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280
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[OCTOBER, 1906.
It is needless to say that all these figures will, if properly conjoined, as in the case of the symbols of the Suddyah stone, yield an almost human appearance to the picture of god Sive. It is to be noted here how the triangular symbol is placed side by side with the Phallic symbol. This juxtaposition of these two symbols seems to be due to the doctrine that the combination of Purusba and Prakriti, male and female principles of creation, can alone bring about tha Universe. . But there is also a practice of drawing (see Plate VI.) a purely female figure of goddess Sakti as described in the stanza of the Tripuropanishad quoted above. This figure of Sakti or Kami-kala is not so complicated as that of Siva: Plate VI. While commenting on this verse of the Upanishad, Bhaskarananda writes thus, upholding the simplicity of the Karikala: वस्तुतइशरीरेऽपि त्रय एवावयवाः शीर्षादिकण्ठान्तं कण्ठादिस्तनान्तं हृदयादिसीवन्यन्तम् केशपाणिपादं तत्तच्छाखा:
P. 34, Varivasydrahasya. In the body, too, there are actually only three members. One is from the head down to the throat, the second from the throat as far as the breast-nipples, and the third from the breast down to the organ of procreation. The limbs, such as the hair, the arms and the legs, are only the branches of the three principal members.'
Further on he says that with a view to have a complete picture of the goddess Sakti, the thirteenth verse of the Tripuropanishad describes her weapons. The verse runs as follows -
सण्येव सितया विश्वचर्षिणी पाशेन प्रतिबध्नात्यभीकान् । इषुभिः पञ्चभिर्धनुषा च
विध्यत्यादिधाक्तिररुणा विश्वजन्या The mother of the Universe, who is its primeval cause and is as red as the early morning, protects the Universe with a white hook, and not only binds the wicked with her noose, but also kills them with her bow and five arrows.' (Sec Plate VI.)
In justification of the propriety of using a book for the purpose of protecting the Universe, the commentator quotes the following passage from Yaska's Nirukta :
विधा सृणिर्भवति भर्ता च हन्ता च. The hook is of two kinds : one is protector and the other destroyer.' The goddess Sakti is believed to assume tbree different forms (sco Plate VII.) according as her functions of creation, protection or destruction change. A verse quoted from the Partyabhündnatantra in the Kamakald-chilvalli (p. 69) runs as follows:
जुरेखामयी विश्वास्थितौ प्रथितविग्रहा ।। तत्संहतिदायां तु बन्दैवं रूपमाश्रिता ।।
प्रत्यावृत्तिक्रमेणैवं शृङ्गाटवपुरुज्ज्वला । The goddess of renowned form assames, in time of protection, the form of a straight line. In time of destruction, she takes the form of a circle. Similarly, for creation she takes the brilliant appearance of a triangle (Spingata).' (See Plate VII.)
The egg of the Universe, formed by the union of Siva and Sakti, is thus described in the l'arirasyarahasya :
विश्वसिमक्षावशतस्स्वार्थी शक्ति व्यलोकया । बिन्दुर्भवति तमिन्दुं प्रविशति शक्तिस्त रक्तबिन्दुतया । एतदिन्दुक्तियं विसर्गसंज्ञहकारचैतन्यम् ।
P. 51, V. R.
