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Nataraja

Nataraja (Sanskrit: नटराज, romanizedNaṭarāja Tamil: நடராஜர், romanized: Naṭarājar), also known as Adalvallan (Tamil: ஆடல்வல்லான், romanized: Ādalvallāṉ),[2] is a depiction of Shiva, one of the main deities in Hinduism, as the divine cosmic dancer. His dance is called the tandava.[3][4] The pose and artwork are described in many Hindu texts such as the Tevaram and Thiruvasagam in Tamil and the Amshumadagama and Uttarakamika agama in Sanskrit and the Grantha texts. The dance murti featured in all major Hindu temples of Shaivism,[5] and is a well-known sculptural symbol in India and popularly used as a symbol of Indian culture,[6][7] as one of the finest illustrations of Hindu art.[8][9] This form is also referred to as Kuththan (Tamil: கூத்தன், romanized: Kūththaṉ), Sabesan (Tamil: சபேசன், romanized: Sabēsaṉ), and Ambalavanan (Tamil: அம்பலவாணன், romanized: Ambalavāṇaṉ) in various Tamil texts.[10][11][12]

Nataraja
Lord of the dance
A 10th-century Chola dynasty bronze sculpture of Shiva, the Lord of the Dance at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Other namesAdalvallan, Koothan, Sabesan, Ambalavanan[1]
AffiliationShiva
SymbolsAgni
TextsAmshumadagama
Uttarakamika agama

The sculpture is symbolic of Shiva as the lord of dance and dramatic arts,[13] with its style and proportions made according to Hindu texts on arts. Tamil devotional texts such as the Tirumurai (The twelve books of Southern Shaivism) state that Nataraja is the form of Shiva in which he performs his functions of creation, destruction, preservation, and is also attributed with maya and the act of blessing his devotees. Thus, Nataraja is considered one of the highest forms of Shiva in Tamil Nadu, and the sculpture or the bronze idol of Nataraja is worshipped in almost all Shiva temples across Tamil Nadu.[14] It typically shows Shiva dancing in one of the Natya Shastra poses, holding various symbols[14] which vary with historic period and region,[3][15] trampling upon a demon shown as a dwarf (Apasmara or Muyalaka[4]) who symbolizes spiritual ignorance.[14][16]

The classical form of the depiction appears in a pillar of rock cut temple at Seeyamangalam – Avanibhajana Pallaveshwaram Temple constructed by a Pallava King Mahendravarman I in 6th century CE, which is known by Archeological Survey of India and Archeological Survey of Tamil Nadu as the oldest known Nataraja sculpture in India. The stone reliefs at the Ellora Caves and the Badami Caves, by around the 6th century, are also among the oldest Nataraja sculptures in India.[17][18] Ancient Tamil songs during the Bhakti movement written by the four Shaivite saints of Sambandar, Appar, Manikkavacakar, and Sundarar, popularly known as "Nalvar" (The four) extol Nataraja and describes the Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram as the home of Nataraja as the main deity, dating Nataraja worship way before the 7th century CE. Around the 8th to 10th century, statues emerged in Tamil Nadu in its mature and best-known expression in Chola bronzes, of various heights typically less than four feet,[14] some over.[19] Nataraja reliefs have been found in many parts of South East Asia such as Angkor Wat and in Bali, Cambodia, and Central Asia.[13][20][21]

Etymology edit

 
Chola bronze, Tamil Nadu, 10th or 11th century.

The word Nataraja is a Sanskrit term, from नट Nata meaning "act, drama, dance" and राज Raja meaning "king, lord"; it can be roughly translated as Lord of the dance or King of the dance.[22][23] According to Ananda Coomaraswamy, the name is related to Shiva's fame as the "Lord of Dancers" or "King of Actors".[24]

The form is known as Nataraja in Tamil Nadu and as Narteśvara (also written Nateshwar[25]) or Nṛityeśvara in North India, with all three terms meaning "Lord of the dance".[26] Narteśvara stems from Nṛtta same as Nata which means "act, drama, dance" and Ishvara meaning "lord".[27] Natesa (IAST: Naṭeśa) is another alternate equivalent term for Nataraja found in 1st-millennium sculptures and archeological sites across the Indian subcontinent.[28]

In Tamil, he is also known as “Sabesan” (Tamil: சபேசன்) which splits as “Sabayil adum eesan” (Tamil: சபையில் ஆடும் ஈசன்) which means “The Lord who dances on the dais”. This form is present in most Shiva temples, and is the prime deity in the Nataraja Temple at Chidambaram (Tillai).[29] The dance of Shiva in Chidambaram forms the motif for all the depictions of Shiva as Nataraja. Koothan(ta: கூத்தன், romanized: Kūththaṉ), Sabesan(ta: சபேசன், romanized: Sabēsaṉ), Ambalavanan (ta: அம்பலவாணன், romanized: Ambalavāṇaṉ) are other common names of Nataraja in Tamil texts.[30][31]

Depiction edit

(Shiva) Nataraja (Lord of the Dance)




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 Ananda Tandava (dance of bliss, the vigorous form of dance), associated with the destruction of weary worldviews—weary perspectives and 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.[32]

According to Alice Boner, the historic Nataraja artworks found in different parts of India are set in geometric patterns and along symmetric lines, particularly the satkona mandala (hexagram) that in the Indian tradition means the interdependence and fusion of masculine and feminine principles.[33]

