Other dances

The many-armed god Shiva in Buddhism and his female hypostasis. The powerful god Shiva is a sensual ascetic. The symbol of Shiva in Hinduism


Vasily Shukshin

Dancing shiva

There was a fight in the tea room.

It was like this: carpenters, seven people, received an advance (chopped selmag) and after work went to the tea house, as they say, to sit. They took seven bottles of port wine (there was no vodka in the tea room), seven cutlets, moved two tables, sat down and began to skip and eat cutlets little by little. We passed three glasses each, they started talking about the fact that they still want to cheat them, with this counter. The fact is that when they rallied in price, they overlooked the counter: should carpenters do it or is it already carpentry? Selpovskys, the customers, were missed, and the carpenters were silent then (the foreman in their case in this dock). Now it turned out that the Selpovs wanted the carpenters to make a counter as well, it turns out that they had in mind that this goes without saying and so on and so forth. But this clause is not marked in the contract, and the carpenters stood on their own legs: the counter is not our business! That is, they can, of course, do it, but for this - a separate fee.

Does this mean that the invention of tools, such as the Large Hadron Collider, takes place as part of the plan? Do heavenly beings who came to Earth in the distant past give early humans an understanding of the origin of existence? Chandrasekhar, Ambassador and Dr. Anil Kakodkar, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission and Secretary of the Atomic Energy Department of India. In the Hindu religion, this form of dancing Lord Siva is known as Nataraja and symbolizes Shakti or life force. As the plaque next to the statue recalls, the belief is that Lord Shiva danced the universe in existence, motivates it and ultimately extinguishes it.

“I'll show them a guide,” the brigadier, a dry man, all black from the sun, said with obvious danger. - I will poke their nose where it is written in black and white: which carpentry works, and which carpentry. They are not boom-boom in this.

Everyone agreed with the foreman. Moreover, everyone was indignant, while others, like Kolka Zabaluev, were even offended and sad, sighing bitterly. They forgot one cheerful conversation when they, seven, sitting right there in the tea room, interpreted ...

The mighty god Shiva - sensual ascetic

Karl Sagan drew a metaphor between the space dance "Nataraj" and the modern study of the "space dance" of subatomic particles. The original sculpture was a wax model around which a soil mold was made. Melting the wax left a cavity into which liquid metal was poured. After cooling, the mold was divided, and the statue was polished and received an antique coating.

Some holy names of lord Shiva

The statue is on permanent display in the square between buildings 39 and 40, not far from the Main Building. A plaque next to the statue, with a quote by Fridzhof Kapra, explains its significance: Hundreds of years ago, Indian artists created visual images of Shivas dancing in a beautiful series of bronzes.

But this is later. Now they said:

- And if, then, this: would they have itched to make some kind of figured counter now?

- Yes, any counter! This is a special job ...

- What a cunning people went to! Something they make us and knit frames!

- Our business now: to lay the floor, to mow, hang the doors - and that’s it, period.

- One more thing, one at a time?

Sri Tryambakeshwar near Nashik

The physicist Fridzhof Kapra further explained in The Tao of Physics: The dance of Shiva symbolizes the foundation of all existence. At the same time, Shiva reminds us that the diverse forms in the world are not fundamental, but illusory and constantly changing. Modern physics has shown that the rhythm of creation and destruction is manifested not only in the turns of the seasons, in the birth and death of all living things, but also in the very essence of inorganic matter.

According to quantum field theory, the dance of creation and destruction is the foundation of the very existence of matter. Thus, modern physics has shown that each subatomic particle not only performs an energy dance, but also represents an energy dance, pulsating the process of creation and destruction. For modern physicists, the dance of Shiva is a dance of subatomic matter, the basis of all existence and all natural phenomena.

- Let's.

Chipped, they took another seven bottles.

- I will say so ... you listen here! Listen!

- Well? Well? Well?

- Yes, not "well" - listen! I chopped a bath Daria Kuzovnikova ...

- What does Daria have to do with it? That is a private person, and that is an organization: compared ...

- I for example! Listen here! ..

- Long ...

- Guys, stop barking! Shouted the barmaid. - And then I’ll expose all of them! .. They dismissed their tongues.

But in the evening, when we have more time to consider deeper issues, Shiva literally casts a long shadow on our work, a bit like the shadows in the cave of Plato. The statue captures Shiva, performing the Tandava, a dance that is considered the source of the cycle of creation, preservation and destruction. Dance exists in five forms that show the cosmic cycle from creation to destruction.

