Nataraja: Interpretations and Modern Day Application

Shiva, the major deity of the Tridev in the Hindu religion which is considered to have been manifested in many forms over the centuries, is mainly associated with the destruction or end of the cycle of the universe. A major manifestation of the deity is considered to be of Nataraja that is the Lord of Dance, who performs the Tandava, which is considered to be the fiercest dance.

As per Hindu mythology, the Rudra tandava was performed by lord Shiva while holding the burnt body of her deceased wife, Sati, as a mark of his grief and anger. The first instances of the stone sculptures of Nataraja appeared during the 5th and 6th centuries CE, however, it was after the 10th century CE, that the popular bronze free-standing sculptural representation became common. (Cartwright, 2015).

According to scholar Padma Kaimal, the reliefs carved out at Sadaiyar temple in Tiruchchemanpundi, the Natunia Ishwara temple, Punjai and the Gomuktishvara temple at Tiruvaduturai, suggested the basic components of the Nataraja. However, certain elements like Ganga flowing from the hair and the dwarf at the feet of Shiva were not present in these reliefs. Though, the earliest representations of modern day Nataraja can be traced from the cultic growth and his worship in the town of Chidambaram. (Kaimla, 1999)

Chidambaram between the Pennar and Kaveri rivers, emerged as a key religious site during the Chola period, as the Chola kings believed the place to be the home of Shiva and where he performed the Anand tandava that is the ‘dance of bliss.’ With respect to this religious story which entails the entire act of dance, the Tillai forest of Chidambaram is where Shiva comes as a bhikshatana to humiliate the sages who condemn proper worship. The sages in return for humiliation send demonic creatures to attack Shiva, but he not only defeats them but also performs his dance of bliss. Therefore, Padma Kaimal also links this to the dance of warriors of the Cholas and the Cholas may have found a connection with Shiva due to military affinity based on his combat in the Tillai forest. (“The Origins of Shiva Nataraja”, 2021).

With time, the sculpture of Nataraja came to be associated with not only the manifestation of the lord of dance but also in paradoxical terms where there were contradictions to the original idea of the destructive nature of Shiva, in cases where Nataraja represented the creation, movement, and destruction of human life and the cycle of birth and rebirth as explained by Hindu religious texts, representation of creation, movement and destruction of entire universe and most importantly, the representation of modern day Quantum physics and particle physics by means of sculpture of Nataraja. Therefore, to understand these interpretations it is necessary to evaluate the arguments given by various scholars on how they perceived the sculpture of Nataraja.

Ananda K. Coomaraswamy

A metaphysician, growing historian, and pioneer of Indian art, Coomaraswamy was one of the earliest modern historians to link Indian culture with western ideas. While drawing this link between the 2 cultures he tried documenting the traditional arts and crafts of Ceylon around 1902, according to metallurgical scientist Sharada Srinivasan, in terms of social history and conditions. (Devika, 2018)

The icon of Nataraja has the basic characteristics features of-

• 4 hands- 2 on each side
• upper left-hand holds a flame
• the lower left hand points down to the demon Muyalaka, (who holds a cobra)
• upper right-hand holds a drum
• the lower one is in the Abhaymudra
• The right foot is crushing the demon
• The other foot is raised in the air
• The hair is braided and jeweled
• The folds of his hair have a wreathing cobra, a skull, and the figure of Ganga.
• The figure stands on a pedestal of lotus
• The figure is fringed by a circle of flames while is touched by the hands holding the drum and the fire

As he analyzed the icon of Natraja, he explained the 5 actions or the “Pancakritya” that were depicted in the Ananda Tandava and their significance for the common man and creation. He dances within a circle of fire, trampling on the demon Muyalaka with his right foot, the left one raised, and drum in his right hand fire in his left. (Verma, 2018)

• Shrishti – This shows the creation.
• Stithi- The encompassed the ideas of the preservation of the creation.
• Samhara- This was the destruction which was depicted.
• Tirobhava- This was illusion.
• Anugraha- This was the final stage which was of salvation. (Devika, 2018) (Pullanoor, 2019)

