Examining Shiva Nataraja

The third piece I examined for my midterm was a very iconic piece from the Hindu religion. 

While there is no artist listed for Shiva Nataraja, there is a very large history behind it. This is one of the most recognized depictions of Shiva, even to people that know nothing about the beliefs that led to its creation. Created in the 11^th century and cast in bronze, Shiva Nataraja is one of the chief Hindu gods. He is the master of life, death, rebirth, and a fertility deity. But what exactly is this sculpture trying to show us? What is the story behind this iconic depiction of Shiva Nataraja?

Shiva stands on a pedestal, standing on a person. Without the knowledge of what is being depicted, a casual viewer may think that this is an act of cruelty. Instead, this is a symbol of Shiva’s victory over ignorance as well as the passage of spirits from the divine into material. The upper right hand is holding a small drum, symbolizing the origins of creation, as Shiva is dancing the dance in which the universe was created, maintained, and destroyed. The upper left hand is holding fire, symbolizing destruction as Shiva is also the god of death. Shiva’s lower right hand is poised in the symbol protecting from evil and ignorance. The final hand is pointing at Shiva’s raised foot, signifying liberation. The flames that surround Shiva as he dances are symbolic of the universe.  The snake winding around his waist is a symbol of the divine force within all of us.

Shiva is “the most important authority in the religious, political, and cultural world” (Ambegaonkar). He is known as the destroyer as well as the creator; this casting symbolizes both aspects of Shiva. This piece shows how Shiva is said to be “periodically destroying the universe so that it can be remade again” (Patel). The power and authority that Shiva has is a beautiful balancing act, expressing the harmony and rhythm of life. The dance Shiva is performing symbolizes the cycles of creation and destruction, meant to portray the way inner tranquility and outside activity can unite.

Shiva is important to the Hindu religion because he is more than a simple god, he is the answer for two of life’s biggest questions that religion tries to answer: How were we made? and How will we die? Shiva Nataraja takes what would otherwise be a terrifying topic and turns it into a beautiful dance, a simple balancing act. As every other religion has tried before, this is a way to try and answer the unanswerable questions that all cultures have. This is a simple reflection toward the sacred realm. Since humans have been able to create art, they have been creating pieces that would comfort them about the realm of the unknown. Just like every Christian or Muslim painting has done before (and still continues to do), Shiva Nataraja is a way for people to receive comfort from the emptiness on either side of life.

Prior to examining this piece, I had only looked at depictions of Shiva as a beautiful, sacred piece of art. After learning the history that is behind him, it is more than just a pretty statue. This is a piece with history and time behind it. So often do people look at art as nothing more than a pretty piece of something to take up space, but Shiva Nataraja is one of the few pieces that pushes a viewer to look past the initial impression and dig deeper into the real meaning and purpose behind it.