The sculpture is symbolic of Shiva as the lord of dance and dramatic arts,[13] with its style and proportions made according to Hindu texts on arts.[14] It typically shows Shiva dancing in one of the Natya Shastra poses, holding Agni (fire) in his left back hand, the front hand in gajahasta (elephant hand) or dandahasta (stick hand) mudra, the front right hand with a wrapped snake that is in abhaya (fear not) mudra while pointing to a Sutra text, and the back hand holding a musical instrument, usually a Udukai (Tamil: உடுக்கை).[14] His body, fingers, ankles, neck, face, head, ear lobes and dress are shown decorated with symbolic items, which vary with historic period and region.[3][15] He is surrounded by a ring of flames, standing on a lotus pedestal, lifting his left leg (or in rare cases, the right leg) and balancing / trampling upon a demon shown as a dwarf (Apasmara or Muyalaka[4]) who symbolizes spiritual ignorance.[14][16] The dynamism of the energetic dance is depicted with the whirling hair which spread out in thin strands as a fan behind his head.[34][35] The details in the Nataraja artwork have been variously interpreted by Indian scholars since the 12th century for its symbolic meaning and theological essence.[19][24] Nataraja is a well known sculptural symbol in India and popularly used as a symbol of Indian culture,[6][7] in particular as one of the finest illustrations of Hindu art.[8][9]

Symbolism edit

The symbolism has been interpreted in classical Indian Shaiva Siddhanta texts such as Unmai Vilakkam, Mummani Kovai, Tirukuttu Darshana and Tiruvatavurar Puranam, dating from the 12th century CE (Chola empire) and later,[24] and include:[14][24][36]

  • He dances within a circular or cyclically closed arch of flames (prabha mandala), which symbolically represent the cosmic fire that in Hindu cosmology creates everything and consumes everything, in cyclic existence or cycle of life. The fire also represents the evils, dangers, heat, warmth, light and joys of daily life. The arch of fire emerges from two makara (mythical water beasts) on each end.
  • He looks calm, even through the continuous chain of creation and destruction that maintains the universe, that shows the supreme tranquility of the Atma.[37]
  • His legs are bent, which suggests an energetic dance. 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.
  • On his right side, meshed in with one of the flying strands of his hair near his forehead, is typically the river Ganges personified as a goddess, from the Hindu mythology where the danger of a mighty river is creatively tied to a calm river for the regeneration of life.
 
Detail of Chola bronze
  • His headdress often features a human skull (symbol of mortality), a crescent moon and a flower identified as that of the entheogenic plant Datura metel.
  • Four-armed figures are most typical, but ten-armed forms are also found from various places and periods, for example the Badami Caves and Ankor Wat.
  • The upper right hand holds a small drum shaped like an hourglass that is called a ḍamaru in Sanskrit.[38][39] A specific hand gesture (mudra) called ḍamaru-hasta (Sanskrit for "ḍamaru-hand") is used to hold the drum.[40] It symbolizes rhythm and time.
  • The upper left hand contains Agni or fire, which signifies forces of creation and destruction. The opposing concepts show the counterpoise nature of life.
  • A cobra uncoils from his lower right forearm, while his palm shows the Abhaya mudra (meaning fearlessness in Sanskrit), suggesting not to fear nearby evil, as well as evil and ignorance surrounding the devotee as he or she follows the righteousness of dharma.
  • The lower left hand is bent downwards at the wrist with the palm facing inward, we also note that this arm crosses Naṭarāja’s chest, concealing his heart from view. 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 Shaivism. The eyes represent the sun, the moon and the third has been interpreted as the inner eye, or symbol of knowledge (jnana), urging the viewer to seek the inner wisdom, self-realization. The three eyes alternatively symbolize an equilibrium of the three Guṇas: Sattva, Rajas and Tamas.
  • The dwarf upon whom Nataraja dances is the demon Apasmara purusha (Muyalaka, as he is known in Tamil), and who symbolises the demonic evil and ignorance over which the sacred dance of Shiva gives victory.
  • The slightly smiling face of Shiva represents his calmness despite being immersed in the contrasting forces of universe and his energetic dance.[19]
 
6th/7th century Nataraja in Cave 1 of Badami cave temples

Padma Kaimal questions some of these interpretations by referring to a 10th-century text and Nataraja icons, suggesting that the Nataraja statue may have symbolized different things to different people or in different contexts, such as Shiva being the lord of cremation or as an emblem of Chola dynasty.[41] In contrast, Sharada Srinivasan questions the link to Chola, and has presented archaeological evidence suggesting that Nataraja bronzes and dancing Shiva artwork in South India was a Pallava innovation, tracing back to 7th to 9th-centuries, and its symbolism should be pushed back by a few centuries.[42]

Meaning edit

 
Nataraja at Thanjavur Palace

Shiva's dance can be explained as:[43]

  • First, it is seen as the image of his rhythmic or musical play which is the source of all movement within the universe. This is represented by the circular or elliptical frame surrounding Shiva.
  • Secondly, the purpose of his dance is to release the souls of all men from the snare of illusion.
  • Lastly, the place of the dance, Chidambaram, which is portrayed as the center of the universe, is actually within the heart.

