as the Cosmic Dancer representing the rhythmic movement of the entire cosmos.]]
Nataraja or
Nataraj (,
The Lord (or King) of Dance;
Tamil: கூத்தன் (Kooththan)) is a depiction of the
Hindu god
Shiva as the cosmic dancer who performs his divine dance to destroy a weary universe and make preparations for god
Brahma to start the process of creation. Nataraja is most often depicted through a
statue. The dance of Shiva in Tillai, the traditional name for
Chidambaram, forms the motif for all the depictions of Shiva as Nataraja. He is also known as "Sabesan" which splits as "Sabayil aadum eesan" in Tamil which means "The Lord who dances on the
dais".The form is present in most Shiva temples in South India, and is the main deity in the famous temple at
Chidambaram.
The sculpture is usually made in bronze, with Shiva dancing in an aureole of flames, lifting his left leg (and in rare cases, the right leg) and balancing over a demon or dwarf (Apasmara) who symbolizes ignorance. It is a well known sculptural symbol in India and popularly used as a symbol of Indian culture.
The two most common forms of Shiva's dance are the Lasya (the gentle form of dance), associated with the creation of the world, and the Tandava (the violent and dangerous dance), associated with the destruction of weary worldviews - weary perspectives & lifestyles. In essence, the Lasya and the Tandava are just two aspects of Shiva's nature; for he destroys in order to create, tearing down to build again.
Etymology
Nāṭaraja is derived from the Sanskrit words
narta rājan "lord of dance". The change of the dental /rt/ to a retroflex /ṭ/ with concomitant vowel lengthening is a normal sound change for the Prakrit languages descended from Sanskrit.
Characteristics
,
Chola Dynasty, India]]
A cobra uncoils from his lower right forearm, and the crescent moon and a skull are on his crest. He dances within an arch of flames. This dance is called the Dance of Bliss, aananda taandavam.
The upper right hand holds a small drum shaped like an hourglass that is called a
in Sanskrit. A specific hand gesture (
mudra) called
(Sanskrit for "-hand") is used to hold the drum. It symbolizes sound originating
creation.
The upper left hand contains Agni or fire, which signifies . The opposing concepts in the upper hands show the counterpoise of creation and destruction.
The second right hand shows the Abhaya mudra (meaning fearlessness in Sanskrit), bestowing protection from both evil and ignorance to those who follow the righteousness of dharma.
The second left hand points towards the raised foot which signifies upliftment and liberation.
The dwarf on which Nataraja dances is the demon Apasmara][Muyalaka as known in Tamil, which symbolises Shiva's victory over ignorance(id).
As the Lord of Dance, Nataraja, Shiva performs the tandava, the dance in which the universe is created, maintained, and dissolved. Shiva's long, matted tresses, usually piled up in a knot, loosen during the dance and crash into the heavenly bodies, knocking them off course or destroying them utterly.
The surrounding flames represent the manifest Universe.Also, the circle of fire/flames symbolizes the cycle of transmigration/suffering the ego goes through(endless births and rebirths, before attaining salvation).
The snake swirling around his waist is kundalini, the Shakti or divine force thought to reside within everything.
The stoic face of Shiva represents his neutrality, thus being in balance.
Significance
Chola Statue depicting
Shiva dancing as
Nataraja.
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City.]]
The essential significance of Shiva's dance at Tillai, the traditional name of Chidambaram, can be explained as to the cultic elevation of the Nataraja bronze into the sanctum at Chidambaram. Archaeo metallurgical studies made on south Indian bronzes by Sharada Srinivasan combined with iconographic and literary showed that the Nataraja bronze was a Pallava innovation (seventh to mid-ninth century), rather than tenth-century Chola as widely believed. That formulation was informed of 'cosmic' or metaphysical connotations is also argued on the basis of the testimony of the hymns of Tamil saints.
The largest gold Nataraja statue is in Neyveli, Tamil Nadu.
The image of the Lord as the Cosmic Dancer is shown at the Chidambaram temple, an unusual fact as Shiva is depicted in an anthropomorphic form rather than in the usual non-anthropomorphic form of the linga.
In 2004, a 2m statue of the dancing Shiva was unveiled at CERN, the European Center for Research in Particle Physics in Geneva. A special plaque next to the Shiva statue explains the significance of the metaphor of Shiva's cosmic dance with quotations from Fritjof Capra: "Hundreds of years ago, Indian artists created visual images of dancing Shivas in a beautiful series of bronzes. In our time, physicists have used the most advanced technology to portray the patterns of the cosmic dance. The metaphor of the cosmic dance thus unifies ancient mythology, religious art and modern physics."
See also
Tandava
Lasya
Indian classical dance
Notes
References
(Fourth revised and enlarged edition).
Home of God Natarajar
Category:Aspects of Shiva
Category:Dances of India
Category:Tamil deities