Page:South-Indian Images of Gods and Goddesses.djvu/99

Rh across the breast to the right side its fingers gracefully pointing below, towards the left leg which is raised in a dancing posture. The position of this hand is known as gaja-hasta, "the elephant-trunk." The ecstatic and violent nature of the dance, described as Ānanda-tāndava in the sequel, whirling quickly round on one leg, placed on the back of the demon Musalagan or Apasmāra, is indicated by the matted hair (jata) stretching out on both sides of the head in wavy lines one above the other and by the cloth, partly tied round the waist and partly thrown over the left shoulder, also flying in the air (fig. 48). The right hand which shows the abhaya has on its wrist a serpent, which is the usual ornament of Siva and may have I, 3, 5 or 7 hoods. Another serpent, in the hand of the demon below, is explained by Mr. Havell (Ideals of Indian Art, p. 79) to be the corresponding wrist ornament on the left arm which had dropped down in the dance. We are told in the Kāsyapa-Silpa of the Amsumat Tantra that a serpent with raised hood is to be shown playing near Apasmāra on his left side, the right hand of the demon pointing towards it (vyāla-mudrā?). The head of Siva wears peacock's feathers, or an ornament fashioned like them, which is a special characteristic of the image. The aureola (prabhā), which every metallic image necessarily has, is, in this case, somewhat peculiar and significant, being surmounted all round with flames of fire similar to the one which is held in the pot or cup in one of the two left arms of the image. The pedestal on which the figure rests is a double lotus flower placed back to back. Sometimes the jatas are not spread out but are tied and made up in the form of jatāmakuta (fig. 49).

Siva is said to dance in the evening in the presence of the goddess Pārvatī in order to relieve the sufferings of the dēvas. The dance of Natarāja is believed to symbolize the action of cosmic energy in creating, preserving and destroying the visible universe. The Purānas say that during these dances the whole congregation of gods, demigods and saints present themselves to render their obeisance to Siva. Hence the name Sabhāpati, "the lord of the