This idea mainly deals with human life and human salvation, thus having a more humanistic approach than an empirical one. Coomaraswamy explains three major significance of the icon which are-

• The arch represents the rhythmic play which is the source of the movement of the entire cosmos
• The dance is performed to release the souls of the humans from their long-lasting illusions
• The place of the Dance, Chidambaram, and the Centre of the Universe, is within the Heart. (Verma, 2018)

The analyses of these three significances show how Coomaraswamy was able to bring forth the idea of the universality of life, death, and afterlife among all people and cultures i.e. of East and West. Therefore, it was his sympathy for the rishi artist who not only conceived this reality of the complexity of life but even depicted it through the medium of the Nataraja. Another, key feature to note is that the Anand Tandava is not performed by Shiva out of his will alone, but is a combination of the material artifact through which the people act upon him and perform the Ananda Tandava. Thus, these artifacts mediate reciprocity and mutual influencing between the gods and man. (Pope, 2012)

Therefore, the ideas of Ananda K. Coomaraswamy are more inclined to explain the mutual and interdependent relationship between God and humans which is universal among all cultures of East and West. Commaraswamy writes, “No doubt the root idea behind all of these dances is more or less one and the same, the manifestation of primal rhythmic energy. Whatever the origins of Shiva’s dance, it became in time the clearest image of the activity of God which any art or religion can boast of.”

However, many critics are of the view that it was a time when the Indian pride was a reaction to the foreign writings or foreign conduct, and so anything Indian was divinely sublime and it was not just about accepting it but even appreciating the beauty and other factors. (Verma, 2018)

Aldous Huxley

“The whole thing is there, you see. The world of space and time, and matter and energy, the world of creation and destruction, the world of psychology…We (the West) don’t have anything remotely approaching such a comprehensive symbol, which is both cosmic and psychological, and spiritual.” (Huxley, 1961).

Aldous Huxley was highly involved in the understanding and representation of the Natraja due to his involvement in the Perennialist movement, a philosophical tradition partly based on the work of one Ananda Kentish Coomaraswamy. (Venkatraman, 2018).

Coomaraswamy was able to bring about the understanding of how the dance of Shiva was mainly the symbolism of movement and activity and it was this interpretation that showed all the movement in the world.

Based on this understanding Huxley further investigated the ideas depicted by the icon of Nataraja and gave a clearer understanding of the concept which was deeply interlined to particle physics. The European Organization for Nuclear Research, known as CERN, in Geneva, stands a beautiful Nataraja, a gift from the Indian government in 2004.

The plaque beneath it states that ‘the “dance” of subatomic particles that physicists observe has parallels in Indian philosophy, where the creation, movement, and dissolution of everything in the universe is considered the dance of Shiva.’ (Venkatraman, 2018).

Aldous Huxley explains how Shiva dances with his four arms raised inside a halo or a circle of fire which is described as the circle of time and space and by this dance he manifests the world and this manifestation is termed as his ‘Leela’. He has the long hair of a yogi which is contemplative to the ends of the universe while he has the maximum knowledge. (Huxley, 1961)

He holds a drum in his upper right arm which creates the universe i.e. Shrishti and this can be compared to the Big Bang of the cosmic creation. In his left hand is the fire which shows destruction and how fire atrophies matter to a formless state, only for regeneration. However, the fire also symbolizes change/transformation and not only destruction and coincides with the Buddhist precept of “There’s no being, only becoming.” (Pullanoor, 2019) His lower right hand is held up showing that one should not be afraid in spite of everything as it will all be alright which can be related to ‘Stithi’ (Pullanoor, 2019) meaning change is normal and nothing is to be feared about in the cosmic overhaul. The other hand is pointing to his left foot while the right foot is placed over a dwarf which symbolizes ego, thus showing the need to repress ego. The pointing hand can be related to ‘Tribhava’ (Pullanoor, 2019) which shows the ego depicting how it is an illusion and how the illusion of ego can be overcome. The other leg which is raised against the gravitation pull, shows spiritual inclination and contemplation which related to space, time, energy, creation and destruction. This is related to ‘Anugraha’ (Pullanoor, 2019) or liberation showing how by destroying the illusion of ego, one can attain liberation and contemplation. In terms of psychology, it can be understood that until one gets over his ego it is of no benefit to practice contemplation as it will not lead to liberation. (Huxley, 1961)

