Throughout southern India, Lord Shiva is worshipped as Shiva Nataraja, Lord of
the Dance. In the words of Ananda Coormaraswamy, a pioneering Hindu philosopher
and historian of Indian art, Shiva's dance is the "clearest image of the
activity of God which any art or religion can boast." The image of Shiva as
Nataraj is indelibly stitched into the Indian imagination.
According to Sir Jacob Epstein, "Shiva dances, creating the world and destroying
it, his large rhythms conjure up a vast aeons of time, and his movements have a
relentless magical power of incantation. Our European allegories are banal and
pointless by comparison with these profound works, devoid of the trappings of
symbolism, concentrating on the essential, the essentially plastic."
(Jawaharlal Nehru - A Discovery of India p. 214). The statue of Nataraja (dance
pose of Lord Shiva) is a well known example for the artistic, scientific and
philosophical significance of Hinduism.
The late scientist, Carl Sagan, in his book, "Cosmos" asserts that the Dance of
Nataraja (Tandava) signifies the cycle of evolution and destruction of the
cosmic universe (Big Bang Theory). "It is the clearest image of the activity of
God which any art or religion can boast of." Modern physics has shown that the
rhythm of creation and destruction is not only manifest in the turn of the
seasons and in the birth and death of all living creatures, but also the very
essence of inorganic matter. For modern physicists, then, Shiva's dance is the
dance of subatomic matter. Hundreds of years ago, Indian artist created visual
images of dancing Shiva's in a beautiful series of bronzes. Today, physicist
have used the most advanced technology to portray the pattern of the cosmic
dance. Thus, the metaphor of the cosmic dance unifies, ancient religious art and
modern physics.
Shiva's dance is a symbol of the unity and rhythm of existence. The unending,
dynamic process of creation and destruction is expressed in the energetic
posture of Shiva. He dances in a ring of fire that refers to the life-death
process of the universe. Everything is subject to continual change, as energy
constantly assumes new forms in the "play" (lila) of creation, except the god
himself whose dance is immutable and absolute. The pictorial allegory of
Nataraja indicates the so-called "five acts" of the deity: the creation of the
universe, its sustenance in space, its final dissolution at the end of the cycle
of four world ages (yugas), the concealment of the nature of the godhead, and
the bestowal of true knowledge.
Fritjof Capra (1939 - ) Austrian-born famous theoretical high-energy physicist
and ecologist wrote:
"Modern physics has thus revealed that every subatomic particle not only
performs an energy dance, but also is an energy dance; a pulsating process of
creation and destruction. The dance of Shiva is the dancing universe, the
ceaseless flow of energy going through an infinite variety of patterns that melt
into one another''.For the modern physicists, then Shiva's dance is the dance of
subatomic matter. As in Hindu mythology, it is a continual dance of creation and
destruction involving the whole cosmos; the basis of all existence and of all
natural phenomenon. Hundreds of years ago, Indian artists created visual images
of dancing Shivas in a beautiful series of bronzes. In our times, physicists
have used the most advanced technology to portray the patterns of the cosmic
dance."
(source: The Tao of Physics: An Exploration of the Parallels Between Modern
Physics and Eastern Mysticism - By Fritjof Capra p. 241-245).
The posture and balance of Nataraja's dancing form show Lord Shiva in the aspect
of tamas, the expansive centrifugal force that creates and destroys the
universe. This is the first of the three "tendencies" (gunas) that permeate the
universe in Samkhya philosophy. Tamas (darkness), symbolized by Shiva, is
responsible for the constant birth, change and death of all living things; the
force sattva (tranquility) represented by Vishnu the Preserver, holds the atoms
of every object together. These two "tendencies" - one holding the atoms of the
universe together and the other ripping them apart - create a " friction "
(rajas) that "vibrates" the world's atoms and creates the gravity to hold them
to the earth. This is the third tendency, symbolized by the deity Brahma. It is
the building stuff both of matter and of subtle energies such as perception and
thought.
