Here Brahma-samhita says that Brahma was performing "cultural acts for Krishna in Goloka." What were these cultural acts? Theacatyas explain that Lord Brahma was performing raganuga sadhana bhakti. While envisioning himself to be a maidservant(manjari) of the gopis, Lord Brahma was chanting the Gopala-mantra and performing "cultural acts"—the sixty-four arts described in Brahma-samhita.
"The sixty-four activities in fine arts and crafts are the following:(1) glta—art of singing, composing songs, and articulating different melodies, notes, accents and meters. (2) vadya—art of playing on the four types of musical instruments (wind, strings, percussion, metallic cymbals). (3) nrtya—art of dancing and moving the limbs in various symbolic expressions. It includes dancing with different rhythms, songs and melodies. (4) natya— art of writing theatrical dramas. (5) dlekhya—art of drawing, calligraphy and painting pictures. It includes all forms from simple village arts up to the highest perfectional stage of masterful painting. (6)visesakacchedya—art of painting the face and body with various dots and designs of colored unguents and cosmetics. (7) tandula-kusuma-bali-vikara—art of preparing auspicious offerings for worship with rice and flowers. It includes making paintings on the floor or ground with liquid paste of rice flour.(8) puspastarana—art of making comfortable resting places by spreading flowers on the ground. (9) dasana-vasandhga-rdga—art of coloring teeth, clothing and bodily limbs with cosmetics like saffron. (10) mani-bhumikd-karma—art of inlaying floors, courtyards and pathways with colorful mosaics of precious jewels.(11) sayya-racana—art of preparing different types of beds, complete with carpets, cushions, pillows, cloth coverings and decorations like tassels. (12) udaka-vddya—art of making music in water. The cupped palms splash downward to produce the thumping sound of kettledrums, or the hand splashes sideways back and forth to simulate cymbals. Sometimes this art is said to be playing different pots filled with varying levels of water to produce melodious tunes. (13) udaka-ghata—art of splashing with water, and storing water in cisterns and reservoirs. (14) citra- yoga—art of trimming, decorating and hanging pictures. (15) mdlya-grathana-vikalpa—art of stringing necklaces and weaving flower garlands for various uses. (16)sekhardplda-yojana—art of setting a crown upon the head, including turbans, and top-knots of flowers (17) nepathya-yoga—art of putting on costumes in the dressing room for theatrical performances. Includes scenic stage arrangements. (18) kamapdtra-bhahga—art of decorating earlobe with flower or leaf-ornaments, and painting ornamental figures. (19) sugandha-yukti—art of preparing and applying aromatics and perfumed cosmetics of various kinds. Includes sprinkling sandalwood pulp and water to produce a nice fragrance. (20) bhusana-yojana—art of beautifying the body and limbs with specialized types of ornaments and jewelry. (21)indra-jdla—art of presenting stage music, illusions and jugglery. (22)kauchumdra-yogd—art of appearing in various disguises. (23) hasta-ldghava—art of sleight of hand. (24) citra-sakdpupa-bhaksya-vikdra-kriyd—art of preparing varieties of salad, bread, cake and delicious food. (25) panaka-rasa-rdgdsava-yojana—art of preparing nectar drinks and tinging draughts with red color. (26) suci-vdya-karrna—art of needleworks, weaving, embroidery and tailoring. (27) sutra-kridd—art of manipulating puppets with strings. (28) vind-damuraka-vddya—art of playing on lute and small x-shaped drum. (29) prahelika—art of making and solving riddles. (29-a) pratimdld—art of reciting verse for verse as a trial for memory or skill. (30)durvacaka-yoga—art of skillfully uttering tongue-twisters that are difficult for others to repeat. (31) pustaka-vdcana—art of clearly and quickly reading and reciting books, including techniques of chanting and intoning. (32) ndtikdkhyayikd-darsana—art of enacting short plays and anecdotes. (33) kavya-samasyd-purana—art of completing verses after hearing only three lines. Includes solving crossword andvarious puzzles. This is usually played at the risk of losing a stake or paying a penalty. (34) pattikd-vetra-bana-vikalpa—art ofmanufacturing armaments such as shield, staffs, bows and arrows.
35) tarku-karma—art of making thread with a spinning wheel.
36) taksana—art of wood-cutting and carpentry. (37) vastu-vidyd—art of architecture and engineering. (38) raupya-ratna-pariksa—art of testing the authenticity of silver and jewels. (39) dhdtu-vdda—art of metallurgy and alchemy. (40) mani-raga jndna—art of using dyes to alter the color of precious gemstones. (41) dkara jhana—art of mineralogy. (42) vrksdyur-veda-yoga— art of gardening and crossbreeding plants and trees for the purpose of obtaining Ayur Vedic medicines. (43) mesa-kukkuta-lavaka-yuddha-vssidhi—art of training rams, cocks, and grouse to fight for sport. (44) suka-sdrikd-prapdlana (praldpana) —art of teaching male and female parrots to speak and hold conversations with people. (45) utsddana—art of skin care. Includes cleaning the skin with perfumed lotions, and using ointments for healing. (46) kesa-marjana-kausala—art of expertly arranging the hair, including coloring and curling it in various ways. (47) aksara-mustikd-kathana—art of speaking silently with sign language. (48) mlecchita-kutarka-vikalpa—art of fabricating languages spoken in the indistinct ungrammatical manner of barbarians. (49)desa-bhdsd-jndna—art of knowing provincial dialects. (50) puspa-sakatikd-nirmiti-jndna—knowledge of building minature carts with flowers. (51) yantra-mdtrkd—science of drawing mystical diagrams for worship or for projecting powers. (52) dhdrana-mdtrkd—art of preparing potent amulets worn for protection or other purposes. (53)samvdcya—art of conversation. Sometimes called sampdtyam—art of splitting hard substances such as diamonds into smaller pieces (54)mdnasi kdvya-kriyd—art of composing poetry within the mind. (55)kriyd-vikalpa—art of designing the performance of rites and ceremonial functions. Also the art of good management, that of accomplishing many things at once. Includes fortelling events by studying omens. (56) chalitaka-yoga—art of playing tricks and practical jokes. (57) abhidhdna-kosa-cchando-jndna—art of use dictionaries, word-usage, poetic meters, and lexicography. (58)vastra-gopana—art of concealing the true nature of cloth, making it appear as made of a different or superior texture. For example, one may make coarse cotton appear as silk. (59) dyuta-visesa—art of knowing specific forms of gambling. (60) dkarsa-kridd—art of playing with magnet and magnetic phenomena. Includes hypnotism and thepower of attracting others. (61) bdlaka-kridanaka—art of playingchildren's games. (62) vaindyikl vidyd—art of enforcing discipline by employing mystical charms. Includes understanding another's psychic movements in order to influence their mind and induce them to act according to one's own wishes. (63) vaijay "d vidyd— art of gaining victory. (64) vaitdliki vidyd—knowledge of artfully reciting the glories of great personalities. Includes knowing how to properly offer respects and compliments to others.
"All these arts manifesting their own eternal forms are ever visible in the region of Goloka as the ingredients of rasa; and, in the mundane sphere, they have been unstintedly exhibited in the pastimes of Vraja by the spiritual (cit) potency, Yogamaya. " (BS v.37 p.)
Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
