Nataraja- The Lord of The Cosmic Dance- Symbolism

"He is the forest dweller, one who roams the burial grounds, one who adorns tiger skin as his dress, his matted hair flows fecund all over his body, his ash smeared body is adorned with a chain of skulls around his neck, he smokes cannabis, he roams among bestial beings, hobnobs with aghoris and befriends ghouls and misfits, he treats the devas and asuras with equal nonchalance, he is unschooled in Vedic hymns, unlike the scholarly Brahmins of the highest order. He was always considered uncouth and barbaric and he was never included in any of the early Vedic rituals, or ever invoked during sacrificial fires or Yagna conducted by the Aryan priests because he smoked pot and was considered impure as smoking was anathema to Brahmins."

The Nataraja idol is perhaps the most common representation of Lord Shiva's cosmic dance form. Nataraja or the Lord of the Cosmic Dance is a popular figure among foreigners too. It is a favorite among antique collectors and Indian art aficionados who are so enamored and charmed with the figurine that they purchase it for exorbitant prices and carry it to far-flung lands across the seven seas and keep it as a grand display item on their mantle piece.

But rarely do these admirers understand what the Nataraja figurine represents, nor are they aware of the rich interpretations that the figure is replete with.

So, here is my humble attempt at decoding the Nataraja figure and its very simplistic interpretation from a very layman's perspective for all those who are interested.

The Nataraja is rich in symbolism.?Shiva's right-hand?holds a drum or lovingly and popularly called among Shiva devotees as "damaru". The sound from the?damaru?represents the very sound from which the universe came alive. Shiva's left-hand holds fire or?Agni, which will ultimately cause the destruction of all creation.

The?third arm?is significant because if Shiva had only two arms, then that means there is only creation and destruction, no place for humanity or even life. This is where the third arm comes into the picture. The third arm is raised as if to bless. This suggests us to not fear and stay calm and the?fourth arm?is pointing to his raised foot that is leading to liberation.

Now, to the most intriguing features of a Nataraja figurine. I still remember the first time I saw a Nataraja figurine in my ancestral home in Palakkad. I was equally surprised and appalled to find that my Lord whom I so ardently worshipped since my childhood is actually dancing on a?small child?and I couldn't believe my eyes. How can he stand on an innocent infant and then how can I love and worship such a God?

I asked around and I remember my revered late grandfather told me something about it representing?ego?and that no words in?Hindu scriptures?should ever be taken for their literal meaning. Every word, every image, every idol, and every hymn is open to multiple interpretations. It is as ambiguous as it is lucid and that adds to the intrigue. It is upon us to seek the true meaning hidden inside these ancient relics from a long-forgotten and long-lost past.

Coming back to what the infant represents. It essentially represents the human ego. It needn't be killed or stifled, but it has to be gently suppressed meaning self-respect and dignity must be intact but tamed regularly to keep it from turning into pride.

One of Shiva's ears adorns a?male earring?and the other one has a?female earring, amazingly representing the male-female balance and complete harmony of fusion of both energies. One cannot overwhelm or suppress the other.?Shiva's matted hair?flows in all directions representing the cosmic energy upon which all life is built. The crescent moon on the head represents the impermanence?of time- or the waxing and waning of?TIME.

The?Chola?kings were great worshippers of Shiva?and their ardent admiration manifested in the form of beautiful Shiva temples during the 11th and 14th centuries CE.

Shiva was always an outsider, an oddity among the pantheon of Hindu Gods, unlike all other deities worshipped and extolled since time immemorial, Shiva worship started relatively later.

He is the forest dweller, one who roams the burial grounds, the one who has a tiger skin as his dress, his matted hair flows fecund all over his body, his ash smeared body is adorned with a chain of skulls around his neck, he smoks cannabis, he roams among bestial beings, hobnobs with aghoris and befriends ghouls and misfits, he treats the devas and asuras with equal nonchalance, he is unschooled in Vedic hymns unlike the scholarly Brahmins of highest order. He was always considered uncouth and barbaric and he was never included in any of the early Vedic rituals, or ever invoked during sacrificial fires or Yagna conducted by the Aryan priests because he smoked pot and was considered impure as smoking was an anathema to brahmins.

In other words, Shiva was the outcast and yet so full of dignity and self-awareness that he carried his perceived "flaws" with aplomb. One of the?umpteen reasons why I admired him and decided to make him my idol of worship or as they say in the regional language- istadevatha.

But Shiva was beyond pure and impure. It is only much later that Shiva worship began, and to this day Shiva is evoked only towards the end of a pooja with repetitive "Har Har Mahadeva" sung with both hands raised symbolizing universal surrender to that higher power.

TS Eliot was so impressed with Shiva's Nataraja figure that he wrote this poem.

"At the still point of the turning world. Neither flesh nor fleshless;Neither from nor towards; at the still point, there the dance is,But neither arrest nor movement. And do not call it fixity, Where past and future are gathered. Neither movement from nor towards, Neither Ascent nor decline. Except for the point,the still point, There would be no dance, and there is only the dance."

-TS Eliot, Four Quartets

Source Reference- SHIVA- Lord of the Cosmic Dance by Karan Singh.