A quote from Fridzhof Kapra explains its significance. Hundreds of years ago, Indian artists created visual images of Shiva's dance in a beautiful series of bronzes. Nowadays, physicists have used the most advanced technologies to depict examples of Space Dance. He explains that "the dance of Shiva symbolizes the foundation of all existence." Even quantum field theory explains that the dance of creation and destruction is the foundation of the very existence of matter. Each subatomic particle not only performs an energy dance, but also represents an energy dance, which is a pulsating process of creation and destruction. Thus, the dance of Lord Siva is a dance of subatomic matter, the basis of all existence. Lord Siva, who is also known as Nataraj, symbolizes vitality. . Hinduism is characterized by sensual gods.

- You listen here!

- Wildebeest! If it weren’t for the woman here, I would have said ...

In general, the conversation took on a lively character: Selpovsky fell for it — for impudence and treachery.

Then Arkasha Kebin came to the teahouse, nicknamed Dancing Shiva.

It has long been called so, at school yet. He also took a “portage” for himself, a cutlet (he had a fight with his wife and did not supper at home in protest), sat down at a table next to the carpenters, listened to their conversation ... And he said aloud:

The most famous of God in Hinduism is Shiva. Shiva is the master of dance: Shiva Nataraja. Here is the most famous of its 108 dance positions. Shiva with four arms and two legs - dancing on a demon of ignorance. Shiva creates and creates with his ecstatic dance.

At the same time, as in other mythologies, the god of dance is also the god of death. Moreover, the dance itself is one of the Indian metaphors for the secret of life: creation through destruction - life through death. Shiva holds his drum in his right hand and shoots in his upper left hand. The left hand points to his left foot. There is fire around dancing Shiva. He dances to ease the suffering of people and animals.

The carpenters were silent. We looked at Arkashka.

“Trepachi,” said Arkashka. He is also Shiva, because he sticks his nose everywhere. - Crooks.

Carpenters at first did not understand that this applies to them. Unbelievable! Even with Arkashkin’s tongue, and that - in seven tipsy drinkers so to speak ... What is he, foolish, or what?

“It's me, you,” said Arkashka. - Poor ones - they deceived them. Fool you! He has not yet been born who will deceive you. Fuckers.

His drum represents the tone of creation. Fire symbolizes the flame of destruction. The demon on which Shiva is dancing means ignorance, which makes us lose our balance and consciousness. The dance of Shiva leads people to consciousness and bliss. The demon of ignorance is defeated.

They say: Shiva dances in every human heart. His dance is like a heartbeat - Chidamarabam. Here is the place of life - the shell between the new blow, which replaces the old one. Also here - birth and life - a creature that at the same time destroys. Sri Siva is the Lord of dance. If you want to understand complex ideas from a different culture, art is a great tool for this. During the Chola Dynasty, a bronze sculpture was created by an artist in southern India who shows the god Shiva in a dance position, one of the most important works of art in Asia.

One hefty carpenter, Vanka Selezneva, even opened his mouth.

- You are perplexed why you called prokhendeyami? I explain: a month and a half ago, you seven khmyrov sat right there and were glad you had abused the Selpovskys with an agreement: they had not inserted a paragraph on the counter there. Now you sit and shed crocodile tears - like you were deceived. No, you deceived it!

In his aspect, as Lord of the Dance, Lord Siva is called Sri Nataraja. The statue is an optical summary of several of the most important ideas of the Indian tradition. In the Hindu world, the highest divine principle is called Brahman. Brahman is the eternal, unforgettable Absolute. Since Brahman is a state of pure transcendence, it cannot be understood by thought. Everything that is in the Universe is Brahman - and at the same time everything that does not exist. He has no character traits and cannot be explained in words.

Brahman, one who is without a second, without form, and not yet formless, is difficult to understand. This means that everything that can be given a name or description cannot be Brahman. Brahman, not this, not that. Representations of the Deity are like pointers. They show the pious path to the mystery of Brahman; but they are not Brahman. However, in our daily lives, we usually do not realize that we are all Brahman and the whole world in which we live. Again and again we play certain roles, until finally, one day, our real nature, self, is unity with Brahman, and we let go of what we thought was stupid for our ego.

- Yes? The brigadier asked. And this “yes” was - confusion, not a threat in any way. Helplessness.

