Nataraja

Siva Natarajaby

Dr.R.Nagaswamy

Nataraja

• The concept of Nataraja has always been a fascinating subject among Indologists

Tanjore Nataraja

• Wasted are the days that are spent

• Without singing the beauty of Nataraja of Chidambaram

• Who remains in the thoughts of the learned,

• Who is the inner meaning of the Vedas,

• Whose reality none can fathom,

• Who is sweet like the honey and milk

Nataraja• Who is the

resplendant lumianry, • This Great Lord who

envelopes Vishnu and Brahma,

• The glowing fire and the blowing Wind,

• The roaring waves of the waters

• And the Lofty peak of the mountain.

Nataraja- Parama Yogi

• Bhaktanai padamaatten paramane paramayogi

• Ettinaar patti ceyken ennai ni ihazhvenda

• Muktane mutalva tillai ambalatte adukinra

• Attaa un atal kanpan adiyanen vandavaare

This form of Dancing Siva is mainly worshipped in

Tamilnadu and is called Nataraja in every temple of Siva

In most cases this image is in metal and is four armed,

dancing in the middle of a circular halo of prabha-

mandala called Thiruvaci

Hands• In this form Nataraja holds a little drum

–damaru and fire in the rear pair of arms and abhaya gesture and gaja hasta gesture in the front arms. The left arm thrown across the body swings like the trunk of an elephant and so is called gaja hasta (also called kari hasta- kari means elephant)

Almost every Siva temple in Tamilnadu has a Nataraja image in bronze under worship that is taken out in procession during

festivals. Nataraja is always accompanied by the image of Parvathi called Sivakami or

Sivakama sundari

Nataraja and Sivakami are kept in a separate sub-shrine and worshipped daily in Siva temples. His Sub-shrine will

always face southern direction Dakshinabhimukha

The Chidambaram temple is the sacred place where this

form is said to have originated for the sake of sage Patanjali.

So Chidambaram is considered the holy of holies by all the

Saivite people.

While in all other temples Sivalinga is the main deity,

Nataraja is the main deity in the Chidambaram temple which

faces south and is in the form of a hut called Amabalam

There are five Siva temples as khsetra of one of the five basic elements –Earth, Air, Water, Fire or Akasa (Space) which

are called Panca Bhuta Khsetras. Chidambaram is worshipped as the Akasa-

kshetra as Siva dances here in Akasa.

Worship in Chidambaram is done according to Vedic

tradition said to have been codified by Sage Patanjali.

Siva performs five sacred acts through his dance which

are called Panca-krityas

Panca-krityas

• Srishti – creation

• Sthiti – Protection

• Samhara – Dissolution

• Tirodhana – Concealment and

• Anugraha – grace

Creation - damaruka

• The damaruka in the hand of Nataraja represents creation

The dissolution -Fire• The Fire in the hands of

Nataraja is the dissolving fire.

• At the end of the Aeons Siva enters the orbit of Sun, Surya mandala, and dissolves the entire world through his scorching rays.

• Dissolution of the Universe is the samhara

Concealment-ignorance

• The dwarf below the foot of Siva is darkness of ignorance.• The dance of Siva over the dwarf marks the removal of ignorance• When ignorance is removed Knowledge dawns, the Sri vidya over which the dance takes place

Protection (abhaya) and

Grace -Lifted leg

• The abhaya hasta held in the right hand symbolize protection.

• The lifted leg bestows Anugraha - grace

Nataraja

• The benign smile

• Kovvai cevvaayil kumin cirippum

Sivakami

• Arumana van mukattal amarntu kana

Kunitta-puruvam

• The dancing eyebrows

Siva is benign• Siva Mahadeva is the

Creator of the Universe• Siva is the sustainer of

the Universe and• Siva dissolves the

Universe • Each function is a

power called by different name

Uma• Uma is the yoga Sakti of

Siva• She emanates from Siva

and merges with Him, figuratively said to unite with him

• Vishnu is also the Yoga Maya of Siva

• Nataraja and Govindaraja remain inseparable.

The dance over dwarfish ignorance

Udvayam tamasas pari pasyanto jyotir uttamam Veda

Nataraja dances over the dwarf. The dwarf represents the darkness of ignorance. Nataraja is Paramjyoti who dances over the dwarfish ignorance. It is a direct extension of a Vedic hymn to Surya

Two aspects of Nataraja that are most attractive

• The physical dancing pose by itself is charming and attractive and

• The metaphysical concepts that are reflected in these poses are far more absorbing.

