The Beautiful
Harmony of the Cosmic Dance
The Nrtyamuurtis (or dancing images)
of Shiva were prevalent in all parts of India and markedly so in Southern
India. Ellora and Chidambaram are superb examples. In the middle
of the seventh century, the Chidambaram temple was celebrated by Tirujnaanasambandha,
the Saiva saint. Nataraja was the family deity of the Cholas who had covered
the sabhaa with gold and made it the kanaka sabhaa (golden hall); the deity
is called Kanakasabhaapati. The sabhaa at Madurai was covered with silver
and called the rajatasabhaa. The roof ot the Chidambaram kanakasabhaa was
regilt in the days of the king Paraantaka Chola I (908-948 A.D.) From this
temple, Sekkizhaar wrote and published the Periyapuraanam describing
the lives of the sixty-three Shaiva saints. Manickavaachaka spent the evening
of his life in this temple. Gopinatha Rao describes many of the 108 dance
poses of Shiva (Elements of Hindu Iconography, 1914, Motilal Banarsidass,
Delhi, Vol. II, pp. 253 ff. and Plates LXI-LXX). The 108 dance postures
carved on either side of a gopuram in the Chidambaram temple correspond
largely with the 108 dance-modes described by Bharata in his Naatyasaastra
(Tr. by Manomohan Ghosh in English, Asiatic Society, Calcutta, 1952).
Bharata
Naatyam These 108 sculptures which also contain the descriptions engraved
in Sanskrit as found the Naatyasaastra are reproduced in the Madras Epigraphis's
Annual Report for 1913-14. The Saivaagamas state that Shiva danced in a
hundred and eight modes, but describe only nine modes. According
the Amsumadbhedaagama, Nataraja should have the front left hand held in
the dandahasta or the gajahasta pose across the body, and the back left
hand should carry agni either in a vessel or upon the palm itself. The
front right hand should be held in the abhaya pose. The back right hand
should keep a damaru... 
"In
all Shiva temples of importance, a separate place is allotted to Nataraaja,
which is known as the Natana Sabhaa or simply as Sabhaa. The most important
of these Sabhaas is that at Chidambaram." (Rao, p. 229). The naadaanta
dance mode of Shiva shows him with his right leg firmly planted on the
back of the wriggling MuuyaLaka (Apsmaarapurusha, the evil personified),
his left leg raised high up in a slant, his front left hand in the dola-
or gaja-hasta pose pointing to the raised foot, the front right hand in
the abhaya pose, the back right and left hands carrying a kettle-drum and
a ball of fire respectively; the whole composition is placed on a well-decorated
pedestal where the ends of the circular or elliptical prabhaa (tiruvaasi
in Tamil) meet. The Tamil text called Unmai-viLakkam explains the
symbolism underlyng this cosmic dance of the great god in this manner:
"Creation arises from the drum; protection proceeds from the hand of hope
(the abhaya pose in the front right one): from fire proceeds destruction:
the foot held aloft gives mukti" (A.K.Coomaraswamy has quoted this passage
in his Dance of Shiva, p. 87 where he explains the sublime ideology
underlying this noble art creation; cf. Siddhaanta-Dipikaa, Vol.
XIII, July 1912). Thus, all the five-fold activities of the Lord (pancakrtyas)
are embraced, the tiruvaasi round him symbolisng the act of obscuration
(tirobhaava). The French Nobel-Prize winner, Romain Rolland describes it
as an example of supreme synthesis: "All is harmonised. All the forces
of life are grouped like a forest, whose thousand waving arms are led by
Nataraaja, the master of dance. Everything has its place, every being has
its function, and all take part in the divine concert, their different
voices, and their very dissonances creating, in the phrase of Heraclitus,
a most beautiful harmony." 
Siddhaanta-Dipikaa, Vol. XIII, July
1912: The Dance of Shiva:
"The Lord of Thillai's Court a mystic dance
performs: what's that, my dear?" (Tiruvaachagam, XII, 14).
