Enduring images...
There are few things in the world that can inspire by their mere sight or thought. Two of the enduring images I carry are that of Nataraja's cosmic dance and Krishna charioteering Arjuna in the Mahabharata.
Long time ago I visited chidambaram as a kid. An imposing Idol of Nataraja stood in the hallway right next to the 'garbha griha' (the main shrine). Hundreds of earthen lamps lighted with ghee enveloped the image in a heavenly aura and a magic that still endures and inspires. As the time progressed the meaning of the sculpture, the concept itself became even more appealing to me.
In hinduism, bhakti tradition places a great emphasis on music and dance. They are considered to form a direct connection with the god. There is an underlying vedantic concept behind it... both forms of art represent the highest forms of artistic unity because they cannot be separated from their creator. This is what vedanta claims...the creation and the creator are one and the same. They cannot be separated, just as the dance dissolves in the dances the moment dancer stops dancing. No one can separate the dancer and the dance just as creator is integral part of creation. When a dancer stops, where does the dance go? it goes back to the dancer. Then does it mean it didnt exist earlier? No, there was dance and the dancer earlier. Similarly, creation and creator exist only until the creator performs his dance of creation. The moment he stops, everything is dissolved in him.
Nataraja's cosmic dance mirrors this concept in a beautiful way. He is performing a ananda tandava, holding a drum in right hand depicting the primoridal sound and creation. In the left, is the fire depicting the dissolution of the creation. The right foot is placed firmly on the demon named 'apasmara purusha' (ignorant man) showing the conquest of ignorance. His hair sway wildly depicting his escasty. The snake is coiled around his neck to show conquest of desires and the hidden power kundalini( it is described as a coiled snake at the base of spine in tantra). The crecsent moon depicts the waxing and waning of the lifes cycles. Tiger skin around his loin, the courage that is so important in any spiritual quest and life in general. His other right hand is in 'abhaya' (benediction or protection from the ignorance) and the left hand shows the way to reach him...it points directly to the raised left foot. Intrestingly, the pose in which the left hand points to the left foot is called 'gajahasta-mudra' elephant trunk pose and points to Ganesha, the removal of obstacles in the path. Meanwhile, Nataraja is surrounded by a fiery ring of fire, depicting 'shakti' his consort in the creation. The dynamism that is captured in a static image is simply divine.
There is a room next to the main shrine where devotees are taken to see the 'chidambara rahasya' (mystery of chidambara). Its an empty area lit by a single earthen lamp. Maybe that is what it is...empty space symbolic of all pervasive yet invisible the primoridal thread that runs through our very existence and an earthen lamp indicating the light of knowledge to uncover it.
And as an ever inspiring upanishadic verse declares:
Purna madah purna midam, purnaat purna mudachyate,
purnasya purna maadaya, purna mevavah shishyate.
(That is infinite, this is infinite, infiniteness can arise out of infinity;
Infinity alone remains after removing infinity from infinity.
Interestingly this makes perfect mathematical sense too as purnam refers both to zero and infinity in Indian philosophy and maths!)
@
Long time ago I visited chidambaram as a kid. An imposing Idol of Nataraja stood in the hallway right next to the 'garbha griha' (the main shrine). Hundreds of earthen lamps lighted with ghee enveloped the image in a heavenly aura and a magic that still endures and inspires. As the time progressed the meaning of the sculpture, the concept itself became even more appealing to me.
In hinduism, bhakti tradition places a great emphasis on music and dance. They are considered to form a direct connection with the god. There is an underlying vedantic concept behind it... both forms of art represent the highest forms of artistic unity because they cannot be separated from their creator. This is what vedanta claims...the creation and the creator are one and the same. They cannot be separated, just as the dance dissolves in the dances the moment dancer stops dancing. No one can separate the dancer and the dance just as creator is integral part of creation. When a dancer stops, where does the dance go? it goes back to the dancer. Then does it mean it didnt exist earlier? No, there was dance and the dancer earlier. Similarly, creation and creator exist only until the creator performs his dance of creation. The moment he stops, everything is dissolved in him.
Nataraja's cosmic dance mirrors this concept in a beautiful way. He is performing a ananda tandava, holding a drum in right hand depicting the primoridal sound and creation. In the left, is the fire depicting the dissolution of the creation. The right foot is placed firmly on the demon named 'apasmara purusha' (ignorant man) showing the conquest of ignorance. His hair sway wildly depicting his escasty. The snake is coiled around his neck to show conquest of desires and the hidden power kundalini( it is described as a coiled snake at the base of spine in tantra). The crecsent moon depicts the waxing and waning of the lifes cycles. Tiger skin around his loin, the courage that is so important in any spiritual quest and life in general. His other right hand is in 'abhaya' (benediction or protection from the ignorance) and the left hand shows the way to reach him...it points directly to the raised left foot. Intrestingly, the pose in which the left hand points to the left foot is called 'gajahasta-mudra' elephant trunk pose and points to Ganesha, the removal of obstacles in the path. Meanwhile, Nataraja is surrounded by a fiery ring of fire, depicting 'shakti' his consort in the creation. The dynamism that is captured in a static image is simply divine.
There is a room next to the main shrine where devotees are taken to see the 'chidambara rahasya' (mystery of chidambara). Its an empty area lit by a single earthen lamp. Maybe that is what it is...empty space symbolic of all pervasive yet invisible the primoridal thread that runs through our very existence and an earthen lamp indicating the light of knowledge to uncover it.
And as an ever inspiring upanishadic verse declares:
Purna madah purna midam, purnaat purna mudachyate,
purnasya purna maadaya, purna mevavah shishyate.
(That is infinite, this is infinite, infiniteness can arise out of infinity;
Infinity alone remains after removing infinity from infinity.
Interestingly this makes perfect mathematical sense too as purnam refers both to zero and infinity in Indian philosophy and maths!)
@
posted by atma_tripta at 4:37 PM
2 Comments:
Yes, many of the south Indian temples are spectacular and Chidambaram is no exception!
While I loved Chidambaram, I have Tiruvannamalai's image chiselled into my mind. The spectacular mountain that stands tall behind the temple is a sight that inspires and many a morning I have woken up happy to the sight of the serene certainty that the mountain represented (despite my unknown beliefs in God!)
I heard a lot about arunachalam and would like to visit the place besides ofcourse, ramana maharish's ashram.
The temples are marvels of engineering. A four foot long stone flute and chains made entirely of rock in some of the temples of TN are still etched in my mind.
@
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