantling of the clergy in Europe itself? Therefore, the categorical disregard of the Vedic literatures has to equally cover the blatant inadequacy of empiric investigation. Does anyone at all realize that the dictionaries describe the term 'empiricism' by the synomyme of 'quackery'?
The bona fide description of the Sanskrit term aryan has now been given by the Vedic tradition itself. The meaning of the word Aryan is 'anyone who progressively practises the principles of spiritual life according to bhagavat-dharma irrespective of material designations'. Bhagavat-dharma is the universal duty of the living entity to accept his or her consitutional position as an eternal transcendental (maid)servant of the Lord.
The last period of Medieval Hinduism (1279-1565) was inaugurated by the invasion of Muslims towards the South of India. To cope with the threat of total subordination three allied states created a considerable defense against the invaders. This Imperium was called after its metropole, Vijayanagara, and lasted 1336- 1565. In the first half of this period the music was developed. In the second half Vaisnava kings came to rule the Southern states and Vaisnavism (worship of Visnu) was proclaimed to be the state religion.
Three courts attained independence and inherited from their preceding rulers the duty to defend the Hindu culture. They were Madurai, Thanjour and Gingee. The kings decided to spend their resources meant for military defense to the renovation of temples, the cultivation of religious life and the development of fine arts, instead. The states became cultural centers attracting musicians, artistic leaders, and the intelligentia from all over India.
The term devadasi implies the worship of lord Siva. In the Saiva tradition of South-India a variety of demigods are being worshiped, especially Surya (sun god), Ganesa (elephant god), Siva (destroyer of the universe), Sakti (female power) and Lord Visnu (the Maintainer of the universe). This practice is called pancopasana, worship of five gods. The gods are part of the Vedic pantheon which counts a total number of thirty three million demigods. Demigods are devotees of Lord Krsna who established them in their functions as caretakers of universal affairs and as intermediairs for the ignorant masses.
ye 'py anya-devata-bhakta
yajante sraddhayanvitah
te 'pi mam eva kaunteya
yajanty avidhi-purvakam
"Those who are devotees of other gods and who worship them with faith actually worship only Me, O son of Kunti, but they do so in a wrong way." (Bhagavad-gita 9.23)
"The present-day worshipers of Siva, Durga, Ganesa, and Surya are known respectively as Saivas, Saktas, Ganapatyas, and Sauras. They are all followers of jana-kanda [speculative philosophy in the pursuit of impersonal liberation]. They adopt the angas [limbs] of bhakti such as sravana [hearing] and kritana [chanting] only with the hope of attaining mukti, and ultimately the undifferentiated impersonal Brahman. Those who engage in sravana and kritana without any desire for bhukti [material sense enjoyment] or mukti [liberation] are engaged in the service of Lord Visnu, who is the fifth and Supreme Deity amongst those mentioned above. The sri murti [Deity] of Bhagavan is eternal, transcendental, and replete with all potencies. If one does not accept the object of worship as Bhagavan, then that worship is merely worship of a temporary object." (Jaiva-dharma, ch. 5)
S.C. Kersenboom conducted a research of the devadasis of lord Siva in particular. Her informant was one of the last devadasis and a follower of Siva-Sakti. The old lady provided her with information which is exclusive from the scientific point of view. The dasis themselves never recorded anything, not even at the time of the extinction of their tradition. Probably they were illiterate, or had become mute.
The women who engaged in the cultivation of the dance art reached an artistic highlight during the period between 1267-1565. Some danced in front of the murtis (images of gods) in processions, and others performed abhinaya (mime) to the music. They were called visnu-dasis (servants of Visnu), raja-dasis (servants of the King) and katumurai (those who offered the water pot on the altar in the temple). The popular name of the temple dancer was devadasi, servant of god.
As a very young child the dasi was given in charity to the temple by her family. She learned the art of dancing from a brahmin. She was instructed in the altar services and was taught the process of spiritual life. It was the duty of the devadasi to protect the king against malevolent influences from the external world by her ritual expertise. Apart from dancing and the rendering of various altar services she had also been taught mystic healing and the performance of various domestic rituals meant for householders.
