Angikam Bhuvanam Yasya (Nataraja Dhyana) — Word-by-Word Meaning

अङ्गिकं भुवनं यस्य (नटराज ध्यान)

Every Sanskrit word explained in English

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Word-by-Word Breakdown

आङ्गिकं

Āṅgikaṃ

Angika abhinaya — expression through bodily movement and gesture

भुवनं

Bhuvanaṃ

The whole world / universe

यस्य

Yasya

Whose; of whom

वाचिकं

Vāchikaṃ

Vachika abhinaya — expression through speech and song

सर्ववाङ्मयम्

Sarvavāṅmayam

All language, all that is spoken — the entirety of sound and speech

आहार्यं

Āhāryaṃ

Aharya abhinaya — expression through costume, ornament and adornment

चन्द्रतारादि

Chandratārādi

The moon, the stars and so forth (his cosmic adornments)

तं

Taṃ

To Him

नुमः

Numaḥ

We bow / we salute / we praise

सात्त्विकं

Sāttvikaṃ

Sattvika abhinaya — the inner, soulful expression of true feeling; the embodiment of purity (sattva)

शिवम्

Śivam

Shiva — the auspicious one (here as Nataraja, the King of Dance)

Complete Translation

We bow to Shiva, the very soul of expression (sattva), whose bodily gesture (angika) is the entire universe, whose speech (vachika) is the whole of language and sound, and whose costume and adornment (aharya) are the moon, the stars and all the heavens.

Origin & History

Source: Mangala (invocatory) shloka traditionally associated with the Abhinaya Darpana of Nandikeshvara

Author: Attributed to the tradition of Nandikeshvara (Abhinaya Darpana)

Period: Classical (treatise tradition of Indian dramaturgy)

In the classical theory of Indian dance and drama, abhinaya (dramatic expression) has four divisions. This invocatory verse beautifully declares that for Shiva as Nataraja these four divisions are nothing less than the cosmos itself: his angika is the world, his vachika is all speech, his aharya is the moon and stars, and his sattvika is pure being. Recited at the threshold of performance, it frames the entire art of dance as an offering to the divine dancer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Angikam Bhuvanam Yasya from?▼

It is the well-known invocatory (mangala) shloka traditionally associated with the Abhinaya Darpana of Nandikeshvara, the classical treatise on gesture and expression. It is recited at the start of Bharatanatyam and other classical performances.

What are the four abhinayas mentioned in the verse?▼

Angika (expression through the body), Vachika (through speech and song), Aharya (through costume and ornament), and Sattvika (through genuine inner emotion). The verse declares that for Shiva-Nataraja these four are the universe, all language, the moon and stars, and pure feeling itself.

Why do dancers chant this before performing?▼

Because Nataraja is the lord of dance and the original dancer. By bowing to him first, the artist offers the performance as worship and seeks grace, focus and blessing for the art.

Can non-dancers chant this shloka?▼

Yes. Anyone may recite it as a beautiful salutation to Shiva as Nataraja, especially before any creative work, to dedicate the activity to the divine.

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