About the Statue:
Material: Brass
Color: Brown and Golden Hues
Dimensions: 11 cm
Technique: Mold based, Hand Chiseled
About Natraj (Lord Shiva's Avtaar):
Nataraja or Nataraj depicts the third god of Hindus - The Lord Shiva. In this avatar Shiva - who is believed to be the destroyer of all evils is shown in the form of a divine dancer performing his dance. The dance signifies putting an end to an exhausted world and signaling the creation of a new world by the Lord Brahma, first god responsible for the creation of the universe. In this brass sculpture Lord Shiva is seen dancing in a ring of flames, while lifting his left leg and is seen balancing on demon that is believed to signify his ignorance. That is - when Shiva comes as Nataraj he is on his own, without any fear of any evils, or any obstacles. Nataraj is always depicted with his four hands. A cobra (snake) uncoils from his lower right forearm. The upper right hand holds a "Damru", a small drum shaped instrument. The second right hand is in 'Abhayamudra' meaning protection against evil and ignorance. The upper left hand contains fire, symbolizing destruction. The second left hand points towards the raised foot which signifies liberation.
Natraj and Yoga
The depiction of Shiva in Natraj form is of the cosmic dancer. Shiva is divine consciousness and his dance, called the Ananda Tandava or “blissful dance”, creates the entire universe. The symbolism reveals to us that the universe is a divinely blissful dance of consciousness in which no individual is separate.
Many Yogis relate to the the statue because the Natraj form of Shiva has movement and life in it. In fact, it is actually placed in a yoga pose, so it’s a good fit for the yoga studio. The symbolism it presents reflects about being graceful in the yogic practice. Shiva’s standing on one foot atop a dwarf who symbolizes our ego. It is this ego that keeps us small by insisting we aren’t worthy, don’t have enough, aren’t ready yet, or haven’t earned the right to be all that we can be. Here we learn here what’s required is to squash that limiting voice in our head and to transform the ego from a problem, as Shiva did the dwarf, into the actual stage we dance all over. The other foot is the graceful upturned foot which symbolizes revelation- that through yoga we embody the power of grace and our true nature is revealed; joy, goodness, delight, fun.
How to clean brass?
Combine the juice of half a lemon with a teaspoon of baking soda and stir until it becomes a paste. Apply the paste with a soft cloth. If the tarnish is heavy, let the piece sit with the paste on it for 30 minutes. Rinse with warm water and dry.