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Bronze Shiva Statue with Leg Over Head Dancing the Tandava in Dance Competition Against Kali 30"
Item# 64b58
Bronze Shiva Statue with Leg Over Head Dancing the Tandava in Dance Competition Against Kali 30"
Item# 64b58
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Statue Details
Materials: Lost Wax Method South Indian Panchaloha Bronze Cast in Tamil Nadu, India
Total Height Including Base: 30 inches or 76 cms
Widest Point: 19 inches at arch
Base Width & Depth: 12 x 9 inches
Weight: 55 pounds or 25 kgs
- Shiva is ecstatic dancing the wild Tandava dance!
- Shiva has 8 arms holding a cobra, antelope, a scepter with Nandi, a drum, a drum stick, bell, trident and an ax
- Shiva is a hand made, one of a kind, bronze sculpture cast by one of the best, if not the best, bronze artists in South India, Varadaraj, using the lost wax process, a skill passed on for generations since the Chola period
- Click here to view other lost wax method bronze statues by the artist, Varadaraj or you can travel to India to meet Varadaraj and his two brothers by reading Kyle's Travel Blog
Shiva is magnificent, majestic, powerful, impressive and utterly penetrating. While in his presence you can physically feel shakti exploding from every inch of Shiva's body and every hair on his dreadlocked head. He is a remarkable achievement in bronze. Worthy of the Chola Kings for whom these fabulous bronze sculptures were once commissioned.
In or on his eight arms are (clockwise starting the raised arm) a cobra, an antelope, a scepter with Nandi on top, a damru or drum, a drum stick, a bell, a trident and an axe. The cobra coiled around his upper arm symbolizes the power he has over the most deadly of creatures. Snakes are also used to symbolize the Hindu dogma of reincarnation. Their natural process of molting or shedding their skin is symbolic of the human souls transmigration of bodies from one life to another. The antelope was present at the union of Shiva and Parvati to show how all sentient beings approved of the marriage between the couple. Shiva's guardian, Nandi (the white bull), whose statue can often be seen watching over the main shrine is captured on the scepter. The bull is said to embody sexual energy and fertility. Shiva holds an hour glass shaped drum or damru. The drum represents the rhythmic sound to which Shiva dances and ceaselessly recreates the universe. He holds a bow-shaped stick that beats the drum. Shiva holds a bell that accompanies the drum in creating the rhythm in which time passes and Shiva recreates the world.
Shiva holds a trident, which represents the Hindu trinity of Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu. It is also said to represent the threefold qualities of nature: creation, preservation and destruction, although preservation is usually attributed to Vishnu. In Shiva's upper right hand he holds an axe. In Hindu ideology weapons are viewed as symbolic tools to destroy the ego rather than to cause any type of bloodshed.
There are two truly unique aspects of this pose, one being Shiva's raised right leg. The awkward position fits within the sculpture because of the other unique feature of the sculpture, the raised left arm with the poised cobra. The two opposing leg and arm positions balance out each other perfectly. Shiva is, after all, forever balancing out the world by destroying the old for life to begin anew. On Shiva's big toe is a Yali eating its own tail making it a circular toe ring.
Shiva dances on the body of a demon named Apasmara. Apasmara, the dwarf demon, represents ignorance and mindlessness. Apasmara tries to hinder all people from freeing themselves from the circle of reincarnation.
The fiery ring surrounding Shiva, the prahabhamandala, represents the universe with all of its illusion, suffering and pain. The outer edge is fire and the inner edge represents the waters of the oceans.
The Story Behind the pose of the Wild Thandavam: Kali was the patron goddess of Thillai Forest. Lord Shiva came to the forest to dance for two of his devotees, Patanjali and Vyaaghrapaada who worshipped the svayambhu-linga, now in the inner sanctum of the temple. Kali challenged Shiva to a dancing contest on the condition that the loser had to leave the forest. The contest was judged by Lord Vishnu. The dance contest went on for hours with every one of Shiva's dance postures being matched by Kali. Shiva performed a posture with his left leg lifted over his head in the Ananda Thandavam exposing his genital area. Kali, being a respectable woman, was unable to go into this compromising position. Thus, Kali admitted defeat and left the forest.
