Elements of Hindu Iconography Vol. 2 - Part - 1

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ASIA

LIBRARY

ANNEX

2 ELEMENTS OF

HINDU ICONOGRAPHY

CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

All

books are subject

to recall after

Olin/Kroch Library

DATE DUE

two weeks

Cornell University Library

The

original of this

book

is in

the Cornell University Library.

There are no known copyright

restrictions in

the United States on the use of the

text.

http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924071128841

ELEMENTS OF HINDU ICONOGRAPHY.

CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

3 1924 071

ELEMENTS OF

HINDU ICONOGRAPHY BY T.

A.^GOPINATHA RAO.

M.A.

SUPERINTENDENT OF ARCHEOLOGY, TRAVANCORE STATE.

Vol.

II— Part

I.

THE LAW PRINTING HOUSE MADRAS MOUNT ROAD ::

::

1916 All Rights Reserved.

KC-

28 841

/\t^iS33

PRINTED AT THE LAW PRINTING HOUSE,

MOUNT ROAD, MADRAS.

DEDICATED WITH KIND PERMISSION

To

HIS HIGHNESS SIR RAMAVARMA. Sri Padmanabhadasa, Vanchipala, Kulasekhara Kiritapati,

Manney Sultan Maharaja Raja Ramaraja Bahadur, Shatnsher Jang, G.C.S.I., G.C.I. E.,

MAHARAJA OF TRAVANCORE, Member

of the

Royal Asiatic Society, London,

Fellow of the Geographical Society, London,

Fellow of the Madras University, Officer de

L' Instruction Publique.

By HIS HIGHNESSS HUMBLE SERVANT

THE AUTHOR.

PEEFACE. In

bringing

Elements

out

of

earnestly

Hindu

trusts that

Volume

Second

the

Iconography, will

it

the

the

of

author

meet with the same

favourable reception that was uniformly accorded to the for

first

volume both by savants and the Press,

which he begs

dering his

to

the

Though the

make

abstruse

pains have of

the present publication

and interesting

as informing of

No

heart-felt thanks.

course been spared to

case

take this opportunity of ten-

as is possible in the

subject

Iconography.

of

appearing in the present

illustrations

volume are by no means inadequate purpose of the work, yet they are exhaustive as in the

first,

To

the great regret

of

not so

and a word

may

tion in that connection

the

for the

main

full

and

of explana-

not be out of place. author,

the liberal

pecuniary help offered for the preparation and publication of the

first

volume has been, owing

to

the somewhat straitened finances of the Travancore State at present, withheld from him on the present vn

HINDU ICONOGRAPHY. occasion and he has, in consequence, not been able

embody

to

as

many illustrations

had intended

as he

personally to gather for the purpose from various parts of India with a view to present to the public

a series representative of the the

parts

different

of

sculpture of

varied

But

country.

this

the

Travancore Durbar have, in gracious consideration

and labour involved

of the trouble

in the prepara-

tion of the present volume, been pleased to permit its

publication by the author himself, for which he

begs to offer his respectful the

to

and grateful thanks

Dewan, Mr. Dewan Bahadur M. Krishna

Nair, b.a., b.l.

Mention may here be made worthy is

given a collective description of

ties of ohe tenets

and observances

Saiva

which

of

the

all

The

ftat have

nature

amined

Lihga

of

critically

gathered from

died

Itihasas,

sculpture of

all

and

of the

of certain

a trace.

has

light

original

of

important

been

sources

treatises,

and with reference

has

public

out without

Saivagamas, Saiva philosophical

and

some

worship

in the

such

the peculiari-

of

general

hitherto been practically ignorant,

other cults

few points

In the Introduction

of notice in the book.

sects

of a

extexts

as

the

Puranas

to the

extant

ages of this symbol of worship, and

the matter has been thoroughly discussed and, what viii

PREFACE. the author ventures to claim to be, an impartial

conclusion arrived several matters,

new even with

which

In the body will

to the informed

to cite

;

at.

the book,

of

be seen to be quite

Hindu, have been dealt

an instance, everybody knows that

Siva begged for food with the broken skull

Brahma ofi

as an expiation for the sin of having cut

one of Brahma's heads, but

known why

it is

it

doubtful

rid

of

His

sin.

has been found possible with the help

knowledge derived from a close study

of the

if it is

penance should have

this curious sort of

been resorted to by Siva to get Again,

of

of the

bulk of the science of Ndiya-^astra together with

commentaries thereon

to elaborate

and

treat fully

the manifold dances of Siva, though only eight or

nine modes are described in the S,gamic and other works.

many

The

reader

will, it

is

hoped, come across

other instances of fresh information being

furnished on matters that have remained more or less

obscure hitherto.

The author cannot Proprietors of the

Law

be too thankful

Printing

House

to

the

for

the

extraordinary care and trouble they have bestowed

upon the printing and general get up and

for their readiness

in

of

the books

coming forward and

generously offering their timely help but for which the volume could not have been brought out.

II

The

HINDU ICONOGEAPHY. author cannot also omit to express his sense of

Anandakumaraswami,

gratitude to Dr. A. K.

D. Sc, to

him

for the

M.A.,

ready and willing permission granted

for reproducing the valuable article

on the

dance of Siva, contributed some time ago to the Siddhanta-Dlpika by the learned Doctor.

He

has

also very great pleasure in recording here his high

appreciation of the help cheerfully rendered by his

Pandit Mr. V. Srinivasa Sastri, Smritivisarada, but for whose untiring industry and intelligent collaboration this

work could not have been brought

to a successful completion so soon.

hurst, Stoney,

Kay and

Messrs. Long-

Beardsell, have been so very

kind as to assist the author with photographs of

images in their respective collections and to accord their

gracious

permission to reproduce them

these gentlemen,

:

to

the author offers his grateful

thanks.

For reasons which need not be explained it

was not

here,

possible for the author personally to super-

work throughout so as to ensure the presentation of an absolutely correct vise the printing of the

text

;

he had therefore to entrust the task to the

printers

themselves.

trouble

ungrudgingly

In

spite

of

the

care and

bestowed by them in the

midst of their multifarious duties, a number of errors

have unavoidably crept

in.

Though such

of

PEEPAOE.

them

as have been subsequently noticed are noted

in the errata

list,

it

likely

is

many more have

escaped detection, for which the author craves the indulgence of his readers.

Madras,

THE AUTHOE.

January 1916.

XI

CONTENTS. Pages.

Preface

vii

A General Introduction on I.

II.

Saivaism,

—xi

1—71 73—102

LiNGAS

lingodbhavamurti,

chandra

^bkharamurti, pl^upatamubti and

Eaudra-Pa^upatamurti III.

SOMASKANDAMURTI AND XIMAMAHE^ varamurti ... IV.

103—126

SUKHASANAMURTI, UMASAEITAMURTI

Samharamurtis :—

127-141 143—202

Kamantakamurtji

147—149

Gajasura-samharamnrM

149—156

(iii)

Kalarimurtii

156—164

(iv)

Tripurantakamurti

164—171

Sarabbesamurti

171—174

(i) (ii)

(v) (vi)

Brabma-sirasohhedakam ur ti =

174—182

Bhairava

(vii) (viii)

(ix)

(x)

(a)

Bhairava

(6)

Vatuka-Bhairava

(c)

Svamakarsbaiia Bhairava

(d)

Sixty-four Bhairavaa

177

177—179 179

180—182

Jalandhara-vadha-miirti

183—188 188-191

Mallari-Sivamurti

191—192

Andbakasuravadhamiirti

192—194

Virabhadramurti

Xlll

HINDU ICONOGRAPHY. Pages.

CONTENTS. Pages. (iii)

(iv)

(v) (vi)

Mahesamurti

...

...

379—386

Skadala Eudras

...

...

386—892

Vidyeavaras...

...

...

392—403

Murtyashtaka

...

...

403—407

Local legends and images based upon

(vii)

Mahatmyas XI.

XII. XIII.

XIV.

XV. XVI. XVII. XVIII.

XIX.

XX.

SUBRAHMAHYA

...

407-411

...

...

413—451

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

453—460 461—469 471—481 483—492 493—498 499—512 513—538 539—545 547—570 550—553

Nagadava and the Nagas

...

554

(iii)

Sadhyas

...

...

...

558—559

(iv)

Asuras

...

...

...

559—561 561

NandikI^vaea Chandb^vaea ... Bhaktas ... Abya ... KSHETRAPALA ...

Bbahma

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

A^viNiDBVATAS

...

...

Demi-gods

...

...

...

...

DiKPALAKAS

Vasus

(i) (ii)

(v) (yi) (vii) (viii)

(ix)

— 558

— 562

Apsaraaas

...

...

...

Pisaehas

...

...

...

Vetalas

...

...

...

562

Pitris

...

...

...

562—564

Rishis

...

...

...

(x)

Gandharvas

...

...

(xi)

Marut-ganas

...

...

Appendix

Index

...

562

564—567 568—569

A.

...

...

...

B.

...

...

...

569—570 571—578 1-279

...

...

...

1—37

,

...

XV

LIST OF ILLUSTEATIONS. PLATE I

TO FACE PAQB

—Three

different views of the

Bhita Linga

(A.S.U.P.)

65

...

—front, and back views and the section the Gudimallam Linga III — Bust the image Siva on the II

side

of

of

Gudimallam Linga Details of ornaments in the

IV

—Fig.

1,

— IV— Fig. IV—Fig. IV

Fig.

IV— Fig.

66

The head-gear

of the

Apasmara67

...

The kuridala in the ear of Siva ... 3, The ornamental band on the upper arm of the same ... 4, The details of the bracelets of the same ... 5, The details of the jatamaknta of the same ... 6, The details of the hara on the neck of the same ...

67

Apasmara-purusha.

67

7,

V—Fig.

1,

V—

...

2,

— Fig.

IV

66

Gudimallam Sculpture.

purusha

IV— Fig.

...

of

Fig. 2,

Do.

of the

The Chennittalai Linga The Parasu in the left hand

67 67

67 67 69

...

of the

image of Siva in the Gudimallam Linga ...

V—

Fig. 3,

The kamandalu

in the

same

69

69

...

A.S.M. Aichseologioal Survey T.S.A. Trivandram Sobool of Aits Madias A,S. My, Aiobasologioal Survey of Mysore A.S. Bo. ArohsaoA.S. I. Arobaeologioal Survey of India I.M, logioal Survey of Bombay India Muaeum and A.S.U.F. Arcbseologioal Survey of United Provinces. Tbe pbotogiapbs and drawings wbiob are not followed by any of the *

of

;

;

;

;

;

abbreviations given above belong to tbe author's oolleotion,

zvii III

HINDU ICONOGEAPHY. TO PACE PAGE

PLATE

V— Fig. VI

— The

The ram held of the same

4,

...

Adhya, Anadhya, Sarvasama lingas

VII—Fig. VII— Fig. VII—Fig.

2,

VIII— Fig.

1,

1,

3,

hand

in the right

Suradhya and

The Trairasika Linga The Ashtottara-sata-linga The Mulihalinga Ashtottarasata

IX— Fig. IX— Fig, X—Fig, X— Fig. X—Fig,

...

93

...

95

...

95 95

...

Tiruvorri-

linga,

yut

VIII— Fig.

...

Do.

96

...

96

2,

Sahaara linga

1,

...

97

...

97

...

2,

Mukhalinga with a single face Do. Do. Linga with brahma sutras Mukhalinga with three faces

3,

Dhara-linga, Tiruvorriyur

... ...

98 98 98 98

...

101

...

109

2, 1,

...

— Mukhalinga, (Cuddappah XII — Bhadra-Pitha, Vajra-Padma, SrikaraPltha, Pitha-Padma XIII — Lingodbhavamiirti, Kailasanathasvamin XI

Joti

District)

...

temple, Conjeevaram

XIV— Fig,

69

1,

Do.

...

Dasavatara

Cave,

Ellora,

...

XIV— Fig. XV — Fig.

1,

Kevala-Ohandrasekharamurti,

XV— Fig.

2,

Uma-sahita-Gbandrasekhara-

2,

Ambar-Magalam.

Do.

Tiruppalatturai (A.S.M,)...

miirti,

Agaram Settur

XVI— Kevala-Chandrasekharamiirti,

...

Onakkiar,

110 110 121

121 122

XVII — Oma-Sabita- Chandrasekharamurti, Tiruvorriyur (A.S,M.)

XVIII— XVIII

Fig. 1,

— Fig,

2,

Do.

Madeour.

...

122

...

123

Alingana-Chandrasekharamurti,

Mayuranathasvamin

Mayavaram xvni

(A.S.M.)

temple, ...

123

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. PLATE

TO FACE PAGE

XIX—Pig.

Alingana-Ohandrasekharamurtii,

1,

Pat^Isvaram, (A.S.M.)

XIX— Kg. XIX— Fig.

Do.

2,

3.

XX—

XXI — Fig.

1,

MarudantanallurCA.S.M.).

124 124

Do.

K5vilur

(A.S.M.)

124

Do.

Angur

(A.S.M.)...

124

...

Uma-sahita-Sukhasanamiirti,

Madeour

XXI— Fig.

2,

—Fig.

1,

XXII—Fig.

2,

XXII

Do.

Agaram-Setfciir

...

133

...

133 134

Somaskandamurti, Madeour ... Do. NeUore (Mr. M.K. Eangasami Ayyangar) ... XXIII Uma-mahesvaramiirti, Bagali (A.S.M.)... XXIV— Do. Aihole (A.S.Bo.) ...

—

XXV— XXVI— Fig. XXVI— Fig.

Do. 1,

Do.

2,

Do.

XXVII—

Do. Do.

XXVIII—

136 137

BUora EUora EUora

139 140 141

... ... ...

...

162

Do.

Valuviir (A.S.M).

...

154

1,

Do.

Darasuram (A.S.M).

155

2,

Do.

Tiruohchengattangudi.

XXXIII — Gajasara-sarhharamiirfci,

...

1,

155

Hoysalesvara

temple, Halebidu

XXXIV— Kalarimurti,

XXXV—Fig.

137

Amritapura

(A.S.My.)

XXXII—Fig. XXXII—Fig.

135 135

Trivandram (T.S.A). Haveri (A.S.Bo.) ... Ajmera Do. ...

XXIX— Do. XXX—Gajasura-sarhharamurti,

XXXI—

134

...

156

...

(A.S.M.)

161 162 162

Tiruohohengattangudi.

163

Dasavatara Cave, EUora

Eailasa Cave, EUora...

Pattisvaram (Mr.

R.

F.

Stoney's

CoUeotion)

XXXVII — Tripurantakamurt/i,

Dasavatara

BUora xiz

...

163

Gave, ...

170

HINDU ICONOGEAPHT. PLATE

TO FACE PASB

XXXVIII — Tripurantakamurfci, Kailasa temple, EUora

XXXIX

Do.

temple, Conieevaram.

XL— XLII

—

Madura

Do.

XLI — Bhairava, Fig.

178

(A.S.M.)

Museum,

Indian

Calcutta (A.S. Bo.).

XLII—Fig. XLII— Fig.

2,

Do.

3,

Do.

Madras Museum

179 179

Eoy. As. Soc. Museum,

Bombay XLIII

171 171

Pattlsvaram Bhairava,

1,

171

Kailasanathasvamin

179

—Atiriktanga-Bhairava, Kamesvara Cave, 182

Ellora

XLIV— Fig.

1,

Virabhadramiarti,

Madras

Museum.

XLIV — Fig.

2,

XLV— Fig.

1,

187

Virabhadramurti, Tenkasi

187

Daksha-Prajapati and his wife,

Angur (A.S.M.)

XLV— Fig.

188

Andhakasuravadhamurti, Dasa-

2,

vatara Cave, Ellora

188

XLVI— Andhakasuravadhamiirti, Elephanta Do. Kailasa, Ellora XLVII— XLVIII

—

Fig.

1,

Aghoramiirti,

192 193

Pattisvaram

(A.S.MO

XLVIII—

Fig. 2,

Aghoramiirti,

200

Tirukkalukkun-

ram.

200

XLIX— Fig.

1,

Chandesanugrahamurti,

XLIX— Fig.

2,

Chandesanugrahamurti,

Gan-

gaikondasolapuram, (A.S.M.)

L — Fig. L — Fig.

203

Kaila-

sanathasvamin temple, Conieevaram

208

1,

Charidesanugrahamiirti, Madura.

211

2,

OhaQdeaanugrabamiirti, Suohlo-

dram

...

911

LIST 01 ILLUSTRATIONS. TO PACK PAGE

KiATB

LI

—

Vishovanugrahamurti,

Fig. 1,

Conjee

varam

LI—Kg.