Along with this Huxley points out how Shiva dances when he is both sad and happy trying to draw attention to how one has to accept the changes of life whether it is misery, death, or happiness, and only by this acceptance can one be truly liberated. The idea also corresponds with modern day physics as it incorporates the elements of mass, energy, time, space and how infinite energy is moving (dancing). (Huxley, 1961).

Therefore, Aldous Huxley describes the icon of Nataraja as highly comprehensive as it shows a multidimensional approach to physics, psychology, spirituality, and the cosmic nature of the universe.

Modern Day Implications

• Psychological

Anand Venkatraman, a neurologist, based on his study of the icon of Nataraja and the arguments proposed by Ananda K. Coomaraswamy and Aldous Huxley, has talked about how the dwarf, Apasmara which was suppressed by Nataraja is a prototype of modern-day epilepsy. Usually translated as ‘ignorance’ in the English of the icon, the literal meaning can be seen in the Sanskrit roots “apa”, meaning negation, and “smara”, meaning memory or recollection (as in Smarana and Smriti). Therefore, for Venkatraman, the term better translates as ‘loss of recollection’. (Venkatraman, 2018)

Epilepsy that is ‘fits’ or ‘seizures’ is known by the Sanskrit term Apasmara. It was one of the 8 mahagada or dreadful diseases of the Ayurveda. Epilepsy in many religions is described to have divine attributes like the Aztecs thought epilepsy was caused by and also cured by Goddess Tlazolteotl (embodiment of Goddess Kali). (Venkatraman, 2018)

Venkatraman emphasizes why epilepsy is shown in the icon and he concludes that it is because of the link between epilepsy and memory. The temporal lobe epilepsy occurs in the temporal lobe which is also the seat of the memory and thus, the immense mutability of the structure of the hippocampus is what predisposes its neurons to fire abnormally and become seeds for seizures. (Venkatraman, 2018)

Therefore, Ventakraman finds his inspiration in the Kashmiri Shaivism, and its concept of Pratyabhijna meaning recognition, showing how one can temporarily forget what he has known. The forgetting of knowledge or memories is a feature of epilepsy. As per the philosophy of Kashmiri Shaivism, the inner self was the nature of Shiva and divinity was the consciousness that existed in each person and was identical to the universe. Thus, Ventakraman believes that most people are living their daily lives without the awakening of liberation and caught up in the illusions of the universe. (Venkatraman, 2018)

• Physics

Physicist Fritjof Capra, “The Tao of Physics”- The parallel between Shiva’s dance and the dance of subatomic particles was first discussed by Fritjof Capra in an article titled “The Dance of Shiva: The Hindu View of Matter in the Light of Modern Physics,” published in Main Currents in Modern Thought in 1972. (“Shiva’s Cosmic Dance at CERN”, 2004) As per Fritjof Capra, the Nataraja symbolizes the basis of all existence and how the world is not fundamental in nature but rather is ever-changing and illusionary. Modern physics shows how the rhythm of creation and destruction not only manifests in living creatures but also inorganic creatures.

“According to quantum field theory, the dance of creation and destruction is the basis of the very existence of matter. Modern physics has thus revealed that every subatomic particle not only performs an energy dance, but also is an energy dance; a pulsating process of creation and destruction. For the modern physicists then, Shiva’s dance is the dance of subatomic matter, the basis of all existence and of all natural phenomena. The metaphor of the cosmic dance thus unifies ancient mythology, religious art and modern physics.” (“Maha Shivratri: Here’s why world’s largest particle physics lab CERN has Shiva’s ‘Nataraj’ statue”, 2020)

Therefore, modern physics has displayed how the subatomic particles perform a dance of their own and this dance is a pulsating process of creation and destruction.

