SHIVA , LORD OF THE COSMIC DANCE.

 

SHIVA , LORD OF THE COSMIC DANCE.

“His mentions had been varied. Shiva the auspicious, Shiva the Warlord, Shiva the mountain God, Shiva the dweller of the cremation grounds, Shiva the creator of the universe, Shiva the destroyer, Shiva the ascetic, Shiva the loyal husband, Shiva the intoxicated, Shiva the meditator, Shiva the recluse, Shiva the Supreme spiritual master! Which One was He?”
“Yes, which one was He indeed, Gurudeva?” asked Shaunaka.
“The transformed seers spoke of Shiva in endearing terms, adding yet another epithet to His mentions. ‘Verily, He is all. He is Shiva Nataraja, Lord of the cosmic dance! ” replied Suta.
“One thing that stood out clearly in the descriptions, was that there was much paradox about Him. The moment anyone thought they understood one aspect of Him, immediately another would come and juxtapose itself in contrast. And that was the way He was known by most people: As the greatest enigma in the pantheon of the hindu Gods,” continued Suta.
“Truly Gurudeva, Shiva is a great enigma,” said Shaunaka.
“Yes,” Suta continued, “No one was ever sure of His antiquity, or His antecedents; none knew who His parents were, or if He was actually a sibling to the Vedic Gods. Some said He was Brahma’s son, others asserted He was Swayambhu, the Self-created, who, after manifesting Himself, in fact, created Brahma also.”
“So what is the truth, Gurudeva? Who created who?”
“No one could know for sure,” said Suta. “Every search for Him spiraled into a concentricity of a higher realm. Even after hearing about Him endlessly, one would come back to the same mystery.”

~ SHIVA, The Ultimate Time Traveller.
https://www.amazon.in/dp/B017ECI6CU

शिव, लौकिक नृत्य के स्वामी।

“उनके उल्लेख विविध थे। शिव शुभ, शिव द वार्लॉर्ड, शिव पर्वत देव, शिव श्मशान के निवासी, ब्रह्मांड के निर्माता शिव, शिव संहारक, शिव तपस्वी, शिव निष्ठावान पति, शिव नशे में धुत, शिव ध्यानमग्न, शिव। वैराग्य, शिव सर्वोच्च आध्यात्मिक गुरु! वह कौन से थे? ”
"हाँ, वह कौन से वास्तव में थे, गुरुदेव?" शौनकजी ने पूछा।
"रूपांतरित द्रष्टाओं ने शिवजी के बारे में धीरज से कहा, उनके उल्लेखों में एक और प्रसंग जोड़ा गया है। वास्तव में, वह सब है। वह शिव नटराज हैं, जो लौकिक नृत्य के स्वामी हैं! ”सुतजी ने उत्तर दिया।
“एक बात जो विवरणों में स्पष्ट रूप से सामने थी, वह यह थी कि उसके बारे में बहुत विरोधाभास था। जिस क्षण किसी को लगा कि वे उनके एक पहलू को समझ गए हैं, तुरंत कोई दूसरा आएगा और इनके विपरीत खुद को अलग करेगा। और यह वह तरीका था जिसे वह ज्यादातर लोगों द्वारा जाना जाते थे: हिंडू देवताओं के  शिरोमणि   में सबसे बड़ी पहेली के रूप में, "सुतजी ने जारी रखा।
"सच में गुरुदेव, शिव एक महान रहस्य हैं," शौनकजी ने कहा।
"हाँ," सुतजी ने जारी रखा, "कोई भी कभी भी उनकी प्राचीनता, या उनके पूर्वजों के बारे में निश्चित नहीं था; कोई नहीं जानता था कि उनके माता-पिता कौन थे, या यदि वह वास्तव में वैदिक देवताओं के लिए एक भाई थे। कुछ ने कहा कि वह ब्रह्मा के पुत्र थे, दूसरों ने कहा कि वह स्वयंवर था, जिसने स्वयं को प्रकट किया, जिसने वास्तव में स्वयं को प्रकट किया, ब्रह्मा को भी बनाया।
“तो क्या सच है, गुरुदेव? किसने बनाया? ”
"कोई भी निश्चित रूप से नहीं जान सका," सुतजी ने कहा। “उनके लिए हर खोज एक उच्च दायरे की संकेंद्रितता में सर्पिल होती है। उनके बारे में अंतहीन सुनने के बाद भी, एक ही रहस्य में वापस आ जाओगे। ”

SHIVA, NATARAJA

 

SHIVA, NATARAJA

"Those to whom Shiva gave his Darsana, came to be called rishis. These seers prayed differently from everyone else.” said rishi Suta.
“Differently?” asked Shaunaka.
“His mentions had been varied. Shiva the auspicious, Shiva the Warlord, Shiva the mountain God, Shiva the dweller of the cremation grounds, Shiva the creator of the universe, Shiva the destroyer, Shiva the ascetic, Shiva the loyal husband, Shiva the intoxicated, Shiva the meditator, Shiva the recluse, Shiva the Supreme spiritual master! Which One was He?”
“Yes, which one was He indeed, Gurudeva?” asked Shaunaka.
“The transformed seers spoke of Shiva in endearing terms, adding yet another epithet to His mentions. ‘Verily, He is all. He is Shiva Nataraja, Lord of the cosmic dance! ’ ” replied Suta.