On the occasion of her arankerram (initiation of a temple dancer) she was made to merge with the sakti (female energy) of lord Siva. In that way she became a wedded co-wife of the lord of dance. As Siva is an eternal entity, the devadasi could never become widowed. The greatest fear of the Indian woman is to become a widow, because this class is considered most impure by society. Vedic civilization is conducted according to sastric concepts of purity in body, mind and spirit. As a married wife of an eternal husband the devadasi attained the transcendental status of nityasumangali which meant she was an 'eternally' (nitya) 'beautiful woman' (su) 'auspicious and pure' (mangal). These Sanskrit terms have been borrowed from Vedic scriptures and are certainly not Tamil.
The devadasi was made to keep a direct connection to the transcendental abodes of the demigods. It was her duty to maintain or restore the emotional balance of the deity. It usually meant that she had to cope with their horrifying moods of anger in order to pacify them and to prevent the god or goddess from terrorizing the villagers by sending all kinds of calamities. The devadasi as a ritual expert of domestic rituals was the person who could help householders fulfill their material desires through the agency of her yogic powers and mysticism. In fact, the devadasi acted as an intermediair between the householders and the demigods for which she was paid abundantly.
The second half of the Vijayanagara Imperium (1400-1565) was ruled by Vaisnava Kings who followed Vedic civilization. Vedic society is a synonyme of varnasrama-dharma. The revealed knowledge of the system is meant to conduct peaceful society divided in four professional classes based on natural conduct (guna-tattva) and individual qualification (adhikara) aimed at spititual advancement and liberation in the end. It may be said that by the establishment of the Vijayanagara Imperium Vedic civilization experienced a revival in its earlier territories of South-India.
One limb of the system refers to the four different classes of professional life called varnas. The second limb points to the four successive stages of individual life called asramas. The asramas are student life up to 25; married life up to 50; retired life up to 75; renounced life until death – and then go back to Godhead.
The Vedas prescribe different privileges as well as duties for every stage of life and for each professional class in society. Every community will automatically manifest a differentiation into four types of social activities. Differentiation can even be observed in certain species of the animal kingdom. Therefore, such differentiation is natural and must be created by something higher than nature itself. Vedic civilization distinguishes the four classes of activites as follows (1) brahminical or intellectual class (2) ruling, protecting, administrating class (3) trading, banking, agriculturing, cowprotecting class (4) labor class. The three higher classes of society are given economical and social independence on the condition that the King and the military forces accept guidance from the highest class of brahmins who are without selfish motives. There is a proverb, 'Love your teacher it's educational'. The labor class will not be granted any independence; it will have to serve the three higher classes according to their respective standards.
The Vedas describe 400,000 different types of human creatures including extincted types, such as giants, witches, celestial nimphs, dwarfs, etc. and a variety of transcendental entities, such as ghosts and spirits, their behavior, inclinations, vices and virtues. The elements which are reluctant to follow human standards of life will be denied any participation in society. The human meat-eater, for instance, forms a separate type called mleccha and is not accepted as a respected member of human society because he participates the circuit of violence. The human killer also forms a separate type, called yavana. The human criminal is called raksasa. Either civilized, rural, tribal, cruel, primitive or celestial, the Vedas describe all standards of life which have once been created by lord Brahma.
"Those who are altogether lacking in the tendency to follow the rules of sastra are thoroughly avaidha (opposed to the injunction of sastra). They are engaged in sinful activities, and their lives are given over to actions that defy the regulations of sastra (avaidha-karma). Such people are excluded from the jurisdiction of the Vedas and are known as mlecchas (people belonging to an uncivilized, non-Aryan race)." (Jaiva-dharma, p. 45)
The three higher classes of society are given economical and social independence on the condition that the King and the military forces accept guidance from bona fide brahmins who are without selfish motives. The laboring classes will not be granted any independence; they will have to serve the three higher classes according to their respective standards.