A great master-of-dancing (Nataraja) is
Shiva! The cosmos is His theatre, there are many different steps in His
repertory, He himself is actor and audience--
When the Actor beneath the drum,
Everybody cometh to see the show:
When the Actor collecteth the stage
properties,
He abideth alone in His happiness.
How many various dances of Shiva are known to
His worshippers I cannot say. No doubt the root idea behind all of these
dances is more or less one and the same, the manifestation of primal rhythmic
energy: Shiva is the Erod Protogonos of Lucian, when he wrote: "It would
seem that dancing came into being at the beginning of all things, and was
brought to light together with Eros, that ancient one, for we see this
primeval dancing clearly set forth in the choral dance of the constellations,
and in the planets and fixed stars, their interweaving and interchange
and orderly harmony."
I do not mean to say that the most profound
interpretation of Shiva's dance was present in the minds of those who first
danced in frantic, and perhaps intoxicated energy, in honour of the pre-Aryan
hill-god, afterwards merged in Shiva. A great motif in religion or art,
any great symbol, becomes all things to all men; age after age it yields
to men such treasure as they find in their own hearts. Whatever the origin
of Shiva's dance, it became in time the noblest image of activity of God
which any art or religion can boast of... Representations of taandava dance
are common amongst ancient sculptures such as at Ellora, Elephanta and
at Bhuvaneshvara. This taandava dance is in origin that of a pre-aryan
divinity, half-god, half-demon, who holds his midnight revels in the burning
ground... The naadaanta dance of Nataraja before the assembly (sabhaa)
in the golden hall of Chidambaram or Thillai, the centre of the Universe,
first revealed to gods and rishis after the submission of the latter in
the forest of Taaraka, as related in the Koyil-puraanam... The essential
significance of naadaanta dance is as follows: "Our Lord is the Dancer,
who, like the heat latent in firewood, diffuses His power in mind and matter,
and makes them dance in their turn." (Kadavul Maamunivar's Tiruvvaataavuuraar
Puraanam Puttaraivaatil-venra-carukkam, stanza 75, translated by Nallaswami
Pillai, Shivajnaanabodham, p. 74). The dance represents His five activities
(pancakritya), viz., srishti (overlooking, creation, evolution), sthiti
(preservation, suport), samhaara (destruction, evolution), tirobhava (veiling,
embodiment, illusion, and also giving rest), anugraha (release, salvation,
grace). These are the activities of the deities: Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra,
Maheshvara and Sadaashiva. Bronze cast image found at Tiruvelangaadu
(Now in Madras Museum)
The prabhaamandala, the jaTas, the upper
cloth tied round the chest and the damaru are broken and lost in this image.
The head is ornamented with peacock feathers, the dhurdhura flowers, a
skull, a cobra and the crescent moon.
Kottappaadi
bronze (now kept in Puja at the temple of the village).
There are five jaTas on each side of the
Shiva image of Kottappaadi and between each pair of them are worked out
flowers and the figure of Gangaa. The Devi stands nearby on a separate
pedestal in the tribhanga posture and has her left hand let down and the
right arm bent and held in the kaTaka pose.
Tirucchengaattangudi
Nataraja of Tirucchengaattangudi has four
arms, three eyes and a jaTaamakuTa on the head. One of the right hands
is held in the abhaya pose and the other carries a damaru. One of the left
arms is held in the gajahasta pose and other hand carries fire in it. The
left foot rests upon a piiTha, somewhat bent. The great toe of the right
foot rests also on the piiTha.