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".[44] The Nataraja iconography incorporates contrasting elements,[6] a fearless celebration of the joys of dance while being surrounded by fire, untouched by forces of ignorance and evil, signifying a spirituality that transcends all duality.[45] Furthermore, according to Carole and Pasquale, the deity not only tells of the eternal cycles of life (Jiva) from destruction to rebirth, but also a human being should conquer the spiritual ignorance and thrill in self-realization.[37]

In the hymn of Manikkavacakar's Thiruvasagam, he testifies that at Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram had, by the pre-Chola period, an abstract or 'cosmic' symbolism linked to five elements (Pancha Bhoota) including ether.[46] Nataraja is a significant visual interpretation of Brahman and a dance posture of Shiva. The details in the Nataraja artwork have attracted commentaries and secondary literature such as poems detailing its theological significance.[19][24] It is one of the widely studied and supreme illustrations of Hindu art from the medieval era.[47][48]

Srinivasan notes that Nataraja is described as Satcitananda or "Being, Consciousness and Bliss" in the Shaiva Siddhanta text Kunchitangrim Bhaje, resembling the Advaita doctrine, or "abstract monism," of Adi Shankara, "which holds the individual Self (Jīvātman) and supream Self (Paramātmā) to be one," while "an earlier hymn to Nataraja by Manikkavachakar identifies him with the unitary supreme consciousness, by using Tamil word Or Unarve, rather than Sanskrit Chit." This may point to an "osmosis" of ideas in medieval India.[49]

History edit

 
Nataraja sculpture from Medieval Assam

Stone reliefs depicting the classical form of Nataraja are found in numerous cave temples of India, such as at the Ellora Caves (Maharashtra), the Elephanta Caves, and the Badami Caves (Karnataka), by around the 6th century.[17][18] 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.[50] The Asanapat inscription also mentions a Shiva temple in the Saivacaryas kingdom.

Literary evidences shows that the bronze representation of Shiva's ananda-tandava appeared first in the Pallava period between 7th century and mid-9th centuries CE.[51] Nataraja was worshipped at Chidambaram during the Pallava period with underlying philosophical concepts of cosmic cycles of creation and destruction, which is also found in Tamil saint Manikkavacakar's Thiruvasagam.[52]

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.[53][54] Similarly, Nataraja artwork has been found in archaeological sites in the Himalayan region such as Kashmir, albeit in with somewhat different dance pose and iconography, such as just two arms or with eight arms.[55]

Around the 10th century, it emerged in Tamil Nadu in its mature and best-known expression in Chola bronzes, of various heights typically less than four feet,[14] some over.[19] Nataraja reliefs are found in historic settings in many parts of South East Asia such as Ankor Wat, and in Bali, Cambodia, and central Asia.[13][20][21] The oldest free-standing stone sculptures of Nataraja were built by Chola queen Sembiyan Mahadevi.[51] Nataraja gained special significance and became a symbol of royalty in Tamil Nadu. The dancing Shiva became a part of Chola era processions and religious festivals, a practice that continued thereafter.[56]

The depiction was informed of cosmic or metaphysical connotations is also argued on the basis of the testimony of the hymns of Tamil saints.[57]

In medieval era artworks and texts on dancing Shiva found in Nepal, Assam and Bengal, he is sometimes shown as dancing on his vahana (animal vehicle) Nandi, the bull; further, he is regionally known as Narteshvara.[58] Nataraja artwork have also been discovered in Gujarat, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh.[59]

In the contemporary Hindu culture of Bali in Indonesia, Siwa (Shiva) Nataraja is the god who created dance.[60] 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.[61]

 
Modern statue gifted by India at CERN in Geneva, Switzerland

In 2004, a 2-m statue of the dancing Shiva was unveiled at CERN, the European Center for Research in Particle Physics in Geneva. The statue, symbolizing Shiva's cosmic dance of creation and destruction, was given to CERN by the Indian government to celebrate the research center's long association with India.[62] A special plaque next to the Shiva statue explains the metaphor of Shiva's cosmic dance with quotations from physicist 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.[63]

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.[34]

Nataraja is celebrated in 108 poses of Bharatanatyam, with Sanskrit inscriptions from Natya Shastra, at the Nataraja temple in Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu, India.[3][5]

According to Ian Crawford, professor of planetary science at University of London, the cosmic dance of Shiva as Nataraja represents particle physics, entropy and the dissolution of the universe.[64]

Gallery edit


In dance and yoga edit

In modern yoga as exercise, Natarajasana is a posture resembling Nataraja and named for him in the 20th century.[67] A similar pose appears in the classical Indian dance form Bharatanatyam.[68]

References edit

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  63. ^ "Shiva's Cosmic Dance at CERN | Fritjof Capra". fritjofcapra.net. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  64. ^ Ian Crawford (December 2019). "Expanding worldviews: cosmic perspectives". Astronomy & Geophysics. Royal Astronomical Society, Oxford University Press. 60 (6): 6.38. doi:10.1093/astrogeo/atz195.
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  66. ^ British Museum Collection
  67. ^ Iyengar, B. K. S. (1979) [1966]. Light on Yoga: Yoga Dipika. Thorsons. pp. 419–422. ISBN 978-1855381667.
  68. ^ Bhavanani, Ananda Balayogi; Bhavanani, Devasena (2001). . Archived from the original on 23 October 2006. Retrieved 26 January 2019. He also points out that these [Bharatanatyam dance] stances are very similar to Yoga Asanas, and in the Gopuram walls at Chidambaram, at least twenty different classical Yoga Asanas are depicted by the dancers, including Dhanurasana, Chakrasana, Vrikshasana, Natarajasana, Trivikramasana, Ananda Tandavasana, Padmasana, Siddhasana, Kaka Asana, Vrishchikasana and others.

Notes edit

Further reading edit

  • Ananda Coomaraswamy (1957). The Dance of Śiva: Fourteen Indian Essays. Sunwise Turn. OCLC 2155403.
  • Jansen, Eva Rudy (1993). The Book of Hindu Imagery. Havelte, Holland: Binkey Kok Publications BV. ISBN 90-74597-07-6.
  • Vivek Nanda; George Michell (2004). Chidambaram: Home of Nataraja. Marg Publications. ISBN 978-81-85026-64-0. OCLC 56598256.
  • C Sivaramamurti (1974). Nataraja in Art, Thought, and Literature. National Museum. ISBN 978-81-230-0092-3. OCLC 1501803.
  • David Smith (2003). The Dance of Siva: Religion, Art and Poetry in South India. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-52865-8.
  • Srinivasan, Sharada (2004). "Shiva as 'cosmic dancer': On Pallava origins for the Nataraja bronze". World Archaeology. Vol. 36. The Journal of Modern Craft. pp. 432–450. doi:10.1080/1468936042000282726821. S2CID 26503807.