“Yes, yes,” Arkashka squeezed a piece of the patty with a barrel of fork, picked it up, dipped it in the sauce and put it in his mouth — everything was very neat, cultured, even the little finger was protruded. Then (as artists who depict gentlemen and arrogant officials in movies) like to do it - without chewing, he continued to say: - I heard this with my own ears, so do not show me childish surprise on the face, but have the courage to listen to the bitter truth. For example, I don’t care, but where is the truth, comrades ?! - Arkashka reveled, enjoyed himself, as if in the July heat, plunged down his throat into cool water and throttled, and slightly moved his toes. Great power is true: knowing it, you can be calm. Arkashka was calm. He judged the crooks. - It's a shame, comrades. And, most importantly, they themselves are indignant! Have you seen such crooks? Well, okay, we’ve decided to deceive Selpov’s, but why sit here and breed nurses that they want to deceive you? - Arkashka was sincerely interested, wanted to understand. - After all, you were laughing at the same place ... - but here Arkashka saw that Vanka Seleznev was not showing childish surprise on her face at all, but was taking up the bottle. Arkashka jumped up from his seat, because he knew this lip-sleeper well - it would break. - Vanka! .. Put the bottle in place, put it, Vanyusha. I’ll take you to a pontoon! Tell him to put a bottle!

This awareness of oneness with Brahman is the highest goal of the Hindus and is called these moksa. Sri Shiva in the form of Nataraj embodies this supreme goal. Let us now turn to Sri Nataraja and try to understand the various aspects of this famous performance. Sri Shiva is represented by this work of art as the king of dance and the master of the world stage. Dance is a symbol of a dynamic universe, a symbol of movement. He is an important figure in Indian culture and, like the cosmic dance of life, is the interaction between education, preservation, destruction, isolation and liberation.

The carpenters were speechless.

“Why are you worried, Shiva?” Roly, put the bottle down - come to us, Arkashka.

“True, why are you sitting there alone?” Come to us.

- Let him put a bottle.

- He set. Deliver, Ivan. Go, Arkasha.

Arkashka, grabbing his unfinished bottle, moved to the carpenters and only wanted to nudge himself half a cup and already protruded his little finger, as Vanka stretched out his powerful robust paw across the table and caught Arkashka by the breasts.

Sri Shiva dances in the midst of a circle of flame through which Samsara, the endless cycle of life, death and death regeneration is shown. Life arises as a result of heat and ends with a fire of destruction in order to appear again and again. It is a symbol of creation, pulsating in the rhythm of the universe and accompanies the dance of Sri Siva as music. The sound of the drum also represents sound as the first element of the unfolding universe. Sound is a means of language and vehicles for revealing the truth.

In the form of the hourglass of this musical instrument, the female and male elements in the creation are indicated. Imagine two triangles that penetrate each other, forming a hexagon together. The gesture of the lower right hand means “Do not be afraid!” The mudra of the lower left hand means “there is a way out!” And it promises liberation or liberation from the world of forms and rebirths. Looking at the legs of Natarajas, a person realizes that they are at different levels. The elevated left leg symbolizes an unconscious state and leads the viewer from the world of forms into the formless reality of spiritual liberation.

- Ah, Shiva! .. Take a show off, right? Wait, you’ll dance with me. Dance!

Arkashka fought a little with his hand, but the hand ... this is not a hand, a birch branch with fingers.

“Drop it ...” said Arkashka with difficulty.

- Dance!

- Let go, bad! ..

- Will you dance?

Then the carpenters began to tell the local brigade leader how great Arkashka was dancing. Legs that make! .. Hands! And then - he stands, but his head is dancing ...

He promises Moksha-Nirvana. The right foot is on the ground and afflicts demons, which is ignorance of spiritual liberation. This is the ignorance that Sri Nataraja overcomes. Only through destruction has an ever-lasting new beginning become possible. Moreover, all the impurity of the soul is removed by fire. The position of the two upper shoulders also indicates a balance between formation and destruction. From the hair of Shiva comes the Ganges River. This means that Sri Siva controls the nature of the left side - Tamo Guna.

Once the goddess Ganga retired to the mountains of the Himalayas. The water has dried and the earth has dried on the plains. Only as a result of the adventurous buzz of the sage, the Ganges restored the prayers of the people and, finally, returned to the dried earth. However, Sri Shiva was afraid that the current would put out his whole life on the plains, allowing the stream of Himalayan mountains to flow through his hair, losing its wildness and flowing gently along the plains of the Gangestal. Shiva’s face expresses complete serenity and freedom from unfolding his own energy and time flow, and through matted hair, the viewer is reminded that Sri Shiva is an ascetic.

- The head?

- The head! Itself is motionless, and the head walks with a shaker.

