The Nataraja reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Apr-2004 (provided by Fixed Reference: snapshots of Wikipedia from wikipedia.org)

Nataraja

Nataraja (literally - The King of Dancers) is the dancing posture of Lord Shiva, the God of Destruction of Hinduism.

• The upper right hand contains the Dhamarukha or the drum, which signifies sound or creation.
• The upper left hand contains agni or the fire, which signifies total destruction.

(The balance in hands tell the counterpoise of creation and destruction)

• The second right hand shows abhaya (or fear not)
• The second left points towards the raised left foot which signifies prayer for salvation. The hand also looks like the trunk of Ganesha, the obstacle remover.
• The dwarf on which Nataraja dances signifies ignorance in man.
• The surrounding flames represent the manifest universe of illusion.
• Within this form is all of time and space, the primal creative force that is beyond the circle of illusion that mortals live within, movement & the vibration of the universe, and the stillness that is beyond all existence.
• The entire form of Nataraja can be seen to mirror the Hindu sacred syllable Aum, thus imputing that Lord Shiva's dance of Destruction and Creation is contained within the existential principle of the Divine Sound.

See also

• [1] An excellent review of Nataraja symbolism.
• [1]
• Ananda Kentish Coomaraswamy

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