Vedic civilization supports non-violence with respect to all living beings including cows and trees, rivers and mountains, since all such creatures are jivas. Inside their embodiments is an eternal soul. The Vedas accordingly prescribe that no profession, religious function, ignorant condition, poverty or animal is to be generated by seminal birth, neither for the purpose of economic exploitation or sense gratification. It is an explicit injunction made by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, that professional life should be based on actual conduct, natural inclination and personal qualification irrespective of any inherited designations, such as class, race or gender. Every class has to execute its prescribed duties and is granted privileges according to individual qualification (adhikara). If conducted in that way Visnu Himself will arrange for anyones's maintenance in an inconceibably mystical way. In Vedic scripture it is said, "Even if it were possible to count the atoms after smashing the earth into powder, it would not be possible to estimate the unfathomable transcendental qualities of the Supreme Lord Visnu."
The Vedic system supports transcendental consciousness which is indispensable for peaceful life on earth and liberation hereafter. The philosophy is clear and simple. The system of varnasrama-dharma provides mankind with the knowledge and procedures to become materially satisfied and spiritually liberated in one lifetime without much effort. There is only one condition: to worship the Supreme Lord. Transcendental consciousness generates the necessary intelligence to keep body and soul together, whereas the worship of Krsna provides the final exit of material life terminating the perpetual cycle of embodied reincarnations. The vasrnasrama system of Vedic society satisfies Visnu, nature, society itself and all existent entities in the universes at large through the agency of God for whose sake everything is accomplished.
In defence of the rule of Muslim invaders the brahminical knowledge and the high-standard Indian women had to be protected. Consequently, the open society transformed itself into a closed system based on seminal inheritance of caste and profession. The cultural inheritance was kept in the custody of the peaceful cow-protecting class of brahmins and mixed marriages were no longer permitted. The remedy worked out for a limited period only. Hindu society itself started to reproduce offspring possessing social esteem, religious functions, political power, wealth, ignorance and poverty right at birth and irrespective of actual conduct and individual qualifications. In other words, the static system of heredity created a population possessing ascribed designations instead of achieved qualifications. It caused loss of qualitative potential at the basis of society and an increasing incompetence of brahmins at the top. It created poverty of those who were kept arrested on the bottom of society and the unqualified brahmins were incompetent to teach the masses the transcendental imports of the Sanskrit scriptures. It created groups of out-castes who were easily converted by the Muslims. The Muslims took care of their emloyment and became a separate Muslim class in the traditional Hindu society. The Islam has ever had a great appeal to the rejected and the paupers of society. Islam can be compared to a socio-economical security system which will sooner or later operate in any traditional society. Eventually, the Indian government abolished in one stroke the entire caste system as soon as independence was recovered and India became a secular democracy, in 1947.
Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the last hidden Incarnation of Lord Krsna, appeared in West-Bengal, 1486. He journeyed the South of India, approximately 1510, and propagated pure love of God by the process of suddha-bhakti, unalloyed devotion. In many temples the murtis (deities) of lord Siva were replaced by Krsna's Thakurjis. Court life became most glorious by the worship of Sri Rama and Krsna. The sciences of music and dance experienced two golden ages in their pursuit of devotion. By the causeless mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu the heroic character of the rigid Saiva traditions was transformed into the loving mellow of pure devotion to Sri Radha-Krsna full of conjugal sweetness and beauty. Lord Caitanya, who is Krsna Himself, descended in the mood and golden complexion of Srimati Radhika (Krsna's cit-sakti) to experience Her unparallelled love (mahabhava) for Him. There is no reason for the Dravidian saktas (worshippers of female power) to accuse the Vedic brahmins of exclusive worship of purusa (male power) which would cause the repression of women. On the contrary, the Gaudiya Vedantins (followers of Caitanya) are superior saktas by the worship of Radha, the possessor of the highest transcendental cit-sakti (spiritual potency) and hladini-sakti, Krsna's pleasure potency.
"Advaita: 'Yes, the Vaisnavas are true saktas. We are under the control of Sri Radhika, who is the embodiment of cit-sakti [spiritual potency]. It is only under Her shelter that we render service to Krsna, so who is more of a sakta than the Vaisnavas? We do not see any difference between the Vaisnavas and the real saktas. Those who are only attached to maya-sakti, without taking shelter of cit-sakti, may be called sakta, but they are not Vaisnavas; they are only materialists. In the Narada-pancaratra, Sri Durga Devi explains:
tava vaksasi radhaham sase vrndavane vane
'In the forest known as Vrndavana, I am Your internal sakti, Sri Radhika, who adorns Your chest in the rasa dance.'