Consciousness inhabits all living things and has permeated the universe since it
was created from its original bindu (energy center). The first stave of the
universe was filled by "space" : the potential area in which the world will
"expand" with the energy of Shiva's aspect as tamas. At the end of Kali Yuga
(the current age of ignorance), the expansion accelerates, everything merges and
Shiva performs the terrible tandava dance of destruction.
The most important Shiva image during the Chola dynasty was that of Shiva as
Lord of the Dance, or Shiva Nataraja. In this form, Shiva is a summation of
Indian religion, philosophy and culture. Shiva's dance is of cosmic significance
and represents five principle manifestations of eternal energy: Creation,
Destruction, Preservation, Salvation, and Illusion. He holds in his upper right
hand a small drum, the symbol of the sound of creation. In his upper left hand
is a flame representing the final destruction of the universe. His lower right
hand makes the gesture "fear not." With his lower left hand he points to his
raised left foot, the place of refuge and salvation for the devotee. His right
foot is planted on the back of the demon Apasmara Purusha, the personifying
illusion of ignorance over whom Shiva triumphs. In Shiva's hairdo sits the river
goddess Ganga, the personification of the Ganges river which is said to spring
forth from Shiva's head.
The dancing lord Shiva represents the constant process of creation, preservation
and destruction of the universe. He trods on the dwarf, symbolic of Ignorance,
which must be eliminated if a believer is to attain release from the eternal
cycle of birth and death. In Shiva's upper hands are a drum, symbol of creation,
and fire, symbol of destruction. This magnificently modeled bronze image is a
superb example of Chola workmanship.
The entire Universe is then engaged in movement and endless activity, in an
uninterrupted cosmic dance of energy. In Hindu iconography the images that
represent this dance are shown with Nataraja dancing with four arms and waving
hair and should be read as pictorial allegories.
The upper right hand holds a small drum shaped as a clepsydra, which according
to Zimmer keeps the rhythms of sound, the vehicle of the word transmitting
revelation tradition and enchantment. The opposite hand, on the top left, with
fingers postured as half moon, (ardhachandra mudra), carries a Flame, the
element of destruction of the world on the palm of the hand. In the balance of
the hands creation and destruction are shown as counterweights in the game of
the cosmic dance made evident even by the quietness and serenity of Shiva's face
at the centre between the two hands. The second right hand is making the gesture
of 'motto fear ' that gives peace and protection, while the last left hand,
suspended at the height of the breast, points toward the left foot symbolising
liberation from the enchantment of Maya.
Universally regarded as the quintessential image of Hindu art and culture,
representations of the god Shiva dancing in joyous abandonment within a circle
of flames graphically depict his five cosmic acts of creation, preservation,
destruction, unveiling of illusion, and liberation of the soul. His creative
aspect is symbolized by the hourglass-shaped drum, in his proper upper right
hand, which reproduces the primordial sound of creation. Shiva's preservation of
the universe is suggested by his lower right hand held in the gesture of
reassurance and safety. The flame in his upper left hand and that encircling the
aureole represent the fire by which he destroys the universe in order to
recreate it. He lifts the veil of illusion through his engendering act of
dancing. His liberation of the soul is shown by his upraised left leg, which
tramples on a prostrate infant signifying forgetfulness and is thus a source of
grace.
While Shiva is believed to dance in various forms and locales for differing
purposes, in this pose as Lord of the Dance (Nataraja), he is praised by the
renowned eighteenth-century South Indian poet Thayumanavar as performing the
"Dance of Bliss in the Hall of Consciousness." The dance of bliss is
specifically associated with Chidambaram, the sacred center of Nataraja worship,
where Shiva is said to have first performed it in order to convert a group of
holy men who were engaged in heretical practices. Chidambaram is also the site
of the great twelfth-century temple specifically dedicated to Shiva's aspect as
Lord of the Dance. The temple has a silver image of the dancing god as its main
icon, and the gateway around the complex is adorned with sculpted depictions of
the 108 basic postures of classical Indian dance, Bharata Natyam, which has been
performed since at least the second century B.C.
