The root word "Nata" refers to actor and dancer, Raja means "the king." Natraj is another name for Shiva, who is also known as the cosmic dancer. His dance symbolizes cosmic energy in its "five actions:" creation, maintenance, and destruction or re-absorption of the world, concealment of authentic being, and grace.

Asana technique:

Stand in Tadasana (Mountain Pose). Inhale, shift your weight onto your right foot, and lift your left heel toward your left buttock as you bend the knee.

Press the head of your right thigh bone back, deep into the hip joint, and pull the knee cap up to keep the standing leg straight and strong.

Try to keep your torso relatively upright. The first is to reach back with your left hand and grasp the outside of your left foot or ankle. To avoid compression in your lower back, actively lift your pubis toward your navel, and at the same time, press your tailbone toward the floor.

Begin to lift your left foot up, away from the floor, and back, away from your torso.

Extend the left thigh behind you and parallel to the floor.

Stretch your right arm forward, in front of your torso, parallel to the floor.

The second option with the hands is to sweep your right hand around behind your back and catch hold of the inner left foot.

Sweep the left hand back and grab the outside of the left foot. This variation will challenge your balance even more.

Raise the thigh as described above. This second variation will increase the lift of your chest and the stretch of your shoulders.

Stay in the pose for 20 to 30 seconds. Then release the grasp on the foot, place the left foot back onto the floor, and repeat for the same length of time on the other side.

Full Pose

Perform first two steps as described above.

Turn your left arm actively outward (so the palm faces away from the side of the torso), bend the elbow, and grip the outside of the left foot. (You can also grab the big toe with the first two fingers and the thumb.)

The fingers will cross the top of the foot, the thumb will press against the sole.

Inhale, lift the left leg up, and bring the thigh parallel to the floor.

As you do this, rotate the left shoulder in such a way that the bent elbow swings around and up, so that it points toward the ceiling. It requires extreme flexibility to externally rotate and flex the shoulder joint in this way.

Reach the right arm straight forward, in front of the torso and parallel to the floor.

Hold for 20 to 30 seconds, release, and repeat on the second side for the same length of time.

Anatomical stress points will be groins, thighs, chest, lungs, shoulders and spine. Many beginners, when lifting the leg, tend to cramp in the back of the thigh. Be sure to keep the ankle of the raised foot flexed; that is, draw the top of the foot toward the shin.

Benefits of Natarajasana

Stretches the shoulders and chest

Stretches the thighs, groins, and abdomen

Strengthens the legs and ankles

Improves balance

Precautions
Asana is not recommended in the cases of High or low blood pressure, serious lower-back injury and knee injury.