(20) Terrifying dance of Kaala and Niyati

EXTRACT FROM VAIRAAGYA PRAKARANAM

अत्रैव दुर्विलासानां चूडामणिरिहापरः करोत्यत्तीति लोकेsस्मिन्दैवं कालश्च कथ्यते ।

This Lord who shines forth as the crest-stone of all painful sports is also known by the names of ‘Daivam’ (destiny) and ‘Kaala’ (Time), since he brings the fruits of actions (as destiny) and eats (everything.)   

(दीव्यति + व्यवहरति - प्राणिनां कर्मफलदानेनेति- दैवं / फलावस्थ: कृतान्तः । कलयति अवश्यं फलं संपादयति इति ‘क्रिया’ ‘कालः’ ।) 
(Though he is one, he is known by the two names of Daivam and Krtaanta, because he brings about the fruits of actions for the beings and is also the time factor which brings forth the fruits of action at some particular times only, he is Krtaanta (Krta+Anta) also as the death-form for the mortals. 

'Daivam' means that which fructifies the Karmas at a particular time; not a deity or supernatural power.)

क्रियामात्रादृते यस्य स्वपरिस्पन्दरूपिणः नान्यदालक्ष्यते रूपं न कर्म न समीहितम् ।  

He is of the nature of vibrating force. His form, or action, or purpose cannot be directly observed, except through his work which gets experienced as fruits of actions.

तेनेयमखिला भूतसंततिः परिपेलवा तापेन हिममालेव नीता विधुरतां भृशम् ।

The poor crowd of living beings is lead towards their sorrowful states of their Karmas, like the snowy mist by the heat.

यदिदं दृश्यते किन्चिज्जगदाभोगि मण्डलं तत्तस्य नर्तनागारामिहासावतिनृत्यति ।

Whatever is seen in the entire Jagat-sphere is his dancing-stage; and he dances violently.

तृतीयं च कृतान्तेति नाम बिभ्रत्सुदारुणं कापालिकवपुर्भूतं दैवं जगति नृत्यति । नृत्यतो हि कृतान्तस्य नितान्तमिव रागिणः नित्यं नियतिकान्तायां मुने परमकामिता ।

Having the third terrifying name of Krtaanta (one who gives the end-result) he dances as the divine one with the form of a Kaapaalika, bearer of the skull-bowl.This dancing Krtaanta is excessively attracted towards his beloved named 'Niyati' (Rule) and is extremely passionate towards her, Hey Muni!

{The action and the result of the action; the thought and its fulfillment; a vibration in the brain and the completed action; this is what Kaala does. The continuous change observed everywhere is Kaala. Time is the process of continuous disorder that is seen in the Universe. This Change also is bound by particular laws and this law is termed as Niyati.} 

Actually Kaala has no form. Yet seen from the poet’s eyes he is the terrifying form of Shiva dancing on the ashes in terrifying madness. Niyati always is bound to Kaala as every change happens because of some ordained law. Niyati is therefore described as the beloved lover inseparable from Kaala.}

[Dance of Kaala and Niyati]

(Kaala stays as the destruction essence of all creations.
This is his destruction dance, the TaandavaNrtyam. It is not the destruction of one world or one universe, but the entire perceived phenomenon that contains a world within every atom of ever object that ever exists as a form and name.

Kaala is the gigantic form that rises high above the skies of all the worlds and dances as the very essence of Brahman.

This is the description of the Kaala the destruction power of Brahman, the Supreme Self.)

शेषः शशिकलाशुभ्रो गङ्गावाहश्च तौ त्रिधोपवीतेऽवीते चोभौ संसारवक्षसि, चन्द्रार्कमण्डले हेमकटकौ करमूलयोः, लीलासरसिजं हस्ते, ब्रह्मन्ब्रह्माण्डकर्णिका, ताराबिन्दुचितं लोलपुष्करावर्तपल्लवमेकार्णवपयोधौ तमेकमम्बरमम्बरम् । एवंरूपस्य तस्याग्रे नियतिर्नित्यकामिनी अनस्तमितसंरम्भमारम्भैर्परिनृत्यति ।

His broad chest namely Samsaara (the moving flow of experiences) is covered by the very old triple-fold sacred thread made of the three streams of Gangaa and tied up by the knot of serpent Shesha who shines in purity like the digit of the moon. (Three streams of Gangaa refer to the merits which bind the three worlds to good results. Shesha is all that is left over as the actions of the ignorant. Even these actions are pure, in the sense, they rise from Brahman only.) 

Spheres of sun and moon are his golden armlets worn on the fore-arms. (Arms suggest his action-form; sun and moons here suggest the time that is related to the earth people.)  

