Shiva Nataraja/Shiva as Lord of the Dance + Seated Ganesha

What does the word nataraja mean?

"nata" = dance/performance "raja" = king/lord (king of dance)

What was Ganesha originally holding in his lower left hand? (note: it is missing due to the damage to the terracotta sculpture).

- a bowl of sweets

Why is Ganesha considered the most popular deity in the Hindu pantheon?

- bc Ganesha is widely revered as the remover of obstacles

What is Shiva doing with his lower left hand? What does it symbolize?

- hand stretches diagonally across chest w/ his palm facing down towards raised left foot - signifies spiritual grace thru meditation/mastery over baser appetites

Why does Ganesha hold his own broken off tusk in his lower right hand?

- he was writing down the Mahabharata (hindu epic) & his quill broke, so he breaks his own tusk and continues to write

What does Shiva hold in his upper right hand? What does it symbolize?

- holding the damaru, the drum whose beats syncopate (& symbolize) the act of creation and the passage of time

What is Shiva doing with his upper left hand? What does it symbolize?

- holds the agni - symbolizes flame of destruction that annihilates all that the sound of damaru drummed into existence

What is Shiva doing with his lower right hand? What does it symbolize?

- lifted in the gesture of the abhaya mudra - says to supplicant "be not afraid, for those who follow the path of righteousness will have my blessing"

Who is Shiva standing on top of? What does he symbolize?

- standing on the huddled dwarf, the demon Apasmara - Symbolized embodiment of ignorance

What does the circle of fire surrounding Shiva symbolize?

- symbolizes the encapsulated cosmos of mass, time, and space --> cycle of destruction & regeneration moves in tune to beat of Shiva's drum + rhythm of steps

What is Shiva's role in the triad of divine energy within the cosmos of Hinduism?

- the "destroyer" - shiva is the agent that brings a natural end to things so a new cycle can begin

Fill in the blank: Ganesha is the patron of _____________ and _____________ , and he is also the God of _____________ and _____________ .

arts/writing/intellect/wisdom

Why might a devotee give offerings (puja) to Ganesha?

to ask him to grant them success/prosperity, protect them from adversity, remove obstacles, etc.

True or false: the sculpture of Shiva as Lord of the Dance was intended to be moved around, and may have even been wrapped in cloth and flowers when it was displayed in processions.

true