2,

Do.

—Kg.

1,

Kiratamurti,

LII

Madura

—Fig.

2,

..

210

Pasupatastra-danamurti,

..

—Bavartanugrahamurlii,

..

218

Dhumar Lena Cave

Do.

219 219

Ellora

LV—

Belur

Do.

LVI

Museum

Nataraja, Madras

LVII

LVIII—Fig. LVIII— Fig.

1,

2,

Do.

Kottappadi

Do. Do.

Eamesvaram (Ivory)

252 252

252

(A.S.M.)

Trivandram 252

(T.S.A.)

LIX—

Do.

LX—

Do.

LXI—NriUamdrti,

216

Dasavatara Cave Ellora

LIV

216

Sri

sailam (A.S.M.)

LIII

210

Tiruchohengattan gudi

LII

.

PafcMsvaram (A.S.M-).. Tenkasi

Tiruohohengattangudi

—Katisatna dance, Ellora —Lalita dance, Do. LXIV— dance, Tiruohchen gattangudi.. LXIV— Do. Conjeevaram LXV— Do. Tenkasi Taramangalam LXV— Do.

LXII LXIII

253

255

257 259 2C2

Fig. 1, Lalafca-tilaka

Fig. 2,

264 264

Fig. 1,

265

Fig. 2,

265

(A.S.M.)

LXVI — Fig.

1,

LXVI— Fig.

2,:

Ohatura-danoe, Badami

Do.

Tiruvarangujam

Do.

Nallur (A.S.M.

(A.S.M.)

LXVII— LXVIII

LXIX

—

267

Tala8kmipfa6t|iiia danoa,

Do.

Conjeevaram

..

..

Ofaangannor.. XXI

267

267 268 268

HINDU ICONOGRAPHY. TO FAOB PAGE

PLATE

LXX- -Nrittamurti,

Conjeevaram Deogarh

LXXI- -Jnana-Dakshina-murti,

(A.S.

Bo.)

LXXII- -Fig. LXXII- -Fig. LXXIIILXXIV- -Fig. LXXIV- -Fig.

LXXV-

1,

Do.

2,

Do.

Aviir (A.S.M.)

Do.

Tiruvorriyiir...

1,

Do.

2,

Do.

Suchfndram ... Eaveripakkam.

-Fig. 1,

Do.

Tiruvengavasal (A.S.M.)

LXXV— Fig. LXXVILXXVIILXXVIII-

LXXIX-

LXXX-

...

Do. Mr. Kay's Collection.

2,

Yoga-Dakshinamiarti, Tiruvorriyiir

...

Conjeevaram Do. Conjeevaram Dakshinamurti, Nanjangddu (A.S.My). Do.

Madras

Yinadhara-DakshiQamiirti,

Museum

LXXXILXXXIILXXXIIILXXXIV-

LXXXVLXXXV-

Vadarangam

Do.

(A.S.M.)...

Kankalamurti, Darasuram (A.S.M.) Do.

...

Tenkasi (A.S.M.)

...

...

Fig.

1,

Suohindram Do. Kumbhakoriam

Fig.

2,

Do.

•Kankalamiiriji,

Tiruchchengafcfcan-

gudi

•

LXXXVI— Fig.

1

Bhikshatanamiirti,

Conjee-

varam

LXXXVI— Fig.

Tiruohchengattangudi

Kumbhakonam Tiruvenkadu (A.S.M.) Valuvur (A.S.M.) ... Pandananalliar

M.) ii,

Elephanta Triohinopoly Ellora

(A.S.

LIST OF ILLUSTEATIONB. FLATS

XCII

10 FAOE PAGE

—Kg.

2,

Gangadharamurti, Vaittisvarankoyil (A.S.M.)

...

XOIII— Do. Taramangalam (A.S.M.) XOIV— Arddhanarisvaramurti, Badami ...

XGV— Kg. XCV— Fig.

Kumbhakoriam ... Mahabalipuram ... Madras Museum...

Do. Do.

1,

2,

XCVI— Pig. XOVI— Fig.

2,

Do. Do.

XCVI—Fig.

3,

Do.

1,

330

...

330

...

...

330 330 331 334 336 344

... ... ...

— Kalyariasundaramurti, Tiruvorriyur Do.

328

gudi

Poona (A.S.Bo.)

Do.

01 Oil

327 328

Tiruehohengattan-

XCVII— Do. Oonieevaram XCVIII— Do. Madura XOIX — Haryarddhamiirti, Badami

0—

319 320

Eatanpiir Dfc.)

... ...

(Bilaspur

(A.S.Bo.)...

OIII—

Do.

Elephanta

OIV—

Do.

Eilora

345

OV—

Do.

Ellora

...

346 347 347

OVI—

Do.

Madura

...

351

OVII—

Do.

Madura

...

351

OVIII

—Vrishavahanamuriii,

(A. S. Bo.) ...

Vedarariyam

•

...

354

(From the Visvakama)... Taramangalam (A.S.M.)... Vrishavahanamiirti, Mahabalipuram ...

355 355

(A.S.M.)

CIX— CX

Do. Do.

CXI —

CXII—Fig. OXII— Fig. CXIII

—

1.

Do.

Halebidu

...

2,

Do.

Madura

...

Fig. 1, Sadaaivamiirlii,

2,

CXIV— Fig.

1,

Do.

Mr.

K.

Collection

Mahesamiirti,

Gokak

(A. S. Bo.)

XXlll

355 355

Mr. Beardsell'a

Collection

CXIII—Fig.

355

...

372

Kay's ...

372

Falls ...

382

HINDU ICONOGRAPHY. PLATE

TO FAOB PAQB

CXIV — Fig.

2,

Mahasadalivamurfci,

Vaittis-

varankoyil (A. S. M.)

OXV—

...

382

Sadasivamurti, Elephanta (from Visva-

karma)

...

CXVI—Mahesamurti, Kavaripakkam ... CXVII— Do. Elephanta ... CXVIII— Chitorgarh Do. ... CXIX —Fig. 1, Ekapadamiirti, Jambukesvaram

OXIX — Fig.

2,

OXX— Fig.

1,

Siva

as

(A.S.M.)

...

sow suckling young ones.

its

a

...

372 380 382 385

410 410

Parvati doingi

L,

penance

, IPatfclsvaram

_.^_ OXX —Fig. „„. 2, Parvati _,.

.,

.

.

,;;.,,

r

v

...

409

Skanda or Velayudha Subrahmanya, Mr. M. K. Narayanasami Ayyar's Collection ... OXXI— Fig. 2, Kumara. Tiruppalatturai (A.S.M.) CXXII Subrahmariya with his consorts" Devasena and Valli, Kumbhakonam.

444 444

(A.S.M.)

embracing Siva.

OXXI— Fig.

1,

—

OXXIII—

Do.

CXXIV—

CXXV—

Tiruvorriyur

...

Do.

Ellora

...

Do.

with his consorts Davasena

and

Kumbakoriam

444 445 445

...

446

CXXVI— Fig.l, Do. TrivandramCT.S.A.) CXXVI— Fig. 2, Sikhivahana, Kumbhako9am. CXXVI— Fig. 3, Senapati, Madras Museum ...

447 447 447

...

447

... ...

448 448

...

448

Valli,

CXXVII— Shanmukha, Pattisvaram (A.S.M.) CXXVIII— Do. Nalliir (A.S.M.) CXXVIIIa

— Tarakari-Subrahmanya, Aihole

CXXIX—Devasena-Kalyal^asundaramiirti, Tirupparankunram xxiv

LIST OE ILLUSTEATIONS. TO PACE PAGE

PIiATB

CXXX — Dvarapalaka

Subrahmariya

the

of

shrine, Tanjora (A.S.M.)

...

CXXXI— Adhikara-Nandin, CXXXII—

Valuvur (A.S.M.) ... Nandi, Panohanadikulam (Tanjore Dfc.) '

(A.S.M.)

OXXXIII— Fig. CXXXIII—Kg.

1,

...

Chandesvara, Tirruvorriyur

460 468

Marudantanaimr

Do.

2,

...

...

468

Madras Museum. Siruttorida Nayanar and others, Tiru-

480

(A.S.M.)

CXXXIV— Kagriappa Nayanar,

CXXXV—

450 460

ohchengattangudi (A.S.M.)

CXXXVI— Alvars, CXXXVII — Fig.

1,

Tadikkombu (A.S.M.) nabhapuram

...

)

godu (A.S.M.)

CXL—Fig.

1,

(.Visvakarma)

.

480

Do. Tirupparaiyaru

480

...

480 490

...

490

...

Sasta, Sastankottai

Gajariidha

480

Padmanabha.

CXXXVIII— Manikkavaohakar 2,

480

| Tiruehchen-

puram 1,

475

...

Tirujnanasambandha, Padma-

CXXXVII—Fig. 2, Mapikkavaehakar CXXXVII— Fig.3, Apparsvamigal CXXXVII— Fig. 4, Sundaramurti,

CXXXIX— Fig. CXXXIX—Fig-

...

Valuvur

Sasta,

"

...

491

Tiruppalatturai (A.S.M.).

491

CXLI— Fig. 1, Kshetrapala, Ajmere (A.S.Bo.)... Do. Halebidu CXLI— Fig. 2,

498 498

(A.S.M.)

CXL— Fig.

2. Sasta,

...

CXLII

—Brahma, Madras Museum

OXLIII—Fig. CXLIII—Fig.

OXLIV—

1,

2,

Brahma, Tiruvorriyur Do. Madras Museum Do,

...

...

...

505 506

...

508

...

508 509 509

...

...

...

XXV IV

504 505

HINDU ICONOGBAPHY, TO FACE PAGE

PLATE

CXLVIII- -Brahma, Karachi Museum (A.S.Bo.^

CXLIX-

Do.

509 509 520 520 520 524

Tiruvadi (A.S.M.)

CL- -Indra, Chidambaram CLI- -Fig. 1, Indra, CLI- -Pig. 2, Do. CLII- -Agni, Kandiyiir

(A.S.M.)

Do. Do. (Travancore)

CLIII- -^'S-l'^^"'^} Chidambaram (A.S.M, ) CLIII- Fig. 2, Agni CLIV- Kg. 1, Kubera, Dohad (A.S.Bo.)

CLIV-

CLVCLV-

Fig. 2, Nirruti, Fig. 1, Fig. 2,

CLVI- Gate

Ahobilam (A.S.M.)

Gangs | Yamuna)

of

j^^

Fig.

1,

•Fig. 2,

Fig.

1,

Siva,

a temple, Kharod, Bilaspiir

531

Naga and Nagini, Halebidu Nagini, Madras Museum

...

Dvarapalaka of the temple Kaveripakkam

of

CLVIII- Fig. 2,Ap8aras,

OLIX- Figure

528 628 531

(A.S.Bo.)

District (A.S.Bo.)

CLVIICLVIICLVIII-

524

of

561 561

Srinivasanallur

Nataraja

showing

relative positions of the limba

XXVI

557 557

the ...

573

WORKS CONSULTED OTHER THAN THOSE MENTIONED IN THE FIRST VOLUME.

LIST OF IMPORTANT

Atiharvasirasopanishad. Bharafca-natya-sastira.

Brahma-mimamsa-lastra. Dakahitiainurtyapanishad

Dbarmasutras of Apastamba commentary. Halasya-mabatmya. Harivamsa.

with

Jlriioddhara-dasakam.

Eoyil-puraiiam (Tamil).

Kurma-purana. Euvalayanaada. Mallari-mahatmya. Malati-madhava. Manu-dharma-sastra. Mayamata. Nafcyaveda-vivriti.

Poriyapurariam (Tamil).

Prabodhacbandroday am Prastbanabbeda. Pratyabbijnasiitras.

Sankara-vijaya (Anantanandagin's).

Sarabbopanisbad. Sarvadarsana-sangraba. Satarudriya.

Sivajnanasiddhiyar (Tamil). Siva-linga- prafcisbtha- vidbi.

Siva-tatva-ratnakara.

Sata-sambita.

Tiruvarulpayan (Tamil).

Tiruvacbakam (Tamil), Yalodharakavyam xxvii

HaradaUa'a

Page

HINDU ICONOGRAPHY. Page

Line

For

Bead

86

20

Sfchavara lingas

105

19

fiowhieh

to which.

110

20

are sculptured

are not sculptured

.

Sthavara lingas

accordance

in

againsli

with

XIV

XIV.

111

1

Eig

113

8

119

16

and and tibe skull. makara-kundala .

and the skull makara-kundala,

121

18

The

.,

The

2, PI.

firsk

.

comes

Eig

1, PI.

first, fig. 1,

PI.

XV 125

19

131

4

137

11

carry on

carry an

a utpala flower

an utpala flower

with creeper orna-.

with

ment 140

20

145

2

or a pacific,

148

5

of

148

20

150

5

catching hold of

..

catching hold or as a pacific,

Siva

and in the com-..

of Kama by Siva, and being in the

company

pany said to

creeper

a

ornament,

have told

..

said to

have men-

tioned

152

17

piece of sculpture,..

piece of sculpture,

157

12

says, to Tirukka-..

says, Tirukkadaviir

161

20

see later on, the

163

6

164

12

PI.

XXX,

davur ..

with hands

see later on that the

with his hands

they desired and

..

they

and

desired

that

165

9

165

10

with a half stronger

with one half

of

than

all..

other

166

16

who

168

10

upon Apasmara-.. purusha

destroyd

stronger

of

than

all

the other

who

destroyed

upon the Apasmarapurusha

HINDU ICONOGEAPHY. ee

211

Line

Foi

Bead

HINDU ICONOGRAPHY. Page

328

Line

For

Bead

HINDU IGONOGEAPHY. Page

463

Line

For

Bead

INTEODUCTION.

/^NE

of the oldest as also the

most widely spread

cult in India is that of 6iva.

once of several

sects, of

It consisted

which only a few have

survived to the present day.

Some

them had

of

the sanction of the Vedas while others were classed as outside the

some

Vedas

or as opposed to

them had milder forms

of

them

life,

sect to sect.

examine

in

again,

of worship, while

others practised horrible and shocking ideas about

;

The

rites.

action and liberation differed from

It will

some

not be without interest to

detail

the history,

the main

tenets and the ceremonies of a few of the leading sects of Siva in the following paragraphs. First, as regards the origin of the sects classed

as outside the pale of the Vedas,

the following

account taken from the VardJia-purdna will be

of

interest.

In the

middle

Bh^ratavarsha, the rishi Gautama had

his

of

dhrama

forest of

(hermitage),

Dandaka, situated

in the

round which, he

had

HINDU IGONOGBAPHY. abundant food-giving plants and raged

number

years' famine

twelve

a

of risliis

received with

and

for food

After the famine abated

and the country became again desired

to

start

famous

several

and were

shelter,

kindness and treated with great

all

by Gautama.

hospitality

which a

during

from various other ahramas flocked

Gautama

to that of

There once

trees.

out on

tirtlias ;

a

fertile,

the rishis

pilgrimage to

one of the

risTiis

the

named

Maricha, thinking that they should not leave the

asrama without informing Gautama, but fearing at the

same time that he might,

in his

extreme

kindness and hospitality, refuse permission for the pilgrimage, created from

maya an

enfeebled, old

cow and let it graze near Gautama's asrama. Gautama went near the cow to water it as he ;

went near the cow, ungrateful killing a

abode not

risliis

it

fell

attributed to

cow and refused

of

know

down and

died.

The

Gautama, the

sin of

any longer

in the

to stay

such a sinful one.

Gautama, who did

this trick of the rishis, really believed that

he had committed the sin and asked them how he could raise the cow from death. sprinkle on

it

Advising him to

water brought from the Ganges, they

departed on their projected pilgrimage. repaired to the

Himalaya and prayed

hundred years and got from

his

Gautama to Siva a

jaiamandala a

INTEODUCTION.

Ganga which he The water of this

small quantity of the water of the sprinkled on the dead cow.

cow and itself began to Godavari. Gautama at last

divine river revived the

flow as

the

river

perceived through his mind's eye that the death of

the

cow and other

incidents connected therewith

were a clear deceit practised on him by the

risTiis

and cursed them to become Vedabahyas or those

On

outside the pale of the Vedic religion.

their

entreaty to abate his anger- against them, he was pleased to assure

them that though they were

outside the Vedic cult, they would rise to heaven

through hhahti or devotional love

went

fallen rishis

to grant

to

The

Kailasa and prayed to Siva

them some kadras which had

rites at least.

