"While trying to unite the scattered human groups into a well-knit social system, Lord Shiva marked that for the advancement of humanity, the essential prerequisite was spiritual progress, and this required the awakening of the spiritual urge. Lord Shiva awakened the spiritual urge in the people of His time. He taught them spiritual practice. He taught them the practice of Tantra, which is the practical aspect of spirituality, as you know. He also taught them spiritual dance, that is, táńd́ava. Párvatii gave society the lalita mármika dance. Shiva also taught Maharshi Dhanvantari the vaedyaka shástra. (Here one should remember the difference between the vaedyaka shástra and the áyurveda shástra, another school of medicine. The school of medicine that depends on the Vedas is called áyurveda, and the Tantra-based school of medicine is called the vaedyaka shástra. In Bengal the vaedyaka shástra is more popular than áyurveda.)

Lord Shiva also taught Maharshi Bharata the science of music – nrtya, giita and vádya [dance, song and percussion music].Thus He opened various channels for the expression of human intellect and wisdom."

P.R. Sarkar,
14 September 1980, Calcutta