Why Lord Nataraja changed his dancing posture

After the demise of Vikrama Pandian, Rajesekharan ascended the throne. He learnt and mastered sixty-three out of the sixty-four arts. He did not attempt to learn 'Bharathanatyam' because he believed as Lord Nataraja was the supreme dancer, it would amount to disrespect to practice that art form.

 

During Rajeskharan's rule, the Chola Kingdom was ruled by Karikaal Cholan. Not only was he a great King but he had also mastered all the sixty four arts including Bharatnatyam. One day a poet from Karikaalan's court visited Rajesekharan. After paying tributes he said that his King was a master of all sixty-four arts whereas the Pandian knew only sixty-three. Believing the admonition was a way of God instructing him to learn Bharatnatyam, Rajasekharan Pandian started to learn that art of dance. However he soon found that the practice exhausted him to such a degree that it made him wonder whether it would also be tiresome for Lord Nataraja, who had been dancing for ages with his left leg always lifted.

 

Dancing posture, Lord Nataraja worshipped at Tiruvannamalai

The compassionate king filled with love and devotion for the Lord spent sleepless nights worrying how much it would hurt the Lord to always dance in one posture. On the day of Sivaratri, he arranged a puja for Lord Somasundarar then presented himself in front of Lord Nataraja. With a melting heart he beseeched the Lord,

 

“Oh my beloved Lord, you are dancing always with one leg on the ground and the other lifted in the  air. Does it not cause you pain? Please change your posture by setting your left leg on the ground and your right leg in the air. This will bring relief to my aching heart. If you do not oblige I will kill myself here in front of you."

 

With these words, he unsheathed his sword and was about to kill himself but at that very moment, the merciful Lord Nataraja changed his posture and set his left leg on the ground and lifted his right leg. Pandian was overwhelmed by the Lord's compassion and further requested that Lord Nataraja always exhibit his changed posture at Velliambalam for the benefit of devotees. 

 

Lord Nataraja at VelliSabhai, Madurai

 

Lord Nataraja granted the wish and even to this day Lord Nataraja is worshipped in that posture at Madurai.

[Thiruvilaiyadal Puranam]

Marriage of Shiva and Meenakshi

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This year the marriage of Lord Shiva and the Goddess Meenakshi was celebrated on 16th April, 2011. Interestingly, the day before I visited Arunachaleswarar Temple and whilst sitting outside the Shiva Sannidhi watched as various palanquins were being prepared for the Marriage Festival to be held the next day.

The Marriage is celebrated throughout South India particularly at such Siva Sthalams as Arunachala. However, according to legend it is Madurai that is believed to be the actual site where the wedding between Shiva and Meenakshi took place and it is at Madurai that the Marriage is celebrated in a grand and huge manner over a period of 8-10 days.

The legend of Meenakshi and her marriage to Lord Shiva goes thus:

Marriage of Lord Shiva and Meenakshi

The legend

Once Indra killed a demon, even though the demon had done no harm. This act brought a curse upon Indra which he was freed from through the power of a Shiva Lingam in a forest, at which site he built a small Temple.

At that time in South India there was a Pandyan King called Malayadhwaja Pandiyan ruling a small city by the name Manavur, which was near the Shiva Lingam. When the King came to know about the Shiva Lingam he decided to build a large Temple for Shiva in that Forest. The King also developed the region into a fine princely state which was to be known as Madurai.

As the King was childless, he prayed and performed numerous yagnas for God to give him a child. The result was a three year old girl was born to him, who had three breasts and beautiful eyes like those of a fish (Meenakshi = eyes like a fish). The disappointed King who had been hoping for a boy, was told that when the child would meet her future husband, her third breast would fall off.

When her father died, the Princess ruled the kingdom and, as a ferocious warrior, led armies on a number of successful expeditions. On one of them she reached the Himalayas and encountered the God Shiva. Immediately her third breast fell off, and she became docile, ready to be a wife.

Shiva told her to return to Madurai where he would come to marry her.

He arrived accompanied by enormous crowds.

Wedding Procession

And it was at the wedding celebrations that Lord Shiva as Nataraja performed his majestic, cosmic dance.

Nataraja and Cosmic Dance