Shiva as Lord of the Dance

Jainarayan · Mar 10, 2019

I’ve read about it, it’s amazing. I’m in awe of the talent of the sculptors who make the designs for the molds and who sculpt stone.

About the stone, it’s not until a black granite murti is covered with sandalwood paste or turmeric water that you can see the details.

Jainarayan · Mar 10, 2019

I have this in my files...

krupa samudhram sumukhan trinethram
jada dharmam parvathy vama bhagam
sadā shivam rudram anantam roopam
chidambaresam hrudhi bhavayami

I salute with all my heart The Lord of Chidambara, who is the ocean of mercy, who is always pleasant, who has three eyes, who wears tuft of hair, who is always peaceful, who is full of anger, and who is an endless shape.

Edit for correction: it was pointed out to me that the transliteration was incorrect. The original ”rudram anatha roopam” translates as “fierce orphan form”

instead of “fierce infinite (anantam in acc. case) form”. Thanks go to eagle-eyed @ameyAtmA for catching it.

Aupmanyav · Mar 11, 2019

Lord Shiva has called you people.

As for stone sculptures, this one was crafted 800 years ago. Amazing polish.
Archaeology Updates (India)

Vinayaka · Mar 11, 2019

Jainarayan said:
I’ve read about it, it’s amazing. I’m in awe of the talent of the sculptors who make the designs for the molds and who sculpt stone.

About the stone, it’s not until a black granite murti is covered with sandalwood paste or turmeric water that you can see the details.

Very true for the ones in the sanctums. You also can't see their thickness front to back. A few years back, we had th e12 year kumbabhishekam here, and Ganesha was brought out of the sanctum for renovations, and you could see all the detail. I remember being surprised at detail on the sides, and the back. Most also have 'holes', like the trunk being separate from chest/ belly.

Vinidra · Mar 12, 2019

SalixIncendium said:
The one I bought is a 6" brass one as well. This is an actual picture I just took...

View attachment 27453

There was a gold one as well, same one, but I was partial to the patina on this one.

I've always found Shiva as Nataraja fascinating. Congrats on your new purchase.

SalixIncendium · Apr 9, 2019

My latest addition to my shrine, purchased today...

Actually, I moved my original to my bedroom, so this one is more of a replacement to the other where it is.

Vinayaka · Apr 9, 2019

SalixIncendium said:
My latest addition to my shrine, purchased today...

View attachment 28132

Actually, I moved my original to my bedroom, so this one is more of a replacement to the other where it is.

Is the Aum above it cut out of wood?

SalixIncendium · Apr 9, 2019

Vinayaka said:
Is the Aum above it cut out of wood?

Yes.

SalixIncendium · Apr 9, 2019

The seller also shipped me this small version about 2" in diameter as a free gift.

Viraja · Apr 9, 2019

I feel like this on seeing Nataraja statue:

The subdue of ego is what Sri Nataraja's right foot placed on 'Muyalagan' signifies... then automatically, the left leg of ascension in spirituality goes up.

When pride is also conquered (left hand facing down), then one can find Shiva (right hand blesses). (May be this line is not accurate).

Firemorphic · Apr 9, 2019

I do love the deity of Shiva a lot myself. The dance of eternity quite literally, wherein Shiva's dance is the constant destruction and rebirth of the universe. In a sense, wherein the universe is never in a single state, but under constant change, which is what Brahman is encapsulating.

I had the Nataraja as my computer wallpaper for a while

Shiva is always cool, throughout all his depictions in the various Hindu traditions. They have Nataraja at Cern too (probably symbolically referring to the Atman on some level).

SalixIncendium · Apr 9, 2019

Firemorphic said:
They have Nataraja at Cern too (probably symbolically referring to the Atman on some level).

In 2004, a 2m statue of the dancing Shiva was unveiled at CERN, the European Center for Research in Particle Physics in Geneva. The statue, symbolizing Shiva's cosmic dance of creation and destruction, was given to CERN by the Indian government to celebrate the research center's long association with India.[50] A special plaque next to the Shiva statue explains the significance of the metaphor of Shiva's cosmic dance with quotations from Fritjof Capra:

Hundreds of years ago, Indian artists created visual images of dancing Shivas in a beautiful series of bronzes. In our time, physicists have used the most advanced technology to portray the patterns of the cosmic dance. The metaphor of the cosmic dance thus unifies ancient mythology, religious art and modern physics.[51]

Nataraja - Wikipedia

It also has a plaque with Sanskrit with a English translation:

"O omnipresent, the embodiment of all virtues, the creator of this cosmic universe, the king of dancers, who dances the Ananda Tandava (dance of bliss) in the twilight, I salute thee."

