Chapter 4.3 - (a) Nataraja (the dance of Shiva)

(1)

The Dance of Shiva as represented in the Nataraja form is a wonder of the aesthetic world. No doubt the dancing form of Shiva is known from many parts of the North and the Deccan and the Telugu and Tamil areas of the South as well but it is in the Tamil country that the mysticism of Shiva’s dance no less than the iconography of the dancing of Shiva had been given a perfection that has been universally acclaimed. The Asta Virattas had been claimed by the ancient Tamilians to have been performed by the Lord within the Tamil country. The Nataraja dance is similarly claimed to have been performed by Shiva within the sacred precincts of Tamilakam. Like Daksinamurti, Nataraja faces South and from this, poets have concluded that He directs His Grace and gaze to the South, the land of sweet Tamil. An ancient orthodox Vaishnavite commentator on the Alvars grows eloquent over the conception of Ranganatha facing South turning his back to the North and he explains that because the South is the land of loving Tamil, ‘Irattamil’ suggesting that, therefore, it leads not to the arrogance of learning but to the saving Grace of sympathy and love. The author of Thiruvilaiyadal-puranam asks, “Is it not in the hope of enjoying the sapphire of the sweet Tamil language, that Shiva moves dancing ever Southwards?” This movement refers to the various Dance Halls of Nataraja in the Southern Country.

In Tontamantalain, the Northern Province of Tamilakam, is Thiruvalangadu, near the modern Arkonam junction. We have there the Ratnasabha or the Dance Hall of gems, wherein dances Ratnasabhapati. One moves Southwards nearer the Kollitam (Coleroon) and reaches Cidambaram, the very heart of the Cosmic Being (Viratapurusa). We have here the Kanakasabha or the Dance Hall of gold. In this southward move the precious value of the matter of which the Dance Hall is made, i.e., the container, may go down materially but it does in proportion rise in the precious value of the spiritual significance of the thing contained, viz., the Dance. Shiva moves South to the banks of Vaikai in the land of the Pandyas. There, in their Capital city of Maturai, is the Dance Hall of Silver, where the Lord dances all the merrier. Moving further South, Shiva reaches the other great river of the Pandyas, the Tamraparani, on the banks of which stands Shiva’s Dance Hall of copper in the city of Tirunelveli. Going further South almost near Potiyil, the place of Agastya and the cradle of Tamili there is the Dance Hall of painting, on the banks of the Citra River in Tirukkurralam.

In the last place there is no image but a painting on the wall. This suggests that the terms Ratnasabhapati, Kanakasabhapati, Rajatasabhapati, Tamrasabhapati and Citrasabhapati may be so called, not only because of the Dance Hall but also because of the image of Nataraja being in precious stones, gold, silver, copper and painting respectively. There is a tradition that there was an emerald image of Nataraja at Thiruvalangadu. Ratnasabhapati shows as such at Cidambaram is one carved out in a precious stone. The silver and gold images however are unfortunately not found. It must be further mentioned in support of the traditional interpretation of taking the words Ratna, etc., as describing the Dance Hall rather than the image, that Velli ampalam, the Silver Hall of Maturai, without any reference to the image, was known as such as early as the Cankam age, c.f. Velliampalattu-t tunciya Peru Valuti?

(2)

The Agamas, especially Purva Karanagama, describe seven Dances of Shiva. Of these, the last is the Samhara or the Dance of involution performed in the Hall of midnight. The Dance of Destruction of the whole Universe should take place everywhere and not in Tamilakam alone. As for the other dances, some claim, that they were performed in the five places above enumerated and in one other place. The author of Tirupputturp Puranam claims the sixth place as Tirupputtur, in the Pandya Country, and calls that Dance Hall, the Citsabha—the Dance Hall of Jnana or pure consciousness or true knowledge. The Ananda Tandava, according to him, is performed within the Kanakasabhd of Cidambaram; the Sandhya Tandava, within the Rajatasabha of Maturai; the Gauri Tandava, within the Citsabha of Tirupputtur; the Tripura Tandava, within the Citrasabha of Tirukkurralam; the Kalika Tandava, within the Ratnasabhd of Thiruvalangadu and the Muni Tandava, within the Tamrasabha of Tirunelveli.