South Indian copper alloy images such as this were originally carried in
processions during religious festivals; ropes were inserted through the square
holes in the base to tie it to support poles. The distinctive elliptical shape
of the aureole and slender figural style indicate that it is one of the earliest
surviving images of this type.
As Shiva Nataraja, Lord of the Dance, Shiva enacts the end of the world. He is
the symbol of death but only of death as the generator of life and as a source
of that creative power ever renewed by Vishnu and Brahma.
He evokes the most intense adoration from devotees for he fascinates even as he
terrifies. He dances for cosmic re-creation. Shiva's dance of bliss is the
catalyst for the destruction of one period of time and the creation of a new
cosmos. He has a third eye in the center of his forehead, the skull and crescent
moon in his headdress.
He has long, matted hair and there is a small female figure of the river goddess
Ganga in the loose locks of hair twirling around head. The Indian genius for
expressing movement in sculpture derives in large part from the high aesthetic
value that dancing holds in Indian tradition. It is the posturings and movements
of the dance that inspire the imagination of the sculptor. The four arms display
the powers of Shiva. The upper right holds the drum or vibrant rattle of
creation. The upper left holds the flame of destruction. The lower right hand is
raised in the gesture of protection. The lower left hand points to the upraised
foot that symbolizes escape from illusion, represented by the dwarf whom he
crushes beneath his right foot. The drum is a symbol of rhythm and sound. The
matted hair symbolizes his power (like Samson). Crescent moon is the symbol of
growth and birth
Einstein and Shiva's cosmic danceThere is a striking resemblance between the equivalence of mass and energy,
symbolized by Shiva's cosmic dance and the Western theory, first expounded by
Einstein, which calculates the amount of energy contained in a subatomic
particle by multiplying its mass by the square of the speed of light:
E = mc2.
the Dance. In the words of Ananda Coormaraswamy, a pioneering Hindu philosopher
and historian of Indian art, Shiva's dance is the "clearest image of the
activity of God which any art or religion can boast." The image of Shiva as
Nataraj is indelibly stitched into the Indian imagination.
According to Sir Jacob Epstein, "Shiva dances, creating the world and destroying
it, his large rhythms conjure up a vast aeons of time, and his movements have a
relentless magical power of incantation. Our European allegories are banal and
pointless by comparison with these profound works, devoid of the trappings of
symbolism, concentrating on the essential, the essentially plastic."
(Jawaharlal Nehru - A Discovery of India p. 214). The statue of Nataraja (dance
pose of Lord Shiva) is a well known example for the artistic, scientific and
philosophical significance of Hinduism.
The late scientist, Carl Sagan, in his book, "Cosmos" asserts that the Dance of
Nataraja (Tandava) signifies the cycle of evolution and destruction of the
cosmic universe (Big Bang Theory). "It is the clearest image of the activity of
God which any art or religion can boast of." Modern physics has shown that the
rhythm of creation and destruction is not only manifest in the turn of the
seasons and in the birth and death of all living creatures, but also the very
essence of inorganic matter. For modern physicists, then, Shiva's dance is the
dance of subatomic matter. Hundreds of years ago, Indian artist created visual
images of dancing Shiva's in a beautiful series of bronzes. Today, physicist
have used the most advanced technology to portray the pattern of the cosmic
dance. Thus, the metaphor of the cosmic dance unifies, ancient religious art and
modern physics.
Shiva's dance is a symbol of the unity and rhythm of existence. The unending,
dynamic process of creation and destruction is expressed in the energetic
posture of Shiva. He dances in a ring of fire that refers to the life-death
process of the universe. Everything is subject to continual change, as energy
constantly assumes new forms in the "play" (lila) of creation, except the god
himself whose dance is immutable and absolute. The pictorial allegory of
Nataraja indicates the so-called "five acts" of the deity: the creation of the
universe, its sustenance in space, its final dissolution at the end of the cycle
of four world ages (yugas), the concealment of the nature of the godhead, and
the bestowal of true knowledge.
