Natarajasana

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lord of the dance pose
Natarajasana, Lord of the Dance Pose

Natarajasana (

Krishnamacharya in the early 20th century, and taken up by his pupils, such as B. K. S. Iyengar, who made the pose his signature. Natarajasana is among the yoga poses often used in advertising
, denoting desirable qualities such as flexibility and grace.

Etymology and mythology

10th century Shiva as Nataraja, the lord of the dance. Chola dynasty
13th century dance mudras on Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram's eastern gopuram

The name comes from the Sanskrit epithet नटराज Naṭarāja, "Dancing King",[a] one of the names given to the Hindu God Shiva in his form as the cosmic dancer,[4] and आसन āsana meaning "posture" or "seat".[5] Nataraja is the aspect of Shiva "whose ecstatic dance of destruction lays the foundation for the creation and sustenance of the universe."[6] The significance of the image of the dancing Shiva is indicated by his gestures: he is depicted with four arms, standing on Avidya, the demon of ignorance. In his hands he beats out time on a drum, and holds the flame of Vidya, knowledge. Sometimes he holds a conch shell, signifying Om, the universal cosmic sound. He holds up a hand in the gesture of fearlessness, Abhayamudra.[6]

The pose is among some twenty asanas depicted in 13th – 18th century

Bharatnatyam dance statues of the Eastern Gopuram, Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram.[7]

In modern yoga

Iyengar, Natarajasana, and 20th century yoga

The yoga guru B. K. S. Iyengar in Natarajasana

"As the signature pose of Iyengar, the most acclaimed master of postural yoga, Natarajasana became the representative yoga pose of the late 20th century... Iyengar saw himself as Nataraja's avatar. And he clearly (sometimes desperately) wanted us to see him as the incarnation of Nataraja. So he came close to conflating the yogin and the dancer." —
Elliott Goldberg[8]
Further information: Yoga as exercise

The yoga scholar

Sivananda, as Iyengar sent him a complete photo album showing Iyengar in all his asanas.[8] Iyengar writes in the coverage of Natarajasana in his Light on Yoga that the god Shiva created over 100 dances, from gentle to fierce, of which the best-known is the Tāṇḍava, "the cosmic dance of destruction".[9] He describes Natarajasana as a "vigorous and beautiful pose", and is pictured demonstrating the pose on the cover of some editions of his book.[9]

Description

This aesthetic, stretching and balancing asana is said to require concentration and grace;[10] it is used in the Indian classical dance form Bharatanatyam.[7] The actor Mariel Hemingway describes Natarajasana as "a beautiful pose with tremendous power", comparing the balance and tension in the arms and legs with an archery bow, and calling it "a very difficult pose to hold."[11]

The pose is entered from standing in Tadasana, bending one knee and stretching that foot back until it can be grasped with the hand on that side. The foot can then be extended back and up, arching the back and stretching out the other arm forwards.[12][1] For the full pose and a stronger stretch, reverse the rear arm by lifting it over the shoulder, and grasp the foot.[1]

Variations

Reaching up and back with both arms, elbows upwards, to grasp the rear foot gives a more intense pose.[2]

The pose can be modified by grasping a strap around the rear foot,[12] or by holding on to a support such as a wall or chair.[2]

  • Natarajasana in Bharatanatyam classical Indian dance
    Natarajasana in Bharatanatyam classical Indian dance
  • Variation with both hands grasping the raised foot
    Variation with both hands grasping the raised foot
  • A variation demonstrated by the Russian yoga teacher Nina Mel
    A variation demonstrated by the Russian yoga teacher Nina Mel
  • Outdoor class in Liechtenstein
    Outdoor class in Liechtenstein

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Shiva's epithet Nataraja comes from the Sanskrit words नट nata meaning "dancer", and राज rāja meaning "king".[3]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Lord of the Dance Pose". Yoga Journal. 28 August 2007.
  2. ^
    OCLC 1030608283
    .
  3. ISBN 978-0-7360-7428-5
    .
  4. OCLC 2155403
    .
  5. ISBN 978-81-7041-293-9
    .
  6. ^ a b Kaivalya, Alanna (15 November 2013). "Joy to the World: Lord of the Dance". Yoga Journal. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  7. ^ a b Bhavanani, Ananda Balayogi; Bhavanani, Devasena (2001). "BHARATANATYAM AND YOGA". Archived from the original on 23 October 2006. He also points out that these [Bharatanatyam dance] stances are very similar to Yoga Asanas, and in the Gopuram walls at Chidambaram, at least twenty different classical Yoga Asanas are depicted by the dancers, including Dhanurasana, Chakrasana, Vrikshasana, Natarajasana, Trivikramasana, Ananda Tandavasana, Padmasana, Siddhasana, Kaka Asana, Vrishchikasana and others.
  8. ^
    OCLC 926062252
    . As the signature pose of Iyengar, the most acclaimed master of postural yoga, Natarajasana became the representative yoga pose of the late 20th century... Iyengar saw himself as Nataraja's avatar. And he clearly (sometimes desperately) wanted us to see him as the incarnation of Nataraja. So he came close to conflating the yogin and the dancer.
  9. ^
    ISBN 978-1855381667
    .
  10. ISBN 978-0-89281-820-4
    .
  11. ISBN 978-0743264327
    .
  12. ^ a b StPierre, Amber (9 January 2017). "Troubleshooting King Dancer Pose". DoYouYoga. Retrieved 29 January 2019.

Further reading

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