(3)

On the basis of the names of the places mentioned in the Tirupputturp Puranam, where the various dances are said to have been performed, a reference to the different sthala puranas of these sacred places is worth making. Muni Tandavam according to Tirupputturp puranam is said to have been performed at Tirunelveli. In the Daruka vana-c Charukkam of that Puranam, the Rsis, after they are brought to their senses, go to Tirunelveli along with the Devas and worship the Lord. After blessing them, the Lord dances at the request of Brahma and Visnu. The Lord dances in the Kankala form in the Tamra sabha. At every effort of Muyalakan to rise up, the Lord presses him down and dances on. Lo! the whole universe, with everybody therein, dances! At this Narada, Agastya and other Rsis beg of the Lord to stop. What is important here is, the connection that is established between the Kankala form and the Dance of this Universe. One wonders whether this is the Muni Tandava; for, unfortunately, this name is not used in the sthala purana. In the 113th Charukkam, the Mother approaches the Lord with the request that He may be pleased to dance for her sake, so that she may have a sight of the Dance, and the Lord so dances in the Tamra Sabha. In the next Charukkam, the Devas beg of Him to dance, and He performs the Aghara Tandava, which the frightened Devas cannot see with their ordinary eyes. The Lord, thereupon, blesses them with the eye of knowledge and their hearts become full. In the next Charukkam, a discussion on the relative greatness of the sexes arises between the Lord and the Mother. They agree to decide the issue by a tournament of Dance. The Mother takes the form of Kall; but when the Lord lifted up His leg to perform the Urdhva Tandava, the Mother could not follow suit, out of modesty and had to accept defeat. The Mother is thereafter in a sulky mood and the Lord, to pacify Her, brings the Ananda Sabha and performs in the next Charukkam, the Ananda Saundarya Nata (Tandava), the dance of Bliss and Beauty. The next Charukkam speaks of “Irutikatka elil manril accariya natam payinra natan”— ‘the Lord who performed the Ascarya Natam’ or the Dance of wonder for the sake of the repentent Rsis of Daruka Vana in Manur. Perhaps this is the Muni Tandava; but unfortunately no further particulars are given.

(4)

Tirupputtur Puranam in the Gauri Tandava-c Charukkam speaks of the serpents, Vasuki and Karkkotakan, performing tapas for seeing the dance and for enjoying physical contact with Shiva’s feet. In the Tiruvalankattu-p puranam, Karkkotakan who once ejected poison in the hand of Shiva, which however Shiva put on his hand as a bangle, is cursed by the Lord and he performs tapas at Thiruvalangadu to get a glimpse of the dance of Shiva. Thus it is clear the serpents play a prominent part in the Dance.

At the request of Gauri who has to perform severe tapas, the Lord gives her a sight of the Gauri Tandava at Tirupputtur. The smiling Lord assumes a multi-armed form of wonder which shines like a crore of moons. He assumes ten hands. In the right hands, He holds the trident, the malu (the battle axe), the utukkai or drum, the arrow and the sword. In the left hands He holds the fire, the noose, the shield, the bow and the hand-pose gajahasta. The poet speaks of ‘supannam’; that is, the bird which has therefore to be counted as the eighth symbol. In Rea’s plate CIX, fig. 1, one finds a bird in the left hand, the third from behind. Except in the figure of Shiva in ‘Karikkuruvikku upatecitta patalam’, such a thing is not to be seen in the hand of Shiva elsewhere. The Lord wears the Ganges and the crescent moon, the masculine ear-ring on the right and the feminine ear-ring on the left, the yajnopavita, the skin dress and the resounding anklets of Vedas. He wears Ananta on the bent left foot and the ‘Karkkota’ on the left thigh. On the uplifted foot He wears Vasuki. The other serpents are worn in other suitable places of His body. At the instance of Mahdvisnu, Laksmi begs of the Lord to give her a glimpse of the Gauri Tandava. The Lord, facing the South, dances afresh in all the eight points of the compass, this inexpressible dance beyond word and thought.