External links edit

  • Śiva's Dance: Iconography and Dance Practice in South and Southeast Asia, Alessandra Iyer (2000), Music in Art
  • , Freer Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian
  • Nataraja: India's Cycle of Fire, Stephen Pyne (1994)
  • Chidambareswarar Nataraja Temple
  • Nataraja Image Archive

nataraja, nateshwar, redirects, here, archaeological, ruins, bangladesh, nateshwar, deul, sanskrit, नटर, romanized, naṭarāja, tamil, நடர, ஜர, romanized, naṭarājar, also, known, adalvallan, tamil, ஆடல, வல, romanized, Ādalvallāṉ, depiction, shiva, main, deities,. Nateshwar redirects here For Archaeological ruins in Bangladesh see Nateshwar Deul Nataraja Sanskrit नटर ज romanized Naṭaraja Tamil நடர ஜர romanized Naṭarajar also known as Adalvallan Tamil ஆடல வல ல ன romanized Adalvallaṉ 2 is a depiction of Shiva one of the main deities in Hinduism as the divine cosmic dancer His dance is called the tandava 3 4 The pose and artwork are described in many Hindu texts such as the Tevaram and Thiruvasagam in Tamil and the Amshumadagama and Uttarakamika agama in Sanskrit and the Grantha texts The dance murti featured in all major Hindu temples of Shaivism 5 and is a well known sculptural symbol in India and popularly used as a symbol of Indian culture 6 7 as one of the finest illustrations of Hindu art 8 9 This form is also referred to as Kuththan Tamil க த தன romanized Kuththaṉ Sabesan Tamil சப சன romanized Sabesaṉ and Ambalavanan Tamil அம பலவ ணன romanized Ambalavaṇaṉ in various Tamil texts 10 11 12 NatarajaLord of the danceA 10th century Chola dynasty bronze sculpture of Shiva the Lord of the Dance at the Los Angeles County Museum of ArtOther namesAdalvallan Koothan Sabesan Ambalavanan 1 AffiliationShivaSymbolsAgniTextsAmshumadagama Uttarakamika agamaThe sculpture is symbolic of Shiva as the lord of dance and dramatic arts 13 with its style and proportions made according to Hindu texts on arts Tamil devotional texts such as the Tirumurai The twelve books of Southern Shaivism state that Nataraja is the form of Shiva in which he performs his functions of creation destruction preservation and is also attributed with maya and the act of blessing his devotees Thus Nataraja is considered one of the highest forms of Shiva in Tamil Nadu and the sculpture or the bronze idol of Nataraja is worshipped in almost all Shiva temples across Tamil Nadu 14 It typically shows Shiva dancing in one of the Natya Shastra poses holding various symbols 14 which vary with historic period and region 3 15 trampling upon a demon shown as a dwarf Apasmara or Muyalaka 4 who symbolizes spiritual ignorance 14 16 The classical form of the depiction appears in a pillar of rock cut temple at Seeyamangalam Avanibhajana Pallaveshwaram Temple constructed by a Pallava King Mahendravarman I in 6th century CE which is known by Archeological Survey of India and Archeological Survey of Tamil Nadu as the oldest known Nataraja sculpture in India The stone reliefs at the Ellora Caves and the Badami Caves by around the 6th century are also among the oldest Nataraja sculptures in India 17 18 Ancient Tamil songs during the Bhakti movement written by the four Shaivite saints of Sambandar Appar Manikkavacakar and Sundarar popularly known as Nalvar The four extol Nataraja and describes the Nataraja Temple Chidambaram as the home of Nataraja as the main deity dating Nataraja worship way before the 7th century CE Around the 8th to 10th century statues emerged in Tamil Nadu in its mature and best known expression in Chola bronzes of various heights typically less than four feet 14 some over 19 Nataraja reliefs have been found in many parts of South East Asia such as Angkor Wat and in Bali Cambodia and Central Asia 13 20 21 Contents 1 Etymology 2 Depiction 3 Symbolism 4 Meaning 5 History 6 Gallery 7 In dance and yoga 8 References 9 Notes 10 Further reading 11 External linksEtymology edit nbsp Chola bronze Tamil Nadu 10th or 11th century The word Nataraja is a Sanskrit term from नट Nata meaning act drama dance and र ज Raja meaning king lord it can be roughly translated as Lord of the dance or King of the dance 22 23 According to Ananda Coomaraswamy the name is related to Shiva s fame as the Lord of Dancers or King of Actors 24 The form is known as Nataraja in Tamil Nadu and as Nartesvara also written Nateshwar 25 or Nṛityesvara in North India with all three terms meaning Lord of the dance 26 Nartesvara stems from Nṛtta same as Nata which means act drama dance and Ishvara meaning lord 27 Natesa IAST Naṭesa is another alternate equivalent term for Nataraja found in 1st millennium sculptures and archeological sites across the Indian subcontinent 28 In Tamil he is also known as Sabesan Tamil சப சன which splits as Sabayil adum eesan Tamil சப ய ல ஆட ம ஈசன which means The Lord who dances on the dais This form is present in most Shiva temples and is the prime deity in the Nataraja Temple at Chidambaram Tillai 29 The dance of Shiva in Chidambaram forms the motif for all the depictions of Shiva as Nataraja Koothan ta க த தன romanized Kuththaṉ Sabesan ta சப சன romanized Sabesaṉ Ambalavanan ta அம பலவ ணன romanized Ambalavaṇaṉ are other common names of Nataraja in Tamil texts 30 31 Depiction edit source source source source source source source Shiva Nataraja Lord of the Dance 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 Ananda Tandava dance of bliss the vigorous