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HINDU ICONOGRAPHY
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Himavan. He married her and begot Kumāra or Subrahmanya, who ultimately killed the demon Täraka. Kāma's wife Rati pleaded for her husband and Siva promised that he would be re-born as Pradyumna.
8. Andhakāsura-vadha-murti (the Destruction of
the Demon Andhaka) (Pls. 54-57)
A number of panels in Ellora depict the killing of the demon Andhaka at the hands of Siva. It is possible that the Asura Andhaka of the Purānas might be the Ardhaka of the Vedas and the Andhaka of the Mahābhārata. The Atharva Veda describes Rudra as 'Ardhaka-ghatin' or the 'slayer of Ardhaka.' The story runs thus: Andhakasura was a great king who fell in love with Pārvati, Siva's consort, and cultivated a strong desire for her person. This led to a war between Andhaka and Siva. Out of every drop of blood shed by the demon Andhaka, a fresh and mighty demon was created and this made Siva's job extremely difficult. Siva thereupon created Chamundā and the Sap- ta-matsikas (Seven Divine Mothers) to drink up the blood. But after they had become gorged with this drink, demons again began to be created from the blood-drops of Andhaka. Siva then sought the help of Vishnu and was about to kill Andhaka with his spear when the demon praised him and obtained his pardon. He then became the chief commander of the gaņas of Siva (dwarf attendants) and was named Bhringisa or Bhringirishi.
Sagara sent his grandson Amsumat to find them. He reached the hermitage of Kapilā, found the horse, and very courteously requested the sage to permit him to take away the horse. Pleased with his manners, the rishi allowed him to take away the horse, and informed him how his uncles had met their destiny at his hands, promising however that all of them would go to heaven in the time of his grandson. He told him that this would happen only after the holy waters of the Ganges had been brought to the nether world and allowed to flow on his uncles. The grandson of Amsumat was Bhagiratha. To bring down the Ganges from heaven to earth, he practised very severe austerities. Gangā, pleased with this worship, agreed to leave her celestial abode if he could find somebody to receive her fall, as otherwise, by the force of her fall, the earth would break in the middle. Bhagiratha told her that Siva could bear her fall and now began to pray to Siva to persuade him to receive Gangā on his head. Siva came to the Himalayas to receive her. The haughty Gangā came down in great force, thinking thus to humble Siva. The latter, annoyed at her behaviour, made Ganga wind through his matted hair (jațā) and would not let her descend. Bhagiratha thereupon again prayed Siva to let Gangă descend to earth. Śiva let her down, and Bhagiratha led her to the ashes of his ancestors, who attained heaven by her touch. That is why Siva always reveals the head of Ganga in his jață.
OTHER ASPECTS OF SIVA (For iconographical details, see following Tables) 9. Gangadhara-mūrti (Śiva Receiving the River
Ganges or Gangă in his Jatā) (Pls. 58-59)
A king called Sagara had sixty thousand sons by his second wife and one by his first wife. The latter was named Asamañjasa, meaning 'one of little commonsense. His bad example spoiled all the sons of Sagara who therefore soon came to grief. Sagara decided to have a horse-sacrifice and so let loose the sacrificial horse. This wandered away to a hermitage. To mislead the sons of Sagara, Indra placed the horse in Kapila's hermitage. When the sons of Sagara reached the nether world, they found the horse in the hermitage. They thought that Kapilā had carried away the horse and so rushed to destroy him. The rishi in his great anger reduced them to ashes.
10. Ardhanāriśvara (the Half-male, Hall-female
Form of Siva) (Pls. 60-64)
The Siva-Purāna tells us that Brahmä created a number of Prajāpatis-males-expecting them to begin the task of creation. By themselves these male beings could not undertake the task of creation. Brahmă could not understand as to why the Prajāpatis could not multiply and so he wor. shipped Siva, who appeared before him in the form of Ardhanāri (half-male, half-female). On seeing him, Brahmă realised his error. Only with the creation of the female, could he begin the task of creation. The idea behind it all is that the union of the inale and female principles alone leads to creation. This is so in the Greek tradition too as well as in the Chinese and Persian traditions. The Linga and Yoni to whom worship is offered are symbolic of the male and female generative organs. They symbolise the supreme creative principle.