A lotus is held in the hand in sport (to add to his beauty). (Lotus symbolizes his playful nature of non-attachment.) 

Hey Brahman, he wears the Meru Mountain on his ear. (Meru Mountain symbolizes the central pedestal of the entire creation.)  

The dark dissolution clouds dotted by shining stars are the fringe design of his garment. His garment is the sky washed by all the oceans joined as one (worn from the neck down like a Kaapalika). 

In front of him with such a form, Niyati, his beloved one always, dances around him without stopping, accompanying him with her varied dance-steps of bestowing fruits of actions.

तस्या नर्तनलोलाया जगन्मण्डलकोटरे अरुद्धस्पन्दरूपाया आगमापायचञ्चुरे, चारुभूषणमङ्गेषु देवलोकान्तरावली, आपातालं नभोलम्बं कबरीमण्डलं बृहत्, नरकाली च मञ्जीरमाला कलकलोज्ज्वला प्रोता दुष्कृतसूत्रेण पातालचरणे स्थिता,कस्तूरिकातिलककं क्रियासंख्योपकल्पितं चित्रितं चित्रगुप्तेन यमे वदनपट्टके ।

She is absorbed in dancing according to the foot steps of her lord.

She never for a second stops her movements.

Her stage is this entire unstable world phenomenon which keeps on appearing and disappearing.

She is adorned by the shining ornaments namely hosts of DevaLokas.

Her thick and huge braid of hair hangs from the sky to the netherworld below.

Rows of hells containing fierce flames of fire are the shining anklets worn at her feet; and the beads of hells resound with the screams and cries of the beings that get burnt there as punishment. These anklets are stringed through the thread of wicked deeds and adorn her feet which are placed firmly in the Paataala.

ChitraGupta (one who keeps account of the list of Karmas) draws the ornamental mark of Tilak made of the numbers of actions of the beings, with the Kasturi paste fragrant with the deeds of all beings, on the forehead of her face namely the deity of death 'Yama'.

कालास्यं समुपादाय कल्पान्तेषु किलाकुला नृत्यत्येषा पुनर्देवी स्फुटच्छैलघनारवं,

पश्चात्प्रालम्बविभ्रान्तकौमारभृतबर्हिभिः, नेत्रत्रयबृहद्रन्ध्रभूरिभाङ्कारभीषणैर्लम्बलोलजटाचन्द्रविकीर्णहरमूर्धभिः,

उच्चरच्चारुमन्दारगौरीकबरचामरैः, उत्ताण्डवचलाकारभैरवोदरतुम्बकैः, र​ण​त्शतरन्ध्रेन्द्रदेहभिक्षाकपालकैः,

शुष्कशारीरखट्वाङ्गभरैः आपूरिताम्बरं, भीषयत्यात्मनात्मानं सर्वसंहारकारिणी ।

विश्वरूपशिरश्चक्रचारुपुष्करमालया तान्डवेषु विवल्गत्या महाकल्पेषु राजते ।

प्रमत्तपुष्करावर्तडमरोड्डामरारवैर्त​स्याः किल पलायन्ते कल्पान्ते तुम्बरादयः ।

This Goddess takes the face of Kaala on herself (by enticing him with her charms) and dances wildly at the dissolution times, while the shattering mountains resonate with the loud noise (adding music to her dance).

The peacocks brought up by Lord Kumaara with care are lost in her dark braids which fly high and stay tangled. They are hanging here and there on her hair and are tossed in all the directions violently when she dances.Countless Shiva’s heads roaring in anger fill the sky and look terrifying with the locks of hair swinging violently, with the moon-digits displaced and hanging at odd places; and with the three eyes of Shiva looking like huge dark holes shooting out flames of fire.

The beautiful braids of hairs decorated by Mandaara flowers of the Gaurees are flying high like Chowries.

The gourd-bowls of the bellies of mountain-like Bhairavas are tossed about in all the directions.

The begging bowls with the hundreds of holes in the form of the bodies of many Indras are breaking with crackling noises. Heaps of dried up bones of the dead bodies are thrown about everywhere.

The ‘destroyer of all’ frightens all by her terrifying form.

She wears the beautiful blue lotus garland of the handsome heads that belong to the cosmic form of Vishnu in all the creations. They are rolling like discus wheels (slicing the heads of one and all.)

Thus she shines in the great dissolutions, jumping wildly like this in her frantic dance-forms.

(When the destruction is over, she beats the drums in intoxication as it were.)

(Dissolution clouds thunder aloud terrifying one and all when all are dead and gone.)

