Shiva Nataraj: Creator and Destroyer

Lord Shiva is a metaphor of the perfect man who is in complete unity with himself and in harmony with the world around him. This supreme harmony gives him the power to destroy and create. The depiction of Shiva as Nataraj attests His “be-all and end-all” status.

The Symbolism of Shiva Nataraj

Shiva as the Nataraja or the Cosmic Dancer is the second most popular form of Shiva worship. The dance of Nataraja is not just a myth. There is a vivid logic behind it. Dance is supposed to be a rhythmic release of energy. Shiva as ‘The Lord of Dance’ represents the rhythmic movement of the entire cosmos. At a macro level, Shiva’s dance symbolises the cycles of creation and annihilation, while on a micro level, its stands for the daily rhythms of birth and death.

The Paradox of Shiva Nataraj

The posture of the Nataraja depicts the Godhead in his paradoxical best. Shiva performs the dance of death, which is key to life, because in destruction lies the seeds of creation. The Lord of the Universe matches His inner tranquillity (ascetic) with the vigorous activity of a destroyer.

Man, too, is a unity in himself. He is supposed to identify with the cosmos and live in harmony with the world around him. However, due to his imbalanced lifestyle and self-centred desires, he remains caught in his own world and is unable to connect with the world around him.