"From this statement of Durga Devi, it is clear that there is only one sakti, not two. That sakti is Radhika when She manifests as the internal potency, and she is Durga when she is manifested as the external potency." (Jaiva-dharma, p. 226)
Remaining attached to their local traditions great parts of the Indian population ignored Caitanya's revolution, until recently.
anarpita-carim
cirat karunyavatimah kalau
samarpayitum unnatojjvala-rasam sva-bhakti-sriyam
harih purata-sundara-dyuti-kadamba-sandipitah
sada hrdaya-kandare sphuratu vah saci-nandanah
"May the Supreme Lord who is known as the son of Srimati Saci-devi be transcendentally situated in the innermost chambers of your heart. Resplendent with the radiance of molten gold, He has appeared in the Age of Kali by His causeless mercy to bestow what no incarnation has ever offered before: the most sublime and radiant mellow of devotional service, the mellow of conjugal love." (Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 1.4)
Lord Caitanya was inspired by Sri Ramananda Raya when they met in South-India. He discussed with him braja-bhava, the love of the Brajavasis, the locals of Braja. He manifested the highest spiritual emotions, gopi-prema (love of the gopis) and mahabhava (divine madness). It was Lord Caitanya who bestowed mankind with raganuga-bhakti (spontaneous love) and the process to attain ujjvala-madhurya-rasa, unwedded jugal love for Krsna through the medium of His Supreme transcendental lover, Vrsabhanu Nandini Srimati Radharani.
Sri Ramananda Raya educated two visnudasis in the symptoms of the bhavas (moods) expressed in abhinaya (expression of consciousness). In the stage of pure bhakti which is performed without selfish motives the devotee will dance exclusively to please Radha-Krsna. Nrtya, the expression of meaning in padams, is a form of bhakti in which all the senses are engaged in the service of the Lord. Krsna-padams support two goals: they represent krsna-lila for His pleasure and enlighten the spectator of His glories. Ramananda Raya taught the two visnudasis to dance in the service of Lord Jagannatha (Krsna's ancient Deity). Sri Ramananda Raya is Sri Visakha Devi in the spiritual world. Another intimate associate was Sri Svarupa Damodara who is Sri Lalita Devi. Both are Radha's nearest girl friends (sakhis) in the eternal, unmanifest pastimes (aprakata-lila) in Goloka Vrndavana, the highest planet in the spiritual world. So, if any classical dancer who is anxious to hear bhagavata-tattva (the highest truths of Krsna) from the intimate sakhis (friends) of Srimati Radhika, she should closely study the works of the Six Gosvamis of Vrndavana published by Gaudiya Vedanta Publications.
Srila Rupa Gosvami eleaborated the science of prema which had earlier been systematized by Bharata Muni in Natya-sastra. By the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Srila Rupa Gosvami described the process of love of God in great detail to begin with sukrti and progressing the successive stages of sadhu-sanga, sraddha, anartha-nivrtti, nistha, ruci, asakti, rati, prema, sneha, mana, pranaya, raga, anuraga, bhava, mahabhava, ruddha, adhiruddha, mohana, modana and madana (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu). In other words, the teachings of Sriman Mahaprabhu are unparallelled and sublime.
Late-Medieval Hinduism (1279-1565) is the period in which the carnatik music system was developed and in which Telugu became the national language of South-India. Many beautiful lyrics and dance pieces have been composed in Telugu. Especially the Pandanallur style of Bharatanatyam maintains a repertoire of varnams and padams composed in Telugu.
The Muslims caused Vaisnavism to shrink and retract into the North; the Dravidians also lost their influence in favor of the Moghuls. Still, the highest artistic development flourished between 1565-1856 which period commenced nearly thirty years after the disappearance of Sri Caitanya. The flood of pure bhakti had been very powerful and started to produce fruits. Indeed, bhakti will distract anyone's mind from all kinds of non-sense and useless endeavor.
