shiva
... nataraja is the abhaya mudra, the jata which is the hair and the rudraska mala. There’s also Brahma and Vishnu in this picture showing another paradox of Siva. These images tell a lot about the deity and some of the elements are really symbolic to the deity. Siva takes the form of creator and destroyer through Natraja, the lord of dance. He also has the representation of arthanarinara because he has sakti within him that helps him unfold various manifestations of the dance. This picture has different elements that are very symbolic to Siva’s character. Siva dances in the circle of fire, which is the endless circle of birth and death. Siva crushes the dwarf-demon Apasmara beneath his foot, which shows that he is destroying ignorance. Siva holds agni or fire in his left hand which is also a symbol of destruction. The right hands of Siva are raised, which has this symbolic representation of being safe and being protected is known as the abhaya mudra. The mudra on his left hand that points downward like an elephant gesture, gaja hasta goes diagonally across his chest. AT the beginning of a new cosmic cycle, he plays the drum of creation or damaru; it is made of two triangles each representing its own principle: the linga displaying the male principle and the yoni representin...