God.

of

Thereupon, the

rishis

a few Vedic

were decreed

to be born to the Eaudras, the lovers of spirituous

liquors

and

flesh,

who sprang up from

the sweat-

drops which flowed from Siva while he was in the aspect of Bhairava,

and

to

these he

gave the

Pasupata Sdstra.

From clear,

the above account one fact becomes

namely, that some at least of the followers

Pasupata and other non- Vedic sects were at followers of the Vedic religion and gave it up

of the first

and joined the avaidika and a few other

cults.

That the Pasupata

sects are indeed very ancient

may

HINDU ICONOGRAPHY. The Atharoa-

be inferred frora ancient authorities.

Upanishad describes the Pasupata

siras

" This is the

Pasupata

rite

:

'Agni

is

thus

rite

:

Vayu

ashes,

is

ashes, water

is

ashes, all this is ashes, the mind, these eyes are

is

ashes, dry land

is

ashes, the sky

Having taken ashes while pronouncing

ashes.'

these preceding words, and rubbing himself, let a

man

This

touch his limbs.

for the

removal

is

the Pasupata

animal bonds."

of the

rite,

Again the

Bhita linga and the Gudimallam lihga bear clear sculptural evidence of the antiquity of the Saiva cults.

From

the

summary

of the

philosophy of a

few of the important Saiva sects given below

would be

clear that they

it

have played a prominent

part in the Eeligious History of India.

Let us take History of the

Agamanta

Agamanta or the Suddha Saiva sect. In the Agamanta Saiva first

the

/

works

it is

stated that the Saivas

Saivas.

flourished in a place called Mantra-

on the banks

kali situated

of

the Godavari river,

that there were four matjias, beginning with the

Amarddaka

matjia,

surrounding

Mantrakalesvara, that to the Granges

down

in

his

temple

of

when Rajendrachola went

on his victorious march in the north

he met there these Saivas,

back to his

the

capital,

whom

he,

on his way

induced to come and

settle

kingdom and that from that time

INTRODUCTION. the Saivas immigrated into

and the Cholamandala.

was given large

Since then an impetus

the spread of Saivaism and a very

to

number

Tondaimandala

the

works belonging to the

of original

Agamanta school of Saivaism was written. The Amarddaka matjia mentioned above is a famous one and had

its

branches

mention

is

made

For instance,

over India.

all

of this in the

and the Eriyakramadyotini,

Siddhantasaravali

as also in a

number

of inscriptions.

The members great authors

over

the

of

some

of these

mathas were

and exerted considerable influence

sovereigns of vaisious

countries.

The

EriyaJcramadyotini of Aghorasivacharya, the Sid-

dhantasaravali of Trilochanasivacharya, the Jlr-

noddhara-da§aJcam

of

Nigamajnanadeva, son

Vamadevasivacharya and many another work

of

will

bear testimony to the above statement regarding the literary activity of the in the Dravida country. in the

SaivaBrahmana settlers The first of these lived

Saka year 1080, the second

later, for

lived

sometime

he quotes the former, and the third in the

beginning of the fourteenth century A.D. The great Eajaraja, the builder of the Brihadisvara temple at

Tanjore,

is

stated to have appointed a Sarvasiva

Pandita-Sivacharya as the priest of that temple

and to have ordered that thenceforth the sishyas

HINDU lOONOGEAPHY. and their the

belonging to the Aryadesa,

sishijas alone,

Madhyadesa and the Gaudadesa,

eligible for the office of chief priest.

of these

Saivacharyas became

preceptors of

kings,

shall

be

Again, some

^i'

rajagurus or the

and appear

to

have wielded

such great influence and power that they have

sometimes

set aside

and acted on

their

even the royal commandments

own

For example,

authority.

Kulottuhgacholadeva III appointed two Saivacharyas for the service of the temple at Tirukkadavur, but Svamidevar, order and

the king's

gum,

appointed two others,

of their hereditary rights.

(2)

AH

the

cancelled the in

recognition

Agamas

declare

that the Saivagamas flourished to the south of the

Vijidhya ranges, which

is

corroborated by the state-

ment made by Aghorasivacharya and ;

it

therefore

appears quite certain that Hajendracholadeva implanted in the south a large colony of Saiva Brah-

manas

of

Middle India.

These Saivas should be carefully distinguished from the Vedanta Saivas, who base their philosophy on the Vedas and the Upanishads. These two schools are diametrically opposed to each other (1)

S.I.I.

(2)

No. 40

,

Vol. II, Part II, of

1906

of the

p.

153.

Madras Epigraphist's

collection.

For an account of the origin and development of the Saiva mathas, see Eriydkramadybtini, Siddhantasdrdvali and other works.

INTEODUCTION. on many points.

From

the

Yasya-

statement,

nihasitani-vedah, of the Advaitins the followers of

Agamanta considered Vedas as inferior to the Agamas for they assert that the former came out the

;

of Siva as unconsciously as

His breath, whereas

Agamas were

the twenty-eight

consciously dictated by Siva.

and

personally

Besides, the Aga-

mantins consider the Advaitins and the

Mimam-

sakas as pasus or unevolved souls and to be therefore unfit for receiving

8aiva dlkshas or

The Agamantins

tions.

are

in their turn reviled

by the Vaidikas as being heterodox

among

bhatta classes them

Amarasimha accordingly

initia-

atheists

Kumarila-

;

and we read

classing Devalas

who

are

generally the Pasupatas, the Pancharatras and other

Tantrikas that are addicted to image

among

Sudras.'^'

At any

rate,

worship,

these Saivas did

not evidently hold a high place in the system of castes

;

the

Suta-samhita also states

that

very

low classes of Brahmanas alone underwent the dlJcsha or initiatory

ceremony in the Pasupata, the

Pancharatra and other tantras. clear that inferior

(1)

is

therefore

Brahmanas embraced some

the non-Aryan cults

Pancharatras.

It

At a

of

and became Pasupatas and later stage of

Amarakosa, Ka^da 7

II,

their history,

Sudravarga.

HINDU lOONOGEAPHY. they probably adopted a few of the hdmas and the

them from the Grihya-

viantras appropriate to

some others

sutras and created for themselves

imitation of the mantras of the Veda. plains

the

eagerness with which

in

This ex-

these anarya-

sampradayas were somehow classed in the aryasampradayas.

But, their system of dlksha, Anku-

rarpana with which the ceremonies are begun, the philosophy of Shadadhvas

LATe Vlll

hi on'

-mi' S3 ct-

S3

er

O a o

< o

tej

CO so

tr S3

aTO S>

«-

o d

o

[ ;/g

o

aS-ed 90BJ

ox]

LIISIGAS.

down

number

the rule that the

of facets in the

Brahmabhdga, the Vishnuhhaga and the Budrabhaga should be either or 16, 32

and 64

iKamiJcagama lays

down on

is

4,

8 and 16

The

respectively.

16 and 32

8,

;

text of the

corrupt and hence what rule

this point

Dharalihgas should be made out

of the

it

The

unintelligible.

is

;

Sarvasama

lingas.

The Mukhalinga The Mukhalinga.

one of the varieties of

is

Manusha-lingas and

is

distinguish-

.

ed from bears one or more

all

human

Regarding the making

of

.

other lingas in that faces sculptured on

a Mukhalinga

all

it it.

the

Agamas and Taniras have detailed descriptions. The substance of these is that a Mukhalinga should be made on the pujdbhaga of the Sarvasama-lihga and that

it

might have one, two,

three, four or five

faces corresponding to the five aspects,

Vamadeva,

Tatpurusha, Aghora, Sadyojata and Isana, If the central

of Siva.

shrine has only one door-way in

its

front or the east side, there should be carved only

one face and that on the front side of the linga facing the door-way (See

two door-ways one

fig.

in front

1,

sides,

if it

is,

has

at the

on the eastern and

there should be two faces carved on

the front and back of the linga 97 13

;

and the other

back of the central shrine, that western

PL IX)

;

there should be three

HINDU ICONOGRAPHY. faces on the lihga, is,

on

all

if

there are three door-ways, that

sides except the west (See

lastly, there are four

faces or five

;

fig. 2,

PI.

IX)

;

if,

doorways, there should be four

in the former case, the faces are turn-

ed in the four directions of the quarters

in the

;

latter case, in addition to the four faces, there is to

be one on the top of the lihga and facing the east.

The Isana

aspect of Siva

on the top

of

the lihga

;

is

represented by the face

the Tatpurusha, by that

facing the east, the Aghora,

south

;

by that facing the

the Sadyojata, by that facing the west and

the Vamadeva, by that facing the north.

In the

four faces carved on the four sides of

case of the

the Mukhalihga they should be attached to bodies

which ought

to be represented only as far as the

chest {stana-sutra) Fig.

2, PI.

X).

(See

Each

fig. 3,

PL VII,

of these figures

PI.

XI and

should have

only one pair of arms and be fashioned in

all

respects in conformity with the rules laid

down

other for

the making of images.

From

the descriptions of the

given above,

it is

easily seen that the

sents a phallic emblem, of

ing above the pitjia

viemtrum

virile

Manusha

is

lihgas

symbol repre-

which the part project-

the representation of the

and the brahmasutra makes

of

the nut from the shaft and the rounded top completes its

likeness to the 98

human

phallus.

The

LINGAS,

Brahmabhaga and signed to

fix

the Vishnubhaga are

only de-

Of

the linga firmly in the pedestal.

the component parts of the pltha, that slab of stone

with a square hole, in which the square portion of the

linga

member

and

in

fits

of the pitha,

which forms the lower

prevents

its rotation.

second slab with an octagonal hole in is

the second or upper

member

it

The

and which

of the pltha restricts

the vertical motion of the linga.

Lingas are almost always

known

set

up in pedestals

as the pindikds or pUhas.

Pithas.

These may be square, oblongular, octogonal, elongated octagon, hexagon, elongated

hexagon,

Forms of the plans of pithas,

duodecagon,

elongated

16 sided, regular or

duodecagon,

elongated, circular, elliptical, triangular and semicircular, in plan. (1).

In a square pltha, which

^

The Manasdra

lays

the pitha that should be used

forms

of

vimdnas

down

in the

it

the rule that the form of

is

the nagara, drdvida and

defines that the

nagara pitha is square;

thedrdvida pitha, oot&gonai and the vesarapiiha circular

s[Tf^ sri%i

*

aHR *

l-^ft

^c

cT«rr

*

99

the

Nagara, Dravida and Vesara

(central shrines)

vesara respectively and

is

ii

^

-f:

in plan

HINDU ICONOGEAPHY. Length

one commonly met with, the length of the

the

of side pithas.

of

one side

of

may

it

the length of the

equal to the

total length

words two-thirds the linga.

The

of the

be twice

pujabhdiga, or

linga

in other

;

of or equal to the total length of

whose

pltha, the length of

equal to the total length of the linga

is

side is

said to

belong to the TJttamdUama class and that whose side is equal to two-thirds the total

adhamddhama.

linga, of

the

linga into

length of the

Dividing the total length

twenty-four equal parts,

following classification of the pithas

Adhamadhama

pitha's side

is

the

obtained. parts.

PLATE

Xll,

k.

'd-

I

I

.

2

I

.

v>

I

I

.

I

1

I

I

I

I

I

^ ^

I

T

\3

!i)

i

I

^

^'

.

[To face page 152.]

SAliHiEAMtJETIS.

and ending on the

the figures of the ashtadik-

left are

On

palas or the guardians of the eight quarters. right of Siva

the four-faced

is

Brahma

the

playing on

the vina with two hands and carrying in the other the of

kamandalu and the

Brahma

is

a four

sruJc

armed

and sruva. To the

person,

who cannot be

identified (because the objects in the

hands are not

clearly visible in the photograph) sounding the

To

called, jantha.

the

left of

Siva

is

flute,

:

the remaining four carry the sanTtha, chaJcra, ;

there

standing to the

is

left

drum

standing Vishnu

with six hands two are playing upon the

and gada

left

while

padma

also another four-armed figure of

Vishnu, which

identifiable. All these four figures are so

is

also not

carved as to

suggest the notion of dancing. Within the fold of the skin of the elephant are the Devi and Ganesa to the right of Siva,

the

and Nandi, the

At the

left.

bull

and Bhringi, to

foot of Siva lies the

elephant killed by him.

The head

head of the

of Siva is orna-

mented by a mandala oijatas and the jatamaJcuta he wears,

is

garland

adorned with a garland of skulls

is

also

of very nicely executed

large

a similar

number

ornaments are on the per-

son of the image of Siva. of patiently

A

worn on the neck.

:

This

is

a unique piece

and elaborately carved sculpture.

The second

illustration,

PL XXXI,

is

taken

from the oiva temple at Valuvur,the reputed place of 153 so

HINDU ICONOGEAPHY. the destruction of Gajasura. Thebronze,of which the illustration is a photograph, is a artistic its

of

work, both for

The very

execution.

round

is

ajatamandala

in

In the jatamaJcuta are the

skin, another trisula,

the right a snake.

durddhura flowers

The image

of Siva has eight

two carry a very

shaped

artistically

and a hhadga respectively, while what

in the fourth of the left (?).

is

not clear in the photograph.

is

held

Each

hands carry the kapala, Jchetaha and

Below the

right foot of Siva

of the elephant, while

One

skull,

left

one of the right hands holds the elephant-

;

tanJca

surrounding the

;

which are seen on the

moon and on

and other ornaments.

of

tusks, both indicative

nature of the deity

the crescent of the

arms

and the excellence

well-carved face has a pair

eyes, a pair of side

of the terrific

head

its size

remarkable piece of

its tail is visible

leg of the elephant is

front above the left

shown

hands of Siva.

as

is

the head

on the

top.

hanging in

On either

side of

§iva stands a gana each with four arms and playing

upon the drum and other musical instruments.

The

third

illustration

comes from Darasuram in this sculpture

is

In the right hands

fig.

1,

PI.

XXZII,

in the Tanjore district. Siva

represented with eight arms. of

Siva are seen the damaru,

hhadga, trisula and the elephant's skin; in three out of the four left

hands are the kapala, paka and the 154

PLATE XXXI.

Gajaaura-samhara-murti.

Bronze

:

Valuvur.

[To face page 154.]

PLATE

XXXII.

[To face page

155.

SAMHARAMtJETIS. elephant's skin, while the fourth

As

sucliihasta pose.

held in the

is

in the previous instances there

is

the jatamandala on the head of ^iva, in which

is

tied

up a

skull

;

and the whole person

of Siva is

adorned with a large number of well carved orna-

ments such as the

Jcundalas, haras,

As

keyuras and hatahas. the right leg

and the

left

is

in the

udarabandha,

image

of Valuvur,

planted on the head of the elephant

held up bent

is

an utJcutiJcasana in

direct opposition to the descriptions given in the

Agamas. This deviation from the 2.gamas appears to be a peculiarity of this aspect of Siva belonging to

the sculptures of the Chola period and country, as

might be seen also

in the figure of

ttangudi (see

PI.

fig. 2,

XXXII). In the Darasuram

sculpture, the artist has kept the tail of

two legs and the

the elephant vertically over the head of Siva.

Towards the child

Tiruchchenga-

left of

Siva stands the Devi with the

Subrahmanya seated on her loins both of them

are looking with

;

awe

at Siva.

The Tiruchchengat-

tangudi image of G-ajasurasamharamurti exactly similar to the

Darasuram image;

is

almost

in his right

hands Siva holds the damaru, the pasa, the §ula and the elephant's skin; one of the

left

hands is held in the

vismaya pose, another seems to carry a deer (?), the third having a Jcapala in

while the fourth

is

it is

held in the suchl pose,

holding the skin of the elephant. 155

HINDU ICONOGEAPHY. The

fifth

photograph, PI. XXXIII,

that of

is

an image to be found in the Hoysalesvara temple Like

Halebidu.

at

the

first

illustration,

this

one also has sixteen arms, which carry a very large

number

of

the

Jchadga,

damaru, bana, gada, hhatv5,hga,

vajra,

aiikusa,

such as

objects

tanka ghanta,

sarpa,

dlianus and

kapala

;

two hands are seen holding the elephant's

As

in

the

sculpture

leg of Siva is

made

elephant and the lifted up.

The

of

Amritapura

to rest left

is

prabhd-mandala.

On

right

upon the head

of the

elephant

the right of

is

left of

slightly

kept like a

Siva are four

famishing goblins {dakinis) praising Siva the

skin.

the

bent and held

skin of the

the

;

and on

Siva are a few male and female musicians

sounding drums and other musical instruments.

Like the first illustration this belongs to the Hoysala style of sculpture of the 13th

Century A.D.

Siva once got angry witL\ Kala, the god of death

and kicked him on 3.

his chest.

The

Kalarimurti.

