Iconography of Hindus Buddhist and Jains

Author(s): R S Gupte
Publisher: D B Taraporewale Sons and Co Pvt Ltd

Page 68

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as Mahayogi, but when he does so, the guardians of the Quarters become worried since His Divine Presence is required to conduct the affairs of the cosmos. They come and request him to protect the world from Evil.
CHANDRASEKHARA-MURTIS (For iconographical details, see following Tables) These are benign forms of Siva in a standing or sitting posture, smiling, handsome, with a crescent in the hair. The five most important representations are:
Standing Images
Kevala-Chandrasekhara-murti. Siva standing alone with the usual emblems.
Umä-Sahita-mürti. With consort Umā. Alingana-murti. Šiva embracing standing Devi (holding flower) with front left hand.
Pasupata-murti. Holds a rosary and trident in the back hands.
Rudra-Pasupata-murti. With serious expression and carries a sword, chisel, skull-cup and trident. This image is rare.
Sitting Images
Sukhasana-murti. Sitting alone in Sukhasana. Uma-Sahita-murti. Sitting with consort Uma
on left.
Soma-Skanda-mürti. As above but with their son Skanda present between them.
Uma-Maheśvara-murti. Consort seated on left thigh of seated Siva, his arm embracing her.
ICONOGRAPHY OF THE HINDUS, BUDDHISTS AND JAINS
SIVA-SAKTI
"In Indian sculpture, Šiva and Sakti sit in close embrace, regarding each other with intense emotion. Gazing with deep and everlasting rapture. they are imbued with the secret knowledge that though, seemingly two, they are fundamentally one."
For the sake of the universe and its creatures, the Absolute has unfolded into this duality, and out of their union derive all the polarities and antagonisms that characterise life.
The God and Goddess are the first self-revelation of the Absolute, the male being the personification of the passive aspect we know as Eternity, the female activating energy being Time. Though apparently opposites, they are in essence
one.
The God dwells in the Lingam-the phallus. The Goddess is the Yoni, 'mother-womb of the ever cycling eons, of all the universes endlessly extending in space, of every atom in the living cell.'
SKANDA, KARTTIKEYA OR SUBRAHMANYA (Pls. 81-86)
Skanda, who is more popularly known in the South as God Subrahmanya, is avoided by ladies living in Maharashtra, as his darshana (seeing him) would bring them widowhood. In the South, Subrahmanya temples are very common. In the North, he is not so popular and so his temples
are rare.
In the Gayatri hymns, he is called by various names: Kumāra, Kärttikeya, and Skanda. The Puranic legends associate him with the Sun-god. He is described as the son of Agni and his wife Sväha. In Hindu legends, Agni is one of the names of Rudra and the latter is also another name of Siva. Parvati had taken the form of Svähä. So Skanda became the son of Siva and Pārvati.
Many Puranic legends tell stories of his bravery. He leads the army of the gods and destroys the Demon Taraka, and Krauñcha. So he is called Skanda, Kumāra, Kärttikeya, Shanmukha, Guha, Agnibhü, Subrahmanya, Gängeya, Tarakāri, Mahasena, Krauñchaṇḍarana, etc.
Iconography of Skanda
Symbols
Cock (Kukkuta), varada or abhaya mudras, Sakti, noose, sword, arrow, śüla, flag, bow, shield, closed fist, outstretched palm; peacock feather and sword; lotus in both hands.
Vehicle Peacock.
Hands
Two, four, six, eight, or twelve.
VIRABHADRA
Virabhadra is a form of Siva. He was created by Siva to destroy the sacrifice of his father-inlaw Daksha (see pages 42, 44). Many accounts mention the enmity between Siva and Daksha. Once the latter paid a visit to Siva accompanied