Nataraja's Secret The Demon Under His Feet You Must Know About

By Author: Gowtham Y
Total Articles: 18
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Have you ever looked closely at the Nataraja statue we so often see in temples? A graceful dancing pose, a ring of fire all around, one leg lifted high, and the other foot pressing down on something below. This famous form is not just art. It is a complete philosophy captured in a single image.
At the base of the statue lies a small figure, crushed under Lord Shiva's foot. That figure is the subject of today's story of a demon named Apasmara.
Who Is Apasmara?
Apasmara (also called Muyalakan) is described as a short but immensely powerful demon. According to legend, he terrorized sages and had the power to plunge everyone around him into confusion and delusion. The sages tried everything to stop him, even using their spiritual power to create a tiger, a snake, and a small demon to fight him but nothing worked.
The Sages Surrender
Having lost control of the situation, the sages realized they could not defeat Apasmara on their own. So they turned to Lord Shiva and began deep penance. This moment teaches us something important: even those who have reached the peak of knowledge must surrender to the ...
... divine when ego takes hold.
Shiva Arrives as the Cosmic Dancer
Shiva appears but not in a form of destruction. He comes as the Cosmic Dancer. With a calm smile on his face, he dances, and as he does, he presses Apasmara down with his foot, pinning him so he cannot move.
This form of Shiva is known as Nataraja not one of anger, but of dance; not of destruction, but of stillness and peace.
What Does "Apasmara" Mean?
The Sanskrit word Apasmara means "forgetfulness," "delusion," or "loss of awareness." He isn't just the name of a demon. He is a symbol for a state of the human mind. Within each of us lives:
Ignorance
Laziness and distraction
Ego and confusion
Every kind of darkness that makes us forget our spiritual path
Apasmara symbolically represents all of these.
Why Doesn't Shiva Kill Him?
This is the deepest philosophy in the statue. Notice Nataraja does not kill Apasmara. He simply stands on him, keeping him pinned down. Why?
Because ignorance, forgetfulness, and delusion can never be completely destroyed. They are part of life. But they can be kept under control. As long as discipline, knowledge, and wisdom are present, ignorance cannot take over. It must stay beneath our feet, not rule over us. This is the first lesson Nataraja's cosmic dance teaches us.
The Symbolism in Every Gesture
Every part of Nataraja's pose carries meaning:
Upper right hand — holds the drum (udukkai), the sound of creation, the beginning of the universe
Upper left hand — holds fire, symbolizing destruction and endings
Lower right hand — shows the abhaya mudra (gesture of reassurance), meaning "do not fear"
Lower left hand — points toward the raised foot, symbolizing liberation (moksha)
The foot below — presses down on Apasmara, symbolizing the suppression of ignorance
The ring of fire around him — radiance, representing the cosmic circle of energy
In this way, all five cosmic functions creation, preservation, destruction, concealment, and liberation (panchakritya) are contained within a single bronze statue.
What Can We Learn From This?
We don't have to see the Nataraja statue only as an object of worship. It can also be seen as a guide for living. Each of us carries an Apasmara within in the form of laziness, forgetfulness, or ignorance. We may never be able to destroy him completely, but if we keep dancing our own dance of life while standing firmly upon him each day, he will never be able to control us.
The next time you visit a temple and see Nataraja, look beyond the beauty of his dance and look at that quiet but profound victory beneath his feet. That is the true secret of Nataraja.

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