"In modern times, civilization has come to mean keeping one's depravity concealed within. The word civilization (sabhyata) literally means fitness to participate a sabha (virtuous assembly). In reality, civilization that is free from sin and deception is only found among Vaisnavas. Non-Vaisnavas very much appreciate civilization that is saturated with sin. If civilization means to adorn oneself in stylish clothes to appeal to others, then prostitutes are more civilized than you are. What passes as civilization at present is the culture of Kali-yuga." (Jaiva-dharma)
In the fourth stage of the heart-cakra one may equally realize the deficiencies and limitations of material life and mundane love. One may realize oneself as a free soul who is temporarily encaged in a gross material body. One may passionately search for perfect life (karma), the supreme wisdom (jnana), or liberation (mukti). If, however, one is fortunate enough to meet a bonafide spiritual master in this open-hearted state of mind, eternal bliss and happiness are guaranteed. Without any effort you will be attracted towards the real love and intelligence of the spiritual master. He will teach moral principles as a basic instruction to maintain human qualities in society, such as refraining from meat eating, illicit sex, speculation, or gambling, and intoxication. He will teach the process of transcendental love, or bhakti, love of God which surpasses the paths of karma, jnana, mukti and mystic power, at once. In the practice of bhakti there is no need to endeavor for separate assets.
It is a fact, that the Indian woman has no independence in society. From birth to death she is protected by the men of her family. In the first stage of her life she is cared for by her parents, in the second by her husband and in the third by her eldest son, or the family of her daughter. The Indian woman is considered to have taken birth as a lower species of mankind. Therefore, in a man's world of devatas (demigods), brahmins (priests), and brahmacaris (monks) women were not allowed to enter – not to speak of doing any service, for the menial work and cooking services are also performed by the monks.
The dancer who did render services in the temple should possess excellent character and composure in order to be accepted as a brahmacarini (girl's celibate student life). To provide the temple dance with spiritual qualities it was made into a brahminical discipline and the student had to remain a celibate at least during her studies. In that way, the dance could be called dasi-attam, or elevated service, and the dancer herself shared in the status of the dance. The devadasi became an elevated maidservant of the deity in the temple and the object of high esteem in society.
When the dance made profound artistic progress a great deal of court dancers became gradually disconnected from the guidance and protection of the temple authorities. According to Kersenboom, "The devadasi was just an ornament to the court of the king […] The devadasis were economically, artistically and religiously exchangeable by the temple communities and the kings". Apart from the maintenance offered by the temple community the devadasis also created private income by independently rendering services, such as domestic rituals and healng practices, to the villagers.
During three ages, between 1565 and 1856, the art became distinguished by two types; nrtta [technique] and nrtya [meaning]. Practitioners will recognize the technique of the dance as mathematical, masculin, fast, square, symmetrical, aggressive, staccato, external and virtuous. Meaning (nrtya) as is danced in the padams is analogue, feminine, slow, round, asymmetrical, accommodating, fluid, internal and humble or devoted. The technique touches the senses; the meaning touches the soul. In other words: the technique (nrtta) emphasizes aestheticm, rhythm and abstract form; whereas the mime (nrtya) emphasizes emotion, melody and personal relationships. In the latter, the bhavas or spiritual emotions are developed in particular. To become a qualified dancer one must practise bhakti, ask from Gududeva what bhava is and try to realize the process in order to be able to know what one actually performs on stage.
At the court of Tanjavu (Thanjour), between 1800 and 1850, the four brothers Pillai were engaged by the King as masters of art, especially music and dance. They worried about the decay of the devadasis whose dance style inclined to deteriorate to the level of sense enjoyment and indecency. Together the four brothers decided to fully employ their artistic expertise and reduced the dance to the Vedic essence prescribed by Natya-sastra..
Secondly, they modified the repertoire and compiled a full program of eight different types of dance. And finally, they modified the choreography into the range of vision of the spectators sitting in a hall facing a square stage. These are the great contributions of the Tamils to the temple dance. They were really renovatiing because in the temples the devadasis were used to dance on a very small spot in the backstage of the altar. The technical pieces were outside on the balconies, on terraces and inside of the big hall exposed to the pilgrims who visited the temples on the occasion of religious festivals. The dramatic pieces, however, were performed outside their vision in the precincts of the temple. The intimate pieces were meant exclusively for the pleasure of the deity.
