Underground Shrine Queens Stepwell Patan

Author(s): Jaikishandas Sadani
Publisher: B J Institute of Learning & Research

Page 19

Underground Shrine: Queen's step-well at Patan of S. India such as the Padamanabham temple at Trivendrum and Sri Ranganatha temple at Sri Rangam. These imposing images are worshipped by thousands of devotees daily.
Viṣṇu is the highly revered God of the Indian pantheon. He is the presiding deity on the Queen's step-well as it is dedicated to him. He is shown as standing in a frontal upright posture. It is one of the most magnificently carved image. The face has a majestic aura. It is surrounded by a luminous halo similar to the rays of the Sun. The crown or Kirița on his head is tall and bejewelled. He has four hands, holding an upright lotus with rosary Varadamala of benevolence, an impressive tall mace, conch and cakra(discus). All the royal ornaments embellish his stately figure. A long flower garland dangles upto his knees. There are four attendents standing near his feet, two on either side. They are ever ready in his service.
Vişņu has been originally conceived by the Pañca-Ratra School as having four aspects or Caturvyuha. They are Vasudeva (redeemer), Aniruddha (creator), Pradyumna (sustainer) and Sankarṣaṇa (annihilator). These aspects are later on developed into 24 forms of Viṣņu, and are duly represented in the sculptures of the step-well. Their identity is recognised by the manner they hold the conch, discus, mace and lotus. Out of these 15 images can be recognised and the remaining images may have occupied the empty niches; probably they are now lost. Moreover, there are many repititions also. But the images of Kṛṣṇa and Upendra are significantly absent in the galaxy of beautiful Vişņu images depicted on the walls of this Vapi. Rupamandana (3.9.20) also described the 24 forms of Viṣņu along with their conch, discus, mace and lotus and their positions in detail. This classification has been the basis on which these several states of Visņu are chiselled. These images make the step-well a veritable temple of Visņu along with other gods and goddesses.
Se.
Nos.
1. Kesava
2. Nārāyaṇa
3. Madhava
4. Govinda
5. Viṣṇu
6. Madhusudana
Lower
Rt. hand
Lotus
Conch
Mace
Discus
Mace
Discus
Upper
Rt.hand
Conch
Lotus
Discus
Mace
Lotus
Conch
Upper
Left hand
Discus
Mace
Conch
Lotus
Conch
. Lotus
Lower
Left hand
Mace
Dicus
Lotus
Conch
Discus
Mace