Synopses & Reviews
The Dance of Siva is a complete account of Siva's Dance of Bliss, which is based on a remarkable Sanskrit poem written by Umapati Sivacarya about 1300 AD. Siva is one of the two main gods of Hinduism. The book deals with the famous Chola Nataraja bronze--today the best-known Hindu image, the key location of Siva's Dance in South India, and the temple of Cidambaram. Dr. Smith explores all aspects of Nataraja and the Goddess, and the temple, its priests and ritual. Relevant contemporary art from Cidambaram and neighboring sites illuminates the text.
Review
"David Smith has written a wide-ranging study of Siva's Dance of Bliss. Perceptive and scholarly, the work deals not only with the iconography of the Dancing Siva, but with the temple architecture and worship at Cidambaram, the god's major South Indian Temple....an illuminating tour de force." Choice
Synopsis
'Complete account of Sivaâs Dance of Bliss, which is based on a Sanskrit poem written by Umapati Sivacarya about 1300 AD. It deals with the famous Chola Nataraja bronze - the best-known Hindu image - the key location of Sivaâs Dance in south India, and the temple of Cidambaram. With thirty illustrations.\n
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Table of Contents
1. The Nataraja bronze; 2. The Cidambaram myth; 3. Temple, priests and ritual; 4. The Hall of Consciousness, the Heart of the Universe; 5. Saiva Siddhanta and Vedanta; 6. The Goddess; 7. Bhiksatana; 8. Bhairava the Terrible and other forms of Siva; 9. Saints, Dancing Girls, Ganas and Apasmara; 10. Last words.