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The dance of Shiva represents
the cosmic cycles of creation and
destruction, the balance between
life and death. Shiva is the destroyer,
but also the transformer.
elevated to much more prominent
positions. Later Hindu literature
contains a huge range of gods and
goddesses, reflecting the blending
of different traditions and different
periods in the history of early
Indian religion. From these gods
there emerged a ruling triumvirate
responsible for the existence, order,
and destruction of the universe.
These three gods—the Trimurti,
or trinity—represent different
aspects of reality: Brahma, the
creator (not to be confused with
Brahman); Vishnu, the protector
and guardian of humanity; and
Shiva, the destroyer, or, he who
balances the forces of creation
and destruction.
The god Shiva is often
represented, in images and in
sculpture, as Shiva Nataraja, the
Lord of the Dance. Shiva’s cosmic
dance is shown as taking place
within a circle of flames, which
represents the ongoing process of
birth and death. He has four arms:
in his upper right hand he holds a
drum, whose beat brings about
creation, and in his upper left a
destructive flame; his lower
arms express a rhythmic balance
between creation and destruction.
His right foot is raised in the
dance; his left treads on a demon,
representing ignorance. This wild,
exuberant figure symbolizes perfect
balance in an ever-changing world.
Given that time is cyclical, Shiva’s
destruction of the universe is seen
as constructive, in that it paves
the way for beneficial change.The ordering of society
The classification of Indian society
into four main groups has, since
Vedic times, been based on the
concept of dharma, extending the
theory of the order and structure of
the universe to include the correct
ordering of human life and society.HINDUISM
Historically, it is probable that, with
the invasion of the light-skinned
Aryans, a contrast was established
between them and the darker-
skinned native inhabitants of India,
with the latter being treated as
inferior. This led to a social system
of four main classes, or varnas, a
word meaning “color.”
However, in Hinduism, this
historical explanation is overlaid
by a mythological account of the
origin of the class system. In the
Rig Veda there is a hymn to the
Divine Person (Purusha) in which
the body of a primal human being
is sacrificed and divided up to
create the four main varnas
or classes of people: Brahmin,
Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Shudra.
Brahmins are members of the
priestly class, who are said to
have been created from Purusha’s
mouth. Kshatriya is the military
or administrative class, created
from Purusha’s arms, while ❯❯You dwell in all beings;
you are perfect, all
pervading, all powerful
and all seeing...
You are the Life in all life,
yet you are invisible
to the human eye.
From a hymn to Vishnu