Symbolism of Natraj Form
The Natraj form portrays Shiva as a protector, creator as well as the destroyer of this universe and the never-ending time cycle. The Lord looks very beautiful in neatly matted with Rudraksha garland around his neck and serpents draped around his body as ornaments.
The cosmic dancer synchronizes all his movements in this dance form that combines the flow of static and dynamic energy to generate divine energy for creation, preservation, destruction, illusion, and liberation. He magnificently teaches us not to lose calm in adverse situations and move forward in life with positivity.
The pleasant dance form shows four hands of Lord with each posture representing creation and destruction and providing an escape from constant chaos.
The panchkriya or the five acts of the pleasant dance form has the following elements:
Damru in the rear left arm.
The vibrations from the hourglass-shaped drum are the first sound of creation and the reason behind the big bang cosmic creation of shristhi.
Fire in the rear right hand
The raised hand with fire represents transformation, the destruction that creates again. The atrophies matters convert into a formless state only to regenerate again, representing a constant change of becoming a new being.
Open palm of forehand
The creation and destruction are normal and the open palm in abhaymudra assures that change is normal and necessary for the maintenance of srishthi and he is always with his mortal children to protect them.
Lower hand pointing downward
The downward hand depicts that there is no need to be afraid of as He is the creator of Maya, illusion, ignorance, concealment, or Tirobhava.
The left foot raised in the air
The left foot in synchronisation with the hand pointing downward is the blessing or Anugraha from the Lord that there is the option of Moksha, the liberation from the birth and death cycle.
The Dwarf demon beneath the right feet
Ignorance and ego generate evils that can be trampled with the state of self-realisation, Muyalaka, or Apasmara that is obtained with meditation.
The Fire circle
Birth and death are the cyclic phenomena that are under the control of one of the subordinates of the Lord, Maya, or illusion.