( from the amazon book SHIVA, The Ultimate Time Traveller.)Available on Amazon : http://www.amazon.com/dp/B017ECI6CU

शिवा, नटराज

"जिन्हें भगवान शिव ने अपना दर्शन दिया था, उन्हें ऋषि कहा जाने लगा। ये द्रष्टा दूसरों से अलग प्रार्थना करते थे।" ऋषि सूतजी ने कहा।
"अलग?" शौनक ने पूछा।
“शिव के उल्लेख विविध थे। शुभ शिव , शिव युद्ध स्वामी, शिव पर्वत देवता, शिव श्मशान के निवासी, शिव सृष्टि के निर्माता, शिव संहारक, शिव तपस्वी, शिव निष्ठावान पति, शिव नशीला, शिव ध्यानी, शिव का वैराग्य, शिव सर्वोच्च आध्यात्मिक गुरु! वह कौन से थे? ”
"हाँ, वह कौन थे वास्तव में , गुरुदेव?" शौनक ने पूछा।
“रूपांतरित द्रष्टाओं ने शिव के बारे में धीरज से बात की, उनके उल्लेखों में एक और प्रसंग जोड़ा। वास्तव में, वह सब है। वे शिव नटराज हैं, जो लौकिक नृत्य के स्वामी हैं! '' सूतजी ने उत्तर दिया।
Hindi translation by Yash N R

( From the book SHIVA, The Ultimate Time Traveller. by shaivite author Shail Gulhati)
Available on Amazon as an E download on your laptops, ipads, android etc. please click the link below:
: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B017ECI6CU

Symbolism of the Shiva Nataraja Statue.

Very popular in the South of India, is this figure of Shiva Natraja- the Lord of Dance.
And this figure inspires us into a deep, comprehensive understanding of our own ‘Bhole Nath’, as were refer to him in the North.
Shiva is many things.
He is a mendicant, ascetic,yogi, and yet he is a householder, family man, lover. He is a meditator, the epitome of stillness, yet he is the cosmic dancer, master of flight. As Natraja ,we view Lord Shiva dancing in ecstasy , the Anand Tandava.

Incidentally ,to many, the word Tandava itself comes accompanied with fear. That’s because we associate it with Raudra Tandava- the dance of destruction ,which it need not always be if we understand the difference between these two options of Shiva ,and choose rightly for our selves.

Now, taking a close look at the image, we note that Shiva is enveloped by a great fire by which He is unaffected. And in one of His own left hands, He holds a flame that implies to be the source of destruction.Also in the fire is the small figure of a dwarf. This is the dwarf of ignorance. Though he is called Apasmara, It is better to understand that he is  ‘jiva’- an ordinary man who has forgotten his essential nature- the nature of Shiva within him, and turned to easier, negative qualities with the independence granted to him. Probably the dwarf is terrified of the fire that is all around him in the world now . In addition to this ,we see that he is being crushed by the right foot of Shiva. This seems like a double punishment, till we realize that man was never intended by the Lord to be a dwarf of ignorance. Rather, it is his ignorance of the God within, that has dwarfed him.

We see the other left hand of Shiva pointing at something. It is pointing to his left foot which is uplifted. So what is Shiva trying to convey? Is he egoistically asking for worship?  NO. To those familiar with Mudras ( Postures ) of our deities, the uplifted foot of God symbolizes His Transcendence and can be best attained by meditation. A meditator in Dhyana, is on the surest track to locate Shiva within. And, for he who locates Shiva within , as the attained peers did in Samadhi ,the very ‘at -onement’ with God explodes the pristine awareness and love in them. They become good to others effortlessly as they realize that the same Self shines in everyone. So, we see that
At- onement with God's Divinity the real atonement of all worldly deeds.
Others who may wish to remain Bhaktas (Devotees) of God would receive the message of submitting to the will of God at his toes. If this submission is truthful (and one can’t remain dishonest to God forever) it will achieve the same results. A true man of God ,knowing by rote the high attributes with which he praises God can never himself turn away from these attributes in his own person. If God is Dayalu (kind) , be yourself dayalu, if He is loving, be loving! Evoke God by resonance!!

It is then that we notice that the right hand of God is still raised in Abhaya Mudra betokening blessings ‘ Know thy Self’ which results in ‘Fear not’. We too, can be unscathed by the negative fire; if the fire of Shiva ,of Love, is kindled in us.Yogis call this  "Alak jagana".  And we realize that the fire in Shiva’s left palm is actually the source of counter destruction, putting an end to things that are not Auspicious.

Shiva also holds the Damru in his right hand. This damru is peculiarly shaped on purpose. It looks like an hourglass; it is a time keeper ! But the Lord almighty does not always indicate ‘ time up’ as end of the world, or that the end of our spirit is being is sounded. He also plays his drum the other way to indicate to us that it is time we shifted out focus within, instead of looking outwards and blaming others for the fire .

Sometimes we even blame God for all our problems, even if we do not see or know Him. Instead of finding fault with an unseen God for our limitation of being dwarfs, perhaps it is high time we introspected what we can do to achieve the likeness of Shiva Himself ( Svarup) ,for we are part of the lord. This creation is for us all to enjoy, look after , and harmonise, to a perfect rhythm ‘Ananda’

Aum Namah Shivaye!

Shail Gulhati is the Author of the books :
SHIVA, The Ultimate Time Traveller.
The Yogi and the snake
Shiva Poetry
NAAM ROOP- A Tribute to the Divine
And Life Said.