Dancing Shiva

We have a batik of "Dancing Shiva" hanging in the studio which was done by Rick, Katey's husband.  A couple of weeks ago I had someone ask me why is he standing on a baby???  Being that I have not studied or know much about Indian art or the stories of Shiva, I did a little research and asked Katey about the the image.  Here is what I found out.

Shiva as the Lord of the Dance (Nataraja)

Nataraja is shown with four hands which represent the cardinal directions.  He is dancing with his left foot elegantly raised and the right foot on a prostate figure, Apasmara (the demon of darkness) the personification of illusion and ignorance over whom Shiva triumphs.  The upper left hand holds a flame, the lower left hand points down to the dwarf, who is shown holding a cobra.  The upper right hand holds an hourglass drum or "dumroo" that beats the rhythm of life  the lower hand shows the gesture of assertion:  Be without fear or fear not.  Snakes that stand for the ego are seen uncoiling from his arms, legs, and hair which is braided and bejeweled.  His matted locks are whirling as he dances within an arch of flames representing the endless cycle of birth and death. 

I also found out that a depiction of Shiva as Lord of the Dance is on display at the Art Institute of Chicago. 

This image is associated with the pose Natarajasana. 

 

Katey told me the following:

 While some mistake him for a baby, it is a dwarfed- sized demon on which Shiva dances.  In this depiction, Shiva is known as Nataraja.  He is dancing the Tandavam, his fire dance, to destroy the world in order to transform it.  Apasmara, the evil dwarf - indeed dwarfed by Nataraja's grandeur and power - symbolizes ignorance and stupidity.