Nataraja
(literally, The King of Dance) is the dancing posture of Lord Shiva, the aspect of God as the Destroyer in Hinduism. * The upper right hand holds the Drum (called Udukkai in Tamil and Dhamarukha in Hindi), which symbolizes sound originating Creation.
* The upper left hand contains Agni or the fire, which signifies Destruction. The opposing concepts in the upper hands show the counterpoise of creation and destruction.
* The second right hand shows Abhaya (fear not in Sanskrit), bestowing protection from both evil and ignorance to those who follow the righteousness of dharma.
* The second left points towards the raised left foot which signifies Upliftment and Salvation. The hand also looks like the trunk of Ganesha, the obstacle remover, a symbol of strength.
* The dwarf on which Nataraja dances is the demon Apasmara that symbolises the ignorance of dichotomy, which is defeated by the dance of Shiva.
* As the Lord of Dance, Nataraja, Shiva performs the tandava, which is the dance in which the universe is created, maintained, and resolved. Shiva's long, matted tresses, usually piled up in a kind of pyramid, loosen during the dance and crash into the heavenly bodies, knocking them off course or destroying them utterly.
* The surrounding flames represent the manifest Universe.
* The snake swirling around His waist is kundalini, humans' inherent soul impelling force resident in everyone.--Shakti.
Within Lord Shiva's dancing manifestation is represented not only all of time and space, but also the primal creative force that is beyond the circle of illusion that mortals live within, all movement and vibration of the universe, and the stillness beyond all existence.
The entire form of Nataraja can be seen to mirror the Hindu sacred syllable Aum, thus implying that Lord Shiva's dance of Destruction and Creation is contained within the existential principle of the Divine Sound.
The image of the Lord as the Cosmic Dancer is shown at the Chidambaram temple, an unusual fact as Shiva is depicted in an anthropomorphic form rather than in the typical non-anthromorphic form of the linga.