This cosmic activity is the central motif
of the dance... Chidambara Mummani Kovai says: "O my Lord, Thy hand
holding the sacred drum has made and ordered the heavens and earth and
other worlds and innumerable souls. Thy lifted hand protects the Chetana
and Achetana Prapanca which Thou hast created. All these worlds are changed
by Thy hadn bearing fire. Thy sacred foot, planted on the ground, gives
abode to the tired soul, struggling in the toils of karma. It is Thy lifted
foot that grants eternal bliss to those that approach Thee. These Five-Actions
are indeed Thy handiwork."... This is His dance. Its deepest significance
is felt when it is realised that it takes place within the heart and the
self: the kingdom of God is within. Everywhere is God: that Everywhere
is the heart... Shiva is the destroyer and loves the burning ground. But
what does He destoy? Not merely the heavens and earth at the end of a kalpa,
but the fetters that bind each separate soul. Where and what is the burning
ground? It is not the place where our earthly bodies are cremated, but
the heart of the bhakta, the devotee, laid waste and desolate. He brings
not peace but a sword. The place where their selves are destroyed signifies
the place or state where their egoity or illusion and deeds are burnt away:
that is the crematorium, the burning-ground where Sri Nataraja dances,
and whence He is named Sudalaiyaadi, Dance of the burning-ground... Another
verse of Unmai Vilakkam explains the fiery arch (tiruvaasi): The
pancaakshara (Shi-vaa-ya-na-ma) and the Dance are identified with the mystic
syllable, AUM, the arch being the kombu or hook of the ideograph of the
written symbol: "The arch over the Sri Nataraja is Omkaara; and the akshara
which is never separate from the Omkaara is the contained splendour. Thi
is the Dance of the Lord of Chidambaram."...This Nataraja is not only Truth,
but Love: for the purpose of His Dance is Grace, the giving of freedom
to countless individual souls. Lastly, also, how supremely great in power
and grace this dancing image must appear to all those who as artists have
striven in plastic forms to give expression to their intuition of Life!
... (A.K.C.)
Gangaikondacholapuram
The dancing image from Gangaikondacholapuram
is a stone sculpture. Four figures are carved on the pedestal, among whom
an emaciated goddess (Caamundii) and Ganapati can be recognised; a miniature
figure of the eight-armed dancing goddess can be seen in the right side
of the god balanced by another figure of a male deity in the left; there
are faint traces of flying and other figurines on the upper part of the
prabhaa. The sculpture depicts the ecstasy of the divine dancer.
Ellora
This is Ellora stone carving in the kaTisama
pose or vaishnavasthaanam (cf. Bharata's Natyasaastra). Parvati is seen
standing to the left of Shiva with the baby Skanda in her arms. Over the
deity's head are the four dikpaalas: Yama, Indra, Nirruti and Agni. The
head of Ganesha is peering through from the background. The deity is in
sublime concentration while engaged in the rhythmic movement of dance;
watchful figures cluster round him awe-struck. This heightens the whole
effect of the composition of the 8th century.
Ellora, Shiva in Lalita
mode of dance
Nataraja in a vigorous dance, has his left
arm in the gajahasta pose and the right is in pravartita pose. Shiva is
dancing vigorously. The trunk of his body is thrown on one side and to
the back, with the left side of the pelvis lifted and the right side depressed.
His left leg is standing on the ground and the right resting on the toe
is stamping the ground with the heel. One of the right hands carries the
damaru, another the parasu, a third is broken and the fourth is held in
the gajahasta pose; while one arm is kept in the tripataaka pose, another
in the ordinary pataaka or streamer pose (in which it is kept stretched
horizontally, away from the shoulder), the thir appears to be held in the
tarjanii pose and the last in the suuchii pose. Ears are ornamented with
kundalas. A snake is employed as kaTisuutra. On either side are groups
of four dikpaalas. To the left of Shiva is Parvati holding in her right
hand the hand of her boy Skanta, while with her left hand she holds a portion
of her garment. Near her to her left is standing a gaNa. To the right of
Shiva is Nandi sounding the drum, another playing on the flute and a third
doing something which is not clear. On the seat on which Shiva dances,
there is the famished figure o KaaLi seated in an easy pose and witnessing
the dance of her lord.