Before Albert Einstein propounded his theory of relativity in the early 20th century, it was assumed that matter could ultimately be broken down into indivisible indestructible parts. But when high-energy experiments, they didn’t scatter into smaller bits. Instead, they merely re-arranged themselves to form new particles using kinetic energy or the energy of motion: subatomic dynamism. (Pullanoor, 2019)

Therefore as per the formulae, E = mc2 where E means energy, M is mass and C is the speed of light, it can be concluded how the interaction between the subatomic particles of mass and speed produces energy. Thus, till the last particles collide and have interactions, the energy will be produced which will result in the remaking of the earth.

With reference to Nataraja, it can be understood in terms that till the cosmic dance is done and the cycle of life goes on, the universe will keep on making and remaking.

Astronomer Carl Sagan was another one fascinated by these synchronicities, writing in his book Cosmos, that he liked to imagine the Nataraja was “a kind of premonition of modern astronomical ideas.” This idea of the eternal universal dancer has so deeply caught on among physicists and cosmologists that in 1993, an abstract sculpture called Cosmic Dancer, was launched to the Russian Mir space station. (Pullanoor, 2019). Aidan Randle who was a post-doctoral student at CERN wrote how the statue of Natraja reminded all the people of the non-static nature of the universe and how the universe constantly keeps on making and remaking things.

He also writes, “Shiva reminds me that we still don’t know the answer to one of the biggest questions presented by the universe and that every time we collide the beams we must take the cosmic balance sheet into account.” (“Maha Shivratri: Here’s why world’s largest particle physics lab CERN has Shiva’s ‘Nataraj’ statue”, 2020).

• Symbol of Paradox

Gomathi Narayanan in her article “Shiva Nataraja as Symbol of Paradox”, discusses how the God of destruction was depicted as all-encompassing and has the power of benign and destruction.(Narayanan, 1986).

The basic idea of the article is to show how Shiva who is called “Mahesh” in the Trinity of Gods and is associated with destruction and the end of the universe and its activities, actually performs the roles of all the three Gods of the Trinity in his manifestation as Nataraja.

As he performs the Tandava, the universe comes into being by the beats of the drum and then he not only preserves the universe but also enlightens about how an individual needs to rise above his ego and crush the illusions of the world so as to be liberated and be free from the endless cycle of the universe which is the circle of flames. (Narayanan, 1986).

Therefore, Nataraja is a symbol of paradox to the original position that was attributed to lord Shiva as the lord of destruction as well as a symbol for humans to learn about how liberation is based on self-introspection and getting above the illusions of the world.

Conclusion

Based on the analysis of the ideas and theories put forth by various scholars, I believe it would be correct to say that the manifestation of Lord Shiva as Nataraja is not only a symbol of artistic and religious growth or pride but even a symbol of the link between various cultures, and the interdisciplinary nature the icon shares with various fields like psychology and physics.

In some ways, the Nataraja resembles the Symbol for the Alchemical Gold representation which is the Circle with a Dot. It’s the ‘Big Bang’ of Creation – Creation (duality) being brought forth out of Unity to Guide us back Home to the Infinite Light of Self. It shows how individuals themselves create the happiness and struggles of their life and it is they who can get out of that circle. The icon not only symbolizes humanism or self-introspection but even aspects of modern-day physics which dominate the theories of the creation of the universe as well as psychological understanding of people and epilepsy with significant reference to memory.

Kanishka Pant is a history enthusiast with a masters degree in the subject. Born and brought up in Dehradun, she has completed her college form Punjab University, Chandigarh.

She has worked as a freelance content writer for more than 4 years and as a teacher for about 1 year. Having a knack for social and cultural history, she is always keen to explore the new dimensions and platitudes of social and cultural ideas.