Let me share a captivating mythological tale about the Nataraja statue, a renowned Indian sculpture. Once upon a time, Uma, wife of Lord Shiva, expressed her desire to attend a ceremony held in her father's palace. However, her father, King Daksha, had previously opposed her relationship with Lord Shiva. To win her father's approval, Uma devoted herself to austere practices in an isolated Himalayan location, hoping that if Lord Shiva blessed her, her father would accept their relationship. After ten thousand years, Lord Shiva blessed her wish to be with him, and they got married without her father's consent. Despite the past conflicts, Lord Shiva forbade Uma from attending the ceremony, but she defied him and went anyway. Watching his daughter in that ceremony, King Daksha was astonished and started some slang language with a screaming voice against Lord Shiva, dejected for his daughter's wrong way. Daughter Uma tried to protest it but failed repeatedly, and finally, she decided to dedicate her body to the fire. She did it because, in India, listening to negative words against the husband is considered a sin for wives. Therefore, she got suicide by dedicating herself to the fire.
I want to share a practice followed by the Hindu community, which involves respecting Lord Shiva before indulging in spiritual rituals; it is said that this was one of the reasons why Lord Shiva forbade his wife from performing any such rituals. Living in the abode of Kailasa, Lord Shiva could watch over everything with his third eye. Upon witnessing such a matter that made him angered, he appeared on the scene with a fierce attitude, demolishing everything in his path. He then picked up his beloved wife's lifeless body and intensely danced around the universe. It's known as cosmic dance. This dancing figure is now known as the Nataraja.
I found The above-stated story in the Shiv Purana and elsewhere and considered it most authentic. I visited the place where King Daksha convened the spiritual summit. However, instead of this story, there is another one in the scripture of South India named Koilpuranam.
There was a time when the God of dance appeared before ten thousand sages in disguise to test their devotion to God. However, the sages failed to recognize him and attempted to defend themselves using their spiritual powers. They created dangerous living entities that attacked the deity, but he angrily destroyed them.
The God of dance then began to dance, and heavenly beings showered him with flowers in holy praise. Witnessing this strange event, the sages realized their mistake and apologized to the deity, which they now knew was Lord Shiva. Yes, Lord Shiva is the deity of Dance.
In Indian culture, the Nataraja dance pose holds tremendous significance among artists. It is often depicted as Lord Shiva in motion. The art form follows the third aphorism named 'Vhava.' It is believed to represent the intensity of the summer season in Asian climates.
The statue also features a fire circle, symbolizing destruction, which Lord Shiva is known to embody. However, his destructive power aims to combat sin and not harm humans. While it is unclear who created this magnificent sculpture, it is believed that their divine blessings allowed them to craft such a beautiful masterpiece.
As far as I know, the original ancient sculpture of Nataraja is presently located at the Kailasa temple of Ellora Cave. The statue of Nataraja in the Chidambaram temple is probably the second one, which was made later. The above image is from Kailasa Temple.
In the artist's imagination, here in the Kailasa temple, Nataraja is a ten-handed Shiva. His figure looks softer, but from each part of his body, the strength and stamina are denoted expressively. There is a large chignon on his head. He is bearing Trishul, Parasu, fire, drinking pot, Damaru (a kind of musical instrument), etc., in several of his hands. The mood of the sculpture is very grave. The motion of his dance forecasts the upcoming storm that will demolish everything.
To understand the definition of Nataraja, it's essential to know that "Nat" or "Nata" means acting, and "Raja" means King. Our time on this earth is temporary, as we are here to complete the tasks given to us before returning to our true home. During our time here, we take on various roles, such as father, mother, sister, son, officer, minister, musician, etc. Our purpose is to fulfill our desires in a mortal form, and once our time is up, we return to our immortal state. It's believed that we are sent to this world by the almighty God, and we are all children of the divine. Like God, we never indeed die or are born; we only take on different forms to complete our tasks. Lord Shiva is known as Nataraja because he is the King (better to say REASON) of this ongoing play or acting (Nata) directed by him. According to the Upanishads, a Vedic philosophical text, humans are referred to as the offspring of nectar. This is the reason why it was proclaimed in such a way. Even so, humans tend to view everything as their possessions and insist that they have legal rights or earned them. However, ultimately, we must all leave this world empty-handed, unable to take anything with us, not even our mortal bodies that we once claimed as our own. Such a philosophical sense could bring peace worldwide if we pursue the ideology.
Sculptors have slightly modified this statue while maintaining its essential design, creating a more adorable creation. Typically, lotus seats are placed at the bottom of such figures, where the deity puts their feet. However, the differences in other elements, such as snakes, tangled hair, the moon, and a fire circle at the back, vary based on the
perspectives of sculptors from different regions. The body posture remains the same across all sculptures.
The artistry of the Chidambaram statue stands out twelve feet high, with intricate detailing that mesmerizes all who behold it. This masterpiece has inspired artists throughout the ages. One remarkable aspect of this statue is that upon close observation, it appears to be in a state of perpetual motion, slowly shifting as if consumed by intense rage. Its destructive energy purges all decay and weariness, ushering in a fresh era of holiness. Moreover, the figure's fiery weapon vanishes evil and dispels any sense of foreboding. The figure is the form of death; however, with the artist's intuition, the deadly form has been converted into an absolute beauty, making this sculpture unique in all aspects.
Image Resource - Nataraj, Badami Cave.
Comments