SHIVA THE FOUNDER OF DANCE
The Dancing Shiva
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Nataraj,
the dancing form of Lord Shiva, is a symbolic synthesis of the most important aspects of Hinduism, and the summary of the central tenets of this Vedic religion. The term 'Nataraj' means 'King of Dancers' (Sanskrit nata = dance; raja = king). In the words of Ananda K. Kumaraswamy, Nataraj is the "clearest image of the activity of God which any art or religion can boast of…A more fluid and energetic representation of a moving figure than the dancing figure of Shiva can scarcely be found anywhere," (The Dance of Shiva)
The Indian clasical Dance has a story of its own about its evolution. Lord Indra was worried about the people who were drifting away from teh right path. He consulted Lord Brahma to overcome his worries. Lord Brahma said that the four Vedas- Rigveda,Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda- were created for the sake of man's wisdom. Lord Indra was not at all satisfied and insisted upon having a fifth Veda,which was pleasing to the eye and ear as wee as constructive and entertaining. Lord Brahma made out a fifth veda- the Natyasatra- out of the four vedas in which he used speech from the Rigveda, music from the Samaveda, expression from the Yajurveda and Rasa potrayal from teh Atharvaveda. He taught Natyasastra to Sage Bharata.
The Natyasastra is the science of music, dance and drama. The presiding deity of Dance is Nataraja- Shiva. The main classical dance forms are Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Manipuri,Kathakali and Kathak. Through facial expressions nine emotional moods or Natya -Rasa can be depicted. They are Raudra( Anger), Bhayanaka(fearful), Shringara(erotic mood), Veera(valour), Hasya(humour), Karuna(pathos), Adbhuta(wonder), Beebhatsa(disgust) and Shanta(peace)
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Nataraj,
the dancing form of Lord Shiva, is a symbolic synthesis of the most important aspects of Hinduism, and the summary of the central tenets of this Vedic religion. The term 'Nataraj' means 'King of Dancers' (Sanskrit nata = dance; raja = king). In the words of Ananda K. Kumaraswamy, Nataraj is the "clearest image of the activity of God which any art or religion can boast of…A more fluid and energetic representation of a moving figure than the dancing figure of Shiva can scarcely be found anywhere," (The Dance of Shiva)
The Indian clasical Dance has a story of its own about its evolution. Lord Indra was worried about the people who were drifting away from teh right path. He consulted Lord Brahma to overcome his worries. Lord Brahma said that the four Vedas- Rigveda,Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda- were created for the sake of man's wisdom. Lord Indra was not at all satisfied and insisted upon having a fifth Veda,which was pleasing to the eye and ear as wee as constructive and entertaining. Lord Brahma made out a fifth veda- the Natyasatra- out of the four vedas in which he used speech from the Rigveda, music from the Samaveda, expression from the Yajurveda and Rasa potrayal from teh Atharvaveda. He taught Natyasastra to Sage Bharata.
The Natyasastra is the science of music, dance and drama. The presiding deity of Dance is Nataraja- Shiva. The main classical dance forms are Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Manipuri,Kathakali and Kathak. Through facial expressions nine emotional moods or Natya -Rasa can be depicted. They are Raudra( Anger), Bhayanaka(fearful), Shringara(erotic mood), Veera(valour), Hasya(humour), Karuna(pathos), Adbhuta(wonder), Beebhatsa(disgust) and Shanta(peace)
shlokam:
A face with four shoulders, three eyes, to the left destructive fire (in the hand), moon and leaves on the head, hand stretching downwards, the raised foot pointing down, to the right swastika earring, Damarukam (drum), ga.nga (in the head), and protection posture, salutations to that God of ceaseless dance whose matted hair is flowing, standing on the unconscious body (hyapasmAra dEham)
Lord Shiva dances during the creation, protection and destruction of the worlds, though the kind of His dance varies with respect to the action. (san^dhyA tAnDava, Urdhva tANDava, rudra tANDava, samhAra tANDava etc.). The dance of the Lord takes place in every minute particle, for all of us to exist and act. That is the source of all the energy. His movement is shakti. Yogis hear and see the dance of the Lord by invoking the kuNDalinI shakti.
There were two ardent sages vyAgrapAda and patanjali who were worshipping God to see Its blissful dance that energizes the worlds. vyAgrapAda out of his devotion asked for the eyes and legs of the tiger, so that he could go very early in the dawn, even before the bees wake up, to pluck the flowers very fresh - not even touched by the bees to offer to God ! That is why he was called vyAgrapAda. The other sage was the serpent AdiseSha on which mahA viShNu reside, desired to see the glorious Dance of God. They were performing austerity at the holy place called thillai .
At the same time bhadrakAli (1), the fierce form of goddess asked for a competition with God in dance. God and mahAkAli came to the thillai, where the sages were performing austerity to see His dance and there began the competition between kAli and Lord shiva. The Lord, Who keeps dancing creating, protecting, destroying, hiding and blessing, won the play by acting the Urdva tANDava, raising His Feet to His Head. The gracious dance of the God filled the hearts of the sages and those who ardently seek Him
Lord Shiva danced in the five ambalams during various occasions. Out of them chithambaram is very much renowned. Lord danced here to fulfill the worship of patanjali and vyAghra pAda mahaRishis.
Lord Shiva dances during the creation, protection and destruction of the worlds, though the kind of His dance varies with respect to the action. (san^dhyA tAnDava, Urdhva tANDava, rudra tANDava, samhAra tANDava etc.). The dance of the Lord takes place in every minute particle, for all of us to exist and act. That is the source of all the energy. His movement is shakti. Yogis hear and see the dance of the Lord by invoking the kuNDalinI shakti.
There were two ardent sages vyAgrapAda and patanjali who were worshipping God to see Its blissful dance that energizes the worlds. vyAgrapAda out of his devotion asked for the eyes and legs of the tiger, so that he could go very early in the dawn, even before the bees wake up, to pluck the flowers very fresh - not even touched by the bees to offer to God ! That is why he was called vyAgrapAda. The other sage was the serpent AdiseSha on which mahA viShNu reside, desired to see the glorious Dance of God. They were performing austerity at the holy place called thillai .
At the same time bhadrakAli (1), the fierce form of goddess asked for a competition with God in dance. God and mahAkAli came to the thillai, where the sages were performing austerity to see His dance and there began the competition between kAli and Lord shiva. The Lord, Who keeps dancing creating, protecting, destroying, hiding and blessing, won the play by acting the Urdva tANDava, raising His Feet to His Head. The gracious dance of the God filled the hearts of the sages and those who ardently seek Him
Lord Shiva danced in the five ambalams during various occasions. Out of them chithambaram is very much renowned. Lord danced here to fulfill the worship of patanjali and vyAghra pAda mahaRishis.
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