Fritjof Capra (1939 - ) Austrian-born famous theoretical high-energy physicist
and ecologist wrote:
"Modern physics has thus revealed that every subatomic particle not only
performs an energy dance, but also is an energy dance; a pulsating process of
creation and destruction. The dance of Shiva is the dancing universe, the
ceaseless flow of energy going through an infinite variety of patterns that melt
into one another''.For the modern physicists, then Shiva's dance is the dance of
subatomic matter. As in Hindu mythology, it is a continual dance of creation and
destruction involving the whole cosmos; the basis of all existence and of all
natural phenomenon. Hundreds of years ago, Indian artists created visual images
of dancing Shivas in a beautiful series of bronzes. In our times, physicists
have used the most advanced technology to portray the patterns of the cosmic
dance."
(source: The Tao of Physics: An Exploration of the Parallels Between Modern
Physics and Eastern Mysticism - By Fritjof Capra p. 241-245).
The posture and balance of Nataraja's dancing form show Lord Shiva in the aspect
of tamas, the expansive centrifugal force that creates and destroys the
universe. This is the first of the three "tendencies" (gunas) that permeate the
universe in Samkhya philosophy. Tamas (darkness), symbolized by Shiva, is
responsible for the constant birth, change and death of all living things; the
force sattva (tranquility) represented by Vishnu the Preserver, holds the atoms
of every object together. These two "tendencies" - one holding the atoms of the
universe together and the other ripping them apart - create a " friction "
(rajas) that "vibrates" the world's atoms and creates the gravity to hold them
to the earth. This is the third tendency, symbolized by the deity Brahma. It is
the building stuff both of matter and of subtle energies such as perception and
thought.
Consciousness inhabits all living things and has permeated the universe since it
was created from its original bindu (energy center). The first stave of the
universe was filled by "space" : the potential area in which the world will
"expand" with the energy of Shiva's aspect as tamas. At the end of Kali Yuga
(the current age of ignorance), the expansion accelerates, everything merges and
Shiva performs the terrible tandava dance of destruction.
The most important Shiva image during the Chola dynasty was that of Shiva as
Lord of the Dance, or Shiva Nataraja. In this form, Shiva is a summation of
Indian religion, philosophy and culture. Shiva's dance is of cosmic significance
and represents five principle manifestations of eternal energy: Creation,
Destruction, Preservation, Salvation, and Illusion. He holds in his upper right
hand a small drum, the symbol of the sound of creation. In his upper left hand
is a flame representing the final destruction of the universe. His lower right
hand makes the gesture "fear not." With his lower left hand he points to his
raised left foot, the place of refuge and salvation for the devotee. His right
foot is planted on the back of the demon Apasmara Purusha, the personifying
illusion of ignorance over whom Shiva triumphs. In Shiva's hairdo sits the river
goddess Ganga, the personification of the Ganges river which is said to spring
forth from Shiva's head.
The dancing lord Shiva represents the constant process of creation, preservation
and destruction of the universe. He trods on the dwarf, symbolic of Ignorance,
which must be eliminated if a believer is to attain release from the eternal
cycle of birth and death. In Shiva's upper hands are a drum, symbol of creation,
and fire, symbol of destruction. This magnificently modeled bronze image is a
superb example of Chola workmanship.
The entire Universe is then engaged in movement and endless activity, in an
uninterrupted cosmic dance of energy. In Hindu iconography the images that
represent this dance are shown with Nataraja dancing with four arms and waving
hair and should be read as pictorial allegories.