(5)

Tiruvalankattu-p puranam, after speaking of the greatness of that sacred place, refers to Vismi’s description of that place to Adisesa and speaks of the Saint Sunanda and the serpent Karkkota going and performing tapas to get a glimpse of the dance which the Lord is to perform in the presence of Kall. The asuras, Sumbha and Nisurabha, are killed by Kali, who drinks away all their blood. As a result of this blood intoxication, she works havoc in the sacred forest of the banyan trees. Narada carries this news to Shiva, and Shiva assumes the form of the Kala Rudra Bhairava of the last destruction and comes surrounded by bhutas. Proud Kall threatens Shiva with destruction and finally she agrees to settle the issue by the tournament of dance ‘Nirutta yuddham’. The music is arranged for. The Lord first performs the ‘Koccu Kotti’ dance. This is evidently a corruption of the word ‘Kotu/cottf which is familiar to all students of Tamil Literature. It is performed with slow movement which Kali mistakes for Shiva’s fatigue. She dances round and round, throwing out her eight hands with such great rapidity, in the confidence of a victory. The Lord, thereafter, began to perform the ‘Pantarankam’ dance, otherwise called the ‘Canda Tandava’ of final destruction. One leg is firmly kept on the ground and the other leg goes up into the skies. One hand is raised up as a kind of armour for the uplifted leg. The other hands holding the fire, the drum, the trident and the abhaya pose are thrown out to reach the four points of the horizon. The serpents and the anklets resound and dance but the crescent moon and the Ganges are kept up wonderfully poised in the midst of this terrible dance without any movement whatever on their part. In passing, it may be stated that the Lord first came to the banyan forest with eight hands holding the skull, the trident, the goad, the noose, the sword, the shield, the vajra (Saktl) and the bell. The Lord assumes in the end a great calm, covering the whole universe and His terrific speed makes everyone giddy including Kall. She has to accept defeat.

Therefore, the statements of Tirupputturp puranam are not supported by other puranams: it is only an attempt by its author of the last century at harmonizing the tradition about the various dance halls of the Tamil land with the seven kinds of dances mentioned in the Agamas as a kind of summary of the various stories of the dances of Shiva described in the puranas, as taking place not only in the Tamil land but all over the Universe.

(5)

Dr. Raghavan would suggest that the Dances of Shiva were performed in other places as well: “Bharata describes 108 poses of Tandava dance in his Natya Sastra; in Shaiva literature, Shiva is said to have danced in 64 shrines, but the exact forms of these latter 64 dances are not given and we cannot, therefore, trace in full detail the inter-relation of the dances of Shiva in Natya Sastra, Shaiva literature, and, Sculpture and Iconography.” He does not point out his authority for the 64 dances in 64 shrines. No such tradition is known to Tamil. Probably he is confusing the 64 litas or Thiruvilaiyadal with the 64 dances.

(6)

Tvrukkuvappuranam by the great poet Sivaprakasar gives a slightly different version. Kali kills Ddrukasura and becomes blood-intoxicated. At the request of the Devas, the Lord comes in front of her and begins to dance. Kali says, “Why dance in vain? Why don’t you dance with me in a tournament?” The Lord accepts the challenge and with the Mother as the arbitrator begins to dance. Kali feels fatigued but continues to dance, afraid of accepting defeat. The Lord assumes a universal figure like that of Trivikrama and lifts up the leg for dance. Everyone including Kall falls down like the doll from which the moving string has been cut away. Nobody can even look at this terrific dance. Kali falls at His feet. The Lord, out of pity, tells her, “You cannot even look at this terrific dance, but if you go southwards to Kuvapuram, you can see with all your eyes the dance of protection (Raksa Tandavam) which we perform there. Because Kali threw out a challenge to the Lord, she comes to be called “Tarukka Mata”, ‘the Mother of challenge’. In another place also this puranam refers to this dance in these terms.

In Mount Kailas, the ‘Sandhya nrttam’ is performed. In the golden Hall of dance the ‘Ananda nata’ is performed. ‘Canda Tandava’ is performed at ‘Alankani’ and for the sake of the ‘Tarukka mata’, ‘Raksa Natam’ is performed every day at Kuvapuram”.