LalaaTa-tilaka
dance of Shiva, Kailasanathasvami temple, Kanchipuram
Kailasanathasvami
Temple, Kanchipuram
In the LalaaTa-tilaka mode of dance, one
of the legs of Shiva is lefted up as if it is going to mark the forehead
with its toe with a tilaka mark. This is also called the vriscika pose
since the leg resembles the tail of a scorpion. In this Kanchipuram statue,
Shiva has eight arms carrying various objects such as the suula, the valaya
and the dhvaja. One of his right hands is in the abhaya pose. The right
leg is lifted up and touches the op of the crown. To the immediate left
is Nandi, also dancing, but in the Lalitha mode. Immediately to the right
is a kinnara, half man and half bird playing on a string instrument. On
the right and left niches are the figures of Brahma and Vishnu praising
Shiva.
Taaraamangalam, Kailaasanaathasvami
temple
Shiva has sixteen arms. To the right of
Shiva is Brahma sounding cymbals and to the left is Vishnu sounding the
drum.
Badami
The Badami sculpture in Cave No. 1 depicts
the deity with sixteen arms. The pose is atibhanga, Catura. Each hand holds
a different weapon or object and depicts a different pose. The facial expression
is serene and in deep concentration. Three attendants are on the lower
part of the relief. The upper part is broken. The bull, Nandi is standing
calmly on the left, the right side is occupied by standing Ganesha and
a seated figure playing on two drums. The arms of this 6th century composition
seem to replace the numerous attendants in the Ellora composition.
Tiruvarangulam,
catura mode, bronze
Back
and Front Views, Nallur, bronze
Like the Baadaami sculpture, this bronzes
at Tiruvarangulam and Nallur (Tanjore District) also represents the catura
mode of dancing.
Kailsanatha temple,
Kanchipuram, talasamsphoTita mode
Chengunnuur
(Travancore), talasamsphoTita mode
In the talasamsphoTita mode, shown in the
stone sculptures of Kanchipuram and Chengunnur, the dancer stamps vehemently
the ground in front of him with one of feet lifted fairly high. The hand
pose is pataaka hasta. From the jaTaamakuTa of Shiva issues one jaTaa on
the left side on which is seated Gangaa with hands folded in anjali pose.
Her head is shaded with the hood of a five-headed cobra. Parvati is seated
to the left of Shiva.
Kailasanathasvamin
temple, Kanchipuram
In this mode, Shiva has eight arms. His
hands are in gajasta, pataaka and catura poses. Three niches have Parvati,
Nandi couchant and an elephant. On the right are musical attendants and
an elephant. In a central niche are three gaNas imitating the dance of
the Lord.
Hampi
The Hampi sculpture (now in the National
Museum, Delhi) is delicate, graceful and exquisitely ornamented with many
accessory figures on the lower part of the composition. This is the centre-piece
of a big rectangular relief having on its either side the ornate figures
of Brahma and Vishnu. The deity is ten-armed, dancing on the prostrate
figure of the Apasmaarapurusha with a six-armed deity playing on musical
instruments on the extreme left. Parvati and her attendants are watching
the dance from the extreme right. On the right and left are the miniature
figures of Ganesha and the emaciated goddess. The torana is ornate; a canopy
in the middle hangs from the grinning kiirttimukha over the head of the
central deity. The ends of the torana emanate from the open-mouthed makaras
on either side. Delicately carved miniature shrines embellish the part
above the makaras; the shrines are for seated deities. Dancing kiicakas
sing and play on musical instruments inside ornamental scrol beneath the
whole composition.
Sankarabandha
Sankarabandha (Munsiganj, Dacca) Shiva is
a stone sculpture of the 11th-12th century similar to the one found at
Govindapur in the district of 24 Paraganas, West Bengal (now in the Dacca
Museum). The ten-armed deity dances on the back of the bull, Nandi who
looks at his lord with his head turned upwards (devaviikshanatatparah).
The bull has one each of his front and hind legs raised as if he himself
is engaged in dancing; Parvati and Ganga are two consorts of Shiva and
stand gracefully on their mounts, lion and makara respectively, on the
right and left. Devas, Naagas and Ganas are miniature figures and appear
on the prabhaavalii and the piithikaa as onlookers of the celestial dance.
This seems to evoke the description of Nataraja given in Chapter 259 of
the Matsyapurana.
Links
Shiva:Nataraja
(Dancing Lord)