And Vanka kept Arkashka by the breasts, pleased that he had thought up his comrades with the dance.

- Will you dance?

The monstrous fingers tightened.

“I will ... Let go!”

Vanka let go.

- Such a bastard. Rejoiced - healthy? - Arkashka rubbed his neck. - I dismissed the rake ... Ask for it as a human - I’ll dance, I must definitely stare my filthy hands!

He wears a snake like a gem, symbolizing control over the forces of nature. The serpent can also be interpreted as a cycle of life and death or as a symbol of overcoming its selfish character as a prerequisite for receiving moksha. The third eye on Sri Siva's forehead indicates the ability to see all this. A crown, like a crown, shows the death of Sri Siva, and the crescent in his matted hair means higher consciousness and enlightenment. Sri Siva has two different earrings, which show that He embodies the male and female aspects of existence.

An earring is a combination between a fish and a crocodile and is worn by men. Another earring worn by women is a simple spiral. The image rests on a lotus, the Indian symbol of the creative power of the universe. Shiva's dance in the middle of the circle of fire: Shiva Nataraja.

- Do not be offended, Arkashka. Dance for a man - he never saw. Vanka will be gone.

- Dance, be a friend!

Arkasha swelled a glass of their bottles.

Adinath is considered the original Guru in the Yoga Nath tradition, who taught 250,000 teachings of Laya Yoga.

Name Lord Shiva, sung in any way, right or wrong, consciously or unconsciously, carefully or carelessly, will surely give the desired result. Greatness of name Lord Shiva   impossible to comprehend by mental reasoning. The name of Shiva can definitely be tested or comprehended through devotion, faith and constant chanting of the Name and singing hymns. Shiva   with bhava. Each of the names Shiva   contains in itself the enormous potential of various shakti. The power of the Name is unspeakable; His glory is indescribable. The efficacy of the name of the Lord Shiva   and the inherent shakti is simply unimaginable.

The dance of Shiva is the most famous of all the dances in Hinduism. If not the world at all. The sculpture shows - in detail - the famous Shiva Nataraja. The dance is symbolic, like most dances of Indian culture. In this dance, every gesture, facial expression, every detail is important. It is not easy for a European to think about this extreme symbolism. But the Indians are happy when their European guests understand a little symbolism of their gods.

The meaning of the individual gestures of this famous dance figure is briefly explained below, because, as with most characters, their meaning is not obvious at first glance. You see Shiva with four arms and two legs - dancing on Apsamar, the demon of ignorance.

The constant chanting of Shiva-stotras and the Names of the Lord Shiva   cleanses the mind. Repeating hymns Shiva   strengthens good samskaras. "What a person thinks is what he becomes."


In the mind of a person who strengthens himself in good, exalted thinking, a tendency to good thoughts appears. Good thoughts melt and transform his character. When, while singing hymns to the Lord, the mind is focused on the image Shivamental substance really takes the form of the image of the Lord. The impression of the object of man’s thoughts remains in his mind. This is called samskara. When an action is repeated very often, the repetition strengthens the samskaras and this contributes to the emergence of a habit. One who is strengthened by thoughts in the Divine, through his thinking, turns into the Divine himself. His bhava (aspiration) is purified and sanctified. Singing hymns Lord shiva   in tune with the Lord. The personal mind dissolves in the cosmic consciousness. Singing hymns becomes one with Lord Siva.

Name of the Lord Shiva possesses the power to burn sins, Samskaras and Vasanas and to give eternal bliss and endless peace to those who chant the Name of the Lord.

Take refuge in the Name   Shiva. Sing Him hymns. We (Named) and Nama (Name) are inseparable. Sing the hymns in honor of the Lord Shiva.   With each inhale and exhale, remember the Name of the Lord. In our cruel age, nama-smarana (singing hymns) is the easiest, fastest, safest, and surest way to reach the Lord and gain immortality and unbroken joy.

Glory to Lord Siva!
Glory to His Name! Ravana appeased Shiva by singing hymns. Puspadadanta pleased Lord Siva with his famous “Siva-mahimna-stotra” (which all the devotees of Siva all over India now sing) and attained full Aishwarya (siddhi of wealth and dominance) and mukti.

The glory of Stiva Shiva is indescribable.

May the blessings of Lord Siva come upon you all!