This dancing form appears from the Chola period – 9th

cent.

The Nataraja form is thus the creation of the Chola genius

It was Ananda Coomaraswamy the great Art historian of India

who interpreted this form to the Western world most effectively and ever since Nataraja has become an

outstanding art of the world.

The golden hall of Chidambaram

The cholas adored Nataraja of Chidambaram their family deity –Kula deivamA number of Chola monarchs like Aditya(9th), Parantaka (10th) Rajaraja(11th) Kulotunga II(12th) and

Kulottunga III(13th) gilded this super structure with gold

Nataraja, Chola 11th cent

• The lotus seat represents the earth• From the seat issues two makara heads that denote waters• From the makara mouth issue the circle with 27 flames representing

the tejo-mandala; orbit of luminaries (nakshatra, graha and taras)• The fluttering jatas and waist scarf represent the wind• The space between the halo and outside represent the akasa space• They constitute the panca bhutas

Nataraja Tanjore

NATARAJA

• By the term Nataraja we generally mean the Metal Image of Dancing Siva with four hands and dancing on the back of a dwarf called Apasmara, mainly in Tamil nadu temples. However Scholars now use this term for all forms of Dancing Siva.

• What is this Dance of the Supreme ?

• The Sun, Moon, planets and other celestials forces and the earth which remain suspended in the outer space Paramakasa- revolve in absolute rhythm which is poetically called the Dance of the Supreme dancer

• The place where this Supreme dance takes place is called Chid-ambaram in Tamilnad which is called the Ambalam by the Saivite. Ambalam means Akasa

• The worship of Nataraja carried out according to Vedic Tradition in the Chidambaram temple,

clearly indicates the Vedic roots of the concept of Nataraja

• This form of Dancing Siva Nataraja is essentially a Procssional deity taken out on festive occassions especially in the month of Mriga sira -Margali

Though this is essentially a metal image we do come across stone sculptures of this form from the

9th cent

• This form has multiple layers of meaning

• Poetical• Philosophical• Ritual• Yogic• Physical• Artistic and others

• The origin, and development of this theme has fascinated Sages, Poets, Philosophers, artists and art historians down through the centuries

• Two most outstanding works on this theme during recent times are by

• 1. Ananda Coomaraswamy “The Dance of Siva” and

• 2.Sri.C.Sivaramamurthi, “Nataraja in Art, Thought and Literature”

It is impossible to surpass these two Masters.

This dance is called

Ananda tandavaJnana-Ananda TandavamYoga-Ananda tandavam

Chidambara natam and so on.

A detailed description of this dance is given in the Agamic text Kamikagama, which is followed

in most Nataraja images. The Kamikagama calls this form Bhujanga trasa Nrittam.

The Kamikagama gives three types of Siva’s dance

Bhujanga TrasaBhujanga lalita

Bhujanga Bhairava

Combining the movements of upper and the lower parts of his body Siva

danced in the evening 108 poses that are called Nritta karanas

• Bharata’ Natya sastra difines these Nrittakaranas as

• Hasta pada samayogah Nrittasya karanam bhavet

• By hasta –hand the whole of upper body above the waist is meant

• By pada the lower part of the body below the waist is meant says Abhinava gupta

• Among the 108 poses of dance one pose is called Bhujanga trasa nritta

• The pose is “Fear of Snake”• Dance is of remote antiquity says Abhinava

gupta• On seeing a snake by the side of the leg lifting

the leg hurriedly and turning away of the body is reflected in this pose and hence the name derived from natural reaction

• The position of the lower part of the body (Pada ) has given the name Bhujanga Trasa,

• It has been noted that Agamic name for Nataraja is Bhujanga trasa nritta

• So the origin of this dance pose is at least two thousand years old.

• One of the most remarkable sculpture that portrays this situation very clearly is a 7th cent Pallava sculpture from Siyamangalam

• The lower part of the body is exactly in the same position as defined in Natya sastra

• A snake is portrayed beneath the leg indicating that it Bhujanga trasa nritta.

The following deserve notice

• Lalita dance Catura Tandava

• Dance of Siva portrayed in the ceilings of mandapas

• Dance of Siva portrayed on the sikhara

• Dance in Vyoma ranga

• Most of the early representations of Nataraja in sculpture and bronze portray the Sandhya tandava or what is called Catura or Bhujanga Lalita form found through out India

• The Dance of Siva surrounded by his Mandala –the dikpalas and grahas in squares around is seen in the ceilings of the Mandapa in early Chalukya, Rashtrakuta and Nolamba temples of Western India.