(7)

The Ananda Tandava is described in Koyil puranam. The Rsis of Darukavana send the tiger, the fire, the serpent, etc., against the Lord and He seizes all of them as mere playthings and ornaments and begins to dance on muyalaka who is also sent by them. Adisesa prays for having a glimpse once again of His majestic dance and for his sake the Lord dances at ‘Tillai’, the centre of the Universe. Vyaghrapada and Patanjali are ever witnessing that dance there.

(8)

The Puranas of Maturai do not speak of any Sandhya Tandava, which is said to take place there according to Tirupputturppuranam, but describe the Kal mari atiya natam referred to elsewhere. Kallatam, speaks of the Lord of Maturai as the Lord of Devas who performs the dance of bliss with the goddess of the honey-bubbling tresses of hair, in the silver hall of dance in Maturai. The commentator on that work, Mayilerum perumal pillali explains this dance of bliss as a dance of love. Parvati performs tapas for a long time in the Himalayas for embracing Shiva and ‘the dance of the lady’ or ‘Lasya’ called ‘Citrakundali’ is the dance of such embrace. ‘Lasya’ is a dance performed by women and not one of those performed by men. Both the Lord and the Mother must be taken to be performing a calm dance of love. The lasya is a soft dance while the tandava is a vigorous dance. Sometimes, the texts describe, that, when the dancer sits and makes her abhinaya, the dance is called ‘Lasya’, and when the dancer stands and dances, it is ‘Tandava’. Anyhow, it is clear that no ‘Sandhya tandavam’ is performed in Maturai, unless we are to interpret this ‘Lasya’ as Sandhya Tandava.

(9)

Nor is the statement that the ‘Tripura Tandava’ is performed in the ‘Citrasabhd’ of Tirukkurralam borne out by Tirukkurrala-t talapuranam. The dance there is described in the 8th and 9th chapters of Part II of that work, as a great secret dance ‘Mahaparama rasyam’. The Lord, in the form of pure knowledge or consciousness, dances in the vacant space of ‘Nada’ unknown to any soul, seen only by the Mother, the very form of His Grace. The dance takes place; then everything also disappears into the last stage of involution. The Devas and Rsis are anxious to have a sight of this dance. The serpent ‘VdsukT comes to ‘Kailasa’ with a request that the God should give him a sight of that dance, even as He has blessed ‘Anantan’ to have a sight of His dance at Tillai. The Lord Himself describes the greatness of this dance: “The dance performed in the Hall of Pantarankam whilst the singing Putams serve, the dance which puts down the arrogance of Kali, the dance which crushes down the cruel ‘Muyalaka’— these dances are capable of being seen by others. But the other dance, which the whole world is surcharged with, is the beautiful dance known only to my consort. Thp dance-hall of silver in South Mathurai, the golden hall of dance which is the very hall of the void space, Cidambaram, the hall of precious gems of Alankatu, the dance hall of copper so full of purity—these halls are matters of common knowledge to all; every one can see them. But the hall of paintings at ‘Tirukkurralam’ is the secret of secrets”. After the serpent had performed tapas, the Lord shows him and others, the secret dance of His, which Brahma paints in that place. This is the story, as given in the Tirukkurrala-t tala puranam. It is there clear that this dance hall is claimed to be the Citsabha, a name which Tirupputturppuranam claims for Tirupputtur dance hall itself. More than this it is clear that Tirukkurrala-t tala puranam does not speak of any Tripura dance.

(10)

Therefore, the statements of Tirupputturp puranam are not supported by other puranams: it is only an attempt by its author of the last century at harmonizing the tradition about the various dance halls of the Tamil land with the seven kinds of dances mentioned in the Agamas as a kind of summary of the various stories of the dances of Shiva described in the puranas, as taking place not only in the Tamil land but all over the Universe.

