Let's play the drum for Lord Shiva

I had the occasion to watch a solo Bharat Natyam recital recently in which in one of the pieces the dancer plays tribute to Lord Shiva. Before the actual dance, he explains to us what the piece is about. Among other things he tells us that Nandi, Lord Shiva's vahana loved to play the mridangam for the Lord. He played the rhythm for Shiva's Tandav with absolute joy and devotion.

Then when the dancer starts dancing he depicts Nandi playing with such passion and joy and ecstasy that I was totally floored. I couldn't help thinking "Wow! Look at Nandi play for Lord Shiva, if only we could play like that". If only we could go about our daily life and act and talk and think like Nandi played the drum for Shiva, wouldn't that be awesome. If underlying each of our actions there was love, just like Nandi had, wouldn't our drumbeat be just as ecstatic. Wouldn't our actions then be free of any expectation of acknowledgement or recognition, after all we are playing for Lord Shiva, right? Applying the laws of karma, if our actions are performed with love, wouldn't love then return to us. Isn't that a super deal?

So, just like Nandi did, let's play our drum for Shiva. With love and passion. After all, this life too is a Tandav. This life too is a celebration and a creation.