These lines from Sri Aurobindo’s epic poem Savitri at once bring forth the  vision of Nataraja, the cosmic dance of Lord Shiva as depicted in the bronze  statues in South India. These statues present themselves as spiritual texts that one may interpret them, or realise the underlying power and truth. It may therefore be attempted to read the statue of Nataraja or the cosmic dance of Shiva as poetry in sculpture. Perfect as it is in its symbolism and suggestiveness, it allows a deeper scrutiny of the nature in which poetry allows inquiry. Therefore, then the parameters applied to read spiritual poetry may also be read in the bronze statue.

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About Author - Shruti Bidwaikar is, Assistant Director, Sri Aurobindo Centre for Advanced Researched, Puducherry.

This article was first published in the June 2017 issue of Prabuddha Bharata, monthly journal of The Ramakrishna Order started by Swami Vivekananda in 1896. This article is courtesy and copyright Prabuddha Bharata www.advaitaashrama.org. I have been reading the Prabuddha Bharata for years and find it enlightening. You can subscribe online at http://advaitaashrama.org/pbSubscription. Cost is Rs 180/ for one year, Rs 475/ for three years, Rs 2100/ for twenty years.