Nataraja

Nataraja: The Cosmic Dancer

Nataraja (Lord of the Dance) is a depiction of the Hindu god Shiva as the cosmic ecstatic dancer. His dance, the Ananda Tandava (dance of bliss), symbolizes the cosmic cycles of creation and destruction, as well as the daily rhythm of birth and death.

The Play of Shiva

The dance is a literal manifestation of Lila (divine play).

Shiva Sutras

नर्तक आत्मा॥ रङ्गोऽन्तरात्मा॥ प्रेक्षकाणीन्द्रियाणि॥

nartaka ātmā || raṅgo’ntarātmā || prekṣakāṇīndriyāṇi ||

“The Soul is the dancer. The inner self is the stage. The senses are the spectators.”

Symbolic Elements

• Damaru (Drum): The sound of creation.
• Agni (Fire): The power of destruction.
• Abhaya Mudra: The gesture of fearlessness.
• Apasmara (Dwarf): Representing ignorance being trampled.

Related: Play