form of dance associated with the destruction of weary worldviews weary perspectives and 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 32 According to Alice Boner the historic Nataraja artworks found in different parts of India are set in geometric patterns and along symmetric lines particularly the satkona mandala hexagram that in the Indian tradition means the interdependence and fusion of masculine and feminine principles 33 The sculpture is symbolic of Shiva as the lord of dance and dramatic arts 13 with its style and proportions made according to Hindu texts on arts 14 It typically shows Shiva dancing in one of the Natya Shastra poses holding Agni fire in his left back hand the front hand in gajahasta elephant hand or dandahasta stick hand mudra the front right hand with a wrapped snake that is in abhaya fear not mudra while pointing to a Sutra text and the back hand holding a musical instrument usually a Udukai Tamil உட க க 14 His body fingers ankles neck face head ear lobes and dress are shown decorated with symbolic items which vary with historic period and region 3 15 He is surrounded by a ring of flames standing on a lotus pedestal lifting his left leg or in rare cases the right leg and balancing trampling upon a demon shown as a dwarf Apasmara or Muyalaka 4 who symbolizes spiritual ignorance 14 16 The dynamism of the energetic dance is depicted with the whirling hair which spread out in thin strands as a fan behind his head 34 35 The details in the Nataraja artwork have been variously interpreted by Indian scholars since the 12th century for its symbolic meaning and theological essence 19 24 Nataraja is a well known sculptural symbol in India and popularly used as a symbol of Indian culture 6 7 in particular as one of the finest illustrations of Hindu art 8 9 Symbolism editThe symbolism has been interpreted in classical Indian Shaiva Siddhanta texts such as Unmai Vilakkam Mummani Kovai Tirukuttu Darshana and Tiruvatavurar Puranam dating from the 12th century CE Chola empire and later 24 and include 14 24 36 He dances within a circular or cyclically closed arch of flames prabha mandala which symbolically represent the cosmic fire that in Hindu cosmology creates everything and consumes everything in cyclic existence or cycle of life The fire also represents the evils dangers heat warmth light and joys of daily life The arch of fire emerges from two makara mythical water beasts on each end He looks calm even through the continuous chain of creation and destruction that maintains the universe that shows the supreme tranquility of the Atma 37 His legs are bent which suggests an energetic dance 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 On his right side meshed in with one of the flying strands of his hair near his forehead is typically the river Ganges personified as a goddess from the Hindu mythology where the danger of a mighty river is creatively tied to a calm river for the regeneration of life nbsp Detail of Chola bronzeHis headdress often features a human skull symbol of mortality a crescent moon and a flower identified as that of the entheogenic plant Datura metel Four armed figures are most typical but ten armed forms are also found from various places and periods for example the Badami Caves and Ankor Wat The upper right hand holds a small drum shaped like an hourglass that is called a ḍamaru in Sanskrit 38 39 A specific hand gesture mudra called ḍamaru hasta Sanskrit for ḍamaru hand is used to hold the drum 40 It symbolizes rhythm and time The upper left hand contains Agni or fire which signifies forces of creation and destruction The opposing concepts show the counterpoise nature of life A cobra uncoils from his lower right forearm while his palm shows the Abhaya mudra meaning fearlessness in Sanskrit suggesting not to fear nearby evil as well as evil and ignorance surrounding the devotee as he or she follows the righteousness of dharma The lower left hand is bent downwards at the wrist with the palm facing inward we also note that this arm crosses Naṭaraja s chest concealing his heart from view It represents tirodhana which means occlusion concealment The face shows two eyes plus a slightly open third on the forehead which symbolize the triune in Shaivism The eyes represent the sun the moon and the third has been interpreted as the inner eye or symbol of knowledge jnana urging the viewer to seek the inner wisdom self realization The three eyes alternatively symbolize an equilibrium of the three Guṇas Sattva Rajas and Tamas The dwarf upon whom Nataraja dances is the demon Apasmara purusha Muyalaka as he is known in Tamil and who symbolises the demonic evil and ignorance over which the sacred dance of Shiva gives victory The slightly smiling face of Shiva represents his calmness despite being immersed in the contrasting forces of universe and his energetic dance 19 nbsp 6th 7th century Nataraja in Cave 1 of Badami cave templesPadma Kaimal questions some of these interpretations by referring to a 10th century text and Nataraja icons suggesting that the Nataraja statue may have symbolized different things to different people or in different contexts such as Shiva being the lord of cremation or as an emblem of Chola dynasty 41 In contrast Sharada Srinivasan questions the link to Chola and has presented archaeological evidence suggesting that Nataraja bronzes and dancing Shiva