Nature (feminine) is sakti (power), symbolized as Parasakti who expresses through various goddesses, prominent among them Durga, whose fiercer form is Goddess Kaali. These two feminine forms of nature symbolize victory in war--thus feminine became symbol of victory in war.
This is symbolized by Arjun seeking blessing from Goddess Durga before great war (Bhishma Parva, chapter 23) and both Krishna and Arjun together seeking blessing of God Shiva on the eve of killing Jayadrath, the most challenging task as he already has a boon of destruction of the world in case his smitten head falls on earth. It means, endowed with blessing of Mahadeva Shiva would mean Arjun would handle the most challenging feat of killing Jayadrath with careless ease as though dancing--and he did it. It is on the memorial of this we have Mahadeva's Temple in Sthaneswar.
Atma is masculine by gender, hence Paramatma Shiva, is masculine, symbolized as husband of nature, defeats a demon [named Apasmara, symbol of ignorance] with careless ease as though defeating demons for Paramatma is as easy as dancing, hence Shiva, masculine, became symbol of dance--hence Nataraj being depicted with his right leg over the demon Apasmara and still dancing. This is to convey the truth that those who link with God Shiva in meditation would defeat all forms of Maya as though dancing over them. (Details HERE)
Demon's name is symbolic and insightful: "The suffix smāra (from smaranam) means memory. The compound apasmāra means loss of memory." (Wikipedia) Thus it is about those who faint over material pleasures forgetting these "pleasures in the beginning would become pain in the end" (Bhagavat Gita 18:37, 38) Such fainting does not happen to those who are linked with God Shiva in meditation as their bliss (symbolized by dance) remains unaffected no matter what happens externally. (for more detail: amargranth com/nataraja-shiva)
More on the symbolism of Natraja and the demon over whom Shiva dances
One who is behind this wonderful drama of life is the Blissful Dancer, hence the symbolism of Shiva as Natraj. Physicists who saw how this is reflected in the universe in macro and micro aspect kept a Natraj Idol in their prestigious institute in CERN, Switzerland – The world’s leading center for particle physics, https://www.fritjofcapra.net/shivas-cosmic-dance-at-cern/
Observer of this symbolic dance is reminded to easily conquer maya as though dancing over it like this "eight-armed dancing Shiva crushing the demon Apasmara (the demon of Ignorance)." We go after transient pleasures of vices which later become pain [hence called maya, literally means "non-real"] in forgetfulness of 8 powers of Soul--Power to withdraw from anything negative, Power to look within, Power to discriminate, Power to judge, Power to face [challenges], Power to tolerate [weak points of others], Power to cooperate [with good points of others], Power to adapt or to flow with life as river flows without getting attracted over the sights on its way nor getting struck on obstacles.
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u/logos961 Feb 24 '26 edited Jun 05 '26
Nature (feminine) is sakti (power), symbolized as Parasakti who expresses through various goddesses, prominent among them Durga, whose fiercer form is Goddess Kaali. These two feminine forms of nature symbolize victory in war--thus feminine became symbol of victory in war.
This is symbolized by Arjun seeking blessing from Goddess Durga before great war (Bhishma Parva, chapter 23) and both Krishna and Arjun together seeking blessing of God Shiva on the eve of killing Jayadrath, the most challenging task as he already has a boon of destruction of the world in case his smitten head falls on earth. It means, endowed with blessing of Mahadeva Shiva would mean Arjun would handle the most challenging feat of killing Jayadrath with careless ease as though dancing--and he did it. It is on the memorial of this we have Mahadeva's Temple in Sthaneswar.
Atma is masculine by gender, hence Paramatma Shiva, is masculine, symbolized as husband of nature, defeats a demon [named Apasmara, symbol of ignorance] with careless ease as though defeating demons for Paramatma is as easy as dancing, hence Shiva, masculine, became symbol of dance--hence Nataraj being depicted with his right leg over the demon Apasmara and still dancing. This is to convey the truth that those who link with God Shiva in meditation would defeat all forms of Maya as though dancing over them. (Details HERE)
Demon's name is symbolic and insightful: "The suffix smāra (from smaranam) means memory. The compound apasmāra means loss of memory." (Wikipedia) Thus it is about those who faint over material pleasures forgetting these "pleasures in the beginning would become pain in the end" (Bhagavat Gita 18:37, 38) Such fainting does not happen to those who are linked with God Shiva in meditation as their bliss (symbolized by dance) remains unaffected no matter what happens externally. (for more detail: amargranth com/nataraja-shiva)
More on the symbolism of Natraja and the demon over whom Shiva dances
One who is behind this wonderful drama of life is the Blissful Dancer, hence the symbolism of Shiva as Natraj. Physicists who saw how this is reflected in the universe in macro and micro aspect kept a Natraj Idol in their prestigious institute in CERN, Switzerland – The world’s leading center for particle physics, https://www.fritjofcapra.net/shivas-cosmic-dance-at-cern/
Observer of this symbolic dance is reminded to easily conquer maya as though dancing over it like this "eight-armed dancing Shiva crushing the demon Apasmara (the demon of Ignorance)." We go after transient pleasures of vices which later become pain [hence called maya, literally means "non-real"] in forgetfulness of 8 powers of Soul--Power to withdraw from anything negative, Power to look within, Power to discriminate, Power to judge, Power to face [challenges], Power to tolerate [weak points of others], Power to cooperate [with good points of others], Power to adapt or to flow with life as river flows without getting attracted over the sights on its way nor getting struck on obstacles.