Any Nataraja sculpture or statue is a grand thing to behold. But do you know what wealth of inner meaning can be found in it? In the Nataraja style of sculpture, Lord Shiva is seen dancing what is known as the Ananda Tandava. This represents the cycle of creation and destruction of the universe.

In any Dancing Shiva Statue, Lord Shiva the Lord of Divine Dance and Destruction has a ring of fire around him. It can be seen as the circular disk around the main statue. This represents the fire from which all life springs from and where all life goes. It represents the birth and destruction of the Universe. The fire also stands for dangers and safety, evils and joy, warmth and light.

That the dance is a dynamic one can be discerned from the fact that Lord Shiva’s legs are bent. In addition, his hair is dispersed wildly. His strands are seen as flying around him in the fury of his dance, signifying that he has lost himself temporarily; so involved is his dance!

In the classical dance pose or Shiva Nataraja Statue, depending on the detailing of the sculpture, one can observe a human-like figure sitting on one of his hair strands on his right hand side. This is the Ganga River, personified as the Goddess Ganga. Lord Shiva’s dance turns this dangerous river into a peaceful one.

Wondering what that strange looking thing in his hand that looks like an hourglass is? Well, it is a Damru. A Damru is a kind of highly portable and one of the simplest musical instruments on India. It stands for time and rhythm. Likewise, on his left hand, he holds the essence of Agni, the primal force of fire that is used to create and destroy all living creations in the universe.

From the lower right forearm of Lord Shiva, one can see a snake uncoiling. At the same time, the God’s palm is in the form of the Abhaya Mudra, which stands for protection, sanctuary and fearlessness. It also stands for liberation and upliftment, instructing the observer not to fear anything or anyone while walking the path of Dharma. In the same manner, His right hand points at his raised foot which signifies activity despite circumstances. Therefore, it also means liberation and upliftment.

See the figure Lord Shiva is dancing on? That is the Dwarf Apasmara who stands for ignorance and epilepsy. By dancing on him, the Lord of Dance destroys his ignorance and fills him with knowledge.

Shopolics offers you finely crafted Nataraja statues made from quality materials such as teak wood and marble. All of our statues are handcrafted to perfection. We offer several styles of such religious statues for your spiritual needs.