Compare and contrast Shiva as Lord of the Dance with The Approach of Krishna. How are the different functions of the gods represented?

What will be an ideal response?

Answer: The ideal answer should include:
1. In Shiva as Lord of the Dance, Shiva taps a small drum that symbolizes the cosmic rhythm of death and rebirth within an encircling orb of fire, which signifies the purifying fire of destruction and creation.
2. The iconography conveys Shiva’s function as the god who creates, preserves, and destroys the universe in cyclic time.
3. The Approach of Krishna depicts the a woman waiting for her lover who is represented as the blue-skinned god Krishna.
4. The artist uses bright red and blue colors to enhance the emotional states of erotic desire, which, when combined with presence of the god Krishna, conveys the spiritual union with the divine through a sexual metaphor.