From 1980 to 1986, he studied Kashmiri Shaivism
with Swami Laksmanjoo in Srinagar. In 1983, he
embraced the ancient KASHMIRI SHAIVITE practice
of Trika Yoga, the philosophical framework for
the practice of Kundalini YOGA. According to
Rudrananda, Trika Yoga denies that renunciation
is the superior path to spiritual development, but
instead embraces all ethnic lifestyles as avenues
to realization. Trika Yoga emphasizes a commit-
ment to positive participation in life as a means
for developing spiritual discernment.
Swami Chetanananda, as an advocate of Trika
Yoga, teaches MEDITATION and the philosophy and
tantric practices of Kashmiri Shaivism. He over-
sees a translation program for both SANSKRIT and
Tibetan spiritual texts and has expertise in Indian,
Tibetan, and Indonesian art, history, and archae-
ology. He has studied ASANA (postures in HATHA
YOGA) practice, cranial osteopathy, homeopathy,
and acupuncture. He is the author of several
books on spiritual practice, published by Rudra
Press. Although he received initiation into SANNYAS
(renunciation), he does not give sannyas initiation
to others.
Chetanananda serves as abbot of Nityananda
Institute and Rudrananda Ashram, both of which
are now located in Portland, Oregon. He is spiri-
tual teacher, mentor, and guide to students. The
institute emphasizes the role of the teacher in
promoting spiritual growth and the importance
of being engaged with a specified lineage within
which the teacher was trained. The Nityananda
Institute, under the imprint of Rudra Press, pub-
lishes books on Kashmir Shaivism, Trika Yoga,
and hatha yoga. The institute also includes the
Abhinavagupta Institute, which offers scholarly
translations of Kashmiri Shaivite texts.
Further reading: Swami Chetanananda, The Breath
of God (Portland, Ore.: Rudra Press, 1988); ———,
Dynamic Stillness. Part 1, The Practice of Trika Yoga
(Portland, Oreg.: Rudra Press, 1990); ———, Songs
from the Center of the Well (Portland, Ore.: Rudra Press,
1983).
Chidambaram
Chidambaram in the South Arcot District of the
Indian state of Tamil Nadu has been an impor-
tant pilgrimage center for those devoted to SHIVA
since about the ninth century, when the site was
known as Tillai. Tradition says that a Kashmiri
king who was afflicted with an incurable disease
bathed in the temple tank 1,500 years ago and was
cured. He is said to have enlarged the temple in
appreciation. Chidambaram is known for its phal-
lic-shaped LINGAMS of light (jyotirlingas), which
are set in bases of the vulvic goddess; they are a
primary iconic symbol of Shiva.
Chidambaram is best known as the center of
the cult of Shiva as the divine dancer or NATARAJA.
It is said that one of the Chola kings (ninth to
13th centuries), Vira Chola, saw a vision of Shiva
performing his cosmic dance near the shrine. He
then built the Golden Shrine with Shiva Nataraja
in it. In another section of the temple are the 108
dance postures found in Bharata’s NAT YA SHASTRA,
sculpted in high relief in honor of Shiva the cos-
mic dancer. Shiva himself is said to have once
danced in the hall there.
The Goddess KALI was the first inhabitant of
Chidambaram, but Kali and Shiva entered into
a dance contest, whose loser was to leave town.
Shiva then defeated the Goddess by doing a dance
pose with his leg straight up in the air. Kali, out of
modesty, it is said, could not duplicate the feat and
left. Her shrine is found in a temple on the borders
of the town. Later South Indian kings expanded
the Chidambaram temple, which now is a sprawl-
ing complex with shrines to many other deities
besides Shiva. The great Tamil Shaivite saints
APPAR and SUNDARAR sang of the shrine, and SEK-
KILAR, the great compiler of the compendium of
the works of the Tamil Shaivite saints, the PERIYA
PURANAM, used to recite there; notables and even
kings traveled to hear him.Further reading: B. Natarajan, The City of Cosmic
Dance: Cidambaram (New Delhi: Orient Longmans,
1974); Paul Younger, The Home of the Dancing Sivan:Chidambaram 107 J