7 Secrets Of Shiva

by Devdutt Pattanaik

Nataraja’s two upper arms hold up the options that we have as we go through life. In one hand he holds the damaru, or rattle-drum, while in the other he holds tapa, the spiritual fire that burns without fuel. One option is to spend our lives ignoring the reality of life, like monkeys spellbound by the rattle-drum. We can focus on meaningless activities that keep us busy, help us pass the time, and prevent us from getting bored or distract us from introspecting and reflecting on life. The other option is to introspect and reflect on life. We can ask ourselves what shapes our decisions and where does our self-image come from. Why are we in certain situations like the petrified deer, and in other situations like the dominant lion? We will realise that notions such as victim and villain and hero are all imaginary constructions, stories within our heads and stories that we receive from society. In other words, they are maya, constructions to fortify ourselves from fear, subjective realities that make us feel powerful.