Circumstances under which this act

was performed by Siva are given m the puranas thus —The Eishi Mrikandu was long without a son. :

He prayed to God that he may God appeared to

be blessed with sons.

him and asked him if he would like number of useless sons or only one

to

have a large

remarkably intelligent but with his 156

life

limited to

PLATE

,

^/~%

XXXIII.

.jtr

/,

Mi Gajasura-satnhara-DQurfci.

Stone

:

Halebid.

[To face page 156.]

SAMHAEAMtJBTIS. sixteen years.

and

in

The

chose the latter alternative

risJii

due time his wife Manasvini bore him a son

who was

Markandeya. The child grew up to be a very intelligent boy even as his intelligence and behaviour grew to be more and more remarkcalled

:

able, the hearts of the parents

with

sorrow,

the

at

for

began to be weighted

sixteenth

year of his

The news

of the short

age he was fated to

die.

duration of his

reached Markandeya's ears.

He

life,

resolved to offer pujas to the gods at

all

import-

ant places of pilgrimage, and, in the course of his perigrinations, reached, the tradition says, to Tiruk-

kadavur and was intently absorbed in worshipping the liizga enshrined in

from the lord

call

emissaries soul

to

for

Just then the

temple.

Yama, came. His approached Markandeya to bind his

and carry

possible

its

it

them

of death,

to their master to

do

so,

Yama, who proceeded

operations against the

life of

;

not finding

it

they reported the fact in

person to conduct

Markandeya which was

not destined to continue longer than sixteen years.

He

all

but succeeded in binding the

Brahmana

lad,

but Siva burst out of the Lihga in great anger, and administered a kick on the chest of Yama, which

almost killed him.

Yama came to his senses,

realis-

ed that this great devotee of Siva ought not to have been submitted to the same rules as other ordinary 167

HINDU ICONOGEAPHY. mortals and went away the wiser for his visit to

Tirukkadavur. Siva then blessed Markandeya to be ever of sixteen years of age, so that the destiny that

he should die at the expiry of his sixteenth year

might not operate on him and he exist as

one

Yama

This beautiful story stone and colour in

in

it is

is

known as

many

have the

its

descriptions

of

a temple.

In the Tamil

district.

Kalarimurti are given in

The image

right foot placed

left leg

Kalarimurti.

believed that this incident took place

the agamas.

all

Siva in

seen perpetuated in

often

is

Tirukkadavur in the Tanjore

The

believed to

of the cliiranjlvls (immortals).

the act of chastising

country

is

of

Kalarimurti

is to

upon a 'padma-pitha and

being lifted up so far high as to reach

the chest of the figure of

Yama, over which the

The figure

of Siva should rest.

of Siva should

toe

have

three eyes, lateral tusks, the jatamakuta adorning

the head and four or eight arms.

image has

If the

only four arms, one of the right hands carrying a sula should be lifted up as far as the ear right

hand may carry the parasu

varada pose of

;

if

;

the other

or be held in the

the hand holds the parasu the edge

the instrument should be

turned towards the

person of Siva and the height at which this hand is

to be kept raised

front

left

is

that of the hikTiasutra.

The

hand should be held with the palm 168

in

SAliHARAMUETIS. front,

at the height of

the navel and this hand

should be in the sucM pose.

The back

hand

left

should be kept in the vismaya pose in this case, the ;

ring-finger of the

hand should be

raised as high as

the ushnlsha or the lower portion of the crown.

If,

however, the image of Siva has eight arms, the right ones should bear in

them the

6ula, the paraiu,

the vajra and the hha^ga ; in two of the

left

hands

there should be the Jchetaha and the pasa, while the

two remaining hands should be held

and the sucM poses Siva in this aspect

is

respectively. also red,

Yama

The

though

and he should be adorned with Kala,

in the

all

vismaya

colour of

of the coral,

ornaments.

or the god of death should be re-

presented with two arms and two legs, with side

One

tusks and with a Jcaranda-makuta on his head. of his

hands should carry the pa§a and with

this

and the remaining hand he should be doing anjali to Siva, his

body covered with blood and trembling

with fear

his legs should be standing apart

;

each other (as though he himself).

Kala must

is

from

attempting to steady

also be looking

up

to Siva for

his grace.

The above description of Kalarimurti according to the AmhumadhTiedagama is supplemented by the Kamikagama thus the right leg should :

be shown, according to this authority, in the act of 169

HINDU lOONOGEAPHY. kicking

Yama and

the

left

one should be placed on

In the right hands

the ground.

Siva there must

of

be the sula and the parasu and in one of the

hands the

left

remaining hand

ndgapd,sa, while the

The

should be held in the suchi pose.

eyes of Siva

should be so sculptured as to suggest the idea that their sight is directed towards

Kala and the §ula

should be turned head downwards and piercing the

neck of Yama.

In this work Kala

represented as fallen

with

He

tears.

down

is

required to be

fainted with eyes filled

should be clothed in red garments,

should have red eyes, red hair both on the head, the

moustache and the brows

The height

tusks also.

to the navel of Siva

and

he should have side

;

Yama

should reach up

his figure

must be shaped

of

according to the nava-tala measure.

There

is

another description given

in

the

Kamikagama according to which the figure of Siva may be represented as rising from the Linga which Markandeya was worshipping and the

figure of

Yama

In

fallen

prostrate on

instance, the lihga

the

ground.

and the image

this

of Siva should

be sculptured as in the Lingodbhavamurti already described above.

The body

of

Siva

should

be

covered with white ashes (vibhuti).

Markandeya should be seated near the linga with flowers for offering and his features should 160

PLATE XXXIV,

Kahu-i-murti: Stone panel

[To face page IGIJ

:

Dasavatfu-a Cave

:

Ellore

SAMHiRAMtJRTIS. the fear due to the approach of death

indicate

rather than happiness at the appearance of ^iva for his rescue.

The Karanagama adds hands

of Siva

must be

trident

this rule is

in

which are

which

meant

that

to hold the

down-turned

in the JcataJca pose.

Evidently,

to be applicable to bronze images

such implements, which are wrought

separately and not cast with itself,

the two front

the original image

and are generally inserted whenever they are

The

wanted.

kataJca-hasta pose will be seen in

metal images in whose hands different

meant

articles are

to be inserted at the will of the worshipper.

For example,

in the case of the goddesses

near their consorts, one hand

who stand

held in the Itataha

is

pose to receive a natural flower every day in

hands

all

of

it

;

the

Eama and Lakshmana are kept in the same

pose for inserting in them the in the case also of

bow and

the arrow;

Vinadhara Dakshinamurti, we

shall see later on, the

hands are held

in the kataka

pose.

Five

The

illustrations

first of

these, PI.

are given of Kalarimurti.

XXXIV,

is

a drawing of the

Kalarimurti to be found in the Dasavatara cave in Ellora.

In this panel Siva

from the

liiiga,

is

in front

represented as issuing

of

which

is

seen

the

boy Markandeya kneeling with his arms folded on 161

HINDU ICONOGEAPHY. One

his bent knees.

the

left

which

trident

The

hands

of the right

hands and one

of Siva grasp a stout handled, sharp is

aimed

at the

hand

remaining right

abdomen

The

held in the vismaya pose.

Siva

the

hip

left

hand

on

rests

Yama.

of

{hatyavalambita hasta) and the remaining is

of

leg of

right

buried up to the knee in the lihga and the

is

left leg is

represented as kicking

adorned with

of ^iva is

has apparently fallen

Yama.

The person

Yama

many ornaments.

down

;

in this miserable plight

he praises Siva with his right hand uplifted and in the

left

hand he

still

had bound the neck

The second

grasps the yaka with which he of

Markandeya.

sculpture, Fig 1, PI.

belongs to Ellora, and temple. It

is

is

also

found in the Kailasa

almost similar in

panel described above.

XXXV,

its

details to the

Here Yama stands

prais-

ing Siva with one hand uplifted and holds in the

other the pasa bound to the figure of Markandeya.

The image before

of Siva issues

which

is

from the top

seen seated the figure of Markan-

deya with the head broken and Siva in kicking

him with

The

of a lihga

Yama

lost.

The

action of

with his foot and piercing

his kula is portrayed vigorously.

third

illustration,

Fig.

belongs to Pattisvaram in the

Herein the

treatment

of

162

2, PI,

XXXV,

Tanjore

district.

the subject

is

quite

PLATE XXXV.

[To lace page 162.]

PL\TE XXXVI.

Id

SAMHAEAMtJETIS. Siva

different.

is

upon the body

him his

standing with his

of the fallen

left leg

resting

Yama and is kicking He carries in

with the right foot on his chest.

hands the sula with

its

head turned downward,

the parasu, the mriga and the Jcapala. Markandeya

stands to the right of Siva with hands in the anjali

pose praising Siva.

The next of

Fig.

illustration,

1,

XXXVI,

PI.

is

an image to be found in Tiruchcheugattangudi

and

almost similar to the Pattisvaram sculpture

is

The only differences between the

described above.

two are that in the former the lifted

up

to kick

Yama, whereas

the right leg that

is

Tiruchchengattangudi

Yama

in the latter,

is

while

sculpture,

;

the

Yama in

in

the

foot is so placed.

left

on the

of

is

it

purpose

on the body

Pattisvaram sculpture, the of

leg of Siva is

lifted for that

right foot is planted firmly

The head

left

of

left

Siva in the

Tiruchchengattangudi image and on the right in the Pattisvaram one.

PL XXXVI, of a

is

The

last illustration. Fig. 2,

the reproduction of the photograph

bronze image kept in the collection of Mr. E. F.

Stoney, Executive Engineer, P.

In this instance, Siva lihga, within

is

seen

which his right

thigh.

The other

kicking

Yama

W.

D., Madura.

emerging from a

leg is buried

leg is lifted

up

in

up

to the

the act of

(whose image seems to have been 163

HINDU ICONOGEAPHY. sculptured as a separate piece).

The back hands

carry the parasu and the mriga, while the front

ones are so kept as to hold in them a trisula.

On

one occasion Siva

who metals and who

killed three asuras

dwelt in three forts constructed of

caused great damage to the suras and the

The

story

is

given in detail in the Karnaparvan of

the Mahabharata, an abstract of which below.

rishis.

The

three sons of Tarakasura*,

performed great penances, obtained from

is

given

having

Brahma

the boons that they should occupy three castles

wherefrom they should move as they desired and thousand years the three

after a

castles should unite

multt^""*^**^*

into one

and

should be only destructible with a single

The asura

arrow.

them the three

castles,

architect

Maya

built

one of gold which was in

heaven, another of silver in the air and a third of iron

on the earth

:

each one of these was appropriat-

ed by one of the asuras, and they started out on their tour of harassing

them with

the gods.

Indra attacked

his vajra but did not succeed in putting

them down. The gods then repaired to Brahma to consult him as to the means of destroying these asuras. '*'

He

told

them that they could only be

These were named Vidyunmali, Tarakaksha and Kama-

laksha.

164

SAMHAEAMtJETIS. killed

with a single arrow and such a weapon could

Mahadeva and directed them to pray to him for help. They prayed accordingly and succeeded in inducing him to undertake be wielded only by

the task

demanded to

killing the

of of

them one

to

kill

powers (saMi)

half of their

add to his own strength,

impossible

Mahadeva then

asuras.

otherwise,

as,

was

They

demons.

strong

those

it

consented and parted with a half of their strength,

Mahadeva became now stronger than all other gods and hence came to be known by the name Mahadeva, the great god. The various gods served Mahadeva in other capacities also. Vishnu, became his

arrow, Agni

Mahadeva made his

bow-string.

With

its

the

Yama

and

barb

its feather.

bow and

Vedas his

Brahma became

Savitri

his charioteer.

the three-barbed arrow consisting of Soma,

Agni and Vishnu the

castles with their inhabitants

were destroyed by Mahadeva.

The

puraniJc account of the destruction of the

by

Mahadeva

three

castles

much

older accounts

Brahmanas. stated that

found in the Samhitas and

For instance,

of the Vajasaneyi

based upon very

is

Samhita

the asuras

in

the

of the

commentary

Yajurveda,

being defeated

gods, performed austerities

and

which were destroyed by Agni, 165

it is

by the

built three castles,

Similarly in

the

HINDU lOONOGEAPHY, aatapatha-Brahmana we are

told that the gods

and

the asuras fought together, though born of the same father, Prajapati.

The

themselves

latter built for

three castles which excited the envy of the gods.

destroying

them Indra

is

For

said later on to be prepar-

ing his thunderbolt with Agni as the shaft,

Soma as

the iron and Vishnu as the point.

The Taittinya The the lowest being made of

Sarhhita somewhat amplifies the story thus asuras had three castles,

:

next higher of silver and the highest of

iron, the

The gods were unable to conquer them therefore they made an arrow, consisting of Agni as the wooden shaft. Soma as the iron and Vishnu But then they needed one to wield as the point. this weapon their choice fell upon Rudra, the cruel, who dasbroyid the castles and drove out the asuras gold.

;

from these regions.

Similar references to the de-

struction of three metallic castles are found in the

Aitareya-Brahmana and other ancient Tripurantakamurti in almost

No

all

less

is

authorities.

described in great detail

the agamic authorities.

than eight different descriptions of the

Tripurantakamurti are given in the Amsumadbhe-

dagama

alone

;

but there are not

many

points of

material difference between one form and the other

given in this work

;

however, since a distinction

has been made by tbia authority, 166

let

me

adhere to

SAMHAEAMUETIS. its descriptions.

In the

first

image

Siva, the right leg of the

kept a

form

of Siva

while the

little in front,

One

bent, should be behind.

of this aspect of

should be

one,

left

slightly

of the right

hands

should be held in the simhakarna pose at about the

bow

height of the nabhi-sutra and be holding the string in

which the arrow

the arrow should be that of the

one

of the left

and raised up of the fist

of

The thickness

is set.

little finger of

Siva;

hands should be grasping the bow

in a horizontal position

bow ought

to

;

the thickness

in exactly into the closed

fit

Siva and should be tapering at both the ends.

The bow should be painted colours.

It

may have

beautifully with various

three bends (see

in Vol. I) or be like the crescent

The

fig. 3, PI. II,

moon and may bow

of

wood or metal.

is

given as one-third of the thickness of the

and

of

its

thickness of the

be

string

bow

length as seven-eighths of the length of the

The remaining hands should be held in the kartari-hasta pose in the right hand there should

bow.

;

be the tanka and in the

The

figure should be

and

all

the

left,

adorned with bhejata-makuta

ornaments should be

left of

the krishna-mriga.

of

red colour.

On

that of ^iva, there should be the figure

of the Devi.

The Uttarak&mikagama adds description the following

:

167

to

the above

the image of Siva should

HINDU lOONOGEAPHY. have three eyes

;

in its right ear there should be

the makara-hundala

ornament

from the non-mention

;

has to

it

authority states that Siva

even two

bow and

may have

to

This

adorned by none.

be

any

we have perhaps

for the other ear,

infer that

of

four hands or

in the latter case, they should carry the

;

The body

the arrow-

of Siva should be in

the samahhahga attitude.

In the second form left

foot

purusha, exactly

the

left

of

Tripurantakamurti the

Siva must be kept upon ApasmSra-

of

while

the

rest

similar

to the

leg

Siva

of

description

the

of

is

In the third form,

first.

should

standing

kept

be

vertically while the right should be slightly bent.

In the

fourth

it

is

the

that

stated

should be placed upon the Apasmara dently a mistake for the right foot, is

;

foot

left

this is evi-

for,

as

it is, it

the description of the second form given above.

The

front right

and

left

hands

of Siva, in the fifth

form, should be held, so as the palm of the

might be facing up and that

of

down, grasping the point and the back right and tahJca

The

and

the

left

the former turned

tail

of the

arrow

;

in

hands there should be the

mriga

legs should be

latter

or

dhanus

respectively.

somewhat bent but there should

not be the Apasmarapurusha in this form.

should be the Devi to the

left of Siva.

168

In

all

There these

SAliHiEAMUETIS. five

forms of Tripurantakamurti there should be

only four arms and no more.

In the sixth form, Siva as the Tripurantakamurti should have eight arms, in the four right ones of which there should be the bana, the paraiu, the kha^ga and the vajra

;

whereas two of the

hands should be held in the vismaya and

left

the

kataka poses respectively, while the remaining two should carry the dhanus and the khetaka.

There

should be several bends in the body of Siva

which should add grace

bhaiiga)

beauty of the

In the seventh form, there

to the left of Siva. ;

general

There should also be the Devi

figure.

should be ten arms

to the

{ati-

in the right hands they should

carry the bana, the chakra, the §ula, the taiika and

the vajra; and in three out of the five

left

hands

there should be the dhanus, the sankJia and the

khetaka

:

the remaining hands being in the vismaya

and the suehl poses

respectively.

