Consider the following statements with reference to the Nataraj bronze sculpture of Chola period: 1. Shiva is shown balancing himself on his right leg representing tiorobhava. 2. Shiva is shown raising his left leg in bhujangatrasita stance, representing kicking away the illusion from the devotee’s mind. 3. The main right hand holds the damaru, Shiva’s favourite musical instrument. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

The Chola bronze Nataraja is a masterpiece of iconography. Statement 1 is incorrect because Shiva balances on his right leg atop the dwarf Apasmara, which represents the suppression of ignorance and illusion, not 'tirobhava' (the power of concealment). Statement 2 is correct; Shiva's raised left leg in the 'bhujangatrasita' stance (meaning 'frightened by a snake') signifies the 'anugraha' or grace that kicks away the veil of illusion from the devotee's mind, offering refuge and salvation. Statement 3 is incorrect because while the 'damaru' is held in the upper right hand, it is not described as Shiva's 'favourite musical instrument' in a technical iconographic sense; rather, it is a symbolic tool representing the primal sound of creation and the rhythm of time. Therefore, only statement 2 is accurate regarding the specific symbolic meaning of the leg posture.