Tumburu and other Gandharvas (who were hiding from her) are running away frightened by the terrifying sounds rising from her drums namely the dissolution clouds, when she beats them intoxicated by the destruction of all at the time of dissolution; (and are soon smashed by her feet like insects.)

नृत्यतोन्तः कृतान्तस्य चन्द्रमण्डलभासिनः, ताराचन्द्रिकाचारुव्योमपिच्छावचूलिनः, एकस्मिञ्छ्रवणे दीप्ता हिमवानस्थिमुद्रिका, अपरे च महामेरुः कान्ता च काञ्चनकर्णिका । अत्रैव कुण्डले लोले चन्द्रार्कौ गण्डमण्डले, लोकालोकचलश्रेणी सर्वतः कटिमेखला, इतश्चेतश्च गच्छन्ती विद्युद्वलयकर्णिका, अनिलान्दोलिता भाति नीरदांशुकपट्टिका, मुसलैर्पट्टिशैर्प्रासैर्शूलैस्तोमरमुद्गरैर्तीक्ष्णैर्क्षीणजगद्वान्त​कृतान्तैरिव संभृतैर्संसारबन्धनादीर्घेपाशे कालकरच्युते शेषभोगमहासूत्रप्रोते मालास्य शोभते ।

जीवोल्लासन्मरिकारत्नतेजोभिरुज्ज्वला सप्ताब्धिकङ्कणश्रेणी भुजयोरस्य भूषणं ।

व्यवहारमहावर्ता सुखदुःखपरम्परा रजःपूर्णतमःश्यामा रोमाली तस्य राजते ।

(The ornaments that adorn Krtaanta belong to the heap of objects of countless creations and not just one moon or one sun or one Meru or one Kailaasa.)

Krtaanta also is dancing along with her on that stage and shines with his ornament of the moon-sphere.

The entire sky looks beautiful with the stars and moonlight adorns the hair at the back of his head; and shines as the halo made of peacock feathers shining behind his head.  

On one ear shines the Himavaan (Shiva’s Kailaasa) in the form of a ring made of ivory; on another ear shines the attractive golden Meru as the golden ear ring.

The two ears shine with the moon and sun as the hanging ornaments from the ear-rings. They lightly touch the cheeks on both sides (when he dances) (and reflect on his mirror-like cheeks).

The rows of the Lokaaloka Mountain surround from all sides like the waist cloth.

(Lokaaloka mountain is a symbolized solid form of the entire perceived phenomenon; and contains countless worlds in each and every stone-particle.)

The round bracelet made of lightning-circles moves here and there (when his hands move making the dance gestures).

The silken cloth made of many patches of clouds of various colours float gracefully in the wind.

His garland shines beautiful; is made by tying in a row, all the sharp weapons like Musala, Pattisha, Praasa, Shula, Tomara, and Mudgara. It is woven by the Death deities thrown out of the destroyed worlds (as jobless). (These Yamas used nooses to catch the Jeevas; Kaala used Shesha sepent itself as the noose to catch the entire creations.) The weapon-garland is stringed through the huge thread of the Shesha serpent’s body (thrown off after the destruction phase), which is the long noose thrown by the Kaala to catch the beings which are running away like frightened deer.  

He wears the rows of bracelets. They are made of the seven oceans. They glow with the shine of gems within them. These bracelets have crocodile designs carved on them; but actually these crocodiles are the Jeevas floating in the ocean of Samsaara.

He has dark hairs all over his body as Tamas (ignorance) and covered by the Rajas dust (attachment) and the hair-circles are the whirlpools of worldly affairs with the successive growth of joy and sorrow.  

एवंप्रायःस कल्पान्ते कृतान्तस्ताण्डवोद्भवामुपसंहृत्य नृत्येहां, सृष्ट्वा सह महेश्वरैर्पुनर्लासमयीं नृत्यलीलां सर्गस्वरूपिणीं तनोतीमां जराशोकदुःखाभिभवभूषिताम् । भूयः करोति भुवनानि वनान्तराणि लोकान्तराणि जनजालककल्पनां चाचारचारुकलनामचलां चलं च पङ्काद्यथार्भकजनो रचनामखिन्नः ॥

In this manner, having performed a terrifying dance of death and destruction at the end of Kalpa, this Krtaanta withdraws his desire for dancing; then along with Great Gods creates everything again; and begins his dance abounding in gestures (Laasya) namely creations filled with old age, grief and pains.

Again he creates universes, forests, worlds and the network of conceived life-forms and the various yugas, like a child playing with the clay by making dolls and destroying them again without any bother.