• The ceiling is suggestive of Akasa, the Macrocosm, where Siva’s dance takes place

• An important portrayal from Cambodia illustrates the point.

• Siva is shown dancing in the façade of the temple at Bantai srei built in the 10th cent.

• Nataraja Siva here almost leaps into the vast space Akasa to perform beautifully the Sandhya Tandava

• Not only the dance portrayal is beautiful but also the placement of the sculputure is wonderful for it just brings vividly the notion of Akasa .

• The deliberate placement of sculptures ike this Ravana shaking Kailasa also in the same temple, suggests the art Historian can not afford to ignore place

• There is a beautiful sculpture of Siva as Ardhanarisvara dancing on the sikhara of a temple of Ancient Champa Now Vietnam.

• The concept that the dance of Siva takes place in the Akasa is figuratively adopted all ober.

• Siva dancing on the façade of the Sikhara high up in the air is found in a number of temples in India in the Eastern India, MadhyaPradesh, Western India and Deccan.

• Jambukesvara temple Pattadakkal• Surya Brahma temple Alampur• Ramalingesvara temple Satyavolu• Parasuramesvara temple at Bhuvanesvar• Somesvara temple Mukhalingam

• An Important point that has escaped the attention of

Scholars is the presence of Surya below the Dancing Siva on the Sikhara of the façade.

• It indicates the connection between the two concepts - Siva Surya

• More important is the depiction of this Surya as Hari- Hara- Hiranya garbha- Surya The Trinity in One

• Such portarayal may be seen in Vaital Daul Bhuvanesvar,

• Udayesvar temple of Udaipur

• oscillation of Sun in the Cosmos. He is the Primordial Agnavishnu

• The 108 poses of Nritta karanas performed by Siva Nataraja are portrayed in the upper floor of the Great Temple of Tanjore around the garbha graha which is empty representning Akasa.

• The poses are created by Siva out of his own body-which is Akasa Sariram Brahma

• That brings me to a fascinating Sanskrit poem quoted by Abhinavagupta, the great visionary

Deities are Forces of Nature

• Adi Sankara the Advaita exponent held that

• “ the Vedic deities represent personification of forces of Nature and not individual entities ”

• Radhakrishnan. S. The Vedanta , p.217, London -1928,

Vedic hymn

• Vasordhaaraa• There is a Vedic

hymn in yajurveda mentioning Vasordhara

• The Veda itself asks the question to whom is this hymnVasordhara addressed to?

Vasordhaaraa

Vasor dhaaraam juhoti

Vedavaadino vadanti kasyai devataayai juhvad ?

Agna - Vishnu

Agnir vasur tasya eshaa dhaaraa

Vishnur vasuh tasya eshaa dhaaraa

Agna-Vishnu Arccaa

Rudro vaa Esha yad Agnih

The Veda itself gives the answer.

This offering is addressed to the Devataa Agnaa-Vishnu.

The dual Devata is the combined form of Agni and Vishnu.

Who is this Agni? He is none other than Rudra

• Agni has two inherent inseparable powers

• The consuming or destructive power and

• Benign heat that shines, pervades, and supports life energy

• These two natural phenomenon are called Agna-Vishnu or Rudra-Vishnu

Rudra is Agni• Rudro va esha yad Agnih• Tasya ete Tanuvau• Ghoraa anyaa Sivaa anyaa• Yaa asya Ghoraa tanuh

satarudriyam juhoti tena taam samayati

• Yaa asya Sivaa tanuh vasor dharam juhoti tena taam prinati

Harihara• It is from this Dual deity

Agna-Vishnu the form of Harihara emanates

• In several verses the Harihara form of Siva is praised in Tevaram hymns

• Hari allal Devi illai Ayyan Ayyaaranaarkke

• There is no consort for Siva other than Vishnu, sings Saint Appar.

Ardhanari

• The Saiva saints Appar and Sambandar sing the Ardhanari form of Siva at Thiruvenkadu village in the beginning of their Tevaram hymns.

Venkadu Ardhanari

Pan kaatti patiyaya tan pattarkku

Kan kaatti kannil ninra mani okkum

Pen kaatti pirai cenni vaittan tiru

Venkaattai ataintu uy mata nencame

Appar

Uma Haimavati

• Uma Haimavati is the Devi of the Lord.

