Shiva seen as lord of the Dance holding the drum of trance meditation and trampling the dwarf of ignorance. His mystic dance of transcendence, to which all living things must succumb, determines the rhythm of the worlds. He is surrounded by the womb shaped fire universe and dances the world into existence. One of the supreme gods of the Hindu pantheon, third deity of the triad of which Brahma and Vishnu are the other two. He represents the principle of destruction and regeneration that follows it and has countless forms and names. His main symbolic representation is the lingam -- a phallic column. His female counterpart occurs in many avatars: Parvati, Kali and Shakti. Shiva's home is on the holy Mount Kailasa in the Himalayas, from which flows the waters of life and the four Holy rivers. Although he loves mankind and is determined to destroy evil in the world, he often remains aloof and detached from the concerns of people. [Bronze statue, 1500 C.E.] Bronze colored resin statue. Approximate size: 9.5" tall x 7" wide (24cm x 17.5cm)