The brothers Pillai felt that the high-standard or devotional qualities of dasi-attam had been lost already and attempted to rescue the remainder of the discipline by infusing it with new idiom to be appreciated by the middle classes. The brothers succeeded in the rehabilitation of the catir (dance) from its blame even prior to the political abolition of the profession of devadasi in 1947. They re-established the catir as a decent middle-class discipline. The dance became an art for art. The new repertoire consisted of eight different types of dance and was called catir keccari (dance mix). Today it is called margam, or sequence of dance pieces.
The brothers attained name and fame as the 'Thanjour Quartette' all over the world. They compiled the repertoire of the classical Indian dance recitals which are performed today. The different types of dance in a catir keccari recital progress in complexity, virtuosity and devotion, step by step and one after another. The recital presents prayers of glorification (stutis); flower offerings (puspanjalis); technical dances (nrtta); epic narrations (natya) and emotional lyrics (nrtya); love dances and lullabies (padams); a last technical master piece (nrtta); a final devotional verse (sloka), and the traditional conclusion (mangalam).
In her flowery language Srimati T. Balasarasvati d.d. (attached to the page 'Function' in this site) describes the dance pieces in a setting of different locations in the temple. Smt. Balasarasvati was one of the greatest dancers of India and assisted the Thanjour Quartette in the foundation of the House Of Fine Arts, 'The Kalaksetra Academy' in Madras, 1922. She was a dancer of Bharata-natyam and an advocate of bhakti. Balasarasvati devidasi was high class. On the occasion of the foundation of the Kalaksetra Academy the catir was renamed Bharata-natyam, the dramatic performance of Bharata Muni. A couple of decades later, Rajif Ghandi renamed the Academy 'Bharata Kalaksetra' to stress its high-standard teaching of the fine arts. The genius of the Thanjour Quartette has greatly contributed to the worldwide export of the Indian dance in terms of artists and teachers. The repertoire of the modern student who performs her arankerram (initiation and examen) is still comprised of the eight different types of margam or catir keccari. Arankerram (arangetram) is the dancer's first performance on stage in front of a distinguished audience consisting of local authorities, professionals, family and friends. See also Pandanallur-vani, an essay on Thanjour temple dance attached to the page 'Indiradasi'.
When British colonization approached its final stage the devadasi tradition started to dwindle and deceased completely. The first cause for the decay was the deprivation of the Kings' power and income. They could no longer share their wealth with the brahmins and the artists. This caused the brahmins to decrease their opulent worship including the music ensembles and the troups of dancers. This caused the devadasis to leave the protection of the institution and depart from the temples and courts to serve unqualified audiences. They subjugated themselves to the taste of the common man in order to maintain their lives. The dasis fell prey to degraded princes and unwanted company. They became known as 'nautch girls' and were purchased like prostitutes. No self-respecting family was anxious any longer to give a daughter in charity to the temple in order to have her educated in dasi-attam. S.C. Kersenboom concludes her book, Nityasumangali,
"The aristocratic values of the art, the devotion and the age-old tradition were lost. Merchandizing, raids after patronage by individuals and agressive publicity became prominent, instead."
By the persisting pressure of the British lobby against the devasasis the Indian Government eventually launched the Anti-Nautch Act, 1947. The Act not only terminated the entire caste of devadasis, but also the last brahminical profession discharged by the Indian woman. Their profession was expelled from society. The Indian woman was deprived of an institution which provided her with a unique doorway to social esteem, economical prosperity, sexual independence, and certain ritual autonomy. Qualified dancers lost their right of existence, November 11th 1947, the year in which the Indian population recovered national independence and became a democracy. After the abolition of their caste and profession the devadasis were disdained and forgotten and many of them died as paupers.
The esteemed class of devadasis once operating at the top of society had been the last maidservants of the Lord, of the gods, the priests and kings. The devadasis were expelled from their homes and temples. Young monks took over their services, as well as their parts in dance dramas on stage. The final abolition of the devadasi tradition in South-India deprived the Indian pilgrim of a wonderful presentation of glimpses of the spiritual world performed by dancing mystics in the service of Vedic demigods, Tamil brahmins and Hindu society.
