Shiva to Shankara: Decoding the Phallic Symbol

THE UPRAISED LEG

[TAMIL TEMPLE LORE]

Kali had been created to destroy the demons. And she revelled in her role, killing them all and drinking their blood. But having finished her task, she did not stop. She continued killing and destroying everything in her path. The gods were terrified at the wanton destruction but even they were powerless to stop her. Along with Brahma and Vishnu, they approached Shiva and sought his help.

Shiva agreed to stop her. He blocked her path as she roamed the world in a wild frenzy, and challenged her to a dance competition. “If you can defeat me in dance, you can behead me and drink my blood too,” he told the wild goddess. Kali bit the bait. She channelled all her energy and fury away from destruction and into dance. The gods watched Shiva and Kali dance with bated breath. The earth trembled with the passionate stamping of their feet. The sun and the moon ducked for cover behind the hills as the divine couple moved their arms and legs to a frenzied beat.

Shiva and Kali danced for eons. Their skills were well matched. Kali could do what Shiva could. Shiva could replicate each of Kali’s moves. Neither was able to outshine the other. Then suddenly, Shiva raised his left leg so that his left knee was behind his left ear and his left foot was over his head. Kali began to follow him but was stopped by her innate feminine modesty. She could not attain that stance without exposing her private parts to the whole world. Smiling shyly, she conceded defeat. The gods applauded Shiva’s ingenuity, as Kali was now transformed into a modest maiden. Shiva became known now as the Lord of Dance, Nataraja. The pose he had struck was called the Urdhva Nataraja, the posture that tamed a wild goddess.