Vinayaka · Apr 9, 2019

Here's a video for you.

Aupmanyav · Apr 9, 2019

He is the same, unchangeble, whatever we do with his murti/murthy (idol).

"मूर्त adj. mUrta settled into any fixed shape"
Salix, beautiful Nataraja and beautiful 'Omkara'. Vinayaka, thanks for the video.

Jainarayan · Apr 10, 2019

SalixIncendium said:
The seller also shipped me this small version about 2" in diameter as a free gift.

View attachment 28135

Pendant!

Fine sturdy wire (maybe copper picture hanging wire) looped through the top would allow a chain or lanyard to pass through it to wear around the neck.

SalixIncendium · Apr 10, 2019

Jainarayan said:
Pendant! Fine sturdy wire (maybe copper picture hanging wire) looped through the top would allow a chain or lanyard to pass through it to wear around the neck.

I'm not much for wearing jewelry. I have a sterling silver Om on a 20" rope chain that I initially bought to wear that is currently hanging from my rear view mirror, not only because I found wearing a chain less than comfortable (and honestly the chain is a bit too short), but because I decided I wanted to look at it more than I wanted to wear it.

This one is currently resting on my shrine's table, and I had considered hanging this from my rear view in place of the sterling one. I would have to figure out a way to stabilize it vertically, though. But then I'd have to figure out where to put the sterling one.

Jainarayan · Apr 10, 2019

SalixIncendium said:
I'm not much for wearing jewelry. I have a sterling silver Om on a 20" rope chain

Yeah, I hear you. I'm not much for jewelry either, but my husband sometimes looks like a Christmas tree. I have a sterling silver om too. 20" is a bit short. That's just about the base of my neck, it would be a choker (properly, I need 19" shirt collars). My chain is 24", but I'd like a longer one to be able to just slip over my head instead of using a clasp. I can't sleep with anything around my neck. The rear view mirror is a good idea.

Vinayaka · Apr 10, 2019

Jainarayan said:
Yeah, I hear you. I'm not much for jewelry either, but my husband sometimes looks like a Christmas tree. I have a sterling silver om too. 20" is a bit short. That's just about the base of my neck, it would be a choker (properly, I need 19" shirt collars). My chain is 24", but I'd like a longer one to be able to just slip over my head instead of using a clasp. I can't sleep with anything around my neck. The rear view mirror is a good idea.

I wear the single rudraksha on a simple hemp (durable) string. Used to have a silver thing, but it was too heavy. As for the wood carving, what I wouldn't do for a computer jigsaw. Making clean cuts by eye, for an amateur is well ... amateurish. Alas.

Jainarayan · Apr 10, 2019

Vinayaka said:
I wear the single rudraksha on a simple hemp (durable) string. Used to have a silver thing, but it was too heavy. As for the wood carving, what I wouldn't do for a computer jigsaw. Making clean cuts by eye, for an amateur is well ... amateurish. Alas.

I have one also. It was a gift with one of my first orders at Rudra Centre, great site btw. I have a couple of small rudraksha malas also. I was wearing a rudraksha mala along with a small tulsi kanthi mala for a while. I don't know if it's the roughness of the rudraksha, or it was a sign I shouldn't wear it, but I felt a heat on my neck while it was on. Of course my tulsi mala broke, as all my tulsi kanthi malas do.

I can't keep a tulsi kanthi mala or plant for love or money.

SalixIncendium · Apr 10, 2019

Vinayaka said:
I wear the single rudraksha on a simple hemp (durable) string. Used to have a silver thing, but it was too heavy. As for the wood carving, what I wouldn't do for a computer jigsaw. Making clean cuts by eye, for an amateur is well ... amateurish. Alas.

I would say with every amount of certainty that my wood pieces were cut from a computer jigsaw. They are far too accurate to have been free-handed.

Shiva as Lord of the Dance

ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय

ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय

Be your own guru

devotee

Jai Mata Di!

अग्निविलोवनन्दः

devotee

अग्निविलोवनन्दः

अग्निविलोवनन्दः

Jaya Jagannatha!

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अग्निविलोवनन्दः

devotee

Be your own guru

ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय

अग्निविलोवनन्दः

ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय

devotee

ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय

अग्निविलोवनन्दः