Lalita Ma’rmika Dance of 7000 years
Parvati, the wife of Shiva, invented Lalita Marmika, which means: ‘voice of the inner spirit’. The dance used for kiirtan is Laita Marmika. It represents the inner voice of the spiritual aspirant. The main thing in Lalita Marmika is the expression through mudra’ (gesture). It represents that now we are enjoying bliss; we are happy.
Lalita ma’rmika is purely a devotional dance. The elbows must be placed above the 90° position about the shoulders. The upraised hands indicate the spirit of surrender.
Devotion – Love for the Supreme
Devotion has tremendous power, which neither knowledge nor action has. Instead, knowledge people have a subtle sense of vanity that ordinary people are afraid of. So, they maintain distance from them, saying: ‘Good heavens, they are such scholars, how can we go near them?’ But no one is afraid of people of devotion. Instead, they think: ‘After all, they are devotees, so let us go and sit near them for a while. So, if you can arouse devotion, then by coming in contact with you, thousands and thousands of people will attain spiritual salvation.
One may not possess knowledge or intelligence, but if one has devotion, that is enough. So, devotion must be aroused. After meeting a devotional person, thousands of people may also become devotional.
Kiirtan and babies
Until the age of six months, the mother should give only milk to the baby and at the time of nursing, she should sing the kiirtan mantra Baba Nam Kevalam in a low voice so that only she and the baby can hear. If she does so, the baby will have a spiritual start, and at the time of singing kiirtan, her milk will become divine nectar.