The aged and tender Srila Gurudeva B.V. Naryana Maharaja, sat quietly down and silently watched us gazing at him. He had landed in a fully unqualified association of about fourty practitioners who had dropped out of Svamiji's International Society for Krishna Consciousness, one after another. That evening, after having taken rest he said in an informal darsana (meeting), "Iskcon boiled the milk … I'll take the cream…" His eyes must be 'anointed with the salve of love'.
He doesn't teach the mood of the royal maidservant by the practice of formal bhakti recommended by Sri Krsna in the Bhagavad-gita. In the footsteps of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Srila Gurudeva awakened the desire to serve Sri Radha-Krsna Yugala in Their highest confidential pastimes, instead. As I said before this is the special mercy of Lord Caitanya in this particular Kali-yuga. He came to bring the moods of the Brajavasis, the confidential lovers of Krsna in Braja, especially Vrsabhanu Nandini Srimati Radharani. He teaches one stage higher than Svamiji did twenty years before. Tridandisvami Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja teaches the most sublime mellow of raganuga-bhakti, or spontaneous love of Radha and Krsna in the mood of a palya-dasi of Radhika. See for this subject also his lectures 'The Seed Of The Creeper Of Love' in the page 'Function' and'The Highest Objective' in the page 'Indiradasi'.
Sri Caitanya once again offered the opportunity to serve the Lord personally. Today, fifty years after the abolition of the caste system in India, men and women worldwide are being initiated in the bona fide class of Vaisnava brahmins, India not excluded. Men and women equally serve as priests and priestesses. They equally discharge all kinds of altar services and ceremonies, like sravanam kirtanam visno (singing and lecturing in open gatherings) smaranam pada sevanam arcanam (the care for Deities) vandanam dasyam sakhyam atma nivedanam (serving His lotus feet; making friendship with Him and fully surrendering to Him).
The concession to accept female neophytes in an age-old male tradition is highly remarkable. The sastric injunction prescribes strict separation of the sexes in social and religious life and excludes women from public positions in society – not to speak of religious functions. These policies had to be transgressed, since the ladies in the West showed interest in Vedic knowledge and in the worship of the Lord. They assembled at the lotusfeet of the spiritual masters and were accepted. They naturally balance the neophyte communities of male devotees in order to perform household life in a regulated way. Such concession not only serves practical ends – it also modifies sastric statements which designate the woman as an inferior creature spending her life in total subordination to the man under all circumstances. Obviously, it appeared that the injunction could no longer be hold.
Another devotee who transcended a temple policy was Mira Bai. She was a contemporary of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His associates, the Six Gosvamis of Vrndavana. She had realized her spiritual form (siddha-svarupa) as a maidservant and lover of Krsna. She once desired to see the Deity of Lord Krsna in Vrndavana and requested Sri Jiva Gosvami to go inside to see Thakurji. In first instance, he did not allow her to enter. She then whispered, "After lifelong worship of Krsna, do you still identify with a man?" Srila Jiva Gosvami reflected her rhetoric and admitted her entrance.
I once heard Sri BV Narayana say in one of his lectures, "We are all woman. Krsna is only one male. Man is false ego." The siddhanta (concluded truth) behind this statement is as follows. Krsna is male as well as female since He is one without a second, technically called non-dual or absolute. In His nara-lila or human-like pastimes, however, in order to conduct sweet loving exchanges with His bhaktas (lovers) He manifests in a dual form: Krsna (purusa, the enjoyer) and Radha (His sakti, or power to be enjoyed). Up to this platform we speak of visnu-tattva, or God who is pure spirit.
The individual jivas (8,400,000 different species of living entities) consist of His marginal energy. They are combined spiritual energy (soul) and material energy (gross and subtle bodies). In this way the living entity has been given a free will to choose either for liberation in the spiritual realm, or for bondage in the conditioned state.
Since the living entities are not on the platform of visnu-tattva, they are eternally subordinate to Him. As soon as they have taken birth they are part of nature. Nature is in the category of His female energy, prakrtti. In relation to the Supreme, the one and only male, the living entity is female energy, irrespective of a temporary embodiment as a man or a woman. One may also realize a siddha-svarupa in the form of a male. Such devotee is attracted by Krsna's transcendental friendship (sakhya-rasa) as a gopa (a cowherd friend), or as His father in the mood of parental love (vatsalya-rasa). In Krsna's personal abode one can have four different relationships with Him, that of servant; parent; friend; lover. The mood of a pure lover of Krsna encompasses the highest mellow and includes the moods of the previous relationships and services (rasa).