artwork in South India was a Pallava innovation tracing back to 7th to 9th centuries and its symbolism should be pushed back by a few centuries 42 Meaning edit nbsp Nataraja at Thanjavur PalaceShiva s dance can be explained as 43 First it is seen as the image of his rhythmic or musical play which is the source of all movement within the universe This is represented by the circular or elliptical frame surrounding Shiva Secondly the purpose of his dance is to release the souls of all men from the snare of illusion Lastly the place of the dance Chidambaram which is portrayed as the center of the universe is actually within the heart 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 44 The Nataraja iconography incorporates contrasting elements 6 a fearless celebration of the joys of dance while being surrounded by fire untouched by forces of ignorance and evil signifying a spirituality that transcends all duality 45 Furthermore according to Carole and Pasquale the deity not only tells of the eternal cycles of life Jiva from destruction to rebirth but also a human being should conquer the spiritual ignorance and thrill in self realization 37 In the hymn of Manikkavacakar s Thiruvasagam he testifies that at Nataraja Temple Chidambaram had by the pre Chola period an abstract or cosmic symbolism linked to five elements Pancha Bhoota including ether 46 Nataraja is a significant visual interpretation of Brahman and a dance posture of Shiva The details in the Nataraja artwork have attracted commentaries and secondary literature such as poems detailing its theological significance 19 24 It is one of the widely studied and supreme illustrations of Hindu art from the medieval era 47 48 Srinivasan notes that Nataraja is described as Satcitananda or Being Consciousness and Bliss in the Shaiva Siddhanta text Kunchitangrim Bhaje resembling the Advaita doctrine or abstract monism of Adi Shankara which holds the individual Self Jivatman and supream Self Paramatma to be one while an earlier hymn to Nataraja by Manikkavachakar identifies him with the unitary supreme consciousness by using Tamil word Or Unarve rather than Sanskrit Chit This may point to an osmosis of ideas in medieval India 49 History editSee also Pancha Sabhai nbsp Nataraja sculpture from Medieval AssamStone reliefs depicting the classical form of Nataraja are found in numerous cave temples of India such as at the Ellora Caves Maharashtra the Elephanta Caves and the Badami Caves Karnataka by around the 6th century 17 18 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 50 The Asanapat inscription also mentions a Shiva temple in the Saivacaryas kingdom Literary evidences shows that the bronze representation of Shiva s ananda tandava appeared first in the Pallava period between 7th century and mid 9th centuries CE 51 Nataraja was worshipped at Chidambaram during the Pallava period with underlying philosophical concepts of cosmic cycles of creation and destruction which is also found in Tamil saint Manikkavacakar s Thiruvasagam 52 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 53 54 Similarly Nataraja artwork has been found in archaeological sites in the Himalayan region such as Kashmir albeit in with somewhat different dance pose and iconography such as just two arms or with eight arms 55 Around the 10th century it emerged in Tamil Nadu in its mature and best known expression in Chola bronzes of various heights typically less than four feet 14 some over 19 Nataraja reliefs are found in historic settings in many parts of South East Asia such as Ankor Wat and in Bali Cambodia and central Asia 13 20 21 The oldest free standing stone sculptures of Nataraja were built by Chola queen Sembiyan Mahadevi 51 Nataraja gained special significance and became a symbol of royalty in Tamil Nadu The dancing Shiva became a part of Chola era processions and religious festivals a practice that continued thereafter 56 The depiction was informed of cosmic or metaphysical connotations is also argued on the basis of the testimony of the hymns of Tamil saints 57 In medieval era artworks and texts on dancing Shiva found in Nepal Assam and Bengal he is sometimes shown as dancing on his vahana animal vehicle Nandi the bull further he is regionally known as Narteshvara 58 Nataraja artwork have also been discovered in Gujarat Kerala and Andhra Pradesh 59 In the contemporary Hindu culture of Bali in Indonesia Siwa Shiva Nataraja is the god who created dance 60 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 61 nbsp Modern statue gifted by India at CERN in Geneva SwitzerlandIn 2004 a 2 m statue of the dancing Shiva was unveiled at CERN the European Center for Research in Particle Physics in Geneva The statue symbolizing Shiva s cosmic dance of creation and destruction was given to CERN by the Indian government to celebrate the research center s long association with India 62 A special plaque next to the Shiva statue explains the metaphor of Shiva s cosmic dance with quotations from physicist 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 63 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 34 Nataraja is celebrated in 108 poses of Bharatanatyam with Sanskrit inscriptions from Natya Shastra at the Nataraja temple in Chidambaram Tamil Nadu India 3 5 According to Ian Crawford professor of planetary science at University of London the cosmic dance of Shiva as Nataraja represents