The upper right hand holds a small drum shaped as a clepsydra, which according
to Zimmer keeps the rhythms of sound, the vehicle of the word transmitting
revelation tradition and enchantment. The opposite hand, on the top left, with
fingers postured as half moon, (ardhachandra mudra), carries a Flame, the
element of destruction of the world on the palm of the hand. In the balance of
the hands creation and destruction are shown as counterweights in the game of
the cosmic dance made evident even by the quietness and serenity of Shiva's face
at the centre between the two hands. The second right hand is making the gesture
of 'motto fear ' that gives peace and protection, while the last left hand,
suspended at the height of the breast, points toward the left foot symbolising
liberation from the enchantment of Maya.
Universally regarded as the quintessential image of Hindu art and culture,
representations of the god Shiva dancing in joyous abandonment within a circle
of flames graphically depict his five cosmic acts of creation, preservation,
destruction, unveiling of illusion, and liberation of the soul. His creative
aspect is symbolized by the hourglass-shaped drum, in his proper upper right
hand, which reproduces the primordial sound of creation. Shiva's preservation of
the universe is suggested by his lower right hand held in the gesture of
reassurance and safety. The flame in his upper left hand and that encircling the
aureole represent the fire by which he destroys the universe in order to
recreate it. He lifts the veil of illusion through his engendering act of
dancing. His liberation of the soul is shown by his upraised left leg, which
tramples on a prostrate infant signifying forgetfulness and is thus a source of
grace.
While Shiva is believed to dance in various forms and locales for differing
purposes, in this pose as Lord of the Dance (Nataraja), he is praised by the
renowned eighteenth-century South Indian poet Thayumanavar as performing the
"Dance of Bliss in the Hall of Consciousness." The dance of bliss is
specifically associated with Chidambaram, the sacred center of Nataraja worship,
where Shiva is said to have first performed it in order to convert a group of
holy men who were engaged in heretical practices. Chidambaram is also the site
of the great twelfth-century temple specifically dedicated to Shiva's aspect as
Lord of the Dance. The temple has a silver image of the dancing god as its main
icon, and the gateway around the complex is adorned with sculpted depictions of
the 108 basic postures of classical Indian dance, Bharata Natyam, which has been
performed since at least the second century B.C.
South Indian copper alloy images such as this were originally carried in
processions during religious festivals; ropes were inserted through the square
holes in the base to tie it to support poles. The distinctive elliptical shape
of the aureole and slender figural style indicate that it is one of the earliest
surviving images of this type.
As Shiva Nataraja, Lord of the Dance, Shiva enacts the end of the world. He is
the symbol of death but only of death as the generator of life and as a source
of that creative power ever renewed by Vishnu and Brahma.
He evokes the most intense adoration from devotees for he fascinates even as he
terrifies. He dances for cosmic re-creation. Shiva's dance of bliss is the
catalyst for the destruction of one period of time and the creation of a new
cosmos. He has a third eye in the center of his forehead, the skull and crescent
moon in his headdress.
He has long, matted hair and there is a small female figure of the river goddess
Ganga in the loose locks of hair twirling around head. The Indian genius for
expressing movement in sculpture derives in large part from the high aesthetic
value that dancing holds in Indian tradition. It is the posturings and movements
of the dance that inspire the imagination of the sculptor. The four arms display
the powers of Shiva. The upper right holds the drum or vibrant rattle of
creation. The upper left holds the flame of destruction. The lower right hand is
raised in the gesture of protection. The lower left hand points to the upraised
foot that symbolizes escape from illusion, represented by the dwarf whom he
crushes beneath his right foot. The drum is a symbol of rhythm and sound. The
matted hair symbolizes his power (like Samson). Crescent moon is the symbol of
growth and birth
Einstein and Shiva's cosmic danceThere is a striking resemblance between the equivalence of mass and energy,
symbolized by Shiva's cosmic dance and the Western theory, first expounded by
Einstein, which calculates the amount of energy contained in a subatomic
particle by multiplying its mass by the square of the speed of light:
E = mc2.
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