Bronze Dancing Natraj

The word Nataraj means 'king of dancers' ( Sanskrit- bats means dance and raja means King) The four arms represent the cardinal directions. He is dancing with his left foot elegantly raised and the right foot on a prostrate figure – 'Apasmara Purusha', the personification of illusion and ignorance over whom Shiva triumphs. The upper left-hand holds a flame, the lower left arm points down to the dwarf, who is shown holding a cobra. The upper right-hand holds an hourglass drum or a 'dumroo' that stands for The male – female vital principle. And the lower right arm shows the gesture of "be without fear " Snakes that stand for egotism are seen uncoiling from his arms, legs, and hair which is braided and bejeweled. His magic locks whirling as he dances within an arch of flames representing the endless cycle of Life and death. On his head is a skull, which symbolizes his conquest over death. Goddess Ganga, the epidural of the holy river ganges, also sits on his hairdo. His third eye is symbolic of his omnipresence, insight and enlightenment. The whole idol rests on a Lotus pedestal, the symbol of creative forces of the universe. The overall temper of the image is paradoxical, uniting the inner tranquility with the outside activity of Siva. In the year 2004, a 2m statue of the dancing Shiva was unveiled at CERN, the European Center for research and particle physics in Geneva. Here is a beautiful poem by Ruth Peel: The source of all movement, Shiva's dance, Gives rhythm to the universe. He dances in evil places, In sacred, He creates and preserves, Destroys and releases. We are part of this dance, This internal rhythm, And woes to us as if, blinded by illusions We detach ourselves From the dancing cosmos, This universal harmony. Thank you for stopping by