According to legends, he lived about 5-7 thousand years ago and was recognized by all authorities of his time as the greatest mahasiddh (attaining full perfection) and the avatar (divine embodiment) His wife was also a great practitioner and together with Shiva   fully realized her divine nature. Having reached the highest level of spiritual evolution possible in human body, Shiva transformed his physical body into a state of immortal golden light (in Taoism, such an achievement is called a diamond body, and in Tibetan Buddhism, it is called a rainbow body).

In such an immortal body, Shiva appeared to many prominent masters of tantra and yoga. initiating them into various secret practices. Subsequently, Shiva and Parvati began to be identified with the corresponding deities, and some details of their biography became legends about the gods. Shiva and Parvati.

Many Tantric texts take the form of a dialogue between Shiva and Parvati.
A word has several meanings:

This is the eternal ocean of the Highest Divine Consciousness, the one God.
Shiva   they call one of the three main gods (the other two are Vishnu and Brahman).
  symbolizes one of the three aspects of Divine perfection - the aspect of Divine power (while Vishnu symbolizes Divine love, and Brahman symbolizes Divine wisdom).
Shiva   called Strength. destroying the Universe at the end of its existence (in this case, Brahman is the Force creating the Universe, and Vishnu is the Force supporting its existence).
  - This is the cosmic male principle.
  - This is the highest consciousness of man.
Shiva   call that force that destroys vices in the process of spiritual perfection.
- This is a historical person, one of the founders of tantra and yoga as a system.
The word is used to name the highest level of a person’s spiritual evolution, as well as the one who has reached this stage.
There are other meanings of the word Shiva.

Here are some meanings of the word Shakti. Shakti is called the great universal infinite Divine energy, which is the creative and executive power of the ocean of Divine Consciousness (Shiva); while Shakti is in continuous merger with Shiva, representing with him two inseparable aspects of one Reality.

Shakti   is the Divine Mother. Shakti is the manifested world. Shakti is called Mother Nature.
Shakti   called the goddess the wife of god Shiva.
Shakti   - This is the internal energy of man.
Shakti   - This is the cosmic female principle. Shakti is the feminine principle of man, his feminine half.
Shakti   - This is a woman - a partner of a Tantric yoga practitioner.
  , Durga, Chamunda, Devi, Bhavani, Chandi, Tara, Meenakshi, Lalita, Kamakshi, Rajarajesvari- are various forms of shakti; each of these forms represents a particular aspect of shakti.

Shiva Purana   contain many descriptions of how, from time immemorial, sits, immersed in meditation, on Tibetan mountain. He is worshiped by all yogis as God, and by all gods as the Supreme God. The history of the Siddha tradition dates back millions of years and begins with the story of how in a huge cave in Amarnat (Kashmir Himalayas) Shiva dedicated his wife Shakti Parvati Devi to Kriya Kundalini Pranayama (the art of achieving control over breathing).
Later on the Tibetan mountain Kailash, the yogi Shiva gave initiation to others, including the siddhas Agastyaru, Nandi Devara and. Subsequently, Agastiar gave the initiation to Babaji ...

South Indian tradition highlights eighteen siddhaswho have perfected their spiritual, intellectual, mental, vital and physical bodies. In different sources there are different names of these eighteen siddhas, but, apparently, these are variations of those names that are listed below in the table. Next to each person’s name are indicated the place where he reached the Soruba Samadhi (state of perfection), the names of his gurus, disciples, and the contribution that he made to spiritual science.
In addition to these siddhas, commonly known as “pattinetta” (eighteen), there are a number of others mentioned in various sources. These are Konkeyar, Punnakesar, Pulastiyar, Punaykannar, Puli-pani, Kalangi, Alukkani, Agapayer, Therayyar, Romarishi and Avvay.

After merging with God, or the ultimate reality, on the spiritual plane, which is like dissolving a salt doll in the waters of the ocean, Tamil Yoga Siddhis went through a gradual transformation of their intellectual, mental, vital and, finally, physical bodies.

Having achieved such an integral realization, they carried out the divine transformation of their entire human nature. Although what they have achieved is incomprehensible to the ordinary human mind, studying their biographies and texts gives us invaluable awareness of the inner potential of man.

All these 18 siddhas and Babaji have gained thanks to the grace of God (which the siddhis called Shiva, Murugan, Vishnu or Shakti) and the use of special kriyas (techniques) to prepare their lower bodies for the descent of the divine. These techniques are collectively known as Kriya Yoga Siddhanta, that is, the practical techniques of yoga that contribute to the perfect realization of Truth, or God.

SHIVA   (Skt. Siva \u003d “good, kind, supportive”), one of the three gods - the destroyer god - in Trimurti; in addition, Sh. is traditionally revered by the creator of Yoga and the patron of the schools of Yoga and all, one way or another, yoga practitioners.

