Nataraja

நடராஜர்★ Essential

Sanskrit

Shiva as the lord of dance, the presiding deity of the art.

FigureBharatanatyamKuchipudiOdissiKathak

Meaning

Nataraja is Shiva in his form as lord of dance, shown within a ring of fire, one foot raised, the other on the dwarf Apasmara who represents ignorance. His drum sounds creation and his upraised palm offers protection. The bronze form is most associated with Chidambaram in Tamil Nadu. Almost every classical dance stage carries a Nataraja icon, and the dancer salutes it before beginning.

Also written: natraj, nataraj

Related words

Velவேல்The divine spear carried by Lord Murugan.DasharathaदशरथKing of Ayodhya, father of Rama.NarayaniநாராயணிA name of the Goddess, the feminine of Narayana.RamaरामThe prince of Ayodhya whose story is the Ramayana.DeviदेवीThe Goddess — the divine feminine, under any of her names.Muruganமுருகன்The Tamil god of war and victory, son of Shiva and Parvati.

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