Shiva is usually shown with four arms holding a trident and a small drum among other emblems that symbolise objects worshiped independently of the divine image with which they are associated.

In the Shiva temple of Melakadambur is a rare Pala image that shows the ten-armed Nataraja dancing on his bull.

The image of the Lord as the Cosmic Dancer is shown at the Chidambaram temple, an unusual fact as Shiva is depicted in an anthropomorphic form rather than in the usual non-anthropomorphic form of the linga.

In 1999 the defunct Buddah label emerged with a new look, a correct title spelling and relevant ' deity ' image-replacing the silhouetted ' Shiva ' image and Buddah name for Beefheart material.

It has been argued that Sombart's formulation of the concept was influenced by Eastern mysticism, specifically the image of the Hindu god Shiva, who is presented in the paradoxical aspect of simultaneous destroyer and creator.

* A mukhalinga is a linga upon which has been painted or carved an image of Shiva as a human being or a human face.

From a historical perspective, image worship ( Murti-PujA ) is an ancient tradition as a small part within the overall Hindu tradition, with the oldest extant images of the classical Pauranik deities allegedly dating to Ramayana when Rama worshipped Lord Shiva at Rameswaram.

There were statues and engraved images of Hindu gods such as the image of Shiva ’ s bull nandin.

The image, in height, depicts a three-headed Shiva, representing Panchamukha Shiva.

The Gangadhara image to the right of the Trimurti, is an ensemble of divinities assembled around the central figures of Shiva and Parvati, the former bearing river Ganges as she descends from the heaven.

The image is highly damaged, particularly the lower half of Shiva seen seated with Parvati, who is shown with four arms, two of which are broken.

This image, which is in height, has a head dress ( double-folded ) with two pleats draped towards the female head ( Parvati ) and the right side ( Shiva ) depicting curled hair and a crescent.

The niche image carved on the south wall is an ensemble of divinities assembled around the central figures of Shiva and Parvati shown getting married.

Next to this image are a figure under a plantain tree and a Shiva image ( Yogishvara ) seated on a lotus.

The stone image of Tara depicted as a mother suckling Shiva – the " primordial image " ( seen in the inset of the fierce form of the image of Tara ) is camouflaged by a three feet metal image, that the devotee normally sees.

The inscription on its stele ( classified K. 826 ) says that in 881 King Indravarman I dedicated the temple to the god Shiva and consecrated its central religious image, a lingam whose name Sri Indresvara was a combination of the king's own and the suffix "- esvara " which stood for Shiva (" Iśvara ").

It is dedicated to Lord Shiva and used to hold a golden image of him.

A bas-relief on a sculpted cliff has an image of Shiva and a shrine dedicated to Vishnu, indicating the growing importance of these Sangam period deities and a weakening of the roles of Vedic gods such as Indra and Soma.

Nataraja or Nataraj, (), The Lord ( or King ) of Dance ; Telugu: నటర ా జ ; Tamil: க ூ த ் தன ் ( Koothan ); Kannada: ನಟರ ಾ ಜ, is a depiction of the god Shiva as the cosmic dancer who performs his and divine dance to destroy a weary universe and make preparations for the god Brahma to start the process of creation.

The dance of Shiva in Tillai, the traditional name for Chidambaram, forms the motif for all the depictions of Shiva as Nataraja.

* As the Lord of Dance, Nataraja, Shiva performs the tandava, the dance in which the universe is created, maintained, and dissolved.

Nataraj is a visual interpretation of Brahman and a dance posture of Lord Shiva.

A special plaque next to the Shiva statue explains the significance of the metaphor of Shiva's cosmic dance with quotations from Fritjof Capra: " Hundreds of years ago, Indian artists created visual images of dancing Shivas in a beautiful series of bronzes.

Bharatanatyam proper is a solo dance, with two aspects, lasya, the graceful feminine lines and movements, and tandava Ananda Thandavam ( Tamil ) ( the dance of Shiva ), masculine aspect, which is identical to the Yin and Yang in the Chinese culture.

I have seen the Kaisiki style during the dance of the blue-throated lord ( Shiva ).

In Hindu mythology the whole universe is the dance of the Supreme Dancer, Nataraja, a name for Lord Shiva, the Hindu ascetic yogi and divine purveyor of destruction of evil.

The symbolism of the dance of Shiva ( in the form of Nataraja ) is represented by the attitude called " Ananda Tandavam ".

* Angikam-This is a devotional song on Lord Shiva and an item dance in bharatnatyam.

The panel carving in the west niche opposite Yogishvara depicts Shiva as Nataraja performing the Tandava ( cosmic dance ).

When Orissa became a big centre of worship of Lord Shiva, it is only natural that dance would be used as a form of worship, since Lord Shiva was a master dancer himself.

Identifying with the infinite, the circle as a symbol, clowns and masks, epiphanies and James Joyce, artistic arrest, the monstrous as sublime, the dance of Shiva, that which is beyond words.

Sivarathri Nrutham at Thrikkuratti temple, according to religious scholars, resembles the cosmic dance of Shiva, called ‘ Anandatandava ,' meaning, ‘ the Dance of Bliss ’ symbolizing the cosmic cycles of creation and destruction, as well as the daily rhythm of birth and death.

Shiva the Nataraja performing the Universal dance

At the wedding celebrations the gods refused to have the served food unless Shiva performed a majestic dance for everybody gathered at the place.

:* Before becoming the vehicle of Shiva, Nandi was a deity called Nandikeshvara, lord of joy and master of music and dance.

It is also believed that once when Lord Shiva and Parvathi stopped their dance, the Dakka tied on to the Trishul of Lord Shiva produced 14 different sounds.

Once this instrument, which belonged to Lord Vishnu, was stolen by the disciples ( Bhootaganam ) of Lord Shiva and was used during the dance performance of Lord Shiva.

Another shrine to the west of the courtyard, with a portico, has carvings of Shiva in a yogic pose seated on a lotus carried by “ two fat, heavy, wigged figures ”.

Though in a partly ruined state, the carving shows Shiva with an ornamented crown fixed with a crescent, seen carrying a cobra in the left hand, a club in another hand, and discerned to be in a dancing pose.

* Sri Nataraja ( Dancing pose of Lord Shiva )

Together with Padmasana ( lotus ), Siddhasana ( half-lotus ) and Vajrasana ( lightning-bolt pose ), this pose is an accomplished pose according to the Shiva Samhita.