In his joy he named Saraswati, Vagdevi, goddess of speech and sound. The sound of mantras filled the universe with vital energy, or prana. Things began to take shape and the cosmos acquired a structure: the sky dotted with stars rose to form the heavens; the sea sank into the abyss below, the earth stood in between. Gods became lords of the celestial spheres; demons ruled the nether regions, humans walked on earth. The sun rose and set, the moon waxed and waned, the tide flowed and ebbed. Seasons changed, seeds germinated, plants bloomed and withered, animals migrated and reproduced as randomness gave way to the rhythm of life. Brahma thus became the creator of the world with Saraswati as his wisdom.
Lost Wax Method: This sculpture is a one of a kind, lost wax method bronze statue hand made by the artists of South India. The sculpture pictured is the only sculpture Lotus Sculpture has like this in our store. When you order this piece you will receive this exact sculpture. It is truly one of a kind as there is only one made exactly like this! Each bronze is hand made by a group of bronze artists whose families have been crafting bronze sculptures for centuries with the art being passed on by each generation. The hand crafted bronzes statues have an incredible amount of detail which many other mass produced, brass Hindu statues lack. Lost Wax South Indian bronze statues are the only sculptures used by Hindu temples throughout India and the world.
In or on his eight arms are (clockwise starting the raised arm) a cobra, an antelope, a scepter with Nandi on top, a damru or drum, a drum stick, a bell, a trident and an axe. The cobra coiled around his upper arm symbolizes the power he has over the most deadly of creatures. Snakes are also used to symbolize the Hindu dogma of reincarnation. Their natural process of molting or shedding their skin is symbolic of the human souls transmigration of bodies from one life to another. The antelope was present at the union of Shiva and Parvati to show how all sentient beings approved of the marriage between the couple. Shiva's guardian, Nandi (the white bull), whose statue can often be seen watching over the main shrine is captured on the scepter. The bull is said to embody sexual energy and fertility. Shiva holds an hour glass shaped drum or damru. The drum represents the rhythmic sound to which Shiva dances and ceaselessly recreates the universe. He holds a bow-shaped stick that beats the drum. Shiva holds a bell that accompanies the drum in creating the rhythm in which time passes and Shiva recreates the world.
Shiva holds a trident, which represents the Hindu trinity of Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu. It is also said to represent the threefold qualities of nature: creation, preservation and destruction, although preservation is usually attributed to Vishnu. In Shiva's upper right hand he holds an axe. In Hindu ideology weapons are viewed as symbolic tools to destroy the ego rather than to cause any type of bloodshed.
There are two truly unique aspects of this pose, one being Shiva's raised right leg. The awkward position fits within the sculpture because of the other unique feature of the sculpture, the raised left arm with the poised cobra. The two opposing leg and arm positions balance out each other perfectly. Shiva is, after all, forever balancing out the world by destroying the old for life to begin anew. On Shiva's big toe is a Yali eating its own tail making it a circular toe ring.
Shiva dances on the body of a demon named Apasmara. Apasmara, the dwarf demon, represents ignorance and mindlessness. Apasmara tries to hinder all people from freeing themselves from the circle of reincarnation.
The fiery ring surrounding Shiva, the prahabhamandala, represents the universe with all of its illusion, suffering and pain. The outer edge is fire and the inner edge represents the waters of the oceans.
The Story Behind the pose of the Wild Thandavam: Kali was the patron goddess of Thillai Forest. Lord Shiva came to the forest to dance for two of his devotees, Patanjali and Vyaaghrapaada who worshipped the svayambhu-linga, now in the inner sanctum of the temple. Kali challenged Shiva to a dancing contest on the condition that the loser had to leave the forest. The contest was judged by Lord Vishnu. The dance contest went on for hours with every one of Shiva's dance postures being matched by Kali. Shiva performed a posture with his left leg lifted over his head in the Ananda Thandavam exposing his genital area. Kali, being a respectable woman, was unable to go into this compromising position. Thus, Kali admitted defeat and left the forest.
