Similar to Sri Krishna’s Raasa Lila, the Raasa Leela of Bhagwan Shiva which is known as Sri Shiv Shakti Rasa Lila (expression of divine love by Shiv and Shakti through dancing and hugging each other), is the divine dance performance of Bhagwan Shiva and Devi Shakti. This wonderful event, which finds mention in famous Hindu Granthas such as the Shiva Maha Purana and other Granthas on Bhagwan Shiva, was performed on Mount Kailash everday.

The Raasa Lila shows that Devi and Bhagwan are one and the same and that there is no barrier between male and female gender who complement each other! God never find partiality with his devotees, and he also didn’t see the caste, creed, gender and religion of his devotees.

According to Lord Shiva, he loves all people, and he also wishes his devotees to love him so that he may grant them his divine spiritual bliss. As described in the holy Shiva Purana, when Bhagwan Shiva performed his divine dance along with Ma Shakti Devi on Mount Kailasha, not only the sages, gods, demi-gods, and goddesses, but even the divine animals such as cows and birds like parrots eagerly watched the sacred event and raised melodious sounds to express their joy and happiness.

The Raasa Lila took place on a sacred Shivratri day at Mount Kailash, when the devotees of Bhagwan Shiva expressed their desire for him to perform a divine dance along with his consort, Ma Shakti Devi. Shiva performed this divine act to express his pure love toward Ma Shakti Devi, and through this sacred event, he also advises us to maintain sincere bhakti and devotion toward them.

As per the Shiva Purana, whoever hears or gives lectures about the Shiva Shakti Rasa Lila to others, would recieve the entire grace of Shiv Shakti.

During ancient times, Raasa Lila performances were also conducted by stage artists in temples such as Tiruvannamalai and Srisailam. In the seventeenth century, the Shiva devotee Sri Mageswarachariar once delivered lectures on the Shiva Purana at the famous Srisailam Shiva Temple in Andhra Pradesh. It is said that Bhagwan Shiva Himself eagerly listened to the divine discourses of Sri Mageswarachariar and was especially pleased with his performance when he delivered lectures from the chapter titled “Sri Shiv Shakti Raasa Leela.”

Shiva appeared in Sri Mageswarachariar’s dream and asked him to give more His Raasa Lila, since he was very much attracted with his melodious way of presenting the Shiv Shakti Raasa Lila. Sri Mageswarachariar happily agreed and delivered discourses on Shiv Shakti Raasa Lila many times in the Srisailam Shiva Temple, in order to delight the devotees of Shiva and also to please the great Bhagwan Sri Srisailam Mallikarjun and Ma Brahmarambika.

(Featured Image Source: Temple Purohit)