The inner meaning of this Symbol is very grand and poetic, and to enter into, and understand it, will certainly be deemed a privilege by those who are striving to realise for themselves the truths of mysticism. [7][15], Nataraja is a well known sculptural symbol in India and popularly used as a symbol of Indian culture,[16][17] in particular as one of the finest illustrations of Hindu art. 2 Comments. Graphical characteristics:Symmetric, Closed shape, Monochrome, Contains both straight and curved lines, Has no crossing lines. Ed. A fierce wrath soon raged throughout the hermitage. Secondly, the purpose of his dance is to release the souls of all men from the snare of illusion. The upper right-hand holds an hourglass drum or 'dumroo' that stands for the male-female vital principle, the lower shows the gesture of assertion: "Be without fear.". In the Nataraja sculpture, Shiva is shown as the source of all movement within the cosmos and as the god whose doomsday dance, represented by the arch of flames, accompanies the dissolution of the universe at the end of an eon. Carmel Berkson, Wendy Doniger, George Michell, Shiva as Lord of the Dance (Nataraja), Chola period, c. 10th/11th century, "Shiva Nataraja: A Study in Myth, Iconography, and the Meaning of a Sacred Symbol", Shiva Nataraja: Shifting Meanings of an Icon, Sharada Srinivasan, "Shiva as 'cosmic dancer': on Pallava origins for the Nataraja bronze", "Shiva's Cosmic Dance at CERN | Fritjof Capra", Śiva's Dance: Iconography and Dance Practice in South and Southeast Asia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nataraja&oldid=983454430, Articles with dead external links from June 2020, Articles with permanently dead external links, Articles with dead external links from July 2017, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles having same image on Wikidata and Wikipedia, Articles containing Sanskrit-language text, Instances of Lang-sa using second unnamed parameter, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2018, Wikipedia articles with WorldCat-VIAF identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, He dances within a circular or cyclically closed arch of flames (. His long, matted tresses, are shown to be loose and flying out in thin strands during the dance, spread into a fan behind his head, because of the wildness and ecstasy of the dance. Notify me of follow-up comments via e-mail. The locks of Shiva’s hair stand out in several strands interspersed with flowers, a skull, a crescent moon, and the figure of Ganga (the Ganges River personified as a goddess). This page was last edited on 14 October 2020, at 09:33. [citation needed], As the Lord of Dance, Nataraja, Shiva performs the Ananda Tandava (dance of bliss), the dance in which the universe is created, maintained, and dissolved. The circular frame that surrounds Lord Shiva represents the same. However, the body is of the demon named Apasmara meaning the demon of ignorance (or egotism). [27] Nataraja is also shown with his wife Parvati as they dance together. In the Shiva temple of Melakadambur is a rare Pala image that shows the ten-armed Nataraja dancing on his bull. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. [33], An essential significance of Shiva's dance at Tillai, the traditional name of Chidambaram, can be explained as:[34], Nataraja, states James Lochtefeld, symbolizes "the connection between religion and the arts", and it represents Shiva as the lord of dance, encompassing all "creation, destruction and all things in between". It is said that Lord Shiva performed the Tandava whenever he was angry and hence it is a vigorous form of dance. As the Lord of Dance, Nataraja, Shiva performs the Ananda Tandava (dance of bliss), the dance in which the universe is created, maintained, and dissolved. ", In 2004, a 2m statue of the dancing Shiva was unveiled at CERN, the European Center for Research in Particle Physics in Geneva. Goddess Ganga, the epitome of the holy river Ganges, also sits on his hairdo. The Rishis speedily perceived that the mendicant and his wife, who possessed such a mysterious power of attraction, were not what they seemed. Iconography of Natraja has deep significance which can be pondered from several angles, including the Five Tattvas, Sorry, you have Javascript Disabled! His dance is called Tandavam or Nadanta, depending on the context of the dance. The symbolism in the art has been variously interpreted by scholars since the Chola empire era:[6][15][28], The above interpretations of symbolism are largely based on historic Indian texts published in and after 12th-century, such as Unmai Vilakkam, Mummani Kovai, Tirukuttu Darshana and Tiruvatavurar Puranam. In God's endless dance of creation, preservation, destruction and paired graces is hidden a deep understanding of our universe. It was the intention of Siva, to visit this forest, in order to ascertain the state of the Rishis there, and to teach them a lesson. Sabarimala Issue – What it is and What it is NOT- Analysis. [49] Siwa and his dance as Nataraja was also celebrated in the art of Java Indonesia when Hinduism thrived there, while in Cambodia he was referred to as Nrittesvara.[50]. Most of the dance positions are depicted in the beautiful Ellora caves, Elephanta caves and Badami caves situated in India. The dancing Shiva became a part of Chola era processions and religious festivals, a practice that continued thereafter. [56], Nataraja pose in Bharatanatyam classical Indian dance, Hindu God Shiva depicted as Lord of Dance, "Nataraj" redirects here. It represents tirodhāna, which means “occlusion, concealment.”, The face shows two eyes plus a slightly open third on the forehead, which symbolize the triune in, The dwarf upon whom Nataraja dances is the demon. There are also depictions of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati performing the dance in joy. [45], The oldest free-standing stone sculptures of Nataraja were built by Chola queen Sembiyan Mahadevi. [24], The dance of Shiva in Tillai, the traditional name for Chidambaram, forms the motif for all the depictions of Shiva as Nataraja. The above are some of the leading features of the symbol*. In classic Sanskrit treatises on dance, this form, the most common representation of Nataraja, is called the bhujungatrasa (“trembling of the snake”). His figure is encircled by a ring of flames, the prabhamandala. [37][38], One of the earliest known Nataraja artworks has been found in the archaeological site at Asanapat village in Odisha, which includes an inscription, and is dated to about the 6th century CE. [51] 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. [44] Nataraja artwork have also been discovered in Gujarat, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh. [4][5] Archaeological discoveries have yielded a red Nataraja sandstone statue, from 9th to 10th century from Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, now held at the Gwalior Archaeological Museum. In our time, physicists have used the most advanced technology to portray the patterns of the cosmic dance. In one of the left hands is held Agni (fire), which represents the idea that the truth of the Guru’s teachings can only be fully understood on practical realisation in one’s inner experience. His matted locks are whirling as he dances within an arch of flames representing the endless cycle of birth and death. [52], Though named "Nataraja bronzes" in Western literature, the Chola Nataraja artworks are mostly in copper, and a few are in brass, typically cast by the cire-perdue (lost-wax casting) process. The inner meaning of this Symbol is very grand and poetic, and to enter into, and understand it, will certainly be deemed a privilege by those who are striving to realise for themselves the truths of mysticism. His third eye is symbolic of his omniscience, insight, and enlightenment. As soon as the two entered the Darukavana as man and wife, the Rishis’ wives were seized with an unspeakable frenzy of passion for the mendicant, while the Rishis were equally infatuated by the woman that followed Him – Vishnu in disguise.