In the eighth form, Siva driving in a chariot. ly raised

to be represented as

His right

leg should be slight-

and be resting on a part

whereas the of the

is

left

chariot.

In the chariot there should be a

part called the mukula, which gible.

tied

It is

up with a

is

rope,

not quite

intelli-

mukula should be and Brahma, the charioteer

stated that this

169 i2

of the chariot,

one should be planted in the middle

HINDU ICONOGRAPHY. should be seated in the middle of this mukula,

with a bamboo stick in one right hand and hamm

andalu in the other

;

and padma-pdsa

in

(?)

one

hand and the kundika (a kind of water-vessel) Below the mukula there should in the other. be standing a white bull. This bull is Vishnu left

who

down from

got

arrow temporarily to

the

steady the chariot which was giving the feet of Siva

and

;

Vishnu returned

after

steadying the chariot

to the arrow.

be shown as sailing in the

The common

way under

The

chariot should

air.

features of the eight forms of the

Tripurantakamurti are that they are

all

of

red

complexion, have one face and three eyes, and have the Devi on the

left

In this aspect Siva

side.

is

guided by a passion composed of the satva and the rajo gunas.

Four

illustrations are

The

murti.

first

two are

given of Tripurantaka-

to be found in Ellora

and

another in the Kailasanatha temple at Conjeevaram.

Of the two sculptures so-called

of

Ellora, the first

Dasavatara cave, PL

XXXVII.

is

in the

In

this,

Siva stands in his chariot with his right leg kept

forward and the

left

one, behind

;

the body of Siva

turned away from the objects aimed

and arms are turned castles

which h«

is

in the

but his face

direction of the three

about to destroy. 170

at,

is

He

seems to

PLATE XXXVII.

Tripurantakamurti

:

Stone.

Daa'avatara Cave

:

Ellora.

[To face page 170]

PLATE

XXXVIII.

Tripurantakamurbi

[To face page l7l]

:

Stone

:

Kailasa Temple

:

Bllora.

PLATE XXXIX.

Tripurantakamurfci

[To face page 1?1]

:

Stone

:

Conjeevaram.

PL\TE

:Tripurantakamurti

:

Stone

:

XL.

Madura.

[To face page 171]

SAMHAEAMtJBTIS. have had ten

arms

still

remain

unbroken are carrying the sword, and the

shield, a

third

arm

is

those that

;

holding the arrow strung in the bow-

string, while a fourth holds the bent is

driving the chariot which

The second photograph

of

is

yoked

the

left

;

the sculpture to

the right

quiver of arrows.

it.

this,

the

Siva has

the right shoulder

Brahma is

In front

is

be found in the

In

a

is

seen sitting in the front

portion of the chariot and driving

yoked to

two horses.

hand bears the arrow while

On

one the bow.

to

PL XXXVIII,

illustration,

Kailasa cave in the same place. only two arms

Brahma

bow.

the two horses

Tripurantakamurti are

of

the asuras fleeing before their pursuer.

In the third illustration,

PI.

XXXIX,

Siva

is

seated in the alidhasana posture in the chariot and

has eight arms, in which there ought to be the bow,

As

arrow and other implements of war. previous instances,

The

last

Brahma

illustration, PI.

tion of the photograph of

found in the mandapa of

the

is

the

in the

driving the chariot.

XL,

is

the reproduc'

beautiful

sculpture

in front of the central shrine

Sundaresvara temple

at

Madura,

which

belongs to the modern times.

Once Siva assumed the form animal called Sarabha.

which he was obliged

of

a mythical

The circumstances under

to take this form are given as 171

HINDU ICONOGEAPHY. follows

:

Nrisimhavatara, destroyed

Vislin,u, in his

the asura Hirainyakasipu

causing

m-orti.

annoyance to the

great

Even

gods.

who was

after the destruction

asura, Vishnu did not abate his

of the

attitude,

which was causing damage

tants of the

terrific

to the inhabi-

They approached 6iva

world.

succour and Siva promised them his help.

He

for

at

once assumed the form of a harahha, an animal with

two heads, two wings legs of the lion

making

of resplendent beauty, eight

with sharp claws, and a long

tail

Sarabha approached

the

dreadful noise

Nrisimha, caught hold of him and tore him up the skin of Narasimha, he wore as his garment and

the head was worn on his chest

have

it,

came

or,

as

some accounts Vishnu

on his malcuta as an ornament.

and

to his proper senses

Siva, to his

own

retired, after praising

abode, the Vaikuntha.

thenceforth to be

known

as

Siva came

Sarabhesamurti or

Simhaghnamurti Sarabhesamurti

gama

as follows

:

of a bird of golden

described in

is

The body hue

;

it

which should be uplifted

:

of

Kamika-

the

Sarabhesa

is

that

should have two wings

Sarabhesa has two red

eyes, four legs resembling those of the lion resting

upon the ground and four others with sharp clawa kept lifted upwards, and an animal 172

tail

;

the body

saiIhSbam-Betis.

human

above the loins should be that of a

being

but having the face of a lion which should be

wearing upon

its

head a hirlta-makuta.

There

should also be side-tusks and on the whole a

Sarabhesa

appearance.

is

shown

to be

as carrying

The

with two of his legs Narasimha.

Narasimha should be the ordinary form

terrific

figure of

of a

human

being with the hands held in the anjali pose.

The Srltatvanidhi description.

somewhat

different

It requires that the figure

of Sara-

gives a

bhesa should have thirty-two arms, in the right ones of

which are to be found vajra, mushti, abhaya,

chaJcra, kahti,

danda, ahJcuia, hhadga, Jckatvanga,

parasu^ akshamala, a bone, dhanus, musala, and

agni ; whereas the

left

hands ought

to keep the paia,

varada, gada, bana, dhvaja, another kind of sword,

a snake, a lotus flower, Jcapala, pustaha, hala and

mudgara and one hand should be embracing Durga. The Uttarakaranagama says that by consecrating this image, battles

won,

achieved

;

all

all

is

and that the three eyes the

be

will

destroyed,

ailments cured and every good

6iva are the sun, the

tongue

enemies

moon and

subterranean

of this aspect of

the

fire

fire

;

known

that his as

the

badavanala; that his two wings are Kali and Durga his nails, Indra,

Kala

and

the belly,

Mrityu;

Kalagni

;

the thighs,

and his gigantic 173

strength

HINDU ICONOGEAPHY. Mahavayu.

Again, in the Sarabhopanishad

stated that sara

means the Jlva

Sarabha who

is

soul

;

is

Hari

is

Sarabha, and that Hari

shining in the limbs of himself

or

it

capable of granting

is

moksha.

An in Vol.

Sarabhesamurti

illustration of the I,

PI.

B, Introduction.

It is a

to be found in the Siva temple at

the Tanjore district.

Sarabha

;

bronze image

Tribhuvanam

In this piece

of the lion, a tail

hand

in the right upper

of

is

sculpture

the parasu, in the one, the

left

With the Nrisimha, who

in the lower left one, agni.

front leg, Sarabhamurti has pinioned is

in

and four human

lower right one, the p^sa, in the upper

mriga and

given

represented as having three legs, the

is

body and a face

arms

is

struggling against his adversary with his eight

arms.

The

following account

is

purdna regarding the cutting

Brahma 6.

Brahmasira-

t,

,

Kudra

schchiiedakamurti.

found in the Vardhathe fifth head of

off of

by Siva.

and

Brahma

addressing

Kapali, asked

him

created

him

as

to protect the

world.

Because he was insulted as Kapali, Siva

cut

the fifth head of

off

thumb-nail

would not

;

Brahma with

his

left

but this head stuck to his hand and fall

off

from

requested by Eudra to

Then Brahma was him how he could get

it.

tell

174

samhAeamurtis. the head stuck up in his hand, for which

rid of

Brahma

prescribed to

Kapalika

life for

Rudra the observance

twelve years, at the end of which

he promised that the head would

Rudra repaired Yajnopavlta of

to Mahendragiri

made

in the. jatamaJcuta

a skull the

At the end

and wearing an

skull tied

on

his

made

up as an orna-

head and carrying

with blood in his hand, went round

filled

earth

Then

oS.

fall

of hair, a garland of beads

bone and a piece of the

ment

of the

visiting

places

all

of twelve years

pilgrimage.

of

he arrived at Varanasi,

where, by the followers of Simachari(?) the skull of

Brahma was removed from the hand of Rudra. The place where the head fell obtained the name of

Rudra then bathed

Kapala-mochana.

in the

Ganges, worshipped Visvesvara at Kasi and returned to Kailasa.

A

somewhat

Eurmapurana.

Brahma Brahma

as to

different version is

found in the

Once upon a time the

who was

arrogated

it

rishis

the origin of the universe.

to himself.

Just then Siva

appeared on the scene and claimed to be the nator of the universe dispute between

asked

;

upon

Brahma and

this there

Siva.

origi-

ensued a

Even though

the Vedas came to declare that Siva was the greatest of all Gods,

Brahma would

not accept their verdict.

Then appeared in space a huge illumination in which 175

HINDU ICONOGEAPHY. was

the figure of Siva.

discernible

ordered Bhairava to cut

Brahma which spoke

By

disrespect.

ofi

then

Siva

head

that fifth

of

him with haughtiness and

to

Brahma

the power of his yoga,

escaped death and he also learnt, at the sacrifice of

one of his heads, the superiority of Siva.

The

following description of Brahmasirasch-

chhedakamurti

The

found

is

the

in

Sritatvanidhi.

figure of this aspect of Siva should be of white

complexion, with three

eyes, four

and a

arms

jatamaJcuta on the head and the patraJcundala in the right ear and the nakrakundala in

In

one.

the

hand

right

are

and the paraiu and in the

Brahma and the the garments made

of

whose

left

left

the vajra

ones, the skull

It should be

^ula.

draped in

of tiger's skin.

The Siva-purana rupa or the

to be

the

calls

Bhairava the purna-

form of Sankara and that those

full

intellect is

darkened by

maya

are not able to

understand the superiority of this aspect of §iva and decline

to

worship

it.

Bhairava

is

so

called

because he protects the universe (hJiarana)

because he

is terrific (bhlshai^a).

as Kalabhairava for even

trembles before

him

;

and

He is also known

Kala (the god

of death)

Amarddaka because he

kills

bad i^rsouBimarddana) andPapabhakshana, because 176

SAMHSEAMtETIS. he swallows the sins of his bhaktas or devotees.

He

is

the lord of the city of Kasi.

The

description of Bhairava

is

Vishnudharmottara.

It

Bhairava.

(a)

found in the there

is

stated that Bhairava should have a flabby belly, round yellow eyes, side-tusks and wide

and should be wearing a garland

nostrils,

He

of skulls.

should be also adorned with snakes as orna-

ments

ments

;

besides these there should be other ornaalso.

The complexion

as the rain-cloud

skin

;

and

his

of

Bhairava

is

dark

garment the elephant's

he should have several arms carrying several

He

weapons.

should be represented as frightening

Parvati with a snake.

Bhairava has

forms such as the Vatuka-

Svarnakarshanabhairava and so forth.

bhairava,

The

many

features of each one of these forms are describ-

ed below.

Vatuka-Bhairava should have eight arms in six of

Bhairava.'^*

which are to be the

Jchatvaiiga

the pasa, the sula, the damaru, the Jcapala

and a snake

;

while one of

the remaining hands should carry a piece of flesh

and the other should be held in the abhaya pose. By the side of this Bhairava there should be a dog of the

same colour

upon

this

form

of

as that of its master.

Bhairava 177

23

is

Meditation

said to secure

all

the

HINDU ICONOGBAPHY. So

wishes of the votary.

far for the

Bupamandana

given in the

description found in

the

description

the following

;

the

is

VatuJca-BhairavaJcalpa.

This aspect of Bhairava should have jatas of red colour, three eyes

hands the

in his

kapd,la

He

and a red body.

sula, the pasa, the

and be riding upon a dog.

should carry

damara and

the

Vatuka-Bhairava

should be stark naked and be surrounded on sides

by a host

Four

arms as given

of

of

which

is

Vatuka-Bhairava

are

Bhairava seen with eight

Bupamandana. The South Pattisvaram, PI. XLI, carries the

in the

Indian image of

damaru, the pasa and the kapala and

sula, the

naked.

demons.

illustrations

none

given, in

of

all

It

has jvalas or flames surrounding

jatamakuta and wears round

made of small

bells, besides

a

golden and other necklaces. katisutra or

its

neck a long necklace

number of well- wrought

Round

the loins

is

waist zone consisting of a snake.

show the terrific aspect

is

its

the

To

of this deity, the eyes of the

image are made round and there are shown large side-tusks.

Immediately behind the figure

of

Bhai-

rava is a dog also adorned with a number of necklaces

and other ornaments. later

This image belongs to the

Ch5la period (12th and 13th centuries A.p.).

The two Northern Indian images one

of the

Chalukya

style, figs. 1, 3

178

&

as also 2,

the

PL XLII,

Plate

Mli.

Bbairava

[To face page 178]

:

Stone

:

Fattisvaram,

PLATB

XLll.

a ID

W 3

T3

B

K.

/

Ali^ O 3 «= -i

D

IS

>

m

[To face page 179]

SAMHAKAMUBTIS. They the hhadga, the paia and the

are alike in their execution. sula,

carry the

all

have

Jcapala,

their jaias arranged in a circle (or mandala,)

and

They wear garlands of skulls and are of terrific appearance. The image belonging to the Indian Museum, Calcutta, fig. 1, PI. XLII, alone are naked.

is

Museum

smiling, whereas that belonging to the

of the

Bombay Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society,

fig. 3, PI.

ana

or

XLII, has a scorpion attached

mark on the

these two pisachas.

as a IdncJih-

front face of the pedestal

and

;

images are surrounded by emaciated

The sword

the Madras

Museum

dagger held with

its

in the

hand

(fig. 2,

PL XLII),

image of

of the

point downwards.

is

a short

All these

thr^e images stand on sandals, which are absent in the case of the South Indian image.

Svarnakarshana

Bhairava should

an

have

yellow coloured body, with four arms shana^BhaSava.

^^^ ^^^^^ ^ycs and should be clothed in yellow garments.

He should

be

adorned with all kinds of ornaments and be praised by all

gods.

The appearance of this

aspect of Bhairava

should be one which suggests perfect happiness coupled

with masterful

authoritativeness.

should be carrying in his hands a vessel

filled

He with

gold and precious gems, a chamara and a tomara and

a large iula should be resting upon the shoulder. 179

HINDU ICONOGEAPHY.

We four

have already seen

Bhairava's aspect has eight

difier-

named

Euru,

ent forms,

Bhih-amr

in the introduction that

Asitaiiga,

Chanda, Krodha, Unmatta-Bhairava, Kapala, of

Bhishana and Samhara.

forms

these

is

divided

further

Each one into

eight

subordinate forms, thus making sixty-four in All these are grouped into eight

all.

groups and are

described in the Budra-ydmala.

In the group coming under Asitanga are cluded

Visalaksha,

Marttanda,

in-

Modaka-priya,

Svachchanda,

Vighna-santushta, Khechara

Sacharachara.

All these are of golden complexion

and have good looking limbs, and carry the

and

trlsula,

the damaru, the pasa and the khadga.

The group headed by Ruru

consists of Kroda-

damshtra, Jatadhara, Visvarupa, Virupaksha, Nanarupadhara, Vajrahasta and Mahakaya. of the Bhairavas of this

should rubies

all

be

group

is

The

pure white

colour ;

they

adorned with ornaments set with

and should carry an akshamala, the

aiihuka,

a pustaJca and a vlna.

Bhumikampa, Nilakantha, Vishnu, Kulapalaka, Mundapala and KamaChanda, Pralayantaka,

pala constitute the third group. of blue colour

and have good

All these are to be

looks.

They should

carry in their hands agni, kahti, gada and knnda. 180

SAllHARAMUETIS. In the group headed by Krodha are included Abhrarupa,

Pingalekshana,

Dharapala,

Kutila,

Mantranayaka, Rudra and Pitamaha. are

All these

smoke colour and should carry

of

sword and

khetaJca, a long

Jcha^ga,

-paraku.

In the Unmatta-Bhairava group are Vatukanayaka, Sankara, Bhuta-vetala, Trinetra, Tripurantaka,

Varada and Parvatavasa.

white and they are in their

all to

Kapala,

is

be of good looks and carry

hands the kun^a, the

(a kind of club)

Their colour

khetaJca, the

parigha

and bhindipala. Hasticharmambara-

Sasibhushana,

dhara, Yogisa, Brahmarakshasa, Sarvajna, Sarva-

devesa and Sarva-bhutahridi-sthita form a group

and are

all to

same weapons

be of yellow colour and carry the as in the previous group.