particle physics entropy and the dissolution of the universe 64 Gallery edit nbsp Asanpata Nataraja with Naga King Satrubhanja 261AD Inscription at Keonjhar district of Odisha 3rd Century AD nbsp A damaged 6th century Nataraja Elephanta Caves 65 nbsp 6th century Nataraja in Cave 21 Ellora Caves 17 nbsp 8th century Nataraja in Kailasa temple Cave 16 Ellora Caves nbsp Ithyphallic 8th century sandstone Nataraja from Madhya Pradesh nbsp Sukanasa with Shiva Nataraja in Pattadakal Karnataka nbsp The oldest known Tamil bronze Nataraja 800 AD British Museum 66 nbsp Khmer relief 12th century Angkor Wat nbsp Shiva Nataraja in the Thousand Pillar Hall of Meenakshi Temple in Madurai Tamil Nadu nbsp In the Shiva temple of Melakadambur is a rare Pala image that shows the ten armed Nataraja dancing on his bull NandiIn dance and yoga editIn modern yoga as exercise Natarajasana is a posture resembling Nataraja and named for him in the 20th century 67 A similar pose appears in the classical Indian dance form Bharatanatyam 68 nbsp Nataraja pose in Bharatanatyam classical Indian dance nbsp Natarajasana in modern yoga as exerciseReferences edit க த தன சப சன அம பலவ ணன நடர ஜன Sagarva Bharath Foundation Sagarva Bharath Foundation 20 July 2020 Rajarajan R K K January 2018 If this is Citambaram Nataraja then where is Tillai Kuttaṉ An Introspective Reading of Tevaram Hymns In Pedarapu Chenna Reddy ed History Culture and Archaeological Studies Recent Trends Commemoration Volume to Prof M L K Murthy Vol II Delhi B R Publishing Corporation Pp 613 634 PLS 54 1 6 a b c d Archana Verma 2011 Performance and Culture Narrative Image and Enactment in India Cambridge Scholars Publishing pp 19 26 ISBN 978 1 4438 2832 1 a b c Encyclopaedia Britannica 2015 a b T A Gopinatha Rao 1997 Elements of Hindu Iconography Motilal Banarsidass pp 223 224 ISBN 978 81 208 0877 5 a b c Gomathi Narayanan 1986 SHIVA NATARAJA AS A SYMBOL OF PARADOX Journal of South Asian Literature Vol 21 No 2 pages 208 216 a b Anna Libera Dallapiccola 2007 Indian Art in Detail Harvard University Press p 28 ISBN 978 0 674 02691 9 a b David Smith 2003 The Dance of Siva Religion Art and Poetry in South India Cambridge University Press pp 1 2 ISBN 978 0 521 52865 8 a b Frank Burch Brown 2014 The Oxford Handbook of Religion and Arts Oxford University Press pp 489 490 ISBN 978 0 19 517667 4 ValaiTamil அம பலவ ணன Ambalavanan Boy Baby Name Tamil Name complete collection of boy baby name girl baby name tamil name ValaiTamil Retrieved 31 October 2022 General Compendium 5 GKToday www gktoday in Retrieved 31 October 2022 The Lord or King of Dance www speakingtree in Retrieved 31 October 2022 a b c d Saroj Panthey 1987 Iconography of Siva in Pahaṛi Paintings Mittal Publications pp 59 60 88 ISBN 978 81 7099 016 1 a b c d e f g h i T A Gopinatha Rao 1997 Elements of Hindu Iconography Motilal Banarsidass pp 223 229 237 ISBN 978 81 208 0877 5 a b T A Gopinatha Rao 1997 Elements of Hindu Iconography Motilal Banarsidass pp 236 238 247 258 ISBN 978 81 208 0877 5 a b Shiva as Lord of the Dance Nataraja Chola period c 10th 11th century The Art Institute of Chicago United States a b c James C Harle 1994 The Art and Architecture of the Indian Subcontinent Yale University Press p 126 ISBN 978 0 300 06217 5 a b Archana Verma 2012 Temple Imagery from Early Mediaeval Peninsular India Ashgate Publishing pp 150 151 ISBN 978 1 4094 3029 2 a b c d e James C Harle 1994 The Art and Architecture of the Indian Subcontinent Yale University Press pp 309 310 ISBN 978 0 300 06217 5 a b Banerjee P 1969 A Siva Icon from Piandjikent Artibus Asiae 31 1 73 80 doi 10 2307 3249451 JSTOR 3249451 a b Mahadev Chakravarti 1986 The Concept of Rudra Siva Through the Ages Motilal Banarsidass p 178 with footnotes ISBN 978 81 208 0053 3 Coomaraswamy Ananda K 2013 The dance of Shiva Rupa p 56 ISBN 978 8129120908 Stromer Richard Shiva Nataraja A Study in Myth Iconography and the Meaning of a Sacred Symbol PDF Archived PDF from the original on 5 September 2012 Retrieved 10 March 2016 a b c d e The Dance of Shiva Ananda Coomaraswamy A journey to the past with dancing Shiva The Daily Star 27 September 2019 Retrieved 8 November 2020 in an Old Dhaka temple a stone statue of Nateshwar a depiction of dancing Shiva on the back of his bull carrier Nandi Los Angeles County Museum of Art Pal Pratapaditya 1986 Indian Sculpture Circa 500 B C A D 700 University of California Press pp 34 36 138 ISBN 978 0520064775 Brunner Lachaux Helene Goodall Dominic Padoux Andre 2007 Melanges Tantriques A la Memoire D Helene Brunner Institut francais de Pondichery p 245 ISBN 978 2 85539 666 8 Stella Kramrisch 1981 Manifestations of Shiva Philadelphia Museum of Art pp 43 45 ISBN 0 87633 039 1 Ananda Kentish Coomaraswamy The Dance of Siva Fourteen Indian Essays New York The Sun wise Turn 1918 p 58 Internet Archive க த தன சப சன அம பலவ ணன நடர ஜன SAGARVA BHARATH FOUNDATION SAGARVA BHARATH FOUNDATION 20 July 2020 Retrieved 9 October 2022 TVU www tamilvu org Retrieved 9 October 2022 Carmel Berkson Wendy Doniger George Michell Elephanta The Cave of Shiva Princeton Princeton University Press 1983 ISBN 0691040095 Alice Boner 1990 Principles of Composition in Hindu Sculpture Cave Temple Period Motilal Banarsidass pp 163 164 257 ISBN 978 81 208 0705 1 a b Ananda Coomaraswamy 1922 Saiva Sculptures Recent Acquisitions Museum of Fine Arts Bulletin Vol 20 No 118 Apr 1922 pages 18 