The patron of all yogis is considered to be the god Shiva - the oldest deity on Earth, revered by the previous civilizations that existed on Earth. Shiva is the first Cosmic Teacher, he once lived on Earth and was a Teacher. It was Shiva, according to legend, who gave people yoga. Everyone who practices yoga is required to honor Siva as the first Yoga Teacher. ”


“The third party of Trimurti is the Destroyer
The world, the prototype of which can be considered Rudra, and even more ancient - his image as the lord of the animals of Pashupati on a sign from Mohejo-Daro (III millennium BC). Shiva gained importance only in the Hindu pantheon of the Puranic era. Although Shiva does not have an avatar, but he received a lot of the most diverse types and aspects.

Shiva Images

  portrayed by a deity, bringing both good and distress. In the early Shaivist temples, he is represented only by his symbol - the lingam (phallus), on which his high-relief image is sometimes found.


The only deity (except   and sometimes Ganesha), which usually has three eyes (the third eye in the forehead). His hair is collected in a conical hairstyle (jata-mukuta).

If depicted in a dance pose, then he can have more than four hands and he is with a weapon, under one of the legs there is a spread out figure of the dwarf-demon Apasmar-Purush, or Miyalak.

Shiva murti can be represented in a standing, sitting and dancing poses, and in the aspect of a yogi - in a frightening and many more diverse forms than other deities ..

A very interesting and important group of images is the sculptures of the dancing Shiva - Nritya-Murthy, which includes the most significant form of this image - Shiva Nataraju (“Lord of the Dance”). The cult of Nataraja is especially developed, and its images are especially common in southern India. If there is no flaming halo around the figurine, then this is Shiva Natesha.


ANANDA-TANDAWA - Shiva performs the dance of ecstasy, trampling the dwarf demon Miyalaku with one foot. In another version of the TANDAWA dance, Nataraja has ten arms and he is armed; the deity rests on the right foot, and the left is raised. The dance of NADANTA differs from the dance pose of ananda-tandava only in that Nataraja stands on his left foot and the right one is raised. In the fourth version of the dance, Shiva's left leg stands on the defeated demon, and the right leg is thrown up so high that it almost touches the dancer's head. In the next three variations, Shiva is depicted in the same way as in the dance of ecstasy, only the number of hands and sometimes the eyes changes. In the ninth variation of the dance, Shiva has four arms and ordinary emblems.<т. е. атрибуты>but the demon under his feet is missing.

There are six other types of special dances, of which CHATURA is most interesting when Shiva stands with the right foot on the top of the seated demon. These difficult-to-representational poses in the statuettes are conveyed with great grace and dynamism, combined with a wonderful balance of the figure. ”

There is a beautiful legend about the dispute of the three gods of the pantheon - Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, who is the main one. In the midst of a quarrel, a flaming linga-phallus of the god Shiva suddenly arises. To determine its size, Vishnu is a wild boar bites into the ground, and Brahma geese takes off to the clouds. Returning sloppy, they unanimously acknowledge that the most powerful god is Shiva.

“Shiva as Nataraja (King of Dance). This bronze sculpture (circa 1000 CE) is one of several sculptural images of the Hindu god Shiva, made during the Indian Chola dynasty (from the 10th to the 13th centuries).

Another traditional image Shiva:
Shiva has an elongated male earring in his right ear, and a round female one in his left ear. Shiva's right leg rests against the dwarf demon, the material creation of illusion (Maya). Surrounded by a ring of matter, Shiva rests on his key link and dominates this fiery ring, brings him into a circular motion. Necessarily coming into contact with matter, but not going beyond its limits, he thereby clearly demonstrates to us the inextricable unity of spirit and matter.

In his upper right hand, Shiva holds a double-sided drum Damaru, a symbol of the awakening of the universe. In his left hand he holds the symbol of purification and renewal of the world - the flame of Agni. Shiva's second right hand is bent at the elbow and with his palm facing forward in a gesture of approval. Shiva's second left arm is drawn obliquely across the chest, parallel to the raised and in approval, which means power and strength, with his palm indicates a defeated demon.

On both sides of the head there are 30 strands of snake hair flying in the dance, symbolizing the energy emitted by the deity.

The two eyes of Shiva Nataraja are the Sun and the Moon, and the third most important eye in the forehead is Fire. Shiva’s loin is surrounded by a cobra, and the cobra is also wrapped around its neck. ”