The seventh group

consists

Bhishana,

of

Bhayahara, Sarvajna, Kalagni-Maharaudra, Dakshina,

Mukhara and

same weapons

They

Asthira.

all

as in the above group

carry the

and are

of

red colour.

In the group

of

Samharabhairava are Atirik-

tanga, Kalagni, Priyankara, Ghoranada, Visalaksha,

Yogisa and Dakshasamsthita

;

all

these are to be

of the colour resembling the lightning

and

to carry

the same weapons as in the previous group.

XLIII,

represents

the

Atiriktanga

181

aspect

PI.

of

HINDU ICONOGRAPHY, Bhairava and

found sculptured in one of the

is

Seated near his foot

cave-temples of Ellora.

emaciated figure of Kali

pose.

his

Though

the

round him are a number

and on

of blood-thirsty goblins

brahmana votary with

;

is

his

his

right stands a

hands held

in the anjali

grotesque, the sculptor has executed

work with great Virabhadra

skill.

a

is

form

Siva assumed

of

at

the time of the destruction of the yajna (sacrifice) of 7.

Virabhadra-

,

of

purana.

,

,

of the

murti.

On

The

Daksha. n

.

.

following account

•

r

Daksha occurs

in

Eurma-

the

one occasion Daksha with his consort,

In spite

paid a visit to the house of Siva. solicitous attentions of Siva,

pleased with

his

quarters.

On

his

-c

i.i

destruction ot the sacrifice

Daksha became

son-in-law,

and

another occasion

reviled Siva in the presence of Sati

Daksha

and also abused This insult

own house by Daksha smote

Sati so hard that she burnt herself to death

under the name

to

wife

Siva's

her and directed her to quit his house.

was afterwards born

dis-

returned

Sati went to her father Daksha's house.

offered to her in his

of the

to

Himavan

of Parvati.

of his consort, Siva cursed

she

daughter

Daksha

to be born as a

with

his

Daksha was born 182

;

Learning the demise

Kshatriya and to commit incest

daughter in that birth.

as his

own

as king

PLATE

XLIII

Atiriktanga Bhairava

[To face page 182]

:

Stone Panel

:

EUora.

samhAeamOrtib. Prachetas and was performing a yaga at Gangadvara, but owing to the hatred he coneeived for

Siva in his former existence he declined to dedicate a portion of the offering to Siva,

who had

received their portions did not intercede on

But one Dadhichamaharishi alone

behalf of Siva.

remonstrated neglect

cursed

All other gods

Siva

of all

the injustice of Daksha's

against

those

but

in

who were

vain.

Then Dadhicha

present to become veda-

hahyas and lovers of lower religious systems and even to lose the favour of Vishnu on which they so

much

He

counted.

presence of

invoked

there

the

also

was

Siva to destroy the irregular sort

requesting yd,ga that

Siva.

then

Just then Parvati

was being performed by Prachetas.

acceded to

her request and created

of

He

Virabhadra

with a thousand heads, a thousand eyes, powerful shoulders, a

brightness the

thousand arms, and resembling in that devours the universe at the

fire

end of an seon

having side-tusks, carrying the

;

sankha, the chaJcra and a bow and besmeared with ashes; this Virabhadra was sent to destroy the

yaga of Prachetas.

Parvati, in

her turn, created

sent her also with

Virabhadra,

^ith a body of gantis to help them.

Virabhadra

Bhadrakali and

d^troyed the yaga and

in the action that ensued

put out the eyes and plucked the teeth of Surya, 183

HINDU ICONOGEAPHY. cut

ofE

the hands and the tongue of Agni, cursed

Indra's arm, that had been lifted up to strike,

remain

in the

stiff

same

to

Chandra was

position.

crushed by the toe of Virabhadra and Vishnu's vehicle

Garuda had

to his senses

pleased with

the ganas

to flee for

and prayed

to

Daksha came Siva, who became

life.

him and promised the headship over

at

the

end

that

of

and

aeon

dis-

appeared.

An

altogether different tale

Varahapurana. of

Brahma

;

the latter asked

him

Daksha and

Daksha begot a

grand-children.

to create beings,

to do, but lay in inactivity.

therefore created

Prajapatis.

found in the

Kudra was born from the anger

which he did not care

Brahma

is

lot

of

six other

children

and

Indra and other Gods, the grand-

children of Daksha, began to perform sacrifices for

Meanwhile Eudra who

the pleasure of Daksha.

was sunk of

in inactivity

animals

;

other gods

came and created

four species

in a short time the voices of Indra

came

to be heard

and

by Rudra who got

angry at the creation of these beings by some one

he himself took up the act

else before

This anger fire

of his

glowed in the form

issuing from his ears

number

of

and from

of of

creation.

tongues of

this fire

came a

demons which went against the Devas,

attacked and destroyed their sacrifices and compelled 184

SAliHAEAMUETIS.

them to offer him also a portion of the offerings. Daksha prayed to Eudra to appease his anger and gave his daughter Gauri in marriage to Eudra.

Brahma then

and his consort a

allotted to Siva

place in Kailasa.

of

The BhS,gavata-purana gives a fuller account the enmity between Daksha and Eudra. The

gods and the rishis were assembled at a

Daksha entered the excepting

hall

when

all

sacrifice.

the assembly,

Brahma and Mahadeva, rose up. Daksha obeisance to Brahma and sat down at his

made his command. But he did not like Mahadeva being seated when he entered the hall and so reviled Mahadeva in very strong and highly objectionable language alluding to his roaming in cemeteries and other repulsive acts and cursed

him that he should

never be given thenceforth a portion in the offerings in

yaga made to the delectation

departed from the hall of

Daksha began

of the gods.

Some years after, sacrifice known as

sacrifice.

to perform the

All the gods with their wives

the Brihaspatisava.

were seen going to attend the sacrifice;

which

Sati,

the

take her to her

He her

Siva

wife of Siva, pressed father's

house for the

seeing

him

to

sacrifice.

informed her of the insult offered to him by father

going to the

and

advised

sacrifice.

But she 185

24

her

not to persist in persisted in going,

HINDU ICONOGEAPHY. and, as

by

was predicted by her husband, was slighted she

courtesy, of

On

her father.

being

committed

treated with

scant

The

news

suicide.

who

death of his spouse reached ^iva,

the

in his anger tore a lock from his matted

Bidden by

this lock of hair took a gigantic form.

Siva, this of

Being completely destroyed the

Daksha and brought him

hair

sacrifice

submission to

to

Siva.

The Srltatvanidhi contains a description image

of

Virabhadramurti.

arms, three eyes and a tusks.

In the

gadd and

left

It

should have four

terrific face

with

fierce side

hands should be held a bow and a

in the right ones a

It should be

of the

wearing a garland

hhadga and a hdna. of skulls

and should

By

the side of

be standing on a pair of sandals.

the figure of Virabhadra there should be the figure of

Bhadrakali

also.

should be

there

goat's head,

On

the right side of Virabhadra

the figures of

Daksha with a

two eyes and two horns, and with hands

held in the anjali pose.

The Kdranagama has

a

somewhat

description of Virabhadramurti. figure of eyes,

different

It says that the

Virabhadra should have four arms, three

head covered with jatds which emit

tusks,

and wearing garlands composed

skulls

and those made

of scorpions,

186

fire,

of bells

side

and

a yajnopavlta

PLATE XLIV,

mm L.

Virabhadramurti

:

Bronze

:

Madras Museum.

Fig. 2.

Virabhadramurti

:

Stone

:

Tenkasi.

[To face page 187]

SAMHARAMUETIS. and adorned with beautiful anklets

of snake,

should be standing upon a pair of

;

it

sandals and

should have short drawers as his underwear.

The

colour of Virabhadra should be red; he should have

a face indicating great

He

terrific.

anger and should look

should carry the hhadga, the khetaJca,

The

the dhanus and the hana.

image

believed to remove

is

cure people of

Two

all

of this

great sins and to

photographs are reproduced in illustration

of a bronze

The

XLIV, is Madras Museum

first, fig. 1, PI.

image belonging to the

hands are broken and

carried in

up

their ailments.

of Virabhadramurti.

its

all

setting

therefore the objects

them cannot be made

out.

The

has round eyes and side-tusks indicating the nature of this aspect of Siva. pair of sandals.

the same plate,

It stands

The second photograph, is

figure

terrific

upon a

fig. 2,

on

that of an image carved on a

pillar in the

mandapa

in front of the Siva temple

at Tenkasi

and

the

is of

15th century A.D.

In

this piece of sculpture Virabhadra has ten arms

three out of the five right hands carry the bana,

the parasu and the Tiha^ga

hands,

one holds a

;

of the

remaining two

long sword (partly

broken)

Daksha and the The other pulls out an arrow from the quiver. left hands keep in them the dhanus, the musala (?), which

is

thrust into the neck of

187

HINDU ICONOGBAPHY. the p&ka, a round shield and an oblong one with a beautiful device it

on

The jatamakuta has round

it.

Virabhadra

tongues of flames.

is

standing upon

the prostrate body of Daksha-Prajapati. Fig.

and in

1, PI.

his wife

Angur

;

XLV,

this piece of sculpture is to be

found

and belongs

to the

in the Bellary district

Chalukya-Hoysala It is to be

well.

represents Daksha-Prajapati

school

and

is

executed very

noted that Daksha has the face

of a goat.

The Siva-purana

gives the account

of the

destruction by Siva of the asura hammurti*^*''*"

earned Jalandhara.

emanated

The

fire

that

from the forehead

of

Siva at the time of the destruction of the three castles of the

Tripurasuras was

where Sindhu joins

named Jalandhara.

into the sea

let

This rose up as a child

it.

When

he grew old he loved

and married Brinda, the daughter of Kalanemi and became reputed as the most powerful king in the world.

Once upon a time Eahu, with

body came

to the court of

his

maimed

Jalandhara he was asked ;

about the cause of his deformation to which replied that

when

Eahu

the Milky Ocean was churned, he

misconducted himself and was therefore punished,

and added that the gods then took away from the ocean a great quantity of gems. The news of 188

Plate xlv.

o a 11:3

SAMHSEAMtJETIS. the possession by devas of a

of riches

lot

induced

Jalandhara to wage war against them and he began

The gods comwho fought hard

in right earnest to attack them.

plained to Vishnu about their

but unsuccessfully with

lot,

Jalandhara

;

meanwhile

Jalandhara's might extorted Vishnu's admiration, as a consequence of which, Vishnu asked Jalan-

dhara to ask

for

any boon he

desired.

consort Lakshmi, to

come and

Vishnu was therefore obliged

The asura

Vishnu and

took this opportunity to request

his

reside in his capital.

to repair to the city of

Jalandhara. The gods then desired that Siva should

become

hostile to the

asura and

this purpose, they induced

Narada

kill

him.

to kindle

For

enmity

Narada went straight Jalandhara and told him that such

between the asura and Siva. to the palace of

a pretty damsel as Parvati, the consort of Siva, was alone the

fittest

partner in

despatched

Thus

battle

immediately

messengers to Siva

to

to

Siva forthwith set out

with this impudent asura, but very

soon the ganas of §iva were put to asura.

and

incited by Narada, Jalandhara

surrender Parvati to him. for

to Jalandhara

make every attempt

that he should therefore possess her.

life

flight

by the

^iva then appeared in person for a combat,

but did not succeed well.

In the meantime Jalan-

dhara created, with his maya, a host 189

of very pretty

HINDU lOONOGEAPHY. Gandharvas and Apsarasas and made them sing and dance before Siva, who became absorbed in the

dance and music; he became unaware his

weapons dropped down from

of the fact that

his hands.

Seeing

that that was the best opportunity for him, Jalan-

dhara assumed the form Parvati to ravish her.

who was come

and proceeded

of Siva

to

But she knew the person

disguised as Siva and invoked Vishnu to

to her help.

Vishnu appeared on the scene

Parvati requested Vishnu to ravish Brinda, wife of Jalandhara.

out immediately.

;

the

Parvati's wishes were carried

Brinda not being able to bear

the indignity ofiered to her committed suicide and died, cursing

Vishnu that

in one of his avataras

he should suffer the loss of his wife by abduction

Jalandhara could not find Parvati at

by another.

her abode, hence he returned.

Siva had also re-

covered from the spell of the music in

which Jalandhara was

killed

;

a battle ensued

with the Sudarsana-

chakra which Siva obtained from the

ended the

The

life of

the asura Jalandhara.

is

given as follows

Siva in this aspect

the

is

red

;

:

The

colour of

he should have three

looking eyes, and only a single pair of arms

in the right in

Thus

description of the image of Jalandhara-

haramurti

terrific

sea.

left

hand he should carry an umbrella and a kamandalu. 190

On

his

head should

SAMHARAMtJETIS. be a dishevelled jatabhara containing in crescent

He

moon and Ganga.

with Ttundalas in the

ears,

it

the

should be adorned

haras on the neck and

anklets on his legs and the feet of Siva should

on a pair

The posture

of

Siva

should be such as to indicate his desire to

move

rest

of sandals.

quickly.

Jalandhara

and

arms,

(bracelets)

be

and

should be represented with two

adorned all

with

ornaments.

other

Icankat^a

Jcirlta,

He

must

have a sword tucked up below his forearm, while the two hands should be held in

On

the anjali pose.

the hands thus held there should be the Sudar-

The

sanachakra.

colour of Jalandhara should be

yellow.

Anantanandagiri in his Sankaravijaya states that 9.

.

Malla in sect of people

was a quarter called _. , Ujjaymi. In it dwelt a

there

Mallari Siva.

who were

,

.

.

adoring Siva in the aspect of

Mallari and conducting themselves like dogs, after

the fashion of the dog -vehicle of Mallari, barking like it

and putting on the appearance

adorning their necks with garlands

They

believed that Mallari

whole universe and were the

Supreme Being.

them that

made

was the ofiering

of the

dog,

of shells.

origin of the

puja to him as

Sankaracharya proved to

their appearing like dogs 191

and barking

HINDU ICONOGRAPHY. them and other

like

characteristic

theirs were opposed to the sastras

them

and converted

aspect Mallari that

is

referred to above

described in the Mallari-mahatmya thus to

is

of

Brahmanas.

to the religion of the

The

customs

:

is

Mallari

be of the colour of gold, wearing on his jata-

mahuta, the crescent moon, in his ears white, shining Jcundalas, and round his neck, necklaces of rubies

and pearls and a garland

of flowers.

arms there should be bracelets

of

In his

snakes and he

should be clad in yellow silk garments.

The orna-

ments of Siva should be hidden here and there by the hoards of snakes and there must be a smile playing

upon the a

lips of Siva.

damaru and a

In the hands are to be seen

Jchadga.

His vehicle

is

to be a

white horse and he must be surrounded by seven dogs.

The pauranic

story of the destruction by Siva

of the great

sJavad^^mSrtt

l^^s

demon Andhakasura

already been given in connec-

tion with the Sapta-Matrikas

pages 379-382

in

Volume

I.

To

illustrate

on the

descriptions of the aspect of Siva as Andhakasura-

vadha-murti, three photographs are all of

which belong

Bombay

Presidency.

on

XLV—

Pis.

reproduced,

to the Cave-temples of

the

The sculptures represented XLVII, belonging as they do to 192

PLATE

V first-

;-

-, «^

A

Andhakasuravadhamurti

:

A

^-

XLVI.

-I

Stoue Panel: Elephanta [To face page 192]

PLATE

XLVII.

Andhaka3uravadhamurti Kailasa Temple [To face page 193]

:

:

Stone Panel

EUora.

SAliHARAMtJETIS. one school, bear a strong family likeness; the

have

artists

dwelt upon the subject in exactly

the same manner and

is

it

therefore sufficient

to describe one of these pieces of sculpture. all

which

pinned the body

is

of

trikula, at the

end

of

Andhakasura and from

The goddess

blood drops down.

it

has eight arms, in

the three instances, ^iva

two of which he carries a

In

Yogesvari,

squatting on the ground, holds in her hand a cup in

which she catches the blood-drops as they

Siva himself bears the hapala in one of his

down.

hands to

down from

collect in it the blood flowing

the body of Andhakasura.

In the other hands

the sculpture of the Dasavatara cave, Siva

keeping the damaru and the hhadga

hands

trickle

;

is

of

seen

two other

of his hold stretched the skin of the elephant

in the shape of a

prabhdmandala and the remain-

ing hand is held in the tarjanl pose.