(11)

Dr. Raghavan would suggest that the Dances of Shiva were performed in other places as well: “Bharata describes 108 poses of Tandava dance in his Natya Sastra; in Shaiva literature, Shiva is said to have danced in 64 shrines, but the exact forms of these latter 64 dances are not given and we cannot, therefore, trace in full detail the inter-relation of the dances of Shiva in Natya Sastra, Shaiva literature, and, Sculpture and Iconography.” He does not point out his authority for the 64 dances in 64 shrines. No such tradition is known to Tamil. Probably he is confusing the 64 lilas or Thiruvilaiyadal with the 64 dances.

(12)

Before describing these seven kinds of dances, one may raise the question, “Why this number seven?”. The Tirupputturp puranam speaks of these seven dances proceeding from the seven basic notes of music: Sa, Ri, Ga, Ma, Pa, Da and Ni. This correspondence with the musical octave suggests that these dances can be arranged as an octave of power based on the energy radiated in increasing number of pulsations of action. Even as the bud slowly opens its petals and finally blossoms forth, the dances also proceed from a slow movement into virile whirls. The author of Tandavas de Shiva, following Mayilai Venkataswami’s Seven dances of Shiva, speaks of the seven dances as symbolizing the pancakrtya or the five functions of Shiva, viz., Creation, conservation, destruction, tirobhava and anugraha. The former three relate to matter and the last two to the spirit. The soul has to pass through grosser experiences till it reaches the subtler experiences. Our education follows this method of proceeding from the gross to the subtle. God educates the soul in a similar way. Anugraha or the final goal of divine blessing and bliss is illumination. But before this illumination, comes purgation where the soul is purified gradually, where the spiritual truths are allowed to dawn gradually. Therefore, in this stage, there is some concealment or obscuration. This function of the Lord, of veiling or darkening with a view to keep the souls engrossed in the experiences of the world until the karma is completely wiped out is called Tirobhava. The basic note ‘Sa’ represents the Ananda Tandava which implies and includes all the notes of the lower octave. In a similar way Ananda Tandava implies and includes all these five dances of creation, conservation, destruction, purgation and illumination. This accounts for their being six dances, one for each one of the five krtyas or activities of the Lord and the sixth being the basic note including all the five.

Why then the seventh dance? It is explained that conservation is of two kinds:

1. where there is the pleasant experience
2. and where there is the unpleasant experience.

The conservation is thus taken as consisting of two functions, the total functions of the Lord become six and therefore the functional dances also become six, making seven in all if we include the synthetic dance of pancakrtya or the Ananda Natanam.

All this explanation is based on the following:

“Catamatanir cirutti titi cankaram nikalum Tarum uyiril tirdpavam anukkirakam takkum;
Titamurum attiti irantam cukatunpam aruntum Ceytiyin; ammuraiyal ceytolil ardm”.

(13)

In connecting the seven different dances with the various functions of the Lord, emphasis is made on the relative freedom from activity which goes on decreasing. The movement of the ‘data’ which proceeds from a bundled up position to a movement of whirling and the position of the raised up leg which proceeds from its contact with muyalaka along with the other foot and reaches the position of being held up straight heavenwards. The movements and positions of the hands are also thus explained as releasing more and more of energy. Kalika Tandavam is the dance of creation. The Caturam and Katisamam dances belong to this category.

The Urdhvajanu is identified with Gauri Tandavam and Bhujangatrasam. This is also called the Raksa Tandavam and Laksmi Tandavam, This is the dance of conservation where the experiences are bitter.

The next is the Sandhya Tandavam It is also identified with Lalitam This is the dance of conservation where the experiences are pleasant.

Sankara Tandavam is the dance of destruction. It is identified with Talasamsphotita and the dance on the fire.

Tripura Tandavam is the dance of purgation; Vrdhva Tandavam which is also called as Kali Tandavam or Chanda Tandavam is the dance of iliummation and blessing—Anugraha Tandavam.

(14)

The names and the descriptions of these dances are not always clear. Dr. Raghavan gives the name of Gauri Tandavam to the Ananda Tandavam itself. According to him all the dances of Shiva are Sandhya Tandavam being performed in the twilight of the evening. But this is not correct as our essay will show.

The confusion in these names and descriptons, however, is very well brought out by Dr. Raghavan.

