Elements of Hindu Iconography v2.c16.s7.8

v2.c16.s7.8

This is the first mode of dancing of Śiva as found in the *Amśumabhēdāgama*. The *Uttara-Kāmikāgama* gives a somewhat detailed description, of which only those that are not already given above are noticed here. Śiva, according to this authority, should have four arms kept in the poses described and with the objects mentioned above, three eyes and two legs disposed as in the above description. The *jaṭās* should be spread around the *jaṭāmakuṭa*. These *jaṭās* might vary from five to thirty, each one being separated from one another. In the intervals between the *jaṭās* might be the flowers of *dhurdhura*, *arka* and other plants. The colour of these *jaṭās* should be brownish red. In the *jaṭās* on the right side there should be the figure of Gaṅgā with the upper half shaped in the form of a woman and the lower half like running water, standing with hands in the *añjali* pose; on the *jaṭās* on the left side there should be the crescent moon. Round the neck of Śiva there should be necklaces of different sorts; one should be made of pearls, another should be of snakes, a third of *vakuḷa* flowers and a fourth composed of sea-shells, boar's tusks, tiger's claws and beads, with a pendant of a tortoise shell. On his left shoulder there should be an upper garment made of tiger's skin, a deer's skin, or a very fine-textured cotton cloth. On his left earlobe there should be a patra-kuṇḍala and on the right one a nakra-kuṇḍala; on the ankles, anklets made of tiny bells and another set composed of ornamental designs. The colour of Śiva-Naṭarāja should be milky-white. The rest of the description is exactly that given in the Amśumadbhēdāgama.