Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 738: Shri Lasyapriya (ōṃ lāsyapriyāyai namaḥ)

From Nama 684 to 741 the glories of the Divine Mother are discussed.

The Divine Mother is fond of Lasya dance. Characteristic or attributes showing famine aspects in Bartha Natyam is Lasyam dance. Characteristic or attributes showing male aspects in Bartha Natyam  is Tandavam dance.

The Divine Mother likes dance. A child is jumping around its mother. The child is revealing its joy through such movements. All universal beings express their joy through their own body movements and their dances. Animals and birds are dancing in their own way to show their happiness. When we have happiness in our minds, we release such joy through our body movements. Such action is called dance, a form of art which is within sixty-four identified Kalas. When the females express their joy through their body movements or dance, it is termed as Lasyam. In this wider universe many planets and galaxies are moving according to the Divine Mother’s scheme of things. These universal movements reveal the Divine Mother’s abilities. We can call these as cosmic dance. The Divine Mother’s happy forms are reflected in such systematic movements and functioning of the universe. To express happy feelings through body movements is one such universal action.

The Dance by Shiva is called ‘tandavam’. The Dance by the Divine Mother is Lasya. They are not confined to poetic concepts. Modern scientists are studying in detail the molecules of matter to understand the continuity without interruption of energy flow in their movements. Scientists are eyeing with wonder the visions of ancient Hindu sages. Such visions of the Risisi are scientific and eternal in nature.

(Lasyam and Tandavam dances are known to all males and female dancers. When they to show feminine attributes, they use Lasyam and when show the masculine attributes they use Tandavam).

The Divine Mother is fond of Lasya dance.

 

C N Nachiappan

Singapore, 01 February 2022; Updated 20 April 2025.

References:

1.   The Thousand Names of the Divine Mother published in English by Mata Amritanandamayi Center, San Ramon, California, USA, with Commentary by T. V Narayana Menon

2.   Shri Lalitha Sahasranama Stostram published in Tamil by N. Ramaswami Iyer charities’ societies, Trichirapalli, India, with Commentary by C. V. Radhakrishna Sastry.

3.   The Lalitha Sahasranamam published in Tamil by Shri Ramakrishna Thapovanam, Thiruipparaithurai, Trichy District, Tamilnadu, India with commentary by Shrimath Swami Sithbavandar