In his joy he named Saraswati, Vagdevi, goddess of speech and sound. The sound of mantras filled the universe with vital energy, or prana. Things began to take shape and the cosmos acquired a structure: the sky dotted with stars rose to form the heavens; the sea sank into the abyss below, the earth stood in between. Gods became lords of the celestial spheres; demons ruled the nether regions, humans walked on earth. The sun rose and set, the moon waxed and waned, the tide flowed and ebbed. Seasons changed, seeds germinated, plants bloomed and withered, animals migrated and reproduced as randomness gave way to the rhythm of life. Brahma thus became the creator of the world with Saraswati as his wisdom.
Lost Wax Method: This sculpture is a one of a kind, lost wax method bronze statue hand made by the artists of South India. The sculpture pictured is the only sculpture Lotus Sculpture has like this in our store. When you order this piece you will receive this exact sculpture. It is truly one of a kind as there is only one made exactly like this! Each bronze is hand made by a group of bronze artists whose families have been crafting bronze sculptures for centuries with the art being passed on by each generation. The hand crafted bronzes statues have an incredible amount of detail which many other mass produced, brass Hindu statues lack. Lost Wax South Indian bronze statues are the only sculptures used by Hindu temples throughout India and the world.
I always say to our customers;
The sculpture chooses you, you do not choose the sculpture.
You just know when you find the right piece to bring into your home and into your heart. - Kyle Tortora, Founder of Lotus Sculpture
You just know when you find the right piece to bring into your home and into your heart. - Kyle Tortora, Founder of Lotus Sculpture
Shiva the Destroyer (Sanskrit: Auspicious One), or Siva, is one of the main Deities of Hinduism, worshipped as the paramount lord by the Saivite sects of India. Shiva is one of the most complex gods of India, embodying seemingly contradictory qualities. He is the destroyer and the restorer, the great ascetic and the symbol of sensuality, the benevolent herdsman of souls and the wrathful avenger.
Shiva was originally known as Rudra, a minor deity addressed only three times in the Rig Veda. He gained importance after absorbing some of the characteristics of an earlier fertility god and became Shiva, part of the trinity, or trimurti, with Vishnu and Brahma.
Shiva wears a snake coiled around his upper arms and neck symbolizing the power he has over the most deadly of creatures. Snakes are also used to symbolize the Hindu dogma of reincarnation. Their natural process of molting or shedding their skin is symbolic of the human soul's transmigration of bodies from one life to another.
Shiva's female consort and wife is Parvati; because of his generosity and reverence towards Parvati, Shiva is considered an ideal role model for a husband. The divine couple together with their sons - the six-headed Skanda and the elephant headed Ganesh - reside on Mount Kailasa in the Himalayas.
His guardian is Nandi (the white bull), whose statue can often be seen watching over the main shrine. The bull is said to embody sexual energy, fertility. Riding on its back, Shiva is in control of these impulses.
He often holds a trident, which represents the Hindu trinity of Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu. It is also said to represent the threefold qualities of nature: creation, preservation and destruction, although preservation is usually attributed to Vishnu.
As the destroyer, Shiva is dark and terrible, encircled with serpents and a crown of skulls.
Shiva often wears sacred Rudaksha beads, perhaps a reference to his earlier name Rudra.
The crescent moon Shiva wears on his crown, besides being a symbol of Kama the goddess of nightly love, also represents the bull, Nandi, a fertility symbol.
Shiva holds a skull that represents samsara, the cycle of life, death and rebirth. Samsara is a central belief in Hinduism. Shiva himself also represents this complete cycle because he is Mahakala, the Lord of Time, destroying and creating all things.