As said before, it is the duty of any living entity to surrender at the lotusfeet of the Supreme; every single soul is His maidservant. Our eternal spiritual body (siddha-svarupa) is already existent, including name, dress, hairstyle, service, etc. In our material consciousness, however, we do not realize, so it lies dormant. The bona fide spiritual master who himself accomplished the entire process of suddha-bhakti (pure love) is expert in guiding the disciple in the cultivation of this spiritual body. The spiritual master awakens the connection to Krsna through the medium of bhagavata-parampara, the unbroken chain of spiritual masters in the disciplic succession beginning with Krsna.
Once situated in Goloka Vrndavana as a liberated soul Krsna and His associates exchange relationships on an equal level with Him. In the original abode the liberated souls do not maintain the conception of His Absolute Supremacy. This mood would hamper any sweet intimate feelings for Him. Identifying themselves as the inhabitants of Braja (the cowherds' villages in a 84 square miles' area in the North of India which is an exact replica of Goloka Vrndavana in the spiritual world) and by knowing Krsna right from their birth the Brajavasis simply address Him as their lover, friend, or son. Internally, the Gosvamis in our line are radha-dasis, maidservants of Srimati Radhika. Externally, they adopt a temporary male body to grant guidance to the jivas in their pursuit to attain the Lord in the same way as they did before.
The devadasis were perfectly situated in their consitutional position of a transcsendental maidservant. Those who were bhaktas of lord Siva are most fortunate. In the following verses it becomes evident that the perfected spiritual body (siddha-deha) of Siva is that of a manjari (young girl) in Goloka Vrndavana, the eternal transcendental abode of Krsna.
"In relation to the siddha-deha it has been said in the Sanat-Kumara Samhita, that Sadasiva is giving instruction to Naradaji on the subject of siddha-deha suitable for rendering service to the Divine Couple.
atmanam
cintayet tatra tasam madhye manoramam
rupayauvanasampannam kisorim premodakrtim
radhikanuncari nityam tat sevana parayanam
krsnad apy adhikam prema radhikayam prakurvatim
'O Narada! Meditate in this way upon your own svarupa among Sri Krsna's beloved associates who take pride in being His paramours in the aprakrta [the eternal unmanifest] Vrndavana Dhama. I am an extremely lovely and supremely blissful kisori (adolescent girl), endowed with youthful beauty. I am an eternal maidservant of Srimati Radhika. Having arranged for Sri Krsna's dearmost mistress Srimati Radhika to meet with Him, I will always make Them both happy. Therefore, I am the maidservant of Radhika, the most beloved of Krsna. Remaining always and forever engaged in the service of the Divine couple, may I maintain more love for Srimati than for Krsna.'" [Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami's biography, p. 476]
Lord Siva's spiritual form is Gopisvara, the gatekeeper of Goloka Vrndavana.
Although not directly connected to the temple dance anymore, the initiation of women as a maidservant of the Lord has fortunately been restored. Not only a few fortunate souls are being admitted entrance into the secrets of spiritual life as was usual at the time prior to Sri Caitanya. Everyone will get the guru he deserves. The pure souls will be given a chance to take shelter at the lotus feet of a Vaisnava guru according to their hearts' sincere desire – only then Krsna will arrange. The extraordinary opportunity of hearing the highest hari-katha (narrations of Krsna) from the lotus mouth of a pure realized Vaisnava is granted by the causeless mercy of the highly expert, extremely rare, very rasika sad-guru, Om Visnupada paramahamsa parivrajakacarya astottara sata Tridandisvami Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami.
om
ajnana timirandhasya
jnananjana salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena
tasmai sri-guruve namah
"O Gurudeva, you are so merciful. I offer my humble pranama to you and am praying from the core of my heart that, with the torchlight of divine knowledge, you open my eyes which have been blinded by the darkness of ignorance." (Sri Guru-pranama, Sri Gaudiya Giti-Guccha)