Yogesvari or Kali carries in her other hand a short curved dagger

:

her body

very emaciated and her head

jataman^ala.

waiting for her prey

a

represented as

surrounded by a

Just above the head of Kali

human and half of human flesh.

figure of a 4aJcini, half

On

is

is

the right of Kali

is

is

the

bird, sitting

the Devi, seated upon

padmasana and viewing with awe the events that

are taking place before her. 193 as

HINDU ICONOGBAPHY. The

sculpture belonging to the

Kail3,sa at

Ellora and that belonging to the Elephanta Cave are not different in their description, but

be noted that the latter of

workmanship

is

must

one of the finest pieces

of the period to

in this sculpture, one

it

hand

instead of the damaru.

194

of

which

it

belongs

Siva carries a ghanta

OTHER UGRA FORMS OF

SIVA.

OTHEE UGEA FOEMS OF

A

SIVA.

MONG the rites and ceremonies that

are pre-

scribed for kings for attaining success against their enemies is the adoration of

ll.Aghoramurti.

.

Aghoramurti.

mi

the rites that have to be performed

Lingapurana.

A

priest

-

The

who has

•

•

description of

is

given in the

attained mantra-

siddhi or the power of eflficaciously using mantras,

should for that purpose repair to a place where there is

a corpse or where there

is

a temple dedicated to

the Saptamatrikas (or the seven mothers), and construct five Tiundas (receptacles for fires), one

cardinal point and one in the centre.

teenth day of the dark fortnight

*

The fourteenth

of Fhalguni

those

is

known

who worship

tithi of the

as

*

On

on each

the four-

the ceremonies

dark fortnight of the month

Agbora-chaturdasi

;

it

is

said

that

Siva in the aspect of Agh5ra on this day

will be taken to Siva's abode.

(Apte's Sanskrit Dictionary.)

197

HINDU ICONOGEAPHY. ought to be begun and continued to the eighth day in the succeeding bright half of the next month. During this period the priest

with four of his

have

mantra-siddhi, should

also attained

disciples,

who

sit

in

front of the kundas, himself occupying the middle

and the four

disciples

the kundas and perform

the

four

homa

quarters, before

sacrifices in the fire

Then the enemy

concentrating their thought upon Aghora.

they should king, place

it

make a wooden it

of

kundas with the head

in one of the

downwards and burn

effigy

with the

brought from

fire

There are a few other minor

the burning ground.

ceremonies of no great interest.

The

who is of

following

is

the description of the Aghora

required to be meditated upon.

Aghora should have eight arms

are to be seen the

sula,

danda, dhanus, bana

figure

;

damaru, pasa, kapala,

and khadga

Aghora should be blue and

He

The

in the hands

;

the neck of

his complexion black.

should be naked, or be clad in the skin of the

elephant and the lion and be adorned with orna-

ments composed

of

snakes and scorpions, and be

covered with the ashes of the dead bodies of human beings.

His face should be

and should have his hair

side tusks.

terrific in

A

appearance

snake should bind

and he should be surrounded by demons and

goblins.

198

OTHER UGEA FOEMS 0¥

ilYk.

Another description, according to which the Aghoramurti temples,

work he

generally sculptured and set up in

found in the Karanagama.

is is

is

known

as the Aghorastramurti

In this

and

it is

stated therein that the image of this aspect of Siva is set

up

gaining victory, for destroying such

for

great sins as hrahmahatya or brahmanicide and for

granting

Aghorastramurti should have

riches.

three eyes, eight arms and be of terrific look, with

The

side tusks.

He

dark.

colour of this aspect of Siva

to be draped in red clothes, adorned

is

with garlands

of red flowers,

rubies, a garland of skulls,

daggers

of short

scorpions.

is

ornaments

with

set

and another composed and

(khadgamala)

a third of

His hair should be flaming and

his

forehead marked with ashes in the shape of the crescent moon.

In his two hands he should carry

a trihula horizontally as though

with

it,

Jchadga,

A

about to charge

and the other hands should hold a

damaru, hapala and Jchadga

third description is

varatnaJcara.

According to

it

the

should have three eyes.

{gJiania

?).

given in the Sivatatthis,

single face, and thirty-two arms

jatU-makuia and in

vetdla,

;

Aghora has a on the head

crescent moon.

is

a

He

In his right hands are to

be abhaya, kha^ga, hula, chaJcra, damaru, a bone, bana, gadd,

a lotus flower, Jcapdla, jnanamudrd, 199

HINDU ICONOGEAPHY. kunda, ankusa, ahshamala, khatvanga smipara^u; (shield), tanka,

kavacha

in the left hands, varada,

pa§a, mudgara, a snake, agni, mriga, ghanta, dhanus,

katyavalambita-hasta, ratnas or gems, a water a pitcher, musala and pustaha.

lily,

This Aghoramurti

should have also a garland of skulls and be standing

upon the severed head above description

is

An image

of Kala.

believed to grant

all

of the

protection

to its votaries.

Aghoramurti with ten arms

described as

is

possessing three eyes and a terrific AghorfmurtL"^*

body garments all

red.

The

countenance. is

blue

and

colour of his that

of

the

There are to be snake ornaments

over the body.

In his ten hands he should

carry the parasu, damaru, khadga, kJietaka, bana,

dhanus, sula and kapala and the remaining hands should be held in the varada and ahliaya poses.

Two photographs,

figs.

1

and 2 on

PI.

XL VIII,

are reproduced in illustration of Aghoramurti, both of

which belong to Southern India. The to be found in the oiva temple at

of

them

image

is

Tirukkalukkunram

and the other in the Siva temple

Both

first

at Pattisvaram.

are almost similar to each other

;

in

these pieces of sculpture two front hands bear the

trUula in a horizontal position, while the other

hands carry the ghanta, the pdsa, the khetaka, 200

:

PLATE

XLVIII.

at

03

o a o

OS

IS

a lO

h.e

jatas on the

should be the crescent moon.

left side

Round

there

the neck of

Siva there should be necklaces of different sorts one ;

should be snakes,

made

of pearls,

another should be

a third of vahula flowers

composed

of sea-shells, boar's tusks,

226

of

and a fourth tiger's

claws

NEITTAMUETIS. and beads, with a pendant

his left shoulder there should be

made

On

of a tortoise shell.

an upper garment

a deer's skin, or a very fine-

of tiger's skin,

textured cotton cloth.

On

his

left

earlobe there

should be a patra-Jcundala and on the right one a nakra-'kunciala

and

bells

another

The

designs.

on the ankles, anklets made

;

set

composed

of

of tiny

ornamental

colour of ^iva-Nataraja should be

The

milky- white.

rest of the description is exactly

that given in the AmhumadhTiedagama.

The Apasmara should be made tala

in the chatus-

measurement, with two arms, two eyes, with

the face downcast or looking up and should be

hand a cobra with uplifted hood. The height of Ganga should be equal to that of

holding in his

left

the face of Siva.

two arms held

She should have three

all

other ornaments.

the right side of Nataraja there should be

either the

risTii

Bhringi or Bhadrakali.

This dance, trdisa.

eyes,

in the anjali pose, adorned with the

Tcaranda-makuta and

On

(?)

it is

said, is

known

as

If the foot of the uplifted leg is

than the knee of the standing

leg,

Bhujahgakept higher

the dance

is

said

to be Bhujanga-lalita.

In the Natya-Sastra however that particular

dance which is

defined

is

known by the name of bhujahgatrasa

as follows: one 227

leg

being bent in a

HINDU lOONOGEAPHY. triangular fashion and lifted up while the body about

the hip and knee being slightly turned on one side, called hhujangatrasa.

is

Abhinavaguptacharya, the

commentator of the Bharata-Natya-'sastra, explains the term hhujangatrasa in his Ndtya-veda-vivriti, thus

' :

This kind of dance

because in as

is

called hhujangatrasa,

the dancer suddenly

it

lifts

up

his leg

though he discovered a snake very near him,

and appears

to be of

an unsteady

gait-

In

this,

one arm should be in the dola-hasta pose and the

and the dola-hasta

in the

pose

defined in the Bharata-Natya-sastra thus:

is

JcataJca

pose

*

other

hand hangs down

If the

;

freely

from the somewhat

drooping shoulder, in the form of the patd,ka-hasta, it is

called dola-hasta pose,

The Silparatna adds

t

to the foregoing descrip-

tions of the Nrittamurti the fact that surrounding

f ^^ Ti^lc^^

*

^rrf^g^^f

Tflf

^ t

Tf^^^ *R^:

^ JT^T

(

g^r^rfiicTq;

^^

jrl%fSrQ?^

*1^

5r^i55

f

"TcTT^

^

I

^

i^^jsj gf^-

?"!^1?^: T^

^

Wf ^

i

^^^

3

ffct

228

^SZ^Wf

JR5^^

#^^:

II

ifcT

I

^^H

I

t^-

NEITTAMUETIS. the figure of the dancing 6iva there should be a

prabhdmandala resembling the orb of the sun and the Purva-Karanagama states that the eyes of Siva ;

should resemble the shape of the bird

that

Tcurari,

in the right ear of Siva there should be the naJcra-

kundala and in the

garment

of

ear patrahundala, that the

Siva should be a

agni in the or flames

left

left

tiger's skin, that

the

hand should have three tongues

and that between the two

left

hands there

should be a piece of tiger's skin to serve as the

upper garment.

It further

adds that the figure of

Apasmarapurusha should be made in the chatustala

measurement and should have three bends

in its

body.

The

descriptions given above of the

of the Nrittamurti, refer to the figures of

commonly occurring everywhere In

all

first

form

Nataraja

in Southern India.

Siva temples of importance a separate place

allotted to Nataraja

Sabha

or simply

these Sabhas earliest

is

which

Sabha.

known as the NatanaThe most important of

is

that at Chidambaram.

times Chidambaram

sacred by the ^aivas

who

is

From

the

has been held very

call it "

the temple

".

In

the days of Tirujnanasambandha, the Saiva saint, that it

is,

in the middle of the seventh century A. D.,

was already very famous.

immemorial the god

Further from time

in the temple at

229

Chidambaram

HINDU ICONOGRAPHY. who were They had strongly ^aiva in their persuasions. covered the Sabha with gold and hence it came to be known as the Kanakasabhd (or the golden hall) and the image of Nataraja as Kanakasabhapati. The had been the family deity

Sabha

at

of the

Madura, the capital

of the

known

covering of silver and was sabha.

The Cholas might have

Pandyas

Cholas

Pandyas, had a as the Bajata-

desired to out-do the

in their regard for their family deity

hence covered the Sabha, not with

and

silver as the

Pandyas had done, but with gold and in the days ;

the king Parantaka Chola

was

regilt.

I,

of

the roof of the Sabha

At the present day the

(A.D. 908-948).

Nattukkobtaichettis have once again covered the

temple with gold. Chidambaram has been maintaining

its

importance from the earliest times and has

always been the seat of activity of several Saiva scholars.

For instance, the Periyapurdnam de-

scribing the lives of the sixty-three Saiva saints

was

written and published by Sekkilar in this temple

many

;

a work on Saiva Siddhanta was written and

published there.

The

the evening of his

saint

Manikkavachaka spent

in

Chidambaram and such Nanda and

life

great Saiva saints as Jfianasambandha,

others are said to have been absorbed in the figure of

Siva at Chidambaram.

On

associations, the temple at

account

of

Chidambaram

230

such holy is

clothed

nbittamGetis. with extraordinary sanctity and mysticism, and a good deal of philosophical significance

attri-

is

buted to the dancing immage of Siva that graces the Sabha in the temple.

The

significance

of

the

dance

mystic

is

explained in several ways.

The same materials

which were gathered by me

for the purpose of ex-

plaining the mystic nature of the dance of Siva

have been turmed

kumarasvami

in

beautiful article

to account

writing

by Dr. A. K. Ananda-

independently a very

which he contributed

to the 8id-

dhanta-Dipika (Vol. XIII, July 1912).

Since the

work has already been done by him and

if

in quite a splendid manner,

respectfully say so,

my

task

is

may

I

lightened and I have

much

pleasure in

reproducing with his kind permission, the whole of the article here.

THE DANCE OF "

The Lord

of Tillai's

performs

:

what's

SIVA.

Court a mystic dance that,

my

dear ?"

Tiruvachagam, XII,

A

great master-of-dancing (Nataraja)

The cosmos steps in

is

His theatre, there are many

His repertory,

He

audience 231

himself

is

is

14.

Siva

different

actor

and

HINDU ICONOGRAPHY.

When

the Actor beateth the drum,

Everybody cometh

When

show

to see the

:

the Actor collecteth the stage pro-

perties,

to

He abideth alone in His happiness. How many various dances of Siva are known His worshippers I cannot say. No doubt the

root idea behind

all of

these dances

is

more or

less

one and the same, the manifestation of primal

rhythmic energy: of

Siva

is

the

Eros Protogonos

Lucian, when he wrote It

would seem that dancing came into being at the beginning of

all

things,

and was brought

to light together with Eros, that

one, for

we

see this primeval dancing clearly

set forth in the choral

lations,

ancient

dance

of the constel-

and in the planets and fixed

and

their interweaving

stars,

interchange

and

orderly harmony.

I do not

mean

to say that the

interpretation of Siva's

minds

of those

who

most profound

dance was present in the

danced in

first

frantic,

and

perhaps intoxicated energy, in honour of the pre-

Aryan

hill-god, afterwards

motif in religion or all

things to

all

art,

men

;

merged

in ^iva.

A great

any great symbol, becomes

age after age

it

such treasure as they find in their 232

yields to

own

men

hearts.

NSITTAMUETIS. Whatever the

origins of Siva's dance,

it

time the noblest image of activity of :

/

any

art or religion

can boast

of.

became

in

God which

Of the various

dances of Siva I shall only speak of three, one of

them alone forming the main subject of interpretation. One is an evening dance in the Himalayas, with a divine chorus, described as follows in the

—

Siva Pradosha Stotra

"Placing the Mother

of the

Three Worlds

upon a golden throne, studded with precious gems, ^ulapani dances on the heights of Kailas, and the gods gather round

Him

all

:"

" Sarasvati plays on the mna, Indra on the flute,

Brahma

holds the time-marking cymbals,

Lakshmi begins a and

all

song,

Vishnu plays on a drum,

the gods stand round about

" Gandharvas,

Yakshas,

:"

Patagas,

Uragas,

Siddhas, Sadhyas, Vidhyadharas, Amaras, Apsaras

and

all

the beings dwelling in the three worlds

assemble there to witness the celestial dance and hear the music of the divine choir at the hour of twilight."

This evening dance

is

also referred to in the

invocation preceding the Katha Sarit Sagara.

In the pictures

of

this dance,

^iva

handed, and the co-operation of the gods 233 30

is

is

two-

clearly

HINDU ICONOGRAPHY. indicated in their position of chorus.

is

no

So

far

There

prostrate Asura trampled under Siva's feet.

as I know, no special interpretations of this dance

occur in Saiva literature.*

The second well-known dance

of Siva is called

the Tandava, and belongs to His tamasic aspect as

Bhairava or Virabhadra. teries

It is

performed in ceme-

and burning grounds, where Siva, usually

in

ten-armed form, dances wildly with Devi, accompanied by troops of capering imps. of this

dance are

tures,

as

common amongst

Bllora,

at

Bhuvanesvara.

Eepresentations ancient sculp-

Elephanta,

This tandava dance

and

also

in

is

at

origin

that of a pre-aryan divinity, half-god, half-demon,

who

holds

ground.

his

In

midnight revels in the burning

later times, this

dance in the cremation

ground, sometimes of Siva, sometimes of Devi, interpreted in Saiva and Sakta literature in a

is

most

touching and profound sense. Thirdly,

we have

the

Nadanta dance

of

Nata-

raja before the assembly {sabha) in the golden hall of *

It is not

known upon what

authorities the varieties of

dances referred to here and the descriptions of images made in these dancing postures, are based. texts

which mention a two handed

the act of dancing.

(T.A.G.),

234

I

am

not aware of any

figure of Siva

employed

in

NEITTAMUETIS.