19 Gomathi Narayanan 1986 SHIVA NATARAJA AS A SYMBOL OF PARADOX Journal of South Asian Literature Vol 21 No 2 page 215 Shiva Nataraja lord of the dance Encyclopedia of Ancient History 2013 a b DeVito Carole DeVito Pasquale 1994 India Mahabharata Fulbright Hays Summer Seminar Abroad 1994 India United States Educational Foundation in India p 5 Alice Boner Sadasiva Rath Sarma 1966 Silpa Prakasa Medieval Orissan Sanskrit Text on Temple Architecture Brill Archive pp xxxvi 144 For the damaru drum as one of the attributes of Shiva in his dancing representation see Jansen page 44 Jansen page 25 Padma Kaimal 1999 Shiva Nataraja Shifting Meanings of an Icon The Art Bulletin Volume 81 Issue 3 pages 390 419 Srinivasan 2004 pp 432 450 Ananda Kentish Coomaraswamy The Dance of Siva Fourteen Indian Essays New York The Sun wise Turn 1918 p 58 Internet Archive James G Lochtefeld 2002 The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism A M The Rosen Publishing Group pp 147 entry for Chidambaram ISBN 978 0 8239 3179 8 James G Lochtefeld 2002 The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism N Z The Rosen Publishing Group pp 464 466 ISBN 978 0 8239 3180 4 Srinivasan 2004 p 446 David Smith 2003 The Dance of Siva Religion Art and Poetry in South India Cambridge University Press pp 1 4 ISBN 978 0 521 52865 8 Roy C Craven 1976 A concise history of Indian art Praeger pp 144 147 160 161 ISBN 978 0 275 22950 4 Srinivasan 2004 pp 447 Rupendra Chattopadhya et al 2013 The Kingdom of the Saivacaryas Berlin Indological Studies volume 21 page 200 Archive a b Singh Upinder 2008 A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India From the Stone Age to the 12th Century Pearson Education India p 642 ISBN 9788131711200 Srinivasan 2004 pp 444 445 山本 智教 1971 Catalogue of Antiquities from East Asia in the Museums of art in U S A Europe and India 5 密教文化 1971 doi 10 11168 jeb1947 1971 96 L74 James C Harle 1994 The Art and Architecture of the Indian Subcontinent Yale University Press pp 156 157 ISBN 978 0 300 06217 5 Anne Marie Gaston 1982 Siva in dance myth and iconography Oxford University Press pp 56 47 101 ISBN 9780195613544 Aghorasivacarya Richard H Davis 2010 A Priest s Guide for the Great Festival Oxford University Press pp 15 20 24 25 ISBN 978 0 19 537852 8 Sharada Srinivasan Shiva as cosmic dancer on Pallava origins for the Nataraja bronze World Archaeology 2004 36 3 pages 432 450 Anne Marie Gaston 1982 Siva in dance myth and iconography Oxford University Press pp 130 57 ISBN 9780195613544 Anne Marie Gaston 1982 Siva in dance myth and iconography Oxford University Press pp 48 50 ISBN 9780195613544 Fredrik Eugene DeBoer I Made Bandem 1995 Balinese Dance in Transition Kaja and Kelod Oxford University Press pp ii iii ISBN 978 967 65 3071 4 Alessandra Iyer 1998 Prambanan Sculpture and Dance in Ancient Java a Study in Dance Iconography White Lotus pp 69 70 ISBN 978 974 8434 12 4 Faces and Places page 3 CERN Courier Archived from the original on 6 June 2018 Retrieved 30 January 2017 Shiva s Cosmic Dance at CERN Fritjof Capra fritjofcapra net Retrieved 30 January 2017 Ian Crawford December 2019 Expanding worldviews cosmic perspectives Astronomy amp Geophysics Royal Astronomical Society Oxford University Press 60 6 6 38 doi 10 1093 astrogeo atz195 James C Harle 1994 The Art and Architecture of the Indian Subcontinent Yale University Press p 123 ISBN 978 0 300 06217 5 British Museum Collection Iyengar B K S 1979 1966 Light on Yoga Yoga Dipika Thorsons pp 419 422 ISBN 978 1855381667 Bhavanani Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani Devasena 2001 BHARATANATYAM AND YOGA Archived from the original on 23 October 2006 Retrieved 26 January 2019 He also points out that these Bharatanatyam dance stances are very similar to Yoga Asanas and in the Gopuram walls at Chidambaram at least twenty different classical Yoga Asanas are depicted by the dancers including Dhanurasana Chakrasana Vrikshasana Natarajasana Trivikramasana Ananda Tandavasana Padmasana Siddhasana Kaka Asana Vrishchikasana and others Notes editFurther reading editAnanda Coomaraswamy 1957 The Dance of Siva Fourteen Indian Essays Sunwise Turn OCLC 2155403 Jansen Eva Rudy 1993 The Book of Hindu Imagery Havelte Holland Binkey Kok Publications BV ISBN 90 74597 07 6 Vivek Nanda George Michell 2004 Chidambaram Home of Nataraja Marg Publications ISBN 978 81 85026 64 0 OCLC 56598256 C Sivaramamurti 1974 Nataraja in Art Thought and Literature National Museum ISBN 978 81 230 0092 3 OCLC 1501803 David Smith 2003 The Dance of Siva Religion Art and Poetry in South India Cambridge University Press ISBN 978 0 521 52865 8 Srinivasan Sharada 2004 Shiva as cosmic dancer On Pallava origins for the Nataraja bronze World Archaeology Vol 36 The Journal of Modern Craft pp 432 450 doi 10 1080 1468936042000282726821 S2CID 26503807 External links editNataraja at Wikipedia s sister projects nbsp Media from Commons nbsp Data from Wikidata Siva s Dance Iconography and Dance Practice in South and Southeast Asia Alessandra Iyer 2000 Music in Art Shiva Nataraja Iconography Freer Sackler Gallery Smithsonian Nataraja India s Cycle of Fire Stephen Pyne 1994 Chidambareswarar Nataraja Temple Nataraja Image Archive Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Nataraja amp oldid 1201500325, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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