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Bhikshatana throws his skull begging-bowl on the ground and the Brahmins throw it out, but another skull bowl appears in its place. Consequently, hundreds of skulls appear, polluting the sacrifice, which compels Brahma to promise Shiva that no sacrifice will be deemed complete without an invocation to him, Kapaleshvara—the Lord of the skulls.
The Nataraja (Natesha) images carved in these temples are similar to those seen at Upramala. The sculpture has 16 arms and its headdress is matted. There is a large diadem carved at the centre top of the skull, which is "garnished with beaded swags." The facial features are very fine, with high arched brows and full mouth.
Nataraja is a significant visual interpretation of Brahman and a dance posture of Shiva. The details in the Nataraja artwork have attracted commentaries and secondary literature such as poems detailing its theological significance. [19] [24] It is one of the widely studied and supreme illustrations of Hindu art from the medieval era. [45] [46]
Architecturally the Chitrasabha resembles that of the other Nataraja Sabhas elsewhere in Tamil Nadu, and its interior is decked with hundreds of murals, depicting images from the Indian epics. Nataraja is brought here during festivals from the Kurumpalaveesar temple. The temple tree is called the Kurum Pala and the temple tank is called ...
The 108 karanas of Tandava have inspired Shiva sculptures of the 1st-millennium BCE, particularly the Tandava style which fuses many of these into a composite image found at the Nataraja temple of Chidambaram. [26] [27] Shiva as Nataraja or Krishna dancing the Tandava is a recurring theme in the Chola period bronzes. Various Shiva temples in ...
Nataraja is the aspect of Shiva "whose ecstatic dance of destruction lays the foundation for the creation and sustenance of the universe." [ 6 ] The significance of the image of the dancing Shiva is indicated by his gestures: he is depicted with four arms, standing on Avidya , the demon of ignorance.
Shiva is depicted with four hands in his form of Nataraja. His back right hand holds a damaru (drum), his front right hand expresses the abhaya mudra, the back left hand carries fire upon a vessel or the palm of his hand, and his front left hand expresses the gajahasta mudra.
In the hymn of Manikkavacakar's Thiruvasagam, he testifies that Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram had, by the pre-Chola period, an abstract or 'cosmic' symbolism linked to five elements (Pancha Bhoota) including ether. [308] Nataraja is a significant visual interpretation of Brahman and a dance posture of Shiva. [309]