Chidambaram first

or Tillai, the centre of the Universe,

revealed to gods and rishis after the submission

of the latter in the forest of Taraka, as related in

The

the Koyil-Puranam. all,

no very

the dance,

direct connection

may

In the heretical

legend,

after

with the meaning of

be summarised as follows Taraka dwelt multitudes of :

forest of

risTiis,

Mimamsa. Thither

followers of the

accompanied by

proceeded Siva to confute them,

Vishnu disguised

The

^esha.

which has

as a beautiful

were at

rishis

woman, and Adiled

first

to violent

dispute amongst themselves, but their anger was

soon directed against Siva, and they endeavoured to destroy tiger

Him

Him

by means

was created in ;

wrapped

it

little

offerings,

A fierce

and rushed upon

seized

it

and, with

finger stripped off its skin, like

and

a silken cloth.*

failure, the sages

renewed their

and produced a monstrous serpent, which,

however, Siva like

He

about Himself

Undiscouraged by

neck

sacrificial fires,

but smiling gently,

the nail of His

of incantations.

and wreathed

seized

a garland.

Then He began

but there rushed upon

Him

at last a

about to

His

dance

monster in

the shape of a malignant dwarf, Muyalaka (the *

A

similar story

is

elsewhere related about an elephant

and these account for the elephant or tiger skin, which Siva wears

235

HINDU ICONOGRAPHY. Apasmarapurusha). Upon him the God pressed the

His

tip of

that

it

and broke the creature's back, so

foot,

writhed upon the ground

all

His

last

and prayed

Siva,

things for the boon, once more to behold

this mystic

dance

;

Siva promised that he should

behold the dance again in sacred

The dance

of the Universe.

baram

so,

rishis.

Then Adi Sesha worshipped above

and

resumed the dance, witnessed by

foe prostrate, Siva

gods and

;

of

Tillai,

the centre

Siva in Chidam-

or Tillai forms the motif of the

South Indian

copper images of Sri Nataraja, the Lord of the

These images vary amongst themselves in

Dance.

minor

details,

may

image

all

express one

fundamental

Before proceeding to enquire

conception. these

but

be,

of Sri

it

what

be necessary to describe the

will

Nataraja as typically represented. The

images then, represent Siva dancing, having four hands, with braided and jewelled hair of which the

lower locks are whirling in the dance.

may

be seen a wreathing cobra, a

In his hair

skull,

and the

mermaid figure of Ganga upon it rests the crescent moon, and it is crowned with a wreath of cassia ;

leaves.

He wears a man's ear-ring, a He is adorned with necklaces

In His right ear

woman's

in the left

;

and armlets, a jewelled and

toe-rings.

belt, anklets, bracelets, finger

The chief part of His dress consists 236

of

NEITTAMUETIS. tightly fitting breeches,

and

He wears

also a flutter-

One

ing scarf (angavastram) and a sacred thread.

hand holds a drum (damaru, uduMai), the

right

other is uplifted in abhaya left

mudrd

one

(do not fear):

hand holds fire, the other points downward

The

the lifted foot.

right foot is

to

down

pressed

upon the asura Muyalaka, a dwarf holding a cobra; the

There

left foot is raised.

is

a lotus pedestal,

from which springs an encircling arch (tiruvasi), fringed

with flame, and touched within

by the hands holding drum and are of

rarely

all sizes,

of glory,

if

The images

fire.

ever exceeding four feet in

total height.

Even without

reliance

upon

literary references,

the interpretation of this dance would not be cult.

Fortunately, however,

of a copious

contemporary

we have the

difii-

assistance

which enables

literature,

us to fully explain not only the general significance of the dance, but equally, the details of its concrete

Some

symbolism.

of

the

peculiarities

of

the

Nataraja images, of course, belong to the conception of Siva generally,

Such

are

and not

dance in particular.

the braided locks, as of a yogi

cassia garland

:

the skull of

Gahga, the Ganges diva's hair

to the

:

fallen

the cobras

:

Brahma

:

:

the

the figure of

from heaven and

lost in

the different ear-rings, be-

tokening the dual nature of Mahadeva, whose half '

237

HINDU ICONOGRAPHY. is

Uma

':

The drum

the four arms.

also, is a general

attribute of Siva, belonging to his character of yogi,

though in the dance,

What

ficance.

then

it

has further a special signi-

is

the meaning of diva's dance,

as understood by Saivas

The dance

?

Nadanta. Its essential significance such as the following "

Our Lord

is

His power in mind and in their turn."*t

in fact, represents

{PanchaJcritya),

given in texts

the Dancer, who, like the heat

makes them dance

The dance,

called

:

latent in firewood, diffuses

matter, and

is

is

viz.,

His

five activities

Srishti (overlooking, creation,

Samhara (destruction, evolution), Tirobhava (veiling, embodiment, illusion, and also, giving rest,) Anugraha

evolution), Sthiti (preservation, support),

(release, salvation, grace).

dered,

are the

These, separately consi-

activities of

Brahma,

the deities

Vishnu, Rudra, Mahesvara and Sadasiva. *

atrL-i— ^io6r&)QuiTeo

^L-®aSa(^LD t

a_i_«D aeois^ B-UiSleiairO(ue\)e\)irLh

iBil.®isjm

IB

iJaweiRiraaiT

QeOsnrQaieesii^^uj.

Kadavul Mamuaivar's Tiruvdtdvurdr Purdnam Putta-

raivatil-venra-sarukkam, stanza 75, translated by Nallasvami Pillai,

§ivajndnabodham,

p.

74.

This could also be rendered

Like heat latent in firewood, he

Our Father dances, moving

all

fills all

bodies

souls into

action,

know

ye

Compare Bokhart,

" Just as the fire

infuses

the

essence

and clearness into the dry wood, so has God done with man." 238

NEITTAMURTIS. This cosmic activity

is

the central motif of the

dance. Further quotations will illustrate and explain the more detailed symbolisms.

TJnmai VilahJcam,

verse 36, tells us " Creation arises

from the drum

proceeds from the hand of hope destruction

mukti

is

:

:

from

:

protection

fire

proceeds

Here

the foot held aloft gives mukti."

the same as anugraha, release.

observed that the fourth hand points

It will be

to this lifted

foot, the refuge of the soul.

We

have also the following from Chidambara

Mummani "

Kovai.

O my

Lord,

Thy hand

holding the

sacred

drum has made and ordered the heavens and

earth

Thy

lifted

and other worlds and innumerable

souls.

hand protects the Chetana and Achetana Prapancha which Thou hast

created.

changed by Thy hand bearing

All these worlds are fire.

Thy sacred

foot,

planted on the ground, gives an abode to the tired soul,

struggling in the toils of karma.

lifted foot

It is

Thy

that grants eternal bliss to those that

approach Thee.

These Five-Actions are indeed

Thy handiwork." The Darsana

following

verses

from

the

Tirukuttu

(Vision of the Sacred Dance), forming the 239

HINDU ICONOGEAPHY. ninth tantra of Tirumular's Tirumantram, expand the central motif further "

His form

:

everywhere

is

:

all-pervading

is

His

Siva-Sakti

Chidambaram

is

everywhere, everywhere His

dance

As Siva

and omnipresentj

is all

Everywhere

diva's

is

gracious dance

made

manifest. "

His

dances

five-fold

are

in

saJcala

and

nishhala form,

His

five-fold

With His This "

is

dances are His PanchaJcritya

grace

He

performs the

five acts.

the sacred dance of Uma-Sahaya.*

He dances with Water, Fire, Wind and Ether,

Thus our Lord dances ever " Visible to

those

who

in the court t

pass over

Mahamaya,

Q^ssrQ La IT ifiu rrsGsr ^(^Bi—LorrQQLH. f

:

aneSQajiru-iru^i searsrrf&i^^iTi^d A-eiflQcuiTi—m^d (^sueovu^Q^iuituf. iSif.iuiSir^'SireOiS&r

iBiTi^peuLDUei)^Q^

euiresBeai—iuni^ iun<SiBir^Qe!ir.

2iQ

Maya and

NEITTAMUETIS.

Our Lord dances His eternal dance.* " The form of the Sakti is all bliss (ananda) This united bliss is Uma's body

—

This form of Sakti arising in saJcala

And ''

uniting the twain

His body

is

the dance "t

is

Akas, the dark cloud therein

is

Muyalaka,

The eight quarters are His eight arms, The three lights are His three eyes, Thus becoming, He dances in our body assembly (sabha) This felt

is

when

within.

self

Everywhere

the heart.

Thus

LDiTiL\LnjSieS

Its deepest significance is

realised that

and the

the heart

".|

His dance.

it is

^a

also

miTiuseiit^dirSU

:

it

takes place within

the kingdom of :

si—i^'S^^'irsiTeim

iBU.^Qfiu\L\Ui euirQ/D.

Ou.ir^^euiresni^OLDir(^iBt^LDir(DLD.

QLDitsniuQfidsesiitsarQp^Q(irfefifiiT^a

241 31

God

God that Everywhere we find another verse

is

aULf/DLoneanB^

LD IT OB lULDirLDiraauj

as the

is is

HINDU ICONOGEAPHY. "

The dancing

sound

foot, the

of the tinkling

bells,

The songs that are sung and the varying steps, The forms assumed by our Dancing Gurupara

Find out these within your fetters

To

this end,

must be

fall

all

yourself, then

shall

away."*

else

but the thought of

He

cast out of the heart, that

abide and dance therein.

alone

God may

Unmai Vilakkam,

In

we find "

The

silent

jnanis destroying the threefold

bond are established where their selves are destroyed. filled

There they behold the sacred and are

with

bliss.

the assembly,

With

this

This

is

the dance of the Lord of

"whose very form reference

to

compare the beautiful words

f

QLairesrisfi LDirQpesflaiiT

is

the

of

'

silent jnanis

Tirumular

QpLbiaeo^eiD^

242

Grace. "t

QioirQ^^^

NRITTAMUETIS. "

When

resting

they (the yogis

there

who

attain the highest place of peace) lose themselves

and become

Where

Space.

What

idle.. ..Where

the idlers

idlers find is the

Siva ground.

the

the idlers dwell

idlers

know

is

sport

is

the pure

the Light.

is

What

the Vedanta.

the

deep sleep therein".*

a destroyer and loves the burning

is

But what does He

destroy

?

Not merely

the heavens and earth at the end of a Icalpa, but the fetters that bind each separate soul.

and what

is

the burning ground

?

It

is

Where not the

place where our earthly bodies are cremated, but

the heart of the bhaJcta, the devotee, laid waste and desolate.

He brings

not peace but a sword.

The

place where their selves are destroyed signifies the place or state where their egoity or illusion

deeds are burnt away

:

that

is

and

the crematorium,

the burning-ground where Sri Nataraja dances,

and whence

He

is

named

Sudalaiyadi,

^(^iB^irir &mis!r OfiueSiuireaeuiLi QmitdSl

«^^

QfirtMuir

^(T^uugi

QfiTUDuir

Qi—uu^ »^fi

OeuafliiSQe\)

QwireiflaSQ&

Qfituauir s-emit&igi »(t^^ Qpi^ib

^ujh

Qfirwuir sami—irirS «q^^ssl. QaaQui,

243

Dancer

of

HINDU laONOGBAPHY. In this simile, we recognize

the burning-ground.

the historical connection between Siva's gracious

dance as Nataraja, and His wild dance as the

demon

of the

cemetery.

This conception of the dance

amongst Saktas especially

in

is

current also

Bengal, where the

Mother rather than the Father-aspect adored.

Kali*

is

here

dancer,

the

voices this prayer

fire,

A Bengali Hymn

is

whose

for

entrance the heart must be purified by

empty by renunciation.

Siva

of

made

to Kali

:

" Because

Thou lovest the Burning-ground, I have made a Burning-ground of my heart That Thou, Dark One, haunter of the Burningground,

Mayest dance Thy eternal dance. "+ "

Nought

Day and

else is

within

my

heart,

O Mother

night blazes the funeral pyre

The ashes

of the dead,

strewn

I have preserved against

all

:

:

about,

Thy coming,

With death conquering Mahakala neath Thy feet * p.

Fiie article on " "What

is

Kali ?"

in,

S.D. Vol. Ill,

13,— £d. S.D. f

8_6\)fflG'LD

iLKj^euLDiT'S

eSeo^Quififfn

Qiunesflai^^uu^iTs

(^rrcnrdQifleaiu iL^LLmamiLDira

aeOL^® Q^iri^e06sQeirn(B

244

ibitl^s

iBUf.uuasr

iBir^ar.

NEITTAMURTIS.

Do Thou

enter in,

dancing

Thy rhythmic

dance.

That I may behold Thee with closed

eyes".

Eeturning to the South, we find that in other

Tamil texts the purpose

of diva's

dance is explained.

In Sivajnana Siddhiyar, Supaksha, Sutra

we

5,

find,

"

For the purpose

fruit to five, is

v.

of securing

both kinds of

the countless souls, our Lord, with actions

dances His dance".

Iham, reward

Both kinds

of fruit, that

and Param,

in this world,

bliss in

MuUi.

Unmai VilaMam, vv.

Again,

32, 37,

39 inform

us "

The Supreme

Intelligence dances in the soul

purpose of removing our

for the

sins.

By these

darkness of

Maya,

burns the thread of Karma, stamps down

Mala

means, our Father scatters the

{anava, avidyci), showers Grace, and lovingly plunges the soul in the ocean of bliss (Ananda).

never see rebirths, * S7il®

who behold

uSjreaii(S(ip(T^euireBreS

lueuiriu

Lap

this mystic dance".*

eSeis^Qji

i9asr(ii/'(Sleuirssr.

fiiiueu QfisSuj(j^eir^irOesr(S^^-^QiEUj^^ireo

245

They

HINDU ICONOGRAPHY. The conception

of Llla, the world-process

the Lord's sport or amusement, in the

"

^aiva scriptures

;

is

as

prominent

also

thus, Tirumular writes

The Perpetual Dance becomes His

Play".

This aspect of His activity appears to have given rise to the objection that

who

those

dances as do

seek to please the eyes of mortals

which the answer tain the

He

life

is

of the

He

given that

;

dances to main-

cosmos and to give release to

who seek Him.

those

In another way, more arbitrary, the Dance Siva

to

is

identified

with the Panchakshara, the

syllables Si-va-ya-na-ma,

of

five

which have a peculiar and In TJnmai

special significance in Saiva symbolism.

YilakTcam, vv. 33-35 they are identified in the dance as follows "

In His

shoulders

ya

is

feet is

na

in

;

His naval is ma

Si ; in His face

is

va

;

in

;

S-etDjriLjeeariTeijd

e\)iresrLDiree>e>j^/SiT

esTQp^^ea

QsiLi—ir QeurrfT^eueir tSKSu^fird

sjr^fiireo euealTinsi—irBsiuir^

—

ueiDiruSi^LDiTiLa

sir^aCoui^Qiu sq^^uti^q^^ Qsirehi—in—io

Qu^ULDeurrd^esmQi—n *

iSlpuLf.

^(Sihui^Qs&r iBeoeoiMUeo^^iT iBir

a 13

C O

13

a an

/

PLATE

LXVII.

[To face page 267]

NEITTAMtJRTIS.

Another mode

of

dance commonly met with

in the sculpturing of the dancing Siva

is

known

The Bharata-Natya Sastra mode thus The left arm should be

chaturam* this

'

:

as

defines in the

anchita pose, the right one in the chatura pose, and the right leg in the Jcuttita pose.'

Abhinavagupta-

charya seems to be giving the term alapallava as a

synonym

follows

:

of ancJiita

that pose of the

are kept separated is

and explains alapallava as

called

and

alapallava.

hand

all

in

little finger is

Again,

the

thumb

is

is

chatura pose,

one in which

kept vertical, the three others

stretched at right angles to the

the

fingers

turned towards the palm,

according to the same authority, the

which the

little finger,

while

placed in the middle of the three

fingers.

Figs. 1

in a

and

2, Pis.

manner the dance

LXVI and LXVII, illustrate called chaturam.

267

Of these,

HINDU lOONOGEAPHY. the

the reproduction of a very well executed

first is

piece of sculpture to be found in the lower cave at

Badami.

In

arms

sixteen

sula, the

the central figure of Siva has

this,

which are seen such objects as the

in

One

parasu and a snake.

arm

left

is

in

the gajahasta pose and the lowermost right hand is

in the chatura pose

from above Siva

is

is

whereas the third right hand

The

in the anchita pose.

figure of

adorned with various ornaments and a

prabhd-mandala graces the head, which

mounted with left leg is in

a neatly carved jata-mahuta.

the hiittita pose.

right of Siva

is

seen his bull-vehicle

to the left of

sur-

The

Behind and on the

Ganesa one

of

;

on

his left is

There are two

Ganesa, also attempting to dance.

drums

is

which

is

being

sounded by a male, perhaps Nandisvara. Fig. 2

is

almost exactly similar to

fig. 1.

mode of dance represented in sculptures of Siva is known by the name of talasamIn this mode of dancing the dancer sphotitam*. stamps vehemently the ground in front of him with One

other

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