“The dances of Shiva as described in works of dance and as dealt with in religious works of Shaivism show differences. There is no doubt that the latter grew out of the former, and even in the form in which they are spoken of in the latter, they keep some tell-tale names in a few cases which show their link with the Natya Sastra”

“In Agamas the above dance of Shiva is also mentioned as Bhujanga-natana. In fact, two kinds of Bhujanga-natana are mentioned, Bhujanga trasita and Bhujangalalita. The definition of these two are, however, confusing. In the Uttara-kamika-agama, the Ananda Tandava described above is called Bhujanga-trasita. To understand this name, we have to go to the Natya Sastra of Bharata.”

“In Natya. Sastra itself the Bhujanga-trasita is defined as the 28th pose; its sculptural illustration from Chidambaram shows a pose which is not met with at all in sculpture or icon. As in Agama, so in Bharata too, there appears to be some confusion; for in the definition of the Bhujangancita itself, Bharata includes the Bhujanga-trasita. To add to the contusion, some Agamd works call the Catura-tandava and the Urdhvajanu by the name Bhujanga-trasita.”

“Besides the Bhujanga-trasita, the only other pose-name which the Agamas know is Bhujanga-lalita. An Agama text quoted by Gopinatha Rao explains the Bhujanga-lalita as Bhujanga-trasita with the knee of the lifted leg still higher! According to the Agamic compilation called Shiva-parakrama, Bhujanga-lalita corresponds to the 25th pose in Bharata, the Urdhvajanu, of which we have in the Madras Museum a bronze representation of the Pallava times from Kuram village near Kancipuram. Gopinatha Rao would identify one of the two Ellora N at ar a j as as lalita.”

“The names Catura, Katisama and Tala-samsphotita do not occur in Shaivite religious texts; they are names given by Bharata by which Gopinatha Rao identified some other Nataraja poses available in sculpture and iconography. Two Nataraja bronze images of Tiruvarangulam and Nallur have their legs in a diagonal position which, being very near the 39th pose in Bharata called Catura, are called by that name. The pose of legs forms the basis and common factor to a number of other dance-poses”.

“Kati-sama is applied by Gopinatha Rao to one of the two Nalarajas of Ellora. But this kati-sama, No. 19, as defined by Bharata and as illustrated by the Cidambaram sculpture is somewhat different. Similarly again, a dancing pose of Shiva at the Kailasanatha temple is identified by Gopinatha Rao as Tala-samsphotita. This specimen is nearer Bharata’s Urdhvajanu already referred to. Bharata’s definition of Tala-samsphotita is not clear and the correctness of the Cidambaram illustration is open to doubt; anyway neither Bharata’s definition nor the Cidambaram sculpture accords with the pose identified by Gopinatha Rao as Tala-samsphotita”

“Urdhva-tandava is a pure Agamic name. This was a dance which Shiva did to vanquish Kali in a dance-contest that He had with her. The story centres round the shrine at Tiruvalangailu near Arakkonam where we have an image of it; other images of this dance are to be found at Kancfpuram, Tiruccenkattanguili, Tenkasi and Taramangalam. In them the right leg is lifted right up to the head, thus giving the dance the name Urdhva; while one explanation is that by doing this Shiva, without anybody noting it, restored to his ear an ornament that fell from there during the dance; another explanation is that this was done so that Kali, as a woman, could not do similarly and thus could be vanquished. This is Bharata’s Lalata-tilaka”

“As this is a terrible type of dance, Agamas call it Canda-Tandava also. As it was done with Kali, it got another name also, the Kall tandava. According to the Vataranya Mahatmya, the story of Tiruvalangadu Mss. in Adyar Library, this same Urdhva-Tandava is the dance of destruction, Samhara-Tandava.”

(15)

This confusion itself points the way out. The dances must ultimately be traced to the popular folk dances which have been systematized and made classical in the Natya-sastra. There must have been other variations apart from the classical modes. The Puranas probably describe these variations and the Agamas with the knowledge of the Natyasastra seem to be combining both these. The mystic value of these dances as they appealed to the later generation cannot be minimised by such references to origins as these.