Nataraja, the Hindu god Shiva as ‘Lord of Dance’, depicted standing on one leg whilst the other one is in the air. It represents cosmic truth and energy, i.e. the destructive energy with which he dances at the end of each cosmic age.

Hence, his cosmic dance symbolizes creation, preservation and destruction at the same time, and is the source of all movement within the cosmos, the latter being represented by the arch of flames. Shiva has one foot planted on the midget Apasmara (fig.), who represents ignorance and is depicted with the face of a demon and the body of an infant.