| The drum in
the right hand symbolizes the fact that God holds the cause of the entire world, i.e.,
Sound (Sabda Nishtam Jagat), in his hand, to be folded or unfolded at His will. The very
first sound OM has its origin from this drum. The
primordial sounds of the alphabet (Maheshwarani Sabdani) came out of Siva's drum as He
beat it with his right hand, and formed the basis of the Science of Grammar, Vyakarana,
originated by Patanjali. The deer on one sidesymbolizes the mind. As the deer leaps all
round and runs fast, so also the mind of man runs fast jumping from one thing to another.
The skin of the tiger, which Nataraja wears, is the skin of Egoism or Ahankara, which He
has killed. The Ganga he wears on the head is the Chit Sakti or Wisdom, which is cool and
refreshing. The Moon represents the Ethereal light and blissfulness of the Atman. |