Shiva is represented in a variety of forms. One such form is as a lingam. The ovoid shape is a representation of the absolute perfection of Lord Shiva - if that which is beyond form had to be given form, the lingam would be the closest form to the mystical experience of the absolute perfection of Shiva. Shiva is often pictured in a pacific mood with his consort Parvati, as the cosmic dancer Nataraja, as a naked ascetic, as a mendicant beggar, as a yogi, and as the androgynous union of Shiva and Parvati in one body (Ardhanarisvara).
Another example of Shiva's apparent synthesis of male and female attributes is seen in his earrings. He wears one earring in the style of a man and the other as a female.
Shiva's third eye is a symbol of higher consciousness. It is also a weapon he uses to destroy his enemies by emitting a fire missile which has the power to incinerate the three worlds. He can also kill all the gods and other creatures during the periodic destruction of the universe. Shiva's third eye first appeared when Parvati, his wife, playfully covered his other two eyes, so Shiva opened his third eye emitting his destructive missile endangering the three worlds.
Shiva was originally known as Rudra, a minor deity addressed only three times in the Rig Veda. He gained importance after absorbing some of the characteristics of an earlier fertility god and became Shiva, part of the trinity, or trimurti, with Vishnu and Brahma.
Shiva wears a snake coiled around his upper arms and neck symbolizing the power he has over the most deadly of creatures. Snakes are also used to symbolize the Hindu dogma of reincarnation. Their natural process of molting or shedding their skin is symbolic of the human soul's transmigration of bodies from one life to another.
Shiva's female consort and wife is Parvati; because of his generosity and reverence towards Parvati, Shiva is considered an ideal role model for a husband. The divine couple together with their sons - the six-headed Skanda and the elephant headed Ganesh - reside on Mount Kailasa in the Himalayas.
His guardian is Nandi (the white bull), whose statue can often be seen watching over the main shrine. The bull is said to embody sexual energy, fertility. Riding on its back, Shiva is in control of these impulses.
He often holds a trident, which represents the Hindu trinity of Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu. It is also said to represent the threefold qualities of nature: creation, preservation and destruction, although preservation is usually attributed to Vishnu.
As the destroyer, Shiva is dark and terrible, encircled with serpents and a crown of skulls.
Shiva often wears sacred Rudaksha beads, perhaps a reference to his earlier name Rudra.
The crescent moon Shiva wears on his crown, besides being a symbol of Kama the goddess of nightly love, also represents the bull, Nandi, a fertility symbol.
Shiva holds a skull that represents samsara, the cycle of life, death and rebirth. Samsara is a central belief in Hinduism. Shiva himself also represents this complete cycle because he is Mahakala, the Lord of Time, destroying and creating all things.
Shiva is represented in a variety of forms. One such form is as a lingam. The ovoid shape is a representation of the absolute perfection of Lord Shiva - if that which is beyond form had to be given form, the lingam would be the closest form to the mystical experience of the absolute perfection of Shiva. Shiva is often pictured in a pacific mood with his consort Parvati, as the cosmic dancer Nataraja, as a naked ascetic, as a mendicant beggar, as a yogi, and as the androgynous union of Shiva and Parvati in one body (Ardhanarisvara).
Another example of Shiva's apparent synthesis of male and female attributes is seen in his earrings. He wears one earring in the style of a man and the other as a female.
Shiva's third eye is a symbol of higher consciousness. It is also a weapon he uses to destroy his enemies by emitting a fire missile which has the power to incinerate the three worlds. He can also kill all the gods and other creatures during the periodic destruction of the universe. Shiva's third eye first appeared when Parvati, his wife, playfully covered his other two eyes, so Shiva opened his third eye emitting his destructive missile endangering the three worlds.
Bronze is an extremely durable metal made from a combination of 5 metals; copper, iron, tin, with minute additions of silver and gold. This combination is called Panchaloha bronze and is the basis for making the sacred Hindu temple statues of India and the world. Copper is the most prevalent metal in the alloy. Copper also gives the metal a softer composition that allows the bronze artisans to carve the details that are prevalent in each piece.
All the South Indian bronze sculpture Lotus Sculpture carries are Panchaloham and thus suited for any home altar or community temple.
