Dancing God

Nowadays you have to use the word “God” with great caution - it can conjure up all kinds of images. Some think of God as a strict and unforgiving judge; the old man who sits on a grand throne and hurls down thunderbolts every time someone deviates. Others consider Him a crutch for the weak; an imaginary being who brings peace, hope and comfort, but has little to do with objective reality. Some think of God as a mythological tool of the power hungry elite, used to keep the masses in line and maintain the status quo. For many, God is simply the cosmic order-supplier; a convenient port of call in times of need and want.

The Vedic canon paints a slightly different picture. Their extraordinary revelation is not only that God exists, but that He is bursting with colour, character and bliss. God is “Raso vai sah”  – the very embodiment of affectionate relationships, loving relish, and transcendental sweetness.

"I would only believe in a God that knows how to dance" - Fredrick Nietszche

Sri Krishna, the Supreme personality, eternally resides in the spiritual world. That realm is known as Vaikuntha, the place of no anxiety, the place where every step is a dance, every word a song, and where all relationships are infused with selfless love. In that abode the spontaneous and natural relationships with Krishna transcend ritual, formality and reverence; fully satisfying the heart’s yearning. Song and dance, two of the most intense forms of emotional expression, are very much a part of the daily schedule.

Maybe Nietszche was searching for Krishna, the enchanting flute-player who dances with the cowherd maidens in the moonlight. Maybe we all are.