Underground Shrine Queens Stepwell Patan

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

Page 52

Gods and Goddesses
Gods and their Consorts
Gods and their consorts illumine several panels in the Queen's step-well. Beautiful images of Visnu with Laksmi, Siva with Pārvati or Umā Maheśvara as it is popularly known and Brahmā with Brahmāņi are the conjugal images of the trinity of the Supreme Godhead. Besides these, the images of Vedic and Puranic gods are all represented with their spouses. Their faces are beaming with effusive love and affection as they behold each other with tender love and grace. This duality of forms has the supreme philosophic context of Praksti and Purusa. The creator and his creation is a loving union. Though appearing different, they are one inseperable whole. Psychologically they present the unity of the male and female principle which resides in the psyche of every man and woman i.e. man in woman and woman in man as we earlier alluded to in the concept of Śakti and Siva as Ardhanarisvara and Laksmi and Visņu in the unity as Kamalā-Visņu. All these conjugal images are chiselled according to the lores of the puranic texts and also according to the mūrtividhāna in canonical treatises. Thus they give full expression to the spiritual and symbolic meaningfulness of the several deities as gods and goddesses. Apart from the spiritual ethos they also convey the fullness of life emphasizing the household family life of man and god. The life that is world affirmative and planned according to the discipline of four asramas conceived by Rşis. (1) The Brahmacarya : celibacy is to be observed by the student in the Gurukula
or residential house of the Guru till he is 25 years. (2) Grhastha : Family life and economic growth, progress and prosperity till 50
years, leading a dynamic life. (3) Vānaprastha : Slowly entering into the field of social life and services for
welfare of the fellow beings and retiring from personal into social advancement
and dedicated philanthropic life. (4) Samnyāsa is the complete retirement from family life and entering into the
est of the life for spiritual preaching and practice.
In this way the four aspects of life are harmoniously blended in Hindu way of life. The practice is not only recommended for men and women but gods and goddesses as well. In the supreme Godhead both Divine Father and Divine Mother are united.
There are some of the very outstanding conjugal images of gods and their consorts.