Indian Antiquary Vol 35

SR No.: 032527
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 434
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 15 MB

Page 310

THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[OCTOBER, 1906.
two egg-shaped figures. The figure of Nâdanta, the end of sound, is in the form of a ploughshare, touching a circular dot drawn to its right. The figure of Sakti is like a ploughshare, connected with the left one of two circular dots placed in parallel. The figure of Vyâpika, the pervader, is a triangle starting from a circular dot. A perpendicular straight line terminated both above and below in a circle is what is called Samanâh, with the mind. The same figure without the upper circle is called Unmanâh, the miud going up. Above all these figures is the great circle. (See Plate V.22)
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Similarly, in the Siddhanta-sd-dvali, an Agama manuscript, attributed to Aghoraśivâcharya, more or less the same symbols with two mere. are thus described :
घोषो मेधा क्षमाख्यो विषमथ च ततइचेतना चन्द्रखण्डः sei वृत्तसीरोऽरुण किरणहलस्सेन्दुसरिक्रमेण । yeket fear tear RegENTRATI साकारं मनसा रेपि कलाः प्रत्येकमर्थ्याशिवे ||
"घोषः शिवबीजो हकारः मेघा अकारः क्षमा लकारः विषं मकारः ततः चेतना बिन्दुः चन्द्रखण्डाऽर्ध चन्द्रः व्यर्थ त्रिकोणं निरोधि. दृग्वृत्तसीरः वृग्वृत्ताभ्यां युक्तस्सीरः अनेन नाद उच्यते. अरुणकिरणहलः अरुणकिरण आदित्यः दक्षिणपाश्र्वबिन्दुः तद्युक्तो हलः अनेन नाशन्तस्य ग्रहणम्- सेल्युसीरः वामपार्श्वबिन्दुयुक्तसीरः अनेन शक्ति कलायाः प्रस्तारो दर्शितः वृत्तार्कत्रिशित्वं दक्षिणबिन्दुयुक्तत्रिदण्डः त्रिशूल वा STUT RigaBar Reज्ञा रेखा दक्षिणवामचिन्द्रययुक्ता विका रेखा समनाः कला. बिन्दुविलसदृजुरेखाकृतिरुन्मनाः कला. "
P. 80, Siddhanta-sárávali.
Ghosha, sound, is the symbol of god Siva, i. e., the letter ha. Medha, intelligence, is the letter, a. Kshama, the earth, is the letter, la. The vital power is the dot. What is called part of the moon is the half moon. Nirodhi, the obstructer, is a triangle. A ploughshare between two eye-ball-like figures is called Nâda. The figure of a ploughshare, connected with a dot on the right side, is called Nadânts. A similar figure, but connected with a dot on the left side, is Sakti. A trident connected with a circular dot is, what is called, Trisikha, tree-headed. The figure of a double semi-circular curve, with two circular dots, one on the right and the other on the left side, is. called Samanah. A straight line passing up from a circle is Unmanah. Each of these figures is not only to be contemplated upon, but also worshipped.' (See Plate VI.23)
Thus the Sidhinta-sdrdvali evidently identifles some alphabetic letters with particular hieroglyphics, while such emblems as the half moon, triangle, Nâda, Nâdânta, &c., appear to be merely crude representations of parts of the human frame drawn so as to represent the god Siva. The four alphabetic letters, too, enumerated in the beginning of the stanza must necessarily mean such hieroglyphics as with the rest can give to the picture of the god an approximate human appearance. (See Plate VI.) We have already seen how a rectangular figure has been taken to represent the earth. Hence, by the word kshama, the earth,' in the stanza, a rectangular figure representing the lower part of the picture is evidently meant. As the throat of the god Siva is believed to contain poison, the word risha, poison, seems to refer either to the picture of the throat or to that of a cobra, with which the waist of Siva is believed to be entwined. Likewise, the letter A (called by the names, me lha, intelligence; amrita, nectar; amrita-kalaia, vessel tull of nectar) may refer either to the middle of the brows, which is the seat of intelligence according to Hindu
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22 [The printing of the plates in England has caused errors to creep into the letterpress, most of which will be apparent to the reader, as they are chiefly in the diacritical marks used in representing vernacular words: e. g., bindu in this plate. - ED.]
23 [In Plate VI. for hook (srih)' read 'hook (arini).' ED.]