Underground Shrine Queens Stepwell Patan

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

Page 50

Gods and Goddesses
finger tips, holding snake by tail, open palm, a shield, a goad, a scull, bowl with fish and a severed human head. The wild dogs are his mount or vāhana. They maul at a corpse and one of them springs up to lick the head that Bhairava is holding in his hand. The goblins near the feet are devouring the severed arms of the corpse. The surrounding frame has an image of Gaņeśa and the miniature female figures are those of the Yoginis. Bhairava himself is the leader of the Ganās and Yoginis. This compostion is similar to the figure of Bhairava, but it is more dynamic and full of terror. Agni Purāņa (52.4-10) and Vişņu Dharmottara Purāņa (3.59) have descriptions of Bhairava.
Hanumān is standing in a heroic posture in the Queen's step-well. He is the devotee of Rāma and there are thousands of temples dedicated to him both independently and along with the image of Rāma wherein he sits near his feet. In Queen's step-well the image is that of a warrior Hanumān. His left foot is firmly placed on the ground while his right foot is crushing the demon wielding a sword but he lies listless on the ground.
Hanumān is depicted with four hands. His right hand is resting on his left knee while the other right hand is out to attack the enemy. One of his raised left hand seems to be holding an uprooted tree. The other left hand has a raised tarjani the pointing index finger or fore finger is straight. The thumb and the third finger are joined to it to make a loop. This gesture is repeated in several images. It denotes a threat to enemies. The long raised tail of the deity curling around his back is shown behind his head. The figure of Hanuman is very meagrely ornamented, a crown, a necklace, armlets and anklets. He has put on a short loin cloth or kaupina like that of a recluse. His depiction with four hands endows him with the divine propensities denoting affinity with Siva.
Sarasvati is the important goddess in the Puranic literature of India. There a several lores about the Goddess. But she is the consort of Brahmā, the creator and is primarily associated with knowledge and learning. She is the Goddess of speech or word. She is the Sattvika aspect of the Divine Goddess. She is also known as Vāgdevi. She is associated with water and as she is the sacred river which remains unseen in the sangama- confluence of Gangā, Yamunā and Sarasvati. Moreover, she is the patron of lakes, tanks and step-wells. Devi Bhāgavata tells us that Lord Krsna was among the first to worship her (9-456). There is a beautiful standing image of the Goddess in the panel on the third floor facing the East in the Queen's step-well. She has matted hair with a jewel engraved on it. The orb surrounding her face is in the form of lotus leaves reflects her divine halo in which beauty and non-attachment are gently integrated. She has a smiling face permeating joy all around. She wears ear-rings and several