Nataraja_The Cosmic Dancer and much more

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Lord Shiva performed at Madurai Temple (after being
invited by Rishi Patranjali. It is there that Shiva hold
the Abhay mudra in left hand.
   Lord Nataraja is the world’s best dancer and the icon of the dramatic art as per Hinduisim. He is the first know  Yogi as well as being a cosmic dancer. The entire world is his stage where he performs. Every dancer before taking the stage  Nataraja . His form of dance is the Tandava style  which he performs along with his consort Parvathi, who is the creator of Lasya form of dance.  The mighty Himalayas is his abode.
  Historical Facts :
     The first known stone statue of Lord Nataraja are the stone structures found in the  The oldest know statue of Lord Nataraja is the 10th Century bronze statue of Chola period found in southern India.  This is the most famous pose of Lord Nataraja and even today, this pose is used by the dancers across south east asia.  

The Statue

    It typically shows the lord is dancing position (as per Natya Shaastra) with four hands, three eyes and two legs. The left back hand hold Agni or fire, the right hold the musical instrument called Damru. The front left hand is hold in Pataka hasta depiction blessing  (this had has a snake around it) and the front  right hand holds the dol hasta.  One of the leg is bend  depicting the wildness and energetic movements of the dance.  With the other leg he is stamping on the dwarf figure Apasmara Purusha, who holds a cobra and represents illution and ignorance leading humanity. The face has a calm smile which is taken as the spiritual calmness.  The 3 eyes depict the sun, moon and the inner awakening. It also depicts the Trigunas which is a common Ayur Vedic term and stands for Raajas, Tamas and Sattava. His hair is a pile of matted locks which is knotted at the top of the head . The cresent moon adorns him and River Ganga flows from  his knot.  The entire body of nataraja is withing a circle, semi cirle or oval shape halo which is oranated with fire depicting the cosmic energy and time (the eternal circle of birth and death).  Shiva wears jewellery like necklace, earings, armlets and anklets.
The religious believe :

  As mentioned earlier he is believed to be the cosmic dancers and even today every dancer from India prays to Lord Nataraja before staring the performance. He is suppose to be the inventor of Tandava. 





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