Chidambaram Ragasiyam

1. Chidambara
Rahasya
The Secrets of Natarajar Temple

2.  Lord Shiva dances here in Chidambaram.
Before we speak of the Dance , we will explore
the stage that is Chidambaram.
 A temple is called ‘Kovil’ in Tamil. It literally
means( Ko- il) the abode of the Lord.
Whenever the mere name ‘kovil’ is mentioned,
it specially means Chidambaram which is split
as Chit( gnana or wisdom) + Ambaram ( akasa
or space)
Chidambaram

3. Structure of a typical Siva
Temple
 A classical Siva temple as per Agama rules will have
five prakaras or circuits each separated by walls one
within the other. The outer prakaras will be open to the
sky except the innermost one. The innermost one will
house the main deity as well as other deities. There will
be a massive wooden or stone flag post exactly in line
with the main deity.
 The innermost prakara houses the sanctum sanctorum
( karuvarai in Tamil). In it sits Shiva, the supreme Lord.

4. Symbolism behind the
structure of a Shiva Temple
 The temple is so constructed as to resemble the human body with all its
subtleties.
 The five walls encircling one another are the kosas ( sheaths) of human
existence .
 The outermost is the Annamaya kosa , symbolizing the material body.
 The second is Pranamaya kosa , symbolizing the sheath of vital force or
prana.
 The third is Manomaya kosa, symbolizing the sheath of the thoughts, the
mana
 The fouth is the Vignyana maya kosa, symbolizing, the sheath of the intellect
 The fifth and innermost is the Ananda maya kosa, symbolizing the sheath of
Bliss.

5. Symbolism behind the
structure of a Shiva Temple
 The sanctum which is in the prakara symbolizing the Ananda Maya Kosa
sheath ,
 houses the lord, seated as the Jiva within us. It is to be noted that the
sanctum is an unlit space, just as if within the heart closed on all sides.
 The entry Gopuras are likened to the feet, as resembling a person who is
lying on the back with the toe up.
 The flag post depicts the sushumna nadi which raises from the Mooladhar
(base of the spine ) to the sahasrar ( vertex in the head).
 Some temples will have three prakarams. There they represent the
stoola, sukshma and karana sareeras (bodies) of a human being Some
temples have only one and they represent all the five.

6. Chidambaram temple and
its symbolism:
 Saint Thirumoolar, whose legend is intricately woven with Chidambaram, says in his thirumanthiram
 திருமந்திரம்
 மாFடராக்கக வடிவு சிவலிங்
கம் மாFடராக்கக வடிவு சிதம்
பரம் மாFடராக்கக வடிவு
சதாசிவம் மாFடராக்கக
வடிவு திருக்கூத்தத
 Translation in English:
 mAnudarAkkai vadivu sivalingam
 mAnudarAkkai vadivu chidambaram
 mAnudarAkkai vadivu sadAsivam
 mAnudarAkkai vadivu thirukkoothe
Meaning: “Sivalingam is of the form of the human body; So is Chidambaram ; So is Sadasivam ; And so is his divine
dance”.
 The temple has the above five prakaras resembling the sheaths.
 Nataraja gives dharshan from the sanctum called Chit Sabha with a golden roof.
 The roof has 26,000 golden tiles (see picture), denoting the number of breaths of a person in a day.

7. Chidambaram temple and
its symbolism:
 These tiles are fixed to the wooden roof with the help of 72,000 nails depicting the number of
nadis (the invisible ducts carrying energy to various parts of the body)
 As the heart is to the left of the body, the sanctum in Chidambaram is also aligned slightly
leftward.
 On top of the Chit sabha roof, we find nine kalasas (made of copper)depicting the nine shaktis
(powers)
 The roof has 64 cross wooden reapers denoting the 64 arts.
 The artha mandapa has six pillars denoting the six shastras
 The mantapa next to the artha mantapa has eighteen pillars symbolizing the eighteen puranas.
 There are five steps leading to the Chit sabha from the Kanaka sabha depicting the five lettered
Panchakshara mantra ( Na ma chi vA ya)
The Chit sabha roof is supported by four pillars symbolic of the four Vedas.


8. Symbolism of Nataraja
Swamy.
Nataraja’s danceis said to indicate the five divine acts which are
 Creation . Nataraja dances with a small drum called damarukam in one of his
right hands. Easwra is nada brahmam. He is the origin of all sounds (nadam).This is
the seed (vindu) from which the tree of the Universe emanated.
 Protection(Operation)- In another of the right hands, he shows the ‘Abhaya
Mudra’, meaning he is the kind protector
 Destruction; He has fire in one of his left hands , symbolizing destruction.
Wheneverything is destroyed byfire, only the ash will remain which the Lord has
smeared on his body
 The footwhich is planted shows the act of hiding
 The raised footshows the act of bestowing

9. Symbolism of
Nataraja Swamy.
 Nataraja swamy has the Vigraha ( icon) of Devi Sivakama
Sundari to his left . This symbolizes Ardhanareeswara , ‘ the
Lord who has the female as his left half’. To his right there is a
screen. Whenthe deeparadhana – showing lamps takes place
to the swamy and to the left side , the screen is removed and
we see five vertical long hangings of golden vilva leaves. We
see nothing behind it. Sivakami shows the Saguna Brahman
(the God with a form) that is Nataraja . The Saguna Brahman
leads us to the Nirguna Brahman (the God without form or the
God who has formlessness as his form). This is told as
‘Chidambara Rahasyam’ by the Dikshitars , who are the
traditional pujaris in the temple.
 Shiva’s dance is called the cosmic dance by many scholars. In
Chidambaram, this dance is called ‘Ananda Tandava

10. Symbolism of
Nataraja Swamy
 Lord Maha Vishnu also saw the Divine dance. In a nearby mantapa
called Chitrakoota, Maha Vishnu, gives us dharshan in his fully
reclining Yoga Nidra pose on the snake bed. If one stands on a small
lotus sculpted on the floor slab in front of Narayana, one can at the
same time see Nataraja in his right side.
 Sages Patanjali and Thirumoolar also saw Nataraja’s dance in
Chidambaram. Their figures are embossed on the Silver doors of the
Chit Sabha.
 I think you enjoyed reading the above. Nataraja Rahasyam is said to
have come to Tamilnadu from the Indus – Saraswati civilization. The
Saiva Agamas, which teach tantric Saivism, reveal much more than the
above. Next time you visit Chidambaram, remember all this, and
worship Nataraja who will grant you release from the pains of the
worldly life and show you the path of Gnana

11. The Lord is celebrated in
all His manifestations
 Chidambaram as Space- Chit means Consciousness and ambaram means
clothing or covering or sky. One who is Consciousness and covers
Space! Hence Lord Shiva is worshipped as Space, His manifestation
Air- Kalahasthi temple. Fire- ThiruvaNNamalai temple. Water-
Thiruvaanaikkaval temple where Water flows on the Lingam constantly
Prithvi ( earth) Kanchi Ekambareeshwar temple- Lingam made of earth.
Thus all manifestations of His glory are celebrated.
Lay people do not know that Space itself is celebrated. There is a
garland in space hanging. The priest shows aarthi towards space after
puja and asks: do you see the rahasyam ( secret)? People see just
space and think it is nothing! And say yes and go away wondering what
the priest asked!
That is chidhambara rahasyam!