across the breast to the right sidej^its-jingsrs- -gracefully

pointing below, towards the left leg which is raised in a dancing posture. The position of this hand is known as gaja-hasta, ^the elephant-trunk." The ecstatic and violent nature of the dance, described as Ananda-tandava in the sequel, whirling quickly round on one leg, placed on the back of the demon MusaTagan or Apasmara 1 , is indicated by the matted hair fjata^str etching out on both sides of the head in wavy lines one above the other and by the cloth, partly tied round the waist and partly thrown over the left shoulder, also flying in the air (fig. 48). The right hand which shows the abhaya has on its wrist a serpent, which is the usual ornament of Siva and may have I, 3, 5 or 7 hoods. Another serpent, in the hand of the demon below, is explained by Mr. Havell (Ideals of Indian Art, p. 79) to be the corresponding wrist ornament on the left arm which had dropped down in the dance. We are told in the Kasyapa-Silpa of the Amsumat- Tantra that a serpent with raised hood is to be shown playing near Apasmara on his left side, the right hand of the demon pointing towards it (vyala-mudraf). The head of Siva wears peacock's feathers, or an ornament fashioned like them, which is a special characteristic of the image. The aureola (prabha), which every metallic image necessarily has, is, in this case, / somewhat peculiar and significant, being surmounted all round with flames of fire similar to the one which is held in the pot or cup in one of the two left arms of the image. 3 The pedestal on which the figure rests is a double lotus flower placed back to back. Sometimes the jatas are not spread out but are tied and made up in the form of jatamakuta (fig. 49).

Siva is said to dance in the evening in the presence of the goddess Parvatl in order to relieve the sufferings of the devas. The dance of Nataraja is believed to symbolize the action oT^cosmic energy in creating, preserving and des- troying the visible universe. The Puranas say that during these dances the whole congregation of gods, demigods and saints present themselves to render their obeisance to Siva. Hence the name Sabhapati, "the lord of the

1 Rai Bahadur V. Venkayya describes him s a hideous malignant dwarf, who sprang from the sacrificial fire of the rishis of the Darukavana forest and was sub- dued by Siva by being pressed under the tip of his foot (S.I.I. Vol. II, Introduc tion, p. 33, footnote). Perhaps he is the personification of the disease epilepsy wherein the victim is enveloped in complete mental darkness.

2 The Silparatna remarks that the aureola of Nataraja represents the ravi- mattdala or ' the sun's disc." This perhaps accounts for the flaming rays proceed- ing from the aureola..