A COPPER SHRINE OF SHIVA NATARAJA AND PARVATI


SOUTH INDIA, 19TH CENTURYHimalayan Art Resources item no.61655 16.5 cm (6.5 in.) high
|印度南部 十九世紀 納塔羅闍與帕爾瓦蒂銅神龕The concept of the istadeva in Hinduism functions similarly to Vajrayana's yidam; a chosen deity provides means to unlock one's eternal nature, which is beyond human comprehension. In Vajrayana Buddhism this results in dissolving into the Adi-Buddha, whereas in Hinduism this results in becoming one with the divine Absolute. The representation of Shiva as Nataraja, "Lord of Dance", conveys his role as the creator, destroyer, and re-creator of the world, stressing his eternity. He dances on a dwarf representing the ego, which must be overcome to realize one's inner divinity.The unusual placement of Nataraja and his consort Parvati on the same platform indicates this sculpture was made for a personal shrine and worshiped with great intensity. The use of inset rubies or red colored glass is common to Mysore and Thanjavur where the Nataraja cult predominates.ProvenancePeter Sloane, London, 2016