• Uma is held identical with Vishnu in some instances as in Ardhanari

• She is also held the sister of Vishnu in other cases

Surya is Heavenly Agni

The Rudra-Surya is Siva the Dancer says Kurma Purana-Nataraja and Govindaraja are inseparable and are the totality-Harihara and Ardhanari.

Satarudriya is addressed to sunThe Sun is called the Celestial Agni. The Vedas explicitely state that Surya, the Sun is Rudra. The most important part of the Veda that is repeatedly used in all the rituals is the Rudram also called Satarudriya. This Vedic passage is nothing but the identification of Sun with Rudra. The various stages of rising Surya are identified with Rudra and Surya himself called Nilagriva Vilohita. Asau yo avasarpati nilagrivo vilohita. The one who rises is Nnilagriva and Vilohita

Namas te Rudra manyave utota ishave namah!Namas te astu Dhanvane bahubhyam uta te namah

Oh! Rudra the terrific ! I salute you and your arrows and salute Thy bow with hands!

Ya ta ishu sivatamaa Sivam babhuva te Dhanustayaa asmaan visvatah paribbhuja

Protect us with thy bow and arrow that are pleasant

Sun’s rays are the sharp arrows

scorching heat Benign lightGhoraa Sivaa

Asau yaha tamraha He is coppery red

ArunahOrange

Uta babhruh and Yellow

Sumangalah And auspicious

Udvayam tamasapari pasyanto jyotiruttamam

They beheld the luminary driving away the darkness

Namah Sivaaya ca Sivataraaya ca salutations to the Auspicious and more auspicious

Kalakala the Great destroyer of time, engulfs and reduces as a sweeping forest fire, the entire world to ashes. It is the Supreme Lord Mahadeva who enters his own body and energizing himself, burns this great world. He enters the orbit of the Sun as Suryamandala and burns down this world in his solar form. This act is the Loka samhara. He throws the sharp rays on all the celestial bodies and throws them out of existanc like a devastating mountain fire.The terrifying rays are his thousand eyes or sights, or thousand hands and feet. Sahasraksha, Sahasra nayana, Sahasra hastas. And Sahasra caranas says the Kurma-purana

The earth is submerged in oceanic waters. The waters are dried up in fire. The fire is swept away by the wind. And the wind is lost in space. In this process all the elements are dried up.

Kurma Purana

This Paramesvara drinks the immortal elixir of bliss, Ananda Yoga Amrita, and dances, glancing at his own power, the Sakti , who stands as the sole witness at the end. That is the revealed poetry – Vedic Sruti.

The Devi having tasted the nectar of dance, Nrtyamrita of her lord, unites with his body in Yoga.

Kurma Purana

This ultimate destruction is caused by Sankara who is none other than Rudra. The Mohini Sakti of Sankara is Narayana, who protects the world. His other Power is Hiranyagarbha who creates this Universe. Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra are Powers, Saktis of the Supreme Sankara. It is the same immutable Supreme power that is called by many names because of its Greatness. Beyond all these powers is Paramatma.

Some people call him Agni. Others call him Narayana, Others call him Indra, And yet others call him Prana. The Ultimate Power is only one. He enters the World and functions in different names. Kurma purana

Sage Mankanaka saw the dance of Siva at Saptsaraswat tirtha. As the Lord danced, a beautiful Goddess appeared witnessing the dance. Siva told the sage She was his own Yogic power, the Yoga Sakti, the inherent Maya, identical with Purushottama Narayana, from whom the world emanated. Siva’s Yogic power is Narayana. The Creator Brahma, the Sustainer Vishnu and the Destroyer Rudra are one and the same, said Siva. He also told the Sage that the Goddess he saw was his Vidya Deha, the body of knowledge. This is identical with Supreme happiness, Parama ananda, otherwise called Chinmatra identical with Akasa. Kurma Purana.

While the earthly Agni is seen here in a limited sphere Surya the heavenly Agni in the Sky

rythmically moving and making all other luminaries like planets, stars, milky way

etc revolve beautifully and rhythmically and also

continuosly.

Surya is likened to dancing god in many poems

Surya is called Brahma, Vishnu, Siva and all other gods.He is called Hari hara

Hiranyagarbha

Esha Brahma ca Vishnusca Sivah Skandhah Prajapatih

-Ramayana

So dance of Siva appears in the sky as Nataraja. Nataraja

appears in the Sikhara of the temples representing Akasa.

Nataraja is also shown as Ardhanari dancing on the

sikhara.

It is the movement of the celestial bodies, with Surya

acting as the central force, that are visualized in Nataraja

form. That is how Nataraja combines himself Science, Art

and Poetry