If you would like the piece to shine use a cotton cloth with some coconut oil or other natural oil to wipe down the bronze statue.
Because of the durability of the metal not much is needed to maintain a bronze sculpture. Many of our customers purchase a bronze statue and perform daily puja and abhisheka consisting of bathing the Hindu deity in ghee, milk, coconut milk or other liquids. In this case nothing is needed to keep the statue clean as it will be bathed daily. If the sculpture is used for "darshan" or simply viewing the sculpture it is best to dust the statue as needed so no dirt collects in the details of the sculpture. For both polished golden bronzes and antique patina bronze statues if you would like the sculpture to shine use a cotton cloth with some coconut oil or other natural oil to wipe down the piece as needed.
Many of our bronze Hindu statues have been placed in outdoor temples. Bronze's durability makes it perfect for cold winters and hot summers of any climate. We suggest you bathe the sculpture every couple of months so that dirt does not collect on the sculpture and then use a cotton cloth with some natural oil to give the statue a shine. Both indoors and outdoors a bronze statue can be left alone which, overtime, will give the bronze an antique patina.
On some bronze statues you can see small hints of lime green, verde-gris patina. Some people prize this color for its age others want to remove it. If you would like to remove the verde-gris use a tooth brush with some coconut oil or other natural oil and lightly go over the verde-gris. This should remove the unwanted patina from the sculpture.
If you have any questions concerning your bronze statue please email us at [email protected] or call us at 1(760) 994-4455.
Bangladeshi Bronze is an extremely durable metal made from a combination of 5 metals; copper, iron, tin, with minute additions of silver and gold. This combination is called Panchaloha bronze and is the basis for making the sacred Hindu temple statues around the world. Copper is the most prevalent metal in the alloy. Copper also gives the metal a softer composition that allows the bronze artisans to carve the details that are prevalent in each piece. All the Bangleshi bronze sculpture Lotus Sculpture carries are Panchaloham and thus suited for any home altar or community temple.
If you would like the piece to shine use a cotton cloth with some coconut oil or other natural oil to wipe down the bronze statue.
Because of the durability of the metal not much is needed to maintain a bronze sculpture. Many of our customers purchase a bronze statue and perform daily puja and abhisheka consisting of bathing the Hindu deity in ghee, milk, coconut milk or other liquids. In this case nothing is needed to keep the statue clean as it will be bathed daily. If the sculpture is used for "darshan" or simply viewing the sculpture it is best to dust the statue as needed so no dirt collects in the details of the sculpture. For Bangladeshi bronze statues if you would like the sculpture to shine, use a cotton cloth with some coconut oil or other natural oil to wipe down the piece as needed.
If you have any questions concerning your bronze statue please email us at [email protected] or call us at 1(760) 994-4455.
USA Shipping
This sculpture is in our Oceanside, California store and ready for immediate shipping. The shipping charge is automatically calculated by UPS for shipping within the United States. Each sculpture is usually shipped within 24 hours of the order with the exception of the weekend.
You can obtain a shipping quote for any statue by clicking the link, Calculate Shipping beneath to the Add To Cart button on every statues' page. Besides the shipping price, the results will also display the date the statue will arrive at your home. Lotus Sculpture uses Instapak foam injection packing system or bubble wrap and recycled peanuts to ensure that all our pieces arrive undamaged. Click here to learn more about Lotus Sculptures packing.
International Shipping
This sculpture is in our Oceanside, California store and ready for immediate shipping to anywhere in the world. International shipping charges will be calculated automatically upon checkout.
You can obtain a shipping quote for any statue by clicking the link, Calculate Shipping beneath to the Add To Cart button on every statues' page. Or you can email [email protected] or call us 760-994-4455 to receive a shipping quote. Please include the item number of the statue you are interested in purchasing as well as your country and postal code. Lotus Sculpture uses Instapak foam injection packing system or bubble wrap and recycled peanuts to ensure that all our pieces